Sterilization method and apparatus
US9474815B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 27, 2013 |
| Grant date | Oct 25, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61L2202/24
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Disclosed is a method of sterilizing an article by sequentially exposing the article under vacuum first to a gaseous conditioning agent for forming radicals and then to a sterilant. The preferred conditioning agent is hydrogen peroxide and the preferred sterilant is ozone. The chamber is initially evacuated to a first vacuum pressure and then sealed for the remainder of the sterilization process and during all sterilant injection cycles, without removal of any component of the sterilization atmosphere, which means without any measures to reduce the water vapor content. Keeping the chamber sealed and maintaining the conditioning agent and the radicals generated thereby in the chamber for the sterilization with sterilant results in a synergistic increase in the sterilization efficiency and allows for the use of much lower sterilant amounts and sterilization cycle times than would be expected from using the conditioning agent and the sterilant in combination.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.