JPS6323793A - Device for preventing bacterial contamination of sterile water - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a device for preventing contamination of water or other fluids with microorganisms from the outside world that has been previously sterilized to ensure that they are free of microorganisms. It is related to. Fluid drawn continuously or intermittently through the device remains free of microorganisms even after the exterior surfaces of the device have become heavily contaminated with bacteria. This contamination is caused by hand contact and/or by external factors.

PRIOR ART AND PROBLEMS There is a continuing need for highly clean water, free of bacteria and endotoxins, for research purposes and as admixtures for intravenous injections. U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,749 describes an apparatus for producing such water. The references in this application disclose prior art systems for producing highly clean water free of bacteria and endometrium.

Briefly, this ST describes an apparatus having a distillation flask, a power boiler and a condensing unit to continuously produce water of high purity. Filters are provided between the atmosphere and the interior of the flask, carboy and condensing unit to prevent airborne bacteria from entering the apparatus. The openings are interconnected by non-chemically flexible tubing parts. A two-way stopcock allows clean water to move out of the carboy.

Although the apparatus for producing highly clean water described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,749 produces a high quality product, the product stored in the carboy system is It has been discovered that bacterial contamination can occur from the outside through the conventional two-way faucets used.

Bacteria are commonly transferred to the valve during handling, either airborne or viable on human skin.

Various devices have been proposed for producing sterile liquids. U.S. Pat. No. 2,456,152 describes a device in which the outlet tap is continuously immersed in steam. U.S. Pat. No. 2,537,774 relates to an apparatus for sterilizing liquids using ultraviolet radiation. French Patent No. 1,101°643 uses a combination of ultraviolet and infrared radiation to create a sterile liquid.

In all these devices either the liquid being withdrawn is heated to a temperature significantly above room temperature or there is no provision to prevent contamination by bacteria from external sources.

The main object of the invention is to provide a device for preventing the contamination of previously treated and reliably sterilized water or other liquids with bacteria without increasing the temperature of the liquid being withdrawn. It is in.

Another object of the present invention is to ensure that water and fluid sources are not re-contaminated by bacteria buildup on valve faucets connected to the system, thereby providing bacteria-free, highly clean water and other fluid sources. The objective is to provide a continuous source of fluid.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention is an apparatus for preventing bacterial contamination of sterile water, comprising: (a) a faucet designed to be attached to a source of sterile distilled water; The faucet has a hollow casing with a water receiving chamber, the casing having an outlet member communicating with the receiving chamber and also an inlet element communicating generally with the receiving chamber. the inlet element having threads for receiving a conduit for connection with the source of sterile distilled water, and the faucet having means for selectively closing the inlet to prevent flow. (b) the outlet has a wide cylindrical portion located above a narrow cylindrical portion, and an ultraviolet light source is disposed within the wide portion, the ultraviolet source being a source of mercury vapor. The quartz tube comprises a filled quartz tube extending from the wide section to the narrow cylindrical section, a pair of electrodes operably associated with the mercury vapor within the quartz tube, the electrodes being made of plastic. located within a collar means and connected to an energized control unit, said collar means being dimensioned to fit snugly within a wide cylindrical portion within said outlet, so that said quartz tube is suspended in the center of said narrow cylindrical portion of said outlet and defines a generally annular passageway through which said sterile fluid flows without restriction for discharge; It is a device that prevents

[Operation] An ultraviolet source located within the faucet outlet emits ultraviolet light to keep the outlet free of bacterial contamination.

Fluid passing through the faucet also comes into contact with ultraviolet radiation.

EXAMPLE Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a faucet connected to a conduit (10 ) is installed. The elbow (18) connects the conduit (
10) is screwed onto one end. A short conduit (20) is attached to the elbow (18) at the joint (21). Nipple (12) with corrugations (23) to facilitate attachment to rubber or plastic pipes
is screwed onto the conduit (20). When mounting the faucet on a post, the locking nut (22) tightens the faucet securely.

