Apparatus for exposure to microwaves

• US 4,599,216 A
• Filed: 11/21/1983
• Issued: 07/08/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Inventors: Bulard, Ronald A., Rohrer, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WYSE, THOMAS G
• Application Number:
  US06/553,788
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 210/748, 422/21, 422/186, 422/209
• US Class Current: 422/21
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 12/066 Microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0011 using physical methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/12 Microwaves

Abstract

The three dimensional movement of items to be exposed to microwave irradiation is facilitated by the apparatus of the present invention which provides for the turningly rotating exposure of such items to microwave irradiation. The microwave sterilization of items and fixation of eucaryotic cell specimens may be accomplished by such microwave irradiation. A kit of spore samples may be used to determine sterilization efficiency of particular microwave ovens.

The apparatus for facilitating the exposure of items to microwave irradiation comprises a base; a plate having a substantially horizontal plane and being rotatably mounted on said base; a spit comprising an axis and being turnably mounted on said plate in a manner substantially axially parallel to the horizontal plane; a means for mounting items upon the spit; a means for rotating the plate in the horizontal plane while turning the spit with items mounted thereon and a means for determining a sterilization efficiency in said microwave oven. A method for sterilizing items or fixating eucaryotic cells emplaced within the above described apparatus. An indicator strip to signify exposure to microwave irradiation.

Claims

1. an apparatus for facilitating the exposure of substantially all surfaces of items to microwave irradiation to sterilize said items when said apparatus is disposed in a space and subjected to microwave irradiation from a source of microwave irradiation wherein the microwave irradiation energies varies within said space, the apparatus comprising:

a base;

a plate rotatably mounted on said base;

a spit turnably mounted on said plate a distance generally above said plate;

means for mounting said items upon said spit; and

means for rotating said plate in a plane while simultaneously turning the spit with said items mounted thereon to turn said items in a plane angularly disposed with respect to the plane in which the plate is rotated, so the items to be sterilized are rotated in one plane by the plate being rotated in one plane or rotation and simultaneously turned in another plane which is angularly disposed with respect to the planar disposition of said first-mentioned plane by the turning of said split to substantially equalize the energies from the source of microwave irradiation to all surfaces of the items to be sterilized when said apparatus containing said items is disposed in said space and subjected to microwave irradiation with said space to sterilize said items.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for rotating the plate is defined further as comprising:

an electric motor attached to the base; and

a source of electricity connected to said electric motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the motor and the source of electricity are defined further as being substantially shielded from microwave irradiation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for mounting is defined further as comprising a container mounted on said spit.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the container is defined further as being openable and removably mounted upon the spit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base is defined further as having a raised periphery with a serrulate peripheral surface and the plate is defined further as substantially covering said base while leaving exposed said serrulate peripheral surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the plate is defined further as comprising an upper plate surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the plate is defined further as comprising a first post and a second post.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the posts are defined further as being of about the same length and as having lower post ends and upper post ends.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the lower post ends are defined further as engaging the upper plate surface so that the posts are substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane thereof.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the spit is defined further as having a first spit end and a second spit end and the posts are defined further as turnably engaging the spit near the upper post ends.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first spit end is defined further as turnably engaging the first post near the upper post end.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the spit is defined further as being turnably engaged, at a position spaced from the second spit end, to the second post near the upper post end.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 defined further to include a wheel being disposed in a substantially vertical plane and as having a wheel center and a peripheral wheel edge.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the peripheral wheel edge is defined further as having a serrulate wheel edge surface to meshingly engage the serrulate peripheral surface of the base and the spit is defined further as being attached near the second spit end to the wheel center so that when the plate is rotated the spit with the mounted container turns.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base, plate and spit are defined further as consisting essentially of polymeric organic material.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for rotating said plate and simultaneously turning said spit is defined further as rotating said plate in the plane which is a substantially horizontal plane while simultaneously turning said spit for turning said items in a plane substantially parallel with the horizontal planar disposition of the rotating plate for turning the items in the plane which is about perpendicular to the horizontal first-mentioned plane.

18. A process for facilitating the exposure of substantially all surfaces of items to microwave irradiation to sterilize said items when said apparatus is disposed in a space and subjected to microwave irradiation from a source of microwave irradiation wherein the microwave irradiation energies vary within said space, utilizing an apparatus for containing the items to be sterilized wherein the apparatus is adapted to rotate the items in one plane and simultaneously turn the items in another plane angularly disposed with respect to the first-mentioned plane, the process comprising the steps of:

placing the items to be sterilized upon the apparatus;

placing the apparatus with the items to be sterilized placed thereon in said space; and

rotating the items to be sterilized utilizing said apparatus in one plane of rotation and simultaneously turning the items to be sterilized in another plane which is angularly disposed with respect to the first-mentioned plane while subjecting the items to be sterilized to microwave irradiation for a predetermined period of time to produce irradiated items, so the items to be sterilized are simultaneously rotated in one plane and in another plane which is angularly disposed with respect to the planar disposition of said first-mentioned plane to substantially equalize the energies from the source of microwave irradiation to all surfaces of the items to be sterilized when the apparatus containing said items is disposed in said space and subjected to microwave irradiation within said space to sterilize said items.

19. The process of claim 18 wherein the predetermined period of time is defined further as being about the time found necessary to sterilize bacterial spores contained in a vial emplaced in the apparatus.

20. The process of claim 18 wherein the items are defined further as comprising eucaryotic cells and the irradiated items are defined further as comprising fixated eucaryotic cells.

21. The process of claim 18 wherein the apparatus if further defined as being adapted to rotate the items in the first-mentioned plane which is substantially a horizontal plane and simultaneously turn the items to be sterilized about the other plane which is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal planar disposition of the first-mentioned plane.