Steris Inc.

Institut National D'optique/national Optics Institute

American Sterilizer Company

Institute National D'optique/national Optics Institute

Institut National D'optique/national Optics Instit

Daniel Rochette

Pascal Gallant

Francois Baribeau

Isabelle Noiseux

Ozge Mermut

Isabelle Gosselin

Nathalie Thibault

Ghislain Parent

Michel Emond

Michel Lemay

Mario Duchaine

Hugo St-Jean

Luc Tremblay

Jaime Estevez

Xavier Elie-Dit-Cosaque

Yves-Andr&eacute; Theriault

Louis-Philippe Gaudreau

Nancy-Hope Elizabeth Kaiser

John Wood

Christian Angers

Yves-André Thériault

Yves-Andrebec Theriault

Bradley A Baan

Louis-Phillipe Gaudreau

A non-aspirating dispenser containing a gel therein for delivery to a desired surface such as a medical article. More specifically, a gel that is dispensed in the form of droplets that are free of air or a gas therein and with reduced drift potential. The dispenser has a container having a flexible bag therein enclosing a thixotropic gel, and has a pressurized gas that is capable of exerting pressure on the bag and forcing the gel out of said bag in a steady stream upon pressing an actuator that is operatively connected to an ejection valve. The bag is free of propellants, and does not produce an aerosol. The gel is thixotropic and is utilized for keeping medical instruments moist in order to prevent soils present thereon from drying out, which can make reprocessing of medical instruments more difficult and less effective. The dispenser implemented at a point of use for transport or prior to delayed reprocessing in the reprocessing area.

Non-aspirating transport gel dispenser

A system for detecting and indicating variations in volume of chemicals in a container is provided. The system includes a retention basin configured to retain the container. The retention basin includes a pressure cell, a basin input interfaces, and a basin controller. The pressure cell is configured to measure a weight of the container. The container is placed on the pressure cell. The basin input interface is configured to allow specification of properties of the chemicals in the container. The basin controller is configured to calculate the volume of the chemicals in the container based on the measured weight of the container and the specified properties of the chemicals in the container. The basin controller includes a basin display configured to display the calculated volume of the chemicals in the container.

System for detecting and indicating container volume variations

A method for optical detection of residual soil on articles (such as medical instruments and equipment), after completion of a washing or a rinsing operation by a washer. A soil detection system provides an indication of soil on the articles by detecting luminescent radiation emanating from the soil in the presence of ambient light.

Apparatus for optical detection of bio-contaminants based upon measurement of saturation of light intensities at fluorescence wavelength relative to light intensities at a predetermined wavelength

A robot-based system for processing racks used for transportation of articles in connection with an inactivation procedure, such as sterilization, disinfection, and decontamination. Robots are used to move full and empty racks between a plurality of a locations within soiled and clean areas of a workspace, including, but not limited to, a loading station where soiled medical instruments are loaded on the racks, washer/disinfectors for processing the medical instruments, and an unloading station where clean medical instruments are unloaded from the racks for sorting into trays.

Robot-based rack processing system

Apparatus for optical detection of bio-contaminants by comparing intensities of filtered light at two predetermined wavelengths

Apparatus for optical detection of bio-contaminants

Method for optical detection of bio-contaminants

A method and apparatus for optical detection of residual soil on articles (such as medical instruments and equipment), after completion of a washing or a rinsing operation by a washer. A soil detection system provides an indication of soil on the articles by detecting luminescent radiation emanating from the soil in the presence of ambient light.

A high pressure pump ( ) supplies cleaning fluid from a reservoir ( ) to spray nozzles ( ) inside a washing chamber ( ). The spray nozzles ( ) spray the cleaning fluid over a load to be cleaned. Used cleaning fluid is collected in a sump ( ). A sump pump ( ) drains the sump. The combination of the high pressure pump and sump pump provides more efficient cleaning of the load and eliminates the requirement for a deep sump beneath the washer. A vertical traveler ( ), having a pair of counterbalanced spray arms ( ), raises and lowers the spray nozzles counter cyclically; a detergent injection system ( ) accurately meters a correct amount of detergent is added to the cleaning fluid; and a filtration device ( ) filters suspended material from the used cleaning fluid and uses a portion of the cleaning fluid to clean itself.

Cleaning system for a washer

A high pressure pump (,) supplies cleaning fluid from a reservoir (,) to spray nozzles (,) inside a washing chamber (,). The spray nozzles (,) spray the cleaning fluid over a load to be cleaned. Used cleaning fluid is collected in a sump (,). A sump pump (,) drains the sump. The combination of the high pressure pump and sump pump provides more efficient cleaning of the load and eliminates the requirement for a deep sump beneath the washer. A vertical traveler (,), having a pair of counterbalanced spray arms (,), raises and lowers the spray nozzles counter cyclically; a detergent injection system (,) accurately meters a correct amount of detergent is added to the cleaning fluid; and a filtration device (,) filters suspended material from the used cleaning fluid and uses a portion of the cleaning fluid to clean itself.

Retractable doors 22 to a washing chamber 20 of a washer 10 open automatically to allow a load to be processed to be wheeled into the chamber. The doors are fitted with blowout panels 42, 44. In an emergency, a worker trapped in the washing chamber can escape by pushing the blowout panels outward. A tilting floor assembly 70 includes a floor 76 supported on a frame 74 and a lifting mechanism 90 for selectively raising and lowering a side of the frame to tilt the floor. The floor is tilted automatically during a cleaning cycle to allow cleaning fluids to drain from the load, then leveled before opening of the doors for ease of removal of the load.

Automatic door and floor tilting system for a washer

An operating system (20) for a washer (1) is mounted on a moveable trolley (52). The trolley carries all of the failure prone elements such as pumps (24, 28, 40) solenoid valves 80, electrical heaters (48), an electrical control circuit (50) and the like. Quick-release couplings (58, 59,60 62), between the operating system and plumbing associated with a washing chamber (10), allow the operating system to be quickly disconnected from and reconnected with the chamber. The trolley is then wheeled a distance away from the chamber, providing ready access to all the operating equipment for maintenance and repair.

System for coupling operating equipment to a washer

A plurality of spray arms (26, 28) are rotatably supported in a washing chamber (14) for spraying a washing and rinsing fluid. An instrument basket (32) is positioned within the washing chamber for retaining instruments or equipment (44) to be washed. An instrument holder (38) associated with the instrument basket loosely holds an instrument (44). The instrument holder includes a tube body (74) having a cavity (80) for receiving an end portion of the instrument (44) and a flange (86) positioned on an external surface of the tube body (74). A retainer cap (76) has an outer wall (116) biased resiliently outwardly over the flange (86) and resilient end wall (118) covering an open end portion of the cavity (80). The end wall has a central aperture (120) which resiliently yields to the end portion of the instrument (44) when inserted in the cavity (80) and which loosely retains the end portion of the instrument in the cavity (80) during a washing and rinsing operation. The end wall (118) also includes at least one slit (122) which defines a number of flap portions (124) which resiliently yield to the instrument when inserted in the cavity (80) and which loosely retain the end portion in the cavity during a washing and rinsing operation. The washer (10) also includes a second instrument basket (42) removably positioned within the instrument basket (32). The second instrument basket (42) includes a second instrument holder (40) similar to the first instrument holder (38).

Method and apparatus for loosely retaining instruments in a washing

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Daniel Rochette