US 5,019,344 AGranted

Method for sterilizing articles such as dental handpieces

AssigneeFlexiclave, Inc.

InventorsBarry S. Kutner, Daniel A. Latowicki

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Abstract

Method and apparatus for sterilizing articles such as dental handpieces include introducing the article and liquid sterilant solution into a collapsible pouch formed of vapor-impermeable sheet material, sealing the collapsible pouch to form a gas-tight assembly, and heating the gas-tight assembly to vaporize the liquid sterilant solution to produce an atmosphere of hot sterilant vapor. The liquid sterilant is introduced into the pouch in a quantity sufficient to create an overpressure when vaporized which is indicated by the collapsible pouch expanding to a distended condition. In one embodiment, the liquid sterilant solution is vaporized by irradiating the gas-tight assembly with microwave radiation in which case the article is sterilized under the combined effects of chemical vapor and microwave irradiation.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method for sterilizing at least one article by vapor under pressure comprising the steps of:

introducing at least one article to be sterilized and a quantity of liquid into a collapsible pouch formed of material at least partially transparent to radiation through a sealable opening therein, said quantity of liquid being sufficient so that when said pouch opening is sealed to form a gas-tight assembly and said liquid is vaporized, an overpressure is created within said pouch which will expand said pouch to a visually-apparent distended condition;
sealing said pouch opening to form a gas-tight assembly;
and
irradiating said gas-tight assembly with said radiation while shielding said at least one article from said radiation to vaporize said liquid so that said collapsible pouch expands to a visually-apparent distended condition to produce an atmosphere of hot vapor under pressure in said gas-tight assembly, while shielding said at least one article from said radiation,
whereby said at least one article situated within said gas-tight assembly is sterilized under the effect of vapor under pressure.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.