Patent ID: 9101679
Filing Date: 2015-08-11
Classification: A61L,B65D

Abstract:
1. A method for sterilizing an article in a sealable sterilization chamber, comprising the steps of a. placing the article into the sterilization chamber, b. sealing the chamber, c. applying to the chamber a vacuum of a first pressure, the first pressure being sufficient to evaporate an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide, at the temperature of an atmosphere in the chamber, to form a water vapor component and a hydrogen peroxide vapor component, d. interrupting all removal of any component of the chamber atmosphere after applying the vacuum at least until the end of a second exposure period, e. during a first exposure period, humidifying the chamber atmosphere solely by injecting repeated pulses of evaporated aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution, having a first hydrogen peroxide concentration, into the sealed chamber at a pulse volume of at most 75 μl, and terminating the injecting once a preselected second pressure, higher than the first pressure and in the range of 17-54 Torr, is reached in the sealed sterilization chamber to create on the article a layer of micro-condensation of hydrogen peroxide with a second hydrogen peroxide concentration higher than the first concentration; f. during the second exposure period following the first exposure period, injecting into the chamber a dry ozone or nitric oxide containing gas, whereby the humidifying of the chamber atmosphere improves a sterilization efficiency of the dry ozone or nitric oxide containing gas to achieve sterilization of the article; g. removing residual hydrogen peroxide, ozone, or nitric oxide containing gas from the chamber at the end of the second exposure period, and h. removing the article from the chamber.