JPS609452B2 - Disinfected goods transport equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a
This relates to equipment for transporting sterilized goods.

In order to transport sterilized items such as surgical tools, it is meaningless unless the transport device itself is sterile.

On the other hand, since the conveyance device used for conveyance is contaminated with germs, it is necessary to sterilize it before loading the sterilized articles.
Conventionally, hand-pushable carts that can be moved freely on the floor have been used to transport surgical tools, etc. within hospitals.
Before loading the sterilized goods onto this handcart, the handcart was artificially sterilized. With such conventional methods, it is difficult to improve the efficiency of the entire transport operation, and it is also difficult to obtain a sufficient sterilizing effect, which poses a problem in terms of safety. The present invention has been made to solve these conventional problems. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the attached illustrative drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the layout when the equipment of the present invention is used for transporting surgical tools and the like within a hospital. Reference numeral 1 denotes a central material room, which has a station 2 for taking out objects to be transported. 3 is a sterilized room having a sterilized article loading station 4;

The guide rail 5 that constitutes the transfer device movement route branches from a main line (not shown), passes through a tunnel-shaped closed passage 6 in the sterilized room 3, and passes through the chamber 7 to the central material room 1 to be transported. This leads to the item removal station 2. From this station 2, the guide rail 5 enters the sterilized room 3 via a tunnel-shaped closed passage 8 in the central material room 1 and reaches the loading station 4. From this loading station 4 to the guide rail 5
exits the sterilized room 3 and is connected to the main line (not shown). Reference numeral 9 denotes a normally closed air flap that closes the transport device passage opening provided on the wall between each chamber, and is held in an open and blocked state by a counterforce and opens when pushed by the passing transport device. One river is a fire door.

As shown in FIG. 2, the transport device 11 includes a lid 12 that can be opened and
It is a container-shaped type having a groove-shaped cross section and has competing wheels in a guide rail 5, a propulsion gear 14 that fits into a rack gear 13 attached to the guide rail 5, and this gear 14.
It is equipped with a motor that drives the. 15 is a rail for power supply to the motor.

This conveyance device 11 can be used safely not only when standing upright on the guide rail 5, but also when suspended from the guide rail 5 as shown in the figure, and also on an ascending and descending path where the guide rail 5 is perpendicular. Depending on the type of object that can be moved and therefore transported, it is equipped with a container that always maintains an upright state due to gravity. In FIG. 1, at the unloading station 2 and the loading station 4, the guide rail 5 is arranged at a low level above the floor surface and faces upward, so that the conveying device 11 stands upright on the guide rail 5 at a suitable working height. (the state shown in FIG. 2 is upside down); however, in other routes, the guide rail 5 is arranged downward at the ceiling height, and the conveyance device 11 is arranged as shown in FIG. It travels in a suspended state with respect to the guide rail 5.

Therefore, at the entrance and exit of each of the stations 2 and 4, a lifting path 16 is provided in which the guide rail 5 is vertical. The tunnel-shaped closed passage 8 in the central material chamber 1 is composed of a cylindrical cover 17 that encloses the movement path of the conveying device 11 including the guide rule 5, and its entrance 18 is located downstream of the unloading station 2. The side faces into the central material chamber 1, and its exit is through an open row 9 provided on the wall between the sterilized chamber 3 and the central material chamber 1. It was crushed and transported to the sterilized room 3.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the inside of this tunnel'/shaped quiet passageway 8 includes a front chamber 20 adjacent to the entrance 18, a sterilization chamber 21, a first rear chamber 22, and a second rear chamber 23 adjacent to the exit. Normally closed fair flaps 24 to 27 having the same structure as the above-mentioned normally closed fair flap 9 are provided between the entrance 18 and each chamber. Inside the sterilization chamber 21, a sterilization lamp 28 and a nozzle 29 for blowing air into the container of the transport device 11 are provided. A germicidal lamp 32 and a filter 33 are attached to act on the exhaust air from the exhaust means 31.In addition, each of the air flaps 9, 24-
Reference numeral 37 is a type that can be opened on one side, and as shown in FIG. 5, it is not possible to block the internal space of the guide rail 5. Therefore, even when the air flaps 9, 24 to 27 are closed, the inside of the sterilized chamber 3 and the inside of the central material chamber 1 are connected to each other through the space inside the guide rail 5, but the air pressure inside the sterilized chamber 3 is By setting the air pressure higher than that of the chamber, there is no fear that contaminated air will flow into the sterilized chamber 3 from the central material chamber 1 or other chambers. Furthermore, even when the air flaps 24 and 25 are closed, there is a possibility that the ultraviolet rays from the germicidal lamp 28 will leak into the central material chamber 1 through the space within the guide rail 5.

Of course, when the air flap 24 is pushed by the conveying device 11, some amount of reflected ultraviolet light leaks into the central material chamber 1 through the inlet 18. In order to reduce the probability that such leaked ultraviolet rays will be irradiated to workers inside the central material room 1, the guide rail 5 in the tunnel-shaped closed passage 8 is installed in front and behind it, as shown in FIG. The height of the guide rail 5 at the entrance 18 is increased by one step higher than the height of the guide rail. As a result, the tunnel-shaped closed passage 8 itself becomes higher, and the space underneath can also be used effectively. In addition,
Reference numeral 34 indicates a ceiling interior board, and normally the guide rail 5 is designed so that it does not protrude under the ceiling interior board.
A guide rail 5 is installed at a height such that the transport device 11 hanging down from the ceiling is located under a ceiling interior panel and maintenance management is easy. In FIG. 3, the upward slope section 5a of the guide rule 5
However, the downward slope portion may be provided at an appropriate location after the first rear chamber 22, for example, within the second rear chamber 23. Note that the partition between the first rear chamber 22 and the second rear chamber 23 may be omitted to form one chamber. Although the blowers 3 may be configured to take in air from inside the central material chamber 1, it is preferable that they be configured to take in air from inside the sterilized room 3. Next, to explain the working method and operation, the conveying device 1 is set to go to the take-out station 2 in the central material chamber 1.
is guided by a guide rail 5 branched from the main line and automatically reaches the take-out station 2.

Here, the operator opens the lid 12 and takes out the object to be transported inside the container. The removed objects are sterilized and then sent to the sterilized room 3, where they are stored. On the other hand, the lid 12
The conveyance device 11 starts from the take-out station 2 with the air flaps left open, is guided by the guide rails 5, reaches the tunnel-shaped closed passage 8, presses open the air flaps 24 while hanging down from the guide rails 5, and enters the front chamber 20. After the air flap 24 is closed, the next air flap 25 is pushed open to enter the sterilization chamber 21, and the air flap 25 is automatically stopped with the air flap 25 closed. After the conveyance device 11 is stopped, the blower 30
operates for a certain period of time, air is blown into the container of the transport device 11 from the nozzle 29, and the dust inside is removed. After the blower 30 is stopped, the transport device 11 is sterilized inside and outside for a certain period of time by irradiation with ultraviolet rays from the germicidal lamp 28.
After that, the conveying device 11 starts, pushes open the air flap 26 and enters the first rear chamber 22, and after the air flap 26 closes, it pushes open the next air flap 27 and enters the second rear chamber 2.
Enter 3. Then, the air flap 9 is pushed open from the exit of the tunnel-shaped closed passage 8 to enter the sterilized chamber 3. In this chamber 3, the transport device 11 is connected to a storage line 35.
The sterilized items are then stored in the container of the transport device 11 with the lid 12 open, and then taken off after the lid 12 is closed, the sterilized items are guided to the loading station 4 in response to a call. It exits room 3, joins the main line, and automatically travels toward the set destination. The sterilizing lamp 28 is located inside the tunnel-shaped quiet road 8.
1, or while there is a transport device 11 between the front chamber 20 and the first rear chamber 22, or even while there is a transport device 11 in the sterilization chamber 21. I can do it.

Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the sterilized chamber 3 has a higher pressure than the other chambers, and is equipped with air flaps 26, 27, and 9, and the exhaust means 31 forcibly exhausts air from inside the sterilization chamber 21. As a result, the air from the nozzle 29 enters the sterilized room 3.
There is no fear that it will flow inside. The front chamber 20 cooperates with the air flaps 24 and 25 to prevent ultraviolet rays from the sterilizing lamp 28 from leaking into the central material chamber 1, and also serves as a subsequent conveying device when the sterilizing chamber 21 has a preceding conveying device. It will be a waiting area for

In FIG. 1, the tunnel-shaped closed passageway 6 is designed so that a transport device passing through the sterilized room 3 toward the central material room 1 due to the structure of the building passes through the tunnel-shaped closed passage 6. This is to prevent contamination. In the embodiment shown above, the container-type transport device 11 that can be vertically raised and lowered and can be horizontally run upside down is used as a transport device that automatically travels unmanned along the movement route, but a container that can run horizontally only in a normal upright state It may also be a shaped conveyor. Of course, the movement path of the transport device may be provided on the floor. As for the drive and control method for causing such a conveyance device to run unmanned and automatically, any suitable method may be used from well-known methods. Further, in the embodiment, in addition to the sterilizing lamp 28 as a sterilizing means, a means for blowing off adhering dust consisting of a nozzle 29 and a blower 30 and an exhaust means 31 whose intake part is closed in the sterilizing chamber 21 are used in combination. Basically, it is also possible to provide only the sterilizing means such as the sterilizing lamp 28 in the tunnel-shaped closed passageway 8.

