Inflatable pouch to seal

• US 4,075,787 A
• Filed: 11/17/1976
• Issued: 02/28/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Sterilizer Company (Steris Corporation)
• Original Assignee: American Sterilizer Company (Steris Corporation)
• Inventors: Krahe, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Downey, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US05/742,497
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 49/209, 49/477
• US Class Current: 49/209
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 13/02 Detachable closure members; Means for tightening closures F16J13/16, F16J13/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/188 by means of hydraulic forces

Abstract

A door and an inflatable pouch seal and opening to be closed by said door. The door is made up of an outer door and an inner door, with the inflatable pouch between them. The outer door, inner door and pouch are received between an end frame and the end of the sterilizer chamber so that when the pouch in inflated, it forces the outer door outward, against the end frame thereby providing a reaction forcing the inner door against the end of the sterilizer and against a gasket around the door, thereby providing a seal.

Claims

1. In combination, a chamber comprising a steam jacket having an inner shell and an outer shell terminating at an end in a door opening,

a plate-like flange fixed to said shells around said opening and said flange forming a closure for said steam jacket and presenting an outwardly directed surface,

an end frame fixed to said flange,

a sealing member on said flange on said outwardly directed surface extending entirely around said door opening,

said end frame being disposed outwardly in spaced relation to said flange and providing a space therebetween, said flange having an opening registering with said chamber opening,

a door member disposed between said flange and said end frame,

said door member comprising an outer door and an inner door defining a space therebetween and disposed in said space between said flange and said frame,

said inner door having laterally spaced guide pins along the lower edge thereof slidably engaging said outer door,

an inflatable pouch disposed between said outer door and said inner door and overlying said outer door and said inner door, and said opening and being substantially larger than said opening whereby the edges of said pouch extend outwardly beyond the flange defining said opening,

said pouch being adapted to be inflated whereby said outer door and said inner door are forced away from each other forcing said outer door against said frame and bringing said inner door into sealing engagement with said sealing member on said end flange and means for moving said door between said frame and said flange from a position overlying said opening to a position away from said opening,

2. In combination, a chamber and a door comprising,

an inner shell defining a chamber space open at one end,

an outer shell disposed around said inner shell and defining a steam jacket space therebetween,

the ends of said shells terminating in a generally vertical plane,

a plate-like end flange disposed generally in a vertical plane and fixed to the ends of said shells forming a closure for said steam jacket space,

said plate-like end flange having an outwardly directed surface and a door opening through said flange,

a sealing means on said outwardly directed surface around said door opening,

a frame,

means attaching said frame to said chamber,

said frame having a vertically extending guide frame member having a side generally parallel to said surface on said flange and defining with said flange a space for a door member therebetween,

an opening in said frame registering with said door opening,

a door member in said space between said flange and said frame,

said door member in said space between said flange and said frame,

said door member comprising an outer door and an inner door,

said inner door having laterally spaced pin means fixed to its lower edge underlying said inner door and slidably engaging said outer door,

said outer door having laterally spaced pin means overlying said inner door,

said pouch being substantially larger than said door opening in said flange,

an opening in said frame being generally lined with a door opening in said flange,

said pouch being adapted to be inflated whereby said outer door is forced into engagement with said frame bringing said inner door into sealing engagement with said sealing means on said end flange,

and means to move said door member from said door opening.