Protection sheath for inserting manipulator arm connected to effector housed in sealed housing of glove box in sealed state and related glove box

Abstract

To improve a protection sheath for inserting a manipulator arm into a glove box in a sealed manner.SOLUTION: The invention provides a protection sheath for inserting a manipulator arm connected to an effector housed into a sealed housing of a glove box in a sealed state, and the related glove box. The invention substantially comprises a protection sheath (1) for inserting a manipulator arm (6) into a glove box (12), which includes a sealing joint (4) which removably fixes and connects the manipulator arm engaged in the protection sheath to an effector (7) housed in the sealed housing of the glove box.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of glove boxes, and more particularly to a protective sheath for sealing insertion of an arm into a glove box for operating elements contained within the sealed housing of the glove box.

Background Art

[0002] A glove box is a sealed housing, at least one of its walls being transparent, and the sealed housing is designed for operating substances and objects in a controlled atmosphere. The glove box is particularly advantageous in cases where the substance or object to be operated is harmful or prone to contamination to humans, for example, in the fields of nuclear power, chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medicine.

[0003] The glove box includes at least one through-opening formed in one of its walls for accessing products or materials present within the glove box, and a flexible sleeve is intended to be sealingly attached thereto. The flexible sleeve forms a sealed barrier to ensure that a controlled atmosphere is maintained within the housing, and through this sealed barrier, the elements contained within the housing can be operated.

[0004] Normally, the flexible sleeve is a glove for receiving the operator's hand. However, operating the elements contained within the glove box with the glove remains dangerous for the operator.

[0005] Specifically, there is a risk of an accident that may break the seal of the glove box and thus expose the operator to the harmful elements contained therein. Specifically, there is a risk that the glove may be punctured during operation.

[0006] The glove box is light-shielding against alpha and beta rays, but in some parts, gamma rays may pass through the glove. Therefore, for the operator to manipulate radioactive elements, a glove box that uses the glove as a flexible sleeve does not provide optimal protection.

[0007] Furthermore, certain tasks performed by the operator to manipulate the elements contained within the glove box, such as preventive maintenance and cleaning tasks, require a significant amount of time and effort. The performance of these tasks by the operator reduces the available labor hours for other tasks that have a higher added value.

[0008] To overcome at least some of the above-mentioned drawbacks, a manipulator arm, such as a remotely operated robotic arm or a slave arm, can be used to manipulate the elements contained within the glove box.

[0009] However, standard glove boxes are not designed to have a manipulator arm installed completely inside their enclosures. Specifically, the interior of the glove box is generally cramped and may be cluttered with many objects. Furthermore, the manipulator arm may not be suitable for withstanding the sealed atmosphere of the glove box (which may be corrosive, dusty, and / or radioactive in detail). Furthermore, it is considered that the maintenance of a manipulator arm placed completely inside the glove box will prove to be very complicated.

[0010] Therefore, it is preferable to place the manipulator arm outside the glove box and insert the manipulator arm into a flexible sleeve, which, when appropriate, is a protective sheath for protecting the manipulator arm for manipulating elements within the glove box.

[0011] Similar to the glove, the protective sheath ensures that a controlled atmosphere is maintained within the glove box by forming a sealed barrier between the interior of the box and the manipulator arm. Further, the protective sheath protects the manipulator arm against the sealed atmosphere.

[0012] Patent Document 1 describes a protective sheath for inserting a robot arm into a glove box. The closed end of the protective sheath has a U shape to cover the effector of the robot arm in the form of a gripping part within the protective sheath. Therefore, the protective sheath is only suitable for use with a gripping part as the effector of the robot arm.

[0013] When operating an object contained within the sealed housing of a glove box, the protective sheath described by Patent Document 1 forms a wall between the effector and the element, thereby reducing the sensitivity and dexterity of the effector. Specifically, the quality of the force feedback of the effector is reduced. Since the protective sheath is in direct contact with the element contained within the glove box, there is a significant risk that the tearing of the protective sheath, and thus the confinement of the controlled atmosphere, will be breached. Similarly, the protective sheath can be deformed by the effector, for example pinched or marked, thereby exposing it to the risk of being perforated.

[0014] Furthermore, by completely covering the robot arm and the effector, the protective sheath described by Patent Document 1 greatly impedes the freedom of movement of the robot arm and the effector. Specifically, the protective sheath rotates simultaneously with the effector during the rotation of the effector about its longitudinal axis relative to the rest of the robot arm, and this rotation is very useful for screwing and unscrewing operations. This winding of the protective sheath further increases the risk of tearing.

[0015] Patent Document 2 describes a protective bellows for inserting a robotic arm into a glove box, where an effector in the form of a gripping part is fixed to an operating mechanism housed within the protective bellows at the end of the protective bellows. Therefore, the robotic arm can engage within the protective bellows and be connected to the operating mechanism in order to control the movement of the gripping part within the glove box.

[0016] However, the protective bellows described by Patent Document 3 has many drawbacks. Specifically, this bellows is limited to a single effector that cannot be changed or replaced. Furthermore, the effector fixed to the bellows is not even allowed to freely rotate about its longitudinal axis, thereby preventing any screwing and unscrewing operations by the robotic arm. Additionally, the bellows is not designed for large deflections of the robotic arm.

[0017] Therefore, there is a particular need to improve the protective sheath for the sealed insertion of a manipulator arm into a glove box that overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0018]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0019] An object of the present invention is to at least partially meet this or these needs.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0020] For this purpose, the present invention provides a protective sheath for inserting a manipulator arm into a glove box, comprising: - a flexible sealed sleeve; - a support ring mounted in a sealed manner on the open end of the sleeve and designed to fix the sleeve in a sealed manner to the housing ring of the glove box; - a terminal part that closes the end of the sleeve on the side opposite to the open end in a sealed manner; · a terminal ring fixed to the sleeve; · a joint that is accommodated within the terminal ring, includes an inner surface configured to be removably fixed to the end of the manipulator arm and an outer surface disposed outside the sleeve and configured to be removably fixed to the effector, and is infinitely rotatable about the central axis of the terminal ring; comprising a terminal part; relating to a protective sheath.

[0021] The term "manipulator arm" means an articulated mechanical arm for operating elements contained within the glove box, which is controlled manually or in a computerized manner. Specifically, the manipulator arm can be remotely operated, remotely controlled, programmed offline, and / or operated axis by axis via a human-machine interface. For example, the manipulator arm can be the robotic arm or slave arm of a remote manipulator.

[0022] The term "effector" means a tool intended to be attached to the end of a manipulator arm to enable the performance of an application by directly interacting with elements contained within the glove box. For example, the effector can be a gripping tool, specifically a gripper, or a portable power tool.

[0023] Preferably, a part of the sleeve at its open end is a bellows.

[0024] The sleeve is preferably translucent over at least a part of its length, and preferably over its entire length.

[0025] The sleeve is preferably made of polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride.

[0026] The end portion preferably includes a rigid and transparent flange having an outer periphery fixedly sealed to the sleeve and an inner periphery fixedly sealed to the end portion ring.

[0027] The sleeve preferably includes a frustoconical portion at its closed end, and the end portion ring is directly fixed to the top of the frustoconical portion.

[0028] The protective sheath preferably includes at least one rotary joint that joins two portions of the sleeve in a sealed state, and the two portions are preferably rotatable infinitely relative to each other about the longitudinal axis of the sleeve.

[0029] The joint preferably includes an inner pin that protrudes from the inner surface and is intended to be inserted into a slot cut into the locking plate of the manipulator arm for fixing the manipulator arm to the joint.

[0030] The joint preferably includes an outer pin that protrudes from the outer surface and is intended to be inserted into a slot cut into the locking plate of the effector for fixing the effector to the joint.

[0031] The joint preferably includes a connector that extends from the inner surface to the outer surface for electrically connecting the manipulator arm to the effector.

[0032] The connector is preferably an electronic board having tracks that protrude from the inner surface on one hand and from the outer surface on the other hand.

[0033] The end portion preferably includes a ball bearing disposed between a joint and an end portion ring surrounding the joint coaxially.

[0034] Furthermore, the present invention relates to - a protective sheath according to the present invention, - a manipulator arm removably fixed to the inner surface of the joint and configured to be engaged within the protective sheath, - at least one effector configured to be removably fixed to the outer surface of the joint, and relates to an assembly for operating elements contained within a glove box.

[0035] The joint includes inner pins protruding from the inner surface. The manipulator arm preferably includes a locking plate having slots respectively for an insertion portion designed to insert one of the inner pins and a fixing portion designed to fix the manipulator arm to the joint by translational movement of the inner pin from the insertion portion. The locking plate is preferably designed to slide between a locking position where the inner pin is in the fixing portion of the slot and a release position where the inner pin is in the insertion portion of the slot.

[0036] The joint includes outer pins protruding from the outer surface. The effector preferably includes a locking plate having slots respectively for an insertion portion designed to insert one of the outer pins and a fixing portion designed to fix the effector to the joint by translational movement of the outer pin from the insertion portion. The locking plate is preferably designed to slide between a locking position where the outer pin is in the fixing portion of the slot and a release position where the outer pin is in the insertion portion of the slot.

[0037] Furthermore, the present invention relates to - a sealed housing including a through opening formed in one of its walls, with a housing ring fixed to the edge of the opening, - An assembly according to the present invention, wherein the protective sheath is fixedly sealed to the housing ring and the effector is housed within the sealed housing, and the assembly, relates to a glove box, including.

[0038] Accordingly, the present invention substantially comprises a sealing joint for removably fixing and connecting a manipulator arm engaged within a protective sheath to an effector housed within a sealed housing of a glove box.

[0039] The present invention thus makes it possible to eliminate the housing around the effector that forms a wall between the element to be operated and the effector. The sensitivity and dexterity of the effector are not reduced, and the risk of tearing of the protective sheath and thus breaking the confinement of the sealed housing is minimized.

[0040] Furthermore, the protective sheath according to the present invention allows for easy connection between the manipulator arm and various effectors while maintaining the sealing of the enclosed atmosphere. The same manipulator arm and the same protective sheath can thus be used for various applications requiring various effectors without the need to remove the manipulator arm and the protective sheath from the housing.

[0041] Thanks to the protective sheath according to the present invention, the manipulator arm is neither placed nor brought into contact within the sealed atmosphere of the glove box. Thus, the manipulator arm is protected from possible contamination and / or corrosion. The waste generated during the operation of the elements contained within the glove box is minimized, and only the protective sheath and the effector are considered disposable waste after the operation. Furthermore, the protective sheath according to the present invention is made of a material compatible with conventional waste treatment in the nuclear field, which does not contain aluminum in particular.

[0042] Furthermore, the protective sheath allows for maximum freedom of movement of the manipulator arm introduced therein. Specifically, the protective sheath does not prevent the rotation of the effector about its longitudinal axis with respect to the manipulator arm, thereby greatly facilitating screwing and unscrewing operations.

[0043] Also, the protective sheath according to the present invention is suitable for existing glove boxes and thus does not require any modification of the existing glove box to adapt thereto. Specifically, the attachment of the sleeve and the support ring within the housing ring may be similar to that for the attachment of the glove within the opening of the glove box. Specifically, it may comply with existing standards in accordance with ISO standard 11933-1.

[0044] The protective sheath according to the present invention can be easily and quickly adapted to the glove box. It is suitable for replacing the glove or another protective sheath without breaking the confinement of the controlled atmosphere.

