Patent ID: 6553722
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: B01L,G21F

Abstract:
Device for connecting doors which provides a sealed connection of a first stationary chamber and a second removable and transportable chamber which are isolated from an external medium and at least one of which has contents therein, wherein in said device:each chamber has at least one access opening equipped with a door (2, 3) cooperating with sealing means (12, 14) and a flange (4, 5) forming a stationary frame, one door (2) being articulated to its flange (4); each door (2, 3) having means of locking to their respective flanges (4, 5) and complementary connecting means which, before the contents of one of the first and second chamber have been transferred into the other one of the first and second chamber, and while the flanges (4, 5) are locked together in a sealed manner, allow the doors (2, 3) to be connected thereby forming, through contact of sealing means (12, 16 and 13, 14), an internal space â€œCâ€  isolating their faces (17, 18) now in contact from the external medium; and external means for controlling locking-together of the flanges (4, 5) and external means for controlling the unlocking of the doors (2, 3) from their flange; wherein the means of connection between the doors (2, 3) made up of a network of ducts (30, 34, 35) formed in at least one door, opening into internal space â€œCâ€  and connected to a source (39) of vacuum to create at least a partial vacuum in the network of ducts (30, 34, 35), characterized in that the means of connection comprises, on ducting (38) connecting the source (39) of vacuum to the network of ducts (30, 34, 35), a sensor (44) that measures the strength of the partial vacuum in the network of ducts (30, 34, 35) and reacts on an alarm (45) when this partial vacuum does not reach a predetermined value.