Testing system and method for testing the seal of a glove which is installed in the port of an insulator

Abstract

A test system and a corresponding method for testing the seal of a glove which is installed in a port of an isolator, including a test disc which can be connected in a hermetically sealed fashion to the port. The glove and test disc define a sealed glove volume which can be placed under excess pressure. The test disc has a pressure-measuring device with a microprocessor and a memory for recording and storing a pressure profile in the glove volume and a data interface. The glove and port have identification elements which are read by a reading device of the test disc and information concerning the pressure profile along with the identities of the glove and port are transmitted wirelessly to an evaluation unit which estimates and records a residual period of use of the glove. A plurality of gloves in ports can be tested simultaneously.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A test disc for testing the seal of a glove which is installed in a particular port of an isolator, the glove having an open end sized to be sealed between the test disc and port so as to define an internal glove volume which can be placed under excess pressure, comprising:
 a test disc having a peripheral seal for sealing the open end of the glove against the port in a hermetically sealed fashion, the test disc having a pressure-measuring device, a microprocessor, a memory and a data interface for transmission of information, the test disc further including a reading device configured to determine an identity of the particular isolator port, the microprocessor being programmed to store the identity of the particular isolator port in the memory, and wherein the microprocessor and memory are configured to record and store a glove volume pressure profile, the test disc further having a first micro-air pump and a second micro-air pump, both of which are arranged on the test disc.   
     
     
         18 . The test disc of  claim 17 , wherein the peripheral seal is a radially-expanding sealing device and the first micro-air pump is connected to the test disc to expand the sealing device. 
     
     
         19 . The test disc of  claim 18 , wherein the first micro-air pump comprises a pressure sensor to secure proper sealing. 
     
     
         20 . The test disc of  claim 17 , wherein the second micro-air pump has a pre-filter connected to the test disc to fill the glove volume. 
     
     
         21 . The test disc of  claim 17 , further including an electrical energy source in the form of an accumulator mounted to the test disc. 
     
     
         22 . The test disc of  claim 17 , wherein the reading device has a reader selected from the group consisting of: an RFID module, a CCD sensor and a laser sensor. 
     
     
         23 . The test disc of  claim 17 , wherein the test disc microprocessor has a control device for automatically setting a pressure in the glove volume. 
     
     
         24 . The test disc of  claim 17 , wherein the data interface has a wireless transmitter such that the glove pressure profile and information regarding the port identity may be transmitted wirelessly to an evaluation unit of an external test system. 
     
     
         25 . The test disc of  claim 24 , wherein the glove has a first identification element which can be read by the reading device of the test disc to determine a glove identity, and the microprocessor is programmed to store the identity of the glove as well as the identity of the particular isolator port in the memory so as to be transmitted wirelessly to the evaluation unit. 
     
     
         26 . The test disc of  claim 24 , wherein the wireless transmitter of the data interface is selected from the group consisting of: a WiFi module, a W-LAN module, a Bluetooth module or a radio-based transceiver module. 
     
     
         27 . A test system, which has an evaluation unit comprising a memory unit and an output unit connected to a user database as well as at least one test disc for testing the seal of a glove which is installed in a particular port of an isolator, the glove having an open end sized to be sealed between the test disc and port so as to define an internal glove volume which can be placed under excess pressure, comprising:
 a test disc having a peripheral seal for sealing the open end of the glove against the port in a hermetically sealed fashion, the test disc having a pressure-measuring device, a microprocessor, a memory and a data interface for transmission of information, the test disc further including a reading device configured to determine an identity of the particular isolator port, the microprocessor being programmed to store the identity of the particular isolator port in the memory, and wherein the microprocessor and memory are configured to record and store a glove volume pressure profile.   
     
     
         28 . The test disc of  claim 27 , the test disc further having a first micro-air pump arranged on the test disc, wherein the peripheral seal is a radially-expanding sealing device and the first micro-air pump is connected to the test disc to expand the sealing device. 
     
     
         29 . The test disc of  claim 28 , the test disc further having a second micro-air pump arranged on the test disc, wherein the second micro-air pump has a pre-filter connected to the test disc to fill the glove volume. 
     
     
         30 . The test disc of  claim 27 , further including an electrical energy source in the form of an accumulator mounted to the test disc. 
     
     
         31 . The test disc of  claim 27 , wherein the reading device has a reader selected from the group consisting of: an RFID module, a CCD sensor and a laser sensor. 
     
     
         32 . The test disc of  claim 27 , wherein the test disc microprocessor has a control device for automatically setting a pressure in the glove volume. 
     
     
         33 . The test disc of  claim 27 , wherein the data interface has a wireless transmitter such that the glove pressure profile and information regarding the port identity may be transmitted wirelessly to an evaluation unit of an external test system. 
     
     
         34 . The test disc of  claim 33 , wherein the glove has a first identification element which can be read by the reading device of the test disc to determine a glove identity, and the microprocessor is programmed to store the identity of the glove as well as the identity of the particular isolator port in the memory so as to be transmitted wirelessly to the evaluation unit. 
     
     
         35 . The test disc of  claim 33 , wherein the wireless transmitter of the data interface is selected from the group consisting of: a WiFi module, a W-LAN module, a Bluetooth module or a radio-based transceiver module.