Modular port system and replacement method thereof
A chemical or biological containment apparatus having a seal to contain contaminants in an inside thereof from passing to an outside, including an outer envelope; a port disposed in the envelope, the port including an outer portion having a circumferential portion extending away from the envelope and a flange extending from the circumferential portion and attached to the envelope, and an inner portion. The inner portion includes a circumferential surface corresponding to the circumferential portion, a plurality of grooves formed in the circumferential surface, and a plurality of O-rings respectively received in the grooves to form the seal with the outer portion.
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In medical situations, it is sometimes necessary to isolate a patient to prevent medical personnel or the environment at large from being contaminated by the patient. For example, victims of chemical or biological attacks, and certain infectious diseases require isolation. This isolation system may be in the form of a pod, with gloves provided therein to allow access by the medical worker without risk of contamination. However, these gloves may require replacement due to failure or contamination. A related replacement operation is illustrated in
There are several disadvantages to this operation. First, the glove 102 and the flap 104 may contain contaminants, yet these elements are exposed to the outside during replacement. Thus, workers must be extremely careful to avoid contamination. This may require protective clothing or modified breathing. However, such preventative measures may not be sufficient. Furthermore, the seal formed by tying the flaps 104 may not be sufficient to prevent contaminants from escaping, especially in light of the small size of biological microorganisms and chemical molecules. Also, this operation is cumbersome and time consuming because it requires several steps (tying and untying seals 104, removing and replacing gloves 102). In life and death situations, when time is of the essence, patient safety is compromised. Finally, a thick glove is required, degrading the tactile feel sensed by the worker.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTo possibly address the above concerns and/or different concerns, the inventors propose an apparatus to interface between an inside and an outside of a sealed environment, including an outer port, and an inner port, disposed in the outer port to provide a seal between the inside and the outside. The inner port is replaceable by a replacement inner port while maintaining the seal during a replacement operation.
To possibly address the above concerns and/or different concerns, the inventors also propose a chemical or biological containment apparatus having a seal to contain contaminants in an inside thereof from passing to an outside. The apparatus includes an outer envelope, a port disposed in the envelope, the port including an outer portion having a circumferential portion extending away from the envelope and a flange extending from the circumferential portion and attached to the envelope, and an inner portion. The inner portion includes a circumferential surface corresponding to the circumferential portion, a plurality of grooves formed in the circumferential surface, and a plurality of O-rings respectively received in the grooves to form the seal with the outer portion.
To possibly address the above concerns and/or different concerns, the inventors also propose a method including providing a first inner port to create a first seal between an inside and an outside of a biological or chemical containment device, and replacing the first inner port with a second inner port. The replacing includes pressing the first inner port with the second inner port while maintaining the first seal, and creating a second seal with the second inner port while maintaining the first seal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThese and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
A patient is placed within the isolation system 1 in order to prevent the spread of an infectious disease or other hazard. Although the isolation system 1 is shown as being open, the system 1 is closed during actual operation. A positive or a negative pressure may be maintained, depending on the nature of the isolation. The outer port may be made of PVC, polyurethane or similar materials.
The inner port 24 further includes a plurality of grooves 32, each of which receives an O-ring 33. The O-rings 33 contact the inner circumference of the wall 16 and the inner port 24, forming a seal therebetween. As discussed below with respect to the replacement operation, the O-rings 33 are spaced such that this seal is not broken during a replacement operation. The inner port 24 further includes a slot 30 which aligns with one of the threaded holes 18 to receive a screw, bolt, or other threaded fastening unit passing through the threaded holes 18. An alignment hole 28 is aligned with one of the alignment holes 20 of the outer port 12.
