Cleaning device and cleaning method

Abstract

To provide a washing apparatus and a washing method capable of reducing work load in setting medical appliances to be washed in a washing tank.SOLUTION: A washing apparatus 10 includes a lifting mechanism 30 for supporting a rack 13 movably between a setting position and a washing position, and a rack supporting portion 80. When an ascending button 56 and a descending button 57 are operated, a control unit 100 and a lift control unit 110 control the lifting mechanism 30 so as to move the rack 13 between the setting position and the washing position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning device and a cleaning method capable of cleaning medical instruments to be cleaned. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a cleaning / disinfecting apparatus that cleans an object by immersing the object in a cleaning tank that stores cleaning water (see Patent Document 1). The cleaning / disinfecting apparatus described in Patent Document 1 cleans an endoscope, which is a medical device, by ejecting a water flow from a water supply nozzle while the endoscope is immersed in the cleaning tank. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-189415 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Known medical instruments used in medical facilities include so-called small steel instruments such as scalpels, forceps, tweezers, scissors, clips, clamps, and hooks. When these medical instruments are used in medical procedures such as treatment and surgery, the patient's bodily fluids, blood, lipids, proteins, etc. adhere to the medical instruments. The same applies to dental instruments such as mouth mirrors and probing tools used in dental care.

[0005] In order to reuse these medical instruments, they must be disinfected. Conventionally, before disinfecting the medical instruments, cleaning is performed to remove any deposits from the medical instruments. This cleaning is also called pre-cleaning.

[0006] However, to clean relatively small medical instruments using conventional washer-disinfectors, multiple medical instruments are placed in a basket-shaped rack and the rack is immersed in a cleaning tank. In this case, the user (operator) must lift the heavy rack containing multiple medical instruments to the top of the cleaning tank and then place it inside the cleaning tank, which is a heavy workload.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device and a cleaning method that can reduce the workload when setting medical instruments to be cleaned in a cleaning tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a cleaning device capable of cleaning medical instruments, and comprises a cleaning tank in which cleaning water is stored, a rack on which a plurality of medical instruments can be placed, a rack moving mechanism that supports the rack so that it can move between a first position located outside the cleaning tank and a second position housed inside the cleaning tank, and a rack drive control unit that applies a driving force from a drive source to the rack moving mechanism to move the rack between the first position and the second position.

[0009] With this configuration, when multiple medical instruments are set in the cleaning device, the rack can be moved to the first position to reduce the workload of placing multiple medical instruments on the rack. Furthermore, if the rack is removable, the workload of setting the rack containing multiple medical instruments in the cleaning tank can be reduced.

[0010] The rack drive control unit moves the rack to the first position when a first movement request to move the rack to the first position is input, and moves the rack to the second position when a second movement request to move the rack to the second position is input.

[0011] This allows the rack to be moved in response to the worker inputting the movement request.

[0012] The second position is a position where the rack can be immersed in the cleaning water stored in the cleaning tank, and the rack drive control unit reciprocates the rack between the second position and a predetermined third position that is set between the second position and an opening of the cleaning tank while the medical instruments are being cleaned.

[0013] This creates a water flow in the cleaning water stored in the cleaning tank in response to the reciprocating movement of the rack, making it possible to more effectively remove deposits from the medical instruments.

[0014] The cleaning tank is provided with an outlet, a first inlet, and a second inlet. In this case, the cleaning device further includes an electric valve having a first output port connected to a first flow path leading to the first inlet and a second output port connected to a second flow path leading to the second inlet, the electric valve being switchable to either the first output port or the second output port, a circulation pump having an inlet connected to the outlet and an outlet connected to an inlet port of the electric valve, and a flow path control unit that drives the circulation pump and controls the electric valve to alternately switch between the first output port and the second output port.

[0015] This creates a vortex in the cleaning water within the cleaning tank. Furthermore, each time the flow path control unit switches, a vortex with a different rotation direction is generated, allowing for more effective removal of deposits from medical instruments.

[0016] Here, it is preferable that the first inlet is provided at one end of a specified side wall of the cleaning tank, and the second inlet is provided at the end of the specified side wall opposite the first inlet.

[0017] Furthermore, when the cleaning tank is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, it is preferable that the first inlet is provided at one end of a specified side wall of the cleaning tank, and the second inlet is provided at one end of another side wall opposite the specified side wall.

[0018] Furthermore, when the cleaning tank is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, it is preferable that the first inlet is provided at one end of a specified side wall of the cleaning tank and at the other end of another side wall opposite the specified side wall, and that the second inlet is provided at the other end of the specified side wall and at one end of the other side wall.

[0019] A cleaning method according to another embodiment of the present invention is a cleaning method that is applied to the above-described cleaning device, and includes a step of moving the rack back and forth between the second position and a third position located a predetermined distance in front of the second position and the opening of the cleaning tank while the medical instruments are being cleaned, thereby generating a water flow according to the direction of the reciprocation.

[0020] Furthermore, when the cleaning tank has an outlet, a first inlet, and a second inlet, the cleaning method further includes a step of alternately switching the destination of the cleaning water sucked in from the outlet by a circulation pump between the first inlet and the second inlet, thereby generating alternate water flows from the first inlet and the second inlet within the cleaning tank. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the workload when setting the medical instruments to be cleaned in the cleaning tank. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the cleaning device, showing the rack in the set position. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a left side view of the cleaning device, showing the rack in the cleaning position. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a top view showing the cleaning device. [Figure 5]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a rack used in the cleaning device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the cleaning device. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a piping diagram showing the flow path of cleaning water in the cleaning device. [Figure 8] 8(A) and (B) are diagrams showing screens displayed on the operation display unit of the cleaning device, where (A) shows the main screen and (B) shows the automatic cleaning setting screen. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing the flow of water during the water supply operation. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing the flow of water through the first flow path during the circulating operation. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram showing the flow of water through the second flow path during the circulating operation. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of the cleaning process executed by the control unit of the cleaning device. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of the cleaning process executed by the control unit of the cleaning device. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the automatic cleaning process executed by the control unit of the cleaning device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] A cleaning device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiment is an example of a specific embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0024] The configuration of a cleaning apparatus 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of the cleaning apparatus 10. FIGS. 2 and 3 are left side views showing the configuration of the cleaning apparatus 10. FIG. 2 shows a state in which a rack 13 is positioned in a set position (described later), and FIG. 3 shows a state in which the rack 13 is positioned in a cleaning position (described later). FIG. 4 is a top view showing the configuration of the cleaning apparatus 10. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the rack 13 used in the cleaning apparatus 10. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the cleaning apparatus 10. FIG. 7 is a piping diagram showing the flow path of cleaning water in the cleaning apparatus 10. In FIG. 1, the front panel covering the front opening, piping, the circulation pump 40, and the like are omitted. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the side panels covering the side openings are omitted. For ease of explanation, this embodiment will be described using the up-down direction D1, the front-rear direction D2, and the left-right direction D3 with the cleaning apparatus 10 standing on its own.

[0025] The cleaning device 10 is a device for collectively cleaning multiple medical instruments, such as scalpels and forceps, which are called small steel instruments. When used in medical procedures such as treatment and surgery by a doctor, the medical instruments become contaminated with patient bodily fluids, blood, lipids, proteins, and other deposits. The cleaning device 10 of this embodiment mainly removes deposits that have adhered to the medical instruments during medical procedures. In addition to scalpels and forceps, examples of such medical instruments include tweezers, scissors, clips, clamps, and hooks made of steel. Other examples of such medical instruments include small steel instruments used in dentistry, such as mouth mirrors and probing tools.

[0026] Although the cleaning device 10 is an ideal device for cleaning the medical instruments described above, it can also be used to clean small tools made of metal such as steel or resin used in everyday life (scissors, clips, clipper teeth, tweezers, nail clippers, etc.) in addition to small tools used in medical procedures.

[0027] 1, the cleaning device 10 has an apparatus main body 11 that forms a housing such as an outer frame or an inner frame. Each component that forms the cleaning device 10 is attached to the apparatus main body 11. The apparatus main body 11 is made of, for example, an L-shaped angle steel or sheet metal.

[0028] 1 to 4, the cleaning device 10 includes a cleaning tank 12, a rack 13 (see FIG. 2), a water faucet 14, a lifting mechanism 30, a rack support 80, a temperature sensor 41, a water level sensor 42, a displacement sensor 43, a heater 39, an operation display unit 45 (see FIG. 1), a hydraulic pump 33 (an example of a drive source of the present invention), a lifting control unit 110 (an example of a rack drive control unit of the present invention), and a control unit 100 (see FIG. 4, an example of a flow path control unit of the present invention). Note that the water faucet 14 is not shown in FIG. 2.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 6, the cleaning device 10 also includes a water supply solenoid valve 34, a first electric three-way valve 35 (an example of an electric valve of the present invention), a second electric three-way valve 36, a drain solenoid valve 37, and a circulation pump 40.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 1, the device main body 11 has a lower main body 111 and an upper main body 112. The lower main body 111 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is wide in the left-right direction D3. The upper main body 112 is connected to the rear end of the upper surface 111A of the lower main body 111, and is also formed in a wide rectangular parallelepiped shape that extends upward from the upper surface 111A. The upper main body 112 corresponds to the part called a back guard in a typical medical sink.

[0031] An operation display unit 45 is provided on the right side of the front surface 112A of the upper body 112. The operation display unit 45 has a touch panel 46 including an LCD monitor. Various inputs and operations for the cleaning device 10 can be performed from a user interface screen displayed on the touch panel 46. The operation display unit 45 also has operation switches such as a power switch 47 that is operated by an operator. Pressing the power switch 47 starts up the cleaning device 10.

[0032] When the cleaning device 10 is started up, a main screen 50 (see FIG. 8(A)) is displayed on the touch panel 46. Here, FIG. 8 is a screen diagram showing a screen displayed on the operation display unit 45 of the cleaning device 10, where FIG. 8(A) shows the main screen 50 and FIG. 8(B) shows the automatic cleaning setting screen 60.

[0033] As shown in Figure 8(A), the main screen 50 is arranged with a status display frame 51 that shows the status of the cleaning device 10, a temperature display frame 52 that shows the temperature of the cleaning water in the cleaning tank 12 and the set temperature, an operation button 53, a stop button 54, a setting button 55, an up button 56, a down button 57, etc.

[0034] When the setting button 55 on the main screen 50 is touched, a setting screen for setting the contents of various setting items is displayed on the touch panel 46. The setting items include, for example, the set temperature of the wash water during constant temperature control, the set time until the wash is completed, the setting for outputting the wash completion notification, the setting of the water supply time, the setting of the drain time, and the like, as well as various setting items for setting the automatic wash operation.

[0035] FIG. 8(B) shows an automatic cleaning setting screen 60 for setting the automatic cleaning operation. The automatic cleaning setting screen 60 includes a back button 61 for transitioning the screen to the previous setting screen, a next button 62 for transitioning the screen to the next setting screen, a setting frame 63 for setting whether to enable or disable the automatic lift setting, and a setting frame 64 for setting whether to enable or disable the rack reciprocating operation that moves the rack 13 (see FIG. 2) up and down during cleaning. The setting frame 64 also allows the user to set the movement width (movement amount) of the rack 13 during the rack reciprocating operation, and also allows the user to set the waiting time during which the rack 13 is stopped at a predetermined position (cleaning position, setting position) during the rack reciprocating operation. The movement width can be selected from five levels ranging from 1 to 5 mm, for example. The waiting time can be set within a range of 0 to 60 seconds.

[0036] The cleaning tank 12 is provided in the lower body 111. An opening 12A of the cleaning tank 12 is formed in the upper surface 111A of the lower body 111. The cleaning tank 12 is a stainless steel sink having a predetermined depth downward from the upper surface 111A. The material of the cleaning tank 12 is not particularly limited, and it may be made of aluminum, enamel, concrete, synthetic resin, or the like.

[0037] The cleaning tank 12 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape surrounded by vertical surfaces on all four sides, and is formed to be long and wide in the left-right direction D3. The bottom plate 12B (see FIG. 2) of the cleaning tank 12 is formed in a shape that gently slopes downward from each of the front and rear edges of the bottom plate 12B toward the center of the bottom plate 12B in the front-rear direction D2.

[0038] A rectangular recessed storage section 71 extending in the left-right direction D3 is formed in the center of the bottom plate 12B in the front-rear direction D2. The storage section 71 is formed in a recessed shape that is recessed downward from the bottom plate 12B. A discharge port 72 (an example of an outlet of the present invention) that penetrates the bottom plate 12B is provided on the left side of the bottom surface of the storage section 71. A predetermined drain pipe 93 is connected to the discharge port 72.

