JP2562289Y2 - Sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The sterilization apparatus according to the present invention is used to heat sterilize various articles such as medical instruments and laboratory instruments, and to further cool the articles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various articles such as medical instruments and laboratory instruments are sterilized by a sterilizer after use and before reuse.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a sterilizer used in such a case. High-temperature and high-pressure steam can be fed into the sterilization container 1 through the steam supply pipe 2, and the water 3 stored at the bottom of the sterilization container 1 is heated as the steam is fed. The water 3 is sucked by the water supply pump 4 and spouts out of shower nozzles 5 provided at the upper part of the sterilization container 1.

[0004] Water can be freely supplied into the sterilization container 1 through a water supply pipe 6, and water in the sterilization container 1 can be freely discharged through a drain pipe 7.

[0005] When sterilizing various articles by the sterilizer configured as described above, articles to be sterilized (objects to be sterilized) are stored in a sterilization container 1, and the sterilization is performed through a steam supply pipe 2. The high-temperature and high-pressure steam is sent into the container 1 to raise the temperature inside the sterilization container 1 and the sterilization container 1
The temperature of the water 3 stored at the bottom of the tank is raised.

When the temperature of the water 3 becomes sufficiently high, the water pump 4 is started, and this water (hot water) is jetted from the shower nozzles 5 and 5 on the upper part of the sterilization container 1 toward the object to be sterilized.
Heat sterilize the material to be sterilized.

When the heat sterilization for a predetermined time is completed, the supply of steam into the sterilization container 1 is stopped, and the supply of water into the sterilization container 1 through the water supply pipe 6 which has been stopped until then is restarted. The operation of the water pump 4 is continued.

As a result, the temperature of the water 3 at the bottom of the sterilization container 1 gradually decreases, and the temperature of the water jetted from the shower nozzles 5 and 5 toward the object to be sterilized gradually decreases. In addition, water supply pipe 6
The amount of water 3 at the bottom of the sterilization container 1 which has been increased by being supplied into the sterilization container 1 is discharged to a drainage facility such as sewage by appropriately opening an on-off valve 8 provided in the middle of a drainage pipe 7. I do.

[0009]

However, in the case of the conventional sterilizing apparatus constructed and operated as described above, the hot water existing at the bottom of the sterilization container 1 after the completion of sterilization is cooled with cold water, and the drainage pipe is cooled. Since the wastewater is discharged through the hot water 7, it is impossible to effectively use the heat energy added to the hot water.

That is, after a series of sterilization operations are completed and the sterilized object to be sterilized is cooled, low-temperature water 3 is stored at the bottom of the sterilization container 1. When the processed material to be sterilized is taken out, a new material to be sterilized is stored in the sterilization container 1, and when the sterilization process is performed again, the low-temperature water 3 is heated to a temperature required for the sterilization process. There must be.

[0011] Therefore, even if the sterilization operation is performed continuously, the heat energy used in the previous sterilization operation cannot be used in the next sterilization operation, which is uneconomical.

The sterilization apparatus of the present invention solves the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0013]

The sterilization apparatus according to the present invention, like the above-mentioned conventional sterilization apparatus, has a sterile container which can be hermetically sealed while containing an object to be sterilized, and a water supply for supplying water into the sterilization container. A water supply pipe, a steam supply pipe for feeding high-temperature and high-pressure steam into the sterilization container, a shower nozzle provided in the sterilization container, one end at the bottom of the sterilization container, and the other end at the shower nozzle, It has a water pipe provided with a water pump in the middle, and a drain pipe connected to the water pipe at a portion between the shower nozzle and the water pump.

Further, in the sterilization apparatus according to the present invention, a water temperature sensor is provided in the middle of the drain pipe and detects the temperature of the water flowing in the drain pipe, and the water temperature sensor is provided at a downstream portion of the water temperature sensor. A first on-off valve provided in the middle of the drain pipe,
At least one branch pipe having one end connected to the drain pipe between the first on-off valve and the water temperature sensor, and a second on-off valve provided in the middle of the branch pipe. ,
It is characterized in that a water tank for receiving water sent from the other end of the branch pipe and a feeding means for sending water in the water tank into the sterilization container are added.

[0015]

[Function] Since the sterilizer of the present invention is configured as described above,
After a series of sterilization operations are completed, the hot water discharged in the process of cooling the sterilized object is stored in a water storage tank, and when the sterilization process is performed again, the hot water is supplied into the sterilization container through the feeding means. Can save the heat energy required when restarting the sterilization operation.

[0016]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the sterilization apparatus according to the present invention. A water supply pipe 6 for supplying water into the sterilization container 1 is provided on a side surface of the sterilization container 1 which can be hermetically sealed with the object to be sterilized stored therein.
And a steam supply pipe 2 for feeding high-temperature and high-pressure steam into the sterilization container 1. Further, shower nozzles 5 and 5 are provided on the upper surface of the sterilization container 1, one end is connected to the bottom of the sterilization container 1, and the other end of a water supply pipe 9 provided with a water supply pump 4 is connected to the shower nozzle 5. , 5. In the middle of the water supply pipe 9, an end of the drain pipe 7 is connected between the shower nozzles 5 and 5 and the water supply pump 4.

Further, a water temperature sensor 10 for detecting the temperature of the water flowing through the drain pipe 7 and a first on-off valve 11 are provided in the middle of the drain pipe 7 in order from the upstream side.

One end of a first branch pipe 12 is connected to a portion between the first on-off valve 11 and the water temperature sensor 10 in the middle of the drain pipe 7. A second on-off valve 13 is provided on the way. Then, the other end of the first branch pipe 12 communicates with the first water storage tank 14.

In the middle of the first branch pipe 12, one end of a second branch pipe 15 is connected to a portion upstream of the first on-off valve 13, and this second branch pipe 15 In the middle of
A third on-off valve 16 is provided. The other end of the second branch pipe 15 is communicated with the second water storage tank 17.

The bottoms of the first and second water storage tanks 14 and 17 are connected to the inlet of a feed pump 20 via on-off valves 18 and 19, respectively. Then, the discharge port of the feed pump 20 is connected to the water supply pipe 6 and the shower nozzles 5 and 5 through the three-way valve 22 to feed the water in the water storage tanks 14 and 17 into the sterilization container 1. It is a sending means.

A main water supply pipe 2 leading to a water supply facility such as a water supply.
A three-way valve 24 is provided in the middle of 1 so that low-temperature water sent from the main water supply pipe 21 can be selectively sent to the second water storage tank 17 and the shower nozzles 5 and 5.

Further, a signal indicating the temperature of the water sent from the sterilization container 1 and detected by the water temperature sensor 10 is input to a controller 23, which controls the first, second, and third signals. The opening and closing of the on-off valves 11, 13 and 16 are controlled.

The sterilizer constructed as described above operates as follows.

When a series of sterilization operations are completed by the same operation as the above-described conventional sterilization apparatus, the original water supply pipe 21,
The water supply pump 4 is operated while supplying low-temperature water into the sterilization container 1 via the three-way valves 22 and 24. As a result, while the temperature of the water 3 stored at the bottom of the sterilization container 1 gradually decreases, the water is poured from the shower nozzles 5 and 5 to the object to be sterilized.

The increased amount of water 3 at the bottom of the sterilization container 1 accompanying the supply of cold water from the main water supply pipe 21 is discharged to the outside through the drain pipe 7.
Switches the discharge destination of water according to the water temperature.

First, at the initial stage of discharge, if the water temperature is still high (for example, 80 ° C. or higher), the first and third on-off valves 1
1 and 16 are closed, and only the second on-off valve 13 is opened. As a result, relatively high-temperature water is stored in the first water storage tank 14. This water is sent to the bottom of the sterilization container 1 when the sterilization operation described later is restarted.

If the water temperature is halfway (for example, 80 to 50 ° C.) at the intermediate stage of discharge, the second and third on-off valves 13 and 16 are closed and only the first on-off valve 11 is opened. . As a result, the water discharged from the sterilization container 1 is directly discharged to sewage or the like.

Further, at the final stage of discharge, when the water temperature is low (for example, 50 ° C. or less), the first and second on-off valves 11 and
13 is closed, and only the third on-off valve 16 is opened. As a result,
Relatively low-temperature water is stored in the second water storage tank 17.
This water is sent into the sterilization container 1 when the object to be sterilized is cooled after the sterilization operation described later.

When restarting the sterilization operation, the sterilization container 1
After the low-temperature water at the bottom has been completely drained, the feed pump 20 constituting the feed means is operated to feed the hot water in the first water storage tank 14 into the sterilization container 1 and then repeat the sterilization operation described above. Do. Since the temperature of the water sent into the sterilization container 1 from the first water storage tank 14 is sufficiently high from the beginning, the heat energy required for restarting the sterilization operation can be saved,
Sterilization time can be shortened.

When the object to be sterilized is cooled after the sterilization, the water in the second water storage tank 17 is fed into the sterilization container 1. As a result, water can be saved.

In the illustrated embodiment, water is discharged to sewage or the like when the water temperature is halfway, but this water may be separately stored in a water storage tank.

As a means for switching the destination of water according to the water temperature, a three-way valve or a four-way valve may be used instead of the first to third on-off valves 11, 13, and 16.

[0033]

[Effect of the Invention] The sterilization apparatus of the present invention is constructed and operates as described above, and therefore, when performing a sterilization operation continuously,
Thermal energy and water can be saved, reducing operating costs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sterilization container 2 Steam supply pipe 3 Water 4 Water supply pump 5 Shower nozzle 6 Water supply pipe 7 Drain pipe 8 On-off valve 9 Water supply pipe 10 Water temperature sensor 11 First on-off valve 12 First branch pipe 13 Second on-off valve 14 Second One water storage tank 15 Second branch pipe 16 Third on-off valve 17 Second water storage tank 18 On-off valve 19 On-off valve 20 Feed pump 21 Main water supply pipe 22 Three-way valve 23 Controller 24 Three-way valve

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A sterilization container which can be hermetically sealed with an object to be sterilized stored therein, a water supply pipe for supplying water into the sterilization container, and a steam supply pipe for feeding high-temperature and high-pressure steam into the sterilization container. A shower nozzle provided in the sterilization container, one end to the bottom of the sterilization container, the other end to the shower nozzle,
In a sterilizing apparatus having a water pipe provided with a water pump in the middle thereof and a water pipe connected to the water pipe at a portion between the shower nozzle and the water pump, A water temperature sensor provided on the way to detect the temperature of water flowing in the drain pipe, a first on-off valve provided on the drain pipe at a downstream portion of the water temperature sensor, and a first open / close valve At least one branch pipe having one end connected to the drain pipe between the valve and the water temperature sensor, a second on-off valve provided in the middle of the branch pipe, A sterilizer comprising a water tank for receiving water sent from the other end and a feeding means for feeding water in the water tank into the sterilization container. 2. A three-way valve or a four-way valve is provided at a branch between a drain pipe and a branch pipe, instead of omitting the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve. Sterilizer.