Forced water fill and drainage for an unplumbed sterilizer
US5730944A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 1, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 24, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 1, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61L2/07
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An unplumbed sterilizer (10) with a self-contained heater (34, 35) has a fill system (32) that includes a pump (82) to pump liquid from a sterilizer reservoir (26) to the sterilizing chamber (22). By utilizing the pump (82) in the fill system (32), a precise volume of water is filled into the sterilizing chamber (22) with each sterilizing cycle, and further, the pump pressure flushes the fill system (32) of particles that may otherwise partially or fully clog the fill system (32). A sterilizing chamber drain cycle is executed immediately prior to the fill cycle by operating the pump (82) to pump liquid from the sterilizing chamber (22) to the reservoir (26). The operation of the drain cycle permits the fill cycle to be executed without any residual liquid in the sterilizing chamber (22); and further, the subsequent fill cycle will flush any particles from the fill system (32) introduced by the drain cycle.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.