[0039] A heater 39 is provided inside the reservoir 71. The heater 39 is an electric heater such as a halogen heater. The heater 39 is controlled by the control unit 100. In this embodiment, the heater 39 is controlled by the control unit 100 so that the temperature of the cleaning water in the cleaning tank 12 is maintained at a predetermined set temperature (for example, 40.0°C).

[0040] As shown in FIG. 4, the upper opening 71A of the storage section 71 is covered by two cover members 74. One cover member 74 covers the left portion of the upper opening 71A of the storage section 71, and the other cover member 74 covers the right portion of the upper opening 71A of the storage section 71. Furthermore, a central opening 71B located in the center of the upper opening 71A of the storage section 71 in the left-right direction D3 is not covered. Therefore, when cleaning water stored in the cleaning tank 12 is discharged, the cleaning water enters the storage section 71 from the cleaning tank 12 through the central opening 71B and is discharged from the storage section 71 to the outside via the discharge port 72. In this embodiment, the central opening 71B is located in the center of the bottom plate 12B of the cleaning tank 12.

[0041] As shown in Figure 1, a sensor box 76 is provided on the front wall 12C of the cleaning tank 12. A temperature sensor 41 and a water level sensor 42 are provided inside the sensor box 76. The sensor box 76 is formed in a rectangular box shape and is configured to draw in and store cleaning water from the cleaning tank 12. A communication hole is formed in the front wall 12C, and the cleaning tank 12 and the sensor box 76 are in communication with each other through the communication hole.

[0042] The temperature sensor 41 detects the temperature of the wash water in the sensor box 76. The water level sensor 42 detects that the liquid level of the wash water has reached a predetermined height position set in the sensor box 76. Both the temperature sensor 41 and the water level sensor 42 are electrically connected to the control unit 100, and the detection values ​​(detection signals) of the temperature sensor 41 and the water level sensor 42 are transmitted to the control unit 100.

[0043] The lifting mechanism 30 constitutes the rack movement mechanism of the present invention. The lifting mechanism 30 is provided inside the lower main body 111. In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 30 is a reciprocating hydraulic rod cylinder. The lifting mechanism 30 has a cylinder body 31 filled with hydraulic oil and a piston rod 32 slidably supported by the cylinder body 31. In this embodiment, two lifting mechanisms 30 are provided in the device main body 11. Specifically, each lifting mechanism 30 is provided in the device main body 11 at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction D3. Note that the lifting mechanism 30 is not limited to the rod cylinder. The lifting mechanism 30 may be a hydraulic actuator, a compressed air actuator, an electric actuator, or the like, as long as it is configured to move the piston rod 32 in the up-down direction D1.

[0044] Internal frames 121, 122 extending in the left-right direction D3 are fixed to the lower main body 111. The internal frames 121, 122 are provided at a predetermined distance in the up-down direction D1. The cylinder main body 31 of the lifting mechanism 30 has its lower end fixed to the lower internal frame 121 and its upper end fixed to the upper internal frame 122 so that the piston rod 32 protrudes vertically upward.

[0045] The hydraulic pump 33 is provided in the lower body 111. The cylinder body 31 and the hydraulic pump 33 are connected by oil supply piping (not shown). The hydraulic pump 33 supplies hydraulic oil to the piston operating chambers (up operating chamber and down operating chamber) in the cylinder body 31 via the oil supply piping, and extracts hydraulic oil from the piston operating chambers.

[0046] The hydraulic pump 33 is driven and controlled by the lift control unit 110. The cylinder body 31 is divided into an ascending working chamber (cap-side piston working chamber) into which hydraulic oil is injected when the rod is ascending, and a descending working chamber (rod-side piston working chamber) into which hydraulic oil is injected when the rod is descending. When the hydraulic pump 33 is driven in the forward direction and hydraulic oil is pumped from the hydraulic pump 33 to the ascending working chamber, the hydraulic pressure in the ascending working chamber increases and the amount of oil also increases. As a result, the hydraulic oil presses the piston (not shown) of the piston rod 32, causing the piston rod 32 to move upward. At this time, hydraulic oil is discharged from the descending working chamber.

[0047] Furthermore, when the hydraulic pump 33 is driven in the reverse direction and the hydraulic oil is pumped from the hydraulic pump 33 to the lowering working chamber, the hydraulic pressure in the lowering working chamber increases and the amount of oil also increases. As a result, the hydraulic oil presses the piston (not shown) of the piston rod 32 in the direction opposite to the upward direction, causing the piston rod 32 to move downward. At this time, the hydraulic oil is discharged from the upward working chamber.

[0048] When the hydraulic pressure in the piston working chamber is maintained, the piston rod 32 is maintained in that position.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 1, the piston rod 32 protrudes upward from the cylinder body 31, penetrates the upper surface 111A of the lower body 111, and extends further upward than the upper end of the upper body 112. A slide support part 77 made of polyacetal with high slideability is attached to a through-hole (not shown) formed in the upper surface 111A so that the piston rod 32 can slide smoothly in the up-down direction D1. In addition, a slide support part 78 is also provided at the upper end of the upper body 112, supporting the piston rod 32 so that it can slide in the up-down direction D1. As a result, the pair of piston rods 32 are arranged at a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction D3.

[0050] The lower body 111 is provided with a rack support section 80 for supporting the rack 13. The rack support section 80 constitutes the rack movement mechanism of the present invention, and constitutes the rack movement mechanism of the present invention together with the above-mentioned lifting mechanism 30. The rack support section 80 has a support bar 81 and a pair of support arms 82. The support bar 81 is a long, rectangular columnar member extending in the left-right direction D3, and both ends thereof are fixed to each piston rod 32 so as to bridge each piston rod 32 in the left-right direction D3. The pair of support arms 82 protrude forward from the support bar 81. The base ends of the support arms 82 are fixed to the support bar 81. The pair of support arms 82 are spaced a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction D3.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 5 , the rack 13 is formed in a net-like shape using stainless steel wire or the like, and is open at the front. In this embodiment, the rack 13 is configured to be detachable from the rack support part 80. The rack 13 is configured with a bottom part 13A on which multiple medical instruments to be cleaned, such as scalpels and forceps, are placed, left and right side parts, and a rear part on the rear side. A downward-facing hook-shaped locking part 131 is formed at the upper end of the rear part, and similar locking parts 132 are formed at the upper ends of both side parts. The locking part 131 of the rack 13 is supported by being hooked onto the upper end of the support bar 81, and the locking part 132 of the rack 13 is supported by a pair of support arms 82. Note that the rack 13 does not necessarily have to be detachable from the rack support part 80, but may also be fixed to the rack support part 80.

