Patent EP-0047408-B1 (EP)
IPC: A61L2/24
Filed: 1981-08-18
Granted: 1983-04-27
Abstract: 1. Method for the emptying, cleaning, disinfecting of hygiene receptacles in the nursing sector, without contamination of the external device using water and steam, characterized by the sequence of the following process steps in a single device : (a) introduction of the filled, soiled receptacles into the mounting support in the interior of the rinsing chamber of the device, (b) closing of the door, which drops vertically from above downwards on the front side of the device through the pushing of a button without touching by hand, with simultaneous sealing of the rinsing chamber externally, and simultaneous emptying of the receptacles through rotation of the mounting support, firstly with a slow rotational speed compared with the closing speed of the door, then with an increase in the rotational speed of the pivotable mounting support until a synchronous rotational speed with the closing speed of the door is reached for practically complete emptying, by means of a ellipse-shaped chain wheel on the rotational axis of the mounting support by way of a chain, (c) coarse dirt removal through introduction of pressureless cold water from a first container situated over the rinsing chamber via a spraying nozzle situated in the upper part of the rinsing chamber by means of a water jet striking the inner wall tangentially for the complete removal of the fluid and/or solid dirt through the surface of revolution of the water jet forming in the direction of rotation of the angle of impact from the lower, conical part of the container via the seal syphon, (d) receptacle- and rinsing chamber-cleaning by warm mixed water from a second container situated over the rinsing chamber, by means of a pressure pump via spraying nozzles situated on the cover, the side walls and in the lower, conical part of the spraying chamber, such that the divided spraying water jet geometrically sprays the interior of the rinsing chamber and the walls of the rinsing chamber in part volume through the individual spraying nozzles evenly distributed and in equal quantities per unit time and thereby the complete cleaning of all surfaces in a short time with an optimally minimum quantity of water takes place, (e) disinfection of the emptied, cleaned receptacles and of the interior of the rinsing chamber by hot steam from a steam generator situated in the lower part of the device, the heating of which already begins on the closing of the door after step (b), such that the hot steam enters through all pressure nozzles of step (d) in the same direction and with the same distribution into the spraying chamber, and the uniform heating of the receptacles and of the interior of the rinsing chamber takes place, (f) condensation of the steam per unit time simultaneously with the disinfection in step (e) to cause a dynamic through flow of the interior of the spraying chamber in step (e) through outlet of the steam from a pipe above the water surface into the first container of step (c) with multiple reorientation of the direction of flow of the steam to reduce the speed of flow and the quantity of steam for the continuous condensation of the steam in the direction of flow against the condensation plates, which stand obliquely and are directed downward, on the water surface of the container, avoiding the outlet of steam out of the door, (g) residual condensation of the steam vapours and recooling of the receptacles and rinsing chamber through introduction of pressure water by means of the pressure pump via all spraying nozzles following step (d), outlet of the residual water out of the pipes and nozzles through the lower, conical part of the spraying chamber via the syphon, (h) opening of the door upwards with simultaneous rotation of the mounting support in reverse direction of rotation to the rotation process following step (b), removal of the empty, cleaned, disinfected receptacles, repetition of the process steps for the recurrent, continuous removal, cleaning, disinfection, (i) controlling of the measures of steps (b) to (h) after commencement of step (a) by program control.