Methods and apparatus for cleansing and packaging medical instruments or the like

An apparatus for cleansing and packaging items, including, but not limited to, medical instruments, comprising:

• a first sealable compartment housing a cleansing device;
• a second sealable compartment joined to the first compartment housing a packaging device;
• and
• a conveyor device configured to selectively transport items to be cleansed and packaged through the first compartment and second compartment;
• the conveyor and compartments configured to:
• convey an item to be cleansed and packaged into the first compartment to a cleansing position where the first compartment is sealed from external contamination for the cleansing device to cleanse the conveyed item;
• convey the cleansed item from the first compartment directly into the second compartment where the second compartment is sealed from external contamination for the packaging device to package the cleansed item;
• and
• convey the cleansed and packaged item from the second compartment, wherein:
• the cleansing device includes a sanitation device and a sterilization device;
• the sanitation device includes a drying device configured to dry an item and the sanitation device is operable to dry an item before and/or after a sanitation operation;
• and
• the sterilization device includes a drying device configured to dry an item and the sterilization device is operable to dry an item before and/or after a sterilization operation.

An apparatus for cleansing and packaging items, including, but not limited to, medical instruments, comprising:

• a first sealable compartment housing a cleansing device;
• a second sealable compartment joined to the first compartment housing a packaging device;
• and
• a conveyor device configured to selectively transport items to be cleansed and packaged through the first compartment and second compartment;
• the conveyor and compartments configured to:
• convey an item to be cleansed and packaged into the first compartment to a cleansing position where the first compartment is sealed from external contamination for the cleansing device to cleanse the conveyed item;
• convey the cleansed item from the first compartment directly into the second compartment where the second compartment is sealed from external contamination for the packaging device to package the cleansed item;
• and
• convey the cleansed and packaged item from the second compartment, wherein:
• the cleansing device includes a sanitation device and a sterilization device;
• the sanitation device includes sanitation sensors configured to detect sanitation defects and the sanitation device is operable to sense sanitation defects of an item after a sanitation operation and to conduct a further sanitation operation if a sanitation defect is sensed;
• and
• the sterilization device includes sterilization sensors configured to detect sterilization defects and the sterilization device is operable to sense sterilization defects of an item after a sterilization operation and to conduct a further sterilization operation if a sterilization defect is sensed.

A method for cleansing and packaging items, including, but not limited to, medical instruments, comprising:

• providing a first sealable compartment housing a cleansing device, a second sealable compartment joined to the first compartment housing a packaging device, and a conveyor device configured to selectively transport items to be cleansed and packaged through the first compartment and the second compartment;
• conveying an item to be cleansed and packaged into the first compartment to a cleansing position where the first compartment is sealed from external contamination for the cleansing device to cleanse the conveyed item;
• conveying the cleansed item from the first compartment directly into the second compartment where the second compartment is sealed from external contamination for the packaging device to package the cleansed item;
• and
• conveying the cleansed and packaged item from the second compartment, wherein the cleansing device includes a sanitation device and a sterilization device, the sanitation device includes a plurality of sanitation nozzles configured for spraying at least one solution onto an item disposed at the cleansing position and the sterilization device includes a plurality of sterilization nozzles configured for spraying at least one solution onto an item disposed at the cleansing position, further comprising:
• conducting a sanitation operation followed by a sterilization operation to cleanse an item disposed at the cleansing position;
• spraying at least one solution onto an item disposed at the cleansing position during a sanitation operation;
• and
• spraying at least one solution onto an item disposed at the cleansing position during a sterilization operation.

A method for cleansing and packaging items, including, but not limited to, medical instruments, comprising:

• providing a first sealable compartment housing a cleansing device, a second sealable compartment joined to the first compartment housing a packaging device, and a conveyor device configured to selectively transport items to be cleansed and packaged through the first compartment and the second compartment;
• conveying an item to be cleansed and packaged into the first compartment to a cleansing position where the first compartment is sealed from external contamination for the cleansing device to cleanse the conveyed item;
• conveying the cleansed item from the first compartment directly into the second compartment where the second compartment is sealed from external contamination for the packaging device to package the cleansed item;
• and
• conveying the cleansed and packaged item from the second compartment, wherein the cleansing device includes a sanitation device and a sterilization device, the sanitation device includes a drying device configured to dry an item disposed at the cleansing position and the sterilization device includes a drying device configured to dry an item disposed at the cleansing position, further comprising:
• conducting a sanitation operation followed by a sterilization operation to cleanse an item disposed at the cleansing position;
• drying an item disposed at the cleansing position before and/or after a sanitation operation;
• and
• drying an item disposed at the cleansing position before and/or after a sterilization operation.

A method for cleansing and packaging items, including, but not limited to, medical instruments, comprising:

• providing a first sealable compartment housing a cleansing device, a second sealable compartment joined to the first compartment housing a packaging device, and a conveyor device configured to selectively transport items to be cleansed and packaged through the first compartment and the second compartment;
• conveying an item to be cleansed and packaged into the first compartment to a cleansing position where the first compartment is sealed from external contamination for the cleansing device to cleanse the conveyed item;
• conveying the cleansed item from the first compartment directly into the second compartment where the second compartment is sealed from external contamination for the packaging device to package the cleansed item;
• and
• conveying the cleansed and packaged item from the second compartment, wherein the cleansing device includes a sanitation device and a sterilization device, the sanitation device includes sanitation sensors configured to detect sanitation defects and the sterilization device includes sterilization sensors configured to detect sterilization defects, further comprising:
• conducting a sanitation operation followed by a sterilization operation to cleanse an item disposed at the cleansing position;
• sensing sanitation defects of an item after a sanitation operation and conducting a further sanitation operation if a sanitation defect is sensed;
• and
• sensing sterilization defects of an item after a sterilization operation and conducting a further sterilization operation if a sterilization defect is sensed.