Isolators

Claim 2

An isolator comprising: an isolator enclosure member; a transfer conduit for passage of objects into said isolator enclosure member, said conduit communicating at one end with the interior of said enclosure member and having its other end external to said enclosure member, and at least part of said conduit having inner and outer walls spaced apart from each other when the conduit is in use; air supply means for supplying sterilized air to the space between said inner and outer walls of said conduit; said inner wall of said conduit defining an array of openings through said inner wall for directing a flow of sterilized air over that part of the inner surface of said conduit which adjoins said external end of said conduit in a flow pattern for preventing entry of unsterilized air into said conduit; and a closure member situated within said enclosure member for closing off said conduit from the interior of said enclosure member when said conduit is not in use for passage of objects; said closure member comprising a further conduit of flexible material extending from the first conduit into the interior of the enclosure member.

Claim 3

An isolator comprising: an isolator enclosure member of a size such as to allow surgical operations or other medical activities to be carried out within the enclosure member; a transfer conduit for passage of surgical instrument packs and other sterilized objects into said isolator enclosure member, said conduit communicating at one end with the interior of said enclosure member and having its other end external to said enclosure member, said conduit having a length along the axis of said conduit at least equal to half the width of said conduit at its narrowest part, and at least part of said conduit having inner and outer walls spaced apart from each other when the conduit is in use; air supply means for supplying sterilized air to the space between said inner and outer walls of said conduit; said inner wall of said conduit defining an array of openings through said inner wall for directing sterilized air from said space between said walls into said conduit, and said openings being arranged in an array which continues along the inner surface of said conduit to an extent sufficient for providing an overall outward flow of sterilized air over said inner surface of said conduit for preventing entry of unsterilized air unto said conduit by turbulence effects at the edge of said external end of said conduit.

Claim 4

An isolator comprising: an isolator enclosure member of a size such as to allow surgical operations or other medical activities to be carried out within the enclosure member; a transfer conduit for passage of surgical instrument packs and other sterilized objects into said isolator enclosure member, said conduit communicating at one end with the interior of said enclosure member and having its other end external to said enclosure member, said conduit having a length along the axis of said conduit at least equal to half the width of said conduit at its narrowest part, and at least part of said conduit having inner and outer walls spaced apart from each other when the conduit is in use; air supply means for supplying sterilized air to the space between said inner and outer walls of said conduit; said inner wall of said conduit defining an array of openings through said inner wall for directing sterilized air from said space between said walls into said conduit, and said openings being arranged in an array which continues along the inner surface of said conduit to an extent sufficient for providing an overall outward flow of sterilized air over said inner surface of said conduit for preventing entry of unsterilized air unto said conduit by turbulence effects at the edge of said external end of said conduit.

Claim 5

An isolator according to claim 2 wherein the conduit walls are made of flexible material, and the inner and outer walls are joined together at intervals to provide inflatable ribs such that the conduit is at least partially self-supporting in an open configuration when inflated through the air inlet.

Claim 6

An isolator according to claim 2 wherein the outer wall of the conduit is formed of rigid material.

Claim 7

An isolator according to claim 4 wherein the inner wall of the conduit is formed of rigid material.

Claim 8

An isolator according to claim 2, wherein the inner wall of the conduit is made of woven fabric, the said array of openings being provided by the intersticies in the woven fabric.

Claim 9

An isolator according to claim 6 wherein the said woven fabric is canvas.

Claim 10

An isolator according to claim 2 including a layer of air filtering material positioned between the inner and outer walls of the conduit, and contiguous with the inner wall of the conduit.

Claim 11

An isolator comprising: flexible, inflatable, isolator enclosure member of a size such as to allow surgical operations or other medical activities to be carried out within the enclosure member; a transfer conduit for passage of surgical instrument packs and other sterilized objects into said isolator enclosure member, said conduit communicating at one end with the interior of said enclosure member and having its other end external to said enclosure member, said conduit having a length along the axis of said conduit at least equal to half the width of said conduit at its narrowest part, and at least part of said conduit having inner and outer walls spaced apart from each other when the conduit is in use; a closure member situated within said enclosure member for closing off said conduit from the interior of said enclosure member when said conduit is not in use for passage of objects; and air supply means for supplying sterilized air to the space between said inner and outer walls of said conduit; said inner wall of said conduit defining an array of openings through said inner wall for directing sterilized air from said space between said walls into said conduit, and said openings being arranged in an array which continues along the inner surface of said conduit to an extent sufficient for providing an overall outward flow of sterilized air into said conduit by turbulence effects at the edge of said external end of said conduit.

