JP3989892B2 - Sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sterilizer used for sterilizing a portion to be sterilized by placing an object to be sterilized, such as medical equipment, in an atmosphere of sterilizing gas such as ethylene oxide gas (EOG). The present invention relates to a sterilizer that uses a cartridge can filled with.

  This type of sterilizer accommodates materials to be sterilized such as medical equipment to be sterilized in a sterilization chamber that can be completely sealed, and after the sterilization chamber is sealed, the inside of the sterilization chamber is evacuated by a vacuum pump. The sterilization chamber is introduced into the sterilization chamber, and the sterilization chamber is kept sealed in the sterilization chamber, and the sterilization chamber is kept at a predetermined temperature, for example, 40 ° C. to 60 ° C. for a predetermined time, for example, 3 hours. It is an instrument that performs sterilization of an object to be sterilized by maintaining for -6 hours. In this sterilizer, generally, a bottomed cylindrical can body having an open side is housed in a casing to form a main body, and the inner space of the can body serves as a sterilization chamber. A door that can be freely opened and closed is attached to the main body portion on the opening side of the sterilization chamber. When the door is closed, the main body portion comes into airtight contact with the entire periphery of the opening of the sterilization chamber. An annular packing is attached and a sealing lid for sealing the sterilization chamber is integrally fixed.

  By the way, for introducing the sterilization gas into the sterilization chamber, for example, a sealed cartridge can filled with ethylene oxide gas (95%), for example, is used. Sterilization gas is sent from the cartridge can into the sterilization chamber. The cartridge can punching device is provided with a cartridge can container equipped with a jig capable of mounting only a specified cartridge can, and thus, a cartridge of a different type can be erroneously mounted on the cartridge can container. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-224199 A (page 3, FIG. 2)

  In a sterilizer configured to install a specified cartridge can in a can container of a cartridge can punching device, multiple types of cartridge cans with different shapes are manufactured, and each cartridge can with a different shape is manufactured. It is necessary to manufacture different jigs. For this reason, both the cartridge can manufacturer and the sterilizer manufacturer complicate the manufacturing process of the cartridge can and the apparatus. Recently, multiple types of cartridge cans with different sterilization gas filling amounts have been used for cartridge cans of the same shape, and sterilization of multiple types of cartridge cans with the same shape differing only in the sterilization gas filling amount. Depending on the processing capacity of the vessel, it is used differently. In such a case, the system as described in Patent Document 1 cannot cope with an error in mounting the cartridge can on the cartridge can container.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above. Even if the cartridge can has the same shape, a plurality of types of cartridge cans having different sterilization gas filling amounts can be easily identified. Providing a sterilizer that can eliminate mistakes in mounting, and that can reduce the complexity of cartridge can and device manufacturing operations for cartridge can manufacturers and sterilizer manufacturers. Objective.

The invention according to claim 1 is a sterilization chamber in which one side is opened and an object to be sterilized is accommodated therein, and a can that can be inserted and held by a canister that can be broken and filled with a sterilization gas and sealed A holding part is formed, and has a can breaking means for punching and breaking the cartridge can held by the can holding part, and does not leak sterilization gas ejected through the hole of the broken cartridge can to the outside. In this way, there is a main body portion in which a gas passage for introduction into the sterilization chamber is formed, and a sealing lid that hermetically abuts on the entire periphery of the peripheral portion of the opening of the sterilization chamber of the main body portion to seal the sterilization chamber. A door attached to the body portion so as to be openable and closable; an exhaust means for evacuating the interior of the sterilization chamber of the body portion; and the interior of the sterilization chamber is evacuated by the exhaust means to a predetermined degree. After reaching the vacuum level, In sterilizer and control means for controlling so Yabukan operation of the ridge can is performed, the can holding portion of the main body portion, an outer peripheral surface or outer peripheral surface thereof a cartridge canister held in the can holder A sensor for detecting a different color for each sterilization gas filling amount is attached to the attached label, and affixed to the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge can or the outer peripheral surface according to a signal from the sensor. The color of the labeled label is determined, whether or not a cartridge can having a desired gas filling amount is held in the can holding portion of the main body portion, and a desired gas filling amount in the can holding portion is confirmed. When a cartridge can other than the desired gas filling amount is held in the can holding part, the exhaust is moved to the vacuum evacuation operation by the exhaust means. To stop the transition to evacuation operation by means, characterized in that as controlled by the control means.

In the sterilizer according to claim 1, when the cartridge can is inserted and held in the can holding portion of the main body, the color on the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge can or the label attached to the outer peripheral surface is It is detected by a sensor. In this case, the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge can or the label on the outer peripheral surface is colored with a different color every time the filling amount of the sterilizing gas is different. It is checked whether the cartridge can of the desired gas filling amount is held.
Therefore, when the sterilizer of the invention according to claim 1 is used, even if the cartridge can has the same shape, a plurality of types of cartridge cans with different filling amounts of sterilization gas can be easily identified and the cartridge can be installed incorrectly. Can be eliminated. For the cartridge can manufacturer, it is only necessary to manufacture a single cartridge can, which reduces the complexity of the manufacturing operation, and for the sterilizer manufacturer, different types of cartridge cans. Since it is not necessary to manufacture a different jig for each, the complexity of the manufacturing work is reduced.

The best mode for carrying out the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a sterilizer showing an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where a door is opened, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the vicinity of a can holding portion of a main body of the sterilizer. It is.

  In this sterilizer, the main body 10 having a structure in which a bottomed cylindrical can 12 having an opening on the front side is housed in a rectangular parallelepiped casing 14 and the opening on the front side of the casing 14 are closed so as to be freely opened and closed. The door 16 is hinged to the housing 14 in a single-opening manner and has a sealing lid 18 attached to the inside. The inner space of the cylindrical can 12 becomes the sterilization chamber 20, and an object to be sterilized, for example, a medical device, is accommodated in the sterilization chamber 20. Although the description and illustration of the detailed structure of the sealing lid 18 are omitted, when the door 16 is closed, the annular lid packing 24 attached to the sealing lid 18 has a cylindrical shape. The sterilization chamber 20 can be hermetically closed by being elastically pressed to the entire periphery of the peripheral portion of the opening surface of the can body 12. Although not shown, a latch mechanism that is detachable is provided on the inner side surface of the door 16 and the front wall plate 22 fixed inside the housing 14 of the main body 10. 16 is held in a closed state. Further, the main body 10 is formed with a can holding portion 26 having a loading port opened in the front wall plate 22, and a sterilization gas (liquefied gas) such as ethylene oxide (95%) is provided in the can holding portion 26. ) And carbon dioxide (5%) and filled with a sealed canister 28 (shown by a two-dot chain line) that can be inserted and removed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the can holding part 26 includes a cylindrical can fitting insertion member 30. The can insertion member 30 has an inner diameter that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cartridge can 28 and an axial length that is about one third of the length of the cartridge can 28. As for 28, about 1/3 from the front-end | tip is inserted in the can-insertion member 30. As shown in FIG. A plurality of, for example, four elongate nuts 32 are equally distributed in the circumferential direction on the front end face of the can-inserting member 30 and are integrally fixed to each other. Via these elongated nuts 32, the can-insertion member 30, the front wall plate 22, and the flange 34 are integrally connected by bolting.

  As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, the upper part of the can-insertion member 30 is formed such that a part of the outer peripheral surface is a flat surface, and the portion of the flat surface is on the inner peripheral surface side of the can-insertion insertion member 30. A stepped hole 36 penetrating up to is formed. A printed circuit board 38 (not shown in FIG. 2) on which electronic circuit components are mounted is attached to the flat surface portion of the can-insertion member 30, and a step is formed on the lower surface side of the printed circuit board 38. The optical sensor unit 40 is mounted so as to face the inner peripheral surface side of the can-insertion member 30 from inside the stepped hole 36 disposed inside the hole 36. As shown in the plan view seen from the lower surface side of the printed circuit board 38 in FIG. 4, the optical sensor unit 40 includes one phototransistor 42 and a plurality of phototransistors 42 arranged around the phototransistor 42, in the illustrated example. It consists of six light emitting diodes 44a, 44b, 44c. Of the six light emitting diodes, two light emitting diodes 44a and 44a are red light emitting diodes, another two light emitting diodes 44b and 44b are green light emitting diodes, and the remaining two light emitting diodes 44c and 44c. Is a blue light emitting diode. Then, on the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge can 28, as shown in FIG. 2, yellow, green, red, blue are placed at positions facing the optical sensor unit 40 when the cartridge can 28 is inserted all the way into the can-insertion member 30. A label having one colored band 46 such as is attached. Alternatively, the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge can is directly colored in a strip shape. The color of the colored band 46 is changed according to the filling amount of the sterilizing gas filled in the cartridge can 28.

  On the rear end side (right end side in FIG. 2) of the can-insertion member 30, a can breaking mechanism 50 including a short cylindrical cylinder 48 that is integrally fixed to the rear end portion of the can-insertion member 30 is arranged. It is installed. A ring-shaped rubber packing 52 is attached to the central portion of the front end surface of the cylinder 48, and when the cartridge can 28 is pushed into the can insertion member 30, the head of the cartridge can 28 is in the rubber packing 52. It comes to be airtight and intimate. A through hole 54 is formed at the center of the front end surface of the cylinder 48, and the inside of the cylinder 48 communicates with the can holding part 26 side through the through hole 54. A cylindrical guide portion 56 extends in the axial direction from the center of the front end surface of the cylinder 48 to the inner side of the cylinder 48. The rear end surface of the cylinder 48 is open, and a step 58 is provided near the rear end of the cylinder 48. A piston 60 is accommodated in the cylinder 48. At the rear end opening of the cylinder 48, there is disposed a stop plate 64 fixed to a pair of upper and lower fixing plates 62, 62 fixed to the outside of the cylinder 48 and having a through hole 66 formed in the center. The stop plate 64 prevents the piston 60 from being removed from the cylinder 48.

  The piston 60 has a disk portion 68 that slides in a portion where the inner diameter dimension is slightly increased near the rear end of the cylinder 48, and is integrally connected to the disk portion 68 and is axially connected to the center portion of the disk portion 68. The shaft part 70 comprises a shaft part 70 that slides in the direction and is slid by being inserted into the cylindrical guide part 56. An O-ring 72 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the disc portion 68 in order to maintain the airtightness inside the cylinder 48. A shaft hole 74 is formed in the shaft center portion of the shaft portion 70 so as to penetrate in the axial direction, and a vent hole 76 is formed in the shaft portion 70 in the radial direction. Then, a piercing needle 78 is inserted into the shaft hole 74, the tip of the piercing needle 78 protrudes from the front end surface of the shaft portion 70, and the piercing needle 78 is fixed by a fixing pin 80. Further, a compression coil spring 82 is extrapolated to the cylindrical guide portion 56 of the cylinder 48 and the shaft portion 70 of the piston 60, and this compression coil spring 82 is connected to the inner surface of the front end portion of the cylinder 48 and the inner surface of the disc portion 68 of the piston 60. The piston 60 is elastically biased outward (right side in FIG. 2) by being interposed between the two sides.

  As shown in the piping system diagram of FIG. 5, an exhaust pipe 86 connected to the exhaust port 84 in a flow path is connected to the inner space of the cylindrical can 12, that is, the sterilization chamber 20. A check valve 88 that allows only air flow from the sterilization chamber 20 to the exhaust port 84 is inserted into the exhaust pipe 86, and a vacuum pump 90 is inserted downstream of the check valve 88. Further, a gas introduction pipe 92 is connected to the sterilization chamber 20 in communication, and a gas introduction pipe 94 and an air intake pipe 96 are connected to the gas introduction pipe 92, respectively. A gas solenoid valve 98 and a release solenoid valve 100 are inserted in the gas introduction pipe 94 and the air intake pipe 96, respectively. The gas introduction pipe 94 is connected to the shaft hole 74 of the piston 60 in the can breaking mechanism 50 through a flow path. The sterilization gas ejected through the hole of the cartridge can 28 broken by the can breaking mechanism 50 is introduced into the sterilization chamber 20 through the gas introduction pipe 94 and the gas introduction pipe 92. The tip of the air intake tube 96 communicates with the atmosphere, and a filter 102 is inserted in the air intake tube 96. Further, a pressure sensor 104 is attached to measure the atmospheric pressure (degree of vacuum) inside the sterilization chamber 20.

  As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 6, the analog signal output from the phototransistor 42 of the optical sensor unit 40 is input to the A / D converter 106 and converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 106. After that, it is input to the CPU 108. Then, the CPU 108 determines the color of the colored band 46 of the cartridge can 28 from the detected value, and confirms whether or not the cartridge can 28 having a desired gas filling amount is held in the can holding portion 26 of the main body 10. At this time, when it is confirmed that the cartridge can 28 having a desired gas filling amount is held in the can holding unit 26, a normal signal is sent from the CPU 108 to the controller 110, and the control signal output from the controller 110 The process proceeds to (the evacuation process in the sterilization chamber 20). On the other hand, when the cartridge can 28 other than the desired gas filling amount is held in the can holding unit 26, an abnormal signal is sent from the CPU 108 to the controller 110, and the control signal output from the controller 110 proceeds to the next operation process. And the error message is displayed on a display (not shown) such as a liquid crystal display panel.

  Specifically, the color discrimination of the colored strip 46 of the cartridge can 28 by the optical sensor unit 40 is performed as follows, for example. That is, first, a high-quality white label serving as a color reference is attached to the cartridge can 28, and the cartridge can 28 is attached to the can holding portion 26 of the main body 10. First, the red light emitting diode 44a is turned on. The reflected light is detected by the phototransistor 42. Then, the detection signal is A / D converted, and the output of the red light emitting diode 44a is adjusted so that it becomes 235 with 8-bit data (maximum value 255). Next, the green light emitting diode 44b is turned on, the reflected light is detected by the phototransistor 42, the detection signal is A / D converted, and the output of the green light emitting diode 44b is adjusted in the same manner as described above. Subsequently, the blue light emitting diode 44c is turned on, the reflected light is detected by the phototransistor 42, the detection signal is A / D converted, and the output of the blue light emitting diode 44c is adjusted in the same manner as described above.

  Next, various color labels, for example, a yellow label, a green label, a red label, and a blue label are attached to each cartridge can 28, and each cartridge can 28 is sequentially attached to the can holding portion 26 of the main body 10, and each After the mounting, the red light emitting diode 44a, the green light emitting diode 44b, and the blue light emitting diode 44c are sequentially turned on, each reflected light is detected by the phototransistor 42, each detection signal is A / D converted, and each digital signal value is obtained. Store in memory. The signal value at this time is, for example, as follows. That is, for the yellow label (Munsell 2.5Y 8/12), the signal value when emitting red light: 208, the signal value when emitting green light: 158, the signal value when emitting blue light: 39, and the green label (Munsell 4G 5 .5 / 7.8), the signal value when emitting red light: 26, the signal value when emitting green light: 101, the signal value when emitting blue light: 75, and the red label (Munsell 5R 4/13) The signal value at the time of red light emission: 204, the signal value at the time of green light emission: 25, the signal value at the time of blue light emission: 20, and the signal value at the time of red light emission: 69 for the blue label (Munsell 10B 6/7). The signal value for green light emission is 108, and the signal value for blue light emission is 153. Using the data obtained as described above, each signal value is given a tolerance of, for example, about ± 20%, and a yellow label, a green label, a red label, and a blue label are discriminated. When the cartridge can 28 is not attached to the can holding portion 26 of the main body 10, the reflected light does not enter the phototransistor 42 and all signal values are close to 0. It can be confirmed whether or not the can 28 is securely attached to the can holding portion 26 of the main body 10.

  Sterilization of medical equipment using this sterilizer is performed in exactly the same procedure as before. That is, with the door 16 open, a sterilization object such as a medical device is inserted into the sterilization chamber 20 through the opening surface, and the cartridge can 28 is loaded into the can holding portion 26 of the main body portion 10. And the sterilization chamber 20 is sealed with the sealing lid 18. At this time, as described above, it is confirmed whether or not the cartridge can 28 having a desired gas filling amount is held in the can holding portion 26 of the main body 10, and the can holding portion 26 has a value other than the desired gas filling amount. When the cartridge can 28 is being held, an error message is displayed on the display unit, and even if the door 16 is closed, the process does not proceed to the next evacuation operation. When it is confirmed that the cartridge can 28 having a desired gas filling amount is held in the can holding portion 26 of the main body 10, the inside of the sterilization chamber 20 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 90. At this time, the gas solenoid valve 98 inserted in the gas introduction pipe 94 and the release solenoid valve 100 inserted in the air intake pipe 96 are closed. When the inside of the sterilization chamber 20 is evacuated and reaches a predetermined degree of vacuum, the gas electromagnetic valve 98 is opened. Along with this, the cartridge can 28 is broken by the can breaking mechanism 50. The breaking operation at this time will be described with reference to FIG.

  After the interior of the sterilization chamber 20 reaches a predetermined degree of vacuum, when the gas electromagnetic valve 98 inserted in the gas introduction pipe 94 is opened, the gas introduction pipe 92 and the gas introduction pipe 94 and the piston 60 in the can breaking mechanism 50 are opened. The inside of the cylinder 48 is depressurized through the air vent 76. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7A, the piston 60 moves in the direction approaching the head of the cartridge can 28 against the elastic force of the compression coil spring 82 (the left direction in FIG. 7). The piercing needle 78 attached to the shaft portion 70 of the piston 60 also moves. Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, the piercing needle 78 breaks through the head of the cartridge can 28 and a small hole is made in the cartridge can 28. When a hole is made in the cartridge can 28, a sterilizing gas (liquefied gas) is ejected and vaporized through the hole, and the sterilizing gas is sterilized through the vent hole 76, the gas introduction pipe 94 and the gas introduction pipe 92 of the piston 60. It is introduced into the chamber 20. The piercing needle 78 pierced into the head of the cartridge can 28 is opened after the sterilization process is completed, and the release electromagnetic valve 100 inserted in the air intake pipe 96 is opened, so that the air intake pipe 96 and the gas introduction pipe are opened. 94, air flows into the cylinder 48 through 94, and the atmospheric pressure inside the cylinder 48 returns to atmospheric pressure. As a result, the piston 60 is moved by the elastic force of the compression coil spring 82 as shown in FIG. It moves in a direction away from the head of the cartridge can 28 (right direction in FIG. 7), and the piercing needle 78 attached to the shaft portion 70 of the piston 60 comes out of the head of the cartridge can 28.

  When the cartridge can 28 is broken by the operation as described above and the sterilization gas is introduced into the sterilization chamber 20, the sterilization chamber 20 is kept in the sterilization chamber 20 for a predetermined time with the sterilization gas sealed. The object to be sterilized is sterilized while being maintained at a predetermined temperature. When the sterilization process is completed, the sterilization gas is discharged from the sterilization chamber 20 by the vacuum pump 90, and then air is taken into the sterilization chamber 20 through the air intake tube 96 and the gas introduction tube 92. Return to atmospheric pressure. When the inside of the sterilization chamber 20 returns to the atmospheric pressure, the door 16 is opened and an object to be sterilized is taken out from the sterilization chamber 20. Note that the sterilization gas discharged from the sterilization chamber 20 is treated by an appropriate method and then released into the atmosphere.

It is an external appearance perspective view of the sterilizer which shows embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the can holding | maintenance part vicinity of the main-body part of the sterilizer shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of main-body part of the sterilizer shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the structure of the optical sensor part provided in the main-body part of the sterilizer shown in FIG. It is the schematic which shows the piping system of the sterilizer shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the control system of the sterilizer shown in FIG. It is a fragmentary sectional view for demonstrating the can breaking operation | movement of the cartridge can by the can breaking mechanism of the sterilizer shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Main body part 12 Cylindrical can body 14 Housing | casing 16 Door 18 Sealing lid 20 Sterilization chamber 26 Can holding part 28 Cartridge can 30 Can fitting insertion member 36 Stepped hole of can fitting insertion member 38 Printed circuit board 40 Optical sensor part 42 Phototransistor 44a, 44b, 44c Light-emitting diode 46 Cartridge can coloring band 48 Cylinder 50 Breaking mechanism 52 Rubber packing 54 Cylinder through hole 56 Cylinder cylindrical guide portion 60 Piston 68 Piston disc portion 70 Piston shaft portion 72 O -Ring 74 Shaft hole 76 Vent hole 78 Perforated needle 80 Fixed pin 82 Compression coil spring 86 Exhaust pipe 88 Check valve 90 Vacuum pump 92 Gas introduction pipe 94 Gas introduction pipe 96 Air intake pipe 98 Gas solenoid valve 100 Release solenoid valve 106 A / D converter 108 CPU
110 controller

Claims (1)

A sterilization chamber in which one side is opened and an object to be sterilized is housed, and a can holding unit in which a canister that can be broken and filled with a sterilization gas is sealed and inserted is formed, The cartridge can held by the can holding portion has a can breaking means for perforating and breaking, and the sterilizing gas ejected through the hole of the broken cartridge can is introduced into the sterilization chamber so as not to leak outside. A main body formed with a gas passage for performing,
A door that is hermetically in contact with the entire periphery of the periphery of the opening of the sterilization chamber of the main body portion and seals the sterilization chamber;
Exhaust means for evacuating the interior of the sterilization chamber of the main body,
Control means for controlling the can breaking operation of the cartridge can by the can breaking means after the inside of the sterilization chamber is evacuated by the exhaust means and reaches a predetermined degree of vacuum;
In a sterilizer equipped with
Colors colored in different colors each time the sterilization gas filling amount is different on the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge can held on the can holding portion of the main body portion or on the label attached to the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge can A sensor for detecting
Based on the signal from the sensor , the color on the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge can or the label attached to the outer peripheral surface is determined, and the cartridge can with a desired gas filling amount is held in the can holding portion of the main body. whether it has been confirmed, when the cartridge can of desired gas loading is held in the can holder, is shifted to the evacuation operation by the evacuation means, the desired gas filled in the can holder The sterilizer is controlled by the control means so as to stop the transition to the vacuum evacuation operation by the evacuation means when a cartridge can other than the amount is held .

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