[0045] Other advantages and features will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description which is exemplary and non-limiting with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0046]

Figure 1

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6A

Figure 6B

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] For clarity, the various elements in the figures are not shown to scale, and the actual dimensions of the various parts are not necessarily respected.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a protective sheath 1 according to the present invention. The protective sheath 1 includes a flexible sealed sleeve 2 that is open at its end 2a and closed at its other end 2b.

[0049] The flexibility of the sleeve 2 allows the movement of the manipulator arm not to be restricted. Specifically, the sleeve 2 can be made of polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride. In addition to being flexible and airtight, these materials have the advantage of having good resistance to tearing.

[0050] The sleeve 2 is preferably translucent. Therefore, it is possible to observe the manipulator arm engaged within the sleeve 2, thereby making it easier to control and operate the manipulator arm. Specifically, the operator can better recognize the joint structure of the manipulator arm during remote operation.

[0051] An over-sheath can be fitted around the sleeve 2 to further reduce the risk of perforation or tearing of the sleeve 2.

[0052] The protective sheath 1 also includes a terminal portion 3 that closes the end portion 2b of the sleeve 2 in a sealed state. The terminal portion 3 can rotate about the central axis of the terminal ring 5 and includes a joint 4 that is fitted into the terminal ring 5 in a sealed state.

[0053] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the joint 4 is designed to mechanically and electrically connect the end of the robot arm 6 engaged within the protective sheath 1 to the end effector 7. The structure and operation of the joint 4 will be described later.

[0054] The robot arm 6 may be a 6-axis or 7-axis robot, for example, the "Kinova Gen3" sold by Kinova.

[0055] The terminal portion 3 also includes a flange 8 whose outer circumference is fixed to the end portion 2b of the sleeve 2 in a sealed state and whose inner circumference fixes the terminal ring 5 to the sleeve 2 in a sealed state.

[0056] The flange 8 is preferably rigid and transparent. For example, the flange 8 is made of a transparent (crystal) rigid polyvinyl chloride, in particular. Thus, the robot arm 6 may include a camera module 9 at its end connected to the joint 4 for observing the inside of the glove box 12 through the flange 8.

[0057] Such a camera arrangement is preferable to arrangements known from the prior art. For example, a camera fixed within the sealed housing of a glove box is often obstructed in its field of view and difficult to access for maintenance work. A camera mounted outside the glove box and observing its interior through one of its transparent walls often has an insufficient viewpoint for tracking operating movements.

[0058] The protective sheath 1 also includes a support ring 10 which is fixedly sealed to the open end 2a of the sleeve 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the support ring 10 is designed to be fitted into the housing ring 11 of the glove box 12 such that the sleeve 2 is fixedly sealed to the housing ring 11. The sealed attachment of the sleeve 2 to the housing ring 11 by the support ring 10 may conform to existing standards according to ISO standard 11933-1.

[0059] Thus, the protective sheath 1 is suitable for existing glove boxes 12 and thus does not require any modification to the glove box 12 to fit it in place. Furthermore, the method of fitting and replacing the protective sheath 1 is simple and similar to those known from the prior art regarding the gloves of the glove box 12. They can be carried out, in particular by utilizing a spray gun, without breaking the confinement of the controlled atmosphere of the glove box 12.

[0060] The portion of the sleeve 2 at the opening end 2a is preferably the bellows 13. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the bellows 13 enables the robot arm 6 to be advanced or retracted within the glove box 12 while being deployed or stored without the risk of tearing the sleeve 2. The robot arm 6 can thus be driven more or less into the glove box 12 according to the desired operating movement. Therefore, for operations within the glove box 12 at a greater depth or a shallower depth, i.e., closer or less close to the wall, only a certain axis of the robot arm 6 can be inserted into the glove box in a manner similar to an operator who inserts only the hand and the wrist or inserts the arm up to the shoulder according to the depth of the operation being performed.

