KR20220160393A - Dry sterilization and disinfection device for medical instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dry sterilization and disinfection device for medical instruments, and more specifically, to a dry sterilization and disinfection device for medical instruments which inserts the medical instruments contaminated by procedures and the like into a sterilization treatment space, and sterilizes and disinfects medical instruments in a short time. The dry sterilization and disinfection device for medical instruments, comprises a sterilization chamber, an external circulation pipeline, a vacuum circulation pump, and a rapid heating part.

Description

Dry sterilization and disinfection device for medical instruments}

The present invention relates to a dry sterilization and disinfection apparatus for medical instruments, and more particularly, to a dry sterilization and disinfection apparatus for medical instruments that sterilizes and disinfects medical instruments that have been put into a sterilization treatment space in a short time by inserting medical instruments contaminated by a procedure or the like into a sterilization treatment space. .

A method using ethylene oxide (EO) gas, a method using ozone and water, and a method using high-temperature steam are used for disinfection of medical instruments requiring sterilization.

The method using ethylene oxide gas has an excellent sterilization effect, but because ethylene oxide gas is highly toxic, it can harm the health of users and is difficult to handle. And the method using ozone and water requires a very long treatment time. The sterilization method using high-temperature steam has an excellent sterilization effect, but has a disadvantage that it cannot be used for processed materials that are weak to heat.

In addition, since the method using ethylene oxide takes about 70 minutes and the method using high-temperature steam takes about 8 hours, it requires a lot of time for disinfection, so there is a problem that it is difficult to disinfect and use immediately after use. .

Recently, a sterilization device using plasma and hydrogen peroxide has been developed, and its application is expanding because it exhibits excellent sterilization performance and has the advantage of being sterilized in a relatively short time and at a low temperature.

However, since the sterilizer using hydrogen peroxide also takes about 30 minutes to sterilize, it is necessary to shorten this time.

In addition, in a small-capacity sterilization device for timely disinfection of a relatively small amount of medical instruments, it is necessary to supply a small amount of disinfectant in a fixed amount. If the amount is not input, the sterilization effect is reduced or excessive cost is required to remove the remaining harmful gas.

KR 10-1441740 B1 KR 10-0702824 B1 KR 10-01273764 B1

An object of the present invention, which was made to solve the above problems, is to rapidly heat the sterilization space of the sterilization chamber in which medical instruments requiring sterilization are stored, thereby securing the temperature and humidity according to the sterilization process of the medical instruments in a short time To provide a dry sterilization and disinfection device for medical instruments that diffuses and supplies hydrogen peroxide into the sterilization treatment space to secure speed and reliability according to sterilization and disinfection of medical instruments.

The above object is achieved by the following structure provided by the present invention.

The dry sterilization disinfection device for medical instruments according to the present invention,

A sterilization chamber accommodating medical instruments requiring sterilization and having a sterilization processing space having an air supply port and an air outlet;

At least an external circulation conduit arranged to communicate the air supply side to the air supply port of the sterilization chamber and to communicate the air intake side to the exhaust port of the sterilization chamber;

a vacuum circulation pump disposed in the external circulation conduit and forcibly circulating the remaining air in the sterilization treatment space by forcibly taking in air along the exhaust port; and

It is configured to include a rapid heating unit for heating the sterilization treatment space in which the medical instrument is stored to a set temperature,

The rapid heating unit may include an internal electric heater disposed in the sterilization chamber to heat the sterilization treatment space by dissipating electric heat in the sterilization treatment space; It is characterized in that it is configured to include an external circulation heater disposed in the external circulation conduit to heat air that is sucked in from the sterilization treatment space through a vacuum circulation pump and circulated along the external circulation conduit and re-introduced into the sterilization treatment space.

Preferably, an exhaust control valve is disposed on the air supply side of the external circulation pipe to communicate with the air supply port of the sterilization treatment space and the exhaust pipe discharged to the outside.

The vacuum circulation pump has a circulation supplying function of re-introducing the air remaining in the sterilization treatment space along an external circulation pipe through the opening and closing action of the exhaust control valve, and releasing the air remaining in the sterilization treatment space. It is configured to perform a vacuum decompression function of forcibly exhausting the vacuum to the outside through an exhaust pipe and decompressing the vacuum in the sterilization treatment space.

More preferably, an outside air inlet pipe that selectively communicates with the outside by opening and closing of the intake control valve is formed in the external circulation conduit, and the inflow of external air into the sterilization treatment space is set by opening and closing of the intake control valve. configure it so that

In addition, a plasma processor is disposed in the external circulation conduit to remove contaminants remaining in the externally discharged air by plasma-discharging the air forcedly discharged from the sterilization treatment space to the outside through the internal exhaust pipe.

In addition, a chemical solution supply port is formed in the sterilization chamber, and a quantitative supply device for quantitatively diffusing hydrogen peroxide stored in a chemical solution container is disposed in the sterilization treatment space in which a vacuum decompression state is formed in the chemical solution supply port.

As described above, the dry sterilization apparatus for medical instruments according to the present invention heats the sterilization treatment space in which the medical instruments are stored to a temperature suitable for the reaction of hydrogen peroxide, and supplies hydrogen peroxide into the heated sterilization treatment space to treat the medical instruments. In the sterilization chamber, an internal electric heater that directly emits electric heat within the sterilization treatment space and an external circulation heater that circulates outside the sterilization treatment space and heats re-supplied air are respectively disposed.

Therefore, the present invention enables rapid heating of the sterilization treatment space within a short time, and as a result, rapid drying of medical instruments stored in the sterilization treatment space is possible with rapid heating of the sterilization treatment space.

In addition, the present invention provides an external circulation and supply function of the air remaining in the sterilization treatment space through an external circulation duct equipped with a vacuum circulation pump, and forcibly exhausts the air remaining in the sterilization treatment space to the outside along the exhaust pipe. A vacuum decompression function that vacuums and decompresses the sterilization treatment space, and a circulation dehumidification function that dehumidifies the sterilization treatment space by discharging the humid air remaining in the sterilization treatment space and introducing relatively low humidity external air into the sterilization treatment space. Optional implementations of are possible.

1 to 3 are the overall configuration of the dry sterilization disinfection device for medical instruments proposed as a preferred embodiment in the present invention, the heating state of the sterilization treatment space through the external air circulation line and the vacuum circulation pump, the vacuum decompression state, and circulation It shows the dehumidification condition, respectively.
4 to 5 show the detailed configuration of a fixed quantity feeder in the dry sterilization disinfection device for medical instruments proposed as a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
6 to 8 sequentially show a state of quantitative supply of hydrogen peroxide through the quantitative supply shown in FIGS. 4 to 5.

Hereinafter, a dry sterilization and disinfection device for medical instruments proposed as a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 to 3 are the overall configuration of the dry sterilization disinfection device for medical instruments proposed as a preferred embodiment in the present invention, the heating state of the sterilization treatment space through the external air circulation line and the vacuum circulation pump, the vacuum decompression state, and circulation 4 and 5 show the detailed configuration of a fixed quantity feeder in the dry sterilization disinfection device for medical instruments proposed as a preferred embodiment in the present invention, and FIGS. to FIG. 5 to sequentially show the quantitative supply state of hydrogen peroxide through the quantitative feeder.

The dry sterilization and disinfection device 1 for medical instruments proposed as a preferred embodiment in the present invention is dry sterilization exclusively for medical instruments that sterilizes and sterilizes medical instruments such as scalpels and medical scissors used in procedures in a short time. is a disinfectant.

The dry sterilization disinfection apparatus 1 for medical instruments includes a sterilization chamber 10 in which a sterilization treatment space 11 having a supply port 12 and an exhaust port 13 is secured, accommodating medical instruments requiring sterilization and disinfection, and ; At least the external circulation pipe (30) communicates the air supply side (32) to the air supply port (12) of the sterilization chamber (10) and communicates the air intake side (31) to the exhaust port (13) of the sterilization chamber (10). Wow; The air disposed on the external circulation conduit 30 and remaining in the sterilization treatment space 11 is forcibly taken in along the exhaust port 13 so that the air is forcibly circulated along the external circulation conduit 30 or forcedly circulated and discharged to the outside. A vacuum circulation pump 40 to do; and a constant-quantity feeder 70 for diffusion-supplying the hydrogen peroxide stored in the liquid medicine container 80 into the sterilization treatment space 11 in a constant quantity.

Preferably, the air supply side 32 of the external circulation conduit 30 is an exhaust control valve that selectively communicates the air supply port 12 of the sterilization treatment space 11 and the exhaust pipe 33 discharged to the outside. (33a) is arranged.

Therefore, the vacuum circulation pump 40 externally circulates the air remaining in the sterilization treatment space 11 along the external circulation conduit 30 as shown in FIG. 1 by the opening and closing action of the exhaust control valve 33a. As shown in FIG. 3, the sterilization treatment space ( 11) It performs the vacuum decompression function to form a vacuum decompression state inside.

In addition, an outside air inlet pipe 34 selectively communicating with the outside is formed in the external circulation conduit 30 by the opening and closing action of the intake control valve 34a, and as shown in FIG. 2, the intake control valve 34a Depending on whether the outside air inlet pipe 34 is opened or closed through the sterilization treatment space 11, whether or not outside air is introduced is set.

Therefore, the external circulation conduit 30 provided with the vacuum circulation pump 40 has an external circulation supply function of the air remaining in the sterilization treatment space 11 and an exhaust pipe to discharge the air remaining in the sterilization treatment space 11 ( 33), a vacuum decompression function that vacuums and decompresses the sterilization treatment space 11 by forcibly exhausting it to the outside along the sterilization treatment space 11, and discharges the humid air remaining in the sterilization treatment space 11 to the outside and sterilizes relatively low humidity external air. It is possible to selectively implement a circulation dehumidification function that promotes dehumidification of the sterilization treatment space 11 by flowing into the treatment space 11 .

And, in this embodiment, the air supply port 12 and the exhaust port 13 are arranged to face one side wall and the other side wall of the sterilization treatment space 11, and the air supplied through the air supply port 12 is a medical instrument. By configuring them to be discharged through the exhaust port 13 across the sterilization processing space 11 in which they are stored, the medical instruments stored in the sterilization processing space 11 are circulated and discharged from one side of the sterilization processing space 11 to the other side Stable contact with air enables faster evaporation and removal of moisture remaining on the surface.

In addition, in the external circulation conduit 30, a plasma processor 60 treats contaminants such as ozone remaining in the air by plasma-discharging the air forcedly exhausted from the sterilization treatment space 11 to the outside through the exhaust pipe 33. ) is placed.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, by adding an improved rapid heating unit for heating the sterilization treatment space 11 of the sterilization chamber 10, the sterilization treatment space 11 is rapidly heated to a temperature suitable for the reaction of hydrogen peroxide in a short time, Reduce the time required for sterilization and disinfection of medical instruments.

The rapid heating unit proposed in this embodiment is disposed in the external circulation conduit 30, sucks air from the sterilization treatment space 11 through the vacuum circulation pump 40, and circulates along the external circulation conduit 30 for sterilization treatment. An external circulation heater 50 for heating the air re-introduced into the space 11, and an internal electric heater disposed in the sterilization chamber 10 to heat the sterilization treatment space by directly dissipating electric heat in the sterilization treatment space 11 (20).

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the sterilization treatment space 11 is heated by the external circulation heater 50 while externally circulating along the external circulation pipe 30 and supplied to the sterilization treatment space 11, circulating air, It is rapidly heated by the electric heat emitted through the internal electric heater 20, and as a result, the sterilization treatment space 11 forms temperature conditions suitable for diffusion and reaction of hydrogen peroxide within a short time.

Then, when the sterilization treatment space 11 is heated to the set temperature, the outside air inlet pipe 34 is opened through the intake control valve 34a and the exhaust pipe 33 is discharged through the exhaust control valve 33a as shown in FIG. After opening, the vacuum circulation pump 40 is started to perform a circulation dehumidification process of discharging the air of the sterilization treatment space 11 in which a large amount of humidity remains by the heating to the outside in the sterilization treatment space 11. .

Therefore, the sterilization processing space 11 in which the medical tools are stored by the circulation dehumidification process maintains a temperature and humidity suitable for the diffusion and reaction of hydrogen peroxide supplied in a fixed amount into the sterilization processing space 11 through a quantitative supply structure described later. do.

On the other hand, the quantitative supply structure for supplying a fixed amount of hydrogen peroxide into the sterilization treatment space 11 maintaining the temperature and humidity suitable for the diffusion and reaction of hydrogen peroxide is stored in the liquid medicine container 80. It includes a hydrogen peroxide supply unit 70 for supplying a fixed amount.

In particular, the quantitative feeder 70 proposed in the present invention introduces hydrogen peroxide stored in the chemical container 80 in a fixed amount through vacuum decompression, and the pressure difference between the atmosphere and the sterilization treatment space 11 in which a vacuum decompression state is formed It is composed of a reduced-pressure diffusion type that diffusely supplies hydrogen peroxide introduced in a fixed amount into the sterilization treatment space 11.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 5, the reduced pressure diffusion type metered feeder 70 has a cylinder body 71 having a cylinder chamber 71a in which a vacuum filling section 70A and a reduced pressure forming and vacuum diffusion section 70B are formed, and ; a piston 72 arranged in a retractable structure in the cylinder chamber 71a and having at least one quantity distribution slot 72a, 72b; and a forward and backward unit 73 that pulls the piston 72 left and right along the cylinder chamber 71a to move forward and backward.

The quantitative distribution slots 72a and 72b formed in the piston 72 are perforated through the piston 72 up and down as shown in FIG. 5a, and annularly recessed into the outer diameter of the piston 72 as shown in FIG. The annular concave type quantitative distribution slot 72b has a specificity capable of introducing hydrogen peroxide at the same flow rate regardless of the installation direction in the cylinder chamber.

More preferably, the filling amount member 72c is stacked in the annular concave type quantitative distribution slot 72b to adjust the volume of the quantitative distribution slot 72a through the filling amount adjusting member 72c, thereby requiring a required flow rate. of hydrogen peroxide is introduced.

At this time, the filling amount control member 72c is composed of a magnetic material that is magnetically coupled to the piston 72, and is magnetically coupled to the piston 72 so as to be fixed.

In this embodiment, advance and retreat units 73 made of solenoids that pull the piston 72 left and right are disposed at both ends of the piston 72 installed in the cylinder chamber 71a in a forward and backward structure, so that each advance and retreat unit 73 ), the piston 72 moves left and right at high speed.

If necessary, the advance and retreat unit 73 is a variety of cylinder types such as solenoids, electric cylinders, pneumatic cylinders, etc., or an electric motor and a piston are combined in a rack and pinion structure so that the piston advances and retreats by forward and reverse driving of the electric motor. Various forms such as an electric motor type may be adopted.

And, in the cylinder body 71, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, a quantity of hydrogen peroxide stored in the chemical container 80 is vacuum introduced into the quantity distribution slot 72a of the piston 72 along the chemical inlet 74 A vacuum filling section and (70A); A decompression forming and vacuum diffusion section 70B having a chemical solution supply port 75 and an outside air inlet 76 opened and closed by an opening/closing valve 76a are formed, respectively.

Therefore, the piston 72 is pulled left and right through the advance and retreat unit 73 and moves left and right in the cylinder chamber 71a, so that the fixed quantity distribution slot 72a formed on the outer wall of the piston 72 is in the vacuum filling section. (70A), reduced pressure formation, and vacuum diffusion section (70B) are alternately formed.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, the piston 72 pulls and moves to one side and moves to the decompression forming and vacuum diffusion section 70B where the outside air inlet 76 is closed to form a decompression state in the quantitative distribution slot 72a. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, it moves to the other side and quantitatively fills the hydrogen peroxide stored in the liquid medicine container 80 in the quantitative distribution slot 72a in which a reduced pressure is formed.

Thereafter, the piston 72 moves again to one side where the outside air inlet 76 is open, as shown in FIG. 8, and the fixed-quantity distribution slot ( 72a) The chemical solution filled in a fixed amount is diffused and supplied into the sterilization treatment space 11 along the chemical solution supply port 75 .

In this way, when a quantity of hydrogen peroxide is diffused and supplied into the sterilization treatment space 11 through the reduced pressure diffusion type quantity supply 70, the particles of the quantity of hydrogen peroxide in the sterilization treatment space 11 are spread and distributed at a uniform concentration, so that sterilization treatment Stable sterilization and disinfection of medical instruments stored in the space 11 can be implemented.

On the other hand, the dry sterilization process of medical instruments through the dry sterilization disinfection apparatus 1 for medical instruments configured as described above will be described in detail.

The first user inserts a medical instrument requiring sterilization into the sterilization treatment space 11 of the sterilization chamber 10 and stores it in a sealed manner from the outside.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the external circulation heater 50 disposed in the external circulation conduit 30 and the vacuum circulation pump 40 are simultaneously started to externally circulate along the external circulation conduit 30 to sterilize the treatment space. While heating the air re-introduced into (11), the internal electric heater 20 is activated to rapidly heat the sterilization treatment space 11 to a set temperature by heat directly emitted into the sterilization treatment space 11.

In addition, by opening the exhaust pipe 33 and the air inlet pipe 34 disposed in the external circulation conduit 30, respectively, and starting the vacuum circulation pump 40, as shown in FIG. 2, the rapid heating produces a large amount. The air in the sterilization treatment space 11, in which the humidity of , is discharged to the outside and external air is introduced into the sterilization treatment space 11 to dehumidify the sterilization treatment space 11 heated to a set temperature.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 to 8, in a state where the outside air inlet pipe 34 is closed and the air exhaust pipe 33 is opened, the vacuum circulation pump 40 is started to enter the sterilization treatment space 11. A vacuum decompression process for forming a vacuum decompression state, and a chemical solution diffusion supply for quantitatively diffusing and supplying hydrogen peroxide stored in the chemical solution container 80 through the quantitative supply device 70 of the hydrogen peroxide quantitative supply unit in the vacuum decompressed sterilization treatment space 11 Repeat the process several times.

At this time, in the sterilization processing space 11 where the vacuum is reduced in the hydrogen peroxide diffusion supply process, the hydrogen peroxide supplied in a fixed amount through the constant supply 70 due to the pressure difference between the atmospheric pressure and the sterilization processing space 11 is diffused and supplied As a result, the medical instruments housed in the sterilization treatment space 11 are quickly sterilized and disinfected by reacting with the hydrogen peroxide supplied through diffusion.

1. Dry sterilization disinfection device for medical instruments
10. Sterilization chamber 11. Sterilization treatment space
12. Supply port 13. Exhaust port
14. Chemical solution supply port
20. Internal electric heater
30. External circulation duct 31. Intake side
32. Air supply side 33. Vent pipe
33a. Exhaust control valve 34. Outside air inlet pipe
34a. intake control valve
40. Vacuum circulation pump 50. External circulation heater
60. Plasma processor
70. Metering feeder 70A. vacuum filling section
70B. Decompression formation, diffusion supply section 71. Cylinder body
71a. Cylinder chamber 72. Piston
72a. Perforated quantitative dispensing slot 72b. Circular concave type constant distribution slot
72c. Filling amount adjusting member 73. Advance and retreat unit
74. Chemical solution inlet 75. Chemical solution supply port
76. Outside air inlet 76a. on/off valve
80. Medicine bottle

Claims (5)

A sterilization chamber accommodating medical instruments requiring sterilization and having a sterilization treatment space having a supply port and an exhaust port;
At least an external circulation conduit arranged to communicate the air supply side to the air supply port of the sterilization chamber and to communicate the air intake side to the exhaust port of the sterilization chamber;
a vacuum circulation pump disposed in the external circulation conduit and forcibly circulating the remaining air in the sterilization treatment space by forcibly taking in air along the exhaust port; and
It is configured to include a rapid heating unit for heating the sterilization treatment space in which the medical instrument is stored to a set temperature,
The rapid heating unit may include an internal electric heater disposed in the sterilization chamber to heat the sterilization treatment space by dissipating electric heat in the sterilization treatment space; For a medical device, characterized in that it is configured to include an external circulation heater disposed in the external circulation conduit to heat air that is sucked in from the sterilization treatment space through the vacuum circulation pump and circulated along the external circulation conduit and re-introduced into the sterilization treatment space. Dry sterilization disinfection device. The method of claim 1, wherein an exhaust control valve is disposed on the air supply side of the external circulation pipe to communicate with the air supply port of the sterilization treatment space and the exhaust pipe discharged to the outside.
The vacuum circulation pump has a circulation supplying function of re-introducing the air remaining in the sterilization treatment space along an external circulation pipe through the opening and closing action of the exhaust control valve, and releasing the air remaining in the sterilization treatment space. A dry sterilization disinfection device for medical instruments, characterized in that it is configured to perform a vacuum decompression function of vacuum decompression in the sterilization treatment space by forcibly exhausting to the outside through an exhaust pipe. [Claim 3] The sterilization according to claim 2, wherein an outside air inlet pipe that selectively communicates with the outside by an opening and closing action of an intake control valve is formed in the external circulation duct, and a vacuum and reduced pressure state is formed through the discharge pipe to discharge air from the sterilization treatment space. Dry sterilization disinfection apparatus for medical instruments, characterized in that configured to allow the inflow of external air through an external air inlet pipe into the treatment space. [Claim 3] The method of claim 2, wherein a plasma processor is disposed in the external circulation conduit to remove contaminants remaining in the externally discharged air by plasma-discharging the air forcedly discharged from the sterilization treatment space to the outside through an exhaust pipe. Dry sterilization disinfection device for medical instruments. The method of claim 2, wherein a chemical solution supply port is formed in the sterilization chamber, and internal air is forcibly discharged through a discharge pipe inside the chemical solution supply port to vacuum-diffuse and fix hydrogen peroxide stored in a chemical solution container in a sterilization treatment space in which a vacuum decompression state is formed. Dry sterilization disinfection device for medical instruments, characterized in that the reduced pressure diffusion type metered supply is disposed.

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