MXPA00006198A - Multi-compartment plastic woven mesh dry chemistry container - Google Patents

Abstract

A multi-compartment package (C) separately contains powdered reagents which interact with water to form an antimicrobial solution. An outer, first cup portion (50) receives a first powdered reagent and has a peripheral wall (52) which has an opening at a first end (56) and at a second end (60). A closure, such as a detachable base (58), is secured to and closes the second end of the outer first cup portion. The closure is impermeable to the first reagent. An inner, second cup portion (70) receives a second reagent. The inner cup portion has a region (73) which is formed from a material, such as a thermally molded, spun-bonded polypropylene web, which is impermeable to the powdered reagents but is permeable to water and to solutions containing dissolved reagents. The second cup portion peripheral wall abuts and is connected to the first end of the outer first cup portion.

Description

CONTAINER FOR ANHYDRICAL CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES, WITH PLASTIC TISSUE MESH, OF MULTIPLE COMPARTMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the technique of decontamination. Find particular application along with sterilization or disinfection of medical instruments or equipment and will be written with particular preference to it. It should be appreciated, however, that the invention is also applicable to a wide variety of technologies in which at least two components or reagents are kept separate up to the time of their use and then combined by dissolution in a common solvent. Decontamination has to do with the disposal of hazardous or unwanted materials, such as bacteria, fungal spores, other forms of pathogenic life, radioactive dust and the like. Disinfection refers to the absence of pathogenic life forms. Sterilization has to do with the absence of all forms of life, pathogenic or non-pathogenic. Until now, the equipment and medical instruments have been sterilized in a steam autoclave. Autoclaves kill life forms with a combination of high temperature and high pressure. However, steam autoclaves have some disadvantages. The containers of temperature and high pressure tend to be bulky and heavy. The temperature and high pressure tends to decrease the useful life of endoscopes, rubber and plastic devices, lenses and portions of devices made of plastic materials and the like. In addition, a cycle of sterilization and cooling of a common autoclave is sufficiently long that multiple series of medical instruments are normally required. Instruments that can not withstand the pressure or temperature of the autoclave are often sterilized with ethylene oxide gas, particularly in larger medical facilities or hospitals. However, the sterilization technique with ethylene oxide also has disadvantages. First, the sterilization cycle with ethylene oxide tends to be even longer than the steam autoclave cycle. Another disadvantage is that sterilization with ethylene oxide is sufficiently advanced that trained technicians are usually required, making it unsuitable for medical and dental offices and for other smaller medical facilities. In addition, some of the medical equipment can not be sterilized with ethylene oxide gas. Liquid disinfection systems have been used for equipment that can not withstand the high temperatures of steam sterilization. Typically, a technician mixes a liquid disinfectant composition and manually submerges the articles that are to be decontaminated. The high degree of labor introduces numerous variables not controlled and not reported in the process. There are quality assurance problems in the weakening of chemical disinfectants due to the aging in the drawer, and technical errors in the mixing of the sterilants, the control of the immersion times, the rinsing of the residues, the exposure to the atmosphere environment after the rinsing step and the like. U.S. Patent No. 5,662,866 to Siegel et al., Discloses a two compartment rate for sterilizing powder reagent components. An external rate contains a first reagent while an internal rate, located within the external rate, contains a second reagent. The peripheral walls of the internal and external rates are fixed to each other at their open ends in tabs. A permeable sheet is fixed to the tab of the internal rate portion to ventilatedly seal both rates. The external rate is closed at its base by a removable first base and the internal rate is closed in the same way by a removable second base. In use, the two bases are open to allow the mixing of the two reagents. The two compartment rate guarantees sterilization with a reproducible dose, pre-measure of the reagents also facilitating the handling and loading of the reagents. The present invention provides a new and improved two-compartment or package assembly rate that does not require a peelable second base and that is ideal for storing powdered reagents that are separately preserved up to the time of use and can be released in solution when the Solvent passes through both compartments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a multi-compartment container is provided for containing powdered reagents that interact with water to form an antimicrobial solution. The package includes a first portion portion having a peripheral wall having a hole at a first end and at a second end and a second portion internal rate having a second peripheral wall. The first and second rate portions are