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:
Jul. 21, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 01, 2004
John R. Gillis, Bozeman, MT (US);
Kathleen A. Hickey, Bozeman, MT (US);
Darlene Hartze, Bozeman, MT (US);
Douglas Peterson, Bozeman, MT (US);
John R. Gillis, Bozeman, MT (US);
Kathleen A. Hickey, Bozeman, MT (US);
Darlene Hartze, Bozeman, MT (US);
Douglas Peterson, Bozeman, MT (US);
Other;
Abstract
Multiple-component integral-structure dual-test sterility indicator, method of assembling physical components, selected spores, and chemical constituents in solution, within the indicator and arranged to enable dual-evaluations of bacterial-lethality of a dry-goods load, resulting from exposure to a selected saturated-steam sterilizing cycle. The chemical constituents are formulated to chemically produce reaction-product, which is quantitatively responsive to the combined effect of cycle steam temperature and time of exposure at that temperature, for providing a promptly-available spectroscopic evaluation of bacterial-lethality. Absorption of narrow-band selected visible-light wavelength by reaction-product, if any, of chemical-constituent solution, is used to quantitatively measure that combined-effect exposure. Subsequent to such prompt-response evaluation of bacterial-lethality, a biological evaluation of bacterial-lethality, utilizing the confined contents of the same test indicator, free of risk of ambient contamination of any such contents, by evaluating pH change, if any, due to live spore-growth, or the absence thereof, following a predetermined spore incubation period, utilizing the exposed liquid constituent-solution for such spore-culturing evaluation.