Device for sterilizing medical and dental objects
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorEugen Hohmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device which enables a rapid sterilization of one or more medical and dental objects characterized by a first chamber for containing the objects to be sterilized, a second chamber connected to the first chamber and having a smaller volume than the first chamber for receiving a liquid reaction fluid and positioning the fluid in an area of high energy density from a source of radiation such as infrared radiation or microwave radiation so that the object is vaporized and the vaporized gases of the reaction agent flow into the first chamber to sterilize the objects.
Claims23
A device for sterilizing medical and dental objects, such as instruments and the like, by contacting the object with a gas produced by heating a liquid reaction agent, said device comprising a single vessel having an enlarged portion forming a first container for receiving the object to be sterilized, a narrow portion forming a second container for receiving said liquid reaction agent and having a volume substantially smaller than the volume of the first container and a connecting portion forming means for interconnecting the interiors of said first and second containers to enable flow of fluid and gases therebetween;
- and means for heating the liquid reaction agent in the second container to produce a hot gas for sterilizing each object in the first container, said means for heating including a source of radiation, means for creating an area of high energy density for the radiation, and means for positioning the second container in the area of high energy density so that the liquid reaction agent in the second container is heated to a temperature to vaporize it into a hot gas, which flows through the means for interconnecting to sterilize each object in the first container.
A device for sterilizing medical and dental objects, such as instruments and the like, by contacting the object with a gas produced by heating a liquid reaction agent, said device comprising a first container for receiving the object to be sterilized;
- a second container for receiving said liquid reaction agent and having a volume substantially smaller than the volume of the first container;
- means for interconnecting the interiors of said first and second containers to enable flow of fluid and gases therebetween;
- and means for heating the liquid reaction agent in the second container to produce a hot gas for sterilizing each object in the first container, said means for heating including an infrared radiator means for creating an area of high energy density for the infrared radiation including an elliptical reflector having a pair of focal lines with the infrared radiator being disposed at one of said pair of focal lines, and means for positioning the second container in the area of high energy density at the other of said pair of focal lines so that the liquid reaction agent in the second container is heated to a temperature to vaporize it into a hot gas, which flows through the means for interconnecting to sterilize each object in the first container.
A device for sterilizing medical and dental objects, such as instruments and the like, by contacting the object with a heated gas produced by heating a liquid reaction agent, said device comprising a first container for receiving the object to be sterilized;
- a second container for receiving said liquid reaction agent and having a volume substantially smaller than the volume of the first container;
- means for interconnecting the interiors of said first and second containers to enable flow of fluid and gases therebetween;
- and means for heating the liquid reaction agent in the second container to produce a hot gas for sterilizing each object in the first container, said means for heating including a source of radiation, means for creating an area of high energy density for the radiation, and means for positioning the second container in the area of high energy density, said second container including means for explosively transferring the heated gas of the heated reaction agent from said second container into said first container, said means for explosively transferring preventing flow of the vaporized gases until a predetermined pressure in a range of 1.5 to 5 bars is reached, so that the liquid reaction agent in the second container is heated to a temperature to vaporize it into a hot gas of a predetermined pressure and is then released to flow through the means for interconnecting to sterilize each object in the first container.
A device for sterilizing medical and dental objects, such as instruments and the like, by contacting the object with a gas produced by heating a liquid reaction agent, said device comprising a first container for receiving the object to be sterilized;
- a second container for receiving said liquid reaction agent and having a volume substantially smaller than the volume of the first container;
- means for interconnecting the interiors of said first and second containers to enable flow of fluid and gases therebetween;
- and means for heating the liquid reaction agent in the second container to produce a hot gas for sterilizing each object in the first container, said means for heating including a microwave generator having a discharge nozzle for discharging microwave radiation into a cavity resonator in a housing, means for creating an area of high energy density for the microwave radiation being formed by said cavity resonator, and means for positioning the second container in the area of high energy density comprising an opening in the housing for receiving and supporting the second container in the desired position in said housing while the first container with the part to be sterilized is disposed outside of said housing, so that the liquid reaction agent in the second container is heated to a temperature to vaporize it into a hot gas, which flows through the means for interconnecting to sterilize each object in the first container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.