configured such that the peripheral wall of the second portion portion contacts butt and is connected to the first external portion portion adjacent the first end of the first peripheral wall. The first and second peripheral walls are configured so that a first reagent receiving chamber is defined in the first portion rate to receive a first reactive powder and a second reagent receiving chamber is defined in the second portion rate to receive a second reagent powdered. A closure is secured to and closes the second end of the first external rate portion. The closure is impermeable to the first reagent. The package is characterized by the peripheral wall of the second rate portion including a region that is formed of a material impermeable to the reactants in powder but permeable to water and solutions containing the dissolved reagents. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided. The method includes dosing a preselected volume of a first powder reagent to a first portion portion having a peripheral wall having a first hole in a first end and a second hole closed by a closure in a second end. The closure is impermeable to the first powder reagent. The method further includes dosing a preselected volume of a second powder reagent to a second rate portion having a hole in a first end, the first and second rate portions being configured such that, when, the second rate portion is inserted in the first portion. portion rate, the first end of the second portion portion makes butt contact with the first end of the first portion rate. The method further includes connecting the first end of the second rate portion to the first end of the first rate portion and sealing a top cover to the first end of the second rate portion. The method is characterized by the second portion rate having at least one region formed of a material impermeable to the first and second reactive powder but permeable to water and to solutions containing the dissolved reagents. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a decontamination system is provided. The receiving well of the powder reagent rate and a first fluid flow path defined between a receiving water inlet and the receiving well of the reagent rate to bring water from the inlet to the well to mix the reactants in powder and form a decontaminating solution. The system also includes a second fluid flow path defined for the decontaminating solution from the receiving well of the reagent rate to a decontamination region to receive the articles to be decontaminated and a fluid circulator to selectively circulate the fluid through the first and second fluid flow paths and between the inlet, the decontamination region and the receiving well of the reagent rate. The rate that contains the reagent for powder decontamination, of multiple chambers inserted in the well. The rate includes a first external rate portion having a peripheral wall having a hole at a first end and a second end, and a second internal rate portion. The first and second rate portions are configured so that the second rate portion makes full contact and is connected to the first end of the first external rate portion. The first and second rate portions are configured such that a first powder reagent receiving chamber is defined in the first rate portion to receive a first powder reagent and a second powder reagent receiving chamber is defined in the second rate portion for receive a second powder reagent. A closure is secured to and closes the second end of the first external rate portion. The closure is impermeable to the first powder reagent. The system is characterized by the second portion having a region that is formed of a material impervious to the reactive powders but permeable to water and to the solutions containing the loose reactants. An advantage of the present invention is that it facilitates the hang of the materials. Another advantage of the present invention is that it simplifies the filling and sealing of the reagents in separate compartments. Another advantage of the present invention is that it favors the perfect mixing of the reagents and the complete dissolution of the reagents.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the undissolved particles of the reagent are trapped within the rate. Still other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art with reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention can take form in different components and arrangements of components, and in different steps and arrangements of steps. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment and should not be considered as limiting the invention. Figure 1 is an exterior view of a unit for decontamination; Figure 2 is a diagram of the pipe of the decontamination unit of Figure 1 including a detailed cross-sectional view of a well receiving the reagent rate and a reagent rate with two compartments; Figure 3 is an amplified view of a two compartment rate according to the present invention; and Figure 4 is a transverse, side view of the two compartment rate; Figure 5 is an alternative embodiment of the rate of Figure 3; and Figure 6 is another alternative embodiment of the rate of Figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, an apparatus for microbial decontamination A is configured to settle on an upper part of a counter or other convenient work surface. A door or lid 10 is manually opened to provide access to a tray 12 which defines a receiving region 14 for receiving