WO2024100524A1 - Gripping head for gripping a container for a solid target material for a unit suitable for handling the container and dissolving the solid target material in the container - Google Patents

Abstract

Gripping head (52) for gripping a container (1) for a solid target material in a unit ((3333)) for handling the container (1) and dissolving the solid target material in the container (1), which has a support body (5) for the solid target material, The gripping head (52) has a housing cavity (67), which has an access opening (68) for inserting the container (1) into the housing cavity (67), at least oonnee inflatable element (69), which is arranged in the housing cavity (67) in such a way as to define, when inflated, an obstruction capable of retaining, by interference, the support body (5) in the housing cavity (67), and a first conduit (71), which is connectable with a compressed air generator (70) for inflating the inflatable element (69).

Description

"GRIPPING HEAD FOR GRIPPING A CONTAINER FOR A SOLID TARGET MATERIAL FOR A UNIT SUITABLE FOR HANDLING THE CONTAINER AND DISSOLVING THE SOLID TARGET MATERIAL IN THE CONTAINER"

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Patent Application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. 102022000022896 filed on November 7, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a gripping head for gripping a container for a solid target material for a unit suitable for handling the container and dissolving the solid target material in the container, and to a corresponding radioisotope production system.

BACKGROUND

In particular, the present invention applies, advantageously but not exclusively, to radioisotope production systems that use a cyclotron to produce a radioisotope from a solid precursor material, also known as solid target material, in the form of a thin electroplated layer on a suitable metal support, in the form of a thin metal foil, or in the form of a compressed powder capsule, to which the description below will expressly refer, without loss of generality.

To date, various types of radioisotopes for pharmaceutical use (radiopharmaceuticals) are obtained following irradiation by means of a proton beam (proton bombardment) of a solid target material typically of metallic origin.

The production process of a radioisotope from a solid target material, for example in the form of a thin electroplated layer, substantially consists of the following steps: electroplating of the solid target material on a metal support; irradiation of the solid target material on the support by means of a proton beam; dissolution of the irradiated solid target material to obtain a solution in which the radioisotope produced by proton irradiation is present; and purification of the aforesaid solution to separate the radioisotope from the unreacted target material and from impurities. The aforesaid steps are performed in respective processing stations and therefore the support comprising the solid target material must be arranged in a container for transport between several processing stations, for example from the irradiation station to the dissolution station.

There is known a radioisotope production system comprising at least one container for the solid target material, an irradiation station comprising a cyclotron for emitting a proton beam against the solid target material in the container, a handling unit for handling the container and chemically dissolving the solid target material in the container, a purification module for feeding an acidic solution to the aforesaid handling unit for dissolving the solid target material and extracting the radioisotope from the solution produced by dissolution, and a pneumatic system for bidirectional transfer of the container between the irradiation station and the handling unit.

The handling unit comprises a shielded isolator, also commonly known as cell, within which the following are housed: a work surface having a transfer port for the container; a parking support for the container arranged on top of the work surface; a dissolution station, which comprises at least one centring support for the container arranged on the work surface and a respective movable dissolution head to be placed on the container when the latter is located on the centring support; and a movable gripping head to grip the container and move it between the transfer port, the parking support and the dissolution station. The pneumatic system comprises a flexible conduit, which connects the transfer port on the work surface in the shielded isolator to the irradiation station, a first vacuum station, which is connected to the gripping head to transfer the container from the irradiation station to the transfer port, and a second vacuum station, which is connected to the irradiation station to transfer the container from the transfer port to the irradiation station.

In use, a container containing the solid target material is manually placed by an operator on the parking support. The gripping head grips the container and moves it into the transfer port. Through the action of the second vacuum station, the container is transferred to the irradiation station, where the solid target material inside the container is irradiated with the proton beam to produce the radioisotope. Irradiation also modifies the material of the container causing it to become radioactive .

At the end of the irradiation step, the container and the material contained therein emit a high level of radiation hazardous for the human body and therefore the operator cannot manually handle the container. Consequently, the container is automatically transferred to the transfer port in the shielded isolator and gripped by the gripping head when it is delivered from the transfer port through the action of the first vacuum station and is then positioned on a centring support of the dissolution station through a sequence of movements of the gripping head. In the dissolution station, the solid target material is dissolved thus obtaining a solution comprising the radioisotope, and this solution is transferred to the purification module.

To reduce the operator' s exposure to radiation, but also to ensure that the solid target material remains in position inside the container and does not exit therefrom during handling of the container, and in particular during the transfers in the pneumatic system that take place through the operation of the two vacuum generators, the use of containers provided with a lid that can be hermetically sealed is possible. With particular regard to the mechanical constraint function of the lid, this is absolutely essential if the solid target material is in the form of metal foil or compressed powder capsule, while it is not strictly required if the solid target material is in the form of thin electroplated layer, as the latter adheres by nature to the metal support of the container.

However, once the container with lid is delivered from the transfer port in the shielded isolator, it cannot be immediately transferred to the dissolution station because the lid does not allow dissolving solution to be inserted into the container. Therefore, it is necessary to temporarily transfer the container onto the parking support, where it remains for the time that the operator requires to remove the lid from the container, or into an unscrewing station of the lid, where the lid is automatically unscrewed without the manual intervention of the operator.

At this point, the gripping head picks up the container without the lid from the parking support or from the unscrewing station and retains it, as a result of the vacuum produced by the second vacuum station, during transfer to the dissolution station. The vacuum produced to retain the container causes the following problems: in case of solid target material in the form of metal foil, lifting of the solid target material from the container, with consequent incorrect positioning of the metal foil that can be the cause of malfunctions during the subsequent dissolution step of the solid target material; in case of solid target material in the form of compressed powder capsule, detachment of powder particles in non-negligible quantities that are drawn by the second vacuum station, thereby contaminating components of the radioisotope production system. SUMMARY

The object of the present invention is to produce a gripping head for a radioisotope production system, and in particular for a unit for handling a container for a solid target material, said gripping head is free from the problems described above and, at the same time, easy and economical to produce.

In accordance with the present invention, there are provided a gripping head for gripping a container for a solid target material for a unit suitable for handling the container and dissolving the solid target material in the container, a unit for handling a container for a solid target material and for dissolving the solid target material in the container, an apparatus comprising this container and this unit, and a radioisotope production system, as defined in the appended claims .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting example of embodiment thereof, wherein:

- Fig. 1 illustrates an exploded axonometric view of a container for a solid target material used by a radioisotope production system;

- Fig. 2 illustrates the container of Fig. 1 according to a sectional view along a plane on which the longitudinal axis of the container 1 lies;

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a detail of Fig. 2 during two different uses of the container;

- Fig. 5 illustrates, according to an axonometric and partially schematic view, the radioisotope production system of the present invention;

Fig. 6 illustrates, according to an axonometric view, a gripping head of a handling device of the system of Fig. 5;

- Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the gripping head of Fig. 6 according to two respective sectional views along two respective planes orthogonal to each other; and

- Fig. 9 illustrates a detail of the sectional view of Fig. 8 when the container is in the gripping head.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In Figs. 1 and 2, the reference number 1 generically indicates, as a whole, a container suitable for containing a solid target material and a radioisotope produced through irradiation of the solid target material with a proton beam.

The container 1 extends according to a longitudinal axis 2 thereof and comprises a well body 3, hereinafter simply called well, which is suitable for supporting on a bottom wall 4 thereof a portion of solid target material (not illustrated) , a support body 5, which extends according to the longitudinal axis 2 and comprises a first portion 6 having a seat 7 suitable, in use, to coaxially house the well 3 so that the bottom wall 4 is arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis 2, and a lid 8, which is fitted, and in particular screwed, onto the support body 5.

More in detail, the lid 8 comprises a central cup-shaped portion 9, the bottom of which comprises a degrading foil 10 suitable for attenuating the proton beam in a predetermined manner. The lid 8 is suitable, in use, to be screwed coaxially onto the portion 6 so that the central portion 9 is arranged in the well 3 to retain the portion of solid target material on the bottom wall 4 and that the degrading foil 10 is arranged above, and in particular parallel to, the bottom wall 4 so that the portion of solid target material is arranged, in use, between the degrading foil 10 and the bottom wall 4.

