US 9,750,833 B2 · Generation of microbiocide inside a package utilizing a controlled gas composition

Abstract

An apparatus and method of producing an atmospheric non-equilibrium plasma (ANEP) in a sealed container having a selected working gas and an object to be treated is described. A variety of working gas mixtures including air, O2, N2, CO2, He and Ar, in combination with a range of ionization gradients, voltages and ANEP column lengths was investigated so as to establish effective ranges of the variables using the sterilization of a sample as a measure of effectiveness. Certain combinations of working gas, voltage gradient, voltage or ANEP column length were found to have greater effectiveness. The approach may be used for food products, medical equipment, or other objects where treatment with reactive gas atmospheres is effective.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of sterilizing or decontaminating an object, comprising:

providing a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) device having electrodes spaced apart and including a dielectric layer extending beyond ends of a conductive portion of at least one of the electrodes;
providing a container suitable for substantially completely enclosing the object;
inserting the object into the container;
filling the container with a working gas at substantially atmospheric pressure;
disposing a portion of the container with respect to the DBD device such that reactive species are produced in the container by the DBD device;
and,
activating the DBD device for a first period of time by applying a voltage gradient,
wherein the voltage gradient applied to the DBD device is greater than approximately 1.4 times an ionization voltage gradient of the working gas.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

15/227,658Filed 3 Aug 2016 · continuation

Priority

24 Mar 2009

Published

US 2016/0339129 A124 Nov 2016

Granted

5 Sep 2017

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A61L 2/14
Using physical processes: plasma, i.e. ionised gases
B65B 55/02
Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging: sterilising, e.g. of complete packages
B65B 55/18
Sterilising contents prior to, or during, packaging: by liquids or gases
H01J 37/32348
Arrangements for generation of plasma specially adapted for examination or treatment of objects, e.g. plasma sources: dielectric barrier discharge

Family

Application61/162,785Us provisional application · filed 24 Mar 2009

Application61/306,774Us provisional application · filed 22 Feb 2010

Application12/726,097Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Mar 2010

Application12/861,106Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Aug 2010

Application61/451,975Us provisional application · filed 11 Mar 2011

PCT/US2012/028413Parent of this division · filed 9 Mar 2012

Application14/004,030Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Oct 2013

Application14/593,443Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Jan 2015

US 8,961,844 B2Parent of this division · filed 24 Feb 2015

US 9,363,880 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Jun 2016

US 2016/0339129 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Nov 2016

US 9,408,930 B2Parent of this continuation

Application14/004,030Parent of this division

Application14/593,443Parent of this division

US 2012/0183437 A1Published application

US 2014/0044595 A1Published application

US 2015/0273094 A1Published application

US 8,961,894 B2Related patent

US 9,750,833 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Generation of microbiocide inside a package utilizing a controlled gas composition

Life of this patent

Generation of microbiocide inside a package utilizing a controlled gas composition

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20