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US 2014/0273239 A1Published application
Air removal test strip
AssigneeDana Products, Inc.
InventorHarry Bala
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air removal test system for verifying adequate air removal during a sterilization cycle of a pre-vacuum type sterilizer includes specimen holder and a test strip. The test strip includes a solid indicator chemical, which liquefies and travels along a wicking element during the sterilization cycle. The test strip is configured to verify adequate removal of air during the sterilization cycle by displaying a color change through a window.
Claims17
An air removal test system for verifying adequate air removal during a sterilization cycle of a pre-vacuum type sterilizer, comprising:
- a specimen holder including:
- a tubular body defining an interior chamber;
- a closure cap sealable on a first end of the tubular body;
- and
- an end plug arranged in a second end of the tubular body, wherein the end plug provides a single ingress and egress flow path into and out of the interior chamber;
- and
- a test strip configured to work in conjunction with the specimen holder to indicate whether an adequate air removal has occurred during a sterilization cycle in the pre-vacuum type sterilizer, the test strip including:
- a base element formed from a thermally conductive material having a length and a width, the base element having a recess formed therein;
- a solid indicator chemical deposited in the recess;
- a wicking element positioned at least in part in contact with the solid indicator chemical, the wicking element extending less than the length and width of the base element;
- a film layer positioned over the base element, the wicking element and the solid indicator chemical;
- and
- a coated paper disposed over the film layer, the coated paper including a window therein,
- wherein the window is arranged away from the solid indicator chemical such that a portion of the wicking element is visible through the window, and
- wherein the test strip is placed in the interior chamber, and the specimen holder with the test strip is place in the pre-vacuum type sterilizer, and wherein the solid indicator chemical liquefies and wicks along the wicking element during a pre-vacuum sterilization cycle and changes a color of the wicking element, and wherein the test strip is configured to verify an adequate air removal when the color change covers the portion of the wicking element visible through the window.
12 more elements
A method of verifying adequate air removal during a sterilization cycle of a pre-vacuum type sterilizer, comprising:
- introducing a test strip into a specimen holder including a tubular body defining an interior chamber, a closure cap sealable on a first end of the tubular body, and an end plug arranged in a second end of the tubular body, wherein the end plug provides a single ingress and egress flow path into and out of the interior chamber;
- wherein the test strip is configured to work in conjunction with the specimen holder to indicate whether an adequate air removal has occurred during a sterilization cycle in the pre-vacuum type sterilizer, the test strip having:
- a base element formed from a thermally conductive material having a length and a width, the base element having a recess formed therein;
- a solid indicator chemical deposited in the recess;
- a wicking element positioned at least in part in contact with the solid indicator chemical, the wicking element extending less than the length and width of the base element;
- a film layer positioned over the base element, the wicking element and the solid indicator chemical;
- and
- a coated paper disposed over the film layer, the coated paper including a window therein,
- wherein the window is arranged away from the solid indicator chemical such that a portion of the wicking element is visible through the window;
- placing the specimen holder including the test strip in the pre-vacuum type sterilizer;
- running a sterilization cycle;
- and
- verifying an adequate air removal by inspecting a color change of the wicking element through the window.
10 more elements
A test strip configured to work in conjunction with a specimen holder to verify adequate air removal during a sterilization cycle of a pre-vacuum type sterilizer, comprising:
- a base element formed from a thermally conductive material having a length and a width, the base element having a recess formed therein;
- a solid indicator chemical deposited in the recess;
- a wicking element positioned at least in part in contact with the solid indicator chemical, the wicking element extending less than the length and width of the base element;
- a film layer positioned over the base element, the wicking element and the solid indicator chemical;
- and
- a coated paper disposed over the film layer, the coated paper including a window therein,
- wherein the window is arranged away from the solid indicator chemical such that a portion of the wicking element is visible through the window, and
- wherein the test strip is configured to verify an adequate air removal during a predetermined sterilization cycle when the test strip is placed in an inner chamber of the specimen holder and placed in the pre-vacuum type sterilizer during the sterilization cycle, wherein the test strip is configured to verify the adequate air removal when a color change from liquefied indicator chemical wicking along the wicking element covers the entire area of the wicking element visible through the window.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.