Recirculating high velocity hot air sterilization process
First Claim
1. A method of sterilizing objects, comprising the steps of:
- creating in a sterilizing chamber of a housing a mutually spaced series of high velocity heated air impingement jets flowing generally in a first direction;
providing a wall member in said sterilizing chamber having a side surface portion in a spaced, opposing relationship with said heated air jets;
utilizing said side surface portion to intercept and rearwardly deflect at least some of said jets;
positioning an object to be sterilized by said heated air jets in a manner such that a first surface portion thereof is impinged by a jet flowing in said first direction and a generally opposite surface portion thereof is impinged by a rearwardly deflected jet;
continuously enveloping said object in a turbulent layer of heated air formed by said jet flowing in said first direction and said rearwardly deflected jet;
drawing air from the turbulent layer of heater air across said object in a direction generally transverse to said air impingement jets and flowing the air outwardly from said sterilizing chamber;
heating to a predetermined sterilizing temperature the air outwardly drawn from said sterilizing chamber; and
recirculating the heated air sequentially through a spaced series of openings to create said air impingement jets.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A recirculating high velocity hot air sterilization device includes a housing having a chamber therein. A corrugated, perforated jet curtain plate is disposed within the chamber and partially defines an air supply plenum positioned outwardly of the chamber, the plenum having an electric heating element operatively positioned therein. Spaced apart from the jet curtain plate within the chamber is a nonperforated deflector plate which extends parallel to the jet curtain plate and may be of a flat or corrugated configuration. A blower is connected to the housing and creates therein a recirculating flow of heated air which sequentially flows into the air supply plenum across the heating element, outwardly in a forward direction through the perforations in the jet curtain plate and into the housing chamber, back into the blower, and then into the air supply plenum. Metal surgical or dental instruments to be sterilized are positioned in one or more wire mesh trays which are removably supported within the housing chamber between the spaced apart from the deflector plate and the jet curtain plate. The flow of heated air through the perforations in the jet curtain plate creates within the chamber a spaced apart series of forwardly travelling, high velocity, heated air impingement jets which operates to rapidly and thoroughly sterilize the instruments.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method of sterilizing objects, comprising the steps of:
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creating in a sterilizing chamber of a housing a mutually spaced series of high velocity heated air impingement jets flowing generally in a first direction; providing a wall member in said sterilizing chamber having a side surface portion in a spaced, opposing relationship with said heated air jets; utilizing said side surface portion to intercept and rearwardly deflect at least some of said jets; positioning an object to be sterilized by said heated air jets in a manner such that a first surface portion thereof is impinged by a jet flowing in said first direction and a generally opposite surface portion thereof is impinged by a rearwardly deflected jet; continuously enveloping said object in a turbulent layer of heated air formed by said jet flowing in said first direction and said rearwardly deflected jet; drawing air from the turbulent layer of heater air across said object in a direction generally transverse to said air impingement jets and flowing the air outwardly from said sterilizing chamber; heating to a predetermined sterilizing temperature the air outwardly drawn from said sterilizing chamber; and recirculating the heated air sequentially through a spaced series of openings to create said air impingement jets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification