Isolator Filter Unit with Bulkhead Separation for Safe Replacement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing isolator devices face challenges in maintaining a high-level aseptic/dustless state as an aseptic isolator and preventing leakage of chemical substances and microorganisms to the outside environment as a containment isolator, due to complex structures and high maintenance costs, especially during filter replacement and air pressure management.
Innovation Solution
The isolator device features a bulkhead and air outlet configuration that maintains unidirectional airflow, separating the central and peripheral spaces to prevent contamination, with a filter unit for air purification that includes a detachable lid and packing for airtight sealing, allowing for easy filter replacement and reduced risk of environmental contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex structure with multiple sealing components (glass window, glove, door) is used to maintain isolation, then the shielding performance is improved, but the device complexity increases and airtightness becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The isolator device is divided into an inner chamber and an outer chamber separated by a bulkhead. This segmentation allows independent pressure control and sealing management for each chamber, reducing the complexity of maintaining airtightness while preserving shielding performance. The bulkhead acts as a primary sealing barrier, eliminating the need for multiple sealing components in the traditional single-chamber design.
Solution Approach 2:
The bulkhead serves as an intermediary structure between the inner and outer chambers. It provides a stable sealing surface that simplifies the connection and sealing mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable isolation. The bulkhead enables the use of simpler sealing components compared to direct sealing of multiple openings in a single chamber.
2Reliability
If pressure difference is adjusted to improve safety, then contamination prevention is improved, but the ability to maintain pressure difference is limited due to outside air pressure fluctuation
Solution Approach 1:
The dual-chamber structure with bulkhead separation enables independent pressure control of the inner and outer chambers. This segmentation allows the system to maintain a stable pressure difference despite fluctuations in outside air pressure, as the outer chamber can be pressurized to compensate for external pressure changes, thereby stabilizing the pressure differential across the bulkhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer chamber acts as a buffer or cushioning layer between the inner chamber and the external environment. By controlling the pressure in the outer chamber, the system can compensate for outside air pressure fluctuations before they affect the inner chamber, maintaining stable pressure difference and preventing contamination.
3Ease of repair
If traditional filter replacement method is used, then filter replacement is possible, but the risk of chemical substance leakage to outside environment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter housing is nested within the outer chamber, creating a contained environment for filter replacement operations. This nested structure allows filter maintenance to be performed in an isolated space, preventing chemical substances from escaping to the outside environment while still enabling easy access for filter replacement through the designated access point.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer chamber serves as an intermediary containment space that isolates the filter replacement process from the external environment. By performing filter maintenance within this intermediate chamber, the system enables easy filter replacement while preventing chemical substance leakage, as any potential leaks are contained within the outer chamber rather than reaching the outside environment.
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
This configuration ensures high-level safety and simplicity in maintaining aseptic conditions while preventing chemical and microorganism leakage, reducing maintenance and manufacturing costs, and facilitating easy safety checks through scan tests.
Implementation Method 1
a filter member provided in the parallelepipedic shaped body for filtering the introduced air
Implementation Method 2
a packing interposed in an airtight manner between an outer peripheral edge portion of the lid body and an inner peripheral edge portion of the air inlet portion
Implementation Method 3
air supply means for supplying air of a unidirectional airflow traveling from an upper part to a lower part in the work chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An isolator device (A) which has a simple structure and can ensure high-level safety in response to risk during operation of the isolator device is provided. Moreover, an isolator device whose filter replacement work is easy and which has low risk of contaminating an outside environment by the replacement work in response to the risk after the operation of the isolator device is finished is provided. A work chamber (240) , air supply means (250) for supplying air of a unidirectional airflow traveling from an upper part to a lower part in the work chamber, and air discharge means (260) for discharging air of the unidirectional airflow from a lower part of the work chamber are provided, and moreover, a bulkhead (243) provided in parallel with a peripheral wall portion of the work chamber along the air of the unidirectional airflow and longitudinal air outlets opened along a width direction of a lower end portion in a lower part of the lower end portion of the bulkhead and attached so as to oppose an air inlet portion by a filter unit (210) for air purification are provided.