GB2232595A

GB2232595A - Portable autoclave apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2232595A
Application number: GB8913566A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart John Line; Charles Albert Prior
Original assignee: PRIOR CARRYCLAVE Ltd
Current assignee: PRIOR CARRYCLAVE Ltd
Priority date: 1989-06-13
Filing date: 1989-06-13
Publication date: 1990-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 2009-06-13
Also published as: GB2232595B; GB8913566D0

Abstract

Portable autoclave apparatus (2) comprising a container (4), an autoclave (6) which is provided in the container (4), electrical means (8) which is provided in the container (4) and which is for enabling mains current to be supplied to the autoclave (6) so that liquid (10) inside the autoclave (6) can be heated, and carrying means (12) for enabling the portable autoclave apparatus (2) to be carried in a person's hand. <IMAGE>

Description

PORTABLE AUTOCLAVE APPARATUS Autoclave apparatus is well known and it is used for sterilizing equipment such for example as sutures, forceps, hypodermic syringes and other surgical instruments. The autoclaves are generally used for sterilizing a wide variety of equipment and they are also used for treating medina requiring microbiological destruction.

The known autoclaves are traditionally sited in a permanent position. Thus equipment or media requiring treatment needs to be taken to the autoclave. This is not always convenient. For example, midwives and chiropodists often visit homes to treat patien-ts, and veterinary surgeons often visit home and farms to treat animals.

These people may need to sterilize equipment or treat media and it is not always convenient for them to take the instruments/media to an autocalve which is remote from the home or farm. This problem is becoming more and more acute with people living longer and therefore requiring more and more health care, and with hospitals tending to be de-centralized.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce -the above mentioned prol,l.cni.

Accordingly, this invention provides portable autoclave apparatus comprising a container, an autoclave which is provided in the container, electrical means which is provided in the container and which is for enabling mains current to be supplied to the autoclave so that liquid inside the autoclave can be heated, and carrying means for enabling the portable autoclave apparatus to be carried in a person's hand.

The portable autoclave apparatus of the present invention may thus be taken to a site, for example a farm or a home, at which a person or animal is requiring treatment. Midwives, chiropodists and veterinary surgeons can thus sterilize instruments or treat media on site, which is more convenient than having togo to remote autoclave apparatus in, for example a hospital or a surgery. Other persons such for example as dentists may also find the portable autoclave apparatus extremely convenient to use. The portable autoclave apparatus can simply and easily be carried by a person to wherever is necessary and then it can be simply plugged into a mains electricity supply and thus be ready for use.

Preferably, the container is a case. Also preferably, the case is in the style of an attache case. When the case is in the style of an attache case, it may be about the same length and height as an attache case but it would usually be wider, for example about three times as wide as a standard attache case. The container may thus be 3 - 6 inches (7 - 15 cm) wide and 9 - 18 inches (23 - 46 cm) long. A presently preferred size for the container, especially when it is in the style of an attache case is 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) wide and 11 inches (33 cm) long.

The autoclave may be located in an autoclave receiving area in the container.

Preferably, the autoclave receiving area is inclined such that the autoclave slopes in the container. With a sloping autoclave and a sloping autoclave receiving area, the container can generally be made smaller than if the autoclave and the autoclave receiving area are vertical.

However, if desired, the autoclave and the autoclave receiving area may be vertically positioned. A sloping autoclave receiving area and a sloping autoclave may also be especially convenient for allowing removal of the contents of the autoclave.

Preferably, the autoclave has a top part which terminates adjacent a wall of the container. The wall is preferably a side wall or an end wall, with the autoclave then sloping towards the side wall or the end wall.

The top part of the autoclave is preferably covered by a cover member. Advantageously, the cover member is secured to the container and forms a part of the container. Thus, for example, the cover member may be hinged to the wall of the container.

The portable autoclave apparatus advantageously includes first safety means for ensuring that the cover member is shut before the liquid inside the autoclave can be heated. With such first safety means, a person operating the portable autoclave apparatus, cannot undo the autoclave whilst the autoclave apparatus is operating and thus possibly injure himself or herself due to the pressurized contents of the autoclave suddenly escaping.

