METHOD OF DISINFECTING OBJECTS USED FOR THE PERSONAL CARE OF PATIENTS AND ARRANGEMENT IN A FLUSHER DISINFECTOR FOR THE PURPOSE

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of disinfecting objects used for the personal care of patients and to an arrangement for the purpose. Such objects are buckets etc. in a hospital ward or the like. It is known to use a flusher disinfector connected to conduits for cold water, warm water and hot water and provided with valves. The object of the invention is to provide a simpler method with lower energy consumption. This is achieved thereby that the goods are emptied of their contents and placed in a treatment chamber (10), which is closed, that warm water is sprayed onto the goods, that water is vapourized and conducted to the goods which are heated above 85 °C, whereafter the goods are cooled by water.

Description: Method of disinfecting objects used for the personal care of patients and arrangement in a flusher disinfector for the purpose The present invention relates to a method of disinfecting objects used for the personal care of patients and to an arrangement in a flusher disinfector for performing the method. It is known to use a f-lusher disinfector in a disinfecting room connecting on a hospital ward or a nursing home. The apparatus is primarily intended for emptying, cleaning and disinfecting recirculate equipment for the personal care of the patients. Such items are for example buckets and urine bottles or wash basins, bidets and kidney basins etc. In the first case the apparatus does not need means for supply of special detergents, but in the second case this can be needed. A known apparatus for the purpose has a treatment chamber with a lid and a drain through a water seal. The lid is operated by means of a foot switch which also serves as a switch for starting an automatic control system, with which a complete operation sequence is performed in the apparatus before the lid can be opened again. The apparatus is connected to one conduit for cold water, one for warm water and one for hot water. The treatment in the known apparatus is performed in the following way, a used bucket being taken as an example. The bucket is first emptied of its contents direct into the treatment chamber of the apparatus and thereafter placed therein according to a special instruction. Thereafter the process is started by the foot switch, the lid is closed and locked. From the connection points of the apparatus for water, conduits with valves go to spray nozzles in the wall of the treatment chamber. First a cold water flushing is made in order to dissolve certain types of contaminants and to wash away coarse impurities on the chamber wall. This flushing can be dispensed with if these types of contaminants or impurities are not present on the goods to be treated. Thereafter a warm water flushing is made which raises the temperature of the goods. This results in that goods and treatment chamber are cleaned. Then flushing with hot water is made with the object of 0 raising the temperature of the goods and keep it above 85 C during at least 40 sec. This flushing is intended to cause disinfection of the goods. Finally a short flushing with warm water is made in order to lower the temperature of the goods so that it will be easy to handle. If hot water is not available, the apparatus can be provided with a water heater or connected to a steam conduit. However, the apparatus has a plurality of conduits with several control valves. For one treatment a considerable quantity of water is consumed, and the hot water flushing requires a large quantity of energy. The object of the present invention is to provide a method of disinfection which can be performed with a simple apparatus without control valves, with a limited water quantity and with a small consumption of energy. For the said purpose the method according to the invention is mainly characterized therein that the goods is emptied of its contents and placed in a treatment chamber which is closed, that water is pumped from a vessel through a conduit to spray nozzles in the chamber and is sprayed onto the goods, that water in a steam generator connected to the conduit is heated to steam generation and that the steam generated is conducted through the said conduit and nozzles, whereby the goods are heated to above 85 C whereafter water is supplied to the nozzles from the vessel for cooling the goods, An arrangement for performing the method is -mainly characterized by a vessel holding a given quantity of tempered water, conduit with a pump from the vessel to nozzles in a treatment chamber and a steam generator connected to the conduit downstream the pump, The invention will be described in the following with reference to a flusher disinfector chosen as an example and shown schematically in the drawing. The flusher disinfector according to the invention has a treatment chamber 10 with a lid 11 having hinges 12 and a handle 13. From the bottom of the chamber 10 a drain conduit 14 goes through a water seal 15. The apparatus further comprises a vessel 16 for water adapted to hold a quantity of water which is less than the quantity needed for a treatment. Water is supplied to the vessel 16 through a conduit 17 in 0 which the water has a temperature of about 50 C. It is suitable to 0 use water of a temperature between 40 and 60 C in the vessel 16. The conduit 17 has a shut-off valve 18, a water filter 19, a non-return valve 20 and a float valve 21 with a float 22. The vessel also has a spillway 23 connected to the drain conduit 14 from the chamber 10 through a conduit 24. According to the invention a water conduit 25 is arranged from a point close to the bottom of the vessel 16 through a non-return valve 26 and a pump 27 to spray nozzles 28 in the chamber 10. Between the pump 27 and the chamber 10 the conduit 25 has an open branch connection in a point 29 through a conduit 30 to a steam generator 31 with electric heating elements 32.. Further there is a supply conduit 33 for cold water to the vessel 16. This conduit, like the warm water conduit 17, has a shut-off valve 34, a filter 35 and a non-return valve 36. The cold water conduit 33 opens into the conduit 17 between its non-return valve 20 and the float valve 21. Therefore it is possible to mix in water in the vessel 16 to a desired temperature. Between the float valve 21 and the two supply conduits 17, 33 a thermostat valve can be arranged which controls the temperature of the water supplied to the vessel 16. During operation of the pump 27 the float valve is acted upon and the vessel 16 is supplied with water. A disinfection is made in the following way in the apparatus. The vessel 16 is filled with water of suitable temperature. The goods are emptied of their contents into the treatment chamber 10 and are placed in a suitable way in relation to the nozzles 28. The lid 11 is closed. The process is started by a switch 37. Thereby the lid is locked and the pump 27 is started. Further a first timer is started. Also the steam generator 31, which is filled with water, is put in operation. After a given time, for instance 40 sec., the goods have been flushed clean. Then the activity of the pump is interrupted for abt. 10 sec. waiting for the steam generator 31 to start delivery of steam. The steam is conducted to the branch conduit 30, the water conduit 25 and the nozzles 28 into the chamber 10, in which the temperature of the goods is raised. The time for the steam supply has to be so adjusted that the goods are above 85 OC during at least 40 sec. The entire steam treatment can take 100 sec. The steam quantity needed can be obtained from a small quantity of water of a few litres, about 1/2 litre of which being vapourized and conducted to the chamber 10. After treatment of the goods at high temperature cooling is made by water spray. 5 sec. are sufficient to lower the temperature of the goods below 50 OC so that it will be easy to handle. A second timer disconnects the pump and opens the lock for the lid 11. At the same time it is indicated, for instance by a lamp which is extinguished or lighted, that the process is finished and that the goods can be taken out. When the pump operates after the steam treatment the steam generator is filled with water and is prepared for the next treatment. Several timers or a single one with several steps can be used controlling the process. The chamber 10 can be vented to a central ventilation arrangement for the treatment room. It can also be ventilated through a special conduit 38 which is shown by dashed lines to the water vessel 16. However, it seems to be best to use the conduit 24 from the spillway 23 for the purpose. In that case this conduit is disinfected in each treatment. It is suitable to have a lid for the vessel 16.

