JPH0330114Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to a sterilizer that sterilizes objects to be sterilized, such as medical equipment, in an atmosphere of sterilizing gas such as ethylene oxide gas.

[Conventional technology]

In this type of sterilizer, the medical equipment to be sterilized is placed in a sterilizer that is completely sealed by closing the lid, the sterilization chamber is sealed, and the sterilization chamber is evacuated using a vacuum pump. After that, a mixed gas of, for example, ethylene oxide and Freon 12 is introduced into the sterilization chamber as a sterilization gas, and the sterilization chamber is kept at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time with the sterilization gas sealed, thereby sterilizing the object to be sterilized. It is something to do. By the way, in order to supply sterilizing gas to a sterilizing chamber that has been evacuated, generally, a gas cylinder filled with sterilizing gas is attached to a sterilizer, and a flow path is connected between the gas cylinder and the sterilizing chamber of the sterilizer. This is done by operating the main valve of the gas cylinder, but recently, cartridge-type gas-filled cans are used,
By loading this into a predetermined location in the sterilizer and breaking the can using an appropriate method, a sterilizer was opened in which the sterilizing gas sealed in the gas-filled can was introduced into the sterilization chamber and used for sterilization. There is. and,
Conventionally, in order to break a gas-filled can, a puncture needle bar is fixed at a position close to and opposite to the area where the gas-filled can is scheduled to be broken while the gas-filled can is loaded in a sterilizer. On the other hand, by pushing out the gas-filled can, the piercing needle bar penetrated the can wall of the gas-filled can and broke the can. In order to push the gas-filled can against the piercing needle bar, the gas-filled can is loaded into the sterilizer in a screw-in manner, and the gas-filled can is screwed into the loading portion of the sterilizer. Alternatively, with the gas-filled can loaded in the loading section of the sterilizer, the actuator is operated by electromagnetic force to press the gas-filled can from the rear and push it against the piercing needle bar.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, in the conventional can breaking method as described above, a pressure switch is attached to the sterilization chamber, etc., and when the sterilization chamber is evacuated, the vacuum level is checked to see if it is normal. The can breaking operation must be performed after confirming that the gas-filled can is normal, and the can breaking operation is performed by the worker manually screwing in the gas-filled can or pressing the operation button. The operator was unable to leave the sterilizer from the vacuum evacuation process of the sterilization chamber until at least the can breaking operation was completed. If the actuator is operated to push the gas-filled can toward the piercing needle bar, the actuator can be sequence-controlled or microcomputer-controlled to operate the actuator based on the detection signal of the pressure switch, thereby automatically breaking the can. However, the equipment configuration becomes complicated. Furthermore, in the conventional method, it was necessary to attach a gas detector to the sterilization gas supply path, etc., in order to confirm whether or not the cans were reliably broken.

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and has a relatively simple structure that allows the operation of breaking a gas-filled can to be performed automatically without the need for an operator to do so. A pressure switch to check whether the sterilization chamber has been evacuated normally, and a gas switch to check whether the gas-filled cans have been reliably broken and the sterilization gas has been properly supplied. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sterilizer equipped with a means for breaking cans that can indirectly check the process without providing a detector.

[Means for solving problems]

This device has a sterilization chamber that is sealed by closing the opening with the inner surface of the lid, and sterilizes the sterilization chamber by evacuating the sterilization chamber and introducing sterilizing gas into the evacuated sterilization chamber. In a sterilizer configured to sterilize objects to be sterilized housed in a chamber, a loading port is provided in an opening forming surface of the sterilization chamber, and a gas-filled can filled with sterilizing gas is removably housed therein. A can accommodating section and a gas ejection chamber communicating with the can accommodating section are formed, and a gas-filled can is loaded into the can accommodating section and the gas injection chamber is closed at the communication point between the can accommodating section and the gas ejection chamber. The inner surface of the lid presses the bottom of the can into airtight contact with the head of the gas-filled can to seal the gas ejection chamber, and a through hole is formed in the axial direction corresponding to the broken part of the gas-filled can head. A short cylindrical sealing rubber body is disposed, and a gas inflow chamber is formed which communicates with the gas ejection chamber and is connected to the sterilization chamber through a flow path, and the gas filled in the can accommodating portion. A flexible partition wall is disposed in front of the head of the can, which partitions a communication space of the gas inflow chamber and an atmospheric pressure space, and whose central portion bends toward the head of the gas-filled can in accordance with the pressure difference between the two spaces. A holding member is fixed to the center of the flexible partition, and the flexible partition is held by the holding member so that the tip thereof is close to and opposite to the head of the gas-filled can accommodated in the can accommodating portion. The main feature of the present invention is to include a piercing needle bar whose tip penetrates the head wall of a gas-filled can to break the can in response to the deflection of the flexible partition wall, and the above-mentioned object has been achieved with the above configuration.

