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Method and apparatus for cleaning hollow elements

  • US 5,985,038 A
  • Filed: 12/29/1997
  • Issued: 11/16/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of cleaning a hollow medical instrument, comprising the steps of:

  • providing a conduit attached to a pump means for providing a pulsed flow of cleaning fluid,providing a tank containing cleaning fluid,attaching the medical instrument to the conduit,immersing the medical instrument in the cleaning fluid in the tank,operating the pump means, thereby supplying the pulsed flow of cleaning fluid to the interior of the medical instrument,simultaneously with the supplying of the pulsed flow of cleaning fluid, applying ultrasonic waves to the fluid inside the medical instrument along the entire length of the instrument, the cleaning action being effected through the combined action of the pulsed flow of cleaning fluid and the ultrasonic waves, in which cavitation of the fluid inside the instrument is effective to loosen debris attached to the interior surface of the instrument, the debris being moved along the interior of the instrument by the pulses eventually to emerge from the instrument, andsubsequently detaching the cleaned medical instrument from the conduit and removing it from the tank.

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