The other end (24) of the conduit (10) is screwed onto the faucet structure (25). The faucet (25) has a toggle member (15) threaded onto the handle (16). Handle (16
) around the pin (11) from the closed position to the closed position W)J
to open and close the faucet. The present invention consists in modifying this commercially available faucet to include an ultraviolet source connected by an S-line to a control unit (not shown). The ultraviolet light source is arranged within the outlet (14) and
14) to keep it free of bacterial contamination.

The water passing through the faucet (25) will also come into contact with ultraviolet radiation. The water passing through the outlet (14) is thus constantly sterilized.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the figures show details of the faucet construction and essential features of the invention.

The faucet (25) is shown in cross section;
5) is designed to be attached to the conduit (10) and has a thread (24) leading to the conduit (31). Is this pipe (31) receiving water? It leads to 12 (32). A partition plate is disposed within the seat (33), which partition plate is raised from a closed position to a closed position by movement of the handle (16) shown in FIG. Pipeline (34)
connects the receiving chamber (32) to the water channel (35) in the outlet (14). The water channel (35) has a narrow section at (36) and a wide section at (37).

The light source (13) has an upper part (38), and this upper part (
38) contains electrodes (not shown) which are connected to the control unit (39) by means of conductors (40).

The lower part of the light source (13) is a quartz tube (41) filled with mercury vapor.
). The color (42) made by Plus Book is the exit (
14) is machined to fit within the wide section of the

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, a base (50) is attached to a conduit (51) which extends to a toggle valve member (25) as detailed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. . The outlet (52) is removably connected to the L-shaped conduit (54) by means of a collar (53). Conduit (5
The front end of 4) terminates in a conduit (55).

The conduit (55) has a wide section (56) and a narrow section (57). The ultraviolet source (13) is a stopper (58)
is inserted into. Ultraviolet light #1 (13) has a main function (not shown) and is connected to a control unit (not shown) by means of a conductor (40) from this electrode t. The lower part of the ultraviolet light source (13) consists of a quartz tube (41) filled with mercury vapor.

In operation of the device, the UV lamp (13) is placed in the faucet (25) as shown in the figure. Water enters the faucet (25) through the conduit (10).

The handle (16) of the faucet operates the toggle member (15) to move the partition plate (33) shown in FIG. can flow inside. The ultraviolet light source is the control unit (
39), the conduit (
UV radiation is emitted through a quartz tube (41) located within 35). The water in the pipe (35) (Fig. 3) is protected by ultraviolet radiation. A control unit (39) manages the time during which the ultraviolet light source is energized. The ultraviolet light source is energized periodically for short periods of time,
Preventing contamination of the outlet (14) from external sources.

[Summary] A device that prevents the passage of external microorganisms into a sterile, closed system containing sterile water or other fluid used for general or biomedical applications.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the lower part of the faucet shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the faucet shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. Patent Applicant Navik Ny Karamian FI6.4

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A device for preventing bacterial contamination of sterile water, comprising: (a) a faucet designed to be attached to a source of sterile distilled water, the faucet comprising: a hollow casing with a water receiving chamber, the casing having an outlet member communicating with the receiving chamber and also having an inlet element communicating with the receiving chamber; the element has a threaded portion for receiving a conduit for connection with said source of sterile distilled water, said faucet having means for selectively closing the inlet to prevent flow; (b) ) the outlet has a wide cylindrical part located above a narrow cylindrical part, a UV source is disposed in the wide part, the UV source consists of a quartz tube filled with mercury vapor; The quartz tube extends from the wide portion to the narrow cylindrical portion, and a pair of electrodes are operatively associated with the mercury vapor within the quartz tube, the electrodes being disposed within a plastic collar means. and is connected to an energized control unit, said collar means being dimensioned to fit snugly within a wide cylindrical portion within said outlet, so that said quartz tube is connected to said outlet. A device for preventing bacterial contamination of sterile water comprising a combination of the above, wherein the device is suspended in the center of the narrow cylindrical portion and defines a generally annular passageway through which the sterile fluid can flow without restriction for release.