Gas replacement method, gas replacement device, and method for manufacturing sealed container

Abstract

This gas replacement method includes: a liquid filling step of filling a liquid into the inside of a storage part that has an opening part at one end; an insertion step of inserting an end part of a gas supply part that supplies target gas into the inside of the storage part, into the inside of the storage part via the opening part; a gas supply step of supplying the target gas into the inside of the storage part; and a closing step of closing a gas supply flow path that connects the outside of the storage part and the gas supply part and through which the target gas supplied to the gas supply part passes, and a gas discharge flow path that connects the inside and the outside of the storage part and through which non-target gas discharged to the outside of the storage part passes.

Description

Gas replacement method, gas replacement device, and method for manufacturing a sealed container

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a gas replacement method, a gas replacement device, and a method for manufacturing a sealed container.

[0002] Conventionally, methods for replacing the gas inside a container have been developed. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for discharging a liquid content capable of replacing the internal air with an arbitrary gas by inserting a gas supply nozzle and a gas discharge nozzle into the container. Patent Document 2 discloses a rotary container sealing machine that supplies an inert gas to the container from an inert gas blowing nozzle hole. Patent Document 3 discloses a prefilled syringe in which hydrogen gas is discharged and sealed inside a cylinder portion. Patent Document 4 discloses a chemical liquid discharge device that replaces the atmosphere inside a tank using an atmosphere replacement pipe and a pressurization pipe. Patent Document 5 discloses a gas press-fitting method in which gas can be exhausted or introduced by switching a switching valve.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 01-009196, Utility Model Laid-Open No. 59-069198, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-119800, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-057223, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-312115

[0004] In a gas replacement method for replacing a gas, when the target gas is lighter than the gas to be replaced, there is a risk that external air will flow into the accommodation space before the accommodation space is closed.

[0005] The technology of the present disclosure aims to provide a technology for suppressing the inflow of external air.

[0006] (Aspect 1) A gas replacement method comprising: a liquid filling step of filling the inside of a containment having an opening at one end with a liquid; an insertion step of inserting the end of a gas supply unit that supplies a target gas into the inside of the containment through the opening; a gas supply step of supplying the target gas into the inside of the containment; and a blocking step of closing a gas supply channel that connects the outside of the containment to the gas supply unit and through which the target gas supplied to the gas supply unit passes, and a gas discharge channel that connects the inside of the containment to the outside and through which the unwanted gas discharged to the outside of the containment unit passes. (Aspect 2) The gas replacement method according to Aspect 1, wherein in the gas supply step, the unwanted gas contained inside the containment is discharged to the outside through the opening of the containment by supplying the target gas into the inside of the containment. (Aspect 3) A gas replacement method according to aspect 1 or 2, wherein in the gas supply step, the target gas may be supplied into the containment to discharge the non-target gas contained inside the containment by passing it between the gas supply section and the wall surface of the containment to the outside of the containment. (Aspect 4) A gas replacement method according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein in the gas supply step, the target gas may be supplied into the containment by making the pressure of the gas supply channel higher than the pressure of the gas discharge channel, and the non-target gas may be discharged to the outside of the containment. (Aspect 5) A gas replacement method according to any one of aspects 1 to 4, wherein the target gas may be lighter than the non-target gas contained inside the containment. (Aspect 6) A gas replacement method according to any one of aspects 1 to 5, wherein the target gas may be hydrogen. (Aspect 7) A gas replacement method according to any one of aspects 1 to 6, which may include a gas supply unit moving step of moving the gas supply unit to the outside of the housing unit while the gas supply channel and the gas discharge channel are closed, and a housing space closing unit installation step of installing a housing space closing unit capable of closing the housing unit while the gas supply channel and the gas discharge channel are closed, at the opening of the housing unit after the gas supply unit moving step.(Aspect 8) The present disclosure can also be viewed from the perspective of a gas replacement device. For example, a gas replacement device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include: a containment section having an opening at one end and capable of containing liquid and gas; a gas supply passage that serves as a passage through which a target gas supplied to the containment section from outside the containment section passes; a gas discharge passage that serves as a passage through which an unwanted gas discharged from the inside of the containment section to the outside passes; a closure section that closes the gas supply passage and the gas discharge passage; and a gas supply section having an internal passage that connects the inside of the containment section and the gas supply passage, having a width narrower than the opening, and having its end located inside the containment section when the inside of the containment section is filled with the liquid. (Aspect 9) The present disclosure can also be viewed from the perspective of a manufacturing apparatus for sealed containment containers. For example, a method for manufacturing a sealed container according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include: a liquid filling step of filling the inside of a container having an opening at one end with a liquid; an insertion step of inserting the end of a gas supply unit that supplies a target gas into the inside of the container through the opening; a gas supply step of supplying the target gas into the inside of the container; and a blocking step of closing a gas supply channel that connects the outside of the container to the gas supply unit and through which the target gas supplied to the gas supply unit passes, and a gas discharge channel that connects the inside and outside of the container and through which an unwanted gas discharged to the outside of the container passes. (Aspect 10) A method for manufacturing a sealed container according to aspect 9, which may include a gas supply unit moving step of moving the gas supply unit to the outside of the container while the gas supply channel and the gas discharge channel are closed, and a container space closing unit installation step of attaching a container space closing unit capable of closing the container while the gas supply channel and the gas discharge channel are closed to the opening of the container after the gas supply unit moving step.

[0007] According to this disclosure, the inflow of external gases is suppressed.

[0008] Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a manufacturing apparatus for producing ultrafine bubbles using gas replaced by a gas replacement method according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the initiator, with the initiator extracted and enlarged. Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the manufacturing apparatus showing the piston in a sliding state. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the plunger section, with the plunger section extracted and enlarged. Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the manufacturing apparatus showing the plunger section in a state where it has collided with the liquid. Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a state where a gap has been formed between the plunger section and the piston. Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a sealed container according to an embodiment. Figure 8 is a flowchart of the gas replacement method according to an embodiment. Figure 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a gas replacement apparatus according to an embodiment. Figure 10 is an external perspective view of a housing space closure mounting device provided in the gas replacement apparatus according to an embodiment. Figure 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state before the housing space closure mounting device is installed. Figure 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the gas replacement apparatus with the gas supply section moved upward. Figure 13 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the gas replacement apparatus showing the state where the housing space closure section is located above the housing section. Figure 14 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the gas exchange device showing the containment space closure part inserted into the opening of the containment part.

[0009] The following describes, with reference to the drawings, a gas replacement method, a gas replacement apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a sealed container according to embodiments of this disclosure. Note that the configurations and combinations thereof in the embodiments are examples only, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. This disclosure is not limited by the embodiments, but is limited only by the claims.

[0010] <Embodiment> One embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for replacing a gas used when producing ultrafine bubbles, a gas replacement apparatus used when replacing the gas by the gas replacement method, and a method for manufacturing a sealed container which is part of an ultrafine bubble production apparatus.

[0011] In this embodiment, "ultrafine bubble" refers to a bubble with a diameter of less than 1 μm, in accordance with the deliberations and definitions of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee TC281 (Fine Bubble Technology).

[0012] Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of an ultrafine bubble manufacturing apparatus 1. The ultrafine bubble manufacturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "manufacturing apparatus 1") comprises a containment section 2 having a containment space 21 for containing liquid 5 and gas 6 inside, a drive section 3 that generates energy to compress the containment space 21 of the containment section 2, and a plunger section 4 that compresses the containment space 21. The plunger section 4 instantaneously pressurizes the inside of the containment section 2 with the energy generated by the drive section 3, dissolving at least a portion of the gas 6 in the liquid 5. The manufacturing apparatus 1 also generates ultrafine bubbles from a supersaturated solution by rapidly depressurizing the inside of the containment section 2. The containment section 2 and the drive section 3 may be connected by a connecting member 7. The shape and material of the connecting member 7 are not particularly limited as long as it can fix the containment section 2 and the drive section 3 together. In addition, when the containment section 2 and the drive section 3 are connected, a gap may be formed between the containment section 2 and the drive section 3. Note that the downward direction of the manufacturing apparatus 1 refers to the direction of gravity, and the direction opposite to the downward direction is defined as the upward direction.

[0013] The housing section 2 is, for example, a hollow cylindrical member having an opening 2A at one end and a closed end at the other. The opening 2A is closed by a plunger section 4. The volume of the housing space 21 is reduced by the plunger section 4, which has substantially the same cross-sectional shape as the housing space 21, sliding downward inside the housing section 2. The material of the housing section 2 is not particularly limited as long as it can withstand the pressure inside the housing section 2.

[0014] The drive unit 3 comprises a cylindrical housing 31, an initiator (ignition unit) 32 provided at one end of the housing 31, a piston 33 slidably positioned inside the housing 31, and a cap 34 provided at the other end of the housing 31 to prevent the piston 33 from falling out. The initiator 32 generates energy to slide the piston 33 downward. A combustion chamber 35 is formed inside the housing 31 between the initiator 32 and the piston 33. A gas generating agent may be contained in the combustion chamber 35. The piston 33 slides inside the housing 31 due to the energy generated by the initiator 32. The cap 34 has an opening in the center of its cross-section, and when the drive unit 3 is operated, a part of the piston 33 protrudes from the opening.

[0015] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the energy supplied by the drive unit 3 can be provided in the form of energy supplied by known pressurization technology. An example of the energy supplied may be chemically generated energy, such as combustion energy produced by the oxidation reaction of gunpowder or explosives. Alternatively, the energy for the change may be electrically generated, for example, by a piezoelectric element or electromagnetic actuator driven by the input power. Yet another method is to generate the energy for the change physically, for example, by elastic energy from an elastic body or internal energy possessed by a compressed object such as compressed gas. For example, the drive unit 3 may generate energy by releasing the pressure of compressed gas. Yet another method is to generate the energy for the change manually (by human power). For example, the drive unit 3 may supply energy to the valve body 42 by transmitting the human power of an operator. In other words, the energy for the change can be any energy that is able to push the piston 33. Furthermore, the energy required for this change may be a composite energy, appropriately combining combustion energy, electrical energy, internal energy such as elastic energy, and manual (human) energy. For example, it may be obtained by compressing a compression spring manually and obtaining its repulsive force.

[0016] The initiator 32 is, for example, an electric ignition device. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the initiator 32. The initiator 32 has a housing cup 321, an igniter 322, a metal header 323, a charge holder 324, a bridge wire 325, two conductive pins 326, and a resin collar 327. The conductive pins 326 are connected to a power source. The housing cup 321 is a metal component covered with an insulating cover, and is a cup-shaped container with one end open. The igniter 322 is gunpowder and is housed inside the housing cup 321. The metal header 323 is positioned on the opening side of the housing cup 321, and a cylindrical charge holder 324 is provided behind it. A housing chamber 328 is formed inside the housing cup 321, the metal header 323, and the charge holder 324. The igniter 322 is sealed inside the housing chamber 328. A bridge wire 325 is routed within the containment chamber 328 to electrically connect one of the conductive pins 326 to the metal header 323. The two conductive pins 326 are fixed to the metal header 323 via an insulator 329 so that they are insulated from each other. Furthermore, the opening of the containment cup 321 is protected by a resin collar 327, which maintains the insulation between the conductive pins 326. When a voltage is applied between the two conductive pins 326 by an external power source, current flows through the bridge wire 325. The current ignites the igniter 322, causing it to burn. The combustion products, such as flames and combustion gases, generated by the combustion cause the containment cup 321 to rupture and are released into the combustion chamber 35 (Figure 1).

[0017] The igniter 322 may be, for example, one of the following explosives, or a combination of several of these: an explosive containing zirconium and potassium perchlorate (ZPP), an explosive containing titanium hydride and potassium perchlorate (THPP), an explosive containing titanium and potassium perchlorate (TiPP), an explosive containing aluminum and potassium perchlorate (APP), an explosive containing aluminum and bismuth oxide (ABO), an explosive containing aluminum and molybdenum oxide (AMO), an explosive containing aluminum and copper oxide (ACO), or an explosive containing aluminum and iron oxide (AFO). A characteristic of these explosives is that although their combustion products are gaseous at high temperatures, they do not contain gaseous components at room temperature, so the combustion products condense immediately after ignition. As a result, during the pressurization process of the liquid and the gas, the temperature and pressure of the combustion products generated by the combustion of the igniter 322 can be brought down to near room temperature and atmospheric pressure in a short time after the pressure acting on the liquid and the gas reaches its first peak injection power.

[0018] The combustion chamber 35 may contain a gas generating agent that burns to produce gas. Examples of gas generating agents include single-base smokeless powder consisting of 98% by mass of nitrocellulose, 0.8% by mass of diphenylamine, and 1.2% by mass of potassium sulfate. It is also possible to use various gas generating agents used in airbag gas generators and seat belt pretensioner gas generators. By adjusting the amount, shape, size, and arrangement of the gas generating agent, the pressure generated in the combustion chamber 35 can be adjusted as appropriate.

[0019] The piston 33 includes a first portion 331 and a second portion 332, which has a smaller outer diameter than the first portion 331. The material of the piston 33 is not particularly limited. The outer diameter of the first portion 331 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the housing 31 and is larger than the opening formed in the cap 34. The first portion 331 also has a groove around it for holding an O-ring 333, and the outer circumference of the first portion 331 is connected to the inside of the housing 31 via the O-ring 333. The second portion 332 extends from the first portion 331 in the sliding direction of the piston 33. The tip of the second portion 332 contacts the plunger portion 4, pushing the plunger portion 4 into the housing portion 2 when the piston 33 slides. The outer diameter of the second portion 332 is smaller than the opening formed in the cap 34. An O-ring 334 is also positioned around the second portion 332, adjacent to the first portion 331. Furthermore, the housing 31 and the cap 34 are equipped with threaded portions that screw into each other, and are airtightly connected via an O-ring 335.