[0052] When the piston rod 32 moves in the vertical direction D1, the support arm 82 moves in the vertical direction D1 in accordance with the movement. As a result, the rack 13 supported by the rack support part 80 also moves in the same direction. The movement range of the support arm 82 is a range in which it can move between a predetermined set position (an example of a first position of the present invention) and a predetermined cleaning position (an example of a second position of the present invention).

[0053] The set position is the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 2. More specifically, the set position is a position where the rack 13 is placed above (outside) the opening 12A of the cleaning tank 12 with the rack 13 supported by the rack support part 80. The set position may be any position where an operator can support the rack 13 on the rack support part 80, and may be any position where at least the upper part of the rack 13 is exposed above (outside) the opening 12A.

[0054] The cleaning position is the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 3. More specifically, the cleaning position is a position where the rack 13 is accommodated inside the cleaning tank 12 while being supported by the rack support part 80. When the rack 13 is placed at the cleaning position, the medical instruments placed on the rack 13 are immersed in cleaning water while the cleaning tank 12 is filled with cleaning water up to a specified water level.

[0055] In addition, a weight may be attached to the support bar 81 to increase the downward load, so that the hydraulic oil can be easily drained from the lifting working chamber when descending, and the piston rod 32 can move downward more easily.

[0056] In the cleaning apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the operator can manually move the rack 13 in the vertical direction D1. Specifically, when the operator presses the up button 56 on the main screen 50, an up signal (first movement request) to raise the support arm 82 is input to the control unit 100. As a result, if a rack 13 is attached to the support arm 82, the rack 13 rises until it reaches the set position. On the other hand, when the operator presses the down button 57 on the main screen 50, a down signal (second movement request) to lower the support arm 82 is input to the control unit 100. As a result, the rack 13 descends until it reaches the cleaning position. Note that when the stop button 54 is pressed, the raising or lowering of the rack 13 stops.

[0057] In this way, the rack 13 can be moved to any position in the vertical direction D1 by the operator operating the main screen 50, eliminating the need to lift the heavy rack 13 containing multiple medical instruments up to the opening 12A of the cleaning tank 12, as was conventional, and also eliminating the need to place the rack 13 inside the cleaning tank 12 while lifting it up. This reduces the workload when setting the rack 13 containing medical instruments in the cleaning tank 12.

[0058] The lifting mechanism 30 is provided with a displacement sensor 43. The displacement sensor 43 detects the amount of movement of the piston rod 32. The displacement sensor 43 is electrically connected to the control unit 100, and the detection value (detection signal) of the displacement sensor 43 is transmitted to the control unit 100.

[0059] 6, the control unit 100 is an arithmetic processing unit having a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, an EEPROM 104, etc., and controls the cleaning apparatus 10 in an integrated manner. A control program is stored in the ROM 102, and the CPU 101 reads and executes the control program to perform the cleaning process (see FIGS. 12 to 14), which will be described later. The cleaning process and the operation of the cleaning apparatus 10 will be described later.

[0060] Control devices such as a lift control unit 110, a water supply solenoid valve 34, a first electric three-way valve 35, a second electric three-way valve 36, a drain solenoid valve 37, a heater 39, a circulation pump 40, an operation display unit 45, a temperature sensor 41, a water level sensor 42, and a displacement sensor 43 are connected to the control unit 100. The control unit 100 is configured to be able to communicate signals and data with each of the above-mentioned control devices.

[0061] Furthermore, the lift control unit 110 is connected to the hydraulic pump 33. Upon receiving a control signal from the control unit 100, the lift control unit 110 drives the hydraulic pump 33 based on the control signal, thereby operating the lift mechanism 30.

[0062] Temperature sensor 41 detects the temperature of the cleaning water in cleaning tank 12, which is the detection target, and is composed of, for example, a resistance temperature detector, a thermocouple, or a thermistor. Temperature sensor 41 sends an electrical signal (temperature information) corresponding to the temperature of the cleaning water to control unit 100. In other words, temperature sensor 41 detects the temperature of the cleaning water in cleaning tank 12, converts the detected value into an electrical signal (temperature information), and sends it to control unit 100.

[0063] The control unit 100 displays the temperature information indicated by the electrical signal sent from the temperature sensor 41 in the temperature display frame 52 on the main screen 50. The control unit 100 also controls the heater 39 based on the electrical signal indicating the temperature of the wash water to adjust the temperature of the wash water. In this embodiment, the control unit 100 controls the heater 39 to heat so that the temperature of the wash water in the wash tub 12 is maintained at a predetermined set temperature (e.g., 40.0°C). The set temperature is stored in the EEPROM 104.

[0064] The water level sensor 42 is used to determine the level of the cleaning water stored in the cleaning tank 12. The water level sensor 42 is, for example, a float switch. In this embodiment, the water level sensor 42 detects that the liquid level of the cleaning water has reached a predetermined set height position determined in the sensor box 76. The water level sensor 42 sends an electrical signal (position information) corresponding to the set height position to the control unit 100. In other words, the water level sensor 42 detects that the level of the cleaning water in the cleaning tank 12 has reached the set height position, converts the detected value into an electrical signal (position information), and sends it to the control unit 100.

[0065] When the control unit 100 receives the electrical signal sent from the water level sensor 42 after water supply to the washing tank 12 has started, it determines whether a predetermined set time has elapsed since receiving the electrical signal, and if the set time has elapsed, it closes the water supply solenoid valve 34 to stop water supply. The set time is the time required for the amount of washing water to reach the amount required for the washing process in the washing device 10. The set time is stored in the EEPROM 104.

