JPH10201A - Automatic washing device for used medical equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable quantitative, complete and speedy processing for a conventional recycles washing, for example, by hand-operation for used medical equipment. SOLUTION: This device is so structured that the following items are provided in a washing tank: a mesh basket 4 with a mesh lid which fixedly stores used medical equipment (e.g. blood stuck to test tube) and which is also rotatable; means 28 for automatically injecting a sterilizing chemical into the washing tank; automatic feeding means 27 from a nozzle of a chemical for removing soil such as blood stuck to the equipment; means 23 for automatically supplying from a common nozzle tap water, deionized water or hot air; and an overflow exhaust port 32 provided at a position, 1/3 to 2/3 of the height of the mesh basket 4 at its horizontal position. The device is capably of automatically processing, at about 1/3 of the conventional speed, the whole process, from preliminary washing by tap water and drying, via solution washing of stuck blood by chemicals, rinsing and drying and disinfection by sterilizing chemicals and rinsing, to a finishing process of washing by deionized water and drying.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning and regenerating used medical instruments, for example, used test tubes to which blood adheres, and for automatically regenerating the used test tubes when reusing them. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The reuse of used medical instruments, such as test tubes after blood collection, scalpels, tweezers, scissors, etc., used for surgery requires thorough cleaning, disinfection and drying. In general, all of the steps of washing with water, removing adhered blood with a blood removing chemical, disinfecting with a disinfectant, and drying as a finish are generally performed batchwise and manually.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The manual regenerating means which is generally used is always anxious in that the time required for finishing is extremely long and that the finishing is not complete because of the non-quantitative processing. It is that it follows. Particularly when the medical device is a test tube, it is necessary to brush the inner wall manually using a brush one by one, which is a serious operation. Therefore, some users have switched this brushing operation to ultrasonic cleaning to speed up the process. However, this ultrasonic cleaning is not a method that has been sufficiently used. It is certainly more quantitative and faster than brushing, but the lysed blood stays in the tubing and does not easily flow out of the system. Therefore, some means for separately taking out the stagnant liquid from the system is necessary, so that the processing time required for the entire process is not much different from the manual operation.

[0004] The present invention has been found as a result of intensive studies to solve the above problem, and can be easily achieved by providing the following means.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Agenda That is, the automatic cleaning apparatus for used medical instruments according to the present invention comprises the following means (a) to (e) provided in a cleaning facility. (B) Means for fixing used medical instruments (2)
A, 2B) is attached, and a mesh-shaped used medical device storage container (4) that can be attached and detached and rotated (b) (b) Automatic injection of a sterilizing chemical into the storage container (4). Means (28) (c) Manual supply means (23) to the storage container (4) from one common nozzle of tap water, deionized water or hot air (e) (e) The storage container (4) in a horizontally mounted state (3) An overflow outlet (31) provided at a position of 3/1 to 2/3 of the height of the above) Hereinafter, the above configuration will be described in more detail with examples.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION First, a used medical instrument to be cleaned is used directly or indirectly (such as a test) for medical treatment of humans and animals, and is contaminated with blood and the like, and is immediately reused. It is not possible, and the type of the device does not matter. For example, a scalpel, scissors, tweezers, a saucer thereof, a test tube, a measuring cylinder, a petri dish and the like can be mentioned. In particular, test tubes, which are generally difficult to clean, are effective. Of course, these various kinds of cleaning can be performed simultaneously.

[0007] The sterilizing solution is generally used for disinfecting the medical device, and its type is not particularly limited. The cleaning with the chemical solution is generally a finishing means after removing attached matter such as blood.

[0008] A chemical solution for removing adhered blood is used when the blood adhered to the medical device cannot be easily removed with water. A high chemical, also commonly used. Therefore, it is possible to easily dissolve and remove the device simply by wet spraying. The washing step with the chemical is generally after the first washing with water.

[0009] Further, deionized water, which is also generally used for cleaning the above-mentioned medical instruments, is one from which mainly ionized substances (many inorganic substances) contained in tap water are removed. This is generally obtained by passing tap water through an ion exchange resin, but the production method is not limited. The washing with ion water is a stage before hot air drying in the final step. Incidentally, deionized water from which impurities (organic substances and the like) other than the ionized substance are also removed is more preferable.

The washing temperature of the liquids used is generally room temperature, but may be heated if necessary. Hot air is necessary for high-speed complete drying, and its temperature is about 30 to 80 ° C. The generation means is not particularly limited, but is preferably clean.

The cleaning process by the automatic cleaning device of the present invention cannot be univocally determined because it is appropriately changed depending on the type of used medical instrument and the type of adhered waste. Since the automation of the washing apparatus is performed by a drive motor incorporating a program, the process itself can be changed by operating the program, and the rotation direction, stop, and speed of the storage container (A) can be changed. Further, the up / down or left / right movement and stop of each nozzle can be freely controlled.

For example, a medical device having blood stains
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating one cleaning process in the case of cleaning with the automatic cleaning apparatus of the present invention.

In FIG. 4, the necessary steps are sequentially performed by dividing the process into five steps. That is, first, a step (I) of pre-washing most of the adhered blood with tap water, then, a step of dissolving and removing residual blood, which could not be completely removed by tap water, with a chemical solution (II), and then, a disinfection step with a sterilizing solution ( II
I), washing step with deionized water for finishing (I)
V) Finally, a step (V) using hot air for complete drying. This will be described in more detail in the following embodiment.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Here, an example of an automatic cleaning device for used medical instruments according to the present invention will be described together with the cleaning process.
This will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example in which each means constituting the automatic cleaning apparatus is embodied. First, a washing tank 2 is provided in the housing 1. In the tank 2, a cubic basket 4 corresponding to a mesh-shaped storage container 4 that stores used medical instruments 5 (here, test tubes are illustrated) is placed. The basket 4 is provided with means for fixing the movement of the device 5, and is configured to be detachable and turnable. FIG. 2 (2A, 2B) shows an embodiment of the means for fixing the basket 4 and the test tube 5, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of setting this to the rotating mechanism.

FIG. 2 corresponds to a basket 4 which is formed in a cubic shape with a 10 mm square mesh using stainless steel thin wires. There is no limitation on the shape of this basket. A fixing jig 43 with screw holes for fixing to the rotating crankshafts 10 and 10a is provided at the lower center of both sides of the basket 4. Details of the crankshafts 10, 10a are shown in FIG. The basket 4 is placed on the receiving base 43a of the crankshafts 10 and 10a, screwed in accordance with the fixing jig 43, and fixed. When the motor 9 controlled under predetermined conditions is turned, the crankshafts 10 and 10a are turned. 10a is in a free rotation state. Rotation means rotating in both forward and reverse directions,
This is because the washing is performed in the same direction or by rotating in the forward / reverse mixing depending on the conditions.

When the test tube is stored in the basket 4, it is necessary to fix it firmly by means for fixing it so that it does not shake even if it rotates, but there are no particular restrictions on this fixing means. Absent. A specific method is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Here, in the case of 2A, there is a mesh lid 35 for covering the basket 4, and a fixture 37 for fixing the mesh lid 35 to the upper surface is attached. This fixture 37
Is provided in a stainless steel tube 39 through which a U-shaped stainless steel rod penetrates, and is pulled by a coil spring 38. Therefore, in order to fix the test tube 5 in the cage 4, first, the tip 3 of the mesh lid 35 is attached to the side surface 4 a of the cage 4.
6 and then pull the fixture 37 by hand to retract the tip of the stainless steel bar 40. At a position where the test tube 5 can be firmly held down, release the stainless steel rod 40
Enters the eyes of the side surface 4b of the basket 4, so that the fixing operation is completed there.

In another method 2B, the mesh lid itself is the same as that of 2A, but the method of pressing itself is different. In this case, a linear spring-like stainless steel plate 41 is provided, and both ends thereof are provided with hooking rotation shafts 42 that can rotate freely by 180 °. To fix the test tube, the tip 37 of the mesh lid 36 is first inserted into the side surface 4a of the basket 4 as in 2A, and the test tube is covered. Then, the stainless steel plate 41 is inserted from the right or left side of the basket 4, and the hooking rotation shaft 42 is rotated by 90 ° (indicated by a two-dot chain line). Thus, the test tube 5 can be firmly pressed without coming off even when the stainless steel plate 41 rotates.

When the basket 4 containing the used test tube 5 is set in the washing tank 2 in a rotatable state, washing is started. First, washing with tap water 44 and drying 45 with hot air are performed. From the pre-cleaning step (I) using tap water. At this time, the basket 4 is rotated left or right, and the drive motor 9 is instructed to stop at once when it is rotated 180 °. Here, the time during which the suspension is stopped is determined by the vertical movement width and the number of vertical movements of the means 23 for automatically supplying tap water, deionized water, or hot air from one common nozzle. The vertical movement width depends on the stacking height of the test tubes 5, and the number of times depends on the cleaning efficiency. The number of nozzles provided in the means 23 is desirably at least as many as the number of the test tubes 5 placed in a row.
Further, it is preferable that the position of the nozzle be within the range of the entrance of the test tube 5. When the basket 4 stops at the horizontal position of 180 °, the nozzle of the means 23 faces the inlet of the test tube 5, so that the tap water 11 is supplied to the joint 21 through the pump 17.
From the nozzle through the flexible tube 22. Washing is performed mainly in all the test tubes 5 stacked while moving up and down, and the washing sewage in the test tubes 5 is rotated by the rotation drive motor 9 after the suspension is completed. Therefore, during the rotation operation, all of them are discharged. If this is repeated several times, the sewage washed with tap water will not stay in the test tube 5.

