Cleaning of health care instruments
OwnerJoan Wallock, James M. Leuinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for cleaning soiled health care instruments involving subjecting the soiled surfaces of the instruments to a surrounding array of generally inwardly directed cleansing bristles. The bristles are carried by a tubularly bent flexible panel within a tubular container. The container has opposite ends one of which is closed and the oppose of which permits cleansing entry of instruments into the container. Said opposite end may have a self-sealing door entrance for projections therethrough of the instruments to be cleaned. Protection is provided against injury from exposed sharp edges of the instruments being cleaned. Liquid cleaning simultaneously with the bristle cleansing is provided for.
Claims20
A new and improved method of cleaning elongate soiled health care instruments, comprising:
- providing a tubular container having opposite ends, one of which ends is closed and opposite end is open for projection therethrough into the container of instruments to be cleaned;
- providing a flexible panel having instrument-cleaning bristles on one face thereof;
- bending the panel into substantially tubular form and thereby directing said bristles generally convergently towards one another about an axis;
- inserting said tubularly bent panel into said container;
- instruments to be cleaned and relatively agitating said instruments and the bristles in contact with the instruments and thereby effecting cleansing of the instruments by the bristles.
A new and improved method of cleaning elongate soiled health care instruments, such as dental instruments, comprising:
- providing a tubular container having opposite ends;
- closing one end of the container with a removable cap;
- providing within said container generally convergently related cleansing bristles;
- providing an opening into the opposite end of the container;
- inserting into said container, through said opposite end opening portions of instruments to be cleaned and engaging the thus inserted portions of the instruments with said cleansing bristles;
- and
- moving said instruments relative to said bristles and thereby cleansing said portions by action of the bristles on said portions.
A new and improved method of cleaning health care instruments having sharp edges, comprising:
- hand manipulating said instruments with at least portions of the instruments to be cleaned extending into a container having cleansing bristles therein, and moving the instruments relative to the bristles;
- and by guard means associated with the container guarding the instrumentagitating hand against instrument sharp edge injury.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.