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US 7,247,482 B2Granted
Variable resistance sterilization process challenge device and method
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsAnthony Lemus, Debra Timm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sterilization process challenge device has a sterilization indicator contained within a container; and a variable diffusion restriction into said container.
Claims21
A sterilization process challenge device comprising:
- a sterilization indicator contained within a container;
- a variable diffusion restriction into said container;
- and
- indicia associated with the variable diffusion restriction indicative of an amount of diffusion restriction provided thereby.
1 more element
A method for assessing the sterilization efficacy of a sterilization process comprising the steps of:
- placing a sterilization process challenge device in proximity to a device to be sterilized during the sterilization process, the sterilization process challenge device comprising a container, a sterilization indicator within the container, an opening into said container and an adjustable diffusion restriction at said opening;
- assessing a feature of a load of one or more devices to be sterilized in said sterilization process;
- adjusting, with assistance from indicia associated with the adjustable diffusion restriction and being indicative of an amount of diffusion restriction provided by said adjustable diffusion restriction, the amount of diffusion restriction provided by said adjustable diffusion restriction based upon said feature of said load;
- and
- indicating the sterilization efficacy with the indicator.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.