Patent ID: 11925714
Assignee: STRIX LIMITED
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC A  F | IPC A  F

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus, for sterilizing objects, comprising:
a chamber, for housing objects to be sterilized, wherein the chamber comprises a heated base in thermal communication with an electric heating element;
a forced air flow device arranged to direct air into the chamber;
an electrical power supply circuit arranged to supply the electric heating element and the forced air flow device with electrical power;
a thermomechanical control arranged in the electrical power circuit in series with the electric heating element, and arranged within the apparatus to detect a temperature of the heated base; and
a thermally sensitive switch arranged in the electrical power circuit in series with the forced air flow device and arranged within the apparatus to detect a temperature of the heated base;
wherein the apparatus is arranged to operate in a sterilization mode, in which the electrical heating element is supplied with electrical power via the electrical power supply circuit, thereby heating the heated base and thus heating water, in use, within the chamber to produce steam for sterilizing the objects, and wherein the thermomechanical control is arranged to disconnect the electrical power supply to the electrical heating element, thereby ending the sterilization mode, when the thermomechanical control detects a first predetermined temperature of the heated base, and then to keep the electrical heating element disconnected from the power supply until the thermomechanical control is manually reset;
wherein the apparatus is further arranged to operate in a drying mode, in which the forced air flow device is supplied with electrical power via the electrical power supply circuit, thereby directing air into the chamber, and wherein the thermally sensitive switch is arranged to connect the electrical power supply to the forced air flow device, and thereby initiate the drying mode, when the thermally sensitive switch detects a second predetermined temperature of the heated base indicative of substantially all of the water within the chamber having been converted to steam; and
wherein the apparatus further comprises an additional electrical heating element arranged in the electrical supply circuit in series with the forced air flow device, said additional electrical heating element thereby being arranged to operate only in the drying mode.