Isolator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9702796-B2
Application number	US-201414460920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2014
Priority date	Feb 21, 2012
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

An isolator includes: a chamber including a working chamber in which a work is performed by a worker, and a storage chamber provided under the working chamber in communication with an opening formed in a bottom plate of the working chamber, the chamber being configured to isolate the working chamber and the storage chamber from an exterior while in a state where airtightness is maintained; and a lifting device configured to support, in the storage chamber, an experimental device to be used in the working chamber, the lifting device being capable of lifting and lowering the experimental device from the storage chamber to the working chamber and from the working chamber to the storage chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An isolator comprising:
a chamber including a working chamber in which a work is performed by a worker, and a storage chamber provided under the working chamber in communication with an opening formed in a bottom plate of the working chamber, the chamber being configured to isolate the working chamber and the storage chamber from an exterior while in a state where airtightness is maintained; and
a lift configured to support in the storage chamber an experimental device to be used in the working chamber, the lift being capable of lifting and lowering the experimental device from the storage chamber into the working chamber and from the working chamber into the storage chamber.

2. The isolator according to claim 1 , wherein
the chamber includes a duct formed, at least between a bottom plate of the working chamber and a bottom plate of the chamber, to circulate in the interior of the working chamber a sterilizing gas for sterilizing an interior of the working chamber,
the duct traverses side plates of the storage chamber, and
a plurality of holes are formed in parts, traversed by the duct, in the side plates of the storage chamber, the holes allowing the sterilizing gas in the duct to pass therethrough.

3. The isolator according to claim 2 , comprising:
a fan installed in the storage chamber, and configured to circulate in the storage chamber the sterilizing gas having passed through the plurality of holes.

4. The isolator according to claim 3 , wherein
the lift includes
a mounting table on which the experimental device is mounted, and
a drive mechanism configured to lift and lower the mounting table on a basis of a rotational driving force.

5. The isolator according to claim 4 , wherein
the lift is detachably arranged in the storage chamber.

6. The isolator according to claim 4 , wherein
the lift includes a manual lever capable of applying a rotational driving force to the drive mechanism.

7. The isolator according to claim 4 , wherein
the lift includes a motor capable of applying a rotational driving force to the drive mechanism.

8. The isolator according to claim 2 , wherein
the lift includes
a mounting table on which the experimental device is mounted, and
a drive mechanism configured to lift and lower the mounting table on a basis of a rotational driving force.

9. The isolator according to claim 8 , wherein
the lift is detachably arranged in the storage chamber.

10. The isolator according to claim 8 , wherein
the lift includes a manual lever capable of applying a rotational driving force to the drive mechanism.

11. The isolator according to claim 8 , wherein
the lift includes a motor capable of applying a rotational driving force to the drive mechanism.

12. The isolator according to claim 1 , comprising:
an opening and closing lid capable of opening and closing an opening formed in the bottom plate of the working chamber, wherein
the opening and closing lid is positioned substantially on a same plane as the bottom plate of the working chamber when the opening is closed.

13. The isolator according to claim 12 , wherein
the lift includes
a mounting table on which the experimental device is mounted, and
a drive mechanism configured to lift and lower the mounting table on a basis of a rotational driving force.

14. The isolator according to claim 13 , wherein
the lift is detachably arranged in the storage chamber.

15. The isolator according to claim 13 , wherein
the lift includes a manual lever capable of applying a rotational driving force to the drive mechanism.

16. The isolator according to claim 13 , wherein
the lift includes a motor capable of applying a rotational driving force to the drive mechanism.

17. The isolator according to claim 1 , wherein
the lift includes
a mounting table on which the experimental device is mounted, and
a drive mechanism configured to lift and lower the mounting table on a basis of a rotational driving force.

18. The isolator according to claim 17 , wherein
the lift is detachably arranged in the storage chamber.

19. The isolator according to claim 17 , wherein
the lift includes a manual lever capable of applying a rotational driving force to the drive mechanism.

20. The isolator according to claim 17 , wherein
the lift includes a motor capable of applying a rotational driving force to the drive mechanism.

21. The isolator according to claim 1 , wherein the lift is configured to lift and lower the entire experimental device from the storage chamber into the working chamber and from the working chamber into the storage chamber.

Assignees

• Panasonic Healthcare Co Ltd
• Panasonic Healthcare Holdings Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yokoi Yasuhiko
• Kobayashi Koichi

Classifications

• C12M37/00 Primary

  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 title

• A61L2/20

  Gaseous substances, e.g. vapours · CPC title

• F24F3/1607

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• G01N1/34 Primary

  Purifying; Cleaning {(processes or apparatus for extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples C12N15/1003)} · CPC title

• F24F3/163

  Clean air work stations, i.e. selected areas within a space which filtered air is passed · CPC title