Patent ID: 6863864

Claim:
An apparatus for sterilizing by infrared radiation comprising, a chamber 9 adapted for receiving a plurality of heating elements 15 A, 15 B for generating infrared radiation, heating elements 15 A, 15 B comprising Nichrome wire housed in a sealed tube that consists essentially of quartz, heating elements 15 A, 15 B capable of generating infrared radiation at a wavelength of about 3.23 micron and at intensity of about 20 KW/m 2 to about 50 KW/m 2 , the chamber 9 having means to support a tray 11 comprising wire mesh 13 positioned in tray 11 for holding an object to be sterilized, the chamber 9 also having a spherical reflecting surface having a radius of curvature of about 3.75 inches for reflecting infrared radiation from heating elements 15 A, 15 B onto the object to be sterilized.