Container Barrier Element for Microbial Deactivation Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid microbial deactivation systems for medical instruments are limited in maintaining a deactivated environment after removal from the deactivation process and lack efficient storage solutions for microbially deactivated items.
Innovation Solution
A container with a cup-shaped tray, lid, and valve assembly that includes a barrier element permeable to gas and water vapor but impermeable to liquid, bacteria, and organisms, allowing controlled fluid flow and maintaining a deactivated environment for instruments both during and after deactivation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a container is used to hold instruments during liquid microbial deactivation, then the instruments can be effectively deactivated, but the container cannot maintain the deactivated environment after removal from the deactivation system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a barrier element made of porous material that is permeable to gas and water vapor but impermeable to liquid, bacteria, and organisms. This allows the container to maintain a deactivated environment by filtering airborne contaminants while permitting breathability, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliability and managing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier element acts as an intermediary between the internal deactivated environment and the external environment. It mediates by selectively allowing gas and water vapor passage while blocking liquid, bacteria, and organisms, thereby maintaining the deactivated state without requiring a completely sealed complex structure.
2Reliability
If the container is sealed to maintain sterilization, then instruments remain sanitized, but gas and moisture cannot escape during the deactivation process
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier element's porous structure enables selective permeability - it remains effectively sealed against liquid, bacteria, and organisms while allowing gas and water vapor to pass through. This resolves the contradiction by providing a semi-permeable solution that maintains sterilization without completely blocking fluid circulation during deactivation.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier element provides different properties at different scales: at the macro level, it appears sealed to maintain sterilization, but at the micro level, its porous structure allows gas and moisture passage. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between sealing and circulation requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If existing deactivation systems are used, then instruments can be deactivated, but there is no efficient storage solution for microbially deactivated items
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed to serve multiple functions: it holds instruments during liquid microbial deactivation, maintains the deactivated environment through its barrier element, and provides ongoing storage for microbially deactivated items. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by integrating storage capability into the deactivation system without requiring separate complex storage infrastructure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The container effectively maintains medical instruments in a microbially deactivated state for an extended period and serves as a storage device, ensuring the instruments remain sanitized even after removal from the deactivation apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
The barrier element is comprised of a material that is permeable to gas and water vapor but impermeable to liquid, bacteria and organisms
Data Source
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AI summary
A container (800) for holding items to be microbially deactivated in a reprocessor. The container (800) is comprised of a generally cup shaped tray (812) having a bottom wall (814) and a continuous side wall (816) extending to one side from the periphery of the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the side wall defining a cavity (818) for receiving instruments and items to be microbially deactivated. A lid is attachable to the tray. The lid is dimensioned to cover the cavity. An inlet port is formed in the tray to communicate with the cavity. An outlet port is formed in the tray to communicate with the cavity. A barrier element (894) is disposed within one of the ports. The barrier element (894) controls flow through the one port. The barrier element (894) is comprised of a material that is permeable to gas and water vapor but impermeable to liquid, bacteria and organisms. The barrier element (894) is movable between a first position wherein fluid flow through the one port is restricted to flow through the barrier element a second position wherein fluid flow through the one port is unrestricted.