[0020] Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the manufacturing apparatus 1 showing the state in which the piston 33 is sliding. When a voltage is applied to the initiator 32, the igniter 322 inside burns, and the combustion products are released into the combustion chamber 35. When the internal pressure of the combustion chamber 35 increases due to the combustion products of the initiator 32, or due to the further combustion of the gas generating agent contained in the combustion chamber 35, the piston 33 slides inside the housing 31. The piston 33 can slide inside the housing 31 until, at most, the first part 331 (more precisely, the O-ring 334 adjacent to the first part 331) contacts the cap 34. Also, as the piston 33 slides, the plunger part 4 is pushed into the housing part 2, and the housing space 21 is compressed. At this time, the gas 6 contained in the housing space 21 dissolves in the liquid 5, and a solution 51 is generated.

[0021] The plunger portion 4 closes the opening 2A of the housing portion 2 and compresses the housing space 21. At least a portion of the plunger portion 4 also functions as a depressurization portion for reducing the pressure in the housing space 21. The plunger portion 4 has a sealing portion 41 having a through hole that functions as a valve seat in the center of its cross-section, a valve body 42 that extends and is disposed inside the through hole of the sealing portion 41, and a spring 43 disposed between the sealing portion 41 and the valve body 42. The material of the sealing portion 41 is, for example, resin, but is not limited thereto. The material of the valve body 42 and the spring 43 is, for example, metal, but is not limited thereto.

[0022] The sealing portion 41 has an outer diameter that is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the housing portion 2. The sealing portion 41 has two grooves around it for holding the O-rings 411, and the outer circumference of the sealing portion 41 is connected to the inside of the housing portion 2 via the two O-rings 411. When only the sealing portion 41 is inserted into the housing portion 2, the through hole connects the housing space 21 to the outside.

[0023] The valve body 42 includes a hollow cylindrical first portion 421 and a second portion 422 disposed on the lower end side of the first portion 421. After the second portion 422 is inserted through the through hole of the sealing portion 41 and the spring 43 disposed within the through hole, the first portion 421 is connected to the upper end side of the second portion 422 to assemble the valve body 42. A receiving hole 4211 is formed on the lower end side of the first portion 421 for connection to the upper end side of the second portion 422. The upper end side of the second portion 422 has a larger outer diameter, while the inner diameter of the lower end side of the receiving hole 4211 is narrower. Therefore, the upper end side of the second portion 422 engages to prevent it from falling out of the receiving hole 4211. In addition, a slit 4212 is provided on the side circumference of the receiving hole 4211, which is cut out in the axial direction of the first portion 421.

[0024] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the plunger section 4. Figure 4(A) is a perspective view of the plunger section 4 from above. Figure 4(B) is a perspective view of the plunger section 4 from below. Figure 4(C) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the plunger section 4.

[0025] A protrusion 4214 is formed on the outer circumference of the first portion 421 along the circumferential direction. The upper end of the slit 4212 is located above the protrusion 4214, and the lower end of the slit 4212 extends to the lower end of the first portion 421.

[0026] The lower end of the second portion 422 has an end portion 4221 with a cross-sectional diameter larger than the through-hole of the sealing portion 41, and a protrusion 4222 located above and spaced apart from the end portion 4221, with an outer diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the through-hole of the sealing portion 41. A groove is provided between the end portion 4221 and the protrusion 4222 in which the O-ring 4223 is held. The outer circumference of the end portion 4221 is tapered, and its diameter decreases towards the tip. By positioning the O-ring 4223 between the sealing portion 41 and the second portion 422, the through-hole of the sealing portion 41 can be closed, and the airtightness of the containment space 21 can be ensured.

[0027] The sealing portion 41 includes a first region 412 in which the inner diameter of the through hole is substantially the same as the first portion 421 of the valve body 42, a second region 413 in which the inner diameter of the through hole is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the spring 43, and a third region 414 in which the inner diameter of the through hole is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the second portion 422 of the valve body 42.

[0028] The spring 43 is, for example, a compression coil spring that expands and contracts in the axial direction of the plunger portion 4, but it may be any other elastic member. The outer diameter of the first portion 421 of the valve body 42 is larger than the outer diameter of the spring 43. Also, the inner diameter of the third region 414 of the sealing portion 41 is smaller than the outer diameter of the spring 43. Therefore, the spring 43 exerts a pushing force between the stepped portion 416 between the second region 413 and the third region 414 of the sealing portion 41 and the lower end of the first portion 421. In other words, in the state before the operation of the manufacturing apparatus 1, the spring 43 biases the valve body 42 to close the through hole of the sealing portion 41.

[0029] Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the manufacturing apparatus 1 showing the plunger portion 4 in a state where it has collided with the liquid 5. When the plunger portion 4 is pushed into the piston 33 and slides before colliding with the contents (liquid 5) in the containment portion 2, the valve body 42 slides within the through hole of the sealing portion 41 against the spring force of the spring 43 due to the inertial force generated when the plunger portion 4 slides. The end portion 4221 of the valve body 42 is tapered toward the tip, reducing the resistance when it enters the liquid 5 in the containment space 21 and making it easier for the valve body 42 to slide. Furthermore, it is preferable that the valve body 42 has a relatively large mass in order to increase the kinetic energy when it enters the liquid 5 in the containment space 21. For example, the valve body 42 may be made of a metal such as brass.

[0030] As the valve body 42 slides within the through-hole of the sealing portion 41, the O-ring 4223 and the protrusion 4222 are pushed outward from the through-hole of the sealing portion 41 toward the housing space, forming a gap 4224 between the sealing portion 41 and the second portion 422. In Figure 5, a gap 4224 is formed around the second portion 422 of the valve body 42. At this time, the housing space 21 of the housing portion 2 and the space between the piston 33 and the sealing portion 41 are in communication through the ventilation passage formed by the gap 4224 and the slit 4212 of the valve body 42. Furthermore, the plunger portion 4 and the piston 33 are not coupled, and after the plunger portion 4 collides with the contents (liquid 5), the contact surfaces separate due to the impact, forming a gap between the plunger portion 4 and the piston 33. Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state in which a gap has been formed between the plunger portion 4 and the piston 33. Alternatively, a gap may be provided between the housing portion 2 and the drive portion 3, for example at reference numeral 8. In other words, the outer diameter of the second portion 332 of the piston 33 is smaller than the inner diameter of the housing space 21 of the housing 2, and a ventilation passage can be formed between the slit 4212 and the gap 8, so that the housing space 21 comes into contact with the outside air when the valve body 42 slides.