[Effect]

In the sterilizer having the above configuration, when opening the lid and placing the object to be sterilized into the sterilization chamber, the gas-filled can is set by inserting the gas-filled can into the can accommodating part from the can head into the loading port. Then, by closing the lid, the opening is closed with the inner surface of the lid, and the sterilization chamber is hermetically sealed.The bottom surface of the gas-filled can is supported by the inner surface of the lid, and the can is attached to the top of the gas-filled can. A sealing rubber body disposed at a communication point between the storage portion and the gas ejection chamber is brought into airtight pressure contact to seal the gas ejection chamber. In this state, when the sterilization chamber is evacuated using a vacuum pump, the pressure in the gas inflow chamber connected to the sterilization chamber is gradually reduced, and the communication space between the gas inflow chamber and the atmospheric pressure is separated by a flexible partition. Due to the pressure difference generated between the space and the space, the central portion of the flexible partition wall bends toward the head of the gas-filled can. In response to the deflection of the flexible partition, the tip of the puncture needle bar held by the holding member fixed to the center of the flexible partition, which is located close to and opposite to the head of the gas-filled can, moves into the can head. pushed in the direction of the area. Furthermore, as the vacuum evacuation process in the sterilization chamber progresses until the desired degree of vacuum is reached, the pressure difference between the communication space of the gas inflow chamber and the atmospheric pressure space becomes even larger, causing the flexible partition wall to The central portion is largely bent toward the head of the gas-filled can, and the tip of the piercing needle bar finally penetrates the head wall of the gas-filled can and breaks the can. When the gas-filled can is ruptured, the sterilizing gas sealed in the gas-filled can is ejected into the gas ejection chamber through the through-hole of the sealing rubber body, and further flows into the gas inflow chamber, whereupon the gas is It is introduced from the inflow chamber through piping into the evacuated sterilization chamber. When the sterilization gas is introduced into the sterilization chamber in this manner, the objects to be sterilized stored in the sterilization chamber are sterilized as usual. As described above, in this sterilizer, the operation of breaking the gas-filled can is automatically performed without the operator's intervention. Then, a pressure switch is used to check whether the sterilization chamber has been evacuated normally, and a gas detector is used to check whether the gas-filled cans have been broken and sterilization gas has been properly supplied. Even if you don't turn around and check,
If the sterilization chamber is evacuated normally, the can will definitely be broken, and if the gas-filled can is broken, it will definitely be evacuated normally, so the process from vacuum evacuation to can breakage is guaranteed. Checks can be performed indirectly.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of this invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of this invention, and is a cross-sectional view of a broken can portion of a sterilizer, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the entire sterilizer. The sterilizer consists of a main body 2 having a sterilization chamber 1 in which objects to be sterilized, such as medical instruments, are housed, and a lid 3 thereof, and the opening of the sterilization chamber 1 is closed by the inner surface of the lid 3. The structure is completely sealed. As shown in FIG. 3, the sterilization chamber 1 is connected to a vacuum pump 7 by piping 6.
The flow path is connected to the In the figure, 8 is a filter, 9
is a check valve. The main body 2 also includes a sterilization chamber 1.
A can accommodating part 5 with a loading port is formed on the surface where the opening is formed, and a gas-filled can filled with a sterilizing gas, for example, a mixed gas of ethylene oxide and Freon 12, is placed in the can accommodating part. 5 is removably loaded. A broken can part is connected to the can storage part 5, and as shown in FIG. 3, the broken can part 10 is connected to the sterilization chamber 1 through pipes 11 and 12. Further, a pipe 13 that allows fresh air to flow into the sterilization chamber 1 is connected to the pipe 12. In the figure, 14 is a gas valve, 15 is a release valve, and 16 is a sterile filter.