The vertical movement of the means 23 is performed by transmitting the forward and reverse rotations of the drive motor 6 to the rotating shaft 7 first, and then to the chain 8. For example, a ball screw may be used instead of the chain 8, and the specification is not specified. The washed sewage is constantly discharged from a drain outlet 34 through a drain pipe 32.

When the washing with tap water is completed, the process may proceed to the next step (II) as it is, but it is only necessary to cut off the adhering water. This is because it is possible to check how much dirt has been removed by drying.
The drying 45 is started by automatically switching to driving of the hot air generator 19 immediately after washing with tap water. The generated hot air is sent to the joint 21 and is blown from the nozzle of the means 23 toward the inlet of the test tube 5 through the flexible tube 22.

The time required for the pre-cleaning step (I) depends on the degree of contamination by blood or the like, but about 8 minutes is sufficient.

Upon completion of the pre-cleaning step (I), the procedure immediately proceeds to a step (II) of dissolving and removing residual blood with a chemical solution.
This starts with a chemical washing 46 using a chemical solution for removing attached blood. Immediately after the driving of the hot air generator 19 is completed, the driving of the pump 26 is started, and the supply of the adhering blood removing chemical in the tank 24 is started by the means 27. Means 2
7 is fixedly provided at an upper position of the basket 4, and the chemical is sprayed toward the test tube 5 with a nozzle. Also in this nozzle, it is preferable to arrange at least the number and position corresponding to the test tubes 5 arranged in a row. Further, it is preferable that the state of spray from the nozzle is a mist nozzle which can be sprayed at an angle at which the neighbors do not overlap with each other. This is because spraying so as to uniformly wet (apply) the inside and outside of the test tube 5 to the whole increases the effect on complete removal of remaining blood and the like.
Although the means 27 is fixed, it may be a mechanism capable of moving up and down or left and right.

When the chemical washing 46 is completed, the same operation as performed in the step (I), that is, washing with tap water 4
7 and the next hot air drying 48 are automatically switched, and the step (II) is completed. This time is about 20 minutes.
While the steps (I) and (II) are being performed,
The rotation of the basket 4 with one stop is continued.

As soon as the draining and drying with hot air in step (II) is completed, the next disinfection step (I)
Automatically switches to II). In this step, the disinfection 49 and the washing 50 with tap water for removing the residual disinfectant in advance are performed.
And it depends. First, when the disinfection 49 is performed, the rotation of the basket 4 is automatically stopped for a certain period of time, during which time a predetermined amount of the germicide solution (stock solution) in the tank 28 is supplied into the cleaning tank 2 by the metering pump 30. . At the same time, the tap water 11 is automatically supplied from the nozzle of the means 23 by the pump 17, and when the water level reaches the level of the overflow outlet 31, the supply of the tap water is stopped. As a result, a sterilizing solution having a concentration required for disinfection is prepared.

As soon as the supply of tap water is stopped, the basket 4 automatically starts rotating. The rotation at this time does not stop. The position of the outlet 31 is set in the basket 4
Is provided at a position approximately １ ／ of the height of 1/3 to 2/3. As a result, the germicidal solution that has entered the test tube 5 is taken out with rotation and then enters and exits again. That is, the inside and outside of the test tube 5 is completely sterilized by the rinsing action. Here, if the discharge port 31 is less than 1/3, that is, less than 1/3 of the preparation liquid in the cleaning tank 2, a larger number of test tubes 5 cannot be completely disinfected in a short period of time. Absent. On the other hand, above 2/3, that is, 2/3
With a larger amount of the preparation, all test tubes 5 cannot be rapidly and simultaneously sterilized uniformly. This is because the rinsing action varies. Number of rinses, basket 4
The number of rotations is about 40 times, and disinfection is sufficiently performed.

When the disinfection 49 is completed, the automatic switching valve 33 is opened, and the sterilizing solution in the cleaning tank 2 is discharged from the drain outlet 34. When the drainage is completed, the rotation of the basket 4 is automatically switched to a continuous rotation or a one-stop rotation at the time of the 180 ° rotation, and at the same time, the basket 5 is washed with tap water.
0 starts. The rinsing 50 is performed by the same operation as the rinsing with tap water in the above step (I) or (II). The time required for the disinfection step (III) using the sterilizing solution is about 50 minutes.