Claim 12

An isolator comprising: flexible, inflatable, isolator enclosure member of a size such as to allow surgical operations or other medical activities to be carried out within the enclosure member; a transfer conduit for passage of surgical instrument packs and other sterilized objects into said isolator enclosure member, said conduit communicating at one end with the interior of said enclosure member and having its other end external to said enclosure member, said conduit having a length along the axis of said conduit at least equal to half the width of said conduit at its narrowest part, and at least part of said conduit having inner and outer walls spaced apart from each other when the conduit is in use; a closure member situated within said enclosure member for closing off said conduit from the interior of said enclosure member when said conduit is not in use for passage of objects; and air supply means for supplying sterilized air to the space between said inner and outer walls of said conduit; said inner wall of said conduit defining an array of openings through said inner wall for directing sterilized air from said space between said walls into said conduit, and said openings being arranged in an array which continues along the inner surface of said conduit to an extent sufficient for providing an overall outward flow of sterilized air into said conduit by turbulence effects at the edge of said external end of said conduit.

Claim 13

A isolator according to claim 9 in which the closure member comprises a flexible sheet member of synthetic plastic material and a weighting member attached to the sheet member for holding the sheet member across the inner end of the transfer conduit.

Claim 14

A transfer apparatus for an isolator comprising: a transfer conduit for passage of surgical instrument packs and other sterilized objects into an isolator enclosure member, said conduit having a length along the axis of said conduit at least equal to half the width of said conduit at its narrowest part, and at least part of said conduit having inner and outer walls spaced apart from each other when the conduit is in use; and air supply means for supplying sterilized air to the space between said inner and outer walls of said conduit; said inner wall of said conduit defining an array of openings through said inner wall for directing sterilized air from said space between said walls into said conduit, and said openings being arranged in an array which continues along the inner surface of said conduit to an extent sufficient for providing an overall outward flow of sterilized air over said inner surface of said conduit for preventing entry of unsterilized air into said conduit by turbulence effects at the edge of said end of said conduit.

Claim 15

A transfer apparatus for an isolator comprising: a transfer conduit for passage of surgical instrument packs and other sterilized objects into an isolator enclosure member, said conduit having a length along the axis of said conduit at least equal to half the width of said conduit at its narrowest part, and at least part of said conduit having inner and outer walls spaced apart from each other when the conduit is in use; and air supply means for supplying sterilized air to the space between said inner and outer walls of said conduit; said inner wall of said conduit defining an array of openings through said inner wall for directing sterilized air from said space between said walls into said conduit, and said openings being arranged in an array which continues along the inner surface of said conduit to an extent sufficient for providing an overall outward flow of sterilized air over said inner surface of said conduit for preventing entry of unsterilized air into said conduit by turbulence effects at the edge of said end of said conduit.

Claim 16

A transfer apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the conduit walls are made of flexible material, and the inner and outer walls are joined together at intervals to provide inflatable ribs such that the conduit is at least partially self-supporting in an open configuration when inflated through the air inlet.

Claim 17

A transfer apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the inner and outer walls of the conduit are made of flexible synthetic plastics material.

Claim 18

A transfer apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the outer wall of the conduit is formed of rigid material.

Claim 19

A transfer apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the inner wall of the conduit is formed of rigid material.

Claim 20

A transfer apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the inner wall of the conduit is made of woven fabric, the said array of openings being provided by the intersticies in the woven fabric.

Claim 21

A transfer apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the said woven fabric is canvas.

Claim 22

A transfer apparatus according to claim 11 including a layer of air filtering material positioned between the inner and outer walls of the conduit and continguous with the inner wall of the conduit.