In use, a proton beam (not illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2) is directed on the central portion 9 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 2, and in particular centred on the longitudinal axis 2, to hit the degrading foil 10 in a substantially perpendicular manner. The degrading foil 10 has a thickness calibrated to attenuate the proton beam to an extent such as to transfer to the portion of solid target material arranged in the well 3 a mean energy (MeV) that allows the desired radioisotope to be obtained. For example, the thickness of the degrading foil 10 is between 50 pm and 500 pm. The value of the thickness is chosen as a function of the radioisotope to be produced. In particular, each radioisotope to be produced is associated with a respective lid 8 having a degrading foil 10 with a specific thickness sized as a function of the radioisotope .

The support body 5 has a shape having a cylindrical symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis 2. The well 3 has a cylindrical cup shape, i.e., a cylinder without a base. The lid 8 also has a shape having a cylindrical symmetry.

The support body 5 comprises a second portion 11, which is coaxial to the portion 6. The portion 11 comprises an inner cavity 12, which communicates with the seat 7 through a first opening 13 transverse, and in particular coaxial, to the longitudinal axis 2, and with the outside through a second opening 14 (Fig. 2) transverse, and in particular coaxial, to the longitudinal axis 2 to allow a cooling fluid to access the cavity 12. As can be understood from Fig. 2, the bottom wall 4 of the well 3 closes the opening 13 when the well 3 is in the seat 7 so that the bottom wall 4, in use, is washed by the cooling fluid. The cavity 12 has a shape having a cylindrical symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis 2.

The seat 7 houses the well 3 with hermetic interference between a lateral inner surface 15 (Fig. 1) of the seat 7 and a lateral outer surface 16 (Fig. 1) of the well 3. This hermetic interference is obtained by precision machining of the lateral inner surface 15 and of the lateral outer surface 16. The lateral hermetic interference between seat 7 and well 3 prevents, in use , the cooling fluid from passing through the opening 13 and entering the well 3.

The portion 6 of the support body 5 comprises an outer thread 17 and the lid 8 comprises an annular portion 18, which is arranged coaxially around the central portion 9 and comprises an inner thread 19 (Fig. 2) to be screwed to the portion 6.

The container 1 further comprises a hermetic sealing ring 20, which is fitted onto the support body 5. In particular, the hermetic sealing ring 20 is retained in a groove 21 of the support body 5 arranged between the portion 6 and the portion 11. With particular reference to the enlarged detail of Fig. 2, the hermetic sealing ring 20 contacts the support body 5, and in particular the groove 21, and an inner surface 22 of an end portion 23 of the annular portion 18 of the lid 8 when the annular portion 18 is screwed to the portion 6. In this way, the lid 8 closes the well 3 with hermetic seal to prevent radioactive substances from exiting therefrom during production of the radioisotope.

The lid 8 comprises one or more outer notches 24 and also the portion 11 of the support body 5 comprises one or more outer notches 25 to facilitate gripping by a device that will be described later in the present document and the object of which is to screw and unscrew the lid 8. In particular, the notches 25 are arranged along an end portion 26 of the portion 11 that surrounds the opening 14.

The support body 4 and the lid 8 are made of aluminium, which is a metal that is easy to machine. The well is made of a material suitable for electroplating of the solid target material and is inert to acidic substances capable of dissolving the portion of solid target material. Preferably, the well 3 is made entirely of platinum. Advantageously, all the walls of the well 3 have a thickness of less than 1 mm, in particular around 500 pm .

With particular reference to Fig. 2, the central portion 9 comprises an annular rib 27 that surrounds the degrading foil 10 and protrudes from the plane of the degrading foil 10 parallel to the longitudinal axis 2 so as to end with an end surface 28, also annular, suitable for pressing against the bottom wall 4 of the well 3 when the lid 8 is completely screwed onto the portion 6 so as to define, between the degrading foil 10 and the bottom wall 4, a chamber 29 centred on the longitudinal axis 2 to contain a portion of solid target material. The structure of the central portion 9 allows the solid target material to be contained in various formats.

