Automated endoscope reprocessor solution testing
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsNick N. Nguyen, Richard A. Jackson, Yan Fang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method measures a property of a solution spectroscopically by placing a quantity of the solution into a cuvette and passing a light therethrough. A reservoir receives a quantity of the solution and bubbles are driven off prior to putting a sample therefrom into the cuvette for measuring.
Claims20
A surgical instrument processor configured to measure a property of a sterilant solution used to process a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument processor comprising:
- a reservoir configured to receive the sterilant solution having bubbles therein;
- a cuvette configured to receive an at least substantially bubble-free sample of the sterilant solution;
- a light source for passing light through the sample;
- a light sensing mechanism for sensing the light passing through the sample;
- a pump configured to move the sterilant solution from the reservoir through the cuvette until the sample of the sterilant solution within the cuvette is at least substantially bubble-free;
- and
- a controller associated with the light sensing mechanism, wherein the light sensing mechanism is configured to detect the light passing through the at least substantially bubble-free sample of the sterilant solution.
A surgical instrument processor having a solution measuring system and a reservoir configured to receive a solution having bubbles therein, the solution measuring system comprising:
- a cuvette configured to receive an at least substantially bubble-free sample of the solution;
- a light source for passing light through the sample;
- a light sensing mechanism for sensing the light passing through the sample;
- and
- a separation assembly including:
- a piston chamber;
- and
- a piston movably positioned within the piston chamber, wherein the piston chamber is configured to receive a quantity of the solution such that at least a portion of the bubbles can separate from the quantity of the solution, and wherein the piston is configured to expel the bubbles from the piston chamber and move the at least substantially bubble-free sample of the solution into the cuvette.
A surgical instrument processor having a solution measuring system and a reservoir configured to receive a solution, the solution measuring system comprising:
- a cuvette configured to receive an at least substantially bubble-free sample of the solution;
- a light source for passing light through the sample;
- a light sensing mechanism for sensing the light passing through the sample;
- a chamber configured to receive a quantity of the solution having bubbles therein;
- a valve in fluid communication with the chamber;
- and
- a controller associated with the valve, wherein the controller is configured to control the valve to first vent the bubbles from the chamber and then control the valve to direct the at least substantially bubble-free sample of the solution into the cuvette.
A measuring assembly configured to be used with a surgical instrument processor, wherein the surgical instrument processor includes a reservoir configured to receive a solution having bubbles therein, the measuring assembly comprising:
- a cuvette configured to receive an at least substantially bubble-free sample of the solution;
- a light source for passing light through the sample;
- a light sensing mechanism for sensing the light passing through the sample;
- and
- a separation assembly including:
- a piston chamber;
- and
- a piston movably positioned within the piston chamber, wherein the piston chamber is configured to receive a quantity of the solution such that at least a portion of the bubbles can separate from the quantity of the solution, and wherein the piston is configured to expel the bubbles from the piston chamber and move the at least substantially bubble-free sample of the solution into the cuvette.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.