Sterilizer Safety Cabinet Transfer Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sterilization methods for medical instruments, particularly in dental practices, are inefficient due to the need for sterilization bags, which increase storage complexity, reduce sterilizer capacity, lead to unsatisfactory sterilization results, and result in unnecessary resource consumption and waste, as well as the limited shelf life and visibility issues of sealed instruments.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that allows medical instruments to be sterilized in an unpackaged state within a sterilizer and then stored in a safety workbench with a separate filling opening, connected to the sterilizer's discharge opening, maintaining sterility and reducing the need for additional packaging, while ensuring proper sterilization conditions and minimizing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If instruments are sterilized in sealed sterilization bags, then sterility is maintained during storage, but sterilizer capacity is reduced and sterilization results are unsatisfactory
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the sterilization function from the storage function. Instruments are sterilized unpacked in the sterilizer, then transferred to sealed storage containers only after sterilization is complete. This segmentation allows the sterilizer to operate at full capacity without the space constraints of pre-sealed bags.
Solution Approach 2:
Instruments are sterilized in their unpacked state before being placed in storage containers. This preliminary sterilization action eliminates the need for pre-sterilization sealing, allowing instruments to be sterilized in bulk and then packaged after the sterilization process.
2Reliability
If instruments are stored in sterilization bags, then sterility is maintained, but visibility and inventory overview are limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instruments are sterilized and identified while unpacked, allowing for proper inventory management and visual verification before packaging. Only after sterilization are they placed in sealed containers, ensuring both visibility during the sterilization preparation phase and sterility during storage.
3Loss of energy
If instruments are sterilized in unpacked state and transferred directly to safety cabinet, then resource consumption is reduced, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
A sealed transfer connection is provided between the sterilizer and safety cabinet, creating a controlled intermediary pathway. This allows unpacked instruments to be transferred without exposing them to the external environment, maintaining sterility while enabling resource-efficient processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer opening in the safety cabinet is sealed when not in use, extracting the potential contamination pathway. The sealed connection is only opened during the controlled transfer process, and immediately resealed afterward, eliminating exposure to harmful external factors.
4Reliability
If sterilization bags are used, then instruments are protected during storage, but waste and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instruments are sterilized in their unpacked state and only then placed in storage containers. This eliminates the need for pre-sterilization packaging, reducing waste from bags that would be discarded after a single use. Instruments can be reused multiple times without generating packaging waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The system eliminates the single-use sterilization bag paradigm. Instead of discarding bags after one use, instruments are sterilized unpacked and stored in reusable containers, recovering and reusing the storage vessels multiple times and eliminating continuous bag consumption.
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
This approach enhances sterilization efficiency, reduces resource consumption, minimizes waste, and maintains instrument sterility until immediate use, improving storage organization and reducing the risk of contamination and unsuitable tool usage.
Implementation Method 1
sterilizing medical instruments in a sterilizer, in particular in an unpackaged, in particular unwelded state
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for sterilizing medical instruments, comprising the steps: a. introducing material to be sterilized, comprising medical instruments to be sterilized, into a first interior space (11) of a sterilizer (1), in particular an autoclave; b. sterilizing the material to be sterilized in the sterilizer, in particular by means of a sterilization process of the sterilizer, to obtain sterile material comprising the medical instruments; c. removing the sterile material through a discharge opening (12) of the sterilizer; d. introducing the sterile material into a second interior space (21) of a safety cabinet (2), in particular a laminar flow box, through a filling opening (23) of the safety cabinet; e. storing the sterile material in the second interior space (21) of the safety cabinet; f. removing the sterile material through a removal opening of the safety cabinet; characterized in that g.that the discharge opening is or becomes connected to the filling opening, in particular in such a way that the discharge opening opens into and/or is guided into the filling opening, in particular protruding into the filling opening; and h. the sterile goods are only removed from the second interior space immediately before a medical, in particular dental, procedure in which the medical instruments are used.