Next, the structure of the can breaking section will be explained based on FIG. 1. A gas ejection chamber 20 is connected to the can accommodating portion 5, and a sealing rubber body is disposed at a portion where the can accommodating portion 5 and the gas ejection chamber 20 communicate with each other. Sealing rubber body 22
is formed into a short cylindrical shape with a through hole 24 formed in the center, and the coil spring 2 is inserted through a receiving metal fitting 26.
8 toward the can accommodating portion 5. Then, this sealing rubber body 22 is used when the gas-filled can 30 is loaded into the can accommodating section 5 and the lid is closed.
The bottom surface 34 of the lid is pressed against the elastic force of the coil spring 28 by the head 36 of the gas-filled can 30, which is supported by the inner surface 32 of the lid. The ejection chamber 20 is kept in a sealed state. The cylindrical body 38 forming the gas ejection chamber 20 is screwed onto a fixed block 40.
is fixed to the casing 44 by screwing a tightening nut through a plate-shaped portion of the casing 44 that defines a gas inflow chamber 42 that communicates with the gas ejection chamber 20 . Further, in front of the gas ejection chamber 20, a flexible partition wall 52 is provided, which is formed by sandwiching a rubber plate 50 between a pair of reinforcing plates 48, 48. The flexible partition wall can also be formed from other flexible plate-like materials, such as plastic plates or thin steel plates. Flexible bulkhead 5
2 is housed in bulkhead cases 54 and 56,
A connecting member 62 in which a communication passage 60 communicating with the sterilization chamber is formed is tightly fitted into the hole 58 in the center thereof. One end of a movable block 64 is screwed onto the connecting member 62 on the side of the casing 42, and the other end of the movable block 64 is slidably fitted into a guide hole 66 formed in the fixed block 40. There is. The movable block 64 also includes a gas ejection chamber 2.
0 and the gas inflow chamber 42.
8, and a communication passage 70 that connects the gas inflow chamber 42 and the communication passage 60, and the end of the fixing block 40 fitted into the guide hole 66 has a tip connected to the can storage part 5. Contained gas canister 3
A puncture needle bar 72 is fixedly located close to and opposite to the head 36 of the 0. The outer peripheral edges of the casing 42, the partition cases 54 and 56, and the rubber plate 50 of the flexible partition 52 are overlapped with each other and tightened with bolts 74 and nuts 76. Therefore, the space A that communicates with the gas inflow chamber 42 and the space B that is under atmospheric pressure are completely partitioned by the flexible partition wall 52, and the gas inflow chamber 42 side is depressurized by evacuation and the space is When a pressure difference is generated between A and the atmospheric pressure space B, the central part of the flexible partition wall 52 bends toward the gas inflow chamber 42, and this movement causes the gas of the puncture needle bar 72 to flow through the movable block 64. This results in a movement in the direction of the head 36 of the enclosure can 30. In the figure, 78, 80, and 82 are annular packings, respectively.

The operation of the sterilizer constructed as above and its can breaking section will be explained next. First, the lid 3 of the sterilizer is opened and the object to be sterilized is put into the sterilization chamber 1. At this time, the gas-filled can 30 is set in the can accommodating portion 5 by inserting its head 36 into the loading port, and then the lid 3 is closed. By closing the lid 3, the opening of the sterilization chamber 1 is closed and completely sealed by the inner surface thereof, and the bottom surface 34 of the gas-filled can 30 is supported by the inner surface 32 of the lid. As a result, the sealing rubber body 2
2 is the head 3 of the gas-filled can 30 when viewed from one side.
6, and the receiving metal fitting 26 is pressed from the other side.
The sealing rubber body 22 is urged by the coil spring 28 via the coil spring 28, and the sealing rubber body 22 is brought into airtight pressure contact with the head 36 of the gas-filled can 30, thereby sealing the gas ejection chamber 20. In this state, the inside of the sterilization chamber 1 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 7. Then, the sterilization room 1 and piping 12, 11,
Then, the pressure inside the gas inflow chamber 42 is gradually reduced through the communication passage 60 formed in the connecting member 62, and the communication space A of the gas inflow chamber 42, which is partitioned by the flexible partition 52, and the atmospheric pressure space B are connected. A pressure difference occurs between the two. When a pressure difference occurs between both spaces A and B, the flexible partition wall 5
2 is bent in the direction of the gas-filled can head 36,
Along with this, the movable block 64 fixed to the center of the flexible partition wall 52 also moves in the same direction while slidingly contacting the surface of the guide hole 66 of the fixed block 40, and the puncture needle fixed to the end of the movable block 64 also moves in the same direction. Bar 7
2 also moves in the same direction, and the head 3 of the gas-filled can 30
Its tip, which is closely opposed to 6, is pushed towards the head 36 of the can. Then, as the evacuation in the sterilization chamber 1 progresses further and reaches a desired degree of vacuum, the pressure difference between the communication space A and the atmospheric pressure space B of the gas inflow chamber 42 becomes even larger, and the flexibility increases. The central portion of the partition wall 52 is largely bent toward the head 36 of the gas-filled can 30, and the tip of the piercing needle bar 72 finally penetrates the wall of the head 36 of the gas-filled can 30 to break the can.
When the gas-filled can 30 is broken, the gas-filled can 30
The sterilizing gas sealed in the sealing rubber member 22 is ejected into the gas ejection chamber 20 through the through hole 24 of the sealing rubber body 22. The sterilizing gas ejected into the gas ejection chamber 20 flows into the gas inflow chamber 42 through the guide hole 66 space of the fixed block 40 and the communication passage 68 of the movable block 64. Here, if a temperature sensor (not shown) such as a thermistor is attached close to the outside of the casing 44 of the gas inflow chamber 42, the can can be broken by sensing a decrease in the temperature of the gas inflow chamber 42. can be approved. Gas inflow chamber 42
The sterilizing gas that has flowed into the chamber passes through the communication passage 70 of the movable block 64 and the communication passage 60 of the connecting member 62, and further through the pipes 11 and 12, and is introduced into the evacuated sterilization chamber 1. In this way,
The operation of breaking a gas-filled can is automatically performed without manual intervention by an operator. When the sterilization gas is introduced into the sterilization chamber 1, the objects to be sterilized stored in the sterilization chamber 1 are sterilized as usual. As mentioned above, in this sterilizer, the sterilization chamber can be evacuated normally without installing a pressure switch in the sterilization chamber or installing a gas detector in the sterilization gas supply path. If the gas-filled can is broken, the can is sure to be broken, and if the gas-filled can is broken, it is definitely evacuated normally, so it is possible to indirectly check the process from evacuation to breaking the can.