The autoclave will usually contain heating element means. Preferably, the autoclave is tubular but the autoclave may be of any shape and size commensurate with fitting in the container.

The electrical means will usually be an electric circuit and a mains cable. The mains cable may be of any desired and appropriate length.

The carrying means will usually be a handle.

Various types of handle may be employed. Usually there will only be one handle but if desired, there may be more than one handle.

The portable autoclave apparatus may advantageously include holding means for sterilizing the equipment taken from the autoclave.

The holding means may be located in a holding means receiving area in the container. Advantageously, the holding means receiving area is inclined such that the holding means slopes in the container. Thus the autoclave and the holding means may slope together and, as mentioned above, the sloping facilitates the fitting of the components of the autoclave apparatus into a smaller container. Also, the sloping holding means may enable the equipment more easily to be removed from the holding means. If desired, the holding means may be vertical, similarly as mentioned above for the autoclave.

Preferably the holding means is tubular. The holding means may however be of any shape and size commensurate with fitting in the container.

The holding means is preferably a basket.

If desired, the holding means may be located outside the container so that, for example, the holding means may clip to the outside of the container.

The advantage of using a holding means for sterilized equipment is that the equipment is hot when it is removed from the autoclave. It is desirable to place the equipment on a germ free surface until it is sufficiently cool that it can be touched with comfort.

Where the holding means is a basket, then the holding means may have a folding handle or handles. The basket may be made of an open mesh framework'or a perforated metal enclosure.

If the holding means is to be secured to the outside of the container, then this may be effected with one or more hooks or other devices. The or each'hook may also act as a locking catch.

The portable autoclave apparatus may also include a warning light for indicating when the autoclave is operating under pressure. The warning light may thus help to prevent persons attempting to open the autoclave when it has pressurized liquid in it.

The portable autoclave apparatus may include second safety means for ensuring that the autoclave can only be opened when the warning light is off.

The various parts of the portable autoclave apparatus can be made in any desired and appropriate materials.

Thus, for example, the container may be made of coated steel, aluminium, a plastics material or leather.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of first portable autoclave apparatus; Figure 2 is a front view of the portable autoclave apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows holding means in the form of a holding basket for use in the portable autoclave apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of second portable autoclave apparatus.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 there is shown portable autoclave apparatus 2. The apparatus 2 comprises a container in the form of a case 4. The case 4 is in the style of an attache case. The apparatus 2 also comprises an autoclave 6 which is provided in the case 4.

The apparatus 2 further comprises electrical means 8 which is provided in the case 4 and which is for enabling mains current to be supplied to the autoclave 6 so that liquid 10 inside the autoclave 6 can be heated. The apparatus 2 still further comprises carrying means in the form of a handle 12 for enabling the apparatus 2 to be carried in a persons hand.

In the side view shown in Figure 2, it will be seen that the case 4 is in the style of an attache case. It will however be seen from Figure 1 that the case 4 is about three times as wide as a normal attache case.

The autoclave 6 is located in an autoclave receiving area 14. The autoclave 6 and the autoclave receiving area 14 slope as shown in Figure 1. Also as shown in Figure 1, the autoclave 6 has a top part 16 which terminates adjacent a side wall 18 of the case 4. The top part 16 of the autoclave 6 is covered by a cover member 20. The cover member 20 is hinged by a hinge 22 to the side wall 18 so that the cover member 20 forms a part of the case 4.

The apparatus 2 may include first safety means (not shown) for ensuring that the cover member 20 is shut before the liquid 10 inside the autoclave 6 can be heated. This first safety means helps to ensure that the apparatus 2 is extremely safe to use.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the autoclave 6 contains heating element means 24 which is used to heat the liquid 10. The liquid 10 may be any desired and suitable liquid of the type currently used in autoclaves. The autoclave 6 is tubular as shown.

The electrical means 8 comprises an electrical circuit 26, a mains cable 28 and control switches 30. The mains cable 28 is coiled in a space 32 formed in the case 4.

