ISOLATOR

• US 20150190801A1
• Filed: 03/23/2015
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yokoi, Yasuhiko, Ohnishi, Jiro, Iwama, Akifumi, Harada, Masaki, Noguchi, Yoshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,511,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0094 Gaseous substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/025 Ultrasonics
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/11 Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/122 Chambers for sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/13 Biocide decomposition means, e.g. catalysts, sorbents
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 1/02 Air-pressure chambers; Air-locks therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/14 Means for pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 37/00 Means for sterilizing, maintaining sterile conditions or avoiding chemical or biological contamination C12M23/38 takes precedence; filtration in general and filters per se B01D24/00-B01D41/00; autoclaves B01J3/04; treatment of microorganisms with electrical or wave energy C12N13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/26 by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors

Abstract

An isolator includes a work chamber, a sterilizing substance supply unit, a gas flow channel pressure adjustment unit, a work chamber barometer, and a controller. The controller is configured to control execution of a gas flow channel leak test for checking a gas leak in a gas flow channel based on a detection result by the work chamber barometer after making the gas flow channel pressure adjustment unit increase or decrease the pressure in the gas flow channel, and is configured to control supply of the sterilizing substance by the sterilizing substance supply unit. The controller performs heating of a heater, which accompanies the supply of the sterilizing substance, in parallel with the gas flow channel leak test.

Claims

1. An isolator comprising:

a work chamber for performing a work in which a biomaterial is handled;

a sterilizing substance supply unit configured to supply a vaporized sterilizing substance into the work chamber;

a gas flow channel provided between the work chamber and the sterilizing substance supply unit;

a first pressure adjustment unit configured to increase or decrease the pressure in the gas flow channel;

a first pressure detector configured to detect the pressure inside the gas flow channel;

a second pressure adjustment unit configured to increase or decrease the pressure in the sterilizing substance supply unit;

a second pressure detector configured to detect the pressure inside the sterilizing substance supply unit.

2. The isolator according to claim 1 further comprising:

a controller configured to control execution of a first leak test and a second leak test,

wherein the first leak test is a gas flow channel leak test for checking a gas leak in the gas flow channel based on a detection result by the gas flow channel pressure detector after making the gas flow channel pressure adjustment unit increase or decrease the pressure in the gas flow channel, and

wherein the second leak testis a sterilizing substance supply unit leak test for checking a gas leak in the sterilizing substance supply unit based on a detection result by the sterilizing substance supply unit pressure detector after making the sterilizing substance supply unit pressure adjustment unit increase or decrease the pressure in the sterilizing substance supply unit.

3. The isolator according to claim 2 comprising:

wherein

the controller configured to control execution of a third leak test including the first and second leak tests and performing the first and second leak tests at same time.

4. The isolator according to claim 2 comprising:

wherein

the sterilizing substance supply unit including a heater for heating a sterilizing substance to be vaporized provided,

wherein the controller performs heating of the heater in parallel with the execution of the first leak test.

5. The isolator according to claim 4 comprising:

wherein

the controller does not perform heating of the heater in parallel with the execution of the second leak test or the third leak test.

6. The isolator according to claim 1 comprising:

wherein

a heat insulating portion insulating heat is provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

7. The isolator according to claim 2 comprising:

wherein

a heat insulating portion insulating heat is provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

8. The isolator according to claim 3 comprising:

wherein

a heat insulating portion insulating heat is provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

9. The isolator according to claim 4 comprising:

wherein

a heat insulating portion insulating heat is provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

10. The isolator according to claim 5 comprising:

wherein

a heat insulating portion insulating heat is provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

11. The isolator according to claim 1 comprising:

wherein

a shield insulating pressure is provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

12. The isolator according to claim 2 comprising:

wherein

a shield insulating pressure is provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

13. The isolator according to claim 3 comprising:

wherein

a shield insulating pressure is provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

14. The isolator according to claim 4 comprising:

wherein

a shield insulating pressure is provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

15. The isolator according to claim 5 comprising:

wherein

a shield insulating pressure is provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

16. The isolator according to claim 1 comprising:

wherein

a heat insulating portion which insulates heat and a shield which insulates pressure are provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

17. The isolator according to claim 2 comprising:

wherein

a heat insulating portion which insulates heat and a shield which insulates pressure are provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

18. The isolator according to claim 3 comprising:

wherein

a heat insulating portion which insulates heat and a shield which insulates pressure are provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

19. The isolator according to claim 4 comprising:

wherein

a heat insulating portion which insulates heat and a shield which insulates pressure are provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.

20. The isolator according to claim 5 comprising:

wherein

a heat insulating portion which insulates heat and a shield which insulates pressure are provided between the gas flow channel and the sterilizing substance supply unit.