Method and apparatus for hot air sterilization of medical instruments
First Claim
1. A hot air sterilizer for medical instruments comprising:
- a housing;
an enclosed sterilizing chamber defined within the housing;
hot air circulating means for circulating heated air through the sterilizing chamber;
cooling air passage means extending from the sterilizing chamber through a portion of the housing to the ambient atmosphere outside the housing and the sterilizer for conducting cooling air from outside the sterilizer through the portion of the housing and the sterilizing chamber; and
cooling air circulating means separate from the hot air circulating means and connected with the cooling air passage means for circulating ambient cooling air from outside the housing and the sterilizer through the portion of the housing and through the sterilizing chamber.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hot air sterilizer for medical instruments providing rapid sterilization cycle times includes a housing defining a sterilizing chamber. A fan is located in a heated air passage within the housing which extends around the sterilizing chamber from a bottom wall of the chamber to a top wall. The fan circulates air in a closed loop from the top to the bottom of the sterilizing chamber and through the passage. A heater is also located in the passage for heating the circulating air to a temperature sufficiently high for sterilization. Inlet and outlet cooling air passages, separate from the heated air passage, are provided extending through portions of the housing to the chamber. A separate fan, preferably in the inlet passage, circulates air through a portion of the housing along the inlet air passage and through the sterilizing chamber while bypassing the heated air passage and the heater and hot air circulating fan in that passage. Guide rails in the sterilizing chamber uniformly space removable racks each capable of supporting several hinged instruments and several other elongated instruments. The racks are self-supporting and may be removed for chairside use.
65 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A hot air sterilizer for medical instruments comprising:
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a housing; an enclosed sterilizing chamber defined within the housing; hot air circulating means for circulating heated air through the sterilizing chamber; cooling air passage means extending from the sterilizing chamber through a portion of the housing to the ambient atmosphere outside the housing and the sterilizer for conducting cooling air from outside the sterilizer through the portion of the housing and the sterilizing chamber; and cooling air circulating means separate from the hot air circulating means and connected with the cooling air passage means for circulating ambient cooling air from outside the housing and the sterilizer through the portion of the housing and through the sterilizing chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A hot air sterilizer for medical instruments comprising:
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a housing; an enclosed sterilizing chamber defined within the housing; hot air circulating means for circulating heated air through the sterilizing chamber, the sterilizing chamber including a bottom wall having a plurality of openings permitting air to be circulated by the hot air circulating means through the bottom wall; and rack aligning means within the sterilizing chamber for aligning a plurality of instrument receiving racks side by side in the sterilizing chamber with each of the racks aligned directly over and opening. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A hot air sterilizer for medical instruments comprising:
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a housing; an enclosed sterilizing chamber defined within the housing; hot air passage means within the housing for removing air from one side of the sterilizing chamber and for introducing heated air into another side of the sterilizing chamber; heating means in the hot air passage means for heating air passing through the hot air passage means; and inlet cooling air passage means and outlet cooling air passage means separate from one another and from the hot air passage means for circulating cooling air through a portion of the housing and through the sterilizing chamber along paths bypassing the heating means, at least one of the inlet and outlet cooling air passage means extending from the sterilizing chamber through the housing to ambient atmosphere outside the housing and the sterilizer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for hot air sterilization of medical instruments in a sterilizing chamber defined within a sterilizer housing comprising the steps of:
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circulating air along a closed path within the housing substantially in one direction through the sterilizing chamber from one side of the sterilizing chamber to another side of the sterilizing chamber and through a hot air passage in the housing extending around the sterilizing chamber from the other side to the one side; heating the air in the hot air passage to a temperature sufficiently high for sterilization; and circulating cooling air from outside the housing through a portion of the housing and through the sterilizing chamber along cooling air passages bypassing the hot air passage. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A hot air sterilizer for medical instruments comprising:
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a housing; an enclosed sterilizing chamber defined within the housing; hot air circulating means for circulating heated air through the sterilizing chamber; cooling air passage means extending through a portion of the housing to the sterilizing chamber for conducting cooling air through the portion of the housing and the sterilizing chamber; cooling air circulating means separate from the hot air circulating means and connected with the cooling air passage means for circulating cooling air from outside the sterilizing chamber through the portion of the housing and through the sterilizing chamber; and valve means connected with the cooling air passage means for opening and closing the cooling air passage means, the valve means being operable by air circulated by the cooling air circulating means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A hot air sterilizer for medical instruments comprising:
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a housing; an enclosed sterilizing chamber defined within the housing and having a bottom wall and a plurality of openings through the bottom wall; hot air passage means within the housing for removing air from the sterilizing chamber through the plurality of openings in the bottom wall and for introducing heated air into the sterilizing chamber through a wall of the sterilizing chamber other than the bottom wall; heating means in the hot air passage means for heating air passing through the hot air passage means; hot air circulating means for circulating heated air from the hot air passage means through the sterilizing chamber and through the plurality of openings in the bottom wall back into the hot air passage means; cooling air passage means for conducting cooling air through a portion of the housing and through the sterilizing chamber; and rack aligning means within the sterilizing chamber for aligning a plurality of instrument receiving racks side-by-side in the sterilizing chamber with each of the racks being aligned over an opening in the bottom wall. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification