Modular port system and replacement method thereof

Abstract

A chemical or biological containment apparatus having a seal to contain contaminants in an inside thereof from passing to an outside, including an outer envelope; a port disposed in the envelope, the port including an outer portion having a circumferential portion extending away from the envelope and a flange extending from the circumferential portion and attached to the envelope, and an inner portion. The inner portion includes a circumferential surface corresponding to the circumferential portion, a plurality of grooves formed in the circumferential surface, and a plurality of O-rings respectively received in the grooves to form the seal with the outer portion.

1 . An apparatus to interface between an inside and an outside of a sealed environment, comprising: 
 an outer port; and    an inner port, disposed in the outer port to provide a seal between the inside and the outside,    the inner port being replaceable by a replacement inner port while maintaining the seal during a replacement operation.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inner port comprises first and second seal members disposed on an outside thereof to contact the outer port and thereby form the seal.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the replacement inner port comprises first and second seal members disposed on an outside thereof to contact the outer port and thereby maintain the seal.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first and second seal members of the inner port and the replacement inner port contact the outer port at all times during the replacement operation.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second seal members of the inner port are O-rings.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second seal members of the replacement inner port are O-rings.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a chemical or biological containment device, and the outer port comprises: 
 a circumferential surface to receive the inner port and the replacement inner port; and    a flange portion extending radially from the circumferential surface to attach the outer port to the containment device.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inner port comprises: 
 a circumferential outer surface;    a plurality of grooves formed in the outer surface; and    a plurality of O-rings respectively formed in the plurality of grooves to contact the outer port and thereby form the seal.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inner port and the outer port each comprise a plurality of holes, the apparatus further comprising a plurality of fastening units to respectively pass through the holes of the outer and inner ports to fasten the outer and inner ports together.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a chemical or biological containment envelope.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein one of the seal members of the inner port and one of the seal members of the replacement inner port simultaneously contact the outer port during the replacement operation.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a lock unit disposed within the inner port; and    a bag disposed between the lock unit and the inner port.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a lock unit disposed within the inner port; and    a glove disposed between the lock unit and the inner port.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the inner port further comprises a face spanning across the outer surface.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the face is a solid face.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising medical monitoring equipment disposed on the face.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a fluid communication unit passing through the face, to allow fluid communication between the outside and a patient disposed within the inside.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a motor to pressurize/depressurize the sealed environment.  
   
   
       19 . A chemical or biological containment apparatus having a seal to contain contaminants in an inside thereof from passing to an outside, comprising: 
 an outer envelope;    a port disposed in the envelope, the port comprising: 
 an outer portion having a circumferential portion extending away from the envelope and a flange extending from the circumferential portion and attached to the envelope, and  
 an inner portion comprising a circumferential surface corresponding to the circumferential portion, a plurality of grooves formed in the circumferential surface, and a plurality of O-rings respectively received in the grooves to form the seal with the outer portion.  
   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of the ports.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the ports further comprises a glove between the sealed inner portion.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the ports further comprises a bag between the sealed inner portion.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the inner portion of at least one of the ports further comprises a face spanning the circumferential surface.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the inner portion further comprises a motor to pressurize/depressurize the envelope.  
   
   
       25 . A method comprising: 
 providing a first inner port to create a first seal between an inside and an outside of a biological or chemical containment device; and    replacing the first inner port with a second inner port, comprising: 
 pressing the first inner port with the second inner port while maintaining the first seal, and  
 creating a second seal with the second inner port while maintaining the first seal.  
   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 providing an outer port to receive the first and second inner ports; and    pressing the first inner port with the second inner port after the creating of the second seal until the first inner port is ejected from the outer port to the inside of the device.