JPH039760A - Disinfection apparatus and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To disinfect a metallic surgical medical instrument by means of microwave without any deterioration or damage and to break a particularly dangerous instrument through burning by using a vessel which consists of a main body and a non-sealed cover arranged on the main body for disinfecting and burning of contents and which contains a liquid-absorbable material. CONSTITUTION: A vessel 4 with a non-sealed cover 5 is arranged in a microwave chamber 1 which is equipped with a door 2 for taking in and out as well as an adjusting-controlling-protecting means 3. The vessel 4 is made of a slight soluble and high temperature resistant material such as ceramics, and contains a small bead layer of glass or other material which can take in and hold introduced evaporable liquid on its bottom 6. Alternatively, in order to distribute heat energy and electromagnetic energy of microwave, the vessel may be constituted by spongy or small pole form material 7 which can cause capillary phenomenon wholly or partly. Thus, a surgical medical instrument, etc., can be disinfected completely, or a particularly dangerous instrument liable to be an infectional source can be destroyed completely by means of burning.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for disinfecting surgical medical instruments, etc., and more particularly to incineration of instruments with a risk of infection using a suitable microwave container. Relating to a method and device for destroying by.

[Conventional technology]

As is well known, an increase in temperature is achieved by the generation of very high frequency microwaves by a magnetron. In fact, ultrahigh-frequency electromagnetic waves that act on materials that have a polar chemical structure cause the molecules to vibrate, generating rapid and intense heat.

The use of such devices has hitherto been limited to industrial, domestic or specialized applications, with limitations arising from the structure of the materials themselves.

As is well known, spore-forming bacteria and viruses are killed by the combination of mechanical and thermal effects caused by ultra-high frequency radio waves.

There are limitations to the use of conventional techniques due to the potential for deterioration and damage to certain materials. For example, when metal surgical instruments are placed in a microwave electromagnetic field, they become incandescent and
It becomes brittle and loses its toughness and rigidity, reducing its excellent cutting ability.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The main object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a method and a device for disinfecting metal surgical instruments using microwaves without deterioration or damage.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus by which particularly dangerous instruments can be destroyed by incineration.

[Means to solve the problem]

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A container 4 with a cover 5 attached without being sealed is placed in a microwave chamber 1 equipped with an in/out door 2 and adjustment/control/protection means 3.

The container 4 is made of a material that can withstand high temperatures and is difficult to melt, such as ceramic, and contains a layer of small beads of glass or other material capable of capturing and retaining the introduced evaporable liquid.
It rests on its bottom 6.

Alternatively, the container may be made of a spongy or trabecular material 7 that can be capillary in whole or in part to distribute microwave thermal energy and electromagnetic energy.
It may be composed of

The core layer can be composed of a foamed plastic such as polyurethane/polystyrene or a hydrophilic synthetic or natural material capable of absorbing liquids. The boilable liquid can consist of water or a high boiling aqueous solution (eg, a glycol, higher alcohol, etc.), or an aqueous solution of an organic salt or a solution of water and alcohol.

Instruments exposed to microwaves receive heat, but if there is an evaporable liquid in the container, the vapor formed within the container acts as a means of protection for the material, thus moderating the heat. Without the liquid, it is difficult or impossible to fully disinfect the material due to the risk of degradation by microwave energy.

On the other hand, if you place materials inside the container, such as amorphous powders, pieces of aluminum or steel wool type, which can not only diffuse the electromagnetic energy of microwaves, but can also significantly increase the temperature, you will be able to avoid metallic objects such as needles or disposable scalpels. surgical medical instruments,
and destruction of their protective coverings, if still remaining, is accomplished by incineration.

〔Effect of the invention〕

It is thus possible both to completely disinfect surgical instruments and the like, or to completely destroy by incineration particularly dangerous instruments that are likely to become a source of infection.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 shows a microwave generator in which a container containing the instruments to be sterilized can be placed; FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a container with a layer of small beads of glass, plastic, ceramic or other suitable material at the bottom; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a homogeneous container constructed of spongy or trabecular material capable of admitting and retaining evaporable liquid. 1... Microwave chamber, 2... Door in and out, 3...
- Adjustment, control and protection means, 4... Container, 5... Cover, 6... Bottom, 7... Spongy or trabecular material.

Claims (10)

[Claims] (1) A sterilization device for disinfecting or incinerating the contents, consisting of a body and a non-sealing cover placed over the body, and containing a material capable of absorbing liquid. (2) Claim (1) characterized in that the material comprises small hard beads for retaining liquid introduced therebetween.
Disinfection equipment. (3) Claim characterized in that the material is spongy (
1) Disinfection device. (4) Claim characterized in that the material has a trabecular shape (
1) Disinfection device. (5) The disinfection device according to any one of claims (1) to (4), wherein the non-sealing cover contains a spongy or trabecular material therein. 6. A disinfection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the body includes a base layer of the material. (7) A disinfection device for disinfecting or incinerating contents substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. (8) A sterilization or incineration method for heating the container and its contents according to any one of claims (1) to (7) by applying microwaves, wherein when the container is exposed to microwaves, the contents of the container are heated. Disinfection method, characterized in that a powder of inorganic and/or any substance capable of raising the temperature of the container is placed in the container. (9) Heating the container according to any one of claims (1) to (7), and placing a small instrument such as a dental needle or a disposable scalpel directly above the bottom of the container for disinfecting or incinerating it by applying microwaves. A disinfection method characterized by placing a crab. (10) A sterilization method characterized by heating the container and placing a small instrument such as a dental needle or a disposable scalpel directly above the bottom of the container for disinfection or incineration by applying microwaves.