Ozonator for sterilizing, decontaminating, disinfecting, and/or sanitizing surgical instruments
US6713027B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 24, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 30, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 25, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC01B2201/90
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus and method for the use of ozone as a sterilant for many classes of surgical instruments which are at least partially metallic. Three features are the connection of a voltage carrying part of the instrument to be sterilized as the electrode of an ozone generating cell, which employs a glow discharge and maintaining the temperature of this electrode below 500° C., and that no solid dielectric exists between opposed electrodes in the ozone generating cell. Ozone is thereby localized about voltage carrying and any non-voltage carrying parts of the electrode connected instrument. The control of electrode heating helps to maintain the increasing atmospheric concentration of the ozone, which will however eventually reach a natural limit. Local heating of the electrode configuration is controlled where the instrument to be sterilized is connected at least periodically as the negative electrode.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.