Apparatus for cleaning and/or decontaminating a continuous strip of thermoplastsic film

Device for continuous cleaning and/or decontaminating a band of a thermoplastic film comprising a housing (1) where the band (7) follows a sinuous trajectory between return cylinders (8, 10, 40, 41, 9) and is subjected to the action of demineralized and/or distilled water jets projected by nozzles, (20, 43, 45, 22) mounted on spraying ramps (19, 42, 46, 21), the direction of jets being preferably opposite to the feed direction of the band (7).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a device that cleans and/or 
decontaminates, in a continuous manner, a strip of a thin film of 
thermoplastic material. It relates, more specifically although not 
exclusively so, a device for cleaning the two opposite faces of a 
continuous strip of film of thermoplastic material, for example a strip 
formed by at least one layer of a polyolefin material, such as 
polyethylene or polypropylene, for the purpose, among other things, of 
using that cleaned strip for the fabrication of flexible bags containing a 
perfusion liquid to be administered intravenously to a patient. 
Manufacturers of films of thermoplastic material, of polyethylene for 
example, deliver the latter in the form of rolls having a pre-determined 
width. During the fabrication of those films, by extrusion for example, 
and during their conditioning, such as their sectioning to the desired 
width and their being wound on a mandrel, as well as during their 
transportation, their handling and their treatment, those films generally 
are contaminated by particles of an extrinsic nature or by fragments or 
particles that are generated by the films themselves. 
When the web of film is to be used for the fabrication of flexible bags or 
pouches for containing perfusion liquids, it is important that they are 
free of contaminating particles. If there are particles that adhere to the 
film, the particles may injure the patient in that the particles could be 
carried along with the perfusion liquid into the circulatory system of the 
patients. 
It is also important that the face of the film, which is in contact with 
the perfusion liquid, be sterile, so as to prevent germs or other possible 
pathogenic micro-organisms from contaminating the perfusion liquid and 
being carried therewith into the circulatory system of the patients. 
There is known a system for cleaning and sterilizing in a continuous manner 
a web of film made of thermoplastic material. The web is fed through a 
static bath of a liquid which may be, for example, a sterilizing liquid, 
such as hydrogen peroxide. That known system, however, often does not 
satisfactorily remove all the particles that may be adhering to the film. 
The system includes the additional disadvantage of requiring a periodic 
replacement of the bath which progressively becomes loaded with particles 
and micro-organisms and therefore must be replaced. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides an improved system for removing particles 
and other contaminants from a web of film. 
It has now been discovered that the removal of the particles and other 
contaminating materials from a film of thermoplastic material, that is of 
such a nature that may be charged with static electricity and therefore 
attract and retain such particles can be accomplished very efficiently 
when there is sprayed on the film, which is moving in a given direction, a 
liquid in the form of jets directed opposite to the direction the film is 
moving. There is obtained through this method a dynamic effect that 
improves the removal of the particles and other contaminating materials. 
It has also been discovered that, in order for the particles and other 
contaminating materials to be easily removed from the film without being 
redeposited on the film, the liquid should be sprayed over the film while 
the film follows a steeply inclined trajectory, if not an approximately 
vertical one. 
The present invention, provides a device for the cleaning and/or the 
decontamination of a continuous strip of a film of thermoplastic material. 
The device comprises an enclosure inside of which a sterile air pressure 
is maintained and inside of which the continuous strip is moved along a 
sinuous trajectory around return rollers between an inlet and an outlet of 
the enclosure. At least one approximately horizontal ramp, equipped with 
nozzles, is mounted inside the enclosure. Accordingly, it is possible to 
spray on one face of the strip, jets of a cleaning and/or decontaminating 
liquid. The liquid loaded with contaminating particles that have been 
removed from the strip is dripped into the bottom of the enclosure. 
In an embodiment of the present invention, the ramp is positioned to permit 
the spraying of the above-mentioned liquid over a first face of a slanted 
section which follows an ascending trajectory and which extends between a 
lower return roller and an upper roller which returns the strip. The first 
face is located opposite the second face in contact with the lower return 
roller, and is slanted relative to the vertical direction in the direction 
of rotation of the lower roller. 
During such a spraying, the cleaning and/or decontaminating liquid runs 
down the first face of the slanted section and carries away the 
contaminating particles, toward the lower return roller. Close to the 
latter, the cleaning and/or decontaminating liquid loaded with particles 
becomes separated from the strip by gravity and falls to the bottom of the 
enclosure, preventing the particles from redeposited on the strip. 