Fig. 3 illustrates in greater detail a portion of the container 1 around the chamber 29 in an example of use in which the portion of solid target material is in the form of metal foil, indicated with Ml, which is laid on the bottom of the well 3, i.e., on the bottom wall 4. In use, the lid 8 is fitted onto the portion 6 and the annular portion 18 is screwed onto the portion 6 until the end surface 28 of the rib 27 presses an edge of the metal foil Ml against the bottom wall 4. The portion of metal foil Ml facing the inside of the chamber 29 will be the portion irradiated by the proton beam that passes through the degrading foil 10.

Fig. 4 illustrates the same portion of the container 1 shown in Fig. 3 in a different example of use, wherein the portion of solid target material is in the form of compressed powder capsule, indicated with M2, which is housed in the chamber 29. In use, the lid 8 is fitted onto the portion 6 and the annular portion 18 is screwed onto the portion 6 until the end surface 28 of the rib 27 contacts the bottom wall 4. In this way, the compressed powder capsule M2 is retained by the chamber 29 and in centred position on the longitudinal axis 2. In this way, the compressed powder capsule M2 will be completely irradiated by the proton beam through the degrading foil 10.

In a further example of use, not illustrated, the portion of solid target material is in the form of a thin electroplated layer of material on the bottom wall 4 of the well 3 so as to remain inside the chamber 29, i.e., completely below the degrading foil 10, so that it can be irradiated by the proton beam that hits the degrading foil 10.

In Fig. 5, the reference number 30 generically indicates, as a whole, a radioisotope production system. The radioisotope production system 30 comprises at least one container 1 for a solid target material, an irradiation station 31, which comprises a cyclotron 32 for emitting a proton beam against the solid target material in the container 1 in order to obtain the radioisotope, and a unit 33 for handling the container 1 and dissolving the solid target material in the container 1 after the solid target material has been irradiated. Moreover, the radioisotope production system 30 comprises a pneumatic transfer system 34 for bidirectional transfer of a container 1 between the irradiation station 31 and the unit 33.

The irradiation station 31 comprises a support and connection assembly 35, of known type and hence illustrated schematically, to support the container 1 with the well 3 facing the cyclotron 32 and connect the cavity 12 of the container 1 to a fluid cooling system, also known and not illustrated, in order to circulate a cooling fluid in the cavity 12 to cool the well 3 during irradiation with the proton beam.

The unit 33 comprises a shielded isolator 36, which houses within it a work surface 37, a transfer port 38 for the container 1 obtained on the work surface 37, an unscrewing and screwing station 39 for unscrewing and screwing the lid 8 of the container 1, a dissolution station 40 for dissolving the solid target material in the container, and a handling device 41 for moving the container 1 between the transfer port 38 and the unscrewing and screwing station 39 and between the latter and the dissolution station 40. The transfer port 38 is arranged between the unscrewing and screwing station 39 and the dissolution station 40 along the work surface 37.

The transfer port 38 is used to send the container 1 to the irradiation station 31 and to receive the container 1 arriving from the irradiation station 31 and for this reason cooperates with the pneumatic transfer system 34.

The unscrewing and screwing station 39 comprises a rotating support 42 mounted on the work surface 37 to support the container 1 and to rotate the support body 5 about an axis 42a perpendicular to the work surface 37, and a gripping device 43 for holding the lid 8 while the rotating support 42 rotates so as to unscrew or screw the lid 8, according to the direction of rotation about the axis 42a, and to hold the lid 8 after it has been unscrewed. The rotating support 42 comprises a plurality of pins (not illustrated) parallel to the axis 42a, and such that, in use, each one couples with a corresponding notch 25 of the end portion 26 of the support body 5 of the container 1. Coupling between the aforesaid pins and notches 25 has the object of retaining the support body 5 during rotation of the rotating support 42. Fig. 5 illustrates a container 1 on the rotating support 42.

The gripping device 43 comprises a gripping head 44 and a slide 45, which supports the gripping head 44 in a position coaxial to the rotating support 42, i.e., centred on the axis 42a, and is mounted on an inner wall 46 of the shielded isolator 36 perpendicular to the work surface 37 so as to be movable in a direction 47 perpendicular to the work surface 37 between a raised position, which is the situation illustrated by Fig. 5, in which the gripping head 44 is at a certain distance from the rotating support 42, and a lowered position, in which the gripping head 44 couples with the lid 8.