[0066] In this embodiment, an example in which the water level sensor 42 is provided inside the sensor box 76 will be described, but the water level sensor 42 may also be installed inside the cleaning tank 12. In this case, the water level sensor 42 is a sensor capable of detecting the amount of cleaning water stored in the cleaning tank 12, and may be, for example, a radio wave type water level gauge, an ultrasonic water level gauge, a float type water level gauge, a guided pulse type water level gauge, or a capacitance type water level gauge. In this case, the control unit 100 determines the amount of cleaning water stored based on the electrical signal sent from the water level sensor 42 and determines whether the amount has reached a predetermined set storage amount. The set storage amount is stored in the EEPROM 104.

[0067] The displacement sensor 43 detects the movement position of the piston rod 32 and is, for example, a distance measuring sensor consisting of a target (not shown) provided on the piston rod 32 and a pulse sensor (not shown) provided on the cylinder body 31. The pulse sensor receives a pulse wave that is emitted from the pulse sensor, reflected by the target, and returned, thereby detecting the movement position of the piston rod 32. The displacement sensor 43 sends an electric signal (movement position information) corresponding to the movement position of the piston rod 32 to the control unit 100. In other words, the displacement sensor 43 detects the movement position of the piston rod 32, converts the detected value into an electric signal (movement position information), and sends it to the control unit 100.

[0068] The control unit 100 controls the movement of the piston rod 32 in the up and down direction D1 based on the movement position indicated by the electrical signal sent from the displacement sensor 43. Specifically, the control unit 100 sends control signals to the elevation control unit 110, such as an ascending signal for ascending the piston rod 32, a stopping signal for stopping the piston rod 32 and maintaining its position, and a descending signal for descending the piston rod 32.

[0069] The lift control unit 110 drives or stops the hydraulic pump 33 based on various signals sent from the control unit 100, thereby controlling the movement of the piston rod 32 in the up and down direction D1.

[0070] In this embodiment, when the lift control unit 110 receives the rise signal, it drives the hydraulic pump 33 in the forward direction until the piston rod 32 reaches a first set position corresponding to the set position, thereby feeding hydraulic oil into the rise working chamber (piston working chamber) of the cylinder body 31 and extracting hydraulic oil from the fall working chamber (piston working chamber). Then, when the stop signal is issued from the control unit 100 after the piston rod 32 has reached the first set position, the lift control unit 110 stops the hydraulic pump 33 to maintain the hydraulic pressure in the piston working chamber of the cylinder body 31. The first set position is stored in the EEPROM 104.

[0071] Furthermore, upon receiving the descent signal, the lift control unit 110 drives the hydraulic pump 33 in the reverse direction until the piston rod 32 reaches a second set position corresponding to the cleaning position, thereby feeding hydraulic oil into the piston operating chamber (the descent operating chamber) and extracting hydraulic oil from the ascent operating chamber (the piston operating chamber). Then, when the stop signal is issued from the control unit 100 after the piston rod 32 has reached the second set position, the lift control unit 110 stops the hydraulic pump 33 and maintains the hydraulic pressure in the piston operating chamber of the cylinder body 31. The second set position is stored in the EEPROM 104.

[0072] As shown in Fig. 4, the cleaning tank 12 is provided with four inlets 85 (851 to 854). Each inlet 85 is provided at the lower part of the inner wall of the cleaning tank 12. The four inlets 85 can be classified into inlets 851 and 852, and inlets 853 and 854, depending on their uses. Note that the inlets 851 and 852 are an example of a first inlet of the present invention, and the inlets 853 and 854 are an example of a second inlet of the present invention.

[0073] The inlet 851 is provided in the side wall 12D on one side (right side) in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction D3) of the cleaning tank 12. More specifically, the inlet 851 is provided in the side wall 12D near the front end. The inlet 854 is provided in the side wall 12D. More specifically, the inlet 854 is provided in the side wall 12D near the rear end (opposite the position of the inlet 851) of the side wall 12D. In this case, the inlet 851 corresponds to the first inlet of the present invention, and the inlet 854 corresponds to the second inlet of the present invention.

[0074] The inlet 853 is provided in the side wall 12E on the other side (left side) in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction D3) of the cleaning tank 12. The side wall 12E faces the side wall 12D. More specifically, the inlet 853 is provided in the side wall 12E near the front end. In this case, the inlet 851 corresponds to the first inlet of the present invention, and the inlet 853 corresponds to the second inlet of the present invention.

[0075] Furthermore, the inlet 852 is provided in the side wall 12E. More specifically, the inlet 852 is provided in the vicinity of the rear end of the side wall 12E. In this case, the inlet 852 corresponds to a first inlet of the present invention, and the inlets 853 and 854 correspond to second inlets of the present invention.

[0076] In this embodiment, when flush water is being supplied from the inlets 851 and 852, the supply of water from the other inlets 853 and 854 is stopped. Also, when flush water is being supplied from the inlets 853 and 854, the supply of water from the other inlets 851 and 852 is stopped.

[0077] 7, a pipe 90 is connected to each of the four inlets 85. Pipe 90A connected to inlet 851 and pipe 90B connected to inlet 852 are each connected to a respective port of a three-way joint 87. The other port of the three-way joint 87 is connected to a normally open port (NO port) of the first motorized three-way valve 35, and a common port (COM port) of the first motorized three-way valve 35 is connected to the discharge port of the circulation pump 40.

[0078] When not energized, the first motorized three-way valve 35 opens a flow path (first flow path FL1) extending from the discharge port of the circulation pump 40 to the three-way joint 87 to allow water to pass through, and blocks a flow path (second flow path FL2) extending from the discharge port of the circulation pump 40 to the three-way joint 89. When the control unit 100 energizes the first motorized three-way valve 35, the first motorized three-way valve 35 blocks the first flow path FL1 and opens the second flow path FL2 to allow water to pass through.

[0079] The circulation pump 40 is a pump for liquid that sucks in liquid through an inlet and delivers it through a discharge port. Water supplied from a cold water or hot water supply port passes through a temperature control valve 86, is supplied to a water supply pipe 91, and then passes through the second motor-operated three-way valve 36 and piping 92 before entering the inlet of the circulation pump 40. The downstream end of the water supply pipe 91 is connected to a normally open port (NO port) of the second motor-operated three-way valve 36. The piping 92 also connects a common port (COM port) of the second motor-operated three-way valve 36 to the inlet of the circulation pump 40.

[0080] When not energized, the second motor-operated three-way valve 36 opens the water supply flow path from the water supply pipe 91 to the pipe 92 to allow water to pass through, and blocks the connection between the pipes 94 and 92. When the control unit 100 energizes the second motor-operated three-way valve 36, the second motor-operated three-way valve 36 blocks the water supply flow path and opens the circulation flow path from the pipe 94 to the pipe 92 to allow water to pass through.

