# US 2014/0154153 A1 · Test Specimen Holding Device for Inspecting Sterilization or Cleaning Processes

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- Number: US 2014/0154153 A1
- Document ID: US20140154153A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/123,939
- Filed: 2012-06-06
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-06
- Assignees: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
- Inventors: Elisabeth Averdam; Reiner Leukel; Burkhard Weg; Martin Zink
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154153A1

## CPC

- A61L 2/28: Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation or disinfection, e.g. indicators which change colour
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a test specimen holding device for inspecting a sterilization- and/or cleaning process. The holding device comprises: a substantially spherically shaped body comprising at least one through opening for a cleaning- and/or sterilization agent to enter the body, at least one receptacle to receive and/or to keep at least one test specimen inside the body.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-13. (canceled)

### Claim 14

Test specimen holding device for inspecting a sterilization- and/or cleaning process, the holding device comprising:
a substantially spherically shaped body comprising at least one through opening (16) for a cleaning- and/or sterilization agent to enter the body,
at least one receptacle to receive and/or to keep at least one test specimen inside the body, characterized by
a fixing disc to be fastened inside the body and being further adapted to fix the test specimen in the receptacle of the body, and wherein the fixing disc comprises at least one through opening adapted to receive a measuring tip of the test specimen.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The holding device according to claim 14, wherein the body comprises a first shell structure and a second shell structure, said first and second shell structures comprise mutually corresponding fastening means for releasably interconnecting first and second shell structures.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The holding device according to claim 15, wherein the fastening means of the first shell structure comprises a threaded socket adapted to threadedly engage with a threaded rim of the second shell structure.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The holding device according to claim 15, wherein first and second shell structures comprise mutually corresponding circumferential contact surfaces adjacently arranged to the fastening means of first and second shell structures.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The holding device according to claim 15, wherein the first and/or the second shell structure comprise a substantially spherically-, cylindrically- or rectangularly shaped receptacle adapted to receive a correspondingly shaped test specimen.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The holding device according to claim 14, wherein the receptacle is adapted to receive and to hold a data logging device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The holding device according to claim 14, wherein the fixing disc divides the inner volume of the body in at least two compartments.

### Claim 21 (depends on 4)

The holding device according to claim 4, wherein the body is adapted to receive and to keep at least two different types of test specimens simultaneously.

### Claim 22 (depends on 14)

The holding device according to claim 14, wherein the body comprises a multiplicity of through openings arranged across the outer surface of the body to enable the cleaning- and/or sterilization agent to flow therethrough.

### Claim 23 (depends on 15)

The holding device according to claim 15, wherein the fixing disc is removably arranged inside the body and further comprises a multiplicity of through openings.

### Claim 23 (depends on 14)

The holding device according to claim 14, wherein the body and/or at least one of its shell structures comprises a thermoplastic material.