The dissolution station 40 comprises at least one centring support 48 fixed on the work surface 37 to support the container 1 and at least one respective dissolution head 49 for feeding a dissolving solution, and in particular a substantially acidic solution, into the container 1 located on the centring support 48 to dissolve the solid target material.

In use, the container 2 is placed on the centring support 48 without the lid 8. The dissolution head 49 is mounted on a slide 50 movable parallel to the direction 47 in such a way as to be arranged on the container 1 and coupled to the well 3 when the container 1 is located on the centring support 48, so that the dissolving solution is fed to the well 3.

The centring support 48 has an upper portion shaped to engage the cavity 12 of the support body 5 of the container 1 through the opening 14. The centring support 48 can be heated by electricity to facilitate the dissolution of some types of solid target material.

The dissolution head 49 is also suitable for collecting the solution produced by dissolution of the solid target material. Feed of the dissolving solution to the container 1 and collection of the solution produced from the container 1 take place when the dissolution head 49 is placed on the centring support 48.

In particular, the dissolution head 49 is connected through conduits (not illustrated) to a purification module, known per se and therefore not illustrated. The purification module supplies the dissolving solution to the dissolution head 49 and receives therefrom the solution produced by dissolution of the solid target material in order to purify it and isolate the radioisotope, according to known techniques. In the example of embodiment illustrated by Fig. 5, the dissolution station 40 comprises a number of centring supports 48, in particular three centring supports 48, and the same number of dissolution heads 49. A container 1 without a lid 8 is illustrated on one of the centring supports 48. The dissolution heads 49 are movable in a mutually integral manner. The dissolution heads 49 are pre-configured to perform the dissolution of different solid target materials. In other words, the dissolution station 40 can operate on one container 1 at a time. To this end, the dissolution heads 49 are connected through conduits to respective sections of the purification module.

The unit 33 comprises, also within the shielded isolator 36, a parking support 51, which is fixed on the work surface 37 and has an upper portion shaped like a similar upper portion of the centring support 48. Fig. 1 illustrates another container 1 on the parking support 51. The handling device 41 is suitable for moving the container 1 between the dissolution station 40, the parking support 51 and the transfer port 38.

The handling device 41 comprises a gripping head 52 movable parallel to the direction 47 and along another direction 53 parallel to the work surface 37. More in detail, the handling device 41 comprises a slide 54, which is movable along a guide 55 parallel to the work surface 37, and in particular extends along the inner wall 46, and the gripping head 52 is mounted so as to slide on at least one guide 56 integral with the slide 54 and perpendicular to the work surface 37. The transfer port 38, the rotating support 42, the parking support 51 and the centring supports 48 are arranged aligned on the work surface 37 along a line parallel to the guide 56. In this way, the gripping head 52 can transfer the container 1 from one to the other of these supports 42, 51, 48 with simple movements along the directions 47 and 53.

The transfer port 38 is arranged between the parking support 51 and a centring support 48. With the slide 45 in the raised position, the gripping head 44 of the gripping device 43 is located at a distance from the rotating support 42 such as to leave a space required for passage and positioning of the gripping head 52 of the handling device 41 on the rotating support 42.

The unit 33 comprises, also within the shielded isolator 36, a magazine 57 for containers of the type of the container 1, arranged under the work surface 37 and communicating with the transfer port 38. The magazine 57 comprises, internally, a drum or revolver (not illustrated) , which rotates about a rotation axis perpendicular to the work surface 37 and has a number of seats shaped to hold respective containers upright and distributed uniformly around the rotation axis.

The magazine 57 comprises an upper conduit 58 for connection with the transfer port 38. The upper conduit 58 is necessarily arranged in the shielded isolator 36. The magazine 57 comprises a lower conduit 59 that protrudes outside the shielded isolator 36 for connection with the pneumatic transfer system 34.

The pneumatic transfer system 34 comprises a flexible conduit 60 that connects the lower conduit 59 with the irradiation station 31, and in particular with the support and connection assembly 35.

