Patent ID: 7544325

Claim:
An apparatus for testing the efficacy of a sterilant vapor, comprising: a test chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port; an indicator-loading chamber adjacent and connected to said test chamber, said loading chamber having an inlet port and an outlet port; a movable valve element disposed between said test chamber and said loading chamber, said valve element movable between a first position isolating said test chamber from said loading chamber and a second position opening said test chamber to said loading chamber; an indicator holder; means for reciprocally moving said indicator holder between a loading position in said loading chamber and a test position in said test chamber; a supply system connected to said inlet port and said outlet port of said test chamber and to said inlet port and said outlet port of said loading chamber wherein said supply system is operable to selectively flow a sterilant vapor and a purging gas through said test chamber and said loading chamber; and a controller operable to cause said valve element to move from said first position to said second position and said moving means to move said indicator holder to said test position for a predetermined period of time and to move said valve element to said first position when said indicator holder is in said loading position.