[0061] Furthermore, the bellows 13 increases the degree of freedom of movement of the robot arm 6 engaged within the protective sheath 1. Also, the bellows 13 prevents the sleeve 2 from being overly stretched when the sleeve is wound by the robot arm 6 about its central axis.

[0062] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the end portion 3 of the protective sheath 1 according to the present invention. The end portion 3 includes a joint 4 fitted in a sealed state within an end portion ring 5, and the end portion ring 5 itself is fixed in a sealed state to a flange 8. Specifically, the end portion ring 5 is fixed on the flange 8 by being clamped by a nut 14. Alternatively, the end portion ring 5 can be similarly fixed directly on the sleeve 2, or the sleeve 2 can include beads accommodated therein by compression within the end portion ring 5.

[0063] The joint 4 is infinitely rotatable with respect to the end - part ring 5 about its central axis X. Specifically, the end - part 3 includes a sealed ball bearing 15 disposed between the joint 4 and the end - part ring 5. A ring 16 surrounds the joint 4 and holds the adjacent ball bearing 15. An O - ring seal 17 ensures the sealing between the joint 4 and the ball bearing 15 and between the ball bearing 15 and the end - part ring 5.

[0064] The joint 4 includes an inner surface 18 disposed within the sleeve 2, and an outer surface 19 on the opposite side of the inner surface 18 and outside the sleeve 2. The joint 4 includes a tubular body 20 to which an inner pin 21 protruding from the body 20 on the inner - surface 18 side and an outer pin 22 protruding from the body 20 on the outer - surface 19 side are fixed. An O - ring seal 23 ensures the sealing of the fixing of the inner pin 21 and the outer pin 22 to the body 20.

[0065] For example, the inner pin 21 and the outer pin 22 are distributed in a triangular shape. Each of the inner pin 21 and the outer pin 22 has the shape of a bowling pin, that is, a cylindrical shape extending parallel to the central axis X and including a radial groove 24.

[0066] As shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 7, the inner pin 21 enables the end of the robot arm 6 to be removably fixed to the inner surface 18 of the joint 4, and the outer pin 22 enables the end - effector 7 to be removably fixed to the outer surface 19 of the joint 4.

[0067] The robot arm 6 includes a locking plate 25 slidably attached to its end. The locking plate 25 includes a through - slot 26. Each slot 26 includes an insertion portion having a cross - section wider than the cross - section of the inner pin 21, and a fixing portion following the insertion portion and having a shape that complements the radial groove 24 in the inner pin 21.

[0068] Therefore, the inner pin 21 can pass through the insertion portion and engage into the slot 26. Then, until the inner pin is inserted into the fixed portion of the slot 26, the locking plate 25 can slide orthogonally to the central axis X so that the inner pin 21 can translate parallelly within the slot 26. When adjacent within the fixed portion of the slot 26, the inner pin 21 is blocked by the locking plate 25. The robot arm 6 is then fixed to the joint 4. FIG. 6A shows the locking plate 25 in its position that blocks the inner pin 21 adjacent within the fixed portion of the slot 26.

[0069] The robot arm 6 also includes a helical spring 27 that holds the locking plate 25 in the locking position, i.e., the state where the inner pin 21 is inserted adjacent within the fixed portion of the slot 26, by a restoring force. In this way, the helical spring 27 ensures the blocking of the inner pin 21 by the locking plate 25.

[0070] Removing the obstacle from the inner pin 21 is achieved by sliding the locking plate 25 orthogonally to the central axis X, whereby the helical spring 27 is compressed. As a result, the inner pin 21 will translate parallelly within the slot 26 until they are inserted into the insertion portion of the slot 26. The inner pin 21 can then be released from the slot 26. The robot arm 6 is no longer fixed to the joint 4.

[0071] The sliding movement of the locking plate 25 can be actuated by a push button 28. The push button 28 can be arranged opposite to the helical spring 27.