The pneumatic transfer system 34 further comprises a first vacuum station 61, which is connected to the gripping head 52 for performing the transfer of the container 1 from the irradiation station 31 to the transfer port 38, and a second vacuum station 62, which is connected to the support and connection assembly 35 for performing the transfer of the container 1 from the transfer port 38 to the irradiation station 31. In the example of embodiment of Fig. 5, the vacuum station 61 is arranged in the shielded isolator 36. With reference to Fig. 6, the gripping head 52 comprises a body 63 that can be engaged by the container 1 (not illustrated) , a bracket 64 for fixing the body 63 to the slide 54, a connector 65 for pneumatic connection, through a pipe indicated with 52a in Fig. 5, with the vacuum station 61, and a cable grommet 66 for the passage of electrical cables and/or optical fibres for operation of the gripping head 52 and of the slide 54. In particular, the body 63 is fixed under a portion of the bracket 64, this portion being, in use, arranged horizontally.

With reference to Fig. 7, which illustrates the gripping head 52 according to a sectional plane passing through a longitudinal axis 65a of the connector 65, the body 63 comprises a housing cavity 67, which is provided on the bottom with an access opening 68 for inserting the container 1 (not illustrated) into the housing cavity 67. The gripping head 52 comprises at least one inflatable element 69, which is arranged in the housing cavity 67 in such a way as to define, when inflated, an obstruction suitable for retaining, by interference, the support body 5 of the container 1 (not illustrated) in the housing cavity 67.

The unit 33 comprises a compressed air generator 70 (Fig. 5) and the gripping head 52 comprises a conduit 71 (Fig. 6) , which passes through the body 63 to communicate with the inflatable element 69 (Fig. 7) and is connected to the compressed air generator 70 for inflation of the inflatable element 69. The compressed air generator 70 further comprises a release valve for deflating the inflatable element 69.

Again with reference to Fig. 7, the housing cavity 67 is cupshaped, and in particular has a cylindrical symmetry with respect to a longitudinal axis 72, so as to receive and house the container 1 coaxially. The inflatable element 69 consists of an inflatable annular gasket arranged in the housing cavity 67 so as to surround, in use, an annular portion of the support body 5. In particular, the housing cavity 67 has an annular seat 73 open towards the longitudinal axis 72 and the inflatable element 69 is arranged in this annular seat 73.

The housing cavity 67 comprises an inner bottom 74, which is opposite to the access opening 68 along the longitudinal axis 72 and has a bore 75. The gripping head 52 comprises a conduit 76, which places the bore 74 in communication with the connector 65 and therefore, through the latter, with the vacuum station 61 for generating a vacuum in the housing cavity 67 to such an extent as to retain, by suction, the container 1 in the housing cavity 67. The conduit 76 is integrated in the bracket 64.

With particular reference to Fig. 8, the gripping head 52 comprises a photoelectric sensor 77, which comprises a pair of optical terminals 78 arranged in the housing cavity 67 for detecting whether the container 1 is housed in the housing cavity 67. The connectors 79 of the optical terminals 78 protrude outside the body 63 and the bracket 64, as can also be seen in Fig. 6, to be connected to respective fibre optic cables (not illustrated) , which are then passed through the cable grommets 66.

The housing cavity 67 has a lateral inner wall 80 having, close to the inner bottom 4, in diametrically opposite positions, a pair of seats 81 for the two optical terminals 78 so that the latter are one in front of the other to emit and respectively receive an optical beam 77a, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 72 and, in use, is interrupted by the container 1 when the latter abuts on the inner bottom 74. An optical terminal 78 is visible from the front in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 illustrates the gripping head 52 according to the same view of Fig. 8, in which a container 1 without a lid 8 is housed coaxially in the housing cavity 67 with the well body 3 facing the inner bottom 74. The container 1 is illustrated with the portion 6 of the support body 5 abutting on the inner bottom 74, and in particular on the bore 75: in this position, the optical beam 77a is completely intercepted and hence interrupted and therefore the photoelectric sensor 77 detects correct positioning of the container 1 in the gripping head 52.

