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US 9,849,204 B2Granted
Sterilization device and methods
AssigneeSterio3, LLC
InventorDaniel Taggart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to devices and methods for sterilizing equipment. More particularly, one or more embodiments described in the present disclosure are directed to portable devices for sterilizing medical equipment in emergency situations. The sterilization devices and method of the present disclosure address an unmet need for sterilizing surgical equipment in a manner that is not only effective and time-efficient, but is also portable and reliable enough to use in emergency medical situations in remote locations where modern sterilization equipment is not available.
Claims28
A portable sterilization device for use with one or more sterilants, the portable sterilization device comprising:
- an external housing unit including disposed within the external housing unit:
- a sealable sterilization chamber, the sealable sterilization chamber configured to have an atmosphere contained therein;
- an ozone delivery device operatively associated with the sealable sterilization chamber, the ozone delivery device configured to generate a plasma gas sterilant;
- a sterilant delivery device operatively associated with the sealable sterilization chamber and the ozone delivery device, the sterilant delivery device comprising a nebulization element, wherein the nebulization element is configured to receive the plasma gas sterilant and convert by nebulization the one or more sterilants with the plasma gas sterilant into an oxidative aerosol sterilant and is further configured to deliver the oxidative aerosol sterilant into the sealable sterilization chamber;
- a circulator including a pathway from the ozone delivery device in direct communication with the nebulizer and configured to direct portions of the atmosphere from the sealable sterilization chamber to the ozone delivery device and back to the sealable sterilization chamber;
- a control panel configured to operate the sealable sterilization chamber, the sterilant delivery device, the ozone delivery device, and the circulator;
- and
- a power source operatively associated with the control panel and configured to supply power to at least the sterilant delivery device, the ozone delivery device, and the circulator;
- whereupon activation, the control panel is configured to execute an operation to provide delivery of the oxidative aerosol sterilant into the sealable sterilization chamber.
6 more elements
An article for sterilizing a plurality of medical instruments comprising:
- a sterilization chamber including a sterilization chamber base, a sterilization chamber top, and a seal located between the sterilization chamber base and the sterilization chamber top, wherein the sterilization chamber top is moveable relative to the sterilization chamber base;
- a sterilant delivery device comprising a nebulization element contained within the sterilization chamber;
- wherein the sterilant delivery device further comprises a manifold associated with the nebulization element, the manifold including at least one ozone inlet and at least one airflow outlet, the nebulization element configured to receive a plasma gas sterilant via the at least one ozone inlet and at least one liquid sterilant, wherein the nebulization element is further configured to convert the plasma gas sterilant and the at least one liquid sterilant into an oxidative aerosol sterilant and release the oxidative aerosol sterilant within the sterilization chamber.
A method comprising:
- manufacturing a portable sterilization device comprising:
- an external housing unit including disposed within the external housing unit:
- a sealable sterilization chamber, the sealable sterilization chamber configured to have an atmosphere contained therein;
- an ozone delivery device operatively associated with the sealable sterilization chamber, the ozone delivery device configured to generate a plasma gas sterilant;
- a sterilant delivery device operatively associated with the sealable sterilization chamber and the ozone delivery device, the sterilant delivery device comprising a nebulization element and configured to receive one or more sterilants, wherein the nebulization element is further configured to receive the plasma gas sterilant and convert by nebulization the one or more sterilants with the plasma gas sterilant into an oxidative aerosol sterilant and is further configured to deliver the oxidative aerosol sterilant into the sealable sterilization chamber;
- a circulator including a pathway from the ozone delivery device in direct communication with the nebulizer and configured to direct portions of the atmosphere from the sealable sterilization chamber to the ozone delivery device and back to the sealable sterilization chamber;
- a control panel configured to operate the sealable sterilization chamber, the sterilant delivery device, the ozone delivery device, and the circulator;
- and
- a power source operatively associated with the control panel and configured to supply power to at least the sterilant delivery device, the ozone delivery device, and the circulator.
6 more elements
A portable sterilization device comprising:
- an external housing unit including disposed within the external housing unit:
- a sealable sterilization chamber, the sealable sterilization chamber configured to have an atmosphere contained therein;
- an ozone delivery device operatively associated with the sealable sterilization chamber, the ozone delivery device configured to generate a plasma gas sterilant;
- a sterilant delivery device operatively associated with the sealable sterilization chamber and the ozone delivery device, the sterilant delivery device comprising a nebulization element and one or more sterilants, wherein the nebulization element is configured to receive the plasma gas sterilant and convert by nebulization the one or more sterilants with the plasma gas sterilant into an oxidative aerosol sterilant and deliver the oxidative aerosol sterilant into the sealable sterilization chamber;
- a circulator including a pathway from the ozone delivery device in direct communication with the nebulizer and configured to direct portions of the atmosphere from the sealable sterilization chamber to the ozone delivery device and back to the sealable sterilization chamber;
- a control panel configured to operate the sealable sterilization chamber, the sterilant delivery device, the ozone delivery device, and the circulator;
- and
- a power source operatively associated with the control panel and configured to supply power to at least the sterilant delivery device, the ozone delivery device, and the circulator;
- whereupon activation, the control panel is configured to execute an operation to provide delivery of the oxidative aerosol sterilant into the sealable sterilization chamber;
- and,
- wherein the portable sterilization device is self-contained within the external housing unit and does not include an external water source and an external oxygen source.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.