The solid plug may be modified to include two motors in the bottom wall thereof to pressurize/depressurize the isolation system 1. As shown in
As shown in
A replacement operation according to the embodiments of the present invention will now be described. As an illustrative example, the replacement of the inner port 24/glove 35 combination will be discussed. However, the replacement of the other embodiments is similar. The operation begins with the state illustrated in
With respect to the bag 48, a similar pressing operation takes place. After the bag 48 is in place, an object (not shown) may be passed to the inside of the system 1 therethrough. The seal 52 is opened from the outside, and the object is placed between the seals 50 and 52. Then, the seal 52 is re-sealed, and the seal 50 is opened from the inside (with the glove 35) to introduce the object to the inside.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
For example, similar continuous seal replacement methods may be employed in connection with glove boxes in nuclear, chemical or biological laboratories, portable laboratories for chemical analysis, incubators, or when working behind protective glass for explosives or lasers.
Claims
1. An apparatus to interface between an inside and an outside of a sealed environment, comprising:
- an outer port; and
- an inner port, disposed in the outer port to provide a seal between the inside and the outside,
- the inner port being replaceable by a replacement inner port while maintaining the seal during a replacement operation.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner port comprises first and second seal members disposed on an outside thereof to contact the outer port and thereby form the seal.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the replacement inner port comprises first and second seal members disposed on an outside thereof to contact the outer port and thereby maintain the seal.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and second seal members of the inner port and the replacement inner port contact the outer port at all times during the replacement operation.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and second seal members of the inner port are O-rings.
6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second seal members of the replacement inner port are O-rings.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a chemical or biological containment device, and the outer port comprises:
- a circumferential surface to receive the inner port and the replacement inner port; and
- a flange portion extending radially from the circumferential surface to attach the outer port to the containment device.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner port comprises:
- a circumferential outer surface;
- a plurality of grooves formed in the outer surface; and
- a plurality of O-rings respectively formed in the plurality of grooves to contact the outer port and thereby form the seal.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner port and the outer port each comprise a plurality of holes, the apparatus further comprising a plurality of fastening units to respectively pass through the holes of the outer and inner ports to fasten the outer and inner ports together.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a chemical or biological containment envelope.
11. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein one of the seal members of the inner port and one of the seal members of the replacement inner port simultaneously contact the outer port during the replacement operation.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
- a lock unit disposed within the inner port; and
- a bag disposed between the lock unit and the inner port.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
- a lock unit disposed within the inner port; and
- a glove disposed between the lock unit and the inner port.
14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the inner port further comprises a face spanning across the outer surface.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the face is a solid face.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising medical monitoring equipment disposed on the face.
17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a fluid communication unit passing through the face, to allow fluid communication between the outside and a patient disposed within the inside.
18. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a motor to pressurize/depressurize the sealed environment.
19. A chemical or biological containment apparatus having a seal to contain contaminants in an inside thereof from passing to an outside, comprising:
- an outer envelope;
- a port disposed in the envelope, the port comprising: an outer portion having a circumferential portion extending away from the envelope and a flange extending from the circumferential portion and attached to the envelope, and an inner portion comprising a circumferential surface corresponding to the circumferential portion, a plurality of grooves formed in the circumferential surface, and a plurality of O-rings respectively received in the grooves to form the seal with the outer portion.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of the ports.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein at least one of the ports further comprises a glove between the sealed inner portion.
22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein at least one of the ports further comprises a bag between the sealed inner portion.
23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the inner portion of at least one of the ports further comprises a face spanning the circumferential surface.
24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the inner portion further comprises a motor to pressurize/depressurize the envelope.
25. A method comprising:
- providing a first inner port to create a first seal between an inside and an outside of a biological or chemical containment device; and
- replacing the first inner port with a second inner port, comprising: pressing the first inner port with the second inner port while maintaining the first seal, and creating a second seal with the second inner port while maintaining the first seal.
26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:
- providing an outer port to receive the first and second inner ports; and
- pressing the first inner port with the second inner port after the creating of the second seal until the first inner port is ejected from the outer port to the inside of the device.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 16, 2004
Publication Date: Dec 22, 2005
Applicant: Alion Science and Technology (McLean, VA)
Inventors: Joseph Shenosky (Hellam, PA), Mark Kaye (Falls Church, VA), Valerie Yoder (Ann Arbor, MI)
Application Number: 10/868,197