articles to be decontaminated from microbes. In the illustrated embodiment, the tray 12 is configured to receive endoscopes or other articles that can be rolled up, long. Other trays are also contemplated with regions receiving articles of different configurations to receive the articles or containers containing the articles themselves. A well 16 receives a unit dose of reagents to form a sterilizing, disinfecting or other microbial decontaminant solution. With particular reference to formula 2, a container containing reagents C is inserted into the well 16. Once the articles are loaded in the tray and the reagent-carrying container C is inserted into the well 16, the lid 10 is closed and hooks up. Optionally, a fill valve 20 passes water through a microbial eliminator filter 22 in the flow paths of a fluid circulation system. The microbial eliminator filter 22 provides a source of sterile water by passing water and blocking the passage of all microbial size and larger particles. The incoming water that has been sterilized by the filter 22 passes through a spray or distribution nozzle 24 and fills the article receiving region 14 in the tray 12. As additional water is received, it flows into the well 16. dissolving powdered, crystalline or other non-liquid reagents at rate C forming an antimicrobial solution. The filling continues until all the air is pushed through an air system 26 and an entire interior volume is filled with sterile water. After the fill valve 20 is closed, a pump 28 circulates the fluid through a heater 30, the article receiving region 14 of the tray 12 and the well 16. The pump also pushes the antimicrobial solution through the filter 22 to a check valve 32 by sterilizing the filter. In addition, the pump pushes the antimicrobial solution through another microbial filter 34 in the air system 26 to a check valve 36. After the antimicrobial solution has been brought to the temperature and circulated for a selected time, it is opened a drainage valve 38, allowing the solution to drain. The air is drawn through the microbe filter 34 so that the sterile air replaces the fluid within the system. After, the drain valve is closed and the fill valve 20 is opened again to fill the system with a sterile rinsing fluid. It should be noted that, because the pump 28 circulated the antimicrobial solution on all surfaces of the flow paths including all surfaces from the sterile rinse source 22, the rinse can not carry microbial contaminants to the receiving region of articles. 14. A projection or lower opener member 40 is located at the bottom of the well to engage a bottom surface of the container C as it is inserted into the well. With reference to Figures 3 and 4, the sterilizing rate or package C includes a first rate or external rate 50. The external rate is constructed of a rigid, lightweight polymeric material. The external rate 50 includes a cylindrical peripheral wall 52 having a flange 54 at the first open end 56 thereof. A closure that is impermeable to a reagent located in the external rate, such as the peelable base wall 58, closes to a second opposite end 60 of the peripheral wall 52. The peelable base wall 58 is secured to the second end by being clamped and maintained by a flange and groove, friction coupling, a frangible seal or the like. When force or pressure is applied to the removable base wall from below the external rate 50 by the lower opener member 40, the peelable base wall 58 is peeled off. An elongated flange 60 or the like retains the base wall inside the external rate making the diameter of the base wall larger than the hole in the second end. A second portion rate or internal rate 70 is received in the first portion portion 50. The second portion portion has a hemispherical peripheral wall, generally heat-molded 72 having an integrally molded flange 74. Otherwise, the peripheral wall of the second rate is conical or cylindrical in shape as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The second rate portion is sealed at a first end or upper end by an upper cover 94. The peripheral wall 72 of the second rate portion 70 and the Top cover 94 is preferably formed of a material impermeable to the anhydrous reagent contained within the first and second rate portions, but permeable to water and dissolved reagents. Otherwise, the peripheral wall 72 includes a region 73 that is formed of a material impermeable to reactive powders but permeable to water and dissolved reagents. Optionally, a similar region is included in the upper cover (not shown). Any of the reagent particles in the second rate portion 70 that has not dissolved therefore becomes trapped within the second rate portion. The dissolved reagents pass through the material and are transported to the articles to be sterilized. The choice of material depends on the particle size of the reagents. For reagents having a particle size of about 50 μ, a non-woven polypropylene fabric or felt prevents the anhydrous reactants from penetrating the material, while allowing the water and the dissolved reagents to pass freely through the second rate portion and top cover. When the material is a polypropylene fabric, the top cover is easily sealed to the second portion by ultrasonic welding or other thermal sealing of the flange of the second portion portion to the top cover. The material for the second portion rate and the top cover is preferably free of additives, such as binders or surfactants, which could be dissolved in the water and contaminate