Cartridge holder for automated reprocessor

A cartridge holder for mounting in a chamber of a decontamination system which receives an item to be decontaminated comprising:

• a base which defines a well for receiving a single use cartridge having a side wall, a water inlet adjacent one end of the side wall, an outlet adjacent another end of the side wall, and a flange extending peripherally from the side wall and containing a concentrated decontaminate or reagents which mix with water to form a decontamination solution, the base having a cartridge receiving opening and a peripheral flange receiving seat for receiving the flange of the cartridge adjacent an upper end thereof, the base including a plurality of bores disposed on a cartridge outlet side of the flange receiving seat which extend from the well to an exterior surface of the base adjacent the opening;
• a lid which selectively closes the opening, the lid including a flange engaging seat for engaging the flange of the cartridge;
• a fluid passageway at least partially defined by the lid and partially defined by the base, the fluid passageway having an outlet surrounded by the flange engaging seat;
• and
• a connector connected with the fluid passageway for connecting the fluid passageway with a water supply of the decontaminating system to supply water to the well, such that with a cartridge received in the well and the lid closed, water flows through the fluid passage, out the fluid passage, in the cartridge inlet, dissolves the contaminant or reagents, flows out the cartridge outlet, through the well, and out through the bores.

A cartridge holder comprising:

• a base which defines a well for receiving a cartridge having a side wall, the base having an opening adjacent an upper end thereof, the base including a plurality of bores which extend from the well to an exterior surface of the base adjacent the opening;
• a lid which selectively closes the opening;
• a hinge which pivotally connects the lid and the base, the hinge including a pivot pin which defines an interior chamber;
• a fluid passageway defined through an upper wall portion of the base, the interior chamber of the pivot pin and the lid, the fluid passage being fluidly connected with the well;
• and
• a connector mounted to the base in fluid communication with the fluid passage such that water received through the connector passes through the fluid passage in the base upper wall portion, the pin interior passage, and the lid into the well.

A method of disinfection comprising:

• placing a cartridge in a well defined by a base through an opening in the well, the cartridge having a side wall and upper and lower ends which selectively hold within the cartridge a disinfectant concentrate or reagents which react in a liquid to form a disinfectant solution:
• closing the opening in the well with a lid;
• supplying the liquid to the well such that:
• the liquid flows into the cartridge through the upper end,
• the liquid mixes with the concentrate or reagents to form the disinfectant solution, and
• the disinfectant solution flows out of the cartridge into the well through the lower end of the cartridge;
• flowing the disinfectant solution through a space defined between the cartridge side wall and the well to disinfect the well;
• flowing the disinfectant solution out of the well through bores in the base adjacent an upper end of the well.

A disinfection apparatus comprising:

• a cartridge received in a well defined by a base through an opening in the well, the cartridge having a side wall and upper and lower ends which selectively hold within the cartridge a disinfectant concentrate or reagents which react in a liquid to form a disinfectant solution;
• a lid closing the opening in the well;
• a means for supplying the liquid to the well such that:
• the liquid flows into the cartridge through the upper end,
• the liquid mixes with the concentrate or reagents to form the disinfectant solution, and
• the disinfectant solution flows out of the cartridge into the well through the lower end of the cartridge;
• the cartridge side wall and the well defining a space between the cartridge side wall and the well through which the disinfectant solution flows to disinfect the well;
• bores defined in the base adjacent an upper end of the well through which bores the disinfectant solution flows out of the well.

A cartridge holder for mounting in a chamber of a decontamination system which receives an item to be decontaminated comprising:

• a base which defines a well for receiving a single use cartridge containing a concentrated decontaminate or reagents which mix with water to form a decontamination solution and having a side wall, the base having an opening adjacent an upper end thereof, the base including a plurality of bores which extend from the well to an exterior surface of the base adjacent the opening;
• a lid which selectively closes the opening;
• a fluid passageway at least partially defined by the lid and partially defined by the base, the fluid passageway being fluidly connected with the well;
• a connector connected with the fluid passageway for connecting the fluid passageway with a water supply of the decontaminating system to supply water to the well;
• wherein the fluid passageway extends from the connector which receives water from the water supply, through the base without entering the well, from the base to the lid without flowing into the well, through the lid, and from the lid through an outlet opening into the well.

A cartridge holder for mounting in a chamber of a decontamination system which receives an item to be decontaminated comprising:

• a base which defines a well for receiving a single use cartridge containing a concentrated decontaminate or reagents which mix with water to form a decontamination solution and having a side wall, the base having an opening adjacent an upper end thereof, the base including a plurality of bores which extend from the well to an exterior surface of the base adjacent the opening;
• a lid which selectively closes the opening;
• a fluid passageway at least partially defined by the lid and partially defined by the base, the fluid passageway being fluidly connected with the well;
• a connector connected with the fluid passageway for connecting the fluid passageway with a water supply of the decontaminating system to supply water to the well;
• and,
• bores extending through the base from the well to a groove defined between the base and the lid, the base and the lid defining a gap through which fluid from the groove is discharged, fluid flowing through the bores, groove, and gap being isolated from the fluid passage such that fluid flowing through the fluid passage does not intermix with fluid flowing through the bores, the groove, and the gap.