DE102013002522A1 - Process cartridge for use in process chemistry dosing system of aquiferous rinsing device for cleaning magnetopneumography type endoscope, has openable and releasable closure connected with main portion of cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

The cartridge (8) has a process chemistry dosing system including a receiving space (9) for receiving a main portion of the cartridge. An openable and releasable closure is connected with the main portion of the cartridge. The closure is formed by a membrane and a film. The cartridge housing includes a form-fitting connection. Multiple cartridges are connected to another along major axis. An independent claim is also included for an aquiferous rinsing device with a process cartridge.

Description

The invention relates to a cartridge dosing system for a water-conducting flushing unit of the commercial sector in particular for medical device devices such as endoscope cleaning or Endoskopspül- and disinfection equipment with a Prozesschemiedosiersystem.

In the cleaning and disinfecting equipment available on the market in the special endoscope washer, a chemistry required for cleaning and disinfecting usually from internally or externally supplied canisters on very maintenance-intensive pumps, this is usually peristaltic pumps and Balghubpumpen or less often Diaphragm pumps, sucked in and added to the rinsing solution in the device or pumped in.

The dosing pumps are controlled by the machine control until the required amount has been added for the required rinsing program or the amount of water flowed in. Legal requirements and standards make it necessary for the manufacturers of such devices to set exact reproducible quantities within certain limits.

These requirements are very difficult or even impossible for the pumps in most cases.

In addition, monitoring or sensing of the chemicals to be dispensed with small quantities and due to the chemical properties of the process chemicals, even according to the current state of the art as good as impossible. Chemical containers can (sometimes unknowingly) be used even after the expiration date, which leads to errors in the dosage and a disinfection / cleaning of the dishes / endoscopes is thus not sufficiently given.

For most devices on the market can not always be ensured that the metered chemistry also enters the rinse cycle, z. B .: When a hose comes loose from its dosing nozzle. Although it is then recognized a dosage but this will not get into the washroom. The user notices this only when so much chemistry has been added to it until it reaches the environment from various points in the device, if it does not dry in advance in the device.

As in today's pump systems constantly chemistry at the metering of the devices is pending, always dripping chemistry or is washed out of the nozzle which is very problematic in ophthalmic devices.

In addition, the user can in certain situations with the chemistry wet. Furthermore, outgassing is possible under the influence of air for certain chemicals, which increases the dripping. The drained missing tube / chemistry volume may result in underdosing. Depending on the viewing direction, this can lead to patient danger or damage to the items to be washed / endoscopes.

When using z. B. PVC hoses occur errors due to precipitation of the plasticizer (phthalate) from the PVC hoses, which have a negative impact in various storage containers or sensors for flow detection.

Furthermore, the chemistry provided in the canisters may be concentrated by user actions / errors, which adversely affects the metering sensors and the pumps in the device, and thus the metering and cleaning results.

Users are exposed to constant outgassing of chemicals from the canisters (they are not hermetically sealed), which can lead to health problems.

The dosing accuracy in these systems depends on many factors, such as: Eg: ambient temperature, chemical temperature, viscosity of the chemical, piping and cross sections, inertia of the system and control, pump overflow, crystallization of chemicals, outgassing, permeability of hoses, hose connections, reaction time of sensors, aggressiveness of chemistry, Pollution of the chemistry to name but a few.

The use of a container or a cartridge in a Prozesschemiedosiersystem brings with it the problem that when removing the container or the cartridge from the dosing system may still be present therein residual detergent. The leakage of process chemicals, depending on the substances in them, could endanger people's health if they get in contact with the process chemistry. It must therefore avoid contact with it. Furthermore, it is not ensured that these cartridges are completely emptied.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cartridge and a metering method for a water-conducting flushing unit of the commercial sector in particular for MPG devices such as endoscope cleaning devices or Endoskopspül- and disinfection equipment, which do not have the disadvantages mentioned above.

The process cartridge of the invention for use in a Prozesschemiedosiersystem a water-bearing flushing device for the commercial sector in particular for medical devices such as Endoskopreinigungsgeräte or Endoskopspül- and disinfection equipment, has the exact number of individual / system cartridges of the chemicals required for the cleaning and disinfection process. It is also possible to use compact cartridges from at least one chamber or more for this process.

The cartridge for a complete cleaning and disinfection process is composed of the number of required individual / system cartridges or already produced by injection molding in the total number. None of the chemicals used in the individual / system cartridges / chambers may come into contact with the other via pressure equalization devices other channels or the like and each is completely hermetically sealed and liquid-tight. Each individual / system cartridge / chamber contains the exact amount of chemistry necessary for the amount of water in the unit. However, it can also be worked in case of favorable space-space conditions in the device with a single / system cartridge / chamber which rinses more than one permitting work. The individual / system cartridges / chamber are not resealable and therefore have no closure mechanism and are used according to the invention only once for an application process. However, the empty cartridges can be fed to a recycling system. Should a recycling of the empty cartridges be economically viable, they can also be designed as a refillable single / system cartridge / chamber. This is the responsibility of the distributor.

The closure of the individual / system cartridges / chambers is forcibly opened by the dosing system. The respective process chemistry of the single / system cartridge / chamber is at least one motor, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic driven cylinder / Ausdrückeinheit completely in a mixing chamber ( 20 ) or a separate fresh water rinse liquor rinse cycle or water intake system. If required, the dosing speed can be adapted to the rinsing program and the process chemistry.

The opening of the cartridge closure takes place at the moment in which the chemistry is metered. It is not necessary to feed the process cartridges in a special position to the dosing system since the process cartridges are forcibly evacuated in any position via a motor, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic apparatus.

Preferably, a single / system cartridge / chamber according to the invention has at least one closure, which is arranged with cartridge inserted into the Prozesschemiedosiersystem corresponding to a seal seat of Prozesschemiedosiersystems in which the Prozesschemie, in particular by the Prozesschemiedosiersystem, can be added in the rinse cycle.

The individual / system cartridge / chamber according to the invention is provided with an openable closure, which remains closed until it is dosed on insertion into the process chemical dosing system and is completely emptied when the cartridge is removed from the process chemical dosing system. The openable closure is arranged when inserting the cartridge into the Prozesschemiedosiersystem corresponding to a sealing seat of the Prozesschemiedosiersystems, the openable shutter is opened only when the dosing operation with a motor, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic Apparatismus / device.

To prevent incorrect insertion of the cartridge in the Prozesschemiedosiersystem, the housing of the cartridge has a form-locking guide system. Through a barcode or an RFiD label on the individual / system cartridges, the system can also be informed at which position which chemistry is located. Furthermore, it can be ensured that the right chemistry is used for the selected winding process and vice versa.

The invention further comprises a water-conducting flushing unit of the industrial sector in particular for medical device devices such as endoscope cleaning and Endoskopspül- and disinfection equipment, with a Prozesschemiedosiersystem and is characterized in that the Prozesschemiedosiersystem a device having at least one receiving space for receiving at least one cartridge with at least one having reveal closure and sealing seats are arranged such that at least one inserted cartridge, the at least one removal point is pressed into a sealing seat. In this case, the process chemical dosing system adjacent to a washing compartment of the washing appliance can preferably be accommodated outside the washing compartment, for example in an adjacent side cabinet of the washing appliance. The apparatus has a receiving space for at least one process chemistry containing individual / system cartridge / chamber, wherein the stored amount of Prozesschemie is the exact predetermined amount for at least one rinsing cycle. As a result, the process chemical dosing system provides just the amount of detergent needed for a cleaning and disinfecting cycle.

The process chemical dosing system according to the invention thus comprises, as main components, a process chemical dosing system which is stationarily arranged in the commercial dishwasher and also contains a single / system cartridge / chamber containing at least one process chemistry.

The opening means of the Prozesschemiedosiersystem takes over the task of exposing the access to the cartridge, the final exposure of the closure is carried out by a motor, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic Apparatismus a Öffner / actuator / mandrel presses through the closure and releases the process chemistry for the dosing process ,

The opening means of the Prozesschemiedosiersystems invention is formed by a motor, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatically actuated opener / actuator / mandrel, wherein the openable closure is arranged upon insertion of at least one cartridge in the Prozesschemiedosiersystem corresponding to the seal seat, so that the cartridge tightly in the Seal seat can be brought. It goes without saying that in a plurality of sealing points, a corresponding number of correspondingly arranged sealing seats is provided, which each cause a sealing of the relevant removal opening of the cartridge.

In order to be able to ensure a corresponding mounting of the at least one cartridge to the sealing seat of the process chemical dosing system, a holding device for holding and fixing the position of the cartridge is present in the process chemical dosing system. This ensures in addition to the proper, positionally correct mounting of the cartridge for easier insertion and replacement of an empty cartridge.

The at least one outlet of the Prozesschemiedosiersystems flows through a channel directly into the washing compartment.

The Prozesschemiedosiersystem invention ensures that only with the right cartridge, the right program and thus the dosing process can be started. Without this the dosing process or the cleaning and disinfection process or the device can not be started.

The invention further comprises a process chemical dosing system.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. Show it:

1 a commercial dishwasher according to the invention as described in more detail in [0001] with a Prozesschemiedosiersystem which od right or left next to and outside a container wall or washing compartment is arranged. The picture shows an example, left-positioned Prozesschemiedosiersystem. The door ( 4 ) is shown in the figure in its open position. In one through the door ( 4 ) closable washing compartment ( 3 ) Endoskopaufnahmevorrichtungen or baskets for medical items are arranged in a known manner. A process chemical dosage system comprising a process cartridge compartment ( 9 ) a process cartridge receptacle ( 7 ) and a process cartridge ( 8th ) consisting of, for example, 3 individual / system cartridges.

