JP4386650B2 - Sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sterilizer, and more particularly to a sterilizer that drastically reduces the number of bacteria in a shorter time.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Various bacteria are attached to the container. As an instrument that requires sterilization and sterilization, such as a container for infusion, a medicine bottle, a container containing pure water, a container in which bacteria must not propagate, and a bacteria must not adhere to the outside like a scalpel. There are known medical instruments and laboratory instruments such as flasks in which bacteria should not be present inside or outside. Dealing with crimes that attach bacteria that release extremely harmful toxins to the surface of postal envelopes addressed to government officials has become an urgent task to combat international terrorism. It is important to reliably and drastically reduce the number of bacteria present on the surface including the inner surface of such devices, or the number of bacteria and molds adhering to daily goods.
[0003]
As a technique for performing such a sterilization process, a sterilization apparatus as shown in FIG. 9 is known. A processing target 103 is placed on a turntable 102 disposed in the vacuum vessel 101, a processing gas 104 is introduced into the vacuum vessel 101, and a μ wave 106 is further introduced through a waveguide 105, thereby processing. After completion, the processing gas 104 is discarded from the exhaust pipe 107. The excited species OH radicals generated by the plasma generated in the vacuum vessel 101 into which the μ wave is introduced have an effective sterilizing effect on the bacteria attached to the surface of the processing target 103. Such a bactericidal effect is a chemical effect. As a sterilization processing technique, a sterilization apparatus as shown in FIG. 10 is further known. The processing target 110 is placed on the electrode 109 disposed in the vacuum vessel 108, the processing gas 111 is introduced into the vacuum vessel 108, and the power of the high-frequency power source 112 is passed through the electrode 113 in the vacuum vessel 108. The processing gas 111 is introduced from the introduction pipe 114 and discarded from the exhaust pipe 115. The excited species OH radicals generated by the plasma 116 generated in the vacuum vessel 108 have an effective sterilizing effect on the bacteria attached to the surface of the processing target 110.
[0004]
Such a known sterilizer uses high-concentration hydrogen peroxide as the processing gases 104 and 111 in order to generate excited species having a high sterilizing effect. In order to effectively sterilize by generating plasma, hydrogen peroxide is concentrated to 30% or more. Hydrogen peroxide, which is thought to have carcinogenic properties, needs to be treated when its concentration is high. The OH radicals in the discharge plasma used for sterilization by known devices have a sterilization effect due to chemical action, but in the chemical action state, the amount of radicals is small, and the radicals are diffused by diffusion. Dispersed and poor sterilization efficiency. In the above-described field where a drastic reduction of the number of bacteria of 4 to 6 digits or more is required, a time of about 50 to 90 minutes is necessary as a processing time for the sterilization. In the known apparatus, the shape of the plasma determined by the electrode 102 or the μ wave mode is often incompatible with the shape of the processing targets 103 and 110, and there is a further problem that the sterilization process becomes uneven and becomes non-uniform. Existing. In the known sterilization apparatus, the amount of radicals flying from the discharge area to the object to be sterilized is non-uniform, the size of the processing chamber is limited by the lifetime of the radicals, it is difficult to increase the capacity, and the processing time is long. It has the problem of becoming.
[0005]
Effective energy for killing bacteria includes laser light (see Patent Document 1 below), microwave (see Patent Document 2 below), high frequency (see Patent Document 3 below), pulse voltage or atmospheric pressure (see below). (See Patent Document 4). Laser light uses a discharge plasma generation effect utilizing breakdown and a discharge maintenance effect due to electromagnetic waves. Laser light, microwave, high frequency, and pulse voltage are consumed by discharge energy, and their sterilization effect is equivalent to plasma sterilization effect, and its efficiency is lower than plasma sterilization efficiency. It is important that the energy input for sterilization is directly and effectively input to the bacteria. It is required to further enhance the bactericidal effect by utilizing the physical energy of the particles of the plasma, not just the chemical effect of the highly diffusible plasma. It is required to reliably reduce the number of cells by 4 digits or more, more preferably 6 digits or more.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 52-156074
[Patent Document 2]
JP 61-011049 A
[Patent Document 3]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-2000156
[Patent Document 4]
JP 63-318947 A
[Non-Patent Document 1]
M. Moisan, J. Barbeau, S. Moreau, J. Pelletier, M. Tabrizian, and L'H. Yahia,
International Journal of Pharmaceutics 226, 1 (2001).
