Plasma-enhanced vacuum drying
AssigneeJohnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.
InventorsRobert M. Spencer, Tralance O. Addy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plasma-enhanced vacuum drying method is disclosed. It is advantageously applied in plasma sterilization processes in particular, and represents a significant improvement for general evacuation drying methods. Articles to be sterilized are placed in a sealed chamber and the chamber is evacuated. A plasma of residual gas species is generated in the chamber during an initial evacuation step. This promotes drying of the articles and advantageously allows a desired pressure to be attained more quickly than without the plasma. Sterilizing gas is injected into the chamber, and a second plasma is generated to activate the sterilizing gas plasma, thereby sterilizing the articles in the chamber.
Claims18
A vacuum sterilization method, comprising:
- placing into a chamber an article to be sterilized, said article having a quantity of condensed residue thereon to be evaporated;
- evacuating the chamber to reach a first pressure selected to facilitate evaporation of said residue;
- generating a gas plasma in the chamber at said first pressure;
- maintaining the gas plasma in the chamber for a duration sufficient to evaporate a substantial portion of the condensed residue;
- evacuating the chamber to reach a second pressure;
- and introducing a sterilizing gas into the chamber at said second pressure subsequent to evaporation of the substantial portion of the condensed residue, wherein the second pressure is selected to facilitate sterilization.
A method of drying a wet article for sterilization purposes comprising:
- placing an article to be dried in a chamber containing ambient air, said article having a quantity of condensed material thereon;
- closing the chamber;
- evacuating the chamber;
- generating a residual gas plasma in the chamber while continuing to evacuate the chamber for a duration sufficient to evaporate a substantial portion of the condensed material;
- evacuating the chamber to reach a second pressure;
- introducing a sterilizing gas into the chamber at said second pressure;
- and
- removing the article from the chamber without introducing any fluid into the chamber other than the fluid which relieves the vacuum.
A method of drying comprising:
- placing into a chamber an article which includes at least one milliliter of water;
- evacuating the chamber;
- and
- generating a plasma in the chamber while continuing to evacuate until a desired quantity of water is removed from the article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.