DE102012017458A1 - Cleaning device for medical instruments, has housing, cleaning liquid for wetting brush unit and electric motor that moves brush unit in rotational movement, where brushes are received in housing - Google Patents

Abstract

The cleaning device has a housing (1), a cleaning liquid for wetting a brush unit (2) and an electric motor that moves the brush unit in a rotational movement, where two brushes immersed with a portion of its bristles in the cleaning liquid are received in the housing. The housing has a liquid-sealed chamber (4) filled with liquid. The bristles of the brushes have a distance to one another between 0.5 and 5 millimeter. The bristles of the brushes are made from a sterlizable, elastically deformable material.

Description

The invention relates to a cleaning device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Medical instruments, such as surgical or dental instruments, require intensive cleaning, which is particularly true when used as surgical instruments. The Medical Devices Act gives an unambiguous instruction on how to handle such equipment. Thus, medical instruments must first be mechanically pre-cleaned after their application, which may require disassembly, in order to subsequently subject them to sterilization at a temperature of at least 130 ° C. The sterilization is usually done as a steam sterilization in a suitable incubator. During sterilization, sterilization or sterilization of materials, objects, instruments, packaging or equipment, almost all contained or adhering microorganisms are killed, as well as bacteria and viruses as well as some DNA fragments are destroyed. After sterilization, the cleaned items are packed in likewise sterile plastic bags in order to have them available for reuse.

Without a mechanical pre-cleaning or poorly performed mechanical cleaning, it may happen that blood or other organic constituents form adhesive, firmly adhering encrustations and are not removed by the sterilization process from the instruments, which of course from a hygienic point of view must be avoided. It could be found in this context that these impurities can often not be reliably removed even with a performed manual pre-cleaning, so far a considerable, time-consuming effort and always additional visual checks by the staff are required.

To remedy this situation, various cleaning devices are already known, which allow a very intensive pre-cleaning. So goes for example from the US 5,471,706 a cleaning device for medical instruments or equipment with a vertically oriented, upright housing out, in the bottom region of which is a cleaning liquid. The medical instrument to be cleaned is introduced into the cleaning device by this fixed brush unit as far as a cleaning liquid present in the bottom region of the housing, wherein the mechanical cleaning takes place by the manual reciprocating movement along the bristles of the brush unit and the cleaning liquid is to effect an additional sterilization. This solution has several disadvantages. Thus, as with a purely manual cleaning, the cleanliness of the pre-cleaning depends on the intensity of the processing. Moreover, it is hardly possible with this cleaning device to completely wet the instrument or device to be cleaned with cleaning liquid. The associated risks are unacceptable.

A much improved in its effect execution is in the DE 201 22 532 U1 described. The medical instrument cleaning apparatus disclosed herein has a housing in which a brush unit called a "cup brush" is set in a rotating motion, to which an electric motor drives this brush unit. The medical instrument to be cleaned is introduced through an opening in the housing and moved along the brush unit until the medical instrument is mechanically cleaned. The insertion process is registered by a light barrier which switches on or off the electric motor. For wetting the brush unit with a cleaning liquid is used in this solution, an injection nozzle. Excess cleaning fluid is removed via a drain line at the bottom of the housing and then disposed of. It is particularly disadvantageous that a high consumption of cleaning fluid is recorded and can not be visually tracked by the insertion of the medical instruments into the housing of the cleaning process. In other words, the instrument must be removed several times from the cleaning device, subjected to a visual inspection and reintroduced if necessary, until the manual pre-cleaning has been carried out satisfactorily. Another circumstance, which was recognized as disadvantageous, is that only one-sided cleaning of the medical instrument is possible in this embodiment. In addition, an additional metering pump is required for the operation of the injection nozzle, so that the structure of this known from the prior art cleaning device is very complicated and complex on the whole.

The invention has for its object to provide a cleaning device for medical instruments, which has a simple structure and also allows a thorough and visually controllable cleaning of the instruments.

The invention solves this task with the technical features of claim 1.

Further embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

A cleaning device for medical instruments having a housing, a cleaning liquid for wetting a brush unit accommodated in the housing and an electric motor displacing the brush unit has been developed according to the invention such that in the at least one liquid-tight and filled with a cleaning fluid chamber housing at least two Brush unit forming, horizontally and axially parallel stored, with a portion of their bristles immersed in the cleaning liquid brushes are added.

Due to the horizontal arrangement of the brush unit, it is possible to immerse the brush along its entire longitudinal extent with part of its circumference in the cleaning liquid, so that they are wetted with fresh cleaning liquid at each revolution while also being cleaned at the same time. This measure represents a considerable improvement and simplification to the solutions known from the prior art and at the same time works very effectively. Due to the axially parallel arrangement of the brushes of the brush unit, the medical instruments can be inserted between the adjacently arranged brushes and the instruments can be processed simultaneously in one step from several sides. Effective cleaning is thus possible in a shorter time and with high efficiency. As a further improvement of the cleaning of the medical devices, the cleaning fluid may additionally have a disinfecting effect, for example by having a disinfectant or being a disinfectant.

A very advantageous first embodiment of the invention is seen in that the bristles of the brushes have a distance from one another. This distance may preferably be between 0.5 and 5 mm, wherein distances between 1 and 2 mm have proven to be particularly advantageous. An essential advantage of this solution is the fact that the brush unit is only subject to a relatively low wear, because the bristles of the brush "comb" and thus a virtually maintenance-free use of the cleaning device over a long period of time is possible. In addition, the distance between the bristles of the brushes facilitates the introduction of the medical instruments, so that the handling of the cleaning device is optimized. The distance between the brushes of the brush unit is chosen so low that the medical instrument is cleaned in any case simultaneously from several sides.

Of particular advantage is also a proposal according to the invention, which consists in that the brushes are driven in opposite directions rotating. This measure causes almost free of splattering work and increase the effectiveness of the cleaning process.

Of course, it may happen that, for example, very tough or slimy contaminants stick in the bristles of the brush unit. In order to enable a separate cleaning of the bristles in such a case, a further proposal according to the invention is to produce the bristles of the brushes from a sterilizable, elastically deformable material. Due to the elastic deformability of the bristles, a simple cleaning of the same is possible and, moreover, the effect of cleaning the medical instruments is substantially improved. In order to kill off very persistent germs, if necessary, a sterilizability of the brush unit should be ensured. As a very suitable material for the bristles, for example, nylon has proven.

Despite the low wear of the brushes, it may become necessary over time for them to be replaced. For this purpose, the brushes are exchangeably received in the housing. For the implementation of this measure, for example, the bearing points of the brush axes can be designed as in each case an upwardly open groove of the housing inserted socket. In this way, the brushes of the brush unit can be easily removed from the housing and replaced with new brushes.

With the cleaning device according to the invention, different cleaning conditions can be achieved, which can range from a very rough processing to a polishing state of the medical instruments. In addition, there is also the possibility of cleaning areas of the medical instruments that can not be cleaned with conventional cleaning methods, for example, lower-lying sections, as they are given for example in a medical forceps. A related solution of the invention according to a proposal is to equip the brushes at least in sections with extended bristles and / or at least partially equip the brushes with bristles of different degrees of hardness at least in sections. If a brush unit designed in this way is used, then the medical instrument can be roughly machined by a simple change of sides, as well as finely cleaned or polished. The cleaning results can thus be significantly improved, which of course corresponds to an effective and hygienic cleaning.

In addition to different degrees of hardness of the bristles along a brush, it is beyond also possible to arrange on at least one brush axis at least one separate, further brush with at least partially elongated bristles and / or at least partially different degrees of hardness of the bristles. In contrast to the previously described solution, this solution offers the advantageous possibility of making the brush split and thus, depending on the state of wear, also exchanging different parts of the brush. This has the consequence that at a single bristle wear does not equal the entire brush must be replaced. Experience shows that bristles with a lower degree of hardness tend to wear off more quickly than comparatively harder bristles.

A very particular embodiment of the invention is further to be seen in the fact that the bristles of the brushes, viewed in the direction of the brush axes, are designed to run conically in mutually opposite directions. The conical design of the brush allows in a very simple manner a combination with the solutions described above, namely, for example, the degree of hardness of the bristles can change in the direction of the conical shape. Another advantage of this solution is the fact that a compensation of the forces acting on the brush axes forces takes place, which leads to a simplification of the storage due to lower loads.

With regard to the design of the housing, the invention further, very advantageous embodiment variants. A first embodiment of the housing is to be seen in that this has a grommet-like extended engagement region. In the sense of the invention, a "grommet-like extended engagement area" is generally understood to mean a widening of the housing, so that the accessibility is improved overall. The sleeve-like extended engagement region thus allows a simplified handling during insertion of the medical instrument into the filled with cleaning liquid chamber of the housing, above which the brush unit is located. In other words, it is thereby possible to dip the medical instrument directly into the cleaning fluid and thus to achieve, for example, improved disinfection.

Accordingly, it is further proposed that the brushes are mounted on the opposite side of the engagement area of the housing. This further measure therefore consists in leaving a distance between the brush unit and the edge region of the engagement region, so that an immediate immersion of the medical instrument in the cleaning liquid is possible and remains in the manner described above.

Due to the operation of the cleaning device with an electric motor, vibrations may occur which may arise due to the rotational movements of the electric motor and / or during the insertion of the medical instruments and the pressure on the housing which is thereby applied. Such vibrations also occur when switching on and off the electric motor. In addition to a suitable damping of the storage and the transmission path of the kinetic energy from the electric motor to the brush unit, it is advantageous to equip the housing additionally with suction cup-like feet. These feet cause a secure footing of the entire cleaning device and can also cause a fixation on the ground by their sucker-like design in a simple way.

As already stated above, only slight spattering of the cleaning liquid can be observed due to the opposite direction of rotation of the brushes. Nevertheless, in extreme cases, individual splashes can not always be ruled out. For this reason, a removable splash guard is additionally provided on the housing which is useful mainly for reasons of health and safety. After all, the cleaning fluid used is sometimes more or less aggressive media. Here, protection of persons involved with the cleaning device is of crucial importance.

For the above reason, it is also advantageous if the housing is made entirely of a non-corrosive material. As materials for the housing are particularly suitable stainless steel or certain plastics, which must of course not enter into a chemical reaction with the detergent used. The design of the size of the cleaning device can be such that this can be placed, for example, in a sink, which advantageously facilitates the filling and emptying of the chamber.

Since the medical instrument is usually held only with one hand and inserted several times into the brush unit, it is advantageous if the electric motor of the cleaning device can be operated via a foot or hand button. This measure also serves to safety at work, since when you release the button, the electric motor stops automatically and immediately. An injury risk can be reduced in this way. In addition, it saves electrical energy when the operation of the drive is interrupted, for example, during a visual inspection.

Since to simplify the entire cleaning device, an electronic control of Speed of the electric motor is not necessarily provided, depending on the applied operating voltage, the speed of the electric motor is relatively high. In order to be able to reduce and if necessary influence the rotational movement of the brushes, a further development of the invention is therefore to drive the brushes with the interposition of a gearbox through the electric motor. The transmission may in the simplest case be a gear transmission, wherein the switching between different gear ratios is within the scope of the invention, but is not mandatory, since usually a single, fixed speed is sufficient for the success of the cleaning.

The cleaning device takes on a cleaning fluid, so that for safety reasons, the operation in the low voltage range is beneficial. For this reason, according to one embodiment of the invention, the electric motor has an operating voltage in the range between 12 V and 48 V. Very good results in terms of performance and power consumption can be achieved with an operating voltage of 24V. In the proposed power range of the electric motor, it is also possible to use an accumulator for driving the electric motor, so that the cleaning device can be operated as a mobile device, self-sufficient from the mains. This has the advantage, in particular in smaller medical practices, that the cleaning device can be used in various rooms.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments shown are not limiting to the variants shown, but merely serve to explain a principle of the invention.

Identical or similar components are always denoted by the same reference numerals. In order to be able to illustrate the mode of operation according to the invention, only greatly simplified schematic representations are shown in the figures, in which the components which are not essential to the invention have been dispensed with. However, this does not mean that such components are not present in a solution according to the invention.

It shows:

1 : a cleaning device in a perspective view,

2 : a view from the top of the in 1 illustrated cleaning device, but without foot switch and with a partial view of the transmission,

3 a special embodiment of a cleaning device and

4 : a further embodiment of a cleaning device.

The in the 1 illustrated cleaning device consists of a box-shaped housing 1 , which at its upwardly open side an engagement area 11 having a broadening of the opening cross-section of the housing 1 represents. In the case 1 is a chamber 4 formed, which is filled to a substantial extent with cleaning fluid. That's why the chamber is 4 or the housing 1 also liquid-tight. In the upper section of the housing 1 is inside the chamber 4 a brush unit 2 rotatably mounted, which has a in the 1 Electric motor not shown is driven and arranged in the present case of two axially parallel to each other, circular cylindrical brushes 5 . 6 with a plurality of bristles distributed over its circumference. The special feature of the invention can be seen in the fact that the lower part of the brush 5 . 6 immediately immersed in the cleaning fluid, so that with each rotation of the brushes 5 . 6 around its rotation or brush axis 8th respectively 9 a part of the cleaning liquid is taken from the bristles, which are permanently wetted in this way with cleaning liquid.

To turn on and off the electric motor is used in the execution in 1 a footswitch 14 which has the significant advantage that the person working on the cleaning device has his hands free and can concentrate exclusively on the cleaning of the medical instruments.

Since the brushes are moved according to the invention in opposite to each other opposite direction of rotation, only very small splashes of the cleaning liquid are recorded. Nevertheless, for reasons of safety, a splash guard 13 on the housing 1 attached, which consists of a transparent material, such as glass or acrylic, and has an angled geometry, so that a substantial part of the opening of the chamber 4 of the housing 1 is shielded.

For a secure stand of the housing 1 provide several, at the bottom of the case 1 fixed and suction cupped feet 12 ,

The 2 allows partial view of a lateral part of the housing 1 in which is the electric motor 3 as well as a transmission 15 are located, the transmission 15 in the present case, two gears of approximately equal size 16 and 17 consists of the rotational movement of the electric motor 3 in an oppositely directed rotation of the brushes 5 . 6 implement. The electric motor 3 is in the 2 indicated only by dashed lines, while the gears 16 . 17 of the transmission 15 are clearly visible in the outbreak.

From the 2 In addition, it also indicates that the intervention area 11 , The present case of a sleeve-like extension of the housing 1 There is the possibility of offering medical instruments directly in the chamber 4 of the housing 1 immerse existing cleaning liquid. In this way it is possible to dissolve residues present on the medical instruments or there is the possibility of additional, intensive disinfection if the cleaning liquid contains a disinfectant or is a disinfectant. The brush unit 2 the variant in 2 consists of two brushes 5 . 6 , The brush 5 is on one in the case 1 rotatably mounted brush axis 8th and the brush 6 on an axis parallel to the brush axis 8th extending brush axis 9 arranged. The brushes 5 . 6 each have a plurality of individual bristles along the circumference of the brushes 5 . 6 are distributed and form an overall very dense brush surface. Of particular importance, however, is that the brushes 5 and 6 a distance 7 to each other, which in the present case is about 2 mm. This distance 7 causes extremely low-wear rotation of the brushes 5 . 6 because the bristles do not mesh with each other, so do not touch the ends of the bristles. How hint of the 2 recognizable are the brush axes 8th . 9 about a relatively simple fixation in the housing 1 stored. As a result, the brushes 5 . 6 can be exchanged without considerable effort, if necessary.

