Controlled Waste Discharge Opening for Isolator Contamination Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for handling waste material in controlled environments, such as isolators and gloveboxes, lead to contamination and disruption of the controlled environment during the unpacking and disposal of waste materials, particularly in pharmaceutical processing.

Innovation Solution

A discharge device with a closable transfer opening and an additional controlled environment (antechamber) for waste material disposal, allowing controlled handling and decontamination without affecting the primary environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If waste material is conveyed through permanently open slit openings in the boundary of the controlled environment, then waste material can be easily removed, but contamination and disruption of the controlled environment occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewaste material removalVSAvoidcontamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge device is segmented into multiple functional zones: a discard region inside the controlled environment where waste is collected, a transfer opening as a controlled passage, and a withdrawal region outside the controlled environment. This segmentation allows waste material to be handled in isolated zones while maintaining the integrity of the controlled environment through the closable transfer opening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The transfer opening acts as an intermediary element between the controlled environment and the external environment. It can be closed to maintain the controlled environment's integrity and opened selectively to transfer waste material, serving as a mediator that controls the interaction between different environmental zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the transfer opening is made closable to prevent contamination, then controlled environment integrity is maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrolled environment integrityVSAvoiddischarge device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge device is nested within the controlled environment boundary, with the transfer opening serving as a controlled access point. The withdrawal region is positioned outside the controlled environment, creating a nested structure where waste material transitions through a controlled passage from an inner discard region to an outer withdrawal region, maintaining environmental integrity while managing complexity through spatial organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Productivity

If waste material is handled inside the controlled environment, then disposal can be performed, but environmental conditions are disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewaste disposal efficiencyVSAvoidenvironmental conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The waste material handling process is extracted from the main controlled environment by creating a separate discard region and withdrawal region. The transfer opening allows waste material to be taken out of the controlled environment for disposal in the withdrawal region, separating the waste disposal function from the controlled processing environment and maintaining stable environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20260021924A1Discharge device and method for discharging waste material

Publication Date: 2026.01.22 TT INNOVATION AG

AI summary

In the case of a discharge device (12) by which separable waste material can be brought out of a controlled environment (13), a transfer opening (20) is provided which outwardly separates a discard region (18) from a withdrawal region (21) for the path of the waste material (19) be closable during operation by a closure element (25), in particular in order to collect the waste material (19) in a stack arrangement.