The port system, according to the invention, defines an opening in a partition between a hospital department and a service department. In today's hospitals, there will be partitions of various kinds between for example kitchen departments and actual treatment or care departments of the hospital, and in the walls there will also be openings such as doors or elevator shafts suited for transport of goods. This also applies to separation between for example laboratory areas, storage areas and other places, where patients and care or treatment personnel do not stay. All forms of articles and persons move between these areas and it results in a risk of infectious material being transported with people or articles from a treatment area to another. It should be mentioned that the expression "hospital department" here describes a place where patients move and receive care or actual treatment, where "service department" will describe a part of a hospital where patients and care or treatment personnel do not have a reason to be located. Service departments will include any form of storage, central kitchens, laboratories, laundries and similar support functions, which are necessary for the hospital's function, but do not require the patient's presence.

According to the invention, the port system includes a service port and a container, where the container has a container opening and belonging removable lid, where the container's external opening brim seals tightly against the internal brim of the port system's service port when the container is fixed in the service port and that the port system includes a gripper for detachable mesh with the lid for separation of container and lid, such that only the container's inner becomes accessible from the hospital department via the service port. With this port system, it becomes possible to maintain a reasonable separation between actual treatment or care areas and all forms of service departments in a hospital. The container's external surface is thus defined as belonging to the service department and has no direct contact with the actual hospital departments, while the inner of the container is seen as contaminated and as belonging to the actual hospital departments, where the patients must necessarily be with belonging risk of infection. If it should thus occur during the transport of a container that it receives infectious material on its outer side, this material will not enter into the hospital department itself, but remain in the service department, since the container's outer is not accessible from the hospital department at any time.

When containers in a service department are emptied or filled, the inner hereof will come into one or another contact with the service department, but here, there can be established special arrangements such as washing of the container or other form of disinfection, which ensures that there does not wander contaminated material from the container's inner and out on its external surfaces. The gripper makes it possible to automatically separate the container from the lid, without the hospital department coming into direct contact with neither the lid's internal or external side.

In an embodiment of the invention, the system includes a movable cover panel with a front side facing towards a hospital department and a rear side facing towards a service port, where the gripper is provided between the rear side of the cover panel and the service port and includes at least a movable element, which in a first position goes in detachable mesh with the lid, and in another position releases the lid. It is hereby ensured that the gripper can grip the lid while the lid is placed in the service port, but is covered by the movable cover panel. This provides an especially good protection of the lid, such that its outer side is not at any time directly exposed to the hospital department. In an embodiment of the invention, the gripper is fixed to the cover panel's rear side such that a lid by mesh with the gripper is subsequently made to move together with the cover panel and such that the cover panel in a first position covers the service port, and in another position exposes the service port. The cover panel can carry out different movements, including tilting or turning movement for exposing the container's inner, but it is preferred that there occurs a translational movement such as along a guideway track, for removing the lid away from the container and exposing the container's opening at the same time.

In the case that the container arrives with material for delivery to the hospital department, it is preferred that the lid is placed in a vertical container surface and that a natural base for material in the container consists of a container surface, which abuts on the lid. Here, the cover panel, with belonging gripper and lid, can appropriately be parallel displaced to an area abutting on the port system. Several service ports can appropriately be arranged in a department, for example opposite each other and / or side by side. The container's inner can be equipped with shelves and / or vertical graduations, such that materials can be presented for the most easy picking or selection for use. To a group of service ports, there will typically be connected suiting control panel, for example a computer screen or similar, such that the personnel can order a specific item or article from a service area. Automatic orders can occur if the system is designed to react automatically on changes in states or planned changes in states in the hospital department, such as planned treatments or admissions.

It the case that the container arrives with a view to receive material from a hospital department, which can be trash or biological samples, it is preferred that the lid consists of a horizontal surface and that the

container's bottom is plane parallel to the lid and design for naturally supporting the received material. This appears to be most natural since especially trash can occur in a relatively chaotic state and even without packaging. Here, the material will be placed securely in the container, limited by its walls until the lid is led back and is fastened to the container. In a hereto belonging embodiment of the service port, the cover panel carries out a combination movement from horizontal to vertical position along the adjacent partition, for example via movement along a guideway rail with both a horizontal and a vertical course. In an embodiment of the invention, the release of the lid from the gripper will provide mesh between container and lid since there will also be a gasket between an opening brim of the container and the lid, which is hereby ensured a certain gasket pressure. It is important for the securing of the material in the container that there is a good connection between container and lid, and there is therefore established a mesh between the two, which are activated since the lid is released from the gripper.

It should be noted that mesh devices, which can be activated, between container and lid, can be established either in the container or in the lid or both places. The important is, however, that in the moment the lid is released from the gripper, it is secured a fixed connection towards the container's opening brim, such that there is established a safe gasket pressure along the whole brim, when the lid is fastened to the container. Hereby is achieved increased safety against that material from a hospital department accidentally gets to pollute a container's external surface.

It is also a part of the invention that the container can be released from the port system's service port since the fixation of the container in the service port can be released. Also, there is, according to the invention, a transport unit in the service department, which is connected to the service port. The transport unit includes at least one movable support surface for transport of the container to and from the service port. Hereby, there can be established an automatic transport of containers to and from a service port.

Appropriately, the transport unit, which is connected to a service port, will establish an automatic controllable transport route to:

- one or several storage units such as near and / or remote

warehouses,

- filling stations,

- emptying stations

- laboratory facilities,

- kitchen departments,

- laundries

- workshops

- other hospital departments' service ports.

Also other possible service functions can be imagined, but the very central is that any container in the system, at any time, can in principle be called forward to any service port. However with the limitation that there can, as mentioned, be two types of containers with each own belonging service port, and that there ideally is also each own transport system to each of the two types of containers. In principle, the two types of containers can be handled by the same transport system, but it is preferred to keep them on each own, since the one type of containers contains materials, which will be brought to close contact with the patient and be included in care or treatment, where the other type of containers contains materials, which have been used or have been a part of a patient, and should not again be brought near a patient.

There are only a few exceptions from this general rule, for example blood transfusions, which must undergo treatment for subsequently to be brought into another or the same patient, who it was taken from. Here, one must then decide which of the two types of containers and belonging port system one finds to be best suited for the transport. The invention also relates to a container and a lid for use in a port system as stated. The special hereby is that there between the container and the lid is provided at least one lock pin, which lock pin is movable between a position, where it secures the lid on the container and a position, where the lid is released in relation to the container. Such a locking pawl is simply one of many possible methods for detachable fixing of a lid, but the movable locking pawl has the advantage that it is especially wear resistant. This is not directly the case with alternatives such as screw or clamp devices between lid and container, which have tendency to, in time, to become worn and loose, such that there is not established a sufficient packing force.

The container has, according to the invention, the additional characteristic that the locking pawl is in mesh with a springy element, which in a neutral position holds the locking pawl in a position, where it fixes the lid on the container. The springy element must then be moved towards the spring direction in order to move the locking pawl for releasing the lid. It helps to ensure that there does not occur unintended release of a lid from a container. Also, it means that the springy element is only moved away from its neutral position when the lid is taken off or when removals and

attachments occur. The springy element is thereby ensured long service life, since it is most of the time completely not stretched.

In an embodiment for container and lid, the springy element consists of an integral molded unit connected with either the lid or the container, whereby the springy element also includes a mesh surface, which can go in mesh with a gripper part, for movement of the springy element towards the spring direction for movement of the locking pawl and release of the lid from the container. Integral casting of the springy element has the clear advantage that there can be established an unbroken surface between the remaining lid or container material. Also, it is especially easy with this process to establish the necessary mesh surface, such that it becomes possible from the outside to affect or move the springy element with a suiting gripper part. Also this mesh surface can be established without the occurrence of fracture in the surface, but such that the surface is whole and has only got smooth and continuous parts. By an integral casting is established a first part of an item in a die casting mould, and hereafter, the die casting mould is reconfigured and the last part of the item is now injected with at least a limitation established by the first item part. By suiting choice of materials and process parameters, an especially efficient and complete binding between the two items is achieved, such that there cannot be established cracks between these. The one item part can consist of an elastomeric, which is springy flexible and it is here used to generate the springy element.

