Protection Device For Air-Flow Cabinets And Air-Flow Cabinet That Contains Said Device

Abstract

It includes a frontal sliding window (6,6a), means for actuating said sliding window until a frontal working opening (5) has been closed at least partially, and a leaktightness seal (7) on the perimeter (8) of said opening (5), and is characterised in that said seal (7) is deformable elastically from a position in which the seal (7) is kept separated from said window (6,6a), to a position in which the seal (7) comes into contact with said window (6,6a), and in that it includes means (10,11,12,13,15) for deforming said seal (7). The device and the cabinet that includes it are very simple, safe and efficient.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of all that has been set out some drawings are attached that show, schematically and solely by way of non-restrictive example, a practical case of embodiment.

In said drawings,

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of an air-flow cabinet provided with the device claimed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cabinet of FIG. 1, showing the frontal working opening.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cabinet of FIG. 1, showing the sliding window partially closing the frontal working opening.

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the opening shown in FIG. 2, in which the leaktightness seal can be observed.

FIGS. 5 a and 5b are schematics view that shows a section of the seal fixed in the perimeter of the opening of the cabinet, in its two working positions.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 to 4 show an air-flow cabinet 1 of the type normally used for handling biological and pharmaceutical products, which the claimed device 2 contains.

As can be seen from the aforesaid figures, the cabinet 1 is provided with four vertical walls 3 that form a working zone 4 provided with a vertical laminar air flow that ensures at least protection of the product and of the operative.

The cabinet protection device 2 is mounted on the frontal wall 3a of said cabinet 1 in which is mounted the opening 5 that permits access to the working zone 4.

Said device 2 includes a sliding window 6 that permits the aforesaid opening 5 to be closed totally or partially, and an elastically deformable leaktightness seal 7, fixed onto the perimeter 8 of the opening 5. In the embodiment described the window 6 is actuated automatically by means of an automatic mechanism that is not shown. Said window 6 can nevertheless also be actuated manually. The window 6 has a transparent pane 6a that allows the operative to view the sample while manipulating it under the window 6, when the latter remains open at a certain height.

Although this has not been show, the window 6 itself can be provided with a hinged raising system that allows it be cleaned from both sides.

As can be seen in FIGS. 5a and 5b, the seal 7 includes a cavity 9 with an upper wall 9a. The aforesaid seal 7 is deformable elastically from an initial position in which the wall 9a is folded back inside the cavity 9, to a position in which said wall 9a comes into contact with the glass pane 6a of the window 6. FIG. 4 shows a detail of the frontal wall 3a of the cabinet 1 with the seal 7 attached to the perimeter 8 of the opening 5. In this figure, the seal 7 is in the position in which the wall 9a is folded back into the interior of the cavity 9, keeping the glass separate 6a.

In the embodiment described, the elastic deformation of the seal 7 is carried out by means of a system 10 that feeds fluid 11 at a particular pressure to the interior of the cavity 9. Said system 10 includes at least one fluid pump 12 or other equivalent part that can cause the fluid 11, preferably, air, to circulate at a certain pressure through the interior of the aforesaid cavity 9 of the seal 7 until it has been deformed elastically. The pump 12 is connected by means of filtering devices 13 to pressure sensors 14 and electrically operated valves 15 that control the supply of fluid 11 and the pressure of fluid 11 from the circuit.

There follows a description of the operation of the device 2 of the present invention.

In order to carry out the sealing operation, whether when the window 6 is in position for use, moved vertically up to a certain height, or fully shut, as for decontaminating the working zone 4, the pump 12 is actuated and also the corresponding electric valve 15 to intake of fluid 11 up to the pressure of the seal 7, measured by a pressure sensor 14, reaches a predetermined value that provides suitable contact pressure of the seal 7 with the glass pane 6a of the window 6 (see FIG. 5b).

When the operative needs to change the vertical working position of the window 6, the pump 12 is actuated again and, in this case, also the corresponding electric valve 15 to fluid 11 outlet up to the pressure of the seal 7, measured by the sensor 14, reaches the predetermined value for which said seal 7 remains separated from the pane 6a of the window 6 (see FIG. 5a).

In both the cases described, the time taken to reach the predetermined pressure values of the seal 7 is controlled by the main control system 16 of the device 2, which warns the operative if that time is longer than required, thereby indicating poor operation of the device 2.

The device 2 of the embodiment described is also provided with a built-in auxiliary battery 17 that allows the sliding window 6 to be slid into leaktight position in the event of power outage.

Surprisingly, the device 2 of the present invention enables speedy, simple and enormously secure sealing of air-flow cabinets 1, so that the cabinets 1 on which said device 2 are applied offer a high level of safety in relation to the cabinets of the state of the art.

In spite of the fact that one specific embodiment of the present invention has been described and shown, an expert in the subject would clearly be able to introduce variants and modifications, or to replace details by others that are technically equivalent, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.

Claims

1. Protection device for air-flow cabinets (1) that includes a sliding frontal window (6,6a), means for actuating said sliding window until a frontal working opening (5) is at least partially closed, and a leaktightness seal (7) on the perimeter (8) of said opening (5), wherein said seal (7) is deformable elastically from a position in which the seal (7) is kept separated from said window (6,6a), to a position in which the seal (7) comes into contact with said window (6,6a), and in that it includes means (10,11,12,13,15) for deforming said seal (7).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein it includes means (14,16) for controlling the contact pressure of said seal (7) on said window (6,6a).

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein said seal (7) includes a cavity (9).

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein at least the upper wall (9a) of said cavity (9) is deformable elastically from a position in which said wall (9a) is folded back in the interior of said cavity (9), to a position in which the wall (9a) comes into contact with said window (6,6a).

5. Device according to claim 3, wherein said means for deforming said seal comprise means (10,12,13,15) for supplying fluid (11) under pressure into the interior of said cavity (9).

6. Device according to claim 2, wherein said means for controlling the pressure include a pressure sensor (14).

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein it includes a battery (17) for supplying energy at least to said means (10,11,12,13,15) for elastically deforming said seal (7).

8. Air-flow cabinet wherein it includes a device (2) according to claim 1.