Measurement and cleaning of elastomeric articles having particulate adhered thereto

• US 6,343,425 B1
• Filed: 05/06/1999
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intecon Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Sias, Ralph M., Sias, Heath E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Esquivel, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WARDER, GREGORY T
• Application Number:
  US09/306,519
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 341/04, 341/05, 341/06, 341/07, 341/91, 343/80, 343/89, 344/15, 345/65, 345/67, 345/72, 345/73, 345/74, 134/1.1, 422/22, 422/23, 422/28, 422/29
• US Class Current: 34/389
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/14 Plasma, i.e. ionised gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/122 Chambers for sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/02 Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005

Abstract

An apparatus for processing an elastomeric article such as a glove includes an enclosure having a gas-filled interior, a support that receives the elastomeric article thereon and supports the elastomeric article within the enclosure, and a source of a gaseous cleaning agent which introduces a gaseous flow of the gaseous cleaning agent into the interior of the enclosure to contact the elastomeric article. The cleaning agent dislodges particulate contaminant from the elastomeric article and entrains the particulate contaminant in the gaseous flow as it passes by the elastomeric article. The source of the gaseous cleaning agent comprises a nebulizer source of a vaporized cleaning material, and a weakly ionized plasma source disposed within the interior of the enclosure and proximate to the article support location to create a weakly ionized plasma in the ambient atmosphere adjacent to the article support location. An exhaust port is positioned to receive the gaseous flow after it has passed by the elastomeric article, and a particle counter monitors the particles in the gaseous flow after it has passed by the elastomeric article. A microorganism sterilizer may be disposed within the interior of the enclosure and proximate to the article support location, to sterilize the elastomeric article.

Claims

1. Apparatus for processing an elastomeric article, comprising:

an enclosure having a gas-filled interior and an access port with a non-hermetic gland seal therein sized so that a person wearing the elastomeric article may insert a hand and an arm through the gland to position the elastomeric article at an article support location;

a source of an ionized gaseous cleaning agent operable to produce an ionized gaseous flow of the gaseous cleaning agent that flows past the article support location and contacts the elastomeric article, the ionized gaseous cleaning agent being operable to dislodge a particulate contaminant from the elastomeric article and entrain the particulate contaminant in the gaseous flow as it passes by the elastomeric article; and

an exhaust port positioned to receive the gaseous flow after it has passed by the elastomeric article.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including

a particle counter that measures particles in the gaseous flow after it has passed by the elastomeric article.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric article is a glove.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further including

an elastomeric article in the form of a glove.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source of the gaseous cleaning agent comprises:

a source of a vaporized cleaning material, and

a weakly ionized plasma source disposed within the interior of the enclosure and proximate to the article support location to create a weakly ionized plasma in the ambient atmosphere adjacent to the article support location.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cleaning material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, isopropyl alcohol, oxalic acid, and hydrogen peroxide.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further including

a microorganism sterilizer disposed within the interior of the enclosure and proximate to the article support location.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source of the ionized gaseous cleaning agent comprises:

a source of a vaporized cleaning material, and

a plasma source operable to ionize the vaporized cleaning material.

8. Apparatus for processing an elastomeric article in the form of a glove, comprising:

an enclosure having a gas-filled interior;

a support that supports the glove within the enclosure at an article support location, wherein the support comprises

a form that receives the glove thereon, and

a source of gaseous pressure to inflate the glove on the form;

a source of a gaseous cleaning agent operable to introduce a gaseous flow of the gaseous cleaning agent into the interior of the enclosure to flow past the article support location and to contact the glove, the cleaning agent being operable to dislodge a particulate contaminant from the glove and entrain the particulate contaminant in the gaseous flow as it passes by the glove, wherein the source of the gaseous cleaning agent comprises

a nebulizer source of a vaporized cleaning material, and

a weakly ionized plasma source disposed within the interior of the enclosure and proximate to the article support location to create a weakly ionized plasma in the ambient atmosphere adjacent to the article support location;

an exhaust port positioned to receive the gaseous flow after it has passed by the glove; and

a particle counter that monitors the particles in the gaseous flow after it has passed by the glove.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the source of gaseous pressure is a pulsing source of gaseous pressure.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cleaning material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, isopropyl alcohol, oxalic acid, and hydrogen peroxide.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further including

a microorganism sterilizer disposed within the interior of the enclosure and proximate to the article support location.

19. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the source of gaseous pressure is a pulsing source of gaseous pressure.

10. Apparatus for processing an elastomeric article in the form of a glove, comprising:

an enclosure having a gas-filled interior, the enclosure having a gland seal therethrough;

a support that supports the glove within the enclosure at an article support location, the support comprising a human hand and arm extending through the gland seal and upon which the glove is worn;

a source of a gaseous cleaning agent operable to introduce a gaseous flow of the gaseous cleaning agent into the interior of the enclosure to flow past the glove and to contact the glove, the cleaning agent being operable to dislodge a particulate contaminant from the glove and entrain the particulate contaminant in the gaseous flow as it passes by the glove, wherein the source of the gaseous cleaning agent comprises

a nebulizer source of a vaporized cleaning material, and

a plasma source disposed within the interior of the enclosure and proximate to the article support location to create a weakly ionized plasma in the ambient atmosphere adjacent to the glove;

an exhaust port positioned to receive the gaseous flow after it has passed by the glove; and

a particle counter that monitors the particles in the gaseous flow after it has passed by the glove.

13. Apparatus for processing an elastomeric article, comprising:

an enclosure having a gas-filled interior;

a support that receives the elastomeric article thereon and supports the elastomeric article within the enclosure at an article support location, wherein the article support comprises

a form that receives the elastomeric article thereon, and

a source of pulsing gaseous pressure to inflate the elastomeric article on the form;

a source of a gaseous cleaning agent operable to introduce a gaseous flow of the gaseous cleaning agent into the interior of the enclosure to contact the elastomeric article, the cleaning agent being operable to dislodge a particulate contaminant from the elastomeric article and entrain the particulate contaminant in the gaseous flow as it passes by the elastomeric article, wherein the source of the gaseous cleaning agent comprises

a nebulizer source of a vaporized cleaning material, and

a weakly ionized plasma source disposed within the interior of the enclosure and proximate to the article support location to create a weakly ionized plasma in the ambient atmosphere adjacent to the article support location;

an exhaust port positioned to receive the gaseous flow after it has passed by the elastomeric article; and

a particle counter that monitors the particles in the gaseous flow after it has passed through the exhaust port.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further including

an elastomeric article in the form of a glove.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the cleaning material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ethylenediaminetetraacetate, isopropyl alcohol, oxalic acid, and hydrogen peroxide.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further including

a microorganism sterilizer disposed within the interior of the enclosure and proximate to the article support location.

17. A method for processing an elastomeric article in the form of a glove, comprising the step of

supporting the glove on a form at an article support location, the glove being inflated on the form;

passing a gaseous flow of a gaseous cleaning agent to contact the elastomeric article positioned at an article support location, the cleaning agent being operable to dislodge a particulate contaminant from the elastomeric article and entrain the particulate contaminant in the gaseous flow as it passes by the elastomeric article, wherein the source of the gaseous cleaning agent comprises

a nebulizer source of a vaporized cleaning material, and

a weakly ionized plasma source disposed within the interior of the enclosure and proximate to the article support location to create a weakly ionized plasma in the ambient atmosphere adjacent to the article support location; and

measuring the particulate content of the gaseous flow after it has passed by the elastomeric article.

18. The method of claim 17, including an additional step, after the step of measuring, of

correlating the measured particulate content with another quantity.