Sterilization apparatus and method for multicomponent sterilant
First Claim
1. Apparatus for sterilizing items having at least two open ends and a fluid flow path between the open ends comprising:
- a sterilization chamber having an inlet port and an exhaust port;
manifold means fluidly coupled to either the inlet port or the exhaust port and having a plurality of seats, each seat for fluid connection to fluid flow paths of one item;
means for creating a negative pressure differential downstream of the exhaust port;
a source of liquid sterilant;
means for vaporizing the liquid sterilant;
valve means intermediate the source of liquid sterilant and the vaporizing means for pulsing successive increments of liquid sterilant into the vaporizing means;
fluid connection means for fluidly connecting the source of liquid sterilant, the valve means, the vaporizing means and the chamber;
an air flow path through the vaporizing means and at least that portion of the fluid connection means passing from the vaporizing means to the chamber;
means for opening the exhaust port to flow the sterilant vapor and air through the inlet port and out of the chamber through the outlet port for a first period of time while maintaining the chamber pressure at a subatmospheric predetermined level, and for closing the exhaust port to stop the flow of sterilant vapor and air into and out of the chamber for a second period of time while maintaining the chamber pressure at said predetermined subatmospheric pressure; and
means for successively repeating in an alternating fashion the flowing and the stopping of the flow of sterilant vapor and air into and out of the chamber a plurality of times while maintaining the chamber pressure at said predetermined subatmospheric pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a sterilization process particularly well suited for sterilizing instruments and other devices having long narrow lumens. Apparatus in which the process can be practiced is also provided. The process uses a multicomponent sterilant vapor wherein one component is water. The lumened instruments are fluidly connected to the exhaust manifold of the sterilizer. A deep vacuum is drawn in the sterilization chamber followed by the injection of pulses of the sterilant vapor until a higher, but still subatmospheric pressure level is reached. When the pressure level reaches a predetermined subatmospheric level, a flow-through sterilization phase begins. It includes successive alternating periods of sterilant flow and the discontinuance of such flow. During sterilant flow periods, there are sterilant injection pulses where the sterilant flows through the chamber and the lumened instruments to exhaust. Each such flow period is followed by a hold period. Following the sterilization phase, there are one or more aeration steps to remove sterilant from the chamber.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. Apparatus for sterilizing items having at least two open ends and a fluid flow path between the open ends comprising:
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a sterilization chamber having an inlet port and an exhaust port; manifold means fluidly coupled to either the inlet port or the exhaust port and having a plurality of seats, each seat for fluid connection to fluid flow paths of one item; means for creating a negative pressure differential downstream of the exhaust port; a source of liquid sterilant; means for vaporizing the liquid sterilant; valve means intermediate the source of liquid sterilant and the vaporizing means for pulsing successive increments of liquid sterilant into the vaporizing means; fluid connection means for fluidly connecting the source of liquid sterilant, the valve means, the vaporizing means and the chamber; an air flow path through the vaporizing means and at least that portion of the fluid connection means passing from the vaporizing means to the chamber; means for opening the exhaust port to flow the sterilant vapor and air through the inlet port and out of the chamber through the outlet port for a first period of time while maintaining the chamber pressure at a subatmospheric predetermined level, and for closing the exhaust port to stop the flow of sterilant vapor and air into and out of the chamber for a second period of time while maintaining the chamber pressure at said predetermined subatmospheric pressure; and means for successively repeating in an alternating fashion the flowing and the stopping of the flow of sterilant vapor and air into and out of the chamber a plurality of times while maintaining the chamber pressure at said predetermined subatmospheric pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification