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US 6,656,426 B1Granted
Process for concentrating a sterilant and sterilizing articles therewith
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsJenn-Hann Wang, Paul Jacobs, Szu-Min Lin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for sterilization of medical instruments by concentrating a sterilant such as hydrogen peroxide inside of a sterilization chamber and sterilizing articles therewith. The sterilant is concentrated by removing more water from the sterilization chamber than peroxide.
Claims25
A method of furnishing concentrated hydrogen peroxide vapor to an article comprising the steps of:
- placing the article into a chamber containing an inner atmosphere;
- placing a solution comprising hydrogen peroxide and water into fluid communication with the chamber, the solution having a ratio of hydrogen peroxide to water;
- vaporizing the solution in the inner atmosphere to form floater vapor and hydrogen peroxide vapor;
- selectively drawing water vapor from the chamber to increase a ratio of hydrogen peroxide to water in the chamber;
- and
- contacting the article with the hydrogen peroxide vapor.
3 more elements
A method of furnishing concentrated hydrogen peroxide vapor to an article comprising the steps of:
- placing the article into a chamber containing an inner atmosphere;
- placing a solution comprising hydrogen peroxide and water into fluid communication with the chamber, the solution having a ratio of hydrogen peroxide to water;
- vaporizing the solution in the inner atmosphere to form water vapor and hydrogen peroxide vapor;
- selectively drawing water vapor from the chamber to increase a ratio of hydrogen peroxide to water in the chamber;
- contacting the article with the hydrogen peroxide vapor;
- wherein the step of selectively drawing water vapor from the chamber comprises placing said solution within a diffusion restricted environment in fluid communication with the chamber during the step of vaporizing the solution;
- and
- wherein the diffusion restricted environment is more diffusion restricted during the step of selectively drawing water vapor from the chamber than during a portion of the step of vaporizing the solution without selectively drawing water vapor from the chamber.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.