Sterilization apparatus and sterilization method
AssigneesCanon Marketing Japan Kabushiki Kaisha, Elk Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Elquest
InventorsYasushi Hanada, Takashi Koyama
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Abstract
It is to provide a mechanism where a sterilization process using a concentrated sterilizing agent and a sterilization process using a sterilizing agent that has not been concentrated can be switched without changing the sterilization process. In the case where the concentrated mode is received by receiving means the transfer of the sterilizing agent to the concentration chamber is controlled according to a first timing, and in the case where the non-concentrated mode is received by the receiving means, the transfer of the sterilizing agent to the concentration chamber is controlled according to a second timing, wherein the first timing is different from the second timing.
Claims15
A sterilization apparatus for sterilizing target objects using a sterilizing agent which is transferred to a sterilization chamber after transferring to a concentration chamber, comprising:
- transfer means for transferring, from a container filled with a liquid sterilizing agent, the liquid sterilizing agent to the concentration chamber;
- the concentration chamber for concentrating the liquid sterilizing agent transferred by the transfer means by applying heat to the transferred liquid sterilizing agent;
- the sterilization chamber for sterilizing the target objects using sterilizing gas obtained by vaporizing the liquid sterilizing agent which has been concentrated by being heated by the concentration chamber without using gas generated as a result of vaporization performed by the heating by the concentration chamber;
- and
- receiving means for receiving, from a user via an operation unit, selection of one mode from among a highly-concentrated mode in which sterilization by using a liquid sterilizing agent highly concentrated in the concentration chamber is performed and a low-concentrated mode
- in which sterilization by using a liquid sterilizing agent not highly concentrated in the concentration chamber is performed, wherein
- the liquid sterilizing agent transferred to the concentration chamber by the transfer means is heated by the concentration chamber during a period longer in a case where the selection of the highly-concentrated mode is received by the receiving means than in a case where the selection of the low-concentrated mode is received by the receiving means.
A sterilization method for a sterilization apparatus comprising transfer means for transferring, from a container filled with a liquid sterilizing agent, the liquid sterilizing agent to a concentration chamber, the concentration chamber for concentrating the liquid sterilizing agent by applying heat to the liquid sterilizing agent transferred by the transfer means, and a sterilization chamber for sterilizing the target objects using sterilizing gas obtained by vaporizing the liquid sterilizing agent which has been concentrated by being heated by the concentration chamber without using gas generated as a result of vaporization performed by the heating by the concentration chamber, the method comprising:
- receiving, from a user via an operation unit, a selection of one mode from among a highly-concentrated mode in which sterilization by using a liquid sterilizing agent highly concentrated in the concentration chamber is performed and a low-concentrated mode in which sterilization by using a liquid sterilizing agent not highly concentrated in the concentration chamber is performed,
- wherein the liquid sterilizing agent transferred to the concentration chamber by the transfer means is heated by the concentration chamber during a period longer in a case where the selection of the highly-concentrated mode is received by the receiving means than in a case where the selection of the low-concentrated mode is received by the receiving means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.