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US 4,066,399 AGranted
Method for humidifying a gas sterilizer
AssigneeAmerican Sterilizer Company
InventorDonald A. Gunther
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Humidifying composition is introduced into a portable gas sterilizer in droplet form. The composition is packaged in an aerosol can and comprises water, preferably water and organic solvent. Automatic controls effect a predetermined relative humidity in the sterilizer before initiating sterilizing gas introduction.
Claims4
In a gas sterilization process carried out in a sterilizing chamber and involving humidification of materials within the chamber and subsequently involving introduction of sterilizing gas, the steps comprising
- a. providing improved humidification by
- i. providing a combination of water and water soluble organic solvent whose presence increases vapor pressure, decreases surface tension and lowers polarity, said solvent being selected from the group consisting of lower alcohols, ketones and ethers;
- and
- ii. introducing such combination of water and organic solvent into the sterilizing chamber, the presence of the organic solvent improving the permeability of such combination through the pores of materials within such chamber;
- and
- b. subsequent to step (a), introducing into the sterilization chamber sterilizing gas comprising ethylene oxide.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.