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to provide a sterilization apparatus that can establish a technique for enhancing the sterilization effect by utilizing the physical energy of the particles of the plasma, not only based on the chemical effect of the plasma having high diffusibility. It is to provide.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sterilization apparatus that can enhance the sterilization effect based on the biological attributes of cells or cell walls.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sterilizer capable of reliably reducing the number of cells with four or more digits.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Means for solving the problem is expressed as follows. Technical matters appearing in the expression are appended with numbers, symbols, etc. in parentheses. The numbers, symbols, and the like are technical matters constituting at least one embodiment or a plurality of embodiments of the present invention or a plurality of embodiments, in particular, the embodiments or examples. This corresponds to the reference numbers, reference symbols, and the like attached to the technical matters expressed in the drawings corresponding to. Such reference numbers and reference symbols clarify the correspondence and bridging between the technical matters described in the claims and the technical matters of the embodiments or examples. Such correspondence or bridging does not mean that the technical matters described in the claims are interpreted as being limited to the technical matters of the embodiments or examples.
[0009]
The sterilization apparatus according to the present invention includes a container (1) in which gas is introduced and plasma (P) is generated, and a sterilization target (T) disposed in the container (1) in the container (1). It is comprised from the support tool (7) to support, and the electric power source (23,46) which supplies the electric power which does not originate in a plasma with respect to the sterilization process target (T). In the peripheral region of the sterilization target (T), quantum energy resulting from the electric power is generated and stored in molecules or atoms.
[0010]
In a plasma atmosphere, energy from electric power is received to generate quantum energy that is a non-dischargeable energy lump. Quantum energy is poorly discharged, destroys the bacterial cell surface, and further penetrates the cell wall to enter the cell and destroy its cellular activity. The gas does not contain hydrogen peroxide and simple post-treatment. The quantum energy is energy caused by polarization or energy caused by radicals. The energy due to polarization or the energy due to radicals changes to discharge energy, the discharge energy moves to other substance particles, and does not move to the cell as the energy released by the substance particles, but remains as it is. Invade cells as a mass. The polarization energy-carrying atoms / molecules or radical energy-carrying atoms / molecules are stably stored in the molecules or atoms until they come in close contact with the cell wall. The laser light has inductivity that induces polarization in the cell.
[0011]
The electric power includes electric field energy, magnetic field energy, or electromagnetic waves. The electric power polarizes the surface to be processed by a strong electric field or a strong magnetic field, or induces local heating on the surface to be processed, causes photons that are energy lumps to enter the surface to be processed, or the object to be processed. A high frequency (45) or a laser beam (25) that efficiently generates radicals by directly exciting a gas around the surface is preferable. It is preferable that the laser beam (25) is focused in the vicinity of the surface of the sterilization target (T) in terms of the sure input of the sterilization effect. The laser beam (25) is preferably a two-wavelength laser beam because it can efficiently generate different radicals. It is preferable that the two-wavelength laser light is alternately irradiated on the sterilization target because the different microorganisms can attack the same microorganism in a multifaceted (multienergetic) manner. The two-wavelength laser light is preferably formed from the visible laser light (31) and the infrared laser light (33) in terms of promoting the diversification of plasma and excited species.
[0012]
It is preferable to add an electrical accelerator for accelerating electrons and ions in the opposite direction with respect to the sterilization target (T). An electrical accelerator accelerates electrons and ions intermittently in opposite directions. The electrical accelerator is formed as an electrode (5). A DC pulse is applied to the electrode (5), an AC pulse is applied, or a DC pulse and an AC pulse are applied alternately alternately. Electrons are injected into microorganisms, and the microorganisms are physically killed with a single blow. The biological activity of the microorganisms can be invalidated chemically or biologically by radicals, and various attacks are possible.
[0013]
The inclusion of water in the gas avoids the use of hydrogen peroxide. It is more effective that the gas further contains oxygen, and hydrogen peroxide is not introduced into the container (1) from the outside of the container.
[0014]
The electric accelerator is formed as an electrode, and the electrode is formed as a mesh electrode (48) covering the sterilization target (T). The sterilization target is transparent to the laser beam (25). Laser light effectively exhibits a sterilizing effect on a container formed of a transparent material such as a PET bottle.
[0015]
The electric accelerator (5) intermittently accelerates electrons and ions in opposite directions. By using the DC electrode and the AC electrode in combination, electrons or ions are accelerated and driven into the cell to be sterilized, and radicals are driven into the cell or the surface layer of the cell thermally regardless of whether the electrode is positive or negative. A plasma sheath is generated in the vicinity of the periphery of the DC electrode, and acceleration of electrons or ions due to the Coulomb force with respect to the DC electrode occurs. The cell or cell wall is vulnerable to radicals generated by plasma, and the chemical action of radicals does not depend on the magnitude of kinetic energy, destroying the biological function of the cell, and ions (electrons) that are electrically accelerated around the cell. The kinetic energy of implantation with respect to the cell wall dynamically destroys the cell wall. As a result, the use of hydrogen peroxide can be avoided. The use of hydrogen peroxide is not preferable because it causes toxic side effects. The complete use of hydrogen peroxide is preferable because it does not cause toxic side effects. However, if the occurrence of toxic side effects can be avoided. For example, it cannot be denied that its use is effective. In order to validate radical injection, it is effective to reverse the polarity of the DC voltage in one sterilization process. The effect of such action is dramatically increased synergistically by the combined use of laser light.
[0016]
The material that forms the plasma includes water. Water turns into plasma and generates OH radicals. Water can be converted into plasma and hydrogenated gas can be combined again to form hydrogen peroxide, but plasma (P) has a high density around the DC electrode (5), and the amount of hydrogen peroxide produced is Few. When the substance that forms plasma further contains oxygen, the sterilizing power is further increased. In order to use water, a water tank (15) and a heater (18) for generating water vapor from the water are added. Water vapor generated when the water in the water tank (15) is heated by the heater (16) is introduced into the container (1). It is important that hydrogen peroxide is not introduced from the outside into the container because the post-treatment can be simplified.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Corresponding to the figure, the embodiment of the sterilization apparatus according to the present invention uses a gas-filled container and a laser beam irradiator for radical generation. Along with the gas enclosure 1, a laser beam irradiator 2 is disposed as shown in FIG. 1. The gas sealed in the gas sealed container 1 is excited by the laser beam irradiated into the gas sealed container 1 by the laser beam irradiator 2 to generate radicals. A first plasma generator 3 and a second plasma generator 4 are additionally arranged in the gas enclosure 1.
[0018]
The first plasma generator 3 is formed of a first electrode 5 and a first power source 6. The second plasma generator 4 also serves as a support base 7 for supporting the processing target container T to which the chemical active destruction target substance required to destroy the chemical active substance or stop the chemical activity is attached. . The support base 7 is formed of an electrically conductive material (example: metal). The container T to be processed is electrically joined directly to the first electrode 5. The second plasma generator 4 is formed of a second electrode 8 and a second power source 9. Chemically active destruction target substances include biologically active destruction target substances (eg, bacteria, viruses, prions, and other human toxic substances). The chemical activation target substance is hereinafter simply referred to as bacteria or bacteria-attached dust particles.
[0019]
The gas enclosure 1 is provided with a gas inlet 11 and a gas outlet 12. It is desirable that a filter (not shown) that prevents bacteria-adhered dust particles from entering the gas-sealed container 1 is interposed in each of the gas inlet 11 and the gas outlet 12. A first gas 13 and a second gas 14 are introduced from the gas inlet 11. The first gas 13 is preferably a mixed gas of water vapor, oxygen, nitrogen, and an inert gas such as helium, but they can be used alone or air can be used.
[0020]
Air is sealed in the first cylinder 15. The air is discharged into the water 17 of the steam generator 16 through a valve and a pressure reducing valve (not shown). The water 17 is heated by a heater 18 attached to the water vapor generator 16 and is introduced into the gas enclosure 1 as the first gas 13 together with air through the mixed gas supply pipe 19. The second gas 14 is sealed in the second cylinder 21. A rare gas is preferably used as the second gas 12.
[0021]
The laser beam irradiator 2 is formed of a laser 22, a laser power source 23, and an optical system 24. The optical system 24 includes a collimator (laser beam adjusting device such as a telescope), a lens (example: condensing convex lens), a laser beam scanner (example: position control rotating mirror), a lens position controller, and a lens position and position control. It is formed of a scanning concentrator that controls the position of the rotating mirror and condenses the laser beam at an arbitrary position in a scanning manner. The gas enclosure 1 is equipped with an optical window 26 that transmits laser light 25 output from the laser 22 and introduces it into the gas enclosure 1.
[0022]
The first electrode 5 is connected to a first power source 6 disposed outside the gas enclosure 1 through a current introduction terminal attached to the wall of the gas introduction port 11. The first power source 6 includes a first high frequency power source 27 and a DC pulse power source 28. The first high-frequency power supply 27 and the DC pulse power supply 28 are connected to the first electrode 5 through a current introduction terminal in an independent control manner. The DC pulse power supply 28 can supply a negative voltage DC pulse, a positive voltage DC pulse, or a combination pulse of a negative voltage DC pulse and a positive voltage DC pulse to the first electrode 5. The second power supply 9 is preparatively facilitated as a second high frequency power supply. The second power source 9 is connected to the second electrode 8 via the second current introduction terminal 29. The gas enclosure 1 is grounded.
[0023]
The laser 22 includes a first laser 32 that outputs a first wavelength laser beam 31 and a second laser 34 that outputs a second wavelength laser beam 33. A visible wavelength is preferably exemplified as the first laser wavelength, and an infrared wavelength is suitably exemplified as the second laser wavelength. Instead of the combination of the two oscillators 32 and 34, a variable length laser oscillator that oscillates various wavelength laser beams by converting the wavelength of the laser beam output from the single laser beam oscillator can be used effectively. The first laser 32 and the second laser 34 can be selectively used by the laser beam selection optical component 35 unilaterally or alternately. The first laser wavelength light 31 and the second laser wavelength light 33 are focused on the entire outer surface of the processing target container T or the inner surface of the processing target container T or in the vicinity thereof by optical scanning and variable focus control. It can be controlled to be positioned and can be focused on each. The beam diameters of the first laser wavelength light 31 and the second laser wavelength light 33 may be enlarged so that the first laser wavelength light 31 and the second laser wavelength light 33 are not focused in the vicinity of the processing target container T but are irradiated on the entire processing target container T. Is possible.
[0024]
An ultrasonic transducer 36 is further added. The ultrasonic transducer 36 is mechanically joined to the first electrode 5. The ultrasonic transducer 36 is driven by an ultrasonic generator 37.
[0025]
Oxygen, water vapor, nitrogen and inert gas are introduced into the gas enclosure 1 at an appropriate ratio in a flow manner. The total pressure of oxygen, water vapor and nitrogen and their partial pressure ratio are adjusted. The first laser wavelength light 31 and the second laser wavelength light 33 are selectively used, and the first laser wavelength light 31 or the first laser 32 is absorbed by the gas adjusted to an appropriate pressure. The atoms or molecules that have absorbed the laser beam 25 are excited to generate radicals. As a radical, OH (-) is appropriate. The gas in the vicinity of the surface of the processing target container T is thermally vibrated, and some of the gas molecules that move by receiving the heat instantly attract the bacteria adhering dust particles adhering to the surface of the processing target container T locally. Heat up and destroy the biological activity of bacteria. Some of the radicals generated around the processing target container T chemically destroy the biological activity of the cell wall or the biological environment of the intracellular environment. A part of the laser beam 25 passes through the gas and is absorbed by the cell wall or penetrates the cell wall and penetrates into the cell, and by the photon energy, the biological activity of the cell wall or the biological environment of the intracellular environment is physically changed. Destroy. The strong electric field generated by the laser light induces polarization in the cell and physically and electrically inactivates the cell.
[0026]
Depending on the type of bacteria, the laser wavelength exhibits different bactericidal effects. The laser beam selecting optical component 35 can select the optimum positive bactericidal effect by selecting the first laser wavelength light 31 and the second laser wavelength light 33. As the selection, any of the following combinations is effective.
(1) The optical system 24 condenses the first laser wavelength light 31 and the second laser wavelength light 33 simultaneously on an arbitrary point on the surface of the processing target container T.
(2) The optical system 24 condenses the first laser wavelength light 31 and the second laser wavelength light 33 at an arbitrary point on the surface of the processing target container T in a delayed manner.
(3) The optical system 24 condenses the first laser wavelength light 31 in a scanning manner on the entire area of the entire surface of the processing target container T, and then the second laser wavelength light on the entire area of the entire surface of the processing target container T. 33 is condensed in a scanning manner.
(4) The optical system 24 irradiates the entire region of the entire surface of the processing target container T with the first laser wavelength light 31 simultaneously and continuously in a certain time in a diffusive manner. The second laser wavelength light 33 is condensed in a scanning manner over the entire area of the entire surface.
[0027]
The combined use of gas and laser light can completely avoid the use of hydrogen peroxide, or can greatly reduce the amount of hydrogen peroxide used. Biological activity, which is a set of three actions: physical action, chemical action, and thermal action, is effective due to physical action, chemical action, and thermal action caused by the interaction between laser light and gas. Disable to. The scanning of one cycle of the laser beam is performed instantaneously, the sterilization cycle is short, the sterilization process is speeded up, and the energy density of the laser beam concentrated at the focal point is instantaneously changed, and the biological activity is effective. Disable it. When the processing target container T is transparent like a PET bottle, the laser beam is effective for living things that pass through the thin film of the processing target container T and adhere to the inner surface of the processing target container T. Laser light traveling in one straight line can kill bacteria attached to the four surfaces.
[0028]
Such a sterilizing effect of the laser light is synergistically enhanced by converting the surface of the processing target container T into plasma. FIG. 2 shows preferable power waveforms of the first high-frequency power source 27 and the DC pulse power source 28. The DC pulse power supply 28 generates a first DC pulse 38 having a DC negative voltage V1 and a pulse width τ1 with an appropriate period (charging time), and has a DC positive voltage V3 and a pulse width τ3. The second DC pulse 39 is generated with an appropriate period (charging time). The first high-frequency power source 27 periodically or continuously generates an AC pulse 41 whose positive / negative voltage is V2 of positive / negative. As the rf condition of the AC pulse 41, the frequency is set to f, the peak voltage is set to V2, and the pulse width is set to τ2. The AC pulse 41 is inserted between one first DC pulse 38 and one second DC pulse 39. The AC pulse 41 rises with a delay of an appropriate time width from the fall time of the first DC pulse 38. Similarly, an appropriate time width is interposed between the AC pulse 41 and the second DC pulse 39. The next AC pulse 41 is inserted between the second DC pulse 39 and the first DC pulse 38. The order of the first DC pulse 38, the second DC pulse 39, and the AC pulse 41 is arbitrary, and any two of the first DC pulse 38, the AC pulse 41, and the second DC pulse 39 are used in combination. Or three of them are used in combination.
