Electromagnetically responsive heating apparatus for vaporizer

• US 6,906,296 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2004
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Sterilizer Company (Steris Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Steris Corporation
• Inventors: Centanni, Michael A., Hill, Aaron L., Zelina, Francis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung, Philip H.
• Application Number:
  US10/815,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20040182855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 219628-631, 219/634, 219/635, 219/688, 219/730, 219/759, 422/22, 422 26- 27
• US Class Current: 219/628
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/07 Steam
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/122 Chambers for sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/15 Biocide distribution means, e.g. nozzles, pumps, manifolds, fans, baffles, sprayers
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 49/105 using eddy currents
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/281 other than by electrical resistances or electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 1/282 with water or steam circulating in tubes or ducts
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/108 for heating a fluid

Abstract

A vaporizer heating apparatus is comprised of electromagnetically responsive material and electrically non-conductive material. A antimicrobial fluid to be vaporized, such as water or hydrogen peroxide solution, is supplied to the heating apparatus where it is converted to a vapor. In one embodiment of the present invention, electromagnetically responsive material particulate is embedded into the electrically non-conductive material. In another embodiment of the present invention, a microwave generator is used to produce heat.

Claims

1. A vaporizer for vaporizing an atomized, antimicrobial liquid, to form an antimicrobial vapor, the vaporizer comprising:

a source of electromagnetic radiation;

a heating chamber having a passage formed therethrough, said heating chamber having an inlet for receiving the atomized antimicrobial liquid into the passage, and an outlet for releasing the antimicrobial vapor from the passage to supply the antimicrobial vapor to a defined region, wherein said heating chamber is comprised of a first electrically non-conductive material and a first electromagnetically responsive material; and

an insert located within the passage of the heating chamber, said insert comprised of at least one of;

(1) a metals, and

(2) a second electrically non-conductive material and a second electromagnetically responsive material,

wherein said heating chamber and said insert both contribute to vaporization of the atomized, antimicrobial liquid to form the antimicrobial vapor.

2. A vaporizer as defined by claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second electrically non-conductive material is selected from the group consisting of:

a polymer, a ceramic and a glass.

3. A vaporizer as defined by claim 2, wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of:

a thermoplastic polymer and a thermosetting polymer.

4. A vaporizer as defined by claim 3, wherein said thermoplastic polymer is selected kern the group consisting of:

polyphthalamide, polyimide, Fluoropolymers, PTFE, 4.6 polyamide, 4.6 Nylon, polyamide-imide, polyaryletherketone, polyetheretherketone.

5. A vaporizer as defined by claim 3, wherein said thermosetting polymer is selected from the group consisting of:

an epoxy and a urethane.

6. A vaporizer as defined by claim 2, wherein said ceramic is a metal-oxide material.

7. A vaporizer as defined by claim 6, wherein said ceramic is selected from the group consisting of:

silica, alumina, and magnesia.

8. A vaporizer as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second electromagnetically responsive material is selected from the group consisting of:

a metal, a metal alloy, a metal coated material, carbon, graphite, stainless steel, a metal alloy solder, a ferromagnetic material, a ferrimagnetic material, a ferroelectric material, a ferrielectric material, and combinations thereof.

9. A vaporizer as defined in claim 8, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of:

nickel, copper, zinc, silver, stainless steel, tungsten, nichrome, and combinations thereof.

10. A vaporizer as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second electromagnetically responsive material is a ferromagnetic material.

11. A vaporizer as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second electromagnetically responsive material is a ferrimagnetic material.

12. A vaporizer as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second electromagnetically responsive material is a ferroelectric material.

13. A vaporizer as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second electrically non-conductive material forms an electrically non-conductive matrix, at least one of said first and second electromagnetically responsive material is embedded within the electrically non-conductive matrix.

14. A vaporizer as defined by claim 13, wherein at least one of said first and second electromagnetically responsive material is in the form of a particulate selected from the group consisting of:

fibers, flakes, spheres, whiskers, grains, a coated particulate and combinations thereof.

15. A vaporizer as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of:

said first electromagnetically responsive material forms a layer on a surface of said first electrically non-conductive material, and

said second electromagnetically responsive material forms a layer on a surface of said second electrically non-conductive material.

16. A vaporizer as defined in claim 15, wherein at least one of:

said first electromagnetically responsive material is embedded in said first electrically non-conductive material, and

said second electromagnetically responsive material is embedded in said second electrically non-conductive material.

17. A vaporizer as defined in claim 15, wherein at least one of:

said first electromagnetically responsive material is deposited on said first electrically non-conductive material by at least one of;

thermal spraying, electrodeposition, autocatalytic deposition, and arc spraying, and

said second electromagnetically responsive material is deposited on said second electrically non-conductive material by at least one of;

thermal spraying, electrodeposition, autocatalytic deposition, and arc spraying.

18. A vaporizer as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of:

said first electrically non-conductive material forms a first layer to provide a first protective coating, said protective coating isolating said first electromagnetically responsive material from an antimicrobial fluid, and

said second electrically non-conductive material forms a second layer to provide a protective coating, said second protective coating isolating said second electromagnetically responsive material from an antimicrobial fluid.

19. A vaporizer as defined in claim 18, wherein at least one of:

said first electromagnetically responsive material is embedded in said first electrically non-conductive material, and

said second electromagnetically responsive material is embedded in said second electrically non-conductive material.

20. A vaporizer as defined in claim 18, wherein at least one of:

said first electromagnetically responsive material is deposited to form said first layer by at least one of;

thermal spraying, electrodeposition, autocatalytic deposition, and arc spraying, and

said second electromagnetically responsive material is deposited to form said second layer by at least one of;

thermal spraying, electrodeposition, autocatalytic deposition, and arc spraying.

21. A vaporizer as defined in claim 1, wherein said source of electromagnetic radiation is a microwave generator, said microwave generator generating microwaves that cause heating of at least one of said first electromagnetically responsive material and said second electromagnetically responsive material.

22. A vaporizer as defined in claim 21, wherein at least one of:

said first electromagnetically responsive material and said second electromagnetically responsive material is selected from the group consisting of;

a ferromagnetic material, a ferrimagnetic material, a ferroelectric material and a ferrielectric material.

23. A vaporizer as defined in claim 1, wherein said source of electromagnetic radiation produces an alternating current.

24. A vaporizer as defined in claim 23, wherein said alternating current has at least a first frequency and a second frequency, wherein said electromagnetic radiation penetrates said heating chamber at respective first and second depths.

25. A vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein said heating chamber includes:

a generally cylindrical tube.

26. A vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein said insert is a screw-shaped insert, said passage following a spiral path through said screw-shaped insert.