the articles to be decontaminated. Also, the material is preferably lint-free, so that small particles of the material do not leave the second rate and become trapped inside the articles to be decontaminated. further, the material preferably has a very high tensile strength and does not disintegrate when subjected to a very high water pressure. The material is also preferably non-reactive to the reagents and other additives used in the decontamination unit. A polypropylene fabric spun by centrifugation, extruded, having an absolute pore size of below 50 microns, and preferably about 10 microns, is a preferred material because it is almost free of lint. It also has a high tensile strength, even when subjected to moderately high water pressures. The material is preferably molded to the shape of the internal rate portion 70 from a single sheet of the polypropylene fabric. Otherwise, the flange 74 is formed of a separate material which is then welded to the remainder of the upper cap portion. The porous nature of the inner lid portion and the upper deck 94 allow gases formed from the reagents during transit to leave the C rate. Optionally, the material also acts as a filter to filter particles, such as micro organisms and dust , of the antimicrobial solution that passes through the rate. The peelable base wall 58 has a dome-shaped central region. The dome-shaped central region is surrounded by a vertical wall that frictionally engages the peripheral wall of the rate. As force is applied to the dome-shaped central region, it flexes. The flexure pushes the vertical wall together away from the peripheral wall of the rate producing frictional coupling and facilitating its release. Optionally, a plurality of legs 86 or other separate projections are provided in the base wall. Still referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first and second portion portions are configured so that the flanges 54, 74 make butt contact and are sealed to each other. Suitable sealing means for the flanges includes thermal welding, bonding with adhesive, solvent welding, ultrasonic welding or the like. When the internal rate portion and the top cover are constructed of a spin-jointed polypropylene and the external rate portion is also formed of polypropylene, the top cap, the internal rate portion and the external rate portions are preferably ultrasonically or heat-welded together at the same time, thus forming a seal extending from the top cover and through the tab on the internal rate portion to the tab on the external rate portion. Preferably, the peripheral wall of the internal rate 72 is approximately half the height of the peripheral wall of the external rate 52, so that the first reagent chamber 88 is defined therebetween. More specifically for the illustrated embodiment, the chamber 88 has a predetermined volume ratio, relative to a volume of the internal rate 70. Although it is possible to use different peripheral wall designs of the second rate to achieve the relative volume ratio, selected , between the chamber 88 and the second volume of the rate, a hemispherical wall surface is conveniently fabricated. In the preferred embodiment, the internal and external rates each contain one of the acid precursors and a persalt. More specifically for the preferred embodiment, the acid precursor is acetylsalicylic acid and the persalt is sodium perborates or others. The two components dissolve as the water flows through the rate. The dissolved compounds come into contact and react to form sodium perborate, peracetic acid and salicylic acid. The volume of the powdered ingredients is selected relative to the volume of water so that a concentration of 0.2% w / v peracetic acid is obtained in the resulting decontaminating solution. The solution of sodium perborate works as an inhibitor of inorganic corrosion and salicylic acid is an inhibitor of organic corrosion. Preferably, additional corrosion inhibitors, buffers and wetting ageare added to these powders. Preferred copper and brass corrosion inhibitors include azoies, benzoates, other 5-membered ring compounds, bezotriazoles, tolitriazoles [sic], mercaptobenzotriazole, and the like. Other anticorrosive buffering compounds include phosphates, molybdates, chromates, dichromates, tungstates, vanadates, other borates and combinations thereof. These compounds are effective to inhibit corrosion of steel and aluminum. For hard water, in which there may be tendency to precipitation of calcium and magnesium salts, a sequestering agent such as sodium hexametaphosphate is also included. Other anhydrous formulations can be used to generate chlorine gas, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorous acid and other strong oxidahaving a biocidal effect. To assemble the C rate, the base 58 is first installed in the external rate portion 50. The first reagent is then deposited within the external rate portion. The internal rate portion 70 is then placed within the external rate portion with the tab 74 of the internal rate portion resting on the tab 54 of the external rate portion. The second reagent is deposited within the internal rate portion and the top cover 94 is deposited so that it rests on the tab of the internal rate portion. The top cover, the internal rate portion and the external rate portion are then sealed together in the tabs of the inner and outer rate portions. Thus, the first reagent is sealed within the external rate while the second reagent is sealed within the internal rate.