[0081] A water supply electromagnetic valve 34 is provided in the water supply pipe 91. The water supply electromagnetic valve 34 is a normally closed type solenoid valve that closes the water supply pipe 91 when not energized, and opens the water supply pipe 91 to allow water to pass through when energized.

[0082] A drain pipe 93 is connected to the discharge port 72. The other end of the drain pipe 93 leads to the drain outlet via a three-way joint 88. A drain solenoid valve 37 is provided in the drain pipe 93 between the three-way joint 88 and the drain outlet. The drain solenoid valve 37 is a normally open type solenoid valve that opens the drain pipe 93 to allow water to pass through when not energized, and closes the drain pipe 93 when energized.

[0083] A pipe 94 is connected to the remaining port of the three-way joint 88. The other end of the pipe 94 is connected to a normally closed port (NC port) of the second motor-operated three-way valve .

[0084] When supplying water to the cleaning tank 12, when the water supply pipe 91 is opened by the water supply solenoid valve 34 and the circulation pump 40 is driven, the water supplied through the water supply pipe 91 and the piping 92 passes through the first electric three-way valve 35, the three-way joint 87, the piping 90A, 90B, and the first flow path FL1 (the flow path indicated by the dashed arrow in Figure 7) to the inlets 851, 852, and enters the cleaning tank 12 from each of the inlets 851, 852.

[0085] The pipe 90C connected to the inlet 853 and the pipe 90D connected to the inlet 854 are each connected to a port of a three-way joint 89. The other port of the three-way joint 89 is connected to a normally closed port (NC port) of the first motor-operated three-way valve 35.

[0086] Therefore, even if the circulation pump 40 is driven during the water supply operation to the cleaning tank 12, the flow path is blocked by the first electric three-way valve 35, so water is not supplied to the cleaning tank 12 from each of the inlets 853 and 854 through the second flow path FL2 (the flow path indicated by the dotted arrow in Figure 7) which passes through the first electric three-way valve 35, the three-way joint 89, and the pipes 90C and 90D to the inlets 853 and 854.

[0087] On the other hand, during the circulation operation for circulating the cleaning water stored in the cleaning tank 12, the water supply solenoid valve 34 is closed and the second motor-operated three-way valve 36 is energized. At this time, the circulation flow path from the outlet 72, the three-way joint 88, the second motor-operated three-way valve 36, and the piping 92 is opened to allow water to pass through. When the circulation pump 40 is driven in this state, the cleaning water in the cleaning tank 12 is sent to the circulation pump 40 through the cleaning tank 12, the outlet 72, the drain pipe 93, the piping 94, the second motor-operated three-way valve 36, and the piping 92, and then returned to the cleaning tank 12 through either the first flow path FL1 or the second flow path FL2.

[0088] Next, an example of the procedure of the cleaning process executed by the control unit 100 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of Figures 12 to 14, and the cleaning method of the present invention will be described. Here, Figures 12 and 13 are flowcharts showing an example of the procedure of the cleaning process, and Figure 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the automatic cleaning process. S11, S12, ... in the figures are numbers of the processing procedures (steps). The processing in each step is performed by the control unit 100, more specifically, by the CPU 101 executing the control program in the ROM 102.

[0089] The cleaning device 10 performs a cleaning operation to remove deposits from the medical instruments by immersing the rack 13 on which the medical instruments are placed in cleaning water stored in the cleaning tank 12 and generating a water flow in the cleaning water in that state. The cleaning process is executed by the control unit 100 to perform the cleaning operation.

[0090] The following description will be given taking as an example a cleaning process performed when the rack 13 is attached to the rack support part 80, when the rack 13 is placed in the cleaning position, and when the cleaning tank 12 is empty. Furthermore, when the cleaning device 10 is not activated, the water supply solenoid valve 34, the first electric three-way valve 35, the second electric three-way valve 36, and the drain solenoid valve are in a non-energized state.

[0091] As shown in Fig. 12, when the power switch 47 (see Fig. 1) is pressed and a start-up command is input to the cleaning device 10 (YES in S11), the control unit 100 turns on the power and starts up the cleaning device 10. In this state, the water supply solenoid valve 34 and the drain solenoid valve are closed.

[0092] In step S12, the control unit 100 controls the drain electromagnetic valve 37 to close the drain electromagnetic valve 37 (see FIG. 9). This allows the cleaning water to be stored in the cleaning tank 12.

[0093] Thereafter, the control unit 100 causes the touch panel 46 of the operation display unit 45 to display the main screen 50 (see FIG. 8(A)) (S13). When the main screen 50 is displayed, the operator can give operational instructions to the cleaning device 10 through the touch panel 46.

[0094] In step S14, the control unit 100 determines whether an operation start instruction has been input. When the operation button 53 on the main screen 50 is touched, the control unit 100 determines that the operation start instruction has been input. When the operation start instruction has been input, the control unit 100 controls the water supply solenoid valve 34 to open the water supply solenoid valve 34 (S15).

[0095] This causes the water supply operation to be performed in the cleaning device 10. That is, as shown in Fig. 9, cleaning water supplied from the water supply port and the hot water supply port passes through water supply pipe 91, second motor-operated three-way valve 36, and piping 92 to reach the suction port of circulation pump 40, and is then supplied by circulation pump 40 to cleaning tub 12 through first flow path FL1 (flow path indicated by dashed arrows in Fig. 7) which passes through first motor-operated three-way valve 35, three-way joint 87, and piping 90A and 90B to inlets 851 and 852. At this time, the second motor-operated three-way valve 36 opens the water supply flow path and closes the circulation flow path, so cleaning water is stored in cleaning tub 12.

[0096] In the next step S16, the control unit 100 determines whether a specified level of wash water has been stored in the washing tub 12 based on the detection signal from the water level sensor 42. For example, the control unit 100 determines that the specified level of wash water has been stored in the washing tub 12 when a predetermined set time has elapsed after receiving the detection signal from the water level sensor 42. When the specified level of wash water has been stored in the washing tub 12, the control unit 100 controls the water supply electromagnetic valve 34 to close the water supply electromagnetic valve 34 (S17).

