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US 7,608,218 B2Granted
Sterilization with flow through container
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsBen Fryer, Szu Min Lin, Robert Lukasik, Todd Morrison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A chemical vapor sterilization process is enhanced by flowing a portion of the sterilant vapor through an instrument container using a normal portion of the exhaust process. Preferably, an exhaust conduit which draws a vacuum on a sterilization chamber is oriented so that the container is adjacent an inlet to the conduit.
Claims23
A sterilization system comprising:
- a sterilization chamber for receiving a container having an article to be sterilized therein;
- a source of sterilant connected to the sterilization chamber;
- a vacuum pump connected to the sterilization chamber;
- at least one of the source of sterilant or the vacuum pump connecting to the chamber via a conduit having an interface with the container;
- whereby to promote ingress of sterilant into the container, sterilant may be flowed directly into the container via the conduit or exhausted from the chamber through the container via the conduit.
2 more elements
A method for sterilizing an article comprising the steps of:
- placing the article into a container;
- placing the container into a chamber;
- admitting a sterilant into the chamber;
- and
- enhancing penetration of sterilant into the container by performing at least one of the following steps:
- a) interfacing a vacuum pump to the container and through an exhaust interface there formed exhausting at least a portion of an atmosphere within the container directly out of the chamber and thereby drawing sterilant that is in the chamber yet exterior of the container into the container;
- b) interfacing a source of esterilant to the container and through in inlet interface there formed admitting at least a portion of the sterilant directly into the container.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.