In an embodiment of the invention, the locking pawl is integrated in the lid and has a locking pin in the one end and a connection loop in the other end, where the connection loop is in enclosing mesh with the springy element since the locking pawl is provided between an upper and a lower surface in the lid. The locking pawl can, when it is placed as part of the lid, efficiently and safely be affected by the gripper simultaneously with the lid being gripped. For that, the locking pin has in the one end a connection loop, which a gripper part can easily be connected to. The connection loop is, as mentioned, in enclosing mesh with the springy element, such that this will always try to pull the locking pawl towards its neutral position. Also, this construction provides possibility of moving the locking pawl by affecting a surface part of the springy element. There are significant advantages connected hereby, since the springy element, as mentioned, can be designed with especially cleaning-friendly surfaces.

According to the invention, the gripper has, for this purpose, a pin which is designed for mesh with the locking pawl, since the pin during mesh with the locking pawl is movable between a position where the locking pawl releases the lid from the container and a position where the locking pawl ensures mesh between container and lid and that the gripper includes at least an additional movable element designed to releasably fix the lid in mesh with the gripper. Hereby, there has occurred a physical separation of the two functions, which fixing of the lid against the gripper and release of the lid from the container includes. It means that the two functions can be established independently from each other and with each own set of movement devices. It helps to prevent against mistakes occurring, especially since the two sets of movement devices can be designed separately.

It is therefore an object of the invention to show an application of a container system including a container and belonging lid as essential elements in a transport system for hygienic transport of goods in a hospital.

The invention will now be explained more fully with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a port system in part directly from the front from the hospital department and in part in sectional view,

Fig. 2 shows a container 50 with removable lid 70,

Fig. 3 is a 3d projection of the port system seen from the service

department,

Fig. 4 is a similar projection seen from a hospital department,

Fig. 5 is a depiction similar to the one in Fig. 4, but in an ordinary

operational situation,

Fig. 6 shows a gripper, seen from the container side, but without a lid, Fig. 7 shows a sectional view drawing through a section of a container with lid, in the place where the locking pawl is placed,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through another embodiment of the port system and container,

Fig. 9 is a 3d representation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, seen from a hospital department,

Fig. 10 shows a sectional view drawing, corresponding to Fig, 7, but with the alternative embodiment for container and lid,

Fig. 1 1 is a 3d representation of the container / lid combination, but with a gripper shown ready for mesh with the lid and

Fig. 12 is a gripper seen from the rear side corresponding to the gripper shown in Fig. 6.

In fig. 1 is to the left seen a front view from a hospital department 100 of an example of a port system 1 for either delivery or reception of articles. As it is seen in the sectional view image to the right, the port system 1 defines an opening 2 in a partition 3 between a hospital department 100 and a service department 200 in a hospital. The partition 3 forms a physical separation between the hospital department 100 and the service department 200, which is essential for the port system since the hospital department is the place where patients avoid treatment and where there will consequently be a certain contamination with pathogenic items such as bacteria, virus and other. The service department 200 is however, with the system, attempted to be kept clear of the hospital department's contaminations. Ideally, the hospital department 100 is supplied with all its daily necessities via the service department and similarly, all used elements are sent back to this place as either trash or reusable items. In order to keep the service department clear of contamination, all transport occurs here in closed containers 50. The port system thus includes a service port 4 and a container 50, where the container 50 has a container opening 51 and belonging removable lid 70 and where the container's external opening brim 52 corresponds to the internal brim 5 of the port system's service port 4 when the container 50 is fixed in the service port 4. In fig. 1 is seen the partition 3 with three service ports 4 and in the uppermost 4 there is not any container, while there in the two lowermost is each own container 50. When a container 50 is fixed to a service port 4, a lid 70 can be removed from the hospital department 100 and the container's inner will be accessible from here without the outer surface of the container being exposed to possible contamination. This is achieved by the good adjustment of the service port's internal brim 5 with the container opening's external brim 52 along the lid 70.