[0072] FIG. 6B shows the locking plate 25 in its position that compresses the helical spring 27 by the inner pin 21 in the insertion portion of the slot 26. The arrow F1 symbolically represents the pushing force applied to the push button 28 to slide the locking plate 25.

[0073] Similarly, the effector 7 includes a locking plate 29 slidably attached to one of its ends. The locking plate 29 includes a through slot 30. Each slot 30 includes an insertion portion having a cross-section wider than the cross-section of the outer pin 22, and a fixing portion following the insertion portion, the cross-section of which has a shape complementary to the radial groove 24 in the outer pin 22.

[0074] Accordingly, the outer pin 22 can pass through the insertion portion and engage within the slot 30. Then, the locking plate 29 can slide orthogonally to the central axis X such that the outer pin 22 translates within the slot 30 until the outer pin is inserted into the fixing portion of the slot 30. When adjacent within the fixing portion of the slot 30, the outer pin 22 is blocked by the locking plate 29. The effector 7 is then fixed to the joint 4. FIGS. 6A and 7 show the locking plate 29 in its position blocking the outer pin 22 adjacent within the fixing portion of the slot 30.

[0075] The effector 7 also includes a helical spring 31 that holds the locking plate 29 in the locking position, i.e., the state in which the outer pin 22 is inserted adjacent within the fixing portion of the slot 30, by a restoring force. The helical spring 31 thus ensures the blocking of the outer pin 22 by the locking plate 29.

[0076] Removing the obstacle from the outer pin 22 is achieved by sliding the locking plate 29 orthogonally to the central axis X, whereby the spring 31 is compressed. As a result, the outer pins 22 will translate within the slot 30 until they are inserted into the insertion portion of the slot 30. The outer pins 22 can then be released from the slot 30. The effector 7 is no longer fixed to the joint 4.

[0077] The sliding movement of the locking plate 29 can be actuated by a push button 32. The push button 32 can be arranged opposite to the helical spring 31.

[0078] FIG. 6B shows the locking plate 29 in the position where the outer pin 22 at the insertion portion of the slot 30 compresses the coil spring 31. Arrow F2 symbolically represents the pushing force applied to the push button 32 to slide the locking plate 29.

[0079] The glove box 12 can have a plurality of various effectors placed thereon and can also include an effector carrier station to facilitate the assembly of the effector 7 with the joint 4.

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the joint 4 is accommodated within the through opening of the tubular body 20 and also includes a connector 33 that extends from the inner surface 18 to the outer surface 19. The connector 33 is fixed to the body 20.

[0081] The connector 33 shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 is an electronic board. Alternatively, any type of sealed connector suitable for transmitting power and data by electrical signals can be considered as the connector 33. For example, the connector 33 may be a sealed connector sold by Souriau.

[0082] The seal 34 realizes a seal between the connector 33 and the tubular body 20, and thus the through opening in the tubular body 20 is closed in a sealed state. The seal 34 can be formed by pouring silicone into the space between the connector 33 and the tubular body 20.

[0083] The tubular body 20 includes an inner guide portion 35 and an outer guide portion 36 that extend along the outer periphery of the connector 33 to protrude from the inner surface 18 and the outer surface 19, respectively. The inner guide portion 35 and the outer guide portion 36 are split sleeve-shaped.

[0084] The connector 33 is configured to send electrical signals between the robot arm 6 and the effector 7. FIG. 8 shows the robot arm 6 electrically connected to the effector 7 via the connector 33.

[0085] The robotic arm 6 is connected to the joint 4 and includes a female plug 37 into which the connector 33 is inserted. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the plug 37 is welded to the electronic board 38 of the robotic arm 6.

[0086] Similarly, the end effector 7 is connected to the joint 4 and includes a female plug 39 into which the connector 33 is inserted. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the plug 39 is welded to the electronic board 40 of the end effector 7.

[0087] Therefore, when the robotic arm 6 and the end effector 7 are connected to the distal portion 3, the robotic arm 6 and the end effector 7 are electrically connected together, and the robotic arm 6 can control the end effector 7.

