Sterilizing apparatus and sterilizing method

• US 20050148819A1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Amano, Shoichi, Hasegawa, Hitoshi, Morishita, Koji, Futatsugi, Yasuyuki, Nakagawa, Mikihiko, Ishibiki, Kota, Yoshimoto, Yosuke, Tashiro, Yoshio, Moriyama, Hiroki, Noguchi, Toshiaki, Oshima, Ryu
• Application Number:
  US11/072,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20050148819A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/123 using washing machines
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/06 Hot gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/07 Steam
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation

Abstract

The invention is a sterilizing apparatus that reads information from an information recording section provided in an endoscope, sets a sterilizing process condition for sterilizing the endoscope on the basis of the read information, and controls a sterilizing process in accordance with the sterilizing process condition that is set.

Claims

1. A sterilizing apparatus comprising:

a containing section that contains a to-be-sterilized object including an information storing section that prestores history information including an executed process content of at least one of a cleaning process step and a sterilizing process step, and that prestores type information of a type, the sterilizing process step for sterilizing the to-be-sterilized object being executed in the containing section;

a reading section that is provided to be able to-read the history information and the type information from the information storing section that is provided in the to-be-sterilized object;

a sterilizing process condition setting section that sets at least one process condition of the sterilizing process step for the to-be-sterilized object contained in the containing section, on the basis of the executed process content associated with the to-be-sterilized object, which is obtained by the reading of the history information and the type information by the reading section;

a control section that controls a process operation of the sterilizing process step for the to-be-sterilized object contained in the containing section, on the basis of the process condition that is set by the sterilizing process condition setting section;

a write section that is provided to be able to write the history information, which includes, as executed process content, the process condition of the sterilizing process step for the to-be-sterilized object, the process operation of which is executed by a control of the control section, into the information storing section that is provided in the to-be-sterilized object;

an indicating section that indicates two or more process conditions in the sterilizing process step for the to-be-sterilized object contained in the containing section, which are set by the sterilizing process condition setting section; and

a selection section that selects one process condition that is to be executed for the to-be-sterilized object, from the process conditions that are indicated by the indicating section,

wherein the control section controls the process operation of the sterilizing process step for the to-be-sterilized object contained in the containing section, on the basis of the process condition that is selected by the selection section.

2. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the to-be-sterilized object includes an endoscope.

3. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reading section includes a communication device that receives by radio the information from the information storing section of the to-be-sterilized object.

4. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reading section includes a communication device that includes a communication cord, which is connectable to the information storing section of the to-be-sterilized object, and receives the information from the information storing section through the communication cord.

5. A sterilizing apparatus that executes a sterilizing step of storing an endoscope, which includes an information writable memory section, in a chamber, and sterilizing the endoscope with high-temperature, high-pressure steam, and a drying step of drying the endoscope to which moisture is added by the steam, the sterilizing apparatus comprising:

a reading section that reads, from the memory section of the endoscope, prestored information that includes a process condition of at least one of the sterilizing step and drying step, which are previously executed, and a type of the endoscope;

a step condition calculating section that calculates a process condition that is to be currently executed, which relates to at least one of the sterilizing step and the drying step, on the basis of the information that is read by the reading section;

a control section that controls a process operation of at least one of the sterilizing step and the drying step, which relates to the process condition, in accordance with the process condition that is calculated by the step condition calculating section;

a write section that writes the process condition of at least one of the sterilizing step and the drying step, the process operation of which is executed by a control of the control section, as history information, into the memory section of the endoscope;

an indicating section that indicates a plurality of process conditions that are calculated by the step condition calculating section; and

a selection section for selecting a process condition that is to be executed for the endoscope, from the plurality of process conditions that are indicated by the indicating section,

wherein the control section controls the process operation of the sterilizing process step for the to-be-sterilized object contained in the containing section, on the basis of the process condition that is selected by the selection section.

6. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a suction device that is connected to the endoscope in the chamber and sucks an internal gas of the endoscope, and an injection device that injects a gas different from the gas in the endoscope into the endoscope after the suction.

7. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the suction means is the same as means for executing suction of the chamber.

8. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the different gas includes dry gas in the chamber.

9. A sterilizing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of autoclave apparatuses, each of which stores an endoscope, which includes an information writable and readable memory section, in a chamber, and sterilizes the endoscope with high-temperature, high-pressure steam;

a reading section that is provided on each of the autoclave apparatuses and reads information stored in the memory section of the endoscope that is contained in the chamber;

a central management apparatus that is connected to the autoclave apparatuses over a signal line, and manages, in a centralized manner, the information stored in the memory section of the endoscope, which is read by the reading section and sent over the signal line;

a sterilization condition calculating section that is provided in the central management apparatus and calculates a process condition relating to a sterilizing process for the endoscope contained in the chamber, on the basis of the information that is sent to the central management apparatus;

a control section that is provided in the central management apparatus and controls a process operation of the sterilizing process for the endoscope, which is executed by the autoclave apparatus wherein the endoscope is contained in the chamber, in accordance with the process condition that is set by the sterilization condition calculating section; and

a write section that is provided in each of the autoclave apparatuses and writes the process condition of the sterilizing process that is executed for the endoscope contained in the chamber, as history information, into the memory section of the endoscope.

10. A sterilizing method comprising:

a process execution step of executing a sterilizing step of sterilizing an endoscope with high-temperature, high-pressure steam, and a drying step of drying the endoscope that is sterilized with the steam;

a memory step of prestoring a condition of the sterilizing step and the drying step that are previously executed for the endoscope, as history information, in an information storing section of the endoscope;

a read-out step of reading out the history information from the information storing section of the endoscope;

a calculating step of calculating a condition relating to the sterilizing step and the drying step that are to be next executed, on the basis of the history information that is read out of the information storing section of the endoscope; and

an indicating step of indicating to a user a calculation result that is calculated by the calculating step.

11. A sterilizing apparatus that executes a sterilizing step of storing an endoscope, which includes an information writable and readable memory section, in a chamber, and sterilizing the endoscope with high-temperature, high-pressure steam, and a drying step of drying the endoscope to which moisture is added by the steam, the sterilizing apparatus comprising:

a reading section that reads, from the memory section of the endoscope, prestored information that includes a process condition of at least one of the sterilizing step and drying step, which are previously executed, and a type of the endoscope;

a step condition calculating section that calculates a process condition that is to be currently executed, which relates to at least one of the sterilizing step and the drying step, on the basis of the information that is read by the reading section;

a control section that controls a process operation of at least one of the sterilizing step and the drying step, which relates to the process condition, in accordance with the process condition that is calculated by the step condition calculating section;

a write section that writes the process condition of at least one of the sterilizing step and the drying step, the process operation of which is executed by a control of the control section, as history information, into the memory section of the endoscope;

a suction device that is connected to the endoscope in the chamber and sucks an internal gas of the endoscope; and

an injection device that injects a dry gas into the endoscope in the chamber after the suction by the suction device.