[0029]
By adjusting the parameters constituting such negative voltage pulse condition and rf condition and adjusting the ion implantation energy distribution, energy peak, and plasma density, the sterilization time until the specified sterilization rate is obtained can be controlled. . By adjusting the duty ratio determined by the number of repetitions of the pulses of the periods τ1, τ2, and τ3, the sterilization treatment speed that is the ion flux incident on the sterilization treatment target T per unit time can be controlled more effectively. By using a positive voltage instead of the negative voltage of the DC pulse 38, a substantially equivalent sterilizing effect can be obtained. The magnitude of such a parameter depends on the charge transfer speed on the surface of the sterilization target T (in this case, an insulator) that affects the pulse width τ1 of the first DC pulse 38, the sterilization target T and the particles in the plasma. It is determined in consideration of the charge elimination speed resulting from the collision with.
[0030]
The pulse widths of the first DC pulse 38 and the second DC pulse 39 are on the order of μs to ms, and the voltage is preferably about several tens of kV at the maximum. However, the peak value of the current is adjusted to be equal to or less than the set value of the circuit component. The repetition width of the first DC pulse 38 is preferably about several hundred pps to several thousand pps.
[0031]
Water, oxygen, nitrogen, and a rare gas are introduced into the gas enclosure 1, and the first DC pulse 38 and the AC pulse 41 are described from the first high frequency power source 27 and the DC pulse power source 28 to the processing target junction electrode 5. Are applied under the following application conditions. A metal is illustrated as a material of the sterilization target T. Plasma P is uniformly generated in the peripheral region of the sterilization target T or in the vicinity of the periphery by appropriately setting the application conditions and setting the gas pressure so that high voltage is maintained without generating non-uniform discharge and arc. .
[0032]
The AC pulse 41 is applied to the first electrode 5 prior to the first DC pulse 38 or the second DC pulse 39 in terms of time. Plasma P is generated around the sterilization target T of the conductor that is electrically joined to the support base 7. The first DC pulse 38 is applied to the first electrode 5 with a time delay of Δt with respect to the application of the AC pulse 41. The positive ions and electrons of the plasma P around the sterilization target T receive an electrostatic force. Electrons are strongly repelled from the surface of the sterilization target T or near the surface and away from the sterilization target T, and positive ions are attracted to the sterilization target T and remain around the sterilization target T. By the sheath, the ionized positive ions are strongly accelerated toward the sterilization target T. The positive ions thus accelerated damage the microbial cells present on the surface of the sterilization target T. Such damage is caused by ions having kinetic energy, which is physical energy, being driven into the cell or into the cell wall. When the first electrode 5 is positively charged, electrons are driven into the cell or into the cell wall. Thus, microorganisms are killed by physical effects.
[0033]
Between the first DC pulses 38 that are periodically supplied, the ion sheath is eliminated, and radicals that are excited species activated in the plasma P by the afterglow and are present in the vicinity of the sterilization target T Reaches the surface of the sterilization target T with high efficiency and kills microorganisms. Such killing is based on a chemical effect that is the same as the action of known devices. Thus, according to the present invention, the number of existing cells can be reduced on the order of 4 digits or 6 digits by the combined effect of the physical effect and the chemical effect.
[0034]
Such radicals are OH radicals attributed to water vapor, oxygen radicals attributed to oxygen, and ozone. A reliable bactericidal effect can be expected by using water as a radical-causing substance. If treatment with water and harmless gases is possible, the chemical process can be made much safer, and water or a small amount of hydrogen peroxide mixture can be used without resorting to the presence of harmful hydrogen peroxide. The chemical sterilization effect by the OH radical generated by the decomposition can be reliably utilized.
