High temperature and pressure steam sterilization container for endoscope, and endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device

• US 20050000553A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Higuma, Masakazu, Noguchi, Toshiaki, Morishita, Koji, Amano, Shoichi, Oshima, Ryu, Nakagawa, Mikihiko, Ishibiki, Kota, Yoshimoto, Yosuke, Tashiro, Yoshio, Moriyama, Hiroki, Hasegawa, Hitoshi, Futatsugi, Yasuyuki
• Application Number:
  US10/900,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20050000553A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/84
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00144 Hygienic packaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/123 using washing machines
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/125 using fluid circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/701 for flexible tubular instruments, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/07 Steam
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/122 Chambers for sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/17 Combination with washing or cleaning means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps

Abstract

A high temperature and pressure steam sterilization container for an endoscope, which contains the endoscope to perform a high temperature and pressure steam sterilization, is contained in a cleaner so that cleaning is possible in a state in which the endoscope is stored.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

an endoscope storage portion in which an endoscope is stored to subject the endoscope to a high temperature and pressure steam sterilization,

wherein the container is contained in a cleaner for cleaning and is usable in cleaning the endoscope in a state in which the endoscope is stored in the endoscope storage portion.

2. The container according to claim 1, which is formed of a material having a resistance to a high temperature and pressure steam.

3. The container according to claim 1, which is capable of sealing the endoscope.

4. The container according to claim 1, which includes handles for transport.

5. An endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device in which an endoscope is cleaned and subjected to a high temperature and pressure steam sterilization, the device comprising:

a container in which the endoscope is stored and subjected to the high temperature and pressure steam sterilization;

a cleaning section to store the container in a state in which the endoscope is stored and to clean the endoscope in the container; and

a high temperature and pressure steam sterilization section to store the container in a state in which the endoscope remains to be stored and to subject the endoscope in the container to the high temperature and pressure steam sterilization.

6. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 5, wherein the endoscope is capable of being subjected to the high temperature and pressure steam sterilization, and comprises an elongated soft insertion portion, and a pipe line constituting body disposed in the insertion portion,

the pipe line constituting body includes openings disposed in opposite ends of the insertion portion, and

the high temperature and pressure steam sterilization section comprises a posture adjustment portion to store the endoscope in a state in which at least one of the openings of the pipe line constituting body is directed and disposed in a direction other than a gravity direction.

7. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 6,

wherein the posture adjustment portion is formed in the container.

8. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 5,

wherein the device comprise a hanger device from which the endoscope is to be hung, and

the hanger device comprises a hanger base portion, and a hanger head detachably attached to the hanger base portion and capable of being subjected to the high temperature and pressure steam sterilization.

9. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 8, wherein the hanger head is detachably attached to the hanger base portion in a combined state with the endoscope.

10. An endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device in which an endoscope is cleaned and subjected to a high temperature and pressure steam sterilization, comprising:

a first treatment section to clean or clean and disinfect the endoscope which is a treatment object;

a second treatment section which sterilizes the endoscope cleaned or cleaned and disinfected in the first treatment section;

a conveying section which conveys the endoscope between the first and second treatment sections; and

a device main body in which the first and second treatment sections and the conveying section are integrated.

11. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 10, wherein the device main body comprises:

a container which stores the endoscope;

a fluid pipe line constituting member which is connected to the container and in which fluids for cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing treatments of the endoscope are circulated;

an opening and closing mechanism which opens and closes the fluid pipe line constituting member; and

an opening and closing control section which closes the opening and closing mechanism in a state other than cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing treatment processes of the endoscope.

12. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 10,

wherein the device main body comprises a control section which controls the first and second treatment sections and the conveying section, and

the control section comprise a switching section which switches a control state of the conveying section in a manual control or an automatic control.

13. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 11,

wherein the fluid pipe line constituting member comprises at least a pipe line constituting member for cleaning and disinfecting, and a pipe line constituting member for sterilizing,

the container is formed by a tray for the endoscope, comprising an opening and closing mechanism which opens and closes the pipe line constituting members,

the first treatment section comprises a cleaning unit which cleans or cleans and disinfects the endoscope attached to the tray,

the second treatment section comprises a sterilizing unit which sterilizes the endoscope cleaned or cleaned and disinfected by the cleaning unit, and

the cleaning unit and the sterilizing unit comprise pipe line control mechanisms which control the opening and closing mechanism.

14. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 11, wherein the opening and closing mechanism and the pipe line control mechanism are controlled by communication means by radio waves.

15. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 11, wherein the opening and closing mechanism and the pipe line control mechanism comprise a valve operated by a cam mechanism, and a pin member which operates the cam mechanism.

16. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 13,

wherein the conveying section conveys the endoscope cleaned or cleaned and disinfected by the cleaning unit to the sterilizing unit,

the sterilizing unit comprises a chamber for sterilizing, and

the chamber for sterilizing comprises a tray attaching portion to which the tray for the endoscope conveyed by the conveying section is attached.

17. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 16,

wherein the tray attaching portion comprises:

a tray adsorption portion which adsorbs the tray; and

a motor for lifting up and down and driving, which lifts up and down and drives the tray.

18. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 16,

wherein the chamber for sterilizing comprises:

a solution supply mechanism which supplies a fluid to the tray attaching portion;

a fluid pump which supplies or discharge the fluid;

a valve which controls the fluid supply to the tray attaching portion; and

a float which floats the tray for the endoscope on the fluid.

19. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 13,

wherein the device comprises a device main body, and a lid portion which opens and closes the device main body, and

the tray for the endoscope includes a lid which seals the tray and which is integrally disposed in the lid portion of the device main body.

20. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 13,

wherein the container comprises a pipe line opening and closing portion optionally connected to a pipe line which supplies liquid or gas or steam for cleaning or disinfecting or sterilizing the device at a storage time into the constituting unit or the sterilizing unit.

21. The endoscope cleaning and sterilizing device according to claim 11,

wherein the container is usable of the high temperature and pressure steam sterilization of the endoscope in the second treatment section in a state in which the endoscope is stored, and is contained in the first treatment section and is usable in cleaning the endoscope.