Connection assembly for a sealed transfer cell comprising a flange carrying at least one magnetically indexing lever

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a connection assembly for a sealed transfer cell, comprising: – a cell flange (1) having an inner face equipped with a door (2) movable between a closed position to close a central opening (5) of the flange (1) and an open position to release this central opening (5), and an outer face (7) opposite the inner face; – a lock (13) carried by the cell flange (1) and located on its inner face (6) to lock the door (2) when it is closed on the opening (5); – an operating lever (17, 21) carried by the flange (1) being located on its outer face (7), to actuate the door (2) or to actuate the lock (13). According to this disclosure, the flange (1) has on its outer face (7) at least one magnetic indexing element (22, 23, 24, 27, 28) for the lever (17, 21), and the lever (17, 21) has a magnetic element (26, 29). See Figure 2 for abbreviations.

Description

Title of the invention: Connection assembly for a sealed transfer cell comprising a flange carrying at least one magnetically indexed lever. Technical field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of sealed transfer of components from a sealed container to a sealed cell, with a double-door connection system. PREVIOUS STATE OF THE ART

[0002] In various industrial sectors, it is necessary to carry out tasks in a confined atmosphere, for example to protect the environment from radioactivity or toxicity, or to carry out these tasks in an aseptic atmosphere, or both simultaneously.

[0003] The transfer of devices or products from a container to a cell without breaking the seal is ensured with a double-door connection device, such a device being known for example from document FR2695343.

[0004] In such a device, the cell is closed by a door on a flange of the cell equipping that cell, the door being located on the inner side of the flange, i.e., inside the cell, and being attached to that flange by a hinge. The container is closed by a door mounted in a flange of that container to which it is secured by a bayonet fitting. Two other bayonet fittings secure the flanges to each other and the doors to each other.

[0005] It is common to designate the flange and the door of the cell as alpha flange and alpha door, and to designate the flange and the door of the container as beta flange and beta door.

[0006] In addition, the flange can be equipped on the one hand with a lock to block the door in its closed state, and it can also carry one or two external levers allowing an operator to operate the door and / or the lock from outside the cell.

[0007] The connection of the container to the cell is ensured by applying the flange of the container against that of the cell, and rotating it on itself, which has the effect of:

[0008] - to secure the two straps together by their bayonet connection;

[0009] - to secure the two doors together by another bayonet connection;

[0010] - Disconnect the bayonet fitting linking the container door to its flange.

[0011] Once this connection is made, the cell door can be pivoted inwards around its hinge, so as to open the communication: the door the container being then rigidly attached to that of the cell by the corresponding bayonet connection, it opens in conjunction with the cell door.

[0012] Once the transfer of components or materials has been carried out from the container to the cell or vice versa, the cell door, with the container door attached to it, is folded down by pivoting around the hinge. The container is then pivoted in the opposite direction, which has the effect of:

[0013] - to secure the container door to the container flange;

[0014] - detach the container door from the cell door;

[0015] - detach the container flange from the cell flange.

[0016] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a solution for indexing the door and / or the lock of such an assembly, to ensure that they cannot change state under the effect of an event other than an operator intervention. SUMMARY

[0017] To this end, the present disclosure relates to a connection assembly for a sealed transfer cell, comprising:

[0018] - a cell flange having an inner face equipped with a movable door between a closed position to seal a central opening in the flange and an open position to release this central opening, and an external face opposite to the internal face;

[0019] - a lock carried by the cell flange and located on its inner face to lock the door when it is closed on the opening;

[0020] - an operating lever carried by the flange and located on its outer face, for to operate the door or to operate the lock;

[0021] characterized in that:

[0022] - the flange carries on its outer face at least one magnetic indexing element of the lever and the lever carries a magnetic element.

[0023] With this arrangement, the door or lock is indexed in position, thanks to the magnetic elements indexing the corresponding lever.

[0024] This disclosure also relates to an assembly thus defined, in which the flange carries several magnetic indexing elements.

[0025] This disclosure also relates to an assembly thus defined, comprising a door actuation lever and a lock actuation lever, and in which the flange comprises at least one magnetic indexing element for each lever.

[0026] This disclosure also relates to an assembly thus defined, in which the flange includes at least two magnetic indexing elements for each lever.

[0027] This disclosure also relates to an assembly thus defined, comprising a door actuation lever, and in which the flange comprises at least three magnetic indexing elements for the door actuation lever.

