Aseptic cleaning apparatus

• US 5,095,925 A
• Filed: 03/13/1989
• Issued: 03/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David M. Elledge, Dwain W. Smith
• Original Assignee: David M. Elledge, Dwain W. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Dwain W., Elledge, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/322,293
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 312/1, 134/61, 134/84, 134/104.1, 134/107, 134/200, 134/172, 134/184, 134/109, 51/8, 220/420
• US Class Current: 134/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/70 Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/002 Cleaning devices specially adapted for dental instruments disinfecting A61L2/00; cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/025 Ultrasonics
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 15/026 Boxes for removal of dirt, e.g. for cleaning brakes, glove- boxes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/006 Cabinets or cupboards specially adapted for cleaning articles by hand
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/163 Clean air work stations, i.e. selected areas within a space which filtered air is passed
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles

Abstract

This invention discloses a fluid sterile system for use in the medical and dental industries for the removal and cleaning of gross tissue forms from biological articles and a method of preparing the biological articles for transplant and corrective surgeries and in the electronic and aerospace industries, the present invention discloses a portable, fluid cleaning system that clean articles such as fixtures, aerospace electronic and other equipment, microelectronic chips and electronic printed circuit boards for reducing the contamination level of such articles measured in parts per million (ppm). The aseptic system includes an enclosed high pressure sterile jet cleaning apparatus member for use in a first stage cleaning of particulates from an article used in a particular industry and a sterile ultrasonic bath apparatus member for use in a second stage cleaning of particulates from the same article.

Claims

1. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries, said aseptic system apparatus comprising:

(a) a high pressure sterile jet cleaning apparatus member for use in a first stage cleaning of particulates from an article used in said industries; and

(b) a sterile ultrasonic bath apparatus member for use in a second stage cleaning of particulates from said article used in said industries, said sterile ultrasonic bath apparatus member comprising;

(i) at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank for submersion and ultrasonically cleaning said article,

(ii) a first liquid contained in said tank for use during an initial sterile preparation of said ultrasonic bath apparatus member, and

(iii) a second liquid contained in said tank after said initial sterile preparation for use during said second stage cleaning, said second stage cleaning being ultrasonic cleaning.

2. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 1 wherein said sterile ultrasonic bath apparatus member further comprises:

(iv) a transducer means for generating ultrasonic energy within said second liquid for facilitating said ultrasonic cleaning, said transducer means having an operating frequency that enables excition of said second liquid to cavitation without significantly eroding said article being cleaned,

(v) a heat exchanger means for maintaining said second liquid and said article at a specified working temperature range by removing thermal energy in said second liquid, said heat exchanger means being hydraulically coupled to said at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank, and

(vi) a pump means, said pump means being hydraulically coupled to said heat exchanger means and to said at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank to form a closed hydraulic loop system, said pump means being used for cycling said bath fluid and maintaining said second liquid within said specified working temperature range.

3. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 1, wherein said second liquid having a substantially reduced surface tension in comparison with de-ionized water and providing a substantially increased ultrasonic cleaning action.

4. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 1, wherein said second liquid contains a surfactant for reducing said surface tension.

5. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries, said aseptic system apparatus comprising:

(a) a high pressure sterile jet cleaning apparatus member for use in a first stage cleaning of particulates from an article used in said industries; and

(b) a sterile ultrasonic bath apparatus member for use in a second stage cleaning of particulates from said article used in said industries, said sterile ultrasonic bath apparatus member comprises,

(i) at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank for submersing and ultrasonically cleaning said article,

(ii) a first liquid contained in said tank for use during an initial sterile preparation of said ultrasonic bath apparatus member,

(iii) a second liquid contained in said tank after said initial sterile preparation for use during said second stage cleaning, said second stage cleaning being ultrasonic cleaning,

(iv) a transducer means for generating ultrasonic energy within said second liquid for facilitating said ultrasonic cleaning, said transducer means having an operating frequency that enables excition of said second liquid to cavitation without significantly eroding said article being cleaned,

(v) a heat exchanger means for maintaining said second liquid and said article at a specified working temperature range by removing thermal energy in said second liquid, said heat exchanger means being hydraulically coupled to said at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank, and

(vi) a variable flow rate peristaltic pump, said pump being hydraulically coupled to said heat exchanger means and to said at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank to form a closed hydraulic loop system, said pump being provided with a control circuit for cycling said bath fluid at a variable flow rate to maintain said second liquid within said specified working temperature range.

6. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 5, wherein said high pressure sterile jet cleaning apparatus member comprises,

(i) a fluid source means,

(ii) a sterile fluid path means for circulating a first fluid during an initial sterile preparation of said jet cleaning apparatus member and for delivering a second fluid from said fluid source means to said article being cleaned, said fluid source means being mechanically coupled to said sterile fluid path means,

(iii) an enclosure means for providing a sterile environment for cleaning said article, said enclosure means being mechanically coupled to said fluid path means,

(iv) a fluid jet means for jet cleaning said article, said fluid jet means being mechanically coupled to a terminating end of said fluid path means within said enclosure means, and

(v) a wall and floor liner means, said liner means being fitted within said enclosure means and being used for filtering particulates, for abrading said article being cleaned and for damping said second fluid being propelled against side walls of said enclosure means, said damping controlling visibility into said enclosure means.

7. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries, said aseptic system apparatus comprising:

(a) a high pressure sterile jet cleaning apparatus member for use in a first stage cleaning of particulates from an article used in said industries, said high pressure sterile jet cleaning apparatus member comprising,

(i) a fluid source means,

(ii) a sterile fluid path means for circulating a first fluid during an initial sterile preparation of said jet cleaning apparatus member and for delivering a second fluid from said fluid source means to said article being cleaned, said fluid source means being mechanically coupled to said sterile fluid path means,

(iii) an enclosure means for providing a sterile environment for cleaning said article, said enclosure means being mechanically coupled to said fluid path means,

(iv) a fluid jet means for jet cleaning said article, said fluid jet means being mechanically coupled to a terminating end of said fluid path means within said enclosure means, and

(v) a wall and floor liner means, said liner means being fitted within said enclosure means and being used for filtering particulates, for scrubbing said article being cleaned and for damping said second fluid being propelled against side walls of said enclosure means, said damping controlling visibility into said enclosure means; and

(b) a sterile ultrasonic bath apparatus member for use in a second stage cleaning of particulates from said article used in said industries, said sterile ultrasonic bath apparatus member comprises,

(i) at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank for submersing and ultrasonically cleaning said article,

(ii) a first liquid contained in said tank for use during an initial sterile preparation of said ultrasonic bath apparatus member,

(iii) a second liquid contained in said tank after said initial sterile preparation for use during said second stage cleaning, said second stage cleaning being ultrasonic cleaning,

(iv) a transducer means for generating ultrasonic energy within said second liquid for facilitating said ultrasonic cleaning, said transducer means having an operating frequency that enables excition of said second liquid to cavitation without significantly eroding said article being cleaned,

(v) a heat exchanger means for maintaining said second liquid and said article at a specified working temperature range by removing thermal energy in said second liquid, said heat exchanger means being hydraulically coupled to said at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank, and

(vi) a variable flow rate peristaltic pump, said pump being hydraulically coupled to said heat exchanger means and to said at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank to form a closed hydraulic loop system, said pump being provided with a control circuit for cycling said bath fluid at a variable flow rate to maintain said second liquid within said specified working temperature range.

8. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 7, wherein said second liquid having a substantially reduced surface tension in comparison with de-ionized water and providing a substantially increased ultrasonic cleaning action.

9. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 8, wherein said second liquid contains a surfactant.

10. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 9, wherein said liquid being biodegradable and compatible with an intended use of said article in said industries, said cleaning tank being volumetrically sized to allow economical purging of said bath liquid mixture after an ultrasonic cleaning cycle.

11. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 7, wherein said fluid source comprising a container member used for containing said first fluid during said initial sterile preparation and for containing said second fluid used during said first stage cleaning of said article, said second fluid being a sterile fluid produced in a sterilizing unit comprising a photon energy means for imparting energy and eliminating residual pyrogens during production of said second fluid and a micron pyrogenic filtration means for filtering pyrogens that may be present in said produced second fluid.

12. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 7, wherein said sterile fluid path means comprises components designed for pressures greater than 300 p.s.i. and being highly chemical resistive to fluids such as said first fluids, said first fluid being a sterilant.

13. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 12, wherein said components comprises:

(a) a pump driver, said pump driver being electrically coupled to a manually operated switch that is further electrically coupled to a power source;

(b) a pump means for pumping said first and second fluids from said fluid source, said pump means being mechanically connected to said pump driver and mechanically connected to said fluid source;

(c) a pulsation damper means for damping impulses caused by high pressure demands on said sterile fluid path, said damper means being mechanically coupled to said pump means;

(d) a bypass valve means for directing said first and second fluids to said fluid jet means and to a heat exchanger means, said valve means being mechanically coupled to said pulsation damper means;

(e) a heat exchanger means for maintaining said first and second fluids at a suitable temperature for human contact, said heat exchanger means being mechanically coupled at an input end to said bypass valve and at an output end to an input end of said pump means;

(f) a circulating return line for coupling to said bypass valve and forming a closed loop during said initial sterile preparation; and

(g) an injection port for injecting secondary fluids and substances as needed.

14. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 13, wherein said pump means being a positive displacement pump that provides pressures in the range of 300-1000 psi, said pump being modified to have seals, O-rings, and cups made from a highly chemical resistive material, such as VITON and TEFLON and adapted to provided said injection port.

15. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 7, wherein said enclosure means further comprises:

(a) at least one pair of glove ports for allowing access said enclosure means for enabling a technician to engage said fluid jet means and to manipulate said article for cleaning within said enclosure means;

(b) a transparent lid provided on a top portion of said enclosure means for allowing viewing of said article that is being cleaned;

(c) at least one storage vesicle located on a wall of said enclosure means for storing articles such as those that have been cleaned; and

(d) a drain port located on a bottom surface of said enclosure means, said drain port being covered by said wall and floor liner means.

16. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries as recited in claim 15, wherein said enclosure means further comprises:

(a) an enclosure body member, said enclosure body member being manufactured from a polycarbonate, vacuumed molded material, said enclosure body member being a disposable item; and

(b) said enclosure body member being provided with coupling means for being mechanically coupled to said sterile fluid path.

17. An aseptic system apparatus for use in medical, microelectronic and aerospace industries, said aseptic system apparatus comprising:

at least one stage cleaning station for cleaning of particulates from an article used in said industries, said at least one stage cleaning station comprising a sterile ultrasonic bath apparatus member, said sterile ultrasonic bath apparatus member comprises,

(i) at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank for submersing and ultrasonically cleaning said article,

(ii) a first liquid contained in said tank for use during an initial sterile preparation of said ultrasonic bath apparatus member,

(iii) a second liquid contained in said tank after said initial sterile preparation for use during ultrasonic cleaning,

(iv) a transducer means for generating ultrasonic energy within said second liquid for facilitating said ultrasonic cleaning, said transducer means having an operating frequency that enables excition of said second liquid to cavitation without significantly eroding said article being cleaned,

(v) a heat exchanger means for maintaining said second liquid and said article at a specified working temperature range by removing thermal energy in said second liquid, said heat exchanger means being hydraulically coupled to said at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank, and

(vi) a variable flow rate peristaltic pump, said pump being hydraulically coupled to said heat exchanger means and to said at least one ultrasonic cleaning tank to form a closed hydraulic loop system, said pump being provided with a control circuit for cycling said bath fluid at a variable flow rate to maintain said second liquid within said specified working temperature range.