Method for connecting modular mobile rooms

• US 10,161,147 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G-Con Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: G-Con Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Jornitz, Maik Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Ference, James M
• Application Number:
  US14/514,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20150101264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/34384 Assembling details for foldable, separable, collapsible or retractable structures
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/34815 Elements not integrated in a skeleton
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/005 Modulation co-ordination
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/1277 Shelters for decontamination
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/08 Hospitals, infirmaries, or the like; Schools; Prisons
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 5/02 Buildings or groups of buildings for industrial purposes, e.g. for power-plants or factories buildings forming part of cooling plants E04H5/10

Abstract

A method and a connector unit for connecting two or more structures wherein at least one of the two or more structures being connected is a mobile structure validatable for pharmaceutical manufacturing or patient care. The connector unit comprises of an alignment system, a sealing, and a fixation system. The method for using the connector unit comprises of aligning the two or more structures to dock the two or more structures together, sealing the two or more structures, or one or more structures and an environment air tight with a seal or a sealing system, and affixing the two or more structures together to prevent relative movement of the two or more structures, or breakage of the seal or seal system.

Claims

1. A method for connecting two structures with a connector unit, the method comprising:

obtaining a first mobile structure and a second mobile structure wherein the first mobile structure has a first wall having a first opening, and wherein the second mobile structure has a second wall having a second opening that is adapted to be connected to the first opening in the first wall of the first mobile structure;

placing the first and second mobile structures together by moving the first wall of the first mobile structure and the second wall of the second mobile structure together into contact with each other and aligning the first opening in the first wall of the first mobile structure with the second opening in the second wall of the second mobile structure in a same movement that moves the walls of the first mobile structure and second mobile structure together;

wherein the aligning is carried out by aligning a first alignment structure that is formed on the first wall of the first mobile structure and a second alignment structure that is formed on the second wall of the second mobile structure, wherein a shape of the second alignment structure is complementary to and fits a shape of the first alignment structure or wherein a shape of the first alignment structure is complementary to and fits a shape of the second alignment structure;

sealing the aligned openings between the first and second mobile structures from an environment with an air tight seal or an air tight sealing system; and

affixing the first and second mobile structures together in contact with each other to prevent relative movement of the first and second mobile structures, or breakage of the air tight seal or the air tight sealing system, wherein the first and second mobile structures form a connected unit that is mobile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second mobile structures are each selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit, a patient care unit, a cleanroom, an isolation cubicle, a containment cubicle, a pod, a module, a unit, a building, a corridor, a hallway, a mobile structure and an access structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a connection between the first and second mobile structures can be disconnected, separated, and then reattached.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the air tight seal or air tight sealing system that seals the aligned openings between the first and second mobile structures from the environment is reversible.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein air tight seal or air tight sealing system that seals the aligned openings between the first and second mobile structures from the environment is selected from the group consisting of an induction sealing, cap sealing, adhesive sealant, bodok seal, Bridgman seal, compression seal fitting, diaphragm seal, ferrofluidic seal, a gasket, flange gasket, o-ring, o-ring boss seal, glass-ceramic-to-metal seals, piston ring, hose coupling, hermetic seal, hydrostatic seal, hydrodynamic seal, labyrinth seal, face seal, plug, radial shaft seal, siphon trap, split mechanical seal, wiper seal, dry gas seal, and exitex seal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of affixing the first and second mobile structures together comprises a method of using a device selected from the group consisting of a clamp, a spring load, a bolt, a magnetic coupling, a bayonet coupling, or a lock.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the air tight seal or the air tight sealing system surrounds the aligned openings between the first and second mobile structures to provide a hermetic seal.

8. A method for connecting two mobile cleanroom structures with a connector unit, the method comprising:

obtaining a first mobile structure and a second mobile structure wherein the first mobile structure has a first wall having a first opening that is adapted to be connected to another opening, and wherein the second mobile structure has a second wall having a second opening that is adapted to be connected to the first opening in the first wall of the first mobile structure; and

placing the first and second mobile structures together by moving the first wall of the first mobile structure and the second wall of the second mobile structure together into contact with each other and using an alignment system to align the opening of the first mobile structure and the opening of the second mobile structure together in a same movement that moves the walls of the first mobile structure and second mobile structure together;

wherein the alignment system comprises a first alignment structure that is formed on the first wall of the first mobile structure and a second alignment structure that is formed on the second wall of the second mobile structure, and wherein a shape of the second alignment structure is complementary to and fits a shape of the first alignment structure or wherein a shape of the first alignment structure is complementary to and fits a shape of the second alignment structure, wherein the first and second mobile structures form a connected unit that is mobile.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

sealing the aligned openings between the first and second mobile structures from an environment with an air tight seal or an air tight sealing system; and

affixing the first and second mobile structures together in contact with each other to prevent relative movement of the first and second mobile structures, or breakage of the air tight seal or the air tight sealing system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second mobile structures are each selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit, a patient care unit, a cleanroom, an isolation cubicle, a containment cubicle, a pod, a module, a unit, a building, a corridor, a hallway, a mobile structure, and an access structure.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the connection between the first and second mobile structures can be disconnected, separated, and then reattached.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the air tight seal or air tight sealing system that seals the aligned openings between the first and second mobile structures from the environment is reversible.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein air tight seal or air tight sealing system that seals the aligned openings between the first and second mobile structures from the environment is selected from the group consisting of an induction sealing, cap sealing, adhesive sealant, bodok seal, Bridgman seal, compression seal fitting, diaphragm seal, ferrofluidic seal, a gasket, flange gasket, o-ring, o-ring boss seal, glass-ceramic-to-metal seals, piston ring, hose coupling, hermetic seal, hydrostatic seal, hydrodynamic seal, labyrinth seal, face seal, plug, radial shaft seal, siphon trap, split mechanical seal, wiper seal, dry gas seal, and exitex seal.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of affixing the first and second mobile structures together comprises a method of using a device selected from the group consisting of a clamp, a spring load, a bolt, a magnetic coupling, a bayonet coupling, or a lock.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the air tight seal or the air tight sealing system surrounds the aligned openings between the first and second mobile structures to provide a hermetic seal.