Next, a finish cleaning step (I) using deionized water
V) automatically. In the step (IV), the remaining tap water that has adhered is replaced and washed with pure water by the above-mentioned tap water washing 50 to complete the test tube in a completely clean state. In this step, pure water 13 deionized by an ion exchange resin is stored in a single water storage tank 15, sent to a joint 21 by automatic driving of a pump 17, and moved up and down from the flexible pipe 2.
This is carried out by jetting from the nozzle of the means 23 through the means 2. The basket 4 in the replacement washing employs a one stop rotation method at the time of 180 ° rotation. This is test tube 5
This is because the tap water inside is quickly and completely replaced with deionized water. The time required for the washing step (IV) is about 3 minutes.

Finish cleaning step with deionized water (IV)
After finishing, finish drying with hot air in the final process (V)
Automatically switched to the step of Since it is desired to perform complete drying speedily, the above (I) and (II)
It is preferable to adjust the hot air generator 19 to a higher temperature and a higher wind speed than the drying 45 and 48 by the hot air performed in the process. In the step (V), when the finish cleaning (IV) with deionized water is stopped, the hot air generator 19
Is automatically switched to Hot air blows inside and outside the test tube 5 through the flexible tube 22 under the one-stop rotation at the time of the 180 ° rotation of the cage 4 and the driving of the nozzle of the means 23 that moves up and down. The time required for this step (V) is about 40 minutes. As described above, the entire process is completed, and the test tube is completely regenerated and cleaned.

The used test tube in this embodiment has a diameter of 1
3 mm, length 100 mm, a total of 300 pieces. This is placed in a basket 4 with the bottoms of the test tubes attached to each other.
It was stored in a stack. Further, the valves 12, 1 shown in FIG.
Reference numerals 4, 15, 18, 20, 29, and 33 denote solenoid valves, which are configured to automatically read the necessity or unnecessary in accordance with the operation in each process and to automatically perform the opening and closing operation. ing.

[0031]

Since the present invention is an automatic cleaning apparatus comprising the means described above, the following effects are obtained.

The regeneration cleaning is completed in a short time of about 1/3 as compared with the conventional manual or ultrasonic cleaning means.

Since the cleaning process is performed quantitatively, a safe and complete cleaning finish can always be achieved.

Incidentally, since the process is fully automated, the washing process can be performed hygienically.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an example of an automatic cleaning apparatus in a side view.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing an example of a mesh lid. FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing an example of a mesh lid.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rotating crankshaft for setting a mesh basket.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a cleaning process in a block diagram.

[Description of numbering]

Reference Signs List 1 housing 2 washing tank 3 washing tank lid 4 basket (mesh) 5 used test tube 6 drive motor 7 shaft 8 chain 9 motor 10, 10a rotating crankshaft 11 tap water 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 29, 33 Automatic valve 13 Deionized water 15 Reservoir (deionized water) 17 Pump 19 Hot air generator 21 Joint 22 Flexible pipe 23 Automatic supply means with nozzle 24 Chemical liquid tank for removing adhered blood 26 Pump 27 Mist nozzle Supply of a drug solution for removing adhered blood having a liquid 28 Disinfectant solution tank (stock solution) 30 Metering pump 31 Overflow outlet 32 Drain pipe 34 Drain outlet 35 Mesh lid 36 Mesh lid tip 37 Fixing tool 38 Coil spring 39 Stainless steel pipe 40 Stainless steel rod 41 Stainless steel plate 42 Rotating shaft for hooking 43 Fixing jig 4 a pedestal 44 washing 45 dried (hot air) (wash deposition blood) 46 chemical washing 47 washing 48 dried (hot air) 49 Disinfection 50 rinsing

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shigeaki Yoshino 2062--3, Yoshikawa, Yoshikawa-cho, Kitatsukatsuka-gun, Saitama

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An automatic cleaning apparatus for used medical instruments, wherein the following means (a) to (e) are provided in a cleaning tank. (B) Means for fixing used medical instruments (2A, 2
B) A used medical device storage container (4) with an attached, detachable and rotatable mesh-shaped used medical device container (4) (b) Automatic injection means for sterilizing chemical solution into the storage container (4) ( 28) (c) Automatic supply means (27) for the storage container (4) from the nozzle of the adhering blood removing chemical liquid to the storage container (4) (d) Tap water, deionized water or Means for automatically supplying hot air from one common nozzle (23) (e) An overflow outlet (31) provided at a position 1/3 to 2/3 of the height of the storage container (4) in a horizontally mounted state 2. The apparatus for automatically cleaning used medical instruments according to claim 1, wherein the used medical instruments are at least test tubes. 3. The container (4) is 170 to 190 °.
The used medical instrument according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotation is stopped at the time of rotation, and the automatic supply means (23) is vertically driven during the stop. Automatic cleaning device. 4. The apparatus for automatically cleaning used medical instruments according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle of the automatic supply means (27) from the nozzle is a spray nozzle.