Patent ID: 8123871

Claim:
A machine for washing medical and/or surgical instruments comprising: at least one washing tank designed to receive medical and/or surgical instruments, said tank being defined by walls and comprising an opening for access to the tank for loading instruments to be washed into the tank or for unloading washed instruments from the tank, said opening extending into a plane, known as the access plane, a door arranged opposite said opening of said washing tank, said door being mounted on the machine so as to be able to pass from a position, known as the washing position, in which it sealingly covers said opening of said washing tank so as to permit a washing cycle, into at least one position, known as the open position, in which it permits access to the washing tank to load the instruments to be washed or to unload the washed instruments, wherein said door is mounted on a hinge, known as a bilateral hinge, designed to allow a first lateral opening of the door, known as the opening for loading, on a first side, known as the loading side of the machine, in which said door permits access to said tank from said loading side and prevents access to said tank from the opposing side, and to permit a second lateral opening, known as the opening for unloading, on the opposing side, known as the unloading side of the washing machine, in which said door permits access to said tank from said unloading side and prevents access to the tank from said loading side, the machine further comprising: a pedal, known as the unloading pedal, arranged on the unloading side of the machine and designed to activate an opening of the door for unloading and a pedal, known as the loading pedal, arranged on the loading side of the machine and designed to activate an opening of the door for loading.