The mains cable 28 may be of the type that is automatically retractable once it -is pulled out, thus facilitating easy coiling and storage of the mains cable 28 after use. Alternatively, the mains cable 28 can just be pulled out and wound up by hand.

The apparatus 2 includes holding means in the form of a holding basket 34 for receiving equipment or other items that have been sterilized in the autoclave 6. The holding basket 34 can retain its workload until the various items have sufficiently cooled to be hand holdable in comfort. The holding basket 34 is retained in a holding basket receiving area 36 as shown in Figure 2. The holding basket receiving area 36 slopes in the same manner as the autoclave 6 and thus terminates adjacent the side wall 18. As can be seen from Figure 2, the cover member 20 extends the length of the side wall 18 and thus covers the autoclave 6 and the holding basket receiving area 36 in the closed position of the cover member 20.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the holding basket 34 is of an open mesh framework. The holding basket 34 has a handle 38 which can fold down when it is not in use.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown second portable autoclave apparatus 2. Similar parts as in Figures 1 and 2 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding and their precise construction and operation will not again be given. In Figure 4, it will be seen that the autoclave 6 slopes such that it terminates in a top corner part 40 of the case 4. The cover member 20 is shown with a locking catch 42. The control switches 30 are shown in a control panel 44. The control panel 44 may include control dials 46.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the apparatus 2 may include a warning light (not shown) for indicating when the autoclave 6 is operating under pressure.

The apparatus 2 may also include second safety means (not shown) for ensuring that the autoclave 6 can only be opened when the warning light is off. The apparatus 2 can be made of a variety of desired materials so that, for example, the case 4 may be made of coated steel, aluminium, a plastics material or leather. The autoclave 6 can be vertically positioned if desired. Figure 4 shows apparatus 2 with only the autoclave 6 and a holding basket such as the holding basket 34 may be clipped to the outside of the case 4. If desired however the holding basket 34 may be positioned inside the case 4 to terminate adjacent the corner part 40 in the same manner as the autoclave 6. In Figure 3, the holding basket 34 is shown containing a pair of forceps 48 but any other desired and appropriate equipment may be placed in the holding basket 34.

Claims

1. Portable autoclave apparatus comprising a container, an autoclave which is provided in the container, electrical means which is provided in the container and which is for enabling mains current to be supplied to the autoclave so that liquid inside the autoclave can be heated, and carrying means for enabling the portable autoclave apparatus to be carried in a persons hand.

2. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 1 in which the container is a case.

3. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 2 in which the case is in the style of an attache case.

4. Portable autoclave apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the autoclave is located in an autoclave receiving area in the container.

5. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 4 in which the autoclave receiving area is inclined so that the autoclave slopes in the container.

6. Portable autoclave apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the autoclave has a top part which terminates adjacent a wall of the container.

7. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 6 in which the wall is a side wall or an end wall, with the autoclave then sloping towards the side wall or the end wall.

8. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7 in which the top part of the autoclave is covered by a cover member.

9. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 8 in which the cover member is secured to the container and forms a part of the container.

10. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 8 or claim 9 and including first safety means for ensuring that the cover member is shut before the liquid inside the autoclave can be heated.

11. Portable autoclave apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the autoclave contains heating element means.

12. Portable autoclave apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the autoclave is a tubular autoclave.

13. Portable autoclave apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the electrical means is an electric circuit and a mains cable.

14. Portable autoclave apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the carrying means is a handle.

15. Portable autoclave apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including holding means for sterilizing the equipment taken from the autoclave.

16. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 15 in which the holding means is located in a holding means receiving area in the container.

17. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 16 in which the holding means receiving area is inclined such that the holding means slopes in the container.

18. Portable autoclave apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 17 in which the holding means is a tubular holding means.

19. Portable autoclave apparatus according to any one of claims 15 to 18 in which the holding means is a basket.

20. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 15 in which the holding means is located outside the container.

21. Portable autoclave apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including a warning light for indicating when the autoclave is operating under pressure.

22. Portable autoclave apparatus according to claim 10 or to claim 10 and any claim when appendant thereto and including second safety means for ensuring that the autoclave can only be opened when the warning light is off.

23. Portable autoclave apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.