[0035]
The first DC pulse 38 or the second DC pulse 39 has an electrical ability to generate plasma in a region near the surface of the sterilization target T by self-discharge. The AC pulse 41 further increases the excitation energy of the plasma generated by the first DC pulse 38 or the second DC pulse 39 to increase the amount of excited species and radicals in an auxiliary manner and in a wide area. The plasma sheath formed by the self-discharge of the first DC pulse 38 applied to the same electrode that generates the plasma in the presence of the plasma has a shape corresponding to the surface shape of the sterilization target T. Then, an electric acceleration field in which positive ions or electrons are uniformly implanted is formed on the surface layer of the sterilization target T having various different shapes (eg, uneven surface shape). Such homogenization of the accelerating electric field provides uniform sterilization performance over the entire surface of the sterilization target T. The addition of the second electrode 8 further increases the excited species of plasma generated in a wider area, and a larger amount of radicals diffused in a wider area is injected into the sterilization target T, thereby increasing the sterilization efficiency and setting the death rate. Processing time until it is obtained can be shortened. The addition of the ultrasonic transducer 36 can further promote the sterilization effect described above.
[0036]
The laser beam 25 is further irradiated to the plasma P generated by the first plasma generator 3 and surrounding the vicinity of the surface of the processing target container T. The sterilization effect by plasma P and the above-mentioned sterilization effect by laser light are synergistic, and radicals are instantaneously induced in a large amount by inductive energy injection by laser light in a state where energy is injected into atoms and molecules. The sterilizing effect is remarkably improved. The radical is not limited to OH (-), but water vapor and oxygen in the air are stimulated inductively, oxygen radicals are effectively used, and the generated ozone exhibits a bactericidal effect.
[0037]
A plasma sheath is formed along the shape of the processing target container T by self-discharge by the voltage pulse and voltage application in the presence of plasma generated by the rf voltage, and ions are uniformly implanted into the surface of the processing target container T. Such ion implantation is effective for a complicated shape having a concavo-convex surface of the processing target container T and exhibits a uniform sterilizing effect. Laser light propagates significantly more excited species. The excited species that are implanted into the target surface enable a short time sterilization treatment for a large area of a complex surface.
[0038]
FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the sterilizer according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, a light source 42 is used instead of the second electrode 8 of the embodiment described above. The light source 42 is driven by a power source 43 to emit light. The light source 42 emits ultraviolet light to infrared light 44. The ultraviolet rays to infrared rays 44 supply various light energies to atoms / molecules in an energy state in which it is difficult to generate excited species by the laser light 25, and generate excited species of various energies.
[0039]
FIG. 4 shows still another embodiment of the sterilizer according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the second electrode 8 or the light source 42 in the embodiment described above is omitted, and a pulse or continuous wave high frequency 45 is used in place of the laser light 25. The high frequency 45 is generated by the high frequency generator 46, guided through the waveguide 47, and introduced into the gas enclosure 1 through the vacuum window 47 provided in the waveguide 47.
[0040]
FIG. 5 shows still another embodiment of the sterilization apparatus according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, a mesh electrode 48 is used instead of the first electrode 5 of the embodiment of FIG. The outer surface of the processing target container T is almost completely covered with the mesh electrode 48. The laser beam 25 is irradiated to half of the outer surface of the processing target container T through the holes of the mesh electrode 48 in a diffractive or scattering manner. In the present embodiment, it is important that the processing target container T is a transparent body or a translucent body with respect to laser light like a PET bottle. A part of the light energy of the laser beam 25 is applied to the first outer surface of the processing target container T, and the other part of the energy is transmitted through the processing target container T and applied to the first inner surface of the processing target container T. And another part of the light passes through the inner space of the processing target container T and is irradiated to the second inner surface of the processing target container T, and another part of it is transmitted through the processing target container T. The second outer surface of the processing target container T is irradiated. The point that plasma is generated around the mesh electrode 48 and various excited species are generated synergistically by the laser light and the plasma energy is the same as in the other embodiments.