[0031] As described above, the sealing portion 41, valve body 42, and spring 43 function as a pressure reducing unit (pressure reducing valve) for reducing the pressure in the containment space 21. The weight of the sealing portion 41 and valve body 42, the spring force of the spring 43, and the amount of energy generated by the drive unit 3 can be appropriately set according to, for example, the volume and contents of the containment space 2. With the pressure reducing unit described above, the containment space 21 can be rapidly depressurized, and ultrafine bubbles can be precipitated (generated) from the supersaturated solution 52 in which gas 6 above the solubility limit is dissolved in the liquid 5.

[0032] Furthermore, the slit 4212 extends to a length that extends beyond the sealing portion 41 even when the spring 43 is most compressed, thereby ensuring an air passage. For example, a protrusion 4214 may be provided as a restricting portion to limit the sliding of the valve body 42, so that the protrusion 4214 collides with the sealing portion 41 to limit the sliding of the valve body 42, while the slit 4212 extending beyond the protrusion 4214 ensures an air passage. Alternatively, a step 415 may be provided between the first region 412 and the second region 413 of the sealing portion 41 as a restricting portion to limit the sliding of the valve body 42, so that the step 415 collides with the lower end of the first portion 421 of the valve body 42 to limit the sliding of the valve body 42, while the slit 4212 ensures an air passage.

[0033] After generating ultrafine bubbles, for example, the housing unit 2 is removed from the drive unit 3, and then the plunger unit 4 is removed from inside the housing unit 2. Then, the contents containing the ultrafine bubbles contained in the housing space 21 are discharged. For example, at least a part of the manufacturing apparatus 1, such as the housing unit 2 and the plunger unit 4, may be disposable units.

[0034] Generally, in the generation of fine bubbles by the pressurized dissolution method, the rate of the depressurization process after dissolving the gas in the liquid under pressure affects the concentration of fine bubbles. In this embodiment, by rapidly reducing the pressure using the depressurization unit, the number of ultrafine bubbles generated can be increased (i.e., the size of the bubbles is suppressed). According to this embodiment, it was possible to generate more than 100 billion ultrafine bubbles / ml. The number and particle size of the ultrafine bubbles were measured and analyzed using NanoSight (Spectris Co., Ltd.). Furthermore, in this embodiment, since ultrafine bubbles are generated in an airtight containment space 21, it is suitable for generating ultrafine bubbles in closed systems such as sterile environments.

[0035] Although the bubbles produced by the manufacturing apparatus 1 are mostly ultrafine bubbles, it is sufficient that the bubbles produced by the manufacturing apparatus 1 contain ultrafine bubbles, and it is acceptable that bubbles that do not meet the above definition are also included.

[0036] As described above, the containment space 21 of the containment section 2 contains the liquid 5 and the gas 6. Since the manufacturing apparatus 1 is assembled with the containment space 21 filled with the liquid 5 and the gas 6, it is necessary to manufacture a sealed containment container that contains the liquid 5 and the gas 6 in the containment space 21 and closes the opening 2A. Figure 7 shows the state in which the opening 2A of the containment section 2 is closed by the sealing part 41 and the second part 422 of the plunger part 4. If the containment container 17 has the opening 2A of the containment section 2 closed by the sealing part 41 and the second part 422, it is possible to prevent the gas 6 from flowing out of the containment space 21 to the outside during the manufacturing process of the manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0037] In this disclosure, the liquid 5 contained in the containment section 2 is not particularly limited. Examples of liquid 5 include liquids that can be used as solvents (e.g., water, alcohol, oil, etc.). Other examples include solutions (e.g., culture media (liquid culture medium), physiological saline, phosphate buffer, prepared reagents, solution-type cosmetics, etc.). Liquid 5 may also be an emulsion (e.g., emulsion-type cosmetics such as lotions). Furthermore, a liquid may be made using two or more of these. In addition, liquid 5 may contain low molecular weight substances or high molecular weight substances, and may contain inorganic substances or organic substances (e.g., biological components such as nucleic acids). In one preferred embodiment of this embodiment, liquid 5 is a liquid that does not contain microorganisms, etc. In one preferred embodiment of this embodiment, water is pure water (e.g., distilled water, RO water, RO-EDI water, ion-exchanged water), and in another preferred embodiment, it is ultrapure water. Examples of ultrapure water include Milli-Q water.

[0038] In this disclosure, the gas 6 contained in the containment section 2 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the gas 6 is hydrogen. Other examples include air, nitrogen, oxygen, ozone, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide, and a mixture of two or more of these gases is also an example. In a preferred embodiment of this model, the gas 6 is a gas that does not contain microorganisms, etc. The air may be commonly used air, and its composition is not particularly limited. For example, a mixture of about 80% nitrogen and about 20% oxygen is an example.

[0039] Here, if the containment space 21 is filled with a gas that is denser than hydrogen, such as air, there is a risk that when hydrogen is added to the containment space 21, the gas 6 will leak out and outside air will flow into the containment space 21.

[0040] The gas replacement method according to this embodiment includes an insertion step of inserting a gas supply unit, described later, which supplies the target gas to the containment space 21, to near the liquid surface of the liquid 5 filling the containment space 21, and a gas supply step of supplying the target gas from near the liquid surface of the liquid 5 using the gas supply unit, and pushing out the unwanted gas filling the containment space 21 to the outside with the supplied target gas. In this embodiment, the target gas is gas 6. The unwanted gas is the gas present in the containment space 21 before gas replacement, and is assumed to be, for example, air. In this embodiment, the unwanted gas is air. However, the unwanted gas is not limited to air. All gases different from the target gas are included. Furthermore, the unwanted gas may include at least the target gas but also include gases other than the target gas, or gases with a different component ratio from the target gas. When the gas supply unit supplies gas 6 from near the surface of liquid 5, the gas 6, which has a lower specific gravity than the unintended gas, flows to the upper side of the containment space 21 and pushes out the unintended gas that has already filled the containment space 21. The unintended gas that has already filled the containment space 21 is pushed out of the containment space 21 through a gas discharge channel through which the unintended gas can pass. In this embodiment, the gas 6, which has a lower specific gravity than the unintended gas, is hydrogen. Since gas 6 or the unintended gas is continuously flowing through the gas discharge channel, outside air cannot flow into the containment space 21 unless it flows against the flow of gas 6 or the unintended gas. In the gas supply channel through which gas 6 passes from the outside to the gas supply unit, gas 6 is supplied in a way that prevents outside air from flowing in. Therefore, while the unintended gas in the containment space 21 is being replaced with gas 6 by the gas replacement method according to this embodiment, the inflow of outside air into the containment space 21 is suppressed. In this state, if the gas discharge channel and the gas supply channel are closed, the containment space 21 is filled with gas 6 without any outside air flowing in.

[0041] Furthermore, because hydrogen is lighter than air, if the containment space 21 is filled with hydrogen and then the sealing part 41 and the second part 422 are attached to close the containment space 21, there is a risk that hydrogen will leak out and outside air will flow into the containment space 21.

