Patent ID: 8753580

Claim:
A disinfectant system for intracavity ultrasound probes, comprising: a housing; a disinfectant chamber positioned in said housing and receiving at least one ultrasound probe; a container; a reusable disinfectant solution contained in said container, wherein said disinfectant solution is used in more than one disinfection phase; a disinfectant supply line fluidly connecting said container with said disinfectant chamber; a disinfectant drain line fluidly connecting said disinfectant chamber with said container; at least one pump for supplying the reusable disinfection solution from said container to said disinfection chamber via said disinfectant supply line, and from said disinfection chamber to said container via said disinfectant drain line; at least one first valve positioned in said disinfectant supply line; at least one second valve positioned in said disinfectant drain line; and a controller for automated operation of said disinfectant system that opens said at least one second valve after completion of a disinfection phase to supply said reusable disinfectant solution back to said container.