Fig. 3 shows the situation shown in fig. 1 , but seen from the service department 200. Here, two containers 50 are shown in belonging service ports 4 at the bottom, while the uppermost service port stands empty and without container. Here is then seen, in return, the gripper 120 from its towards the container facing side.

Fig. 2 shows a container 50 with lid in 3d representation.

The lid's external side must be secured against becoming contaminated when it is taken off the container 50. Therefore, the port system includes a gripper 120. The gripper 120 shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 12 can go in detachable mesh with the lid 70 such that container 50 and lid 70 can be separated from each other. The gripper 120 is placed such that only the container's inner becomes accessible from the hospital department 100 via the service port 4, while the lid 70 does not, at any time during normal operation, become accessible from the hospital department 100. As shown in Fig. 4, the system includes a movable cover panel 210 with a front side 21 1 facing towards a hospital department and a rear side 212 facing towards a service port 4. In the embodiment, which is presented here, the gripper is placed between the rear side 212 of the cover panel 210 and the service port 4, and furthermore there is at least one movable element 121 , which in a first position goes in detachable mesh with the lid 70, and in another position releases the lid 70. The shown position of the lowermost cover panel 210 in Fig. 4 is atypical for the system and indicates a possible position for service of the gripper 120.

During normal operation, as shown in fig. 5, the cover panels 210 are displaced individually sideways with the lid 70 in mesh with the gripper 120. The gripper 120 is thus fixed to the rear side of the cover panel 210. In normal operation, as shown in fig. 5, the inner of the container 50 will then be accessible from the hospital department when the cover panel 210 is displaced away from the service port 4 and also, no part of the lid 70 will be accessible for reception of contamination from the hospital department 100.

213 marks a cover plate, which in daily operation prevents users for the guideway routes or other motion devices, which are necessary in order to get the cover panel 210 with belong gripper 120 to carry out the prescribed movements.

Fig. 6 shows the gripper 120 with the movable elements 121 , which are designed to grip in under a flange 71 in each end of the lid 70. Hereby, the gripper 120 fixes the lid 70 and the lid can then be moved together with the gripper and away from the container 50. Four pins 122 also belong to the gripper, which are movable in the lid's plane.

As additionally shown in fig. 7, the pins 122 are designed to move locking pawls 75 in the lid such that the gripper 120 provides mesh between container 50 and lid 70 by displacing the locking pawls 75. Locking pawls or other mesh devices between container and lid can be integrated in either container or the lid and here it is found to be appropriate to embed the locking pawls 75 in the lid 70. A gasket 55 between an internal opening brim 60 of the container 50 and the lid 70 is ensured a certain gasket pressure by the mesh between container 50 and lid 70. It occurs by each locking pawl 75 gripping into corresponding lock openings 53 provided along the container brim.

It is an important element in the invention that the fixing of the container 50 in the service port 4 is releasable and that there is a transport unit (not shown in fig. 1 , but shown in Fig. 8) in the service department, which is connected to the service port 4 and that the transport unit including at least one movable support surface for transport of the container 50 to and from the service port 4. The transport unit can for example be an ordinary conveyor, whose operation is controlled automatically via a computer system. The conveyor will then be connected to additional automatic transport routes, as known in for example storage systems such as automatic stacking storages, such that the individual container 50 is automatically movable between several service ports, stacking storages and possible filling and or emptying stations.

As additionally shown in fig. 7, the locking pawl 75 is in mesh with a springy element 80, which in a neutral position holds the locking pawl 75 in a position where it fixes the lid 70 on the container 50. The springy element 80 is in the shown example of the invention made as an elastomeric, which is casted on the lid 70. The springy element 80 includes a blank hole 81 with an opening towards the lid's upper side. The blank hole 81 has a mesh surface 82, which is designed to become affected for deformation of the springy element 80. It occurs by a pin 122 from the gripper 120, which can just accurately enter the blank hole 81 such that the blank hole's sides consist a mesh surface 82 for movement of the springy element 80. When the pin 122 during its mesh in the hole is displaced in the lid's plane, the springy element 80 will be deformed springy since the blank hole 81 is moved with the pin 122 while brim parts of the springy element 80 remain stationary since they are chemically or physically bound to the lid's additional material. The blank hole is externally fixed enclosing to the locking pawl's one end via a connection opening 76 herein so the locking pawl 75 is moved with when the blank hole 81 is moved forwards and backwards by the pin 122.

