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US 2004/0001774 A1Published application
Sterilization with temperature-controlled diffusion path
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsHarold R. Williams, Szu-Min Lin, Robert Lukasik
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Abstract
A chemical vapor sterilization process is enhanced by controlling the temperature of a diffusion path between a vaporizer and a sterilization chamber so as to condense and then re-vaporize at least a portion of the vapor.
Claims18
A sterilization system comprising:
- a sterilization chamber;
- a vacuum pump connected to the sterilization chamber;
- a liquid sterilant solution vaporizer;
- and
- a diffusion path between the vaporizer and the chamber, the diffusion path having a temperature controller to control the temperature of the diffusion path.
2 more elements
A method of sterilizing an article comprising the steps of:
- placing the article into a sterilization chamber;
- lowering pressure in the chamber;
- vaporizing a liquid sterilant solution in a vaporizer to form a chemical sterilant vapor;
- diffusing the sterilant vapor from the vaporizer into the chamber along a diffusion path;
- condensing a portion of the sterilant vapor onto the diffusion path;
- and
- heating the diffusion path and vaporizing the sterilant condensed thereon.
4 more elements
A method according to clam 9 wherein the step of heating the diffusion path occurs after the liquid sterilant solution is essentially completely vaporized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.