2 a bottom view of a process cartridge according to the invention, consisting of n individual / system cartridges for use in a Prozesschemiedosiersystem.

3 a side view of a process cartridge according to the invention, consisting of n individual / system cartridges for use in a Prozesschemiedosiersystem.

4 a cross section through the Prozesschemiedosiersystems invention with inserted process cartridge.

An exemplary embodiment of the inventive system cartridge ( 10 ) is in 2 and 3 shown. The process cartridge 50 has, by way of example only, 3 individual / system cartridges for receiving one process chemistry each. Each cartridge is provided with a closure, preferably made of a thermoplastic. The welded-on closure seals the single / system cartridge so that during storage and transport the single / system cartridge / process cartridge ( 8th . 10 ) no process chemistry can escape from this. When inserting the cartridge ( 8th . 10 ) into the process chemistry system ( 7 . 9 ), the membranes of correspondingly in the process chemistry system ( 7 . 9 ) arranged opener / actuator / mandrel ( 21 ) (see. 4 ) pierced by an automatic mechanism, so that in accordance with a corresponding metering process chemistry can be added to the washing compartment.

The individual / system cartridge is preferably made of a plastic and has a width and length of about 50 mm and a height H of about 140 mm on the cartridge diameter can be performed depending on the chemistry in different diameters or at the same diameter with adjusted level. With these dimensions, the volume of differently filled individual cartridge chambers can be dimensioned such that exactly one rinsing cycle can be carried out by means of a process cartridge.

Depending on the chemistry and program, the cartridge filling quantity can also be filled and used for more than one flushing procedure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

water-conducting flushing unit from [0001]

2

device cover

3

Wash cabinet

4

Equipment / rinsing chamber

5

side cabinet

6

Metering drawer / Dosierschubkasten

7

cartridge tray

8th

process cartridges

9

Process cartridge tray

10

system cartridge

11

Kartuschenverrastung

12

System cartridge connecting

13

Removal opening of the cartridge

14

Protective and labeling foil

15

Sealing membrane / sealing film

16

Composite process cartridge

17

Prozesschemiedosiersystem

18

System cartridges Gasket

19

Ausdrückzylinder

20

mixing room

21

Systemkartuschenöffner

22

bellows

23

mixing tube

24

sealing seat

Claims (12)

Cartridge for use in a process chemical dosing system ( 10 ) of a commercial flushing device described in greater detail in [0001], which comprises at least one process chemistry system ( 17 ) with a receiving space ( 9 ) for receiving at least one cartridge ( 10 ), characterized in that the cartridges ( 10 ) at least with at least one openable and non-reclosable closure ( 15 ) keep in touch. Cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure ( 15 ) is designed only for a single opening. Cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the closure ( 15 ) does not open automatically when inserting the cartridge. Cartridge according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the closure ( 15 ) with inserted cartridge ( 8th ) into the process chemical dosing system ( 17 ) corresponding to the sealing seat ( 24 ) of the process chemical dosing system ( 17 ) is arranged so that the openable closures ( 15 + n) are brought into a position in which the process chemicals, in particular by the Prozesschemiedosiersystem ( 17 ), a rinsing cycle can be added. Cartridge according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shutter to be opened ( 15 ) is formed by a membrane, a film. Cartridge according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shutter to be opened ( 15 ) when inserting the process check ( 8th ) into the process chemical dosing system ( 17 ) corresponding to a sealing seat ( 24 ) of the process chemical dosing system ( 17 ) is arranged so that the openable closure ( 15 ) can be opened by an apparatusism to be triggered. Cartridge according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the number of openable closures ( 15 + n) the number of individual cartridges ( 10 ) corresponds. Cartridge according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that exactly one process chemistry is stored in each individual cartridge. Cartridge according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cartridge housing has a positive connection possibility to the next system cartridge. Cartridge according to claim 9, characterized in that the individual / system cartridges can be connected to one another in a form-fitting manner next to one another along the main axis. Water-conducting device according to [0001], a process chemical dosing system ( 17 ), wherein the process chemical dosage system ( 17 ) a process cartridge ( 10 + n) with at least one receiving space ( 9 ) for receiving at least one individual / system cartridge ( 10 ), characterized in that the cartridge ( 10 ) at least one openable closure ( 15 ), wherein the process chemical dosing system ( 17 ) Sealing seats ( 24 ), which are arranged such that, in the case of at least one inserted cartridge, the at least one closure ( 15 ) is brought into a position to be opened by the dosing. Water-conducting device according to [0001] to [0037], characterized in that the opening means ( 21 ) penetrates the closure by motor, mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic actuation.

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