Isolator Cleaning System with Differential Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning, disinfection, and drying systems in pharmaceutical production and medical technology lack effective protection against the escape of infection carriers and are cumbersome for handling large numbers of items, failing to provide a consistent barrier between operators and highly potent products.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning, disinfection, and drying system designed as an isolator with a washroom featuring washware carriers, filtered supply and exhaust air devices, a glove carrier for manual manipulation, and separate material locks with ventilation, maintaining differential pressure to ensure personal and product protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a box-shaped cleaning device with a simple opening is used, then the device is simple in structure, but it cannot effectively protect against the escape of infection carriers into the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cleaning function with isolator system features by integrating a washing chamber that maintains differential pressure, merges supply and exhaust air guiding devices with filtration, and combines glove carrier functionality with the washing chamber structure. This integration achieves both cleaning and protection functions within a unified system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediaries including filters in supply and exhaust air paths, differential pressure as a control mechanism, and glove carriers as physical barriers. These intermediaries mediate between the cleaning process and the external environment, allowing effective protection without requiring complete structural redesign.
2Reliability
If manual handling of items is allowed directly, then the operation is simple and quick, but operators are exposed to infection carriers
Solution Approach 1:
The glove carrier serves as an intermediary device that extends the operator's hand into the washing chamber while maintaining a protective barrier. This allows direct manipulation of items to be washed without exposing the operator to infection carriers, effectively resolving the contradiction between personal protection and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The glove carrier utilizes flexible glove material that allows dexterous manipulation while maintaining a continuous protective barrier. This flexible film approach enables natural hand movements and item handling while preventing exposure to contaminants.
3Reliability
If the washing chamber is designed as an isolator system with multiple protection features, then personal and product protection is ensured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple protection functions into integrated components: the washing chamber structure incorporates differential pressure maintenance, supply and exhaust air guiding devices are integrated with filtration, and the glove carrier is built into the chamber wall. This consolidation achieves consistent protection while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The washing chamber is designed as a multi-functional isolator system that simultaneously provides cleaning, disinfection, drying, and operator protection functions. This universal design approach allows a single structure to fulfill multiple roles, reducing the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
4Reliability
If existing cleaning systems are used without integrated protection features, then the device is simple to operate, but they lack protection against escape of infection carriers
Solution Approach 1:
The isolator system maintains differential pressure automatically through integrated supply and exhaust air guiding devices with filters, reducing the need for manual pressure regulation. The system self-regulates the protective barrier, maintaining operation simplicity while ensuring protection against escape of infection carriers.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a safe and efficient method to separate operators from potent products, ensuring consistent decontamination and meeting personal and product protection requirements, especially in clean room environments.
Implementation Method 1
the supply air and exhaust air guiding devices being designed to maintain a differential pressure between the washing chamber and a working space
Implementation Method 2
washware carriers, supply air and exhaust air guide devices provided with filters
Implementation Method 3
supply devices for washing liquids and drying air are arranged on spray nozzles and wash arms with spray nozzles
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cleaning, disinfection and drying system (1) for preparing accessory parts and/or general objects to be washed, in particular in pharmaceutical production and medical technology, having a washing chamber (2), which has an access door, in which feed devices for washing fluids and drying air are arranged on spray nozzles and washing arms having spray nozzles. The washing chamber (2) is designed as an insulator system and has carriers (4) for objects to be washed, inlet and outlet air guide devices (10-13) having filters (10, 11), a glove carrier (7) arranged in a wall of the washing chamber (2) for gloves extending into the washing chamber for manipulation of the objects to be washed (3), which are located in the washing chamber (2). The inlet and outlet air guide devices (10-13) are designed to maintain a differential pressure between the washing chamber (2) and a working chamber formed in the system (1).