[0041]
FIG. 6 shows still another embodiment of the sterilization apparatus according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, as the processing target container T to be joined to the first electrode 5 in the embodiment of FIG. 1, an object having a thin hole such as an injection needle is exemplified. A needle-like ground electrode 49 is inserted into the central pore of the injection needle T. The acicular ground electrode 49 is covered with a dielectric 51. Outputs of the first high frequency power supply 27 and the DC pulse power supply 28 are applied to the injection needle T. The laser beam 25 is mainly applied to the outer surface of the injection needle T. The gas pressure and discharge voltage in the gas enclosure 1 are appropriately controlled. As shown in FIG. 7, when a voltage is applied to the needle electrode 49 ′, the injection needle T is grounded.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
The sterilization apparatus according to the present invention reliably improves the sterilization effect by chemically and physically destroying the cells. In particular, there is an effect of reduction of 4 digits or 4 digits or more.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing an embodiment of a sterilizer according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram showing a power wave.
FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing another embodiment of the sterilizer according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a front sectional view showing still another embodiment of the sterilization apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a front sectional view showing still another embodiment of the sterilization apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a front view showing still another embodiment of the sterilization apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a front view showing still another embodiment of the sterilization apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a front sectional view showing a known device.
FIG. 9 is a front sectional view showing another known device.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Container
5 ... Electrode
7 ... Supporting equipment
13 ... Gas
14 ... Gas
23 ... Power source
25 ... Laser light
31 ... Visible laser beam
33 ... Infrared laser beam
45 ... high frequency
46 ... Power source
48 ... Mesh electrode
T ... Target for sterilization

Claims (19)

A container into which gas is introduced;
A power source for supplying electromagnetic waves for converting the gas into plasma;
A support device disposed in the container and supporting the sterilization target in the container;
A laser for supplying laser light to the sterilization target;
An electrical accelerator that accelerates electrons and positive ions in the plasma in the reverse direction with respect to the sterilization target;
A sterilization apparatus in which quantum energy resulting from the laser light is generated in molecules or atoms in a peripheral region to be sterilized. The sterilizer according to claim 1, wherein the gas does not contain hydrogen peroxide. The sterilizer according to claim 1, wherein the quantum energy is energy resulting from polarization. The sterilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the quantum energy is energy resulting from radicals generated when the gas is turned into plasma . The sterilizer according to claim 2, wherein the gas is an inert gas. The sterilization apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the gas is one or more kinds of gases selected from a group including an inert gas, water vapor, oxygen, and nitrogen as elements. The sterilizer according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave is a high frequency. The sterilization apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the laser beam is focused in the vicinity of the surface of the sterilization target.   The laser beam is a two-wavelength laser beam
  The sterilizer according to claim 1 selected from claims 1-7.   The two-wavelength laser light is alternately applied to the sterilization target.
  The sterilizer according to claim 9.   The two-wavelength laser light is
  Visible laser light,
  Forming with infrared laser light
  The sterilizer according to claim 9 or 10.   The electrical accelerator forms an electrode, and a DC pulse is applied to the electrode
  The sterilizer according to claim 1 selected from claims 1-11.   The electrical accelerator forms an electrode, and an AC pulse is applied to the electrode
  The sterilizer according to claim 1 selected from claims 1-11.   The electric accelerator forms an electrode, and a DC pulse and an AC pulse are periodically applied to the electrode.
  The sterilizer according to claim 1 selected from claims 1-11.   The gas contains water
  The sterilizer according to claim 1 selected from claims 1-14.   The gas further contains oxygen
  The sterilizer according to claim 15.   The electric accelerator forms an electrode, and the electrode is formed as a mesh electrode that covers the sterilization target.
  The sterilizer according to claim 1 selected from claims 1-11.   The sterilization target is transparent to the laser light
  The sterilizer according to claim 7.   The electric accelerator forms an electrode, and the electrode is formed as a mesh electrode that covers the sterilization target.
  The sterilizer according to claim 18.

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