[0042] The gas replacement method according to this embodiment may involve filling the accommodation space 21 with the gas 6 and attaching the sealing portion 41 and the second portion 422 in a state where the gas supply channel and the gas discharge channel, which are channels connecting the exterior and the accommodation space 21, are blocked. When the sealing portion 41 and the second portion 422 are attached in a state where the gas supply channel and the gas discharge channel are blocked and the accommodation space 21 is blocked, it suppresses the outflow of hydrogen to the exterior until the accommodation space 21 is blocked and suppresses the inflow of external air into the accommodation space 21. Thereby, while the sealing portion 41 and the second portion 422 are being attached to the housing portion 2, it suppresses the inflow of external air into the accommodation space 21 and can improve the replacement efficiency of the gas 6 contained in the manufactured sealed container 17. In this embodiment, the sealing portion 41 and the second portion 422 are referred to as the accommodation space blocking portion 16.

[0043] Based on FIG. 8, the gas replacement method according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart regarding the gas replacement method according to this embodiment. First, in the liquid filling step of step S101, the accommodation space 21 of the housing portion 2 is filled with the liquid 5.

[0044] In the attachment step of step S102 following step S101, the accommodation space blocking portion attachment tool holding the accommodation space blocking portion 16 and the housing portion 2 are attached to the gas supply portion. In this embodiment, after attaching the accommodation space blocking portion attachment tool to the gas supply portion, it is attached to the housing portion 2. Note that after attaching the housing portion 2 to the gas supply portion, the accommodation space blocking portion attachment tool may be attached.

[0045] In the insertion step of step S103 following step S102, the end of the gas supply unit that supplies the target gas 6 to the accommodation space 21 is inserted into the accommodation space 21. At this time, the end of the gas supply unit may be inserted up to near the liquid level of the accommodated liquid 5. In the present embodiment, the vicinity of the liquid level of the liquid 5 is a position close enough that the end of the gas supply unit does not touch the liquid 5. If the end of the gas supply unit touches the liquid 5, there is a risk that dust or the like adhering to the gas supply unit will mix into the liquid 5. Further, there is a risk that the end of the gas supply unit touches the liquid 5 and the liquid 5 adheres to the surface of the gas supply unit, thereby contaminating the gas supply unit. For this reason, it is preferable that the gas supply unit does not touch the liquid 5. On the other hand, in order for the gas 6 supplied from the end of the gas supply unit to push out the non-target gas filling the accommodation space 21 to the outside through the opening 2A provided in the upper part of the accommodation unit 2, it is preferable that the end of the gas supply unit is located below the accommodation space 21. If the end of the gas supply unit is located below the accommodation space 21, the gas 6 having a specific gravity lighter than the non-target gas pushes up the non-target gas from the lower side to the upper side of the accommodation space 21, so that the non-target gas can be pushed out to the outside of the accommodation unit 2 through the opening 2A. Note that the end of the gas supply unit may be inserted into the liquid 5. When the gas 6 is a gas that is difficult to dissolve in the liquid 5, by supplying the gas 6 from inside the liquid 5, the gas 6 flows into the space above the liquid surface of the liquid 5 filled in the lower side of the accommodation space 21. For this reason, the gas 6 can push up the non-target gas from the liquid surface to the upper side of the accommodation space 21 and push it out to the outside of the accommodation unit 2 through the opening 2A.

[0046] In the gas supply step of step S104 following step S103, the gas 6 is supplied from the end of the gas supply unit to the accommodation space 21, and the non-target gas in the accommodation space 21 is pushed out and discharged to the outside of the accommodation unit 2.

[0047] In the closing step of step S105 following step S104, the gas supply flow path that connects the outside and the gas supply unit and through which the gas 6 supplied to the gas supply unit passes, and the gas discharge flow path that connects the accommodation space 21 and the outside and through which the non-target gas discharged to the outside passes are closed.

[0048] In the gas supply unit movement step S106, the next step after step S105, the gas supply unit is moved to the outside of the containment space 21 with the gas supply channel and gas discharge channel closed. Note that step S106 may be performed simultaneously with the closing of the gas discharge channel in step S105.

[0049] In the subsequent step S107 of step S106, the storage space closure part installation step, the storage space closure part 16 is attached to the upper opening 2A of the storage part 2 via the space formed by the movement of the gas supply part in the gas supply part movement step of step S106, thereby closing the storage space 21.

[0050] Next, a gas replacement device according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the gas replacement device M according to this embodiment. The gas replacement device M comprises a containment section 2 capable of containing liquid 5 and gas 6, a gas supply section 9 that supplies gas 6 to the containment space 21, a gas supply passage 10 that supplies gas 6 from the outside to the gas supply section 9, a gas discharge passage 11 that discharges unwanted gas from the containment space 21 to the outside, and an opening / closing section 12 (an example of a "closing section" as referred to in this application) that opens and closes the gas supply passage 10 and the gas discharge passage 11 that connect the containment space 21 to the outside. The downward direction of the gas replacement device M means the direction of gravity, and the opposite direction to the downward direction is the upward direction. The horizontal direction of the gas replacement device M means the horizontal direction in Figure 9. The direction perpendicular to the vertical and horizontal directions of the gas replacement device M is the width direction.

[0051] As described above, the storage section 2 has a storage space 21 inside for storing liquid 5 and gas 6. In the liquid filling step S101 of Figure 8, liquid 5 is filled into the storage space 21 of the storage section 2. The storage section 2 also has a recess 21B that is located outside the storage space 21 and is recessed downwards.

[0052] The gas supply unit 9 has an internal passage 13 into which gas 6 can flow, and a wall portion 9W is provided around the outer circumference of the gas supply unit 9. Two O-rings 9R are provided on the outer circumference of the gas supply unit 9, spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. The O-rings 9R are attached in a tight-fitting state to the wall portion 9W so that outside air does not flow in or out between the wall portion 9W and the gas supply unit 9. The gas supply unit 9 can move linearly in the vertical direction along the wall portion 9W. The material of the gas supply unit 9 and the wall portion 9W is not particularly limited.

[0053] The internal passage 13 has internal passages 13X and 13Y. The internal passage 13Y is located below the halfway point in the vertical direction of the gas supply unit 9, has a cylindrical shape through which the gas 6 can pass, and extends vertically from the lower end of the gas supply unit 9. The cylindrical internal passage 13X, which extends laterally from the gas exchange device M, extends from the upper end of the internal passage 13Y, and at least one end of the internal passage 13X penetrates the outer circumference of the gas supply unit 9. Here, the internal passage 13X and the internal passage 13Y, and the internal passage 13Y and the containment space 21 are in communication. Therefore, the gas 6 can flow from the internal passage 13X through the internal passage 13Y and into the containment space 21. By flowing the gas 6 from the end of the internal passage 13X that penetrates the outer circumference of the gas supply unit 9 into the internal passage 13X, the gas 6 can pass through the internal passage 13Y and flow into the containment space 21. The material of the internal flow channels 13X and 13Y is not particularly limited.