With this setup, movement of the springy element 80 is made possible towards the spring direction for movement of the locking pawl 75 and release of the lid 70 from the container 50. It occurs by the locking pin 75 hereby being pulled out of the lock opening 53. As subsequently explained, all four pins 122 are moved for example by a shearing device 140, which is a part of the gripper 120.

In the previous description, the container has had the lid 70 placed in a vertical side surface such that a horizontal side surface abutting on the container opening becomes the natural support surface or bottom for the container. As shown in fig. 2, a box shaped container is preferred and the orientation with the lid in vertical position is not changed during either transport, filling or emptying of containers 50.

This orientation is however not appropriate for transport of material such as trash, away from a hospital department and thus is presented in the following a container and belonging port system, in which the container's lid is provided in a horizontal upwards facing surface of the container and where a horizontal bottom opposite the lid forms the natural support surface for material. An example of a service port, which is capable of receiving the container and take the horizontally deposited lid and present the inner surface of the container to the hospital department, such that this can be filled up naturally from the bottom, is subsequently presented. There are here used the same reference terms for items, which have the same function as previously described although their design can differ from previously described.

In Fig. 8 is seen a sectional view drawing through a port system, including a service port 4 and a container 50 with belonging container opening 51 and lid 70. The service port 4 has a cover panel 210 with a front side 21 1 , which faces out towards the hospital department 100 and a rear side 212, which faces towards the service department 200 and on the, towards the service department 200 facing side 212, there is placed a gripper 120. The cover panel 210 is movable from a position where it covers the service port 4 to a position, as shown in Fig. 9, where is exposes the service port. In the cover panel 210 there is placed a gripper 120, which is designed to grip the lid 70, release it from the container 50 and lead it with the cover panel in its movement away from the service port 4.

A conveyor 201 is shown schematically in Fig. 8, including a movable support surface 202, as support for the container 50. The conveyor 201 allows the container to become forwarded to its position in the container port and also allows transport away from the container port 4. Typically, there will in connection to the conveyor in the service department 200 be provided a branched network of transport units, and storage systems, emptying and filling stations and a washing station for containers 50. Such a system is known from industrial production companies of different kind and is not explained more fully here. The conveyor 2012 is neither explained in further detail, but can for example additionally include raising and lowering devices (not shown) such that the container can be moved in vertical direction and hereby seal along its whole outer opening brim towards a hereto corresponding opening in the service port 4. It can hereby be ensured that only the container's inner is accessible from the hospital department, which is important since it is hereby ensured that the external surface of the container is not contaminated and thereby, contaminants cannot migrate from the hospital department and into the service

department. It should be noted that if for example a holding surface such as for example a conveyor belt or a robot gripper in the service department is contaminated with an infectious substance, this can in principle be deposited in small amounts on any container's outer side. If this should occur by an accident, there will in the shown system be less risk of the contaminant's migration into a hospital department, since the external side of the containers do not come in direct contact with the hospital

departments.

In Fig. 9 is seen the cover panel 210 in the position where it exposes the service port 4 and in the position where it covers a service port 4, since the two service ports are placed side by side. Here is also seen the container 50, now open, since the lid 70 is placed on the cover panel's rear side 212 fixed here by the gripper 120 and out of sight and inaccessibly from the hospital department 100. A guideway track 6 is shown schematically and serves as guide for the cover panel's 210 movement between the two positions.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view drawing through the locking mechanism between the lid 70 and the container 50, but contrary to in Fig. 7, the lid is here mounted horizontally up an upper brim of the container 50. The locking pawl 75 has here a hook shaped splice 77, including a locking pin 74, which as shown goes in mesh with the lock opening 53. The construction functions in the same way as described with reference to Fig. 7, except that the locking pawl must be moved opposite in order to release the lid 70 from the container 50. The advantage of both the in Fig. 7 and the in Fig. 10 shown embodiment of container and lid is especially that the coherent shape of the springy element 70 with the rest of the lid 70 results in safeguarding against that various contaminants such as biofilm or virus finds cracks and crannies in which they can find occupation and hereby possibly survive for longer time and be spread in the service department. In the following, grippers to remove the lid on respectively the one and the other, of the two examples of containers, will be gone through. In common for the two grippers is that they include two sets of mesh devices in relation to the lid, where the first set of mesh devices is designed to fix the lid against the gripper and the other set of mesh devices is designed to move one or more locking pawls for release or fixing of the lid against the container.