The nozzles of the ramp, or ramps, are oriented in a direction 
approximately opposite the direction of movement of the strip. Preferably, 
the nozzles are oriented at an angle of approximately 30.degree. to about 
90.degree., most preferably of approximately 40.degree. to about 
60.degree. with respect to the strip onto which they are spraying liquid. 
In an embodiment of the device of the present invention, there is provided 
at least one pair of ramps having nozzles, one mounted on each side of the 
strip at approximately the same level. Other embodiments of the device, 
however, may include several ramps or pairs of opposite ramps, positioned 
so that their nozzles will spray a cleaning and/or decontaminating liquid 
over successive sections, shifted relative to one another, of the movable 
strip moving forward inside the afore-mentioned enclosure. 
According to the present invention, the ramps, or pairs of ramps, which 
extend transverse to the strip of film are mounted at two different levels 
and may be fed a different liquid. For example, demineralized water and 
distilled water. 
In an embodiment, the device according to the present invention provides an 
intake for the strip of film near the lower end of the enclosure. A first 
return roller is located approximately at the intake level, a second 
return roller is located near the upper end of the enclosure, and a third 
return roller is located near the lower end of the enclosure and shifted 
with respect to the first roller. Accordingly, the strip moving inside the 
enclosure will move upward between the first and the second rollers, 
following an approximately vertical trajectory, then downward between the 
second and the third rollers. A first group of two opposite ramps are 
positioned one on each side of the strip being placed on the strip 
trajectory between the first and second rollers, while a second group of 
opposite ramps, also positioned one on each side of the strip, is also 
placed on the strip trajectory between the first and second rollers, at a 
level higher than that of the first group of ramps. The nozzles of the 
first group of ramps spray demineralized water on the strip, while the 
nozzles of the second group of ramps spray distilled water on the strip. 
In an embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention, the 
device includes a first return roller located at approximately the level 
of entry of the continuous strip into the enclosure at the lower part of 
the latter, a second return roller located near the upper end of the 
enclosure and a third return roller located close to the lower end of the 
enclosure and shifted with respect to the first roller. Accordingly, the 
strip moving inside the enclosure will move upward following an inclined 
trajectory between the first roller and the second roller, then downward 
between the second roller and the third roller. A first group of two 
opposite ramps are positioned one on each side of the strip being placed 
on the strip trajectory between the first and second rollers, while a 
second group of opposite ramps, are positioned also one on each side of 
the strip is also placed on the trajectory of the strip between the first 
and second rollers, but at a level higher than that of the first group of 
ramps. The first group of ramps spray demineralized water on the strip, 
while the second group of ramps spray distilled water on the strip. 
In an embodiment of the embodiment set forth above, a partition is placed 
inside the enclosure between the first and last rollers. The partition 
prevents some of the particles carried away by the above-mentioned 
cleaning and/or decontaminating liquid from being redeposited on the 
strip. 
Where the strip of thermoplastic film is highly charged with particles or 
is highly contaminated, or when a high degree of cleaning and/or 
decontaminating is required, the present invention provides, in an 
embodiment, in the above-mentioned enclosure, three return rollers spaced 
apart from one another at the lower part of the enclosure, and two return 
rollers, also spaced apart from each other at the upper part of the 
enclosure. When passing over these different return rollers, the strip of 
film will form four successive sections which alternately are vertical and 
steeply inclined, between the intake and the outlet of the enclosure. In 
this embodiment, each vertical section of the strip is subjected to the 
action of the nozzles carried by two pairs of opposite ramps positioned 
one on each side of the strip. The nozzles of the two pairs of ramps 
associated with the first vertical section of the strip, as well as the 
nozzles of the lower pair of ramps associated with the second vertical 
section of the ramp, spray demineralized water over the opposite faces of 
the strip of film, while the nozzles of the upper pair of ramps associated 
with the second vertical section of the strip spray distilled water over 
the opposite faces of that strip. Thus, in this embodiment of the device, 
two pairs of opposite ramps are provided along the trajectory of the two 
vertical sections of the film strip, to which a forward motion is 
imparted, one of those pairs of ramps being at a level lower than the 
other pair. 
In an embodiment of the present invention, means are provided for adjusting 
the orientation of the ramp nozzles. Means can also be provided for 
adjusting the level of the ramps as well as their distance from the strip. 
In addition, the ramps can also be longitudinally adjustable (that is, in 
the direction of their axis). 
According to another embodiment of the invention, means are provided for 
drying the strip prior to its exit from the enclosure. To this end, there 
is provided adjacent to its outlet, a chamber in which one and/or the 
other of the strip faces are subjected to jets of air produced by nozzles 
carried by at least one ramp. A thermostat permits the regulation of the 
temperature of the drying air which feeds the drying ramp or ramps. 
At its upper portion, the enclosure includes a ceiling having multiple 
perforations for permitting the passage of sterile air into the enclosure 
which forms a conditioned air atmosphere inside the enclosure. 
At its lower portion the enclosure includes a collector for the liquid or 
liquids that are sprayed over the strip. The collector is in the form of a 
hopper. A slit of adjustable width is provided between the lower edge of 
the enclosure and the upper edge of the hopper, the slit permits the 
escape, at a predetermined rate of flow, of the air contained in the 
enclosure, so that air circulation is established inside the latter, the 
pressure of that air being, at the level of its intake (ceiling) into the 
enclosure, a few centimeters, approximately 2 to about 4 centimeters for 
example, of a column of water. 
The return rollers are of a squirrel cage type and rotate freely as the 
strip of film passes through the enclosure. 
Downstream from the enclosure, in the direction of movement of the strip of 
thermoplastic film, the strip is pulled by being passed between two 
rollers. One of the rollers is driven by an electric motor. One of the 
rollers is also coated with a rubber or with plastic material. 
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent 
from the following detailed description of the presently preferred 
embodiments and the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The present invention provides improved devices for cleaning and/or 
decontaminating a web of film. 
The cleaning and/or decontaminating devices described below advantageously 
are part of a system for the fabrication of flexible bags or pouches, 
which provide for the slow flow of liquids, especially bags containing 
physiologically acceptable liquids that are administered intravenously to 
patients. Such a system essentially comprises a station for the unwinding 
of a strip of film of thermoplastic material, from a feeding roll, a 
station for the printing of information on one face of the strip, a 
station for the formation of holes, that are to receive ports or fitments 
in the strip, and a station for the fabrication of the bags or pouches 
through the sealing of the film, for example, in the manner described in 
document FR-A-258801. In that system, a device for the cleaning and/or 
decontaminating according to the present invention is mounted immediately 
upstream from the station for the fabrication of the bags. 
In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1, of the 
apparatus of the invention, the apparatus includes an enclosure 1 having a 
ceiling 2 with multiple perforations 3 through which sterile air coming 
from a source (not illustrated) is blown in, in the direction illustrated 
by arrows X, into the entire cross-section of enclosure 1. The pressure of 
that air, in the enclosure 1, is preferably a few centimeters of a column 
of water, approximately 2 to about 4 cm for example. This slightly higher 
pressure of the air inside the enclosure 1 prevents non-sterile outside 
air from entering the enclosure. 
The lower portion 4 of the enclosure 1 is open and located above a hopper 
5, that is asymmetical in shape, that serves as a liquid collector, as 
will be discussed below. The hopper 5 is connected to a discharge duct 
through a duct 6. A syphon (not illustrated) is located in the duct 6. 
A thin continuous strip 7 of thermoplastic material, for example, a strip 
formed of one layer or of several joined layers of polyethylene, follows a 
sinuous trajectory, through enclosure 1, between two lower rollers 8, 9 
and an upper roller 10. The upper roller 10 is positioned directly above 
the lower roller 8 near the ceiling 2. The lower rollers 8, 9 are 
positioned near the lower open end 4 of the enclosure 1. 
The rollers 8, 9, 10, which have horizontal axes, are of the 
"squirrel-cage" type (see FIG. 7). Each roller 8, 9, 10 includes series of 
bars 11 having a circular cross-section, and that are connected at each 
one of their ends to a circular disk 12. At a mid-point of the bars 11, 
the latter are also connected to a median circular disk 13 which serves to 
hold the rollers 8, 9, 10 rigid. The centers of the disks 12 and 13 are 
located on the geometric axis of the rollers 8, 9, 10. These rollers 8, 9, 
10 comprise a longitudinal shaft 14, attached to the disks 12, 13, the 
ends of the shaft 14, which extends to the outside of the rollers 8, 9, 
10, is supported in such a manner that it allows the free rotation of 
those rollers. 
The strip 7 of thermoplastic material, which may be approximately 40 to 
about 60 cm in width or more, is fed through the enclosure in a direction 
indicated by arrows Y. The strip 7 passes an external guiding roller 15, 
and enters the enclosure 1 through an intake 16, which is fitted with a 
shutter 17 of rubber or some other deformable material. The shutter 17 
functions as a closing device that limits the escape of the pressurized 
air from enclosure. The strip 7 then passes over a lower return roller 8, 
which rotates in a clockwise direction. From the lower return roller 8, 
the strip follows a vertical trajectory toward the upper roller 10 which 
sends it back, by rotating counterclockwise, toward the lower roller 9, 
following an inclined trajectory. On the vertical section 18 located 
between the return rollers 8 and 10, the strip 7 is subjected to the 
action of cleaning and/or decontaminating means. 
The cleaning and/or decontaminating means includes a first pair of ramps 19 
having nozzles 20. The ramps 19 are connected to a source of demineralized 
water, and spray through their nozzles 20 jets of demineralized water over 
the opposite faces of strip 7, while the latter is moving upward inside 
the enclosure 1, following an approximately vertical trajectory. As shown 
in FIG. 1, the nozzles 20 of the ramps 18 mounted on each side of the 
vertical section 18 of the strip 7 are oriented to form, with the strip, 
an angle which may vary between approximately 30.degree. and about 
90.degree.. In a preferred embodiment the nozzles are oriented at an angle 
of between approximately 45.degree. and about 60.degree. with respect to 
the strip. The jets of demineralized water discharged by the nozzles is 
directed in a general direction (arrow Z) opposite the direction of 
forward motion of the strip 7 between the return rollers 8 and 10 
(vertical arrow Y). 
Above the first pair of ramps 19 is positioned a second pair of ramps 21 
fitted with nozzles 22. The second pair of ramps 21 sprays distilled water 
over the opposite faces of strip 7. The orientation of the nozzles 22 can 
be the same as that of the nozzles of the first pair of ramps 19. 
The demineralized water and distilled water is sprayed at a rate of 
delivery and under a pressure which may be adjusted to create, a dynamic 
cleaning and/or decontaminating effect on the opposite faces of strip 7, 
so as to free, for the most part, all of the particles and micro-organisms 
which adhere to it. 
The liquids sprayed over the strip 7, run downwardly on the vertical 
section 18 of strip 7, and drip down toward the bottom 4. The sprayed 
liquids carry with them the particles that have been detached from the 
strip 7. 
Between the return roller 10 and the return roller 9, the strip 7 follows 
an inclined trajectory (section 23) which allows the residual liquids to 
run downwardly. 
After passing over the return roller 9, the strip 7 further runs over a 
return roller 24, of the squirrel-cage type. The strip, then enters a 
drying chamber 25 formed by walls 26, 27, 28. The drying chamber 25 is 
mounted inside the enclosure 1, immediately upstream from an outlet 29 of 
the enclosure 1. 
In the drying chamber 25 are provided, on each side of strip 7, ramps 30 
equipped with openings 31 oriented toward the strip 7 in a direction 
opposed to (arrow Z) that of a vertical section 32 of that strip 7. Air, 
or some other sterile or sterilizing gas, is blown onto strip 7 through 
the openings 31. The temperature of the air and its rate of flow through 
the openings 31 of course can be adjusted, so that downstream from the 
ramps 30, the strip 7 will be dry. 
By using rollers 8, 9, 10, 24 of the squirrel-cage type it is possible to 
prevent the accumulation, on those rollers, of particles or 
micro-organisms that are detached from the strip. Those rollers themselves 
are dynamically washed by the liquids sprayed over strip 7. 
The strip 7, dried by jets of air or of gas delivered through openings 31, 
passes over a return roller 33 (which may be a roller with a solid 
cylindrical surface), before leaving the enclosure 1 through outlet 29 of 
the latter. 
Two rollers 34, 35, mounted the outlet 29 of the enclosure 1, outside of 
the latter, serve to drive the strip 7. Roller 34, the cylindrical surface 
constructed of which is of rubber or of a similar material, is driven by a 
motor (not illustrated) and the strip 7 is fed by being pinching between 
this driving roller 34 and roller 35. 