[0054] The wall portion 9W has a cylindrical shape that surrounds the outer circumference of the gas supply portion 9, and is open so that a part of the gas supply portion 9 is exposed. The exposed portion is where the end of the internal flow path 13 is located when the gas supply portion 9 is discharging gas 6 into the containment space 21, allowing the gas 6 supplied to the gas supply portion 9 to flow in from outside the wall portion 9W.

[0055] Furthermore, the internal flow path 13X is not limited to one that extends linearly laterally across the gas exchange device M, but may also be a flow path where a flow path extending linearly in the width direction of the gas exchange device M intersects with a flow path extending linearly laterally across the gas exchange device M. In this case, all ends of the internal flow path 13X may penetrate the outer circumference of the gas supply unit 9. If multiple ends of the internal flow path 13X penetrate, the gas 6 can be supplied to the containment space 21 regardless of which of the multiple ends of the internal flow path 13X is supplied from. For this reason, any of the multiple ends of the internal flow path 13X may be positioned in the exposed portion of the gas supply unit 9, making installation easier. Even if multiple ends of the internal flow path 13X penetrate the outer wall, only the internal flow path 13X located in the exposed portion of the gas supply unit 9 can be kept in communication with the outside. Therefore, even if multiple ends are provided for the internal flow path 13X, the region into which the gas 6 can flow is identified, and the outflow of the gas 6 from the other ends of the internal flow path 13X is suppressed by the wall portion 9W.

[0056] The gas replacement device M may include a housing space closure mounting device 14 for attaching the housing space closure section 16 to the gas replacement device M. Figure 10 is an external perspective view of the housing space closure mounting device 14. The housing space closure mounting device 14 has a cylindrical main body 14M and is attached to the gas supply unit 9 such that the longitudinal direction of the main body 14M extends laterally to the gas replacement device M. When attached to the gas supply unit 9, a pair of clamping parts 14B are provided vertically at the end of the main body 14M on the gas supply unit 9 side in the width direction of the gas replacement device M. The upper clamping part 14B has a shape that conforms to the upper outer shape of the housing space closure section 16 and clamps the upper side of the housing space closure section 16. The lower clamping part 14B has a shape that conforms to the lower outer shape of the housing space closure section 16 and clamps the lower side of the housing space closure section 16. As a result, the storage space closure mounting device 14 can hold the storage space closure 16.

[0057] Furthermore, the containment space closure mounting device 14 has a containment space closure mounting portion 14A on the end opposite to the gas supply unit 9. The containment space closure mounting portion 14A extends in the longitudinal direction of the main body 14M and, when attached to the gas supply unit 9, has a shape that protrudes downward from the end on the gas supply unit 9 side. The containment space closure mounting device 14 is attached to the area facing the exposed portion of the gas supply unit 9 in the mounting process of step S102 in Figure 8, with the containment space closure mounting device 14 clamping the containment space closure portion 16 by the clamping portion 14B.

[0058] The containment space closure mounting device 14 is detachably mounted between a pair of rails 15U and 15D provided at the upper and lower ends of the area where the gas supply unit 9 is exposed. Figure 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state before the containment space closure mounting device 14 is mounted. The lower rail 15D has a plate shape, and the lower end of the containment space closure mounting device 14 is slidable laterally along the lower rail 15D of the gas exchange device M. The upper rail 15D has a plate shape with a protruding convex portion 15A at the outer end of its upper surface, and the containment space closure mounting portion 14A of the containment space closure mounting device 14 catches on the convex portion 15A, thereby preventing the containment space closure mounting device 14 from coming off the gas supply unit 9. Therefore, the containment space closure mounting device 14 is mounted so that the containment space closure mounting portion 14A catches on the convex portion 15A. When removing it from the gas exchange device M, the hook of the housing space closure mounting device 14 onto the protrusion 15A is released.

[0059] The upper rail 15U and the lower rail 15D may be integrally formed by connecting the rails 15U and 15D with a plate-shaped member. For example, the rail 15U may be provided on the upper surface and the rail 15D on the lower surface of a box-shaped box section 15 with one side perpendicular to the longitudinal direction being open. In this case, the box section 15 is arranged to surround the outside of the wall section 9W, and the containment space closure mounting device 14 is inserted into the opening of the box section 15. In addition, the wall section 9W is airtightly connected to the box section 15 by placing two O-rings 9WS between it and the box section 15. The O-rings 14C are in close contact with the rails 15U and 15D, which suppresses the gas 6 from flowing out from between the containment space closure mounting device 14 and the rails 15U and 15D.

[0060] The storage space closure mounting device 14 has two O-rings 14C provided along the outer circumference of the main body 14M, spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the main body 14M. When the storage space closure mounting device 14 is inserted into the opening of the box 15, the box 15 and the storage space closure mounting device 14 are airtightly connected.

[0061] A gas supply channel 10 is provided at the top of the box section 15. The gas supply channel 10 has a cylindrical shape that connects the inside and outside of the box section 15 and supplies gas 6 supplied from the outside to the gas supply section 9. The material of the gas supply channel 10 is not particularly limited.

[0062] After attaching the containment space closure mounting device 14 to the gas supply unit 9, the containment unit 2, which has liquid 5 filled in the containment space 21, is attached to the gas supply unit 9. The wall portion 9W is inserted into the recess 21B provided at the top of the containment unit 2, thereby attaching it to the upper side of the containment unit 2. The wall portion 9W has two O-rings 9WR between it and the recess 21B, and the wall portion 9W is tightly attached to the containment unit 2, creating an airtight connection. Alternatively, the containment unit 2, which has liquid 5 filled in the containment space 21, may be attached to the gas supply unit 9 before attaching the containment space closure mounting device 14 to the gas supply unit 9.

[0063] In the insertion step S103, the end of the gas supply unit 9 is inserted into the containment space 21 to near the liquid surface of the liquid 5 contained therein. When the end of the gas supply unit 9 is inserted to near the liquid surface of the liquid 5 contained in the containment space 21, it extends longer vertically than the wall portion 9W. The portion of the gas supply unit 9 that extends above the wall portion 9W has a larger diameter than the wall portion 9W. Therefore, when the end of the gas supply unit 9 is inserted to near the liquid surface of the liquid 5 contained in the containment space 21, the larger diameter portion of the gas supply unit 9 does not sink below the wall portion 9W, and its position is fixed. Also, in this state, the end of the internal flow path 13X is located in the exposed portion of the gas supply unit 9 where the wall portion 9W does not extend.

