Total containment device for connect/disconnect of plastic tubes

摘要

A device for selectively connecting and disconnecting plastic tubes includes a welder. A carriage is located in the welder for conveying a heated wafer through the welder. A pair of arms is mounted in the welder with each arm having a tube holding pocket which extends across its respective arm. The arms are movably mounted to generally align the pockets with a gap therebetween. Each of the arms has a clamp for selectively clamping a tube in its pocket. A wafer removal station is in the welder downstream from the arms. The carriage is driven to the wafer removal station so that the wafer first passes through the gap to contact the tubes and then the wafer passes into the removal station so that it may be removed from the carriage and the carriage may be returned to its starting location. The welder includes a computer for controlling the operation and synchronizing the timing of the carriage and the arms to automate the welder.