JPS607071Y2 - Roll towel sterilization packaging for cabinets - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention uses a cabinet roll towel and an indicator that is permeable to ethylene oxide and has a dye or ink layer that irreversibly changes color by reacting with ethylene oxide. The package is sealed in an olefin resin film bag that is impermeable to bacteria, and the rolled towel and indicator are sterilized with ethylene oxide gas while being filled and sealed in the olefin resin film bag. The present invention relates to a roll towel sterilization package for a cabinet, which is characterized in that the ethylene oxide gas is sterilized by replacing the ethylene oxide gas with air.

In recent years, toilets and washrooms have been equipped with hand towel rolls stored in cabinets, providing comfort and convenience to users.

These roll towels are normally operated on a lease system, and used towels are collected, subjected to a washing process, a bleaching or sterilization process, a washing process, and a drying process, then rolled up and shipped to users.

However, although conventional roll towels may be satisfactory in terms of cleanliness in appearance, they are still not fully satisfactory in terms of cleanliness from a microbiological point of view.

Especially in the case of roll towels used in medical facilities, cafeterias, etc.
Even the adhesion of germs can be a problem, but conventional roll towels do not provide any guarantee for such uses.

Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to ensure that roll towels are effectively sterilized with ethylene oxide gas, and to suppress the residual amount of ethylene oxide gas in the package to zero or an extremely small amount. To provide a sterilized package for a roll towel for a cabinet in which the infiltration of bacteria and fungi into the package is suppressed.

The above object of the present invention is to encapsulate a roll towel sterilized with ethylene oxide gas and a specific indicator in a polyolefin resin film bag that is permeable to ethylene oxide and impermeable to bacteria. By doing so, they become distant relatives.

A new or recycled rolled towel is sealed together with an indicator in a bag made of the polyolefin resin film before sterilization, and the bag is sterilized using ethylene oxide gas while in the packaged state.

In this case, in the sterilization equipment, ethylene oxide gas permeates into the bag through a membrane made of polyolefin resin film, and the rolled towel comes into contact with ethylene oxide gas of a predetermined concentration at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time to complete the sterilization process. do.

Whether or not this sterilization process has been completed is confirmed by the fact that the dye layer or ink layer of the indicator reacts with ethylene oxide and changes color irreversibly.

When a sterilized package that has been sterilized with ethylene oxide gas is left in a normal atmosphere, the ethylene oxide gas inside will diffuse to the outside through the membrane of the bag, and the gas will be replaced with the outside air. The amount of ethylene oxide gas remaining inside the package becomes almost zero or extremely small, making it possible to avoid the effects of ethylene oxide on the human body.

The membrane made of polyolefin resin film constituting the bag not only exhibits the desirable effect of allowing ethylene oxide to permeate during sterilization of the package or when it is left after sterilization, but also allows ethylene oxide to penetrate into the package after sterilization. It has the effect of preventing the infiltration of bacteria, fungi, and insects that transmit them.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, if the roll towel is sealed in advance as a bagged package and then subjected to sterilization treatment with ethylene oxide gas in this state, the sterilized roll towel will not come in contact with the hands of workers, equipment, instruments, etc. The risk of direct contact with the microorganisms is completely eliminated and there is no problem of microbial recontamination.

The invention will now be explained by way of embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, a cabinet roll towel 1 is packed together with an indicator 2 into a bag 3 made of olefin resin film, and the opening 4 of the bag 3 is hermetically sealed with a fastening member 5 such as a string, tape, or wire. ing.

The roll towel 1 is made of a knitted or woven fabric with a width of -X, which is wound into a roll, and the towel fabric may be made of 100% cotton or made of water-absorbing synthetic fibers such as water-absorbing acrylic fibers. or a blended product of these products.

Of course, this rolled towel may be new or may be recycled through the process described above.

In the present invention, the indicator 2 is provided with a dye or ink layer 6 that irreversibly changes color by reacting with ethylene oxide.

As such a dye, for example, a dye having the structure shown below mixed in advance with malonic acid is used.

Note that the color displayed below the dye indicates discoloration due to reaction with ethylene oxide.

Pale yellow→red These dyes are dissolved in an organic solvent or the like or dispersed in an ink vehicle and applied as the mark layer 6 on the base paper of the indicator.

Of course, the dyes mentioned above are merely exemplary and dyes other than those mentioned above may also be used.

For example, such an indicator is HOGY E,0
．． There is also one commercially available under the trade name of G MEKKIN CARD (red to green), and such a known indicator can also be used.

The membrane material 3 of polyolefin resin film used as a bag in the present invention is permeable to ethylene oxide and substantially impermeable to bacteria. -1 Medium- or high-density polyethylene, Aitu Tactical, Polypropylene 1,
Olefin resin films such as crystalline ethylene-propylene copolymers are preferably used.

Such an olefin resin film has high permeability to ethylene oxide gas, high moisture resistance, and excellent hygienic properties.

The thickness of the film is also related to the permeability of ethylene oxide gas, and generally films of 0.01 to 0.3 m are suitable for the purposes of the present invention.

Furthermore, such bags can be used double or triple to create multiple packaging.

Sterilization treatment using ethylene oxide gas is performed by exposing the above-mentioned bagged package to an ethylene oxide gas atmosphere.

As for the processing conditions, a combination of a temperature of room temperature to 80° C. and a processing time of 1 to 6 hours may be selected to sufficiently sterilize the roll towel.

The sterilized package is left in a normal air atmosphere to release the ethylene oxide gas inside the package.

In most cases, the release of this gas occurs rapidly within W minutes or hours, and the residual amount is suppressed to a level that does not affect the human body.

According to the present invention, it is guaranteed that the roll towels are effectively sterilized with ethylene oxide gas, the amount of ethylene oxide remaining in the package is suppressed to an extremely small amount, and re-contamination by microorganisms etc. is ensured. It is a distant relative that has the great advantage of being protected against.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the roll towel sterilization package for cabinets of the present invention, in which 1 is a roll towel, 2 is an indicator, 3 is a thermoplastic resin film bag, 4 is its opening, and 5 is a fastening member. , 6 indicate dye or ink layers, respectively.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] The cabinet roll towel and the indicator, which has a dye or ink layer that irreversibly changes color by reacting with ethylene oxide, are made of an olefin that is permeable to ethylene oxide and impermeable to bacteria. The package is formed by enclosing the rolled towel and the indicator in a bag made of resin film, and the roll towel and the indicator are filled and sealed in the bag made of olefin resin film and subjected to sterilization treatment with ethylene oxide gas, and then the ethylene oxide gas is evaporated with air. A roll towel sterilization package for a cabinet, characterized in that it can be replaced.