초록 ▼

A sterile enclosure contains a transfer module defining a window. A port covers the window to maintain the inside of the enclosure as a sealed and sterile environment. A sliding, heated cutting element mounted on the port serves to sterilize and sever a portion of a sterile transfer bag assembly att

A sterile enclosure contains a transfer module defining a window. A port covers the window to maintain the inside of the enclosure as a sealed and sterile environment. A sliding, heated cutting element mounted on the port serves to sterilize and sever a portion of a sterile transfer bag assembly attached to the port. Preferably, the excised portion of the sterile transfer bag assembly is affixed to the port when the port opens. The sliding cutting element remains extended and heated to prevent contamination when the port is open. Further, a heating element is mounted about the window in order to sterilize around the opening when the port is open.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for sterile transfer of items sealed within a container, the method comprising the following steps: providing a transfer port having a door for sealing a transfer opening of the transfer port;providing a container having a mounting member thereon, an adhesive on an external surface of th

1. A method for sterile transfer of items sealed within a container, the method comprising the following steps: providing a transfer port having a door for sealing a transfer opening of the transfer port;providing a container having a mounting member thereon, an adhesive on an external surface of the container overlying the mounting member, and a releasable backing over said adhesive;removing the releasable backing;mounting a portion of the container to the transfer port with the adhesive so as to create a seal about the door;heating a heating element mounted at least one of (i) about a peripheral portion of the door and (ii) about the transfer opening to a temperature sufficient to cut the container;moving the heating element between retracted and extended positions to cut a portion of the container;opening the door after cutting the container; andtransferring at least one article from the container through the transfer opening. 2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of providing a container includes applying the adhesive to the external surface of the container and applying the releasable backing over said adhesive. 3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising closing the door and resealing the transfer opening. 4. A method as defined in claim 3, further comprising maintaining the cut portion of the container against the door during at least one of (a) the step of cutting the portion of the container; (b) the step of opening the door; (c) the step of transferring the at least one article from the container through the transfer opening; and (d) the step of closing the door. 5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of heating the heating element comprises heating the heating element to a temperature sufficient to sterilize the cut portion of the container and the step of moving the heating element further comprises sterilizing the portion of the container. 6. An apparatus comprising: a transfer port for the passage therethrough of articles sealed within a container, comprising: a transfer opening;a door movable between an open position spaced away from the transfer opening for allowing the passage of articles therethrough, and a closed position covering the transfer opening configured to form a substantially hermetic seal between the door and the transfer opening and to prevent the passage of articles therethrough; anda heating element extending about one of a peripheral portion of the door and about the transfer opening and engageable with a portion of the container overlying the transfer opening for heating and excising said portion from a remainder of the container and, in turn, allowing the passage of articles from the container through the transfer opening when the door is in the open position; andan article container comprising: a bag;a mounting member defining a peripheral portion secured to the bag and a second transfer opening formed therethrough;an adhesive superimposed over a portion of the bag overlying the second transfer opening of the mounting member; anda releasable backing superimposed over the adhesive. 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, further comprising a drive unit drivingly coupled to the heating element and configured to move the heating element between a retracted position and an extended position into engagement with said portion of the container. 8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the heating element extends about the peripheral portion of the door, and further comprising a further heating element extending about the transfer opening, wherein at least one of the heating element and the further heating element is operable at a sterilization temperature, and the heating element and the further heating element are located in sufficiently close proximity to each other to substantially sterilize an area therebeteween upon heating said at least one of the heating element and the further heating element to a sterilization temperature. 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the heating element and further heating element are substantially contiguous with each other with the door in the closed position. 10. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the heating element is heatable to a temperature that substantially prevents migration of germs across the heating element. 11. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the mounting member defines a recess extending about the second transfer opening for receiving therein the heating element upon engagement with the portion of the container. 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, in further combination with an assembling apparatus for assembling the article container, the assembling apparatus including: a first support for supporting thereon the mounting member;a second support for supporting thereon the bag with one wall of the bag located on one side of the mounting member and another wall of the bag located on an opposite side of the mounting member; anda third support spaced relative to the second support and including a first support surface releasably supporting thereon at least one fastener, wherein at least one of the second and third supports is movable relative to the other for tensioning a wall of the bag over the mounting member and applying the at least one fastener thereto to secure the respective wall of the bag to the mounting member. 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the third support further includes a second support surface releasably supporting thereon the releasable backing and adhesive underlying the releasable backing, and the adhesive is engageable with the bag upon moving at least one of the second and third supports relative to the other for adhesively securing the adhesive and releasable backing to the bag. 14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the second support surface is coupled in fluid communication with a vacuum source for drawing a vacuum through the second support surface and, in turn, releasably securing the releasable backing and underlying adhesive thereto. 15. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the mounting member defines a peripheral recess and the fastener is an elastic fastener received within the peripheral recess for securing the bag to the mounting member. 16. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the heating element is mounted about the peripheral portion of the door, the transfer port further comprises a further heating element extending about the transfer opening, and the method further comprises heating at least one of the heating element and the further heating element to a sterilization temperature and substantially sterilizing an area therebeteween. 17. An apparatus comprising: a transfer port for the passage therethrough of articles sealed within a container, comprising: a transfer opening;first means for moving between an open position spaced away from the transfer opening for allowing the passage of articles therethrough, and a closed position covering the transfer opening for preventing the passage of articles therethrough; andsecond means for heating one of a peripheral portion of the first means and a peripheral portion of the transfer opening, and for engaging a portion of the container overlying the transfer opening, and for heating and for excising said portion from the remainder of the container and, in turn, allowing the passage of articles from the container through the transfer opening when the first means is in the open position; andthird means for containing articles comprising; means for mounting the third means to the transfer port and allowing the passage of articles contained within the third means therethrough;means for adhesively securing a portion of the third means overlying the means for mounting to the transfer port; anda releasable backing superimposed over the means for adhesively securing. 18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the second means is for heating a peripheral portion of the first means and further comprising fourth means for heating a peripheral portion of the transfer opening, wherein at least one of the second means and the fourth means is further for operating at a sterilization temperature, and the second means and fourth means are located in sufficiently close proximity to each other to substantially sterilize an area therebeteween upon heating said at least one of the second means and the fourth means to a sterilization temperature. 19. An apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein the second and fourth means are substantially contiguous to each other. 20. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, in further combination with an assembling apparatus for assembling the third means, the assembling apparatus including: means for supporting thereon the means for mounting;means for supporting thereon the third means with one wall of the third means located on one side of the means for mounting and another wall of the third means located on an opposite side of the means for mounting; andmeans for supporting thereon at least one fastener, wherein at least one of the means for supporting the third means and the means for supporting the fastener is movable relative to the other for tensioning a wall of the third means over the means for mounting and applying the at least one fastener thereto to secure the respective wall of the third means to the means for mounting.