[0028] This disclosure also relates to an assembly thus defined, wherein at least one magnetic element is a permanent magnet.

[0029] This disclosure also relates to an assembly thus defined, in which the magnetic elements are arranged so that the magnetic element of the lever comes into contact with a magnetic indexing element when the lever is opposite that magnetic indexing element.

[0030] This disclosure also relates to an assembly thus defined, in which at least one magnetic element is fixed to the flange with functional clearance to be mounted floating and / or at least one magnetic element is fixed to a lever with functional clearance to be mounted floating.

[0031] This disclosure also relates to a method of using such an assembly as defined, comprising the operation of actuating a lever to operate the door or to operate the door lock.

[0032] This disclosure also relates to a method thus defined, in which a connection assembly is used comprising a door operating lever and a lock operating lever.

[0033] This disclosure also relates to a method of using a connection assembly for a sealed transfer cell, comprising:

[0034] - a cell flange having an inner face equipped with a movable door between a closed position to seal a central opening in the flange and an open position to release this central opening, and an external face opposite to the internal face;

[0035] - a lock carried by the cell flange and located on its inner face to lock the door when it is closed on the opening;

[0036] - an operating lever carried by the flange and located on its outer face, for to operate the door or to operate the lock;

[0037] in which the flange has on its external face at least one magnetic indexing element for the lever and the lever has a magnetic element, and in which this method comprises the operation of actuating a lever to operate the door or to operate the door lock.

[0038] This disclosure also relates to a method of using a connection assembly for a sealed transfer cell, comprising:

[0039] - a cell flange having an inner face equipped with a movable door between a closed position to seal a central opening in the flange and an open position to release this central opening, and an external face opposite to the internal face;

[0040] - a lock carried by the cell flange and located on its inner face to lock the door when it is closed on the opening;

[0041] - an operating lever carried by the flange and located on its outer face, for operate the door;

[0042] - an operating lever carried by the flange and located on its outer face, for operate the lock;

[0043] in which the flange has on its external face at least one magnetic indexing element for the lever and the lever has a magnetic element, and in which this method comprises the operation of actuating a lever to operate the door or to operate the door lock. Brief description of the drawings

[0044] The [Fig. 1] is an overview perspective view of a flange equipped with a door shown at an intermediate position between its closed and its maximum opening in accordance with the present disclosure, viewed from inside the cell;

[0045] Fig. 2 is a view of a flange equipped with a door shown open in accordance with this disclosure, viewed from outside the cell;

[0046] Fig. 3 is a view of a flange equipped with a door shown in an intermediate position between its closed and its maximum opening, which conforms to the present disclosure, as seen from outside the cell;

[0047] Figure 4 is a view of a flange equipped with a door shown closed and locked in accordance with this disclosure, viewed from outside the cell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] In [Fig. 1], a cell flange 1 supports a door 2 fixed to this flange 1 by a hinge 3. This flange 1 is fixed to an unshown opening in a cell wall 4, and has a shape of revolution around an axis AX1, to delimit a circular central opening 5.

[0049] It comprises an inner face 6 extending inside the cell it equips, and an outer face 7 extending outside the cell it equips and to which is coupled a container flange 8 forming part of a container from which a transfer must be made to the cell or vice versa.

[0050] The opening 5, which is free in the situation of [Fig.1], can be closed by folding the door 2 against the flange 1 by pivoting this door 2 around the hinge 3. This hinge 3 extends along an axis AY normal to the axis AX1 and spaced from it by a distance greater than the radius of the opening 5.

[0051] In [Fig. 1], a container door 9 is attached to the inner face of the door 2 by a non-visible bayonet joint. The door 2 is connected to the hinge 3 by an arm 11 having one end rigidly attached to a rotating element 12 of the hinge 3, and a second end rigidly fixed to the door 2.

[0052] The cell flange 1 is equipped with a locking device comprising a rotary lock 13 and the door 2 is equipped with a cam 14, or groove, rigidly attached to the door 2 and from which it protrudes.

[0053] The rotary lock 13 is located opposite the hinge 3 with respect to the axis AX1, and it protrudes from the inner face 6 by being able to pivot around an axis AX2 parallel to the axis AX1, this lock 13 having a roller 16 extending parallel to the face 6.

[0054] When the door 2 is folded down, the cam 14 is positioned opposite the lock 13, so that pivoting the lock 13 around its axis allows its roller 16 to engage in the cam 14, to lock the door 2. Rotating the lock 13 in the opposite direction allows its roller 16 to disengage, to release the cam 14 and allow the door 2 to open.

