Steris Inc.

John Wood

Daniel Rochette

Eric Halstead

Eugene Cantin

Christian Angers

Francois Lagace

Simon Villeneuve

Eug&eacute;ne Cantin

Marco Lapointe

Francois Lagac&eacute;

Jean-Guy Roy

A washing device ( ) includes a chamber ( ) with a front door ( ). The door is pivotable between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position. An article carrying assembly ( ) is moveable from inside the washing device to an upper surface ( ) of the open door. A lifting system ( ) moves the front door between lower and upper positions ( ). The lifting system includes a follower ( ) to which the front door is pivotally mounted. A motor ( ) transmits power to a pair of chains ( ), which drive the follower along a guide ( ) to move the door up and down. Alternatively, the lifting system includes a cable ( ) coupled to a fluid cylinder ( ). When the door is in the upper position, an operator can move the rack to a transfer cart or load and unload the article carrying assembly, all while in a substantially erect position.

Load lifting/lowering mechanism for a washer

Racks (20) supported on a transfer cart (38) in a decontamination area (18) are loaded with contaminated articles. The carts are wheeled to a washer (14) into which the racks of contaminated articles are placed for washing. After washing, the racks are removed from the washer in a preparation and packing or clean room (12) and unloaded. The empty racks are moved through a rack return (28) back to the decontamination area. The rack return includes a rack supporting surface (32) on which glide strips (42) are mounted for sliding the racks from the clean room to the decontamination area. Guide strips (44) guide the racks to a pair of vertically pivoted polycarbonate doors (34) which the racks push open by engaging bumpers (58). After the rack has passed through the doors, a self-closure mechanism (60) closes the doors automatically. The rack return assembly includes stops (76, 78) on both sides for aligning a rack carrying cart of any of a plurality of sizes accurately with the rack return assembly.

Rack return assembly

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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Charlesbourg, Canada

John Wood