[0097] Thereafter, in order to circulate the wash water, the control unit 100 controls the second motor-operated three-way valve 36 to switch the second motor-operated three-way valve 36 from the water supply flow path side to the circulation flow path side (S18), and further drives the circulation pump 40 (S19). The control unit 100 also controls the heater 39 to perform constant temperature control to maintain the wash water at a predetermined set temperature (S20).

[0098] 10, cleaning water maintained at the set temperature by the circulation pump 40 is supplied to the cleaning tank 12 through the first flow path FL1, and the cleaning water circulates through the circulation flow path that runs from the cleaning tank 12 to the circulation pump 40 via the outlet 72, piping 94, the second motor-operated three-way valve 36, and piping 92. In this case, cleaning water flows in from the inlets 851 and 852, causing a clockwise vortex of cleaning water in the cleaning tank 12. This vortex effectively removes deposits from the medical instruments in the rack 13.

[0099] Thereafter, the control unit 100 performs switching control to periodically switch the first motorized three-way valve 35 (S21). Specifically, the control unit 100 switches the first motorized three-way valve 35 at set time intervals to switch the circulation path of the cleaning water between a path that passes through the first flow path FL1 and a path that passes through the second flow path FL2.

[0100] 11 shows a state in which the first motor-operated three-way valve 35 is switched from the first flow path FL1 to the second flow path FL2. In this state, the circulation pump 40 supplies cleaning water maintained at the set temperature to the cleaning tank 12 through the second flow path FL2. In this state, cleaning water is supplied to the cleaning tank 12 through the second flow path FL2 and circulates through a circulation flow path that runs from the cleaning tank 12 to the outlet 72, piping 94, the second motor-operated three-way valve 36, and piping 92, leading to the circulation pump 40. In this state, cleaning water flows in through the inlets 853 and 854, generating a vortex of cleaning water rotating counterclockwise in the cleaning tank 12. In other words, in this embodiment, the first motor-operated three-way valve 35 is periodically switched to generate a vortex in the cleaning tank 12, and the direction of rotation of the vortex is reversed each time the first motor-operated three-way valve 35 is periodically switched. In this way, vortex currents with different rotation directions are periodically generated in the washing tank 12, so that deposits on the medical instruments in the rack 13 can be removed more effectively.

[0101] As shown in Fig. 13, in step S22, the control unit 100 determines whether the automatic cleaning operation is enabled. If the automatic cleaning operation is enabled, in the next step S23, the control unit 100 performs the automatic cleaning process according to the automatic cleaning mode. On the other hand, if the automatic cleaning operation is disabled, the control unit 100 displays the automatic cleaning setting screen 60 (Fig. 8(B)) on the touch panel 46 of the operation display unit 45 (S24).

[0102] By displaying the automatic cleaning setting screen 60, the operator can input settings for automatic cleaning operation to the cleaning apparatus 10 via the touch panel 46. For example, when the automatic lift setting is changed to "ON" in the automatic lift setting frame 63 on the automatic cleaning setting screen 60, and the rack reciprocating operation setting is changed to "ON" in the rack reciprocating operation setting frame 64, and further, a movement width and a standby time are input, the control unit 100 determines that an automatic cleaning instruction has been input (S25). In this case, in the next step S23, the control unit 100 performs automatic cleaning processing according to the automatic cleaning mode.

[0103] If a timeout occurs without an automatic cleaning command being input in step S25, the control unit 100 continues the cleaning operation in the manual cleaning mode without performing the automatic cleaning operation. In other words, the control unit 100 performs the cleaning operation in accordance with the operation input to the operation display unit 45.

[0104] In step S27, when a cleaning end command is input, the control unit 100 stops the circulation pump 40 and the heater 39. Thereafter, in order to drain the cleaning water from the cleaning tank 12, the control unit 100 controls the drain electromagnetic valve 37 to open the drain passage. This causes the cleaning water to be drained.

[0105] The automatic cleaning process will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0106] 14, in step S41, the control unit 100 outputs the raising signal to the lift control unit 110 to raise the support arm 82. Thereafter, the control unit 100 determines whether the support arm 82 has reached the set position where the rack 13 can be set (S42), and if the set position has been reached, stops the raising of the support arm 82 and causes the support arm 82 to be held at the set position. Thereafter, the control unit 100 outputs a preparation completion notification indicating that preparations for attaching the rack 13 to the support arm 82 have been completed (S43). The preparation completion notification can be an indicator light displayed on the operation display unit 45, a notification sound output from a speaker, or the like.

[0107] In this state, the worker can attach the rack 13 containing the medical instruments to the support arm 82.

[0108] When the installation of the rack 13 is completed, the worker touches the operation button 53 on the main screen 50. When the operation button 53 is touched, the control unit 100 determines that a cleaning start command has been input (S44). Thereafter, the control unit 100 outputs the lowering signal to the elevation control unit 110 to lower the support arm 82 (S45).

[0109] Thereafter, the control unit 100 determines whether the rack 13 has reached the cleaning position (S46), and if so, stops the lowering of the support arm 82, holds the support arm 82 at the cleaning position, and starts counting a predetermined cleaning time (S47).

[0110] In the next step S48, the control unit 100 performs a process of moving the rack 13 up and down at regular time intervals. Specifically, while the medical instruments are being washed, the control unit 100 moves the rack 13 back and forth between the washing position and a set position (an example of the third position of the present invention) that is determined between the washing position and the opening 12A. For example, as shown in FIG. 8(B), if the movement width in the up-down direction D1 is set to 30 mm, the set position is a position 30 mm above the washing position.

[0111] As the rack 13 moves back and forth in the up-and-down direction D1 while the cleaning water is being circulated, in addition to vortex currents of different directions, a water current corresponding to the reciprocating direction of the rack 13 is also generated within the cleaning tank 12. That is, when the rack 13 is rising toward the set position, an upward rising current is generated above and below the bottom surface 13A of the rack 13, and a downward water current is generated on the side of the rack 13. On the other hand, when the rack 13 is descending toward the cleaning position, a downward falling current is generated above and below the bottom surface 13A of the rack 13, and an upward water current is generated on the side of the rack 13.

