Fully automated and computerized conveyor based manufacturing line architectures adapted to pressurized sealable transportable containers

Claim 1

Fully automated and computerized conveyor based manufacturing line architecture (15) for the storage, handling and transporting of articles for the treatment thereof in a plurality of processors (500); said manufacturing line being installed in an average cleanliness ambient including: a) pressurized sealable transportable containers (100) of the type comprising a box-shaped housing (102) provided with an access opening (104) sealed with releasable door means (124) and gas injection valve means (129) enclosing a workpiece therein; b) conveyor transportation means (401-1); c) a gas supply installation means (700-1) comprising a compressed ultra pure neutral gas supply source (701-1) and a delivery system (702-1); d) dispatching apparatus means with a gas distribution system (300-1) comprising: storage/gas feeding means (302-1) for storing the containers said storage/gas feeding means comprising a frame supporting a number of support stations, each support station being provided with gas injector means connected to said gas supply installation means (700-1); handling means (301-1) for transferring said containers between said support stations and said conveyor transportation means; e) pressurized interface apparatus means (201-1) adapted to receive said containers and transfer the workpiece enclosed therein to a processing equipment (500-1) comprising: container receiving means for receiving/sending a container from/to said conveyor transportation means; a pressurized port zone provided with transfer robot means interfacing said container receiving means with said processing equipment; actuator means for moving said container on said container receiving means; and, f) computer means (600) for overall control of said conveyor transportation means, dispatching apparatus means, gas supply installation means, interface apparatus means and said processing equipments.