JPH06213A - Humidifier for gas sterilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] With a simple structure, the amount of water supplied into the sterilization container 1 is accurately regulated. [Structure] Based on switching of a three-way valve 6, a vacuum pump 3 is operated in a state in which a sterilization container 1 and a metering tank 13 are passed through to evacuate the interiors of the sterilization container 1 and the metering tank 13. After that, the water supply tank 10 and the fixed quantity tank 13 are made to communicate with each other based on the switching of the three-way valve 6.
Aspirate water into 3. Then, based on the switching of the three-way valve 6, the sterilization container 1 and the fixed quantity tank 13 are passed again, and the water in the fixed quantity tank 13 is sucked into the sterilization container 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The humidifier for gas sterilizer according to the present invention is installed in a hospital or various laboratories to sterilize used surgical tools, experimental instruments, etc. prior to reuse. To use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Sterilizers are installed in hospitals and various laboratories to sterilize them before reusing used surgical tools and experimental instruments. In particular, for the sterilization of the sterilized object to which heat-resistant bacteria may adhere, sterilize with a sterilizing gas such as ethylene oxide gas,
Use a gas sterilizer.

Sterilization work by the gas sterilizer is performed in the process shown in FIG. First, after storing the sterilization object in the sterilization container and sealing the sterilization container, the pressure in the sterilization container is reduced by operating the vacuum pump attached to the gas sterilizer to The air contained in is evacuated so that the sterilizing gas can easily enter the inside of the object to be sterilized.

Then, water is introduced into the sterilization container,
A humidification process is performed to humidify the object to be sterilized. This humidification process is performed so that the sterilizing gas and the object to be sterilized are easy to get together. During this humidification process, the metering pump is operated for a predetermined time to eject a predetermined amount of water into the sterilized container whose pressure has dropped, and to evaporate in this sterilized container.

In this way, the air in the object to be sterilized is discharged, and when the object to be sterilized is humidified, a sterilizing gas is fed into the sterilization container and left for a predetermined time to sterilize the object to be sterilized. To process.

After sterilizing treatment for a predetermined time, after sterilizing gas is discharged from the sterilization container, a pulsing process for repeatedly vacuuming the sterilization container, and a flow process for circulating clean air in the sterilization container After removing the sterilizing gas adhering to the object to be sterilized, the object to be sterilized is taken out.

[0007]

The humidifying device for a gas sterilizer of the present invention is capable of restricting the amount of water supplied into the sterilization container during the humidification process to an appropriate value.

That is, in the case of the conventional humidifier for gas sterilizer, in order to supply a predetermined amount of water into the sterilization container, the opening time of the valve provided in the middle of the water supply pipe is controlled, or a metering pump is used. Although it has been operating for a certain period of time, the current situation is that it is not always possible to accurately measure the amount. In addition, in order to accurately regulate the water supply amount, use a precise metering pump,
In addition, it becomes necessary to devise a control circuit for controlling the start and stop of the metering pump, which causes an increase in manufacturing cost.

If the amount of water supplied to the sterilization container varies during the humidification process, the humidified state of the sterilized object becomes unstable and the sterilization effect becomes unstable, which is not preferable.

The humidifier for gas sterilizer of the present invention was invented in view of the above-mentioned circumstances.

[0011]

Among the humidifiers for gas sterilizers according to the present invention, the one described in claim 1 is a sterilization container which can be hermetically sealed in a state in which an object to be sterilized is housed, and a sterilization container A vacuum pump for discharging gas, a first pipe having one end connected to the sterilization container, a three-way valve having a first port connected to the other end of the first pipe, and a three-way valve of the three-way valve. A second pipe having one end connected to the second port, a water supply tank having the other end of the second pipe opened at the bottom thereof, and a metering tank having the third port of the three-way valve through the bottom thereof. And the three-way valve is capable of switching between a state in which the first pipe and the metering tank communicate with each other and a state in which the second tube and the metering tank communicate with each other.

The humidifier for gas sterilizer according to claim 2 is provided in the middle of the first pipe, instead of omitting the three-way valve from the humidifier for gas sterilizer according to claim 1. A first opening / closing valve, a second opening / closing valve provided in the middle of the second pipe, and a third pipe communicating with the bottom of the metering tank, and the ends of the first, second, and third pipes. By connecting each other, it is possible to switch between a state in which the first and third pipes communicate with each other and a state in which the second and third pipes communicate with each other.

[0013]

According to the humidifying device for a gas sterilizer of the present invention constructed as described above, it is possible to supply a predetermined amount of water into the sterilization container without using particularly precise equipment or control circuit.

That is, first, at the start of sterilization work,
When the air in the sterilization container is discharged by the vacuum pump, based on the switching of the three-way valve (in the case of claim 1) or by opening the first on-off valve and closing the second on-off valve (claim In the case of 2), the first tube and the metering tank are connected.
As a result, the air in the metering tank is discharged together with the air in the sterilization container.

When the air in the metering tank is sufficiently discharged (up to the limit of the vacuum pump), the three-way valve is switched (in the case of claim 1) or the first on-off valve is closed. By opening the second on-off valve (Claim 2),
Communicate the second tube with the metering tank. As a result, the water in the water supply tank is sucked into the metering tank. In this way, the amount of water sucked into the metering tank is determined by the capacity of the vacuum pump and the capacity of the metering tank.

If water is sucked into the metering tank, the three-way valve is switched again (in the case of claim 1) or the first on-off valve is opened and the second on-off valve is closed. (In the case of claim 2), the first pipe and the metering tank are communicated with each other. As a result, the water in the fixed quantity tank is sucked into the sterilization container, and a predetermined amount of water is supplied into the sterilization container.

[0017]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, which corresponds to claim 1. The sterilization container 1 formed in the shape of a horizontal cylinder with a bottom has an opening and a lid (not shown) for opening and closing the opening.
And has a sterilization target inside and can be hermetically sealed. The other end of the intake pipe 2 whose one end is connected to the bottom of the sterilization container 1 is connected to the intake port of the vacuum pump 3 so that the gas in the sterilization container 1 can be discharged.
The exhaust pipe 4 having one end connected to the discharge port of the vacuum pump 3 is passed through an exhaust treatment device (not shown) to detoxify the sterilization gas discharged from the sterilization container 1 and then to the atmosphere. It can be discharged freely.

One end of a first pipe 5 is connected to the rear end surface of the sterilization container 1 and the other end of the first pipe 5 is connected to a first port 7 of a three-way valve 6. Further, one end of a second pipe 9 is connected to the second port 8 of the three-way valve 6, and the other end of the second pipe 9 is opened at the bottom of the water supply tank 10. Further, the other end of the third pipe 12 whose one end is connected to the third port 11 of the three-way valve 6 is opened at the bottom of the metering tank 13. The valve body of the three-way valve 6 is driven by an electric motor 14, and the electric motor 14 is
A state in which the valve body is driven based on a signal from a controller (not shown) so that the first and third pipes 5 and 12 communicate with each other;
The state in which the second and third pipes 9 and 12 are communicated with each other is switched.

When a predetermined amount of water is supplied into the sterilization container 1 by the humidifying device for gas sterilizer of the present invention constructed as described above, first, when starting the sterilization operation, the sterilization container 1 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 3. When the air inside is discharged, the three-way valve 6 is switched by the electric motor 14 so that the first and third pipes 5 and 12 communicate with each other. As a result, the air in the fixed quantity tank 13 is discharged together with the air in the sterilization container 1.

In this state, the operation of the vacuum pump 3 is continued for a predetermined time, and when the air in the metering tank 13 is sufficiently discharged (up to the limit of the vacuum pump 3), the electric motor 14 is energized again. By doing so, the three-way valve 6 is switched and the second and third pipes 9 and 12 are communicated with each other. As a result, the water in the water supply tank 10 is sucked into the fixed quantity tank 13.
In this way, the amount of water sucked into the metering tank 13 is
It is determined by the capacity of the vacuum pump 3 and the capacity of the metering tank 13. Therefore, as long as the capacity of the vacuum pump 3 does not change, the amount of water filled in the fixed quantity tank 13 is always constant.

Therefore, when water is sucked into the fixed quantity tank 13, the first and third pipes 5 and 12 are made to communicate with each other based on the switching of the three-way valve 6 based on the energization of the electric motor 14 again. . As a result, the water filled in the fixed quantity tank 13 is sucked into the sterilization container 1, and the sterilization container 1
A predetermined amount of water is supplied inside. Hereinafter, the sterilization process of the sterilization object stored in the sterilization container 1 is performed by the same process as the above-mentioned conventional gas sterilization apparatus.

