Steam sterilization system for sterilizing medical waste
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of sterilizing regulated medical waste using a steam autoclave that uses high temperature steam greater than 250 degrees Fahrenheit as an agent for sterilization, comprising the steps ofweighing the regulated medical waste to be sterilized to measure its weight,selecting a waste type from a plurality of waste classifications that may be treated by the autoclave, the waste type selected pertaining to the medical waste type to be sterilized,automatically varying process times, including residence time that the waste to be sterilized is exposed to steam in the autoclave, process temperatures, and process pressure, including vacuum for negative pressure and steam injection for positive pressure, to predetermined settings that correlate to the selected waste type and to the weight measured during the weighing step, and automatically varying duration of vacuum drawn and steam injection in the autoclave to predetermined settings that correlate to the selected waste type and to the weight measured during the weighing step, andsterilizing the regulated medical waste to be sterilized with the autoclave using the predetermined settings that correlate to the selected waste type and to the weight measured during the weighing step.
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Abstract
An integrated sterilization and materials handling system for sterilizing and handling items such as medical waste, paper, or other things comprises a cart for carrying a removable bin for holding the items to be sterilized, and a sterilization chamber that receives the bin when it is removed from the cart. The various embodiments include a bin that is dumpable with the cart using existing dumping apparatus, a bin that pivots on the cart to permit dumping of the items from the bin by tilting the bin, and a bin used primarily in a dry heat sterilization process of the invention when sterilizing items that are not to be discarded after sterilization to facilitate loading and unloading of the bin. The system has thermal energy booster plates mounted in the sterilization chamber for providing dry radiant heat to the chamber, and the system may vary process times, process pressures, and process temperatures to predetermine settings that correlate to the weight of the items to be sterilized.
19 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of sterilizing regulated medical waste using a steam autoclave that uses high temperature steam greater than 250 degrees Fahrenheit as an agent for sterilization, comprising the steps of
weighing the regulated medical waste to be sterilized to measure its weight, selecting a waste type from a plurality of waste classifications that may be treated by the autoclave, the waste type selected pertaining to the medical waste type to be sterilized, automatically varying process times, including residence time that the waste to be sterilized is exposed to steam in the autoclave, process temperatures, and process pressure, including vacuum for negative pressure and steam injection for positive pressure, to predetermined settings that correlate to the selected waste type and to the weight measured during the weighing step, and automatically varying duration of vacuum drawn and steam injection in the autoclave to predetermined settings that correlate to the selected waste type and to the weight measured during the weighing step, and sterilizing the regulated medical waste to be sterilized with the autoclave using the predetermined settings that correlate to the selected waste type and to the weight measured during the weighing step.
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8. A sterilization system, comprising
an autoclave, the autoclave having a sterilization chamber, the chamber having an interior, the chamber having an opening through which access to the interior of the chamber is obtained, and the chamber having the door mounted at the opening for sealingly closing the opening when closed, a scale integrated with a control computer for weighing the items to be sterilized, and a programmable logic controller controlled by the control computer, the programmable logic controller configured to manage sequential sterilization process steps and configure to automatically vary programmable logic controller set points including process times, including residence time that the waste to be sterilized is exposed to steam in the autoclave, process temperatures, process pressure, including vacuum for negative pressure and steam injection for positive pressure, and duration of vacuum drawn and steam injection in the autoclave, based upon predetermined settings that correlate to a waste type selected from a plurality of waste classifications for treatment by the autoclave that pertains to the medical waste type to be sterilized and to the weight measured by the scale.
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11. A method of sterilizing things using an autoclave, comprising the steps of
weighing the things to be sterilized to measure their weight, selecting a type from a plurality of types of things that may be treated by the autoclave, the type selected pertaining to the type of things to be sterilized, automatically varying process times, process temperatures, and process pressures for sterilizing the things to be sterilized to predetermined settings that correlate to the selected type and to the weight measured during the weighing step, and sterilizing the things to be sterilized with the autoclave using the predetermined settings that correlate to the selected type and to the weight measured during the weighing step.
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17. A method of treatment for Regulated Medical Waste by an autoclave that is controlled by variable data inputs to a computer programmed to reset a programmable logic controller (PLC) for the distinctive waste characteristics of each individual Regulated Medical Waste load being treated, comprising the steps of
inputting data pertaining to the waste classification of the Regulated Medical Waste to be treated into the computer, inputting data pertaining to the weight of the waste load of the Regulated Medical Waste being treated into the computer, using the computer, setting the programmable logic controller (PLC) to predetermined settings that correlate to the data inputted pertaining to the waste classification of the individual Regulated Medical Waste load to be treated, using the computer, setting the programmable logic controller (PLC) to predetermined settings that correlate to the data inputted pertaining to the weight of the individual Regulated Medical Waste load to be treated, and treating the individual Regulated Medical Waste load to be treated in the autoclave using the predetermined settings that correlate to the data inputted pertaining to the waste classification of the individual Regulated Medical Waste load to be treated and that correlate to the data inputted pertaining to the weight of the waste load of the Regulated Medical Waste load to be treated to disinfect/sterilized the individual Regulated Medical Waste load, the individual Regulated Medical Waste load treating step including using high temperature steam greater than 250 degrees Fahrenheit in the autoclave as an agent for disinfection/sterilization.
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18. A method of sterilizing things using an autoclave, comprising the steps of
weighing the things be sterilized to measure their weight, selecting a cycle of treatment by the autoclave from a plurality of cycles of treatment by the autoclave that pertains to the type of things to be sterilized, automatically varying process times, process temperatures, and process pressures of the autoclave for sterilizing things to predetermined settings that correlate to the cycle of treatment selected that pertains to the type of things to be sterilized and to the weight measured during the weighing step, and sterilizing the things to be sterilized with the autoclave using the predetermined settings that correlate to the cycle of treatment selected that pertains to the type of things to be sterilized and to the weight measured during the weighing step.
Specification