Claims: Claims 1. Method of disinfecting objects used for the personal care of patients, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that the goods are emptied of their contents and are placed in a treatment chamber (10), which is closed, that water is pumped from a vessel (16) through a conduit (25) to spray nozzles (28) in the chamber (10) and sprayed onto the goods, that water in a steam generator (31) connected to the conduit (25) is heated to steam generation and that the steam thus formed is conducted through the said conduit (25) and nozzles (28), whereby the goods are heated above 0 85 C whereafter water is supplied to the nozzles (28) from the vessel (16) for cooling the goods. 2. Arrangement in a flusher disinfector for performing the method according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a vessel (16) holding a given quantity of tempered water, a conduit (25) with a pump (27) from the vessel (16) to nozzles (28) in a treatment chamber (10) and a steam generator (31) connected to the conduit (25) downstream the pump (27). 3. Arrangement according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that the conduit (25) has a non-return valve (26). 4, Arrangement according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that the treatment chamber (10) has ventilation. 5. Arrangement according to Claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that a vent conduit (38) is arranged between the treatment chamber (10) and the vessel (16). 6. Arrangement according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that the vessel (16) has a spillway (23) connected through a conduit (24) to a drain (14) from the treatment chamber (10). 7. Arrangement according to Claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that the spillway conduit (21*) forms ventilation for the treatment chamber (10). 8. Arrangement according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that a supply conduit (17) for water to the vessel (16) has a level control valve (21). 9. Arrangement according to Claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that the valve (21) is a float yalye, 10. Arrangement according to Claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that the float (22) is arranged in its raised position to close a contact in a circuit through control means for the flusher disinfector. 11. Arrangement according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that it has control means with a switch which is operable by a lid (11) to the treatment chamber (10), and a switch (37) for manual starting of the flusher disinfector. 12. Arrangement according to Claim 11, c h a r a c t e r i z e d therein that the control means comprise members for time control of a switch for the motor of the pump (27) and for starting and stopping means for the steam generator (31).

Inventors: BERGQVIST, JAN AKE, HAKANSSON, PAUL JOHAN REINHOLD, Häkansson, Paul Johan Reinhold
Applicants: AKTIEBOLAGET ELECTROLUX
Application year: 1980
Main classification: A61L2
IPC codes: A61L2, B08B3