[0064] In the gas supply process of step S104 in Figure 8, the target gas 6 is supplied from the outside to the gas supply channel 10 and then supplied to the containment space 21 via the internal channel 13. In the gas supply process, the gas 6 supplied from the gas supply channel 10 may be supplied to the containment space 21 at a pressure higher than the pressure of the gas discharge channel 11 by a known pump or the like, and unwanted gas may be discharged to the outside of the containment space 21. At this time, the range of pressure applied by the pump or the like can be appropriately determined by Bernoulli's formula or the like, and the replacement time can be determined as needed. For example, if the volume is 5000 mm ３ In the storage space 21, the cross-sectional area is 30 mm ２ If the displacement is performed by the tube for 3 seconds, the pressure in the containment space 21 will be 2.0 × 10 －４ The pressure may also be the pressure obtained by adding the value of Pa. Alternatively, with the gas 6 supplied from the gas supply channel 10 filled near the outer end of the gas supply channel 10, a suction device capable of sucking in unwanted gases may be attached to the end of the gas discharge channel 11, and by sucking from the end of the gas discharge channel 11 at a pressure lower than the pressure of the gas supply channel 10, the gas 6 may be supplied to the containment space 21, the unwanted gas may be discharged to the outside of the containment space 21, and the gas 6 may be supplied to the containment space 21. In this way, by making the pressure of the gas supply channel 10 higher than the pressure of the gas discharge channel 11, the gas 6 may be supplied to the containment space 21 and the unwanted gas may be discharged to the outside of the containment space 21.

[0065] When gas 6 is supplied to the outer end of the gas supply channel 10, the gas 6 passes through the gas supply channel 10 and is supplied to the inside of the box section 15. Since the opening of the box section 15 is closed by the housing space closing part mounting device 14, the gas 6 supplied to the box section 15 flows into the internal channel 13X, whose end is located in the area where the gas supply section 9 is exposed. The gas 6 that has flowed into the internal channel 13X passes through the internal channel 13Y and flows into the housing space 21. At this time, since the gas supply section 9 is supplied from near the liquid surface of the liquid 5 filled in the housing section 2, the unwanted gas filling the housing space 21 is pushed to the upper side of the housing section 2 by the gas 6. Here, since the diameter of the gas supply section 9 is narrower than the opening 2A of the housing space 21, a gap is formed between the wall section 9W that forms the housing space 21 and the gas supply section 9. Therefore, the unintended gas that filled the containment space 21 flows through the gap formed between the wall 9W and the gas supply unit 9 to the upper part of the containment space 21.

[0066] A gas discharge channel 11 is provided at the top of the containment space 21. The gas discharge channel 11 is cylindrical and connects the top of the containment space 21 to the outside. The unwanted gas pushed to the top of the containment space 21 by the gas 6 passes through the gas discharge channel 11 and is discharged to the outside. Therefore, even without providing a nozzle to discharge the unwanted gas into the containment space 21, the unwanted gas that has filled the containment space 21 can be discharged simultaneously with the supply of the gas 6. The material of the gas discharge channel 11 is not particularly limited.

[0067] The gas supply channel 10 and the gas discharge channel 11 have opening / closing parts 12. When the unwanted gas that was previously filled in the containment space 21 is discharged to the outside, in the closing process of step S105 in Figure 8, the gas supply channel 10 and the gas discharge channel 11 connecting the containment space 21 to the outside are closed by the opening / closing parts 12.

[0068] The opening / closing section 12 has a circular shape and is provided in the middle of the gas supply passage 10 and the gas discharge passage 11. The opening / closing section 12 has an opening / closing passage 12A that is cylindrical through which gas 6 can pass and whose ends are located at the ends of the opening / closing section 12. The opening / closing section 12 is rotatable in the circumferential direction, and by rotating it, the direction in which the opening / closing passage 12A extends is changed, thereby restricting the inflow and outflow of gas 6. For example, the direction in which the opening / closing passage 12A extends is set to be parallel to the direction in which the gas discharge passage 11 or the gas supply passage 10 extends, so that the opening / closing passage 12A is connected to the gas supply passage 10 or the gas discharge passage 11. When the opening / closing passage 12A is connected to the gas supply passage 10 or the gas discharge passage 11, unintended gas or gas 6 can pass through the opening / closing passage 12A. Furthermore, if the opening / closing passage 12A is oriented to intersect with the gas supply passage 10 and the gas discharge passage 11, and is not connected to the gas supply passage 10 and the gas discharge passage 11, the gas 6 will not be able to pass through the opening / closing passage 12A, and the containment space 21 will be blocked.

[0069] The containment space 21 is surrounded by the containment section 2, the gas supply section 9, the wall section 9W, the box section 15, the containment space closure attachment 14, the gas supply passage 10, and the gas discharge passage 11. Therefore, the gas 6 can only flow between the outside and the containment space 21 through the gas supply passage 10 or the gas discharge passage 11.

[0070] Therefore, by providing opening / closing parts 12 in the gas supply passage 10 and the gas discharge passage 11, the opening / closing parts 12 can close the gas supply passage 10 and the gas discharge passage 11, thereby closing the containment space 21. The material of the opening / closing parts 12 and the opening / closing part passage 12A is not particularly limited; for example, the opening / closing part passage 12A is made of the same material as the gas supply passage 10 or the gas discharge passage 11. Furthermore, the opening / closing parts 12 are not limited to the shape described above, and can be any shape that can restrict the inflow and outflow of gas.

[0071] Gas 6 is supplied to the containment space 21, the unintended gas filling the containment space 21 passes through the gas discharge channel 11 and is discharged to the outside, and the containment space 21 is filled with gas 6. Here, it may be determined that the containment space 21 is filled with gas 6 when the gas 6 discharged from the gas discharge channel 11 changes from the unintended gas filling the containment space 21 to gas 6, or it may be determined that the containment space 21 is filled with gas 6 by the passage of time for the unintended gas to be replaced by gas 6, which is derived based on the pressure at which the unintended gas is supplied. When the containment space 21 is filled with gas 6, the containment space 21 is closed by making the opening / closing channel 12A intersect with the gas supply channel 10 and the gas discharge channel 11. When the containment space 21 is closed, the state in which the gas 6 in the containment space 21 has been replaced from the unintended gas to gas 6 can be maintained.

[0072] In addition, the blocking step S105 may be performed by blocking the containment space 21 before the gas 6 discharged from the gas discharge channel 11 changes from the unintended gas filling the containment space 21 to the gas 6.

[0073] Furthermore, when the opening / closing section 12 is closed and the containment space 21 is sealed, the gas supply channel 10 and the gas discharge channel 11 on the containment space 21 side of the opening / closing section 12 can be made into spaces filled with gas 6.

[0074] When the target gas 6 is filled into the containment space 21 and the opening / closing section 12 is closed, thereby sealing the containment space 21, in the gas supply unit movement step S106 of Figure 8, the upper part of the gas supply unit 9 is pulled upward and slid between the wall sections 9W, creating a space where the gas supply unit 9 does not extend laterally across the containment space sealing unit mounting device 14. The gas supply unit 9 only needs to be moved upward so that it does not extend laterally across the containment space sealing unit mounting device 14, and the means of movement can be changed as appropriate. Figure 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the gas replacement device M with the gas supply unit 9 moved upward. The white arrow Y in Figure 12 indicates the direction in which the gas supply unit 9 moves.

[0075] In step S107 of Figure 8, during the installation of the containment space closure part, the containment space closure part installation device 14 is slid laterally across the gas exchange device M, and with the containment space closure part 16 positioned in the formed space, the gas supply unit 9 is moved downward. This installs the containment space closure part 16 into the upper opening 2A of the containment unit 2, thereby closing the containment space 21.

[0076] The gas exchange device M may include guide portions 18 that serve as guides when the containment space closure portion 16 slides below the gas supply portion 9. A pair of guide portions 18 may be provided at positions corresponding to the upper and lower sides of the containment space closure portion 16 in the wall portion 9W.

[0077] When the gas supply unit 9 is pulled upward, and the housing space closure mounting device 14 is slid laterally along the guide unit 18 of the gas exchange device M, the housing space closure 16 is positioned above the housing unit 2. Figure 13 shows the state in which the housing space closure 16 is positioned above the housing unit 2. In this state, when the gas supply unit 9 is moved downward, the housing space closure 16, which is located below the gas supply unit 9, is pushed toward the opening 2A by the gas supply unit 9. When pushed toward the opening 2A by the gas supply unit 9, the housing space closure 16 is inserted into the opening 2A of the housing unit 2, closing the opening 2A. Figure 14 shows the state in which the housing space closure 16 is inserted into the opening 2A of the housing unit 2. Note that there is enough space between the wall unit 9W and the gas supply unit 9 for the clamping unit 14B to fit, so the gas supply unit 9 can move only the housing space closure 16.

[0078] After closing the opening 2A of the containment section 2 with the containment space closing section 16, the containment section 2 can be removed from the gas exchange device M to manufacture a sealed containment container 17, which becomes part of the ultrafine bubble production device 1, with the containment space closing section 16 attached to the containment section 2.

[0079] In this way, by positioning the gas supply unit 9 near the liquid surface and supplying gas 6 from near the liquid surface, the unwanted gas filling the containment space 21 is pushed to the upper side of the containment space 21, and gas 6 can be supplied to the containment space 21. By closing the gas supply channel 10 and the gas discharge channel 11 while the containment space 21 is filled with gas 6, it is possible to suppress the gas 6 from flowing out to the outside and the inflow of outside air into the containment space 21. Furthermore, after replacing the gas 6 and closing the containment space 21, if the opening 2A of the containment unit 2 is closed with the containment space closing unit 16 while maintaining the closed state, it is possible to suppress the gas 6 filling the containment space 21 from flowing out to the outside, even if the target gas 6 is lighter than the unwanted gas, and to suppress the inflow of outside air into the containment space 21.

[0080] The unintended gas may have a specific gravity greater than the gas 6. Even in this case, the gas 6 can push the unintended gas upward from the liquid surface to the upper side of the containment space 21 and push it out of the containment section 2 through the opening 2A.

[0081] While embodiments relating to this disclosure have been described above, each embodiment disclosed herein can be combined with any other features disclosed herein.

[0082] 1: Manufacturing device 2: Housing section, 21: Housing space 2A: Opening 3: Drive unit, 31: Housing, 32: Initiator, 33: Piston, 34: Cap, 35: Combustion chamber 4: Plunger section, 41: Sealing section, 42: Valve body, 4212: Slit, 43: Spring 5: Liquid 6: Gas 9: Gas supply section 9W: Wall section 10: Gas supply passage 11: Gas discharge passage 12: Opening / closing section 12A: Opening / closing passage 13: Internal passage 14: Housing space closure section mounting device 14M: Main body section 14A: Housing space closure section mounting section 14B: Clamping section 15: Box section 15U, 15D: Rail 15A: Protrusion 16: Housing space closure section 17: Sealed housing 18: Guide section M: Gas replacement device

Claims

1. A gas replacement method comprising: a liquid filling step of filling the interior of a containment having an opening at one end with a liquid; an insertion step of inserting the end of a gas supply unit that supplies a target gas into the interior of the containment through the opening; a gas supply step of supplying the target gas into the interior of the containment; and a blocking step of closing a gas supply channel that connects the outside of the containment to the gas supply unit and through which the target gas supplied to the gas supply unit passes, and a gas discharge channel that connects the inside and outside of the containment unit and through which an unwanted gas discharged to the outside of the containment unit passes.

2. The gas replacement method according to claim 1, wherein in the gas supply step, the target gas is supplied into the containment unit, thereby discharging the non-target gas contained inside the containment unit to the outside through the opening of the containment unit.

3. The gas replacement method according to claim 2, wherein in the gas supply step, the target gas is supplied into the containment section, thereby discharging the non-target gas contained inside the containment section by passing it between the gas supply section and the wall surface of the containment section to the outside of the containment section.

4. The gas replacement method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein in the gas supply step, the pressure in the gas supply path is made higher than the pressure in the gas discharge path to supply the target gas into the containment and discharge the non-target gas to the outside of the containment.

5. The gas replacement method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the target gas is lighter than the non-target gas contained inside the containment section.

6. The gas replacement method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the target gas is hydrogen.

7. A gas replacement method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising: a gas supply unit moving step of moving the gas supply unit to the outside of the housing unit while the gas supply channel and the gas discharge channel are closed; and a housing space closing unit installation step of installing a housing space closing unit capable of closing the housing unit while the gas supply channel and the gas discharge channel are closed, at the opening of the housing unit after the gas supply unit moving step.

8. A gas replacement device comprising: a containment section having an opening at one end and capable of containing liquid and gas; a gas supply passage that serves as a passage for a target gas supplied to the containment section from outside; a gas discharge passage that serves as a passage for an unwanted gas to be discharged from the inside of the containment section to the outside; a blocking section that closes the gas supply passage and the gas discharge passage; and a gas supply section having an internal passage connecting the inside of the containment section and the gas supply passage, being narrower than the opening, and having its end located inside the containment section when the containment section is filled with the liquid.

9. A method for manufacturing a sealed container, comprising: a liquid filling step of filling the inside of a container having an opening at one end with a liquid; an insertion step of inserting the end of a gas supply unit that supplies a target gas into the inside of the container through the opening; a gas supply step of supplying the target gas into the inside of the container; and a blocking step of closing a gas supply channel that connects the outside of the container to the gas supply unit and through which the target gas supplied to the gas supply unit passes, and a gas discharge channel that connects the inside and outside of the container and through which an unwanted gas discharged to the outside of the container passes.

10. A method for manufacturing a sealed container according to claim 9, comprising: a gas supply unit moving step of moving the gas supply unit to the outside of the container with the gas supply channel and the gas discharge channel closed; and a container space closure unit installation step of installing a container space closure unit capable of closing the container with the gas supply channel and the gas discharge channel closed, at the opening of the container after the gas supply unit moving step.

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