Downstream from the rollers 34 and 35, the strip 7 passes over a roller 36 
carried by the parallel arms 37 of a lever that can pivot around a shaft 
38. This lever serves to maintain the strip 7 under tension by taking back 
or compensating for the loss of tension caused by the periodic stops in 
the forward motion of this strip 7. This is especially important at the 
sealing station (not illustrated) where the bags are created by being 
sealed and filled with a perfusion liquid. 
It is obvious that upstream from the enclosure 1, the strip 7, which is 
moving toward the above-mentioned bag fabrication station, should be kept 
under a sterile atmosphere so as to prevent its recontamination. 
Between the open lower end 4 of the enclosure 1 and the collecting hopper 
5, there is a gap 39, forming a slit of adjustable width (as will be seen 
below). That slit 39 permits the escape of the sterile air under pressure 
that is fed into the enclosure 1 through the perforations 3 made in the 
ceiling 2 of the enclosure 1. Instead of providing a gap between the lower 
end 4 of the enclosure and the free edge of the hopper 5, it is of course 
possible to connect the latter with a tight seal to that lower end, and to 
provide an air-escape slit either in the lower part of the enclosure 1, or 
in the upper part of hopper 5. 
A second embodiment of the device according to the present invention, 
illustrated in FIG. 2, is similar to the one described above with 
reference to FIG. 1, with the exception that the strip 7 is made to pass, 
inside enclosure 1, over a larger number of return rollers of the 
squirrel-cage type. Accordingly, the strip follows a more sinuous 
trajectory. Also additional cleaning and/or decontaminating means are 
provided. 
After the strip has passed over rollers 8 and 10, the strip 7 is fed, 
following an oblique trajectory, to a lower roller 40. From the lower 
roller 40, the strip 7 is fed, following a vertical trajectory, toward an 
additional upper roller 41. The strip finally is fed from that upper 
roller 41 to the lower roller 9, again following an oblique trajectory. 
The apparatus according to FIG. 2 comprises two pairs of ramps 19 and 42 
equipped, each one of them, with nozzles 20 and 43, the ramps of each one 
of those two pairs of ramps 19, 42 are positioned on each side of strip 7 
along the vertical section 18 of the latter. Each one of the ramps 19 and 
42 sprays, through its nozzles (20, 43), demineralized water over strip 7. 
In addition, over the vertical trajectory (section 44) followed by strip 7 
between the return rollers 40 and 41, the strip is first subjected to the 
action of the jets of demineralized water delivered by the nozzles 45 of a 
pair of ramps 46. The strip is then subjected to the action of jets of 
distilled water coming from nozzles 22 of the pair of ramps 21. 
It is thus seen that over its vertical trajectory or section 18, the strip 
receives jets of demineralized water from ramps 19 and 42, while, on its 
second vertical trajectory or section 44, demineralized water is first 
sprayed through ramps 46, then distilled water through ramps 21. In this 
way, it is possible to improve the effect of the cleaning and/or 
decontamination treatment of the strip of thermoplastic material 7. 
In a third embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 4 of the apparatus of the 
present invention, the apparatus differs from the one illustrated in FIG. 
1 in that section 18 of the strip 7, located between the lower roller 8 
and the upper roller 10, is slanted with respect to the vertical 
direction, in the direction of rotation W of the lower roller 8. 
From the lower return roller 8, the strip follows a slanted trajectory 
toward upper roller 10 which sends it back by rotating in a 
counterclockwise direction, toward lower roller 9, following a slanted 
trajectory. On the slanted section 18, located between the return rollers 
8 and 10, the strip 7 is subjected to the action of the cleaning and/or 
decontamination means. 
Those cleaning and/or decontamination means comprise a first pair of ramps 
19, 78. The ramps 19, 78, connected to a source of demineralized water, 
spray jets of demineralized water over the opposite faces 79, 80 of strip 
7, while the latter moves upwardly inside the enclosure 1. 
Above the first pair of ramps 19, 78 there is assembled a second pair of 
ramps 21, 81. The second pair of ramps 21, 81 spray distilled water over 
the opposite faces 79, 80 of the strip 7. 
By means of the spraying of demineralized water and of distilled water with 
an adjustable rate of flow and pressure, a dynamic effect of cleaning 
and/or decontamination is exerted over the opposite faces of the strip 7, 
so as to free the latter, for the most part, of the particles and 
micro-organisms which are adhering to it. 
The ramps 78, 81 are positioned so as to permit the spraying of the 
above-mentioned liquid over the face 79 of the slanted section 18, this 
face 79 being opposed to the face 80 of the strip in contact with the 
lower return roller 8. The slant of the above section 18, relative to the 
vertical direction, preferably is between approximately 5.degree. and 
about 30.degree.. 
The slant enables the liquids sprayed over the face 79 of the slanted 
section 18 to run down on that face, carrying away the contaminating 
particles toward the lower roller 8. Close to the latter, the liquid 
loaded with contaminating particles becomes separated from the strip 7 and 
it falls, by gravity, into the hopper 5. Because of that slant, the liquid 
which is sprayed over face 79 remains in contact with the latter. The 
excess pressure of the sterile air inside the enclosure allows for the 
application of an additional contact force of the liquid on that face. The 
liquid present on that face, therefore, is less subject to possible 
projections or carryings away of liquid as a result of the stream of 
sterile air, or to the formation of large drops on the strip. This permits 
preventing some of the liquid loaded with contaminating particles from 
being redeposited on the face 79 of an already cleaned part of the strip. 
After its passage over the return roller 9, the strip 7 further passes over 
the return roller 24 which is also of the "squirrel-cage" type, then it 
enters drying chamber 25 which is formed by walls 26, 27, 28, the drying 
chamber 25 being mounted inside enclosure 1, immediately upstream from the 
outlet 29 of the latter. 
Between the rollers 9 and 24, the strip is subjected to a pre-drying by two 
systems 82, 83 equipped with two scrapers 84, 85; 86, 87. Scraper 84 of 
system 82 scrapes the section of the strip located between the scrapers 
86, 87 of the other system 83. 
These systems 82, 83 make it possible for the almost complete removal of 
the liquids present on the strip before the latter enters the drying 
chamber 25, and therefore they facilitate the operation of that chamber. 
A fourth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, is 
illustrated in FIG. 5, and is different from the third embodiment only in 
that the apparatus comprises two return rollers 8, 9, spaced apart from 
each other, at the lower part of enclosure 1, and two return rollers 10, 
41, also spaced apart from each other, at the upper part of enclosure 1. 
Accordingly when the strip passes over those different return rollers, the 
strip of film presents three successive sections, that is, a first slanted 
section 18 which is subjected to the spraying of one or several cleaning 
and/or decontaminating liquids, a second section 88, approximately 
horizontal, and a third section 89, preferably slanted. 
In this embodiment, a vertical partition 90 is placed inside the enclosure, 
between the lower roller 8 and the lower roller 9, so as to prevent 
particles carried away by the above-mentioned cleaning and/or 
decontaminating liquid from being redeposited on the strip when that 
liquid becomes separated from the strip and falls into hopper 5. 
FIGS. 6 and 7 in the attached drawing illustrate details of the embodiment 
of the device according to the invention, diagramatized in FIG. 2. 
As seen in FIG. 6, the enclosure 1 comprises a box which may present on two 
opposite faces, parallel to the direction of forward motion of strip 7 of 
thermoplastic film glass doors 47 which permit to check the functioning of 
the cleaning device. If desired, the glass doors 47 can also provide 
access to the inside of the enclosure. 
Fixed bars 48, 49, 50 and 51, which can have a tubular construction and be 
assembled parallel to one another, inside the enclosure 1, hang from the 
upstream wall 52 and from the downstream wall 53 of the latter. For each 
one of the bars 48 to 51, extending to the front of enclosure 1, there is 
a corresponding bar at the rear of the enclosure. Thus there are, inside 
the enclosure 1, four pairs of fixed bars 48 to 51, from which hangs the 
equipment contained in the enclosure. 
To the pair of fixed bars 48 are hung the upper return rollers 10 and 41 
the shafts 14 of which rotate freely inside holes made in tabs 54 affixed 
to riders 55 hooked to bars 48 by means of bolts 56. With this 
arrangement, the positions of the return rollers 10 and 41 may be modified 
by separating them more or less from each other by simply sliding the 
riders 55 on bars 48. 