[0055] This rotary lock 13 includes a transmission shaft extending along an axis AX2 parallel to the axis AX1 and passing through the external face 7 of the flange 1, this shaft carrying an operating lever 17 allowing an operator to actuate the lock 13. This lever 17, which is external and movable in rotation parallel to the face 7, thus allows an operator to lock or unlock the door 2, which is internal, from outside the cell.

[0056] As indicated above, the hinge 3 includes a rotating element 12, pivoting about the axis AY, this rotating element 12 being supported by bearings 18 and 19 rigidly fixed to the inner face 6. Complementarily, another operating lever 21 located on the outer face of the flange 1 is carried by a rotating shaft or a transmission mechanism not shown extending along an axis of rotation AX3 parallel to the axes AX1 and AX2, to operate the door.

[0057] This other operating lever 21, which is rotatable parallel to the face 7, is linked to the door by a transmission mechanism (not shown). It allows an operator to operate the internal door from outside the cell by actuating this operating lever 21 to open or close it.

[0058] According to this disclosure, levers 17 and 21 are indexed in position by magnetic means.

[0059] For this purpose, the flange 1 carries three magnetic indexing elements, 22, 23, 24, and the operating lever 21 carries another magnetic element 26.

[0060] When the door 2 is fully open as in [Fig.2], this corresponds to a position where the lever 21 is opposite the element 22, so that its magnetic element 26 is opposite the element 22, which has the effect of immobilizing the lever 21 to immobilize the door 2 at its maximum opening.

[0061] Starting from the situation in [Fig. 2], the lever 21 can be rotated, for example by an operator, to position it opposite the magnetic element 23, which corresponds to the situation in [Fig. 3]. The door 2 is then immobilized at a intermediate position between its fully open position and its closed position. In this situation, the lever 21 is immobilized because its magnetic element 26 is then opposite the element 23, to immobilize the door 2 in its intermediate position.

[0062] The lever 21 can then be rotated to position it opposite the magnetic element 24, corresponding to the situation in [Fig. 4] where the door 2 is immobilized in its closed position. The lever 21 is thus immobilized because its magnetic element 26 is then opposite the element 24, thereby immobilizing the door 2 in its closed position.

[0063] Advantageously, element 26 and / or each element 22 to 24 has limited mobility along the axial direction AX1, such that when lever 21 is opposite an indexing element 22 to 24, the magnetic element of the lever and the corresponding magnetic indexing element press against each other. This significantly increases the magnetic attraction they exert on each other and ensures that lever 21 is firmly locked in its position.

[0064] Mobility along the axial direction of the element 26 can be obtained by fixing it to the lever 21 with a certain functional clearance so as to constitute a floating assembly. This axial mobility can also be obtained by providing that the lever 21, which is free to rotate about the axis AX3, also has a certain degree of swing freedom in a plane containing the axis AX3.

[0065] Similarly, the elements 22 to 24 can have limited mobility along the AX1 direction by being fixed to the flange 1 with a certain functional clearance to be floating relative to it.

[0066] The operating lever 21 of the door 2 is indexed to its maximum opening position, to an intermediate position, and to a closing position of the door thanks to the cooperation of the magnetic indexing elements 22 to 24 carried by the flange with the magnetic element 26 that this lever carries.

[0067] Similarly, the operating lever 17 of the lock 13 is also indexed by magnetic means. The flange 1 carries two other magnetic indexing elements 27 and 28 located in the vicinity of this other lever 17, and this lever also carries a magnetic element 29.

[0068] This lever 17 is directly rotationally linked to the lock 13 by an axis passing through the flange 1. When the lock 13 is in the unlocked state, as in figures 1 to 3, the lever 17 is located opposite the indexing element 27, so that its magnetic element 29 is opposite this element 27 to immobilize the lever in this position, and thereby immobilize the lock 13 in the unlocked state.

[0069] When the door 2 has been closed, as in [Fig.4], the operator can actuate the lever 17 by rotating it around its axis AX2 by approximately a quarter turn, to lock the lock 13, while placing the lever 17 opposite the indexing element 28. This has the effect of immobilizing the lock 13 in its locked state, as shown in [Fig.4].

