Transfer port system between sterile environments

Abstract

A transfer port system between two sterile environments having docked and undocked positions which is made up of two door frames connected to the environments and two doors connected to the two door frames. When the sterile environments are in the docked position the door frames of the two doors are juxtaposed and in close physical contact with one another and when the two sterile environments are in the undocked position the two door frames are spaced apart from one another and the two doors seal the sterile environments. The two door frames and the doors have a potentially non-sterile peripheral juncture located at the juncture between the doors and door frames when the doors are in a closed position sealing the sterile environments when the sterile environments are in their docked position. In order to sterilize this non-sterile peripheral junction, one or both of the door frames is provided with internal channels for circulation of a heat transfer fluid to heat the two door frames and the two doors and thereby sterilize said juncture. A vacuum sealing gasket is provided to allow a vacuum to be pulled between the two doors to hold the two doors together when the sterile environments are in the docked position. The two doors are then rotated as a unit between a closed position sealing the two sterile environments and an opened position away from the two door frames permitting transport through the two door frames and between the sterile environments.