[0088] The inner guide part 35 and the outer guide part 36 mechanically protect the connector 33 while guiding the plug 37 and the plug 39 respectively during the connection of the robotic arm 6 and the end effector 7 to the joint 4.

[0089] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the connector 33 is inserted into the female plugs 37 and 39. Alternatively, the plugs 37 and / or 39 may be male plugs inserted into the connector 33.

[0090] FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the protective sheath 1 according to the present invention. The protective sheath 1 shown in FIG. 9 is different from the protective sheath shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B in that it includes a first rotary joint 41 and a second rotary joint 42. The first rotary joint 41 is attached to its end 2a on the sleeve 2. The second rotary joint 42 is attached on the sleeve 2, and the sleeve is divided into a proximal portion 43 extending from the first rotary joint 41 to the second rotary joint 42 and a distal portion 44 extending from the second rotary joint 42 to the closed end 2b.

[0091] The first rotary joint 41 enables the proximal portion 43 to rotate infinitely about the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 2 with respect to the end portion 2a of the sleeve 2, and joins the end portion 2a of the sleeve 2 to the proximal portion 43 in a sealed state.

[0092] The second rotary joint 42 enables the distal portion 44 to rotate infinitely about the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 2 with respect to the proximal portion 43, and joins the proximal portion 43 to the distal portion 44 in a sealed state.

[0093] It is advantageous for the first rotary joint 41 and the second rotary joint 42 to enhance the degree of freedom of movement of the robotic arm 6 engaged within the protective sheath 1. Specifically, the first rotary joint 41 and the second rotary joint 42 prevent the sleeve 2 from winding around itself during rotation of the robotic arm 6.

[0094] FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the protective sheath 1 according to the present invention. The protective sheath 1 shown in FIG. 10 is different from the protective sheath shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B in that it does not have a flange 8 and does not have a bellows 13. The absence of the flange 8 and the bellows 13 simplifies the manufacture of the protective sheath 1 according to the present invention and facilitates the insertion of the protective sheath 1 into the glove box 12. Also, the absence of the bellows 13 reduces the risk of potential accumulation of contamination on the sleeve 2.

[0095] The sleeve 2 shown in FIG. 10 includes a frustoconical portion 45 on its closed end portion 2b. The end ring 5 is directly fixed to the uppermost part of the frustoconical portion 45, for example, by clamping as described above with respect to FIG. 4.

[0096] Other modifications and improvements may be envisioned without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the joint 4 may include an inner locking plate designed to fix a manipulator arm including a protruding pin instead of the inner pin 21, and / or an outer locking plate designed to fix an end effector including a protruding pin instead of the outer pin 22. The operations of the inner locking plate and the outer locking plate are similar to the operations of the locking plates 25 and 29.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0097] 1 Protective sheath 2 Flexible sealing sleeve 2a (End of the sleeve), open end 2b (End of the sleeve), closed end 3 (End portion of the protective sheath) 4 Joint 5 End ring 6 Robot arm 7 End effector 8 Flange 9 Camera module 10 Support ring 11 Housing ring 12 Glove box 13 Bellows 14 Nut 15 Ball bearing 16 Ring 17, 23 O-ring seal 18 Inner surface (of the sleeve) 19 Outer surface (of the sleeve) 20 Tubular body 21 Inner pin 22 Outer pin 24 Radial groove 25, 29 Locking plate 26 Through slot 27, 31 Helical spring 28, 32 Push button 30 Through slot 33 Connector 34 Seal 35 Inner guide 36 Outer case interior 37, 39 Female plugs 38, 40 Electronic boards 41 First rotary joint 42 Second rotary joint 43 Proximal portion (of the sleeve) 44 Distal portion (of the sleeve) 45 Frustum-shaped portion F1, F2 arrows, pushing force X Central axis