Furthermore, inside the tunnel-shaped closed passage 8, there is a sterilization chamber 21 and preliminary chambers before and after this, that is, a front chamber 20 and first and second rear chambers 22, 2.
Normally closed fair flaps 9, 24 to 2 serve as opening/closing doors between the entrance and exit of the tunnel-shaped closed passageway 8 and between each compartment.
However, if only the sterilizing lamp 28 is used, for example, an opening/closing door may be provided only at the entrance and exit of the tunnel-shaped closed passageway 6, and the inside of the passageway may not be partitioned. Although a normally closed air flap that is pushed open by the transport device 11 was used as the opening/closing door, any suitable opening/closing door such as a normally closed door that is automatically engaged when the transport device 11 passes can be used. The present invention can be implemented and used as described above, and its features include a sterilized article loading station provided in a sterilized room, a transfer device movement route set to pass through the station, and It consists of a transport device that automatically travels unmanned along a movement route, and a sterilizer attached to the entrance of the transport device movement route to the sterilized room, and the sterilizer has an outlet that opens into the sterilization room and A tunnel-shaped closed passage that encloses the transporting device movement route including a transporting device guide rail, an opening/closing door provided at least at the entrance/exit of this passage, and a sterilization means that acts on the transporting device in the passage. The point is that they are prepared.

According to the conveyance equipment of the present invention, sterilized articles can be automatically conveyed by a conveyance device that automatically runs unmanned on a fixed route, but the conveyance device moves to a sterilized article loading station. can be automatically sterilized by the sterilizer before entering the sterilized room where the station is located.

Furthermore, the sterilization is carried out in a tunnel-shaped closed passage whose outlet is connected to the sterilized chamber, so the sterilization can not only be carried out efficiently with the minimum necessary sterilization means, but also sterilized. There is no risk that the conveyance device that has been sterilized will be contaminated with germs again before entering the sterilized room. Therefore, the sterilized room in which the sterilized article loading station is located can be kept clean at all times, and the sterilized articles can be safely transported without being contaminated with chicks.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional plan view showing an example of the layout of the transfer device movement path, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the transfer device and guide rails, Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the main parts, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional plane of the machine. figure,
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 3. 1...Central material room, 2...Transferred object removal station, 3...Sterilized room, 4...
・Disinfected goods loading station, 5...Guidance rail, 6,8...Tunnel-shaped blocked passageway, 9,24~
27... Normally closed fair flap, 11...
Conveying device, 17... Cylindrical cover, 21...
Sterilization room, 28...Bactericidal lamp, 29...Air blowing nozzle, 30...Blower, 31...
・Exhaust means. Figure 2 Figure 4 Hoko Figure Washing

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An article removal station provided outside the sterilized room, a sterilized article loading station provided inside the sterilized room, a transport device movement path set to pass through both stations, and this movement path. It consists of a transport device that automatically travels unmanned along the transport device, and a sterilizer installed at the entrance to the sterilized room of the transport device movement route, and the sterilizer includes:
a tunnel-shaped closed passage whose outlet opens into the sterilized chamber and which includes the conveyance apparatus movement path including a conveyance apparatus guide rail; an opening/closing door provided at least at the entrance/exit of this passage; and the conveyance within the passage. and sterilization means acting on the equipment. 2. The tunnel-shaped closed passage in the sterilizer is divided into a sterilization chamber in which the sterilization means is housed, and preliminary chambers before and after this sterilization chamber, and there is an entrance and exit of the tunnel-shaped closed passage and between each of the compartments. is the equipment described in paragraph 1 that is equipped with an opening/closing door. 3. The sterilizer according to the above item 1, wherein the sterilizing device includes a dust blowing means that acts on the conveying device in the closed passage together with the sterilizing means, and an exhaust means from inside the closed passage. Facility. 4. The tunnel-shaped closed passage in the sterilizer is divided into a sterilization chamber housing the sterilization means and the nozzle of the dust blowing means, and preliminary chambers before and after the sterilization chamber,
4. The equipment according to claim 3, wherein an opening/closing door is provided between the entrance and exit of the tunnel-shaped closed passageway and between each of the compartments, and the intake portion of the exhaust means opens into the sterilization chamber.