The pairs of ramps 21 and 42 which have a circular section are hung to the 
pair of fixed bars 49. At each end, each one of those ramps includes a 
cylindrical part 57 of larger diameter, on which is tightened by a 
tightening ring 58, formed of two semi-circular arms 58' and 58", hinged 
together at 59 by one of their ends and equipped with a butterfly screwnut 
60 at their other end. Arm 58' of the tightening rings is attached to a 
member 61 polygonal in shape, which is fixed by bolts 62 to a second 
polygonal member 63. The members 61 and 63 each have along their edges a 
semi-circular notch which encircles the ramp. Each small plate formed by 
the members 61 and 63 hangs from a tab 64 movably affixed to a rider 65 
hanging from one of the bars 49. 
When rings 58 are loosened by an unscrewing of the screwnuts, it is 
possible to modify the orientation of nozzles 22, 43 carried by ramps 21, 
42, by causing said ramps to rotate on their longitudinal axis. As for 
members 61 and 63 which form the small plates, they may be loosened from 
each other by unscrewing of bolts 62, to permit a longitudinal 
displacement of the ramps 21 and 42, relative to a tubing 66 into which 
each ramp is telescopically engaged. The tubing 66 functions to feed the 
cleaning liquid to the ramps of each pair of ramps 21, 42 on the tubing 66 
there is engaged another tubing 67 to which is telescopically connected a 
duct 68 connected to a source (not illustrated) of cleaning liquid. A 
tightening ring 69, similar to the afore-mentioned ring 58, functions to 
tighten the end of duct 68 on the adjacent end of tubing 67. 
The means for the suspension and the feeding of the different ramps are the 
same as those previously described above, and in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7 they are 
represented by the same reference symbols. Duct 68, connected to a source 
of demineralized water (not illustrated), feeds the pairs of ramps 19, 42 
and 46, while another duct 68, connected to a source of distilled water 
(not illustrated) feeds the ramps 21. 
The shaft of the lower return rollers 8, 40, 9 and 27 can rotate freely 
inside a perforation made in tabs 70, 71 affixed to the chassis of 
enclosure 1. 
The fixed bars 50 support, in the same manner as the fixed bars 49, the 
pairs of ramps 19 and 46. 
Finally, the fixed bars 51 serve as a support for the drying ramps 30. A 
duct 72, connected to a source of sterile drying air under pressure (not 
illustrated), is tightened by a movable tightening ring 73 on a first 
tubing 74 connected to another tubing which, through each one of its ends, 
feeds the drying ramps 30. The orientation of the nozzles of the ramps 30, 
as well as the longitudinal position of the latter, may be modified by 
means (tightening ring 58, members 61, 63, tabs 64 and rider 65) identical 
to those used for the different ramps 19, 21, 42 and 46 which spray the 
liquids. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the tabs 75 affixed by one of their ends to the lower 
part of the enclosure 1, have a slot 76 receiving a bolt affixed to the 
upper part of the collecting hopper 5. On that bolt is screwed a screwnut 
77. This system makes it possible to adjust the level of the upper edge of 
hopper 5 and, consequently, the width of slit 39 through which can escape 
the sterile air under pressure, sent into enclosure 1 by the perforations 
3 in the ceiling 2 of the latter. 
Experiments for washing and decontaminating films with the embodiment of 
the present invention illustrated in FIG. 4, have demonstrated the 
following for a strip made of a layer of high-density polyethylene and of 
a layer of low-density polyethylene: 
1. Cleaning of a low-density polyethylene face (79) of a web of film which 
was the internal face of the perfusion bags, has made it possible to 
obtain perfusion liquid bags containing few sub-micron particles, the 
latter mostly coming from the particles present on that face. Thus, with 
the apparatus according to the present invention, it has been possible to 
reduce the number of sub-micron particles (from 2 to 5 microns) to less 
than 250 particles, even to less than 60 particles, per ml of perfusion 
liquid. That low-particle concentration makes it possible to satisfy the 
concentration thresholds accepted by different health organizations, those 
thresholds generally ranging between 500 and 1,000 2-micron sub-micronic 
particles per ml of perfusion liquid. 
2. The pre-drying means 82, 83 make it possible to reduce to one third the 
air consumption necessary for the drying in the chamber 25, as compared to 
the consumption necessary in a device in which no such means are mounted. 
This lower consumption also appreciably reduces the noise level in the 
chamber 25. 
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the 
presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those 
skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without 
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without 
diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such 
changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.