Claims

1. A protective sheath (1) for inserting a manipulator arm (6) into a glove box (12), comprising: - a flexible sealing sleeve (2), a support ring (10) sealingly mounted on the open end (2a) of the sleeve and designed to sealingly fix the sleeve to the enclosure ring (11) of the glove box; a terminal part (3) sealingly closing the end (2b) of the sleeve opposite the open end, an end ring (5) fixed relative to said sleeve, a coupling (4) fitted into the end ring and infinitely rotatable about a central axis (X) of the end ring, the coupling including an inner surface (18) housed within the sleeve and configured to be removably fixed to an end of the manipulator arm, and an outer surface (19) located on the outside of the sleeve and configured to be removably fixed to an effector (7); An end portion (3) including A protective sheath (1).

2. 2. The protective sheath of claim 1, wherein a portion of the sleeve at its open end is a bellows (13).

3. 3. A protective sheath according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve is translucent over at least a portion of its length, preferably over its entire length.

4. 4. The protective sheath of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made of polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride.

5. 5. A protective sheath according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the end piece includes a rigid transparent flange (8) having an outer periphery sealingly fixed to the sleeve and an inner periphery sealingly fixed to the end piece ring.

6. 5. A protective sheath according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sleeve includes a frusto-conical portion (45) at its closed end, and the end ring is fixed directly to the top of the frusto-conical portion.

7. 7. A protective sheath as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising at least one rotary joint (42) sealingly joining two parts (43, 44) of the sleeve to one another, said two parts being infinitely rotatable relative to one another about the longitudinal axis of the sleeve.

8. 8. A protective sheath according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the joint includes an inner pin (21) protruding from the inner surface and intended to be inserted into a slot (26) cut into a locking plate (25) of the manipulator arm to fix the manipulator arm to the joint.

9. 9. A protective sheath according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the joint includes an outer pin (22) protruding from the outer surface and intended to be inserted into a slot (30) cut into a locking plate (29) of the effector to fix the effector to the joint.

10. 10. A protective sheath according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the joint includes a connector (33) extending from the inner surface to the outer surface for electrically connecting the manipulator arm to the effector.

11. 11. The protective sheath of claim 10, wherein the connector is an electronic board with tracks protruding from the inner surface on the one hand and from the outer surface on the other hand.

12. 12. A protective sheath according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the end portion includes a ball bearing (15) arranged between the joint and the end portion ring coaxially surrounding the joint.

13. - a protective sheath (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, a manipulator arm (6) adapted to be removably fixed to said inner surface (18) of said joint (4) and to be engaged within said protective sheath; at least one effector (7) adapted to be removably fixed to said outer surface (19) of said joint; 1. An assembly for the operation of elements contained within a glove box (12), comprising:

14. 14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein the joint comprises inner pins (21) protruding from the inner surface, and the manipulator arm comprises locking plates (25) comprising slots (26) each having an insert portion designed for inserting one of the inner pins and a fixing portion following the insert portion and designed for fixing the manipulator arm to the joint by translation of the inner pin from the insert portion, the locking plates being preferably designed to slide between a locked position in which the inner pin is in the fixed portion of the slot and a released position in which the inner pin is in the inserted portion of the slot.

15. 15. An assembly according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the joint comprises outer pins (22) protruding from the outer surface, and the effector comprises locking plates (29) comprising slots (30) each having an insert portion designed for inserting one of the outer pins and a fixing portion following the insert portion and designed for fixing the effector to the joint by translation of the outer pin from the insert portion, the locking plates being preferably designed to slide between a locked position in which the outer pin is in the fixing portion of the slot and a released position in which the outer pin is in the insert portion of the slot.

16. a sealed housing, comprising a through opening formed in one of its walls, a housing ring (11) fixed to the edge of said opening; an assembly according to any one of claims 13 to 15, in which the protective sheath is sealingly fixed to the housing ring and the effector is housed in the sealed housing; and a glove box (12) including

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