Process and apparatus for dry sterilization of medical devices and materials
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for sterilizing articles, comprising:
- a gas-confining chamber constructed and arranged for containing an electrical discharge which includes substantially electrically neutral active species;
an article-containing zone positioned to receive substantially neutral active species from said electrical discharge; and
barrier means between said zone and said discharge, said barrier means being transparent to said substantially neutral active species and opaque to charged species;
said barrier means comprising a first electrode and said chamber comprising a second electrode, said first and second electrodes constituting means for initiating an electrical discharge within said chamber.
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Abstract
Articles intended for dry sterilization are placed into a confined volume and are subjected to neutral species of an electrical plasma discharge while maintaining the volume glowless and substantially field free by interposing a barrier between the articles and the discharge, the barrier being transparent to neutral species and opaque to charged species emanating from the discharge.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. Apparatus for sterilizing articles, comprising:
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a gas-confining chamber constructed and arranged for containing an electrical discharge which includes substantially electrically neutral active species; an article-containing zone positioned to receive substantially neutral active species from said electrical discharge; and barrier means between said zone and said discharge, said barrier means being transparent to said substantially neutral active species and opaque to charged species; said barrier means comprising a first electrode and said chamber comprising a second electrode, said first and second electrodes constituting means for initiating an electrical discharge within said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for sterilization of medical devices and materials comprising steps of:
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placing said devices and materials within a gas-tight confining chamber wherein said chamber is formed at least in part from a metal wall and includes an internal perforated metallic element positioned within said chamber; evacuating said chamber to a substantially low pressure, and introducing a gas into said chamber; initiating an electrical discharge in said gas within said chamber by application of RF energy between said metal chamber wall and said internal perforated metallic element, creating a gas plasma; and maintaining said gas plasma for a controlled period of time, said perforated metallic element creating a field free and glowless volume within said chamber, said devices and materials being placed within said field free and glowless volume. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for sterilization of medical devices and materials comprising the steps of:
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placing said devices and materials within a gas-tight confining chamber wherein said chamber includes an internal perforated metallic element positioned within said chamber; evacuating said chamber to a substantially low pressure and introducing a gas into said chamber; initiating an electrical discharge in said gas within said chamber, creating a gas plasma, wherein said discharge is powered by a microwave energy source; and maintaining said gas plasma for a controlled period of time, said perforated metallic element creating a field free and .glowless volume within said chamber, said devices and materials being placed within said field free and glowless volume. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. Apparatus for sterilization of medical devices and materials in a gas plasma comprising:
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a gas confining chamber; a microwave energy source positioned to couple microwave energy into said chamber;
an internal metallic element positioned within said chamber such that it provides a portion of the internal volume of said chamber electrically shielded from said microwave energy but formed to allow electrically neutral gaseous species to flow into said portion, thereby providing a substantially field-free and glowless zone, andmeans for holding said medical devices and materials to be sterilized within said internal shielded portion of said chamber volume. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification