Channel irrigation system for circulating process media through internal channels of medical supplies

Abstract

A channel irrigation system (10) for flowing a process medium through the internal channels of medical supplies, particularly endoscopes. A flow generator (12) generates and supplies a flow of process medium to a manifold (14). Multiple fluid passages (24, 26) extend from each outlet (18) of the manifold. Each fluid passage has another end that can be connected to each internal channel of the medical supply to be flushed with the process medium. A pressure sensor (28) measures the current pressure of the process medium inside the manifold. A control unit (100) receives information about the current pressure value from the pressure sensor and, based on the received information, controls the operation of the flow generator so that the process medium inside the manifold reaches a target pressure or target pressure range.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a channel perfusion system for flowing a process medium through an internal channel of a medical device, particularly an endoscope. The present disclosure also relates to an endoscope washer disinfector including such a channel perfusion system.

Background Art

[0002] Medical devices having multiple channels are frequently used in hospitals, such as in surgical departments and similar facilities. These channels can be used to provide access to organs or body cavities without any surgical intervention or with only limited surgical intervention. For example, different types of endoscopes are examples of such medical devices.

[0003] Such medical supplies should be cleaned / disinfected after use so that they can be reused on another occasion. Cleaning and / or disinfection can be performed, for example, in medical cleaning and disinfection devices commonly found in surgical departments, central sterile supply departments, and similar facilities. Medical cleaning and disinfection devices are configured to allow cleaning of medical supplies both externally and internally, i.e., inside the channels. In particular, medical cleaning and disinfection devices can include a channel irrigation system for supplying a process medium to the inside of the channels of the medical supplies. Process mediums such as water, disinfectants, alcohol, and / or detergents can be supplied to each channel by the channel irrigation system. An appropriate flow rate of process medium is desired for satisfactory cleaning and disinfection. However, it is difficult to reproducibly and accurately control the flow rate through the channels. High reproducibility is desirable to allow monitoring and control of the flow rate through the channels against individual predetermined flow limits. Flow limits can be established during qualification testing for each individual medical supply or type of medical supply. For example, considering different types of endoscopes adds further complexity. Variable influencing factors include the number of channels, their diameter, and their length. If the flow rate is too low or too high, the process may automatically stop, and an alarm may be triggered. Therefore, due to a lack of precision in controlling the flow rate, false alarms may occasionally be issued, causing unnecessary interruptions to the process. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] The object of this disclosure is to mitigate the shortcomings of conventional channel irrigation systems, such as non-uniformity of flow rates, difficulty in controlling flow rates to channels, and the need to use more expensive flow monitors. This and other objects, as will become apparent below, are achieved by the channel irrigation system described in claim 1. Several non-limiting exemplary embodiments are presented in the dependent claims. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] This disclosure includes the realization that superior process control can be achieved when cleaning medical supplies having internal channels by continuously measuring the current pressure of the process medium and controlling a flow generator to generate a flow that reaches a target pressure or target pressure range based on the measured value. In particular, the ability to control the flow generator to reach a target pressure has enabled even low-cost flow sensors, such as paddle wheel flow sensors (which typically require minimal operating pressure to give accurate readings), to be used to measure the flow into the channel. This provides better control of the cleaning process at a reduced cost compared to existing systems.

[0006] According to at least a first aspect of this disclosure, a channel irrigation system is provided for flowing a process medium through the internal channels of medical supplies, particularly endoscopes, and the channel irrigation system is A flow generator configured to generate and supply a flow of process medium, A manifold having an inlet and multiple outlets, wherein the inlet is configured to receive a process medium supplied from a flow generator, A plurality of fluid passages, each having a first end connected to one of the plurality of outlets for receiving process medium from a manifold, and each having a second end connectable to the respective internal channels of a medical product to be flushed with the process medium, A pressure sensor configured to measure the current pressure of the process medium inside a manifold, particularly a pressure sensor that communicates with the fluid inside the manifold, A control unit configured to receive information about the current pressure value from a pressure sensor and, based on the received information, control the operation of the flow generator so that the process medium inside the manifold reaches a target pressure or target pressure range. Includes.

[0007] Precise flow control to the internal channels of medical supplies is possible by controlling the pressure of the process medium inside the manifold to reach a target pressure or target pressure range. In particular, accurate flow control is possible even with relatively low-cost flow sensors. Many flow sensors only operate accurately within a certain pressure range and require a minimum starting pressure of the process medium to obtain any reading. By controlling the pressure within the manifold, inaccurate flow sensor readings can be avoided, improving overall process control.

[0008] Channel irrigation systems can be used to clean and / or disinfect the internal channels of medical supplies. In this disclosure, the terms “cleaning” and “washing” are considered interchangeable, and it should be understood that channel irrigation systems are for both purposes.

[0009] As shown above, this channel irrigation system may be particularly suitable for cleaning endoscopes. However, it should be understood that this channel irrigation system can also be used to clean other medical instruments that have internal channels. For example, some medical instruments, such as those used in robotic surgery, may have long internal channels, and these can be suitably cleaned by the channel irrigation system of this disclosure.

[0010] Once the target pressure or pressure range is reached, it may be desirable to maintain the pressure substantially constant in order to maintain high accuracy of process control. This is reflected in at least one exemplary embodiment, in which, when the control unit determines that the current pressure corresponds to the target pressure or target pressure range, the control unit is configured to control the operation of the flow generator so that the pressure of the process medium inside the manifold is maintained at or within the target pressure range. By maintaining the pressure inside the manifold above the target pressure or target pressure range, and in particular by maintaining a substantially constant pressure, predictable and accurate cleaning of the internal channels can be achieved. By avoiding undesirable pressure fluctuations and, consequently, undesirable flow rate fluctuations, reliable and robust handling of the internal channels of medical supplies is provided.

[0011] According to at least some exemplary embodiments, the control of the operation of the flow generator includes a control unit controlling the speed of the flow generator. The flow generator may be, for example, a motor-driven pump. By receiving feedback from a pressure sensor, the control unit can adjust the speed until the pressure sensor indicates that the inside of the manifold has reached a desired pressure. Thus, during startup, the control unit will increase the speed of the flow generator until sufficient pressure is built up inside the manifold.

[0012] It has been found that using a gear pump as the flow generator is particularly advantageous. The hydraulic characteristics of a gear pump are very beneficial to the operation of the channel irrigation system of this disclosure. In particular, a gear pump generates a linear flow with respect to the pump speed. Therefore, the speed of the gear pump can usually be directly converted into the flow rate, and by extension, the pressure, generated by the gear pump. In contrast, other pumps commonly used in washing and disinfecting equipment, especially centrifugal pumps, do not have such linear performance in terms of rotational speed versus flow rate. Thus, in exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, where the flow generator is a gear pump, it becomes easier to control the flow rate and pressure of the process medium with high precision. When the flow rate and pressure are precisely controlled, high reproducibility and improved flow control to the internal channels of medical supplies are achieved. Any flow sensor functions better when the pressure can be controlled and maintained within a target pressure range.

[0013] In at least some exemplary embodiments, as discussed above, precise flow control is achieved without requiring any flow sensors by having precise pressure control, particularly by using a gear pump as the flow generator. By knowing the flow rate required for each medical product to be processed, the control unit can simply set the speed of the gear pump to reach the desired flow rate. However, as a safety measure, it may also be recommended to incorporate one or more flow sensors to enable detection of any disturbances that cause the actual flow rate to deviate from the expected flow rate. Such disturbances may be caused, for example, by blockages in one or more internal channels.

[0014] Therefore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the channel irrigation system may include one or more flow sensors. The flow sensors may be advantageously provided to detect errors in the cleaning process. For example, if the flow sensor detects that the flow rate through one of the internal channels of a medical device is lower than expected, this may indicate that the internal channel is partially clogged. By having accurate pressure control as discussed above, the readings of the flow sensors can be trusted, and warnings / alarms can be triggered at appropriate times.

[0015] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the channel irrigation system is A conduit is provided between the flow generator and the manifold, An upstream flow sensor configured to measure the current flow rate in the aforementioned conduit, A plurality of downstream flow sensors, each configured to measure the current flow rate in each of the plurality of fluid passages, Includes.

[0016] Various anomalies can be detected by measuring the flow rate upstream and downstream of a manifold. For example, the measured values ​​can be compared to the expected nominal values ​​upstream and downstream of the manifold. For instance, if one of the downstream flow sensors measures a flow rate that differs by a certain amount, for example, 10% outside the nominal flow rate, this may indicate an error such as a blockage in that flow path or in an internal channel connected to that flow path. Another example is the detection of anomalies related to the flow rate through the manifold. The total flow rate downstream of the manifold should be substantially equal to the flow rate upstream of the manifold. Therefore, the sum of the individual flow rates (usually volume per unit time) measured by multiple downstream flow sensors should be substantially equal to the flow rate measured by the upstream flow sensors. The control unit can preferably be configured to receive input information from each of the flow sensors, and if any anomaly is detected, such as the flow rate from an individual flow sensor not sensing the expected flow rate, or the total flow rate downstream of the manifold differing from the flow rate upstream of the manifold by a predetermined amount (e.g., only in absolute or relative terms), the control unit can issue an alarm or other type of notification to alert the relevant personnel. The latter situation is reflected, at least partially, in the following exemplary embodiment.

[0017] Therefore, according to at least one exemplary embodiment, the control unit is configured to receive information about the current flow rates in the conduit and multiple fluid passages from an upstream flow sensor and multiple downstream flow sensors, respectively. The control unit is configured to issue a warning or alarm if it determines that the sum of the current flow rates in multiple fluid passages differs from the current flow rate in the conduit by at least a predetermined amount.

[0018] This allows for the detection of a malfunction in one or more of the downstream flow sensors. Upstream flow sensors may be installed to double-check the function of the downstream flow sensors. If the sum of the flow rates indicated by the downstream flow sensors does not match the flow rates indicated by the upstream flow sensors, this may indicate that one or more of the downstream flow sensors are not functioning properly and, consequently, are not providing accurate readings of the flow rates in each fluid passage.

[0019] As can be understood from the above discussion, according to at least one exemplary embodiment, for each of the plurality of fluid passages, the control unit is configured to compare the current flow rate value with the respective nominal value, The control unit is configured to issue a warning or alarm if it determines that the current flow rate in any one of the aforementioned fluid passages deviates by at least a predetermined amount from its respective nominal value.

[0020] As mentioned earlier, by incorporating pressure control / feedback into the channel irrigation system, even inexpensive flow sensors, which are typically limited to a certain pressure range for accurate operation, can have their readings reasonably trusted. Given that medical devices such as endoscopes contain multiple internal channels, providing a separate flow sensor for each internal channel can be a considerable investment, depending on the type of flow sensor chosen. Therefore, providing pressure control that allows the use of inexpensive flow sensors is extremely beneficial. Such types of flow sensors are briefly discussed below.

[0021] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the channel perfusion system includes at least one paddlewheel flow sensor configured to measure the current flow rate of the process media. The paddlewheel flow sensor has the advantage of being low-cost, but usually requires a constant operating pressure for good accuracy. Thus, when used in combination with the pressure control of the present disclosure, particularly when using a gear pump having linear characteristics as discussed above, accurate and cost-effective flow rate measurement is enabled by using one or more paddlewheel flow sensors.

[0022] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, at least one of the upstream flow sensor and the plurality of downstream flow sensors is in the form of a paddlewheel sensor. Preferably, each one of the upstream flow sensor and the plurality of downstream flow sensors can be in the form of a paddlewheel flow sensor. When it is desired to provide a plurality of flow sensors to enable individual flow rate measurements for the plurality of internal channels of the medical supplies to be processed, providing paddlewheel flow sensors is particularly beneficial from an economic perspective, especially since the function of such flow sensors is reliable in relation to the pressure control of the present disclosure.

[0023] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the channel irrigation system further includes an alcohol injector configured to inject alcohol into the manifold to be further distributed into the plurality of fluid passages via the outlet of the manifold. Alcohol injection is beneficial to promote drying of the internal channels of the medical device. Preferably, the alcohol can be applied after the final rinsing stage. Furthermore, compressed air can be injected into the manifold to remove a larger amount of residual water from the system before injecting the alcohol. Subsequently, the alcohol can preferably be injected together with the compressed air. By injecting the alcohol together with compressed air, the compressed air assists in the more rapid distribution of the alcohol in the internal channels of the medical device. The control unit can preferably be configured to control the supply of compressed air, for example, by controlling the opening and closing of the pressurized tank outlet and / or by controlling the operation of an air compressor.

[0024] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the control unit is configured to control the execution of one or more initial treatment steps, which involve controlling a flow generator to supply a process medium to multiple fluid passages via a manifold, and then controlling one or more final treatment steps, which involve controlling an alcohol injector to inject alcohol into the manifold. Different process mediums may be provided during different treatment steps. Generally, the process medium may include a liquid such as water, with or without additives. For example, in one or more pre-rinse steps, the process medium may be water only, while in subsequent washing steps, the process medium may include water mixed with detergent and / or disinfectant. Channel irrigation systems may also preferably include post- and / or final rinse steps to wash away detergents. Alcohol injection may preferably be performed after such a final rinse step to dry the internal channels of the medical supplies (with or without the assistance of compressed air, as discussed above).

[0025] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the pressure sensor is a first pressure sensor, and the channel perfusion system further includes a redundant pressure sensor configured to measure the current pressure of the process medium inside the manifold. When the control unit determines that the respective values of the current pressures provided by the first pressure sensor and the redundant pressure sensor deviate from each other by at least a predetermined amount, the control unit is configured to issue a warning or an alarm. The technical advantage of providing a redundant pressure sensor is that in the case of a failure of the first pressure sensor, it will be notified in a timely manner, and incorrect process control can be avoided.

[0026] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, in order to simultaneously flow the process medium through endoscope channels having particularly different widths, the flow generating device is a first flow generating device, the manifold is a first manifold, the plurality of fluid passages are a first plurality of fluid passages, the pressure sensor is a first pressure sensor, and the channel perfusion system a second flow generating device configured to generate and supply the flow of the process medium, a second manifold having an inlet and a plurality of outlets, the inlet being configured to receive the process medium supplied from the second flow generating device, a second plurality of fluid passages, each fluid passage having a first end connected to one of the plurality of outlets of the second manifold for receiving the process medium from the second manifold, and each fluid passage having a second end connectable to an internal channel of each medical supply to be flushed with the process medium, a second pressure sensor configured to measure the current pressure of the process medium inside the second manifold, further includes The control unit is configured to receive information about the current pressure value from a second pressure sensor and, based on the received information, to control the operation of the second flow generator so that the process medium inside the second manifold reaches a target pressure or target pressure range.

[0027] This provides greater flexibility by allowing different pressures and flow rates to be supplied to different channels. Furthermore, higher precision can be achieved by having a dual set of flow generators and manifolds, as exemplified above. For example, in some medical devices, such as certain types of endoscopes, some internal channels can be wider than others. A first set of fluid passages can be connected to, for example, a wider internal channel, while a second set of fluid passages can be connected to a narrower channel. In this way, the risk of a pressure drop in one channel negatively affecting the flow in another channel can be reduced. In particular, an individual endoscope can have one or more relatively large (wide) channels and one or more relatively small (narrow) channels. In such a case, the individual endoscope can be connected to both the first set of passages and the second set of passages (for example, connecting the relatively large channel to the first set of passages and the relatively small channel to the second set of passages). The technical advantages of this can be understood from the following explanatory example. Suppose we have an endoscope with two channels of the same width. These are connected to two equal fluid passages extending from a manifold. Since the channels in the endoscopes are identical, the fluid flow will be equally distributed to both channels. Now, suppose we still have the same two fluid passages extending from the manifold, and we replace the previously connected endoscope with another endoscope having one extremely wide channel and one extremely narrow channel. In the latter case, the fluid flowing through the extremely wide channel will experience less resistance. The fluid will "prefer" to move through the extremely wide channel, but of course it will also move through the narrow channel. However, because of the difference in size, it would be difficult to guarantee that the desired respective flow rates through both the extremely wide and extremely narrow channels will be achieved simultaneously.Therefore, by grouping the endoscopic channels into one group of relatively narrow channels and one group of relatively wide channels, and allowing each to be connected to its respective manifold and fluid passage, the risk of channels of different sizes negatively affecting each other is reduced.

[0028] The lengths and widths of the first and second fluid passages may be the same or different. For example, in some embodiments, each of the first fluid passages may have a larger diameter than each of the second fluid passages. As with the provision of a first pressure sensor and redundant pressure sensors associated with the first manifold, a second pressure sensor and another redundant sensor associated with the second manifold may be suitably provided.

[0029] This disclosure includes electronic equipment and electronic instructions for implementing the apparatus and processes described herein, which can be embodied and / or described collectively as a control unit. The control unit may include a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable digital signal processor, computer, or other programmable device. The control unit may also include, or instead of, an application-specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array or programmable array logic, a programmable logic device, or a digital signal processor. Where a programmable device such as the microprocessor, microcontroller, or programmable digital signal processor described above is included, the processor may further include computer executable code that controls the operation of the programmable device as disclosed herein. The control unit is preferably configured for use in a medical cleaning and disinfecting machine, particularly an endoscopic reprocessing machine, and provides electronic instructions for performing and controlling the infusion of a process medium through internal channels of a medical supply.

[0030] According to at least a second aspect of the present disclosure, an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device is provided which includes a channel irrigation system, including any exemplary embodiment thereof, according to a first aspect, the endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device is configured to use the channel irrigation system to flow a process medium through the internal channels of one or more endoscopes in order to clean the internal channels of one or more endoscopes.

[0031] Those skilled in the art will understand that various features and exemplary embodiments discussed in relation to the channel irrigation system of the first embodiment can be readily implemented as corresponding exemplary embodiments in the endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device of the second embodiment. The advantages of the endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device of the second embodiment substantially correspond to the advantages of the channel irrigation system of the first embodiment, including any exemplary embodiment thereof.

[0032] In general, all terms used in the claims should be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the art unless expressly defined otherwise herein. All references to “an element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc.” should be openly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of such element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc. unless expressly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not need to be performed in the order disclosed unless expressly stated otherwise. Further features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent upon consideration of the appended claims and the following description. Those skilled in the art will understand that different features of this disclosure can be combined to create embodiments other than those described below without departing from the scope of this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0033] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a type of washing and disinfecting device that can implement the channel irrigation system of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of a channel irrigation system according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of some details of a channel irrigation system according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of a gear pump that may be included in a channel irrigation system according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of a channel irrigation system according to at least another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0034] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating several aspects of the channel irrigation system of this disclosure. However, the channel irrigation system can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments and aspects described herein, but rather these embodiments are provided as examples so that the present disclosure is thorough and complete and fully conveys the scope of this channel irrigation system to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein and shown in the drawings, and rather, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the accompanying claims. Throughout the description, similar reference numerals refer to similar elements.

[0035] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a type of cleaning and disinfecting unit 1 that can implement the channel irrigation system of the present disclosure. The cleaning and disinfecting unit 1 may take the form of an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting unit configured to flow a process medium through the internal channels of one or more endoscopes using the channel irrigation system of the present disclosure. The cleaning and disinfecting unit includes a cleaning chamber for receiving medical supplies such as endoscopes. The cleaning chamber can be closed by a sliding door 2. The door is shown in its closed position, and therefore the cleaning chamber is not visible in the figure. The door 2 can preferably be slid downward to provide access to the cleaning chamber. The cleaning and disinfecting unit 1 can thus be used to clean (clean) and / or disinfect medical supplies placed in the cleaning chamber. The cleaning and disinfecting unit 1 can also be used to dry medical supplies after such cleaning and / or disinfection.

[0036] While this disclosure focuses on how to handle the internal channels of medical supplies, it should be understood that the washing and disinfecting unit 1 can preferably also be used to clean the external surface of medical supplies. Therefore, in addition to the channel irrigation system of this disclosure, the washing and disinfecting unit 1 can preferably include nozzles or other types of outlets used to provide a process medium to the outside of the medical supplies. Such nozzles or outlets can be provided, for example, on one or more spray vanes, and these spray vanes can be attached, for example, to the side walls, bottom walls or top walls defining the washing chamber.

[0037] A user interface 4, such as a touch control panel, may be provided to display information and allow the user to select a program. Some examples of information that can be presented by the user interface 4 include remaining processing time (such as total time or the current treatment stage), identification of medical supplies present in the cleaning room, and any notifications to the person in charge, such as warnings or alarms indicating errors, abnormalities, etc.

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a channel irrigation system 10 according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The channel irrigation system 10 can be incorporated, for example, into the cleaning and disinfecting unit 1 shown in Figure 1, or into any other suitable cleaning and disinfecting unit. In particular, the channel irrigation system 10 can be incorporated into a medical cleaning and disinfecting unit such as an endoscope cleaning and disinfecting unit.

[0039] The channel irrigation system 10 is provided for flowing a process medium through the internal channels of medical devices such as endoscopes and robotic medical instruments. The channel irrigation system 10 is particularly suitable for providing treatment to medical devices having multiple internal channels. The channel irrigation system 10 includes at least one flow generator 12 configured to generate and supply a flow of process medium. The flow generator 12 can preferably be a gear pump, as schematically shown in Figure 4, which will be discussed in more detail later.

[0040] The channel irrigation system 10 further includes a manifold 14 having an inlet 16 and a plurality of outlets 18. The inlet 16 is configured to receive process medium supplied from a flow generator 12. As shown in Figure 2, a conduit 20 may extend from the flow generator 12 to the inlet 16 of the manifold 14. The process medium can pass through the conduit 20 to reach the manifold 14. The flow generator 12 can preferably pump the process medium (such as water, with or without additives) from a supply source or storage (not shown) containing the process medium. A check valve 22 may be provided in the conduit 20 between the flow generator 12 and the manifold 14 to prevent any backflow through the conduit 20 when the flow generator 12 is not operating.

[0041] The channel irrigation system 10 further includes a plurality of fluid passages 24, 26. Each fluid passage 24, 26 has a first end connected to one of the plurality of outlets 18 to receive process medium from the manifold 14. Each fluid passage 24, 26 also has a second end that can be connected to the respective internal channel of the medical product to be irrigated with process medium. The second end can be connected to the internal channel directly or via one or more intermediate connectors. In some exemplary embodiments, the second end of the fluid passage 24, 26 can preferably be formed by a male connector configured to engage with a female connector associated with the internal channel of the medical product or with any intermediate connector.

[0042] In Figure 2, four (24) fluids plus one (26) fluid passage are shown. The fifth fluid passage 26 is symbolically represented by a dashed line, indicating that the number of fluid passages can be greater than the five shown in the figure. For example, there may be more than six, seven, or eight fluid passages. While the practical usefulness may be limited in actual implementation, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to channel irrigation systems having four or more fluid passages. The technical concepts of this disclosure can be implemented in channel irrigation systems having fewer than four fluid passages, and these are also encompassed by this disclosure.

[0043] The channel irrigation system 10 further includes a pressure sensor 28 configured to measure the current pressure of the process medium inside the manifold 14. The pressure sensor 28 is preferably in fluid communication with the process medium inside the manifold 14, so that it receives the same fluid pressure as the manifold 14.

[0044] A control unit 100 is schematically shown and forms part of the channel irrigation system 10. Therefore, the control unit 100 can preferably control the operation of the channel irrigation system 10 itself. However, in at least some exemplary embodiments, the control unit 100 can also control the operation of other parts of the washing and disinfecting machine in which the channel irrigation system 10 is installed.

[0045] To avoid compromising the readability of the drawings, the control unit 100 is shown as a separate component. However, it should be understood that the control unit 100 can be appropriately operatedly connected to other components of the channel irrigation system 10, and preferably to other components of the entire washing and disinfecting unit, for example, by wired or wireless communication.

[0046] The control unit 100 is specifically configured to receive information from the pressure sensor 28 about the current pressure value inside the manifold 14. Based on the received information, the control unit 100 can control the operation of the flow generator 12 so that the process medium inside the manifold 14 reaches a target pressure or target pressure range. Since different medical supplies will have different designs in terms of the diameter and length of their internal channels, the control unit 100 can adapt its control of the operation of the flow generator 12 based on the design of the medical supplies to be processed.

[0047] As discussed earlier, when the control unit 100 determines that the current pressure corresponds to the target pressure or target pressure range, the control unit 100 can control the operation of the flow generator 12 so that the pressure of the process medium inside the manifold 14 is maintained at or within the target pressure range. Therefore, once the desired target pressure (or target pressure range) is reached, the control unit 100 continues to receive feedback from the pressure sensor 28 to appropriately control the flow generator 12. After the target pressure (or target pressure range) is reached, there may still be changes that affect the pressure. For example, a change in water temperature can cause a change in pressure. Another example is when / when process chemicals are added to the water, which can also cause a small change. Therefore, the control unit 100 can continue to control the flow generator 12 to counteract any such changes that affect the pressure.

[0048] The control unit 100 can preferably control the operation of the flow generator 12 by controlling the speed of the flow generator 12. If the flow generator 12 is in the form of a pump, the control unit 100 can control the rotational speed of the pump. Such speed control can preferably be indirect control, such as subsequently controlling the rotational speed of a motor that drives the pump or other type of flow generator unit.

[0049] According to at least some exemplary embodiments, the flow generating unit 12 is preferably a gear pump, or may include a gear pump. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of such a gear pump 30. The gear pump 30 has two rotatable gear wheels 32, each gear wheel 32 having cogs 34 or teeth. The cogs 34 of one wheel 32 mesh with the cogs 34 of the other wheel 32, and as these gear wheels 32 rotate, fluid is mechanically moved. The fluid drawn into the gear pump 30 at the inlet side 36 is confined in a cavity formed between the cogs 34 and moves to the outlet side 38, where the fluid is discharged. The gear pump 30 delivers a smooth, pulsation-free flow proportional to the rotational speed of the gear wheels 32. This allows for easy and highly accurate control of the flow rate and pressure of the process medium, which in turn allows for high reproducibility and improved flow control to the internal channels of medical supplies.

[0050] Returning to Figure 2, the channel irrigation system 10 may preferably include one or more flow sensors 40, 42. Multiple flow sensors 40, 42 are shown in Figure 2. More specifically, the channel irrigation system 10 shown in Figure 2 includes an upstream flow sensor 40 configured to measure the current flow rate in a conduit 20 extending from the flow generator 12 to the manifold 14. The upstream flow sensor 40 is located upstream of the manifold 14 with respect to the overall direction of fluid flow. The illustrated channel irrigation system 10 also includes multiple downstream flow sensors 42, these downstream flow sensors 42 are located downstream of the manifold 14 with respect to the overall direction of fluid flow. Each downstream flow sensor 42 is configured to measure the current flow rate in one of each of the multiple fluid passages 24, 26.

[0051] The flow sensors 40 and 42 can indicate any malfunction, blockage, or other undesirable or unexpected flow disturbance. Therefore, the flow sensors 40 and 42 can communicate (wired or wirelessly) with the control unit 100 and provide the control unit 100 with information about the currently measured flow rate. Thus, the control unit 100 can be configured to receive information about the current flow rates in the conduit 20 and in the multiple fluid passages 24 and 26 from the upstream flow sensor 40 and the multiple downstream flow sensors 42, respectively. If the control unit 100 determines that the sum of the current flow rates in the multiple fluid passages 24 and 26 differs from the current flow rate in the conduit 20 by at least a predetermined amount, the control unit 100 is configured to issue a warning or alarm. In other words, the flow rate to the manifold 14 should substantially correspond to the flow rate from the manifold 14.

[0052] The control unit 100 can be configured to compare the current flow rate value for each of the fluid passages 24 and 26 with their respective nominal values. Such nominal values ​​can be stored in electronic memory integrated into or accessible by the control unit 100. The nominal values ​​may depend on the size and type of the connected internal channels, the type and model of the medical supplies, etc. If the control unit 100 determines that the current flow rate value in any one of the fluid passages 24 and 26 deviates by at least a predetermined amount from its respective nominal value, the control unit 100 can issue a warning or alarm. In other words, if it is believed that the fluid is not flowing through one or more of the fluid passages 24 and 26 at the expected flow rate, and therefore not flowing as expected through each connected internal channel of the medical supplies, this anomaly can be notified to the person in charge so that appropriate action can be taken. The user can follow a troubleshooting plan, for example, to check for bent or detached tubes, or blockages along the flow path, including any connections such as external or internal connections of the flow path and endoscopes.

[0053] One or more of the illustrated flow sensors 40 and 42 can preferably be in the form of paddle wheel flow sensors. Paddle wheel flow sensors are very cost-effective, but usually require a constant operating pressure for good accuracy. Therefore, combining the provision of paddle wheel flow sensors with the provision of a gear pump is particularly advantageous because it allows for accurate control of flow and pressure without any pulsations in the fluid flow that can lead to inaccurate flow measurements.

[0054] As shown in Figure 2, the channel irrigation system 10 may further include an alcohol injector 44 configured to inject alcohol into the manifold 14 to be further distributed into a plurality of fluid passages 24, 26 via an outlet 18 of the manifold 14. The alcohol can be injected via an alcohol supply passage 46, and a check valve 48 is preferably provided in the alcohol supply passage 46 to prevent the fluid from flowing in the reverse direction in the alcohol supply passage 46. In addition, the channel irrigation system 10 may include an air supply passage 50, through which compressed air can pass through the manifold 14 and reach the plurality of fluid passages 24, 26. By opening an actuator control valve 52, it may be possible to supply compressed air from, for example, a pressurized tank 54 to the manifold 14 through the air supply passage 50. Preferably, a check valve 56 is provided between the actuator control valve 52 and the manifold 14 to prevent the fluid from flowing in the reverse direction in the air supply passage 50. After the final rinsing stage of the treatment process, compressed air can be supplied to the manifold 14 via the air supply passage 50 to remove a larger amount of residual water from the system. Alcohol can then be injected from the alcohol injector 44 together with the compressed air to accelerate the drying of the internal channels of the medical supplies. The compressed air helps to rapidly distribute the alcohol into the internal channels, thereby reducing the drying time. The control unit 100 can preferably control the operation of the alcohol injector 44. The control unit 100 can also preferably control the supply of compressed air (for example, by controlling the actuator of the actuator control valve 52, or, for example, by controlling the pressurized tank 54 if a controllable valve is integrated into the pressurized tank 54 instead of having the illustrated intermediate actuator control valve 52).

[0055] The control unit 100 is not limited to the operations described above after the final rinsing stage. Conversely, the control unit 100 can preferably participate in each stage of processing the internal channels of the medical supplies (cleaning, washing, disinfection, rinsing, etc.). For example, the control unit 100 may be configured to control the execution of one or more initial treatment stages, which involve controlling the flow generator 12 to provide a process medium to multiple fluid passages 24, 26 via the manifold 14, and then controlling one or more final treatment stages, which involve controlling the alcohol injector 44 to inject alcohol into the manifold 14 (and / or controlling the actuator control valve 52 to supply compressed air). Figure 3 can be considered a very schematic and illustrative summary of the functions of the control unit 100 discussed herein.

[0056] Thus, Figure 3 provides a schematic overview of some of the different interactions between the control unit 100 and other components of the channel irrigation system. This is merely illustrative, and it should be understood that the number and types of components may vary between different embodiments.

[0057] Figure 3 shows that the control unit 100 receives information about the current pressure of the process medium inside the manifold from the pressure sensor 28. The control unit 100 also receives information about the current flow rates measured by the upstream flow sensor 40 and the downstream flow sensor 42, respectively. In this way, the control unit 100 can be configured to receive input information about various physical parameters related to the operation of the channel irrigation system.

[0058] In terms of output from the control unit 100, the control unit 100 can be configured to send various different requests, demands, and control signals. For example, the control unit 100 can be configured to control the operation of the flow generator 12 so that the process medium reaches a target pressure or target pressure range. Such a target pressure or target pressure range can be stored in electronic memory integrated into or accessible by the control unit 100. The control unit 100 can appropriately issue a warning or alarm 60 if it detects any abnormality, disturbance or other event that requires notification to the operator. Such a warning or alarm 60 can take the form of a visual and / or auditory notification presented, for example, through an appropriate interface, lamp, speaker, control panel, etc., of the washing and disinfecting machine. However, the control unit 100 can also be configured to issue an alarm 60 by sending a notification to a remote unit such as a mobile phone or remote computer. Furthermore, the control unit 100 can interrupt or modify the processing of medical supplies depending on the cause of the warning or alarm. Finally, as shown in Figure 3 and discussed earlier, the control unit 100 can control the operation of the alcohol injector 44 and the supply of compressed air by, for example, controlling the pressurized tank 54 and / or the actuator control valve associated with the pressurized tank 54.

[0059] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a channel irrigation system 110 according to at least another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Compared to the channel irrigation system 10 shown in Figure 2, the channel irrigation system 110 shown in Figure 5 has a dual setting of most of its components. Instead of all fluid passages and connected internal channels being supplied with fluid from a common manifold, some internal channels will be supplied with fluid from a first manifold 14, while others will be supplied with fluid from a second manifold 114. This allows for setting different target pressures (or target pressure ranges) for the first manifold 14 and the second manifold 114. As previously described in the present disclosure, this provides greater flexibility by allowing different pressures and flow rates to be provided for different channels. Furthermore, having a dual set of flow generators 12, 112 and manifolds 14, 114 allows for achieving greater precision. For example, a wider internal channel can be connected to a fluid passage 24 extending from the first manifold 14, while a narrower internal channel can be connected to a fluid passage 124 extending from the second manifold 114. In this way, the risk that a pressure drop in one internal channel will negatively affect flow in another internal channel can be reduced.

[0060] More specifically, Figure 5 shows an example of a channel irrigation system 110 for flowing a process medium through an endoscope having channels of different widths. The channel irrigation system 110 includes a first flow generator 12, a first manifold 14, a first pressure sensor 28, and a first set of fluid passages 24. The channel irrigation system 110 also includes a second flow generator 112, a second manifold 114, a second pressure sensor 128, and a second set of fluid passages 124. Similar to the example in Figure 2, in the example shown in Figure 5 (as indicated by alcohol injectors 44, 144, pressurized tanks 54, 154, and actuator control valves 52, 152), alcohol and compressed air can be supplied to one of each of the first manifold 14 and the second manifold 114. Furthermore, one of each of the manifolds 14, 114 can be associated with an upstream flow sensor 40, 140 and a set of downstream flow sensors 42, 142. This dual configuration of the components can preferably be controlled by a common control unit 100. Furthermore, as previously described, one identical endoscope (or other medical device having multiple internal channels) can simultaneously communicate fluidly with both the first multiple fluid passages 24 and the second multiple fluid passages 124. Some of the internal channels of the medical device will communicate fluidly with the first multiple fluid passages 24, while other internal channels of the medical device will communicate fluidly with the second multiple fluid passages 124.

[0061] Since the drying stage is less sensitive in terms of precision than, for example, the washing and disinfection stages, in at least some exemplary embodiments, it may be conceivable to supply alcohol to both manifolds 14 and 114 from a common alcohol injector. Similarly, compressed air can be supplied to both manifolds 14 and 114 from a common pressurized tank.

[0062] The channel irrigation system 110 shown in Figure 5 further includes redundant pressure sensors 29, 129, one for each pressure manifold. Although not shown in the example in Figure 2, it should be understood that redundant pressure sensors are also provided in this example. Each redundant pressure sensor 29, 129 is configured to measure the current pressure of the process medium inside the respective manifolds 14, 114. The measured values ​​are transmitted to the control unit 100, as well as through communication performed by the first pressure sensor 28 and the second pressure sensor 128. For example, if the control unit 100 determines that the current pressure value provided by the first pressure sensor 28 deviates by at least a predetermined amount from the value provided by the associated redundant pressure sensor 29, the control unit 100 can issue a warning or alarm. This allows for the rapid detection of a malfunctioning pressure sensor, thus preventing errors in the handling of medical supplies.

[0063] This disclosure includes systems for supplying process media to medical supplies and methods for operating such systems. In particular, this disclosure includes systems and methods for enabling precise processing such as cleaning, scrubbing, disinfecting and / or drying multiple internal channels of medical supplies. This disclosure includes endoscopic processing equipment and an extended system including interoperable endoscopic cleaning and disinfecting equipment. It should be understood that the various features disclosed herein are intended and disclosed in various combinations and partial combinations thereof. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0064] 1. Washing and disinfecting device 2 doors 4. User Interface 10-channel irrigation system 12. First flow generator 14. First Manifold 16 Entrance 18 Exit 20 Conduit 22 Check valve 24 First Multiple Fluid Passages 26 Fluid passage 28. First pressure sensor 29. Redundant pressure sensors 30 Gear Pump 32 gear wheel 34 teeth 36 Entrance side 38 Exit side 40 Upstream flow sensor 42 Downstream flow sensor 44 Alcohol Injector 46 Alcohol supply passage 48 Check valve 50 Air supply passage 52 Actuator control valve 54 Pressurized tank 56 Check valve 60 alarm 100 control units 110-channel irrigation system 112 Second flow generation device 114 Second Manifold 124 Second Multiple Fluid Passages 128 Second pressure sensor 129 Redundant pressure sensors 140 Upstream flow sensor 142 Downstream flow sensor 144 Alcohol Injector 152 Actuator control valve 154 Pressurized Tank

Claims

1. A channel irrigation system for medical supplies, particularly for flowing process media through the internal channels of endoscopes, A flow generator configured to generate and supply a flow of process medium, A manifold having an inlet and a plurality of outlets, wherein the inlet is configured to receive the process medium supplied from the flow generator, A plurality of fluid passages, each having a first end connected to one of the plurality of outlets for receiving a process medium from the manifold, and each having a second end connectable to the internal channels of the medical supplies to be flushed with the process medium, A pressure sensor configured to measure the current pressure of the process medium inside the manifold, A control unit configured to receive information about the current pressure value from the pressure sensor and to control the operation of the flow generator so that the process medium inside the manifold reaches a target pressure or target pressure range based on the received information, A channel irrigation system, including a channel irrigation system.

2. The channel irrigation system according to claim 1, wherein, when the control unit determines that the current pressure corresponds to the target pressure or the target pressure range, the control unit is configured to control the operation of the flow generator so that the pressure of the process medium inside the manifold is maintained at or within the target pressure range.

3. The channel irrigation system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control of the operation of the flow generator includes the control unit controlling the speed of the flow generator.

4. The channel irrigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the flow generating device is a gear pump.

5. A conduit provided between the flow generating device and the manifold, An upstream flow sensor configured to measure the current flow rate in the aforementioned conduit, A plurality of downstream flow sensors, each configured to measure the current flow rate in each of the plurality of fluid passages, A channel irrigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising:

6. The control unit is configured to receive information about the current flow rate in the conduit and the plurality of fluid passages from the upstream flow sensor and the plurality of downstream flow sensors, respectively. The channel irrigation system according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to issue a warning or alarm when it determines that the sum of the current flow rates of the plurality of fluid passages differs from the current flow rate in the conduit by at least a predetermined amount.

7. For each of the plurality of fluid passages, the control unit is configured to compare the current flow rate with its respective nominal value. The channel irrigation system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the control unit is configured to issue a warning or alarm if it determines that the current flow rate in any one of the plurality of fluid passages deviates by at least a predetermined amount from its respective nominal value.

8. The channel irrigation system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein at least one of the upstream flow sensor and the plurality of downstream flow sensors is in the form of a paddle wheel flow sensor.

9. The channel irrigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an alcohol injector configured to inject alcohol into the manifold to be further distributed into the plurality of fluid passages via the outlet of the manifold.

10. The channel irrigation system according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to control the flow generator to control the execution of one or more initial treatment steps to supply the process medium to the plurality of fluid passages via the manifold, and subsequently control the alcohol injector to control the execution of one or more final treatment steps to inject alcohol into the manifold.

11. The channel irrigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the pressure sensor is a first pressure sensor, and the channel irrigation system further includes a redundant pressure sensor configured to measure the current pressure of the process medium inside the manifold, and the control unit is configured to issue a warning or alarm if the control unit determines that the respective values ​​of the current pressures provided by the first pressure sensor and the redundant pressure sensor deviate from each other by at least a predetermined amount.

12. In particular, in order to simultaneously flow a process medium through endoscope channels having different widths, the flow generator is a first flow generator, the manifold is a first manifold, the plurality of fluid passages are a first plurality of fluid passages, the pressure sensor is a first pressure sensor, and the channel irrigation system is A second flow generator configured to generate and supply a flow of process medium, A second manifold having an inlet and a plurality of outlets, wherein the inlet is configured to receive the process medium supplied from the second flow generator, A second set of fluid passages, each having a first end connected to one of the multiple outlets of the second manifold for receiving a process medium from the second manifold, and each having a second end connected to an internal channel of a medical product to be flushed with the process medium, A second pressure sensor configured to measure the current pressure of the process medium inside the second manifold, It further includes, The channel irrigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the control unit is configured to receive information about the current pressure value from the second pressure sensor and to control the operation of the second flow generator based on the received information so that the process medium inside the second manifold reaches a target pressure or a target pressure range.

13. The channel irrigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising at least one paddlewheel flow sensor configured to measure the current flow rate of the process medium.

14. Endoscope cleaning and disinfecting device comprising a channel irrigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the channel irrigation system is used to flow the process medium through the internal channels of one or more endoscopes in order to clean the internal channels of the endoscope.

Images