The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 05, 1995
Filed:
Mar. 21, 1994
Bryant A Campbell, deceased, late of Los Gatos, CA (US);
Kern A Moulton, Reno, NV (US);
Jim Fisher, Hawthorne, IL (US);
Abtox, Inc., Mundelein, IL (US);
Abstract
A method for plasma sterilization comprises exposing an article to be sterilized to a neutral active species of a plasma generated from a premixed gas mixture comprising oxygen, hydrogen, and a noble gas. The exposure of the article to the plasma is carried out at reduced pressures and a chamber temperature of less than 63.degree. C. for a time period sufficient to effect sterilization. The apparatus for plasma sterilization of articles comprises a plasma generator, a sterilizing chamber, and a source of pressurized gas mixture in fluid communication with the plasma generator. The source of pressurized gas mixture has a noble gas and a substantially nonflammable mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, which is preferably between about 2.0 to 2.4 (v/v) percent hydrogen and between 2.6 to 3.0 (v/v) percent oxygen.