Patent ID: 9302021
Filing Date: 2016-04-05
CPC Classification: A61L

Claim Text:
1. A method of sterilizing articles using a low-vapor-pressure sterilant, comprising the steps of: a. evacuating a closed chamber containing an article to a pressure P b. injecting a predetermined amount of a sterilant vapor into said closed chamber in a single pre-pulse sufficient to establish a desired initial level of sterilant in said closed chamber; c. evacuating said closed chamber to approximately pressure P d. introducing only sterilant vapor into the closed chamber in an amount effective to raise the pressure in the closed chamber to a predetermined second subatmospheric pressure P e. allowing the introduced amount of sterilant vapor to diffuse throughout the closed chamber and into the article for a predetermined period of time which is less than or equal to twice the half-life of the sterilant vapor in the closed chamber; f. introducing a compression gas into the closed chamber in an amount effective to raise the pressure in the closed chamber to a third subatmospheric pressure P g. repeating steps (c) through (f) until sterilization of the article is achieved.