In fig. 1 1 is shown a gripper 120 headed for mesh with a lid of the type, which is described with reference to Fig. 8. In this gripper, the pins 122 are moved by guideway controlled plates 130, 131 so they can move the springy elements 80 forwards and back for hereby to pull the hook shaped splice 75 out of or into mesh with the lock opening at the upper brim of the container 50.

In Fig. 12 is seen the rear side of a gripper of the same type as shown in Fig. 6. Here, the pin's movement is controlled by a scissor mechanism 140 and this has as its mechanical movement input a pin actuator 141 . Such scissor mechanisms are well known and will not be described in details here, but it also allows movement of the pins in the gripper's plane, either towards a longitudinal center line 145 or away from the center line 145.

The movement of the movable element 121 , which is designed to grip below a protruding flange 71 on a lid 70 is here controlled by its center actuator 142.

Displacement of the gripper 120 itself for ensuring correct mesh between pins 122 and blank holes 80 and between the movable element 121 and a lid flange 71 can be realized by raising - lowering actuators 147, which have the task of moving the whole gripper 120 in its entirety in relation to the cover panel 210, which the gripper 120 sits mounted on. This movement is necessary in order to ensure correct position of the movable elements 121 in relation to the flange 71 on a lid 70 and in order to lower the pins 122 down in the blank holes on a lid 70. Control from the hospital department of the container amount in an underlying transport and storage system can occur for example via input to computer screen or voice controlled input to terminals designed hereto. This is not shown further, but it makes sense to see all containers as part of a total storage and at any hospital department any container, or portion of a storage, can thus be called forward to a specific service port. Hereby, most forms of provisions such as food, medicine, operation equipment, linin, disinfection items and much else equipment to the daily operation of treatment and care areas in a hospital can be added to the individual sections in the relevant time for the use. Likewise, the port system provides possibility of transporting materials and items away from a hospital department. It not only concerns trash and used items, but also concerns items such as samples of bodily liquids, biopsies, amputated organs or organs removed by surgery or organ parts, prints of body parts and many other items, which are to be transported from a hospital department and to further processing in for example a laundry, a kitchen, a trash central or a laboratory. All the forms of transport mentioned here can be handled with a port system and belonging transport container, as described in the previous, and it should be emphasized that the transport occurs separated from the treatment area itself such that cross contamination between hospital departments with pathogenic agents can be avoided completely. The logistical and bacteriological advantages are here significant and are especially based on that the individual transport container's inner can be considered to be a part of the treatment area and thereby potentially contaminated, while the container's outer belongs to the service department and must be considered as not being contaminated. It makes special demands for the port system to maintain this separation, requirements which become met with the described invention.

Item list

Port system 1

Opening 2

Partition 3

Service port 4

Internal brim of

service port 5

Guideway track 6

Container 50

Container opening 51

Opening brim 52

Lock opening 53

Gasket 55

Internal opening brim

of container 60

Lid 70

Flange 71

Locking pin 74

Locking pawl 75

Connection opening 76

Hook shaped splice 77

Springy element 80

Blank hole 81

Mesh surface 82

Hospital department 100

Gripper 120

Movable element 121

Stud 122

Guideway controlled plates 130, 131 Scissor mechanism 140 Stud actuator 141 Center actuator 142 Raising lowering actuators 147 Service department 200 Conveyor 201 Movable support surface 202 Cover panel 210 Front side 21 1 Rear side 212 Cover plate 213