[0070] Just as in the case of the lever 21 with its element 26 and indexing elements 22 to 24, the magnetic element 29 of the lever 17 and / or the corresponding indexing elements 27 and 28 advantageously have axial mobility along the AX1 direction. This allows the element 29 of the lever 17 and the corresponding indexing element 27 or 28 to press against each other when they are opposite each other, to ensure a firm locking of the lever 17 in its unlocked position or in its locked position of the lock 13.

[0071] The mobility of element 29 can be achieved by a floating attachment of this element 29 to the lever 17 or by tilting this lever 17 in a plane containing its axis of rotation AX2. The mobility of the indexing elements 27 and 28 can be achieved by securing them to the flange 1 with a certain functional clearance to constitute a floating assembly.

[0072] Each magnetic element 22 to 24 and 26 to 29 comprises a component such as a permanent magnet, a ferromagnetic part, or an electrically powered coil optionally with a ferromagnetic core of the lamination stack type. Advantageously, the magnetic element has an enclosure such as a coating or a housing surrounding its magnetic component.

[0073] In practice, the indexing elements 22, 23, 24, 27, and 28 may include ferromagnetic parts, and the elements 26 and 29 may include permanent magnets. Conversely, the elements 22, 23, 24, 27, and 28 may include permanent magnets, and the elements 26 and 29 may simply include ferromagnetic parts. The elements 22 to 24 and 26 to 29 may also each include a permanent magnet.

[0074] In the example shown in the figures, three indexing elements 22, 23, 24 are provided for the operating lever 21 of the door 2, corresponding respectively to the open state of this door, an intermediate state, and a closed state. The number of indexing elements shown in the example can be increased or decreased as needed. For example, a single indexing element 22 that locks the door in its open state could be considered sufficient.

[0075] Similarly, two indexing elements 27 and 28 for the lever 17 operating the lock are provided in the example in the figures, but this number can be modified. For example, only the indexing element 27 can be provided to lock the lock in its unlocked state.

[0076] Furthermore, in the example in the figures, each lever is free to rotate in a plane parallel to the flange, but the present disclosure can also be applied to the case of a movable lever rotating in a plane normal to that of the flange. A magnetic indexing element mounted on the flange can then be provided, with which the lever comes into contact when it is folded against the flange. Another magnetic indexing element mounted on the flange can also be provided so that the lever comes into contact with this other magnetic element when it is in a folded position opposite to the previous folded position.

Claims

Demands

1. Connection assembly for a sealed transfer cell, comprising: - a cell flange (1) having an inner face (6) equipped with a door (2) movable between a closed position to close a central opening (5) of the flange (1) and an open position to release this central opening (5), and an outer face (7) opposite the inner face (6); - a lock (13) carried by the cell flange (1) and located on its inner face (6) for locking the door (2) when it is closed on the opening (5); - an operating lever (17, 21) carried by the flange (1) and located on its outer face (7), for actuating the door (2) or for actuating the lock (13); characterized in that: - the flange (1) has on its external face (7) at least one magnetic indexing element (22, 23, 24, 27, 28) of the lever (17, 21) and the lever (17, 21) has a magnetic element (26, 29).

2. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the flange (1) carries several magnetic indexing elements (22, 23, 24, 27, 28).

3. Assembly according to claim 1, comprising a door (2) actuating lever (21) and a lock (13) actuating lever (17), and wherein the flange (1) comprises at least one magnetic indexing element (22, 23, 24, 27, 28) for each lever (17, 21).

4. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the flange (1) comprises at least two magnetic indexing elements (22, 23, 24, 27, 28) for each lever (17, 21).

5. Assembly according to claim 1, comprising a lever (21) for actuating the door (2), and in which the flange (1) comprises at least three magnetic indexing elements (22, 23, 24) for the lever (21) for actuating the door (2).

6. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one magnetic element (22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29) is a permanent magnet.

7. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic elements (22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29) are arranged so that the magnetic element (26, 29) of the lever (17, 21) comes into contact with a magnetic indexing element (22, 23, 24, 27, 28) when the lever (17, 21) is opposite this magnetic indexing element (22, 23, 24, 27, 28).

8. Assembly according to claim 7, wherein at least one magnetic element (22, 23, 24, 27, 28) is fixed to the flange (1) with functional clearance to be mounted floating and / or at least one magnetic element (26, 29) is fixed to a lever (17, 21) with functional clearance to be mounted floating.

9. A method of using an assembly according to claim 1, comprising the operation of actuating a lever to operate the door or to operate the door lock.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein a connection assembly is used comprising a door operating lever and a lock operating lever.

Images