Water supply assembly for an autoclave

摘要

A water supply assembly is provided that includes a support cap, an inlet port and a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a valve, an outlet port and a float. The support cap has a shape that is configured to cover a reservoir opening into a reservoir of an autoclave, which reservoir opening has a maximum inner diameter that is between 1.5 and 3.0 inches. The float has a shape that is operative to pass through the reservoir opening and into the reservoir when the support cap is placed on the autoclave and is supported by the autoclave in a position to cover the reservoir opening of the autoclave. When the support cap is placed over the reservoir opening, with the float positioned in the reservoir, the inlet port extends outside the reservoir. The float is operative to move from a first position to a second position responsive to a decrease in a water level in the reservoir which causes the valve to open and enable water provided to the inlet port to pass out of the outlet port and into the reservoir.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a water supply assembly, wherein the water supply assembly includes:
a support cap, wherein the support cap includes:
a channel therethrough;an inlet port in operative supported connection with the support cap and in fluid communication with the channel;a valve assembly in operative supported connection with the support cap and in fluid communication with the channel,
wherein the valve assembly includes a valve, at least one outlet port and a valve actuator,wherein the support cap has a shape that is configured to cover a reservoir opening into a reservoir of an autoclave,
which autoclave is configured to consume water from the reservoir for use with sanitizing articles placed in the autoclave,wherein the valve actuator has a shape that is operative to pass through the reservoir opening and into the reservoir when the support cap is placed on the autoclave and is supported by the autoclave in a position to cover the reservoir opening of the autoclave,wherein when the support cap is placed on the autoclave and covers the reservoir opening with the float positioned in the reservoir:
the inlet port extends outside the reservoir;the valve actuator is operative responsive to a decrease in a water level in the reservoir to cause the valve to open and enable water provided to the inlet port to pass through the channel, out of the at least one outlet port and into the reservoir in order to cause an increase in the water level in the reservoir,the valve actuator is operative responsive to the increase in the water level in the reservoir to cause the valve to close and prevent water provided to the inlet port from passing through the channel, out of the at least one outlet port and into the reservoir.