Claims (14)

1. A multi-compartment container (C) for containing powder reagents that interact with water to form an antimicrobial solution, the package includes: a) a first external rate portion (50) having a peripheral wall (52) having a hole in a first end (53) and second end (60); and b) a second internal rate portion (70) having a second peripheral wall (72), the first and second rate portions being configured so that the peripheral wall of the second rate portion contacts butt and is connected to the first rate portion. external adjacent the first end of the peripheral wall, the first and second peripheral walls being configured so that the first reagent receiving chamber is defined in the first portion rate to receive a first powder reagent and a second reagent receiving chamber is defined in the second portion rates to receive a second powder reagent, a closure (58) secured and closing the second end of the first external rate portion, the closure being impermeable to the first reagent, the container is characterized in that: the peripheral wall of the second portion rate includes a region (73) that is formed of a material impervious to the reactants in the form of powder but per water soluble and solutions containing dissolved reagents.

2. The container of claim 1, further characterized in that: the closure being removable from the second end of the first external rate portion by applying a force to the closure.

3. The package of claims 1 and 2, further characterized in that: the second portion includes a first tab (74); and the first end of the first external rate portion including a second flange (54), the first flange being sealed to the second flange.

4. The package of any of the preceding claims 1-3, further characterized in that: the material being a spin-bonded, thermally molded polypropylene fabric having an absolute pore size below 50 microns.

5. The package of any of the preceding claims 1-4, further characterized in that: the peripheral wall of the second portion defines a semi-ovoid.

6. The package of claim 3, further characterized in that: the second portion includes a top cover (94) that is sealed around an outer edge to the first flange-

7. The container of claim 6, further characterized because: the top cover includes a semi-porous region that is formed of a covered material impervious to the second reagent received in the second rate portion but permeable to water and solutions containing the dissolved reagents.

8. The package of claims 6 and 7, further characterized in that: the top cover, the second reagent receiving chamber and the second portion of the rate portion form a fluid flow path to ensure that fluids come into contact with the second reagent of the package. The package of any of the preceding claims 1-8, further characterized in that: the first reagent includes acetylsalicylic acid and the second reagent includes sodium perborate. 10. A method that consists of: dosing a preselected volume of a first powder reagent to a first rate portion (50) having a peripheral wall (52) having a first hole in a first end (56) and a second closed hole by a closure (58) at a second end (60), the closure being impermeable to the first powder reagent; dosing a pre-selected volume of a second powder reagent to a second rate portion (70) having a hole at a first end (74), the first and second rate portions being configured so that, when the second rate portion is inserted into the first rate portion, the first end of the second rate portion makes butt contact with the first end of the first rate portion; connecting the first end of the second rate portion with the first end of the first rate portion; and sealing an upper cover (94) to the first end of the second portion rate, the method is characterized in that: the second portion has at least one region (73) formed of a material impermeable to the first and second reactive powder but permeable to the water and the solutions containing the dissolved reagents. 11. The method of claim 10, further characterized in that: the steps of connecting the first end of the second portion rate with the first end of the first portion rate and sealing the upper cover to the first end of the second portion rate performed in concurrent form. The method of any of the preceding claims 10 and 11, further characterized in that: the closure comprises a removable base wall and wherein the method further includes: applying a force to the removable base wall to separate the base wall from the wall peripheral of the first portion rate. 13. The method of any of the preceding claims 10-12, further characterized in that: the transport of the sealed rates and the powder reagent contained to a site (12) in which decontamination is to be performed; mixing the first and second powder reagents with water to form a decontamination solution; and submerge the articles that are going to be decontaminated in the solution for decontamination. 14. A system for decontamination (A) comprising: a well receiving the rate for powder reagents (16) a first fluid flow path defined between a water receiving inlet (20) and the receiving well of the rate of reagents to carry water from the well inlet to mix the powdered reagents and form a decontaminating solution, a second fluid flow path being defined for the decontaminating solution from the reagent rate receiving well to the decontamination region (14). ) to receive articles to be decontaminated, a fluid circulator (28) to selectively circulate fluid through the first and second fluid flow paths and between the inlet, the decontamination region and the receiving well of the rate for reagents, and a cap to contain reagents for powder decontamination, of multiple chambers (C) for insertion into the well, the rate including: a) a prim was external rate portion (50) having a peripheral wall (52) having a hole in a first end (56) and in a second end (60), and b) a second internal rate portion (70), the first and second portions rate being configured so that the second portion rate makes butt contact and is connected with the first end of the first external rate portion, the first and second rate portions being configured so that a first powder reagent receiving chamber is defined in the first portion rate for receiving a first powder reagent and a second powder reagent receiving chamber is defined in the second portion rate to receive a second powder reagent, a closure (58) secured to and closing the second end of the first portion external rate, the closure being impermeable to the first reactive powder, the system is characterized in that: the second portion rate having a region (73) that is formed of an impermeable material Reagents are powdered but permeable to water and solutions containing dissolved reagents.