The inflatable element 69 is suitable for inflating substantially radially, with respect to the longitudinal axis 65a, towards the support body 5, and for deflating in the opposite direction. The inflatable element 69 is illustrated deflated with a continuous line and inflated with a dashed line. When the inflatable element 69 is deflated it allows the container 1 to be inserted into the housing cavity 67, whereas when it is inflated it defines an obstruction suitable for retaining, by interference, the support body 5 in the housing cavity 67, in particular it tightens in contact around an annular portion Ila of the portion 11 of the support body 5.

The minimum inner diameter of the housing cavity 67, i.e., the diameter of the inner lateral wall 80, allows the container 1, with or without a lid 8, to be housed substantially without clearance. In fact, the gripping head 52 is used to grip the container 1 exploiting the vacuum when the container 1 is provided with the lid 8 and exploiting the inflatable element 69 when the container 1 is without the lid 8, i.e., when the container 1 is moved between the unscrewing and screwing station 39 and the dissolution station 40.

The unit 33 or, more generally, the radioisotope production system 30 comprises an electronic control unit, illustrated schematically in Fig. 5 and indicated with 82, configured to synchronize the handling device 41 with the vacuum generators 61 and 62 to transfer a container 1 back and forth between the irradiation station 31 and the transfer port 38 of the unit 33 and, inside the latter, to move the container 1 through the various processing stations in the following order: unscrewing and screwing station 39 to unscrew the lid 8, dissolution station 40 to dissolve the solid target material, unscrewing and screwing station 39 again to screw the lid 8, and transfer port 38 to transfer the container 1 to the magazine 57, where it remains for a predetermined decay time.

Moreover, the electronic control unit 82 is configured to operate the compressed air generator 70, instead of the vacuum station 61, to inflate the inflatable element 69 when the photoelectric sensor 77 detects the container 1 and the container 1 must be moved from the unscrewing and screwing station 39 to the dissolution station 40, and vice versa, and to deflate the inflatable element 69 when said movement has been carried out and the container must be released.

According to two further embodiments, not illustrated, the solid target material consists of a thin electroplated layer, the container 1 is without the lid 8 and the unscrewing and screwing station 39 is not used or the unit 33 has no unscrewing and screwing station 39, i.e. , the container 1 is moved directly between the transfer port 38 and the dissolution station 40. During movement of the container 1 towards the dissolution station 40, the gripping head 52 can be used for gripping the container 1 through operation of the vacuum station 61 or through operation of the compressed air generator 70. In fact, the electroplated layer is not subject to detachment as a result of the vacuum produced by the vacuum station 61.

The unit 33 and the container 1 described above form an apparatus which, once integrated in a radioisotope production system 30 comprising a cyclotron 32, has the advantage of greatly reducing the operator's exposure to the ionizing radiation emitted by the radioisotope, due to the presence of the lid 8 that hermetically closes the container during most of the steps of the production cycle, naturally with the exception of those operations linked to the dissolution station 40 where it is strictly necessary for the container 1 to be open. Moreover, no detachment of solid target material, whether in the form of metallic foil or of compressed powder capsule, occurs in the unit 33 during any transfers of the container 1, due to the gripping head 52 comprising the inflatable element 69 that tightens around the support body 5 to retain the container 1 and consequently does not damage the solid target material.

Another advantage of the gripping head 52 and of the unit 33 is that of being usable with any container for solid target material, both with or without a lid, providing it has dimensions that allow correct housing in the housing cavity 67, and for any type of solid target material arranged in the well body 3, i.e., an electroplated layer, a metallic foil, or a compressed powder capsule. For example, the gripping head 52 and the unit 33 can also be used with a container without the well body 3, but having a support body in which the solid target material is deposited directly or electroplated. In other words, changing the type of container or of the type of solid target material does not require a mechanical reconfiguration of the gripping head 52 and of the unit 33.

Claims

1. A gripping head for gripping a container for a solid target material for a unit suitable for handling the container and dissolving the solid target material in the container, the container (1) comprising a support body (5) , the gripping head (52) comprising a housing cavity (67) , which comprises an access opening (68) for inserting the container (1) into the housing cavity (67) , at least one inflatable element (69) , which is arranged in the housing cavity (67) in such a way as to define, when inflated, an obstruction capable of retaining, by interference, the support body (5) in the housing cavity (67) , and a first conduit (71) , which is connectable with a compressed air generator (70) for inflating the inflatable element (69) .

