IP Library Granted Patent US 9,511,363
Granted Patent B2
US 9,511,363 · App. 14/665,553 · Granted Dec 6, 2016

Isolator

Inventors: Yasuhiko Yokoi (Gunma-ken, JP); Jiro Ohnishi (Toon, JP); Akifumi Iwama (Tukuba, JP); Masaki Harada (Toon, JP); Yoshiaki Noguchi (Toon, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC HEALTHCARE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
B01L1/02A61L2/0094A61L2/025A61L2/208C12M37/00G01M3/26A61L2202/11A61L2202/122A61L2202/13A61L2202/14B01L2300/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,511,363
App. No.
14/665,553
Granted
Dec 6, 2016
Kind
B2
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 (49)

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 3 comprising: wherein

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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. The isolator according to claim 7 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.

9. The isolator according to claim 8 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 8 comprising: wherein

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

11. The isolator according to claim 8 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.

12. The isolator according to claim 7 comprising: wherein

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

13. The isolator according to claim 7 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 7 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

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 1 comprising: wherein

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

19. 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.

20. 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.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 29, 2018
From: PANASONIC HEALTHCARE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
To: PHC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046459/0861 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2015
From: PANASONIC HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC HEALTHCARE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 035291/0488 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2015
From: YOKOI, YASUHIKO; OHNISHI, JIRO; IWAMA, AKIFUMI; HARADA, MASAKI; NOGUCHI, YOSHIAKI
To: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 035264/0050 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2008-212233 · Aug 20, 2008 · national
JP 2008-243258 · Sep 22, 2008 · national
Continuity (3)
Division 14149127 · Jan 7, 2014
Division 12863080
Related Publication 20150190801A1 · Jul 9, 2015