Note that FIG. 2 shows a state in which the three-way valve 6, the metering tank 13 and the electric motor 14 are actually combined. The electric motor 14 is fixed to the lower side of the three-way valve 6, the third port 11 is opened on the upper surface of the three-way valve 6, and the lower end of the tubular metering tank 13 is directly connected to the third port 11. is doing.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention corresponding to claim 2. In the case of this embodiment, instead of omitting the three-way valve 6 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in the above-mentioned first embodiment, a first opening / closing valve 15 is provided in the middle of the first pipe 5, and a second pipe is provided. Second on-off valves 16 are provided in the middle of 9, and the ends of the first, second and third pipes 15, 16 and 17 are connected to each other. Then, the first and second on-off valves 15 and 16 described above.
By controlling the opening and closing of, the state in which the first and third pipes 5 and 9 are communicated with each other and the state in which the second and third pipes 9 and 12 are communicated with each other can be freely switched.

When a predetermined amount of water is supplied into the sterilization container 1 to humidify the object to be sterilized, the vacuum pump 3 (FIG. 1).
When the air in the sterilization container 1 (FIG. 1) is discharged by the above, the first opening / closing valve 15 is opened and the second opening / closing valve 16 is closed so that the first pipe 5 and the quantitative tank 13 are communicated with each other. . As a result, the air in the fixed quantity tank 13 is discharged together with the air in the sterilization container 1.

When the air in the fixed quantity tank 13 is sufficiently discharged, the first on-off valve 15 is closed and the second on-off valve 16 is closed.
The second pipe 9 and the quantitative tank 13 are communicated with each other by opening. As a result, the water in the water supply tank 10 (FIG. 1) is sucked into the metering tank 13. In this way, the amount of water sucked into the metering tank 13 is determined by the capacity of the vacuum pump 3 and the capacity of the metering tank 13 as in the case of the first embodiment described above.

Therefore, if water is sucked into the fixed quantity tank 13, the first opening / closing valve 15 is opened again and the second opening / closing valve 16 is closed, so that the first pipe 5 and the fixed quantity tank 13 are connected. Communicate. As a result, the water in the fixed quantity tank 13 is sucked into the sterilization container 1, and a predetermined amount of water is supplied into the sterilization container 1.

[0027]

Since the humidifying device for gas sterilizer of the present invention is constructed and operates as described above, the amount of water supplied into the sterilization container is always constant despite the simple and hard-to-break structure. Can be regulated. As a result, the sterilizing gas can be well acclimated to the object to be sterilized and the sterilizing process can be performed well without increasing the consumption of the sterilizing gas.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view showing a more specific structure of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a partial circuit diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operating condition of the gas sterilizer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Sterilization container 2 Intake pipe 3 Vacuum pump 4 Exhaust pipe 5 First pipe 6 Three-way valve 7 First port 8 Second port 9 Second pipe 10 Water tank 11 Third port 12 Third pipe 13 Fixed amount Tank 14 Electric motor 15 First opening / closing valve 16 Second opening / closing valve

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A sterilization container that can be hermetically sealed in a state of containing an object to be sterilized, a vacuum pump for discharging gas in the sterilization container, and a first pipe having one end connected to the sterilization container. A three-way valve having a first port connected to the other end of the first pipe, a second pipe having one end connected to the second port of the three-way valve, and the other end of the second pipe A water supply tank opened at the bottom and a metering tank having the third port of the three-way valve passed through the bottom thereof are provided, and the three-way valve has a state in which the first pipe and the metering tank are in communication, It is possible to switch between the state in which the pipe and the fixed quantity tank are in communication,
Humidifier for gas sterilizer. 2. Instead of omitting the three-way valve, a first opening / closing valve provided in the middle of the first pipe, a second opening / closing valve provided in the middle of the second pipe, and a bottom of the metering tank. A third pipe that communicates is provided, and by connecting the ends of the first, second, and third pipes to each other, the first and third pipes are in communication with each other, and the second and third pipes are connected. The humidifying device for a gas sterilizer according to claim 1, wherein the humidifying device can be switched between a communication state and a communication state.