2. Gripping head according to claim 1, wherein said support body (5) has a shape having a cylindrical symmetry with respect to a longitudinal axis (2) of the container (1) and said inflatable element (69) has an annular shape and is arranged in the housing cavity (67) so as to surround, in use, an annular portion (Ila) of the support body (5) and is capable of inflating substantially radially towards the support body (5) .

3. Gripping head according to claim 1 or 2, and comprising a photoelectric sensor (77) , which comprises a pair of optical terminals (78) arranged in the housing cavity (67) for detecting whether the container (1) is housed in the housing cavity (67) .

4. Gripping head according to claim 3, wherein said housing cavity (67) is cup-shaped and comprises an inner bottom (74) opposite to said access opening (68) along a longitudinal axis (72) of the housing cavity (67) and said optical terminals (78) are arranged opposite each other in proximity to said inner bottom (74) so as to emit and respectively receive an optical beam (77a) , which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (72) of the housing cavity (67) and is, in use, interrupted by the container (1) when the latter strikes the inner bottom (74) .

5. Gripping head according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said housing cavity (67) is cup-shaped and comprises an inner bottom (74) , which is opposite to said access opening (68) along a longitudinal axis (72) of the housing cavity (67) and has a bore (75) ; the gripping head (52) comprising a second conduit (76) , which communicates with said bore (75) and is connectable to a vacuum generator (61) for generating a vacuum in the housing cavity (67) to such an extent as to retain, by suction, the container (1) in the housing cavity (67) .

6. Gripping head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said container (1) comprises a well body (3) , which is suitable for supporting a portion of solid target material and is arranged in a seat (7) of said support body (5) ; said housing cavity (67) being cup-shaped and comprising an inner bottom (74) , which is opposite to said access opening (68) along a longitudinal axis (72) of the housing cavity (67) , so as to be able to house the container (1) with the well body (3) facing said inner bottom (74) .

7. A unit for handling a container for a solid target material and dissolving the solid target material in the container, which comprises a support body (5) ; the unit (33) comprising a shielded isolator (36) and, within the latter: a work surface (37) , which has a transfer port (38) for the container (1) ; a dissolution station (40) , which comprises at least one fixed support (48) mounted on the work surface (37) to support the container (1) and at least one dissolution head (49) suitable for feeding a dissolving solution into the container (1) to dissolve the solid target material; and a handling device (41) for moving the container (1) between the transfer port (38) and the dissolution station (40) ; the handling device (41) comprising a gripping head (52) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and a compressed air generator (70) connected to said first conduit (71) .

8. Unit according to claim 7, wherein the gripping head (52) is according to claim 3; the unit (33) comprising an electronic control unit (82) configured to operate the compressed air generator (70) according to signals provided by said photoelectric sensor (77) .

9. Unit according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the container (1) is provided with a lid (8) screwable onto the support body (5) ; the unit (33) further comprising an unscrewing and screwing station (39) , which comprises a rotating support (42) mounted on the work surface (37) to support the container (1) and to rotate the support body (5) , and a gripping device (43) for holding the lid (8) while the rotating support (42) rotates so as to unscrew or screw the lid (8) and to hold the latter after it has been unscrewed; the handling device (41) being suitable for moving the container (1) between the transfer port (38) and the unscrewing and screwing station (39) and between the latter and the dissolution station (40) .

10. Apparatus comprising at least one container (1) comprising a support body (5) for a solid target material and a unit (33) for handling the container (1) and dissolving the solid target material present in the container (1) ; said unit (33) being according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

11. A radioisotope production system comprising the apparatus according to claim 10, an irradiation station (31) for emitting a proton beam against said solid target material in the container (1) , and a pneumatic transfer system (34) for bidirectional transfer of the container (1) between the irradiation station (31) and said unit (33) ; said transfer port (38) being connected to the pneumatic transfer system (34) .

12. System according to claim 11, wherein said gripping head (52) is according to claim 5 and said pneumatic transfer system (34) comprises a vacuum generator (61) , which is connected to said second conduit (76) for performing the transfer of the container (1) from the irradiation station (31) to the transfer port (38) .