A particular embodiment variant of a cleaning device according to the invention is evident from the illustration in FIG 3 out. Here are the brush axes 8th . 9 as in the previously described examples aligned parallel to each other and in the housing 1 stored. The peculiarity here is that on the brush axis 9 a second, additional brush 10 is arranged, which in the present case has a larger diameter of the bristles than that on the same brush axis 9 mounted brush 6 , In addition, the longer bristles of the brush 10 a higher degree of hardness than the bristles of the brush 6 or the brush 5 , With this solution it is possible to clean the medical instruments to be cleaned with the help of the harder brush 10 coarsely pre-clean and then a cleaning in a conventional manner with the brushes 5 . 6 make by placing the medical instrument in the distance 7 between the brushes 5 . 6 is introduced until the desired cleaning effect has been achieved.

A particular version of a cleaning device according to the invention is finally in the 4 shown. Here are the on the parallel brush axes 8th . 9 attached brushes 5 . 6 in the direction of the brush axis 8th . 9 conical or conical executed. The geometry of the cone of the brush 5 is in one to the other brush 6 opposite direction running in diameter increasing, so that the distance 7 between the brushes 5 . 6 is consistent. By this particular embodiment of the cleaning device, a force-neutral operation of the brushes 5 . 6 be achieved.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

casing

2

brush unit

3

electric motor

4

chamber

5

brush

6

brush

7

distance

8th

brush axis

9

brush axis

10

brush

11

engagement area

12

stand

13

Splash guard

14

Foot or hand button

15

transmission

16

first gear

17

second gear

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 5471706 [0004]
• DE 20122532 U1 [0005]

Claims (16)

Cleaning device for medical instruments with a housing ( 1 ), a cleaning liquid for wetting one in the housing ( 1 ) recorded brush unit ( 2 ) and a brush unit ( 2 ) in a rotary motion staggering electric motor ( 3 ), characterized in that in the at least one liquid-tight and filled with a cleaning liquid chamber ( 4 ) housing ( 1 ) at least two the brush unit ( 2 ) forming, horizontally and axially parallel mounted, with a portion of their bristles in the cleaning liquid dipping brushes ( 5 . 6 ) are included. Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bristles of the brushes ( 5 . 6 ) a distance ( 7 ) between 0.5 and 5 mm to each other. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the brushes ( 5 . 6 ) are driven in opposite directions rotating. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bristles of the brushes ( 5 . 6 ) consist of a sterilizable, elastically deformable material. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the brushes ( 5 . 6 ) replaceable in the housing ( 1 ) are included. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the brushes ( 5 . 6 ) at least partially extended bristles and / or at least partially bristles having different degrees of hardness. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on at least one brush axis ( 8th . 9 ) a second, additional brush ( 10 ) is arranged with at least partially extended bristles and / or at least partially different degrees of hardness having bristles. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bristles of the brushes ( 5 . 6 . 10 ) in the direction of the brush axes ( 8th . 9 ) are designed conically running in opposite directions. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing ( 1 ) a grommet-like extended engagement area ( 11 ) having. Cleaning device according to claim 9, characterized in that the brush unit ( 2 ) on the engaging area ( 11 ) opposite side of the housing ( 1 ) is stored. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing ( 1 ) suction cup-like feet ( 12 ) having. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing ( 1 ) a removable splash guard ( 13 ) having. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing ( 1 ) is made entirely of a non-corrosive material. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric motor ( 3 ) via a foot or hand button ( 14 ) is operable. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the brushes ( 5 . 6 ) with the interposition of a transmission ( 15 ) by the electric motor ( 3 ) are drivable. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric motor ( 3 ) has an operating voltage in the range between 12 V and 48 V.

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