Patent ID: 8206660

Claim:
In a sterilizer having, a housing defining a sterilization chamber, an opening in said housing communicating with said chamber, a surface surrounding said opening and a door movable between one of an open position allowing access to said chamber through said opening and a closed position covering said opening, the improvement, comprising: a seal element associated with said surface for forming a fluid-tight seal between said door and said surface when said door is in said closed position; an operating system connectable to a first source of pressure for applying pressure to one side of said seal from said first source of pressure to force said seal into engagement with said door, said operating system including a vessel containing a compressed gas that is connectable to said one side of said seal and a conduit connected to said one side of said seal element; sensing means for monitoring the pressure applied to said seal from said first pressure source; and first and second valve means for selectively connecting said conduit to said first source of pressure and to said vessel wherein said first valve means disconnects said first source of pressure from said conduit and said second valve means connects said compressed gas in said vessel to said conduit if said sensing means detects a pressure from said first source of pressure below a set pressure sufficient to sustain a seal between said door and said surface.