[Effect of idea]

Since this device is constructed and operates as described above, when performing sterilization operations using the sterilizer according to this device, the sterilization chamber must be properly evacuated before the gas-filled can is ruptured. whether or not
There is no need to install a pressure switch in the sterilization room or the like and check the pressure using the pressure switch. Since the gas-filled cans are automatically broken without the operator's intervention, once the objects to be sterilized have been placed in the sterilization room and the gas-filled cans have been loaded, the operator can open the sterilizer. There is no harm in leaving your side. Furthermore, there is no need to attach a gas detector to the sterilization gas supply path or the like in order to confirm whether or not the gas-filled can has been reliably broken. Moreover, the equipment configuration of the can breaking section of the sterilizer is not very complicated and is relatively simple.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 3 show one embodiment of this invention, with Figure 1 being a sectional view of the broken part of the sterilizer, Figure 2 being an overall perspective view of the sterilizer, and Figure 3 being a flow diagram of the sterilizer. It is a road configuration diagram. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Sterilization chamber, 3... Lid, 5... Can storage part, 7... Vacuum pump, 10... Can breaking part, 20... Gas ejection chamber, 22
...Sealing rubber body, 24...Through hole, 28...Coil spring, 30...Gas storage can, 32...Inner surface of lid, 34
...Bottom surface of can, 36...Can head, 42...Gas inflow chamber, 5
2...Flexible partition wall, 62...Connection member, 64...Movable block, 72...Puncture needle bar.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] It has a sterilization chamber that is sealed by closing the opening with the inner surface of the lid, and the sterilization chamber is evacuated and sterilization gas is introduced into the evacuated sterilization chamber to accommodate the sterilization chamber. In a sterilizer configured to sterilize objects to be sterilized, a can accommodating portion having a loading port formed in an opening forming surface of the sterilization chamber and removably housing a gas-filled can filled with sterilizing gas; and a gas ejection chamber communicating with the can accommodating part, and a gas-filled can is loaded into the can accommodating part and the lid is closed at the communication point between the can accommodating part and the gas ejection chamber. The bottom surface of the gas-filled can is supported by the gas-filled can, and the gas-filled can is hermetically pressed to seal the gas ejection chamber. A cylindrical sealing rubber body is disposed, and a gas inflow chamber is formed which communicates with the gas ejection chamber and is connected to the sterilization chamber through a flow path, and the head of the gas-filled can accommodated in the can accommodating section. A flexible partition wall is disposed in front of the gas inlet chamber to partition the communication space of the gas inflow chamber and the atmospheric pressure space, and the central part thereof bends in the direction of the head of the gas-filled can according to the pressure difference between the two spaces. A holding member is fixed to the center of the flexible partition, and the holding member is held by the holding member, and the tip of the flexible partition is located close to and opposite to the head of the gas-filled can accommodated in the can accommodating portion. A sterilizer characterized by being equipped with a piercing needle bar whose tip penetrates the head wall of a gas-filled can to break the can in response to deflection.