Patent ID: 7018592

Claim:
A self-contained, single manual step unit for thermally sterilizing dental and medical instruments and other contaminated items comprising: an insulating and protective housing comprising an orifice for ingress and egress of items to be sterilized; a vessel disposed within said housing which comprises an inner contiguous vertical wall, which is closed at the bottom to form a medially disposed well wherein items are sterilized and cooled thereafter, and unobstructed at the top which provides an accessible opening through said orifice; said unit further comprising a thermal regulation assembly disposed in caloric communication with said vessel, said assembly comprising an inner wall and a juxtaposed outer wall separated therefrom and sealed thereto to form a chamber; said thermal regulation assembly further comprising a cooling subassembly having a cooling coil disposed in caloric communication with said thermal regulation assembly inner wall; a predetermined quantity of matter, which changes state at a predetermined temperature which is consistent with sterilizing, hermetically sealed within said chamber; a disengageable lid which covers, protects and seals said accessible opening when engaged and which permits access to said well when disengaged; at least one heater disposed in caloric communication with said matter, said heater having adequate thermal output to heat the matter in excess of the change-of-state temperature of the matter; a source of water disposed within the well, at least a portion of which is transformed to steam as part of the sterilization cycle; and an electrical control system which limits duration of the sterilization cycle and automatically initiates a cooling cycle at the end of the sterilization cycle.