[0112] In this way, not only are vortex currents generated in different rotation directions, but also water currents corresponding to the reciprocating direction of the rack 13 are generated, so that the water currents hit the deposits on the medical instruments in the rack 13 from all directions, resulting in more effective removal of the deposits. That is, with conventional cleaning devices, when multiple medical instruments are stacked on top of each other on the rack 13, a unidirectional water current may not adequately remove deposits from medical instruments that are hidden by other medical instruments. However, with the cleaning device 10 of this embodiment, multiple water currents are generated alternately, so that the deposits can be efficiently removed from multiple medical instruments.

[0113] 8(B), if the waiting time after movement is set to 10 seconds, the control unit 100 holds the rack 13 at the set position for 10 seconds after it reaches the set position, and then lowers the rack 13. Furthermore, after the rack 13 reaches the cleaning position from the set position, the control unit 100 holds the rack 13 at that position for 10 seconds, and then raises the rack 13 toward the set position.

[0114] In the next step S49, the control unit 100 determines whether the set cleaning time has elapsed. If it is determined that the cleaning time has elapsed, the control unit 100 outputs the lift signal to the elevation control unit 110 to lift the support arm 82 to the set position (S50, S51). Thereafter, the control unit 100 outputs a cleaning completion notification indicating that cleaning has been completed (S53).

[0115] It should be noted that when the rack 13 is removed and then attached to the support arm 82 again, and an operation start command is input, the processing from step S45 onwards is repeated.

[0116] As described above, in this embodiment, the cleaning apparatus 10 is provided with the lifting mechanism 30 and rack support unit 80 that support the rack 13 so that it can be moved between the set position and the cleaning position. Furthermore, when the up button 56 and the down button 57 are operated, the control unit 100 and the lifting control unit 110 control the lifting mechanism 30 to move the rack 13 between the set position and the cleaning position. This reduces the workload when setting the medical instruments to be cleaned together with the rack 13 in the cleaning tank 12.

[0117] In addition, in the cleaning device 10, cleaning water is supplied by alternately switching between a flow path through which cleaning water is supplied to the cleaning tank 12 via the first flow path FL1 and a flow path through which cleaning water is supplied to the cleaning tank 12 via the second flow path FL2, so that vortex currents with different rotation directions are generated alternately in the cleaning tank 12. This allows for more effective removal of deposits from medical instruments in the rack 13.

[0118] Furthermore, since the rack 13 is moved back and forth between the cleaning position and the set position during cleaning, a water flow of cleaning water corresponding to the reciprocating movement in the up and down direction D1 is generated in the cleaning tank 12. As a result, the water flows in multiple directions hit the medical instruments in the rack 13, so that deposits on the medical instruments can be removed more effectively.

[0119] In the above embodiment, the cleaning tank 12 is configured to have four inlets 85 (851 to 854), but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the cleaning tank 12 may have only the side wall 12D formed with the inlets 851 and 854. Alternatively, the cleaning tank 12 may have only the side wall 12E formed with the inlets 852 and 853. Alternatively, the cleaning tank 12 may have only one inlet 851 formed in the side wall 12D and one inlet 853 formed in the side wall 12E. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 10: Cleaning equipment 11: Device body 111: Lower body 112: Upper body 12: Cleaning tank 12A:Aperture 13: Rack 30: Lifting mechanism 31: Cylinder body 32: Piston rod 33: Hydraulic pump 34: Water supply solenoid valve 35: First electric three-way valve 36: Second electric three-way valve 37: Drain solenoid valve 39: Heater 40: Circulation pump 41: Temperature sensor 42: Water level sensor 43: Displacement sensor 45: Operation display section 46: Touch panel 50: Main screen 60: Automatic cleaning setting screen 71: Storage section 72: Outlet 76: Sensor box 80: Rack support part 85:Inlet 851:Inlet 852:Inlet 853:Inlet 854:Inlet 86: Temperature control valve 100: Control unit 110: Lift control section

Claims

1. A cleaning device capable of cleaning medical instruments, a cleaning tank in which cleaning water is stored; a rack on which a plurality of medical instruments can be placed; a rack moving mechanism that supports the rack so that the rack can move between a first position that is disposed outside the cleaning tank and a second position that is accommodated inside the cleaning tank and where the rack is immersed in the cleaning water stored in the cleaning tank; a rack drive control unit that applies a driving force from a drive source to the rack moving mechanism to move the rack between the first position and the second position, The cleaning tank is provided with an outlet, a first inlet, and a second inlet, The cleaning device is an electrically operated three-way valve having a first output port connected to a first flow path leading to the first inlet and a second output port connected to a second flow path leading to the second inlet, the three-way valve being switchable between the first output port and the second output port; a circulation pump having an intake port connected to the outlet port and an outlet port connected to the inlet port of the motor-operated three-way valve; a flow path control unit that drives the circulation pump and controls the electric three-way valve to alternately switch between the first output port and the second output port, thereby periodically generating vortex flows with different rotational directions in the cleaning tank.

2. The rack drive control unit is 2. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rack is moved to the first position when a first movement request to move the rack to the first position is input, and the rack is moved to the second position when a second movement request to move the rack to the second position is input.

3. The rack drive control unit The cleaning device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rack is reciprocated between the second position and a predetermined third position defined between the second position and an opening of the cleaning tank during cleaning of the medical instruments.

4. the first inlet is provided at one end of a predetermined side wall of the cleaning tank in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the second inlet is provided at an end of the predetermined sidewall opposite to the first inlet.

5. The cleaning tank is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the first inlet is provided at one end of a predetermined side wall of the cleaning tank in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the second inlet is provided at an end of another side wall opposite the predetermined side wall, in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction.

6. The cleaning tank is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the first inlet is provided at one end of a predetermined side wall of the cleaning tank in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, and at the other end of another side wall opposite the predetermined side wall in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, 4. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the second inlet is provided at an end of the predetermined side wall on the other side in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, and at an end of the other side wall on one side in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction.

7. A cleaning method applicable to the cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: A cleaning method comprising the step of controlling the electric three-way valve to alternately switch the destination of the cleaning water sucked in from the outlet by the circulation pump to the first inlet and the second inlet while the medical instrument is being cleaned, thereby generating alternate water flows from the first inlet and water flows from the second inlet within the cleaning tank, thereby periodically generating vortex flows with different rotational directions within the cleaning tank.

8. A cleaning method as described in claim 7, further comprising a step of moving the rack back and forth between the second position and a third position located a distance in front of the second position and the opening of the cleaning tank, thereby generating a water flow according to the direction of the reciprocating movement.

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