Vessel conveying system
US6652199B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 18, 2002 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S198/95
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vessel conveying system includes a dryer disposed within a first sterile chamber. If a vessel stays within the dryer for a prolonged length of time, it will be deformed under heat. Accordingly, the vessel is removed by a reject wheel and dropped onto a discharge chute disposed below. A downstream portion of the discharge chute is surrounded by a second sterile chamber, which is separate from the first mentioned sterile chamber, A glove mounted on the wall of the second chamber enables access to the discharge chute while maintaining the chute in a sterile condition. A door is mounted on the wall of the second chamber, and the rejected vessel is discharged through the door. The sterile chambers are disposed within a processing chamber. The pressure within the first chamber is controlled to be higher than the pressure (atmospheric pressure) within the processing chamber and the pressure within the second chamber is controlled to be lower than the atmospheric pressure. As a consequence, a vessel rejected by the reject wheel can be removed without destroying an internal ambience of the sterile chamber surrounds the reject wheel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.