Sterilization device for sterilizing medical or surgical instrument for dental usage, has sterilization indicator provided with photon detection unit for detecting photons emitted in sterilization chamber through plasma

摘要

#CMT# #/CMT# The device has a gas injecting unit (1) i.e. conduit, for nitrogen flow transversing an enclosure (2) under vacuum subjected to an electric field produced by a micro-wave generator (3) to produce the plasma of the nitrogen. A sterilization chamber (4) i.e. post-discharge chamber, receives the plasma in a post-discharge area, and a sterilization indicator (17) is provided with a photon detection unit for detecting photons emitted in the sterilization chamber through the plasma. The sterilization indicator is used for detecting photons having a wavelength of 580 nanometer (Nm). #CMT# : #/CMT# An independent claim is also included for a method for indicating the presence of a given quantity of nitrogen atoms in a post-discharge plasma during sterilization process. #CMT#USE : #/CMT# Device for sterilizing medical or surgical instrument for dental usage by using detection photons emitted in a post-discharge plasma obtained from gas containing nitrogen (claimed). #CMT#ADVANTAGE : #/CMT# The sterilization indicator is provided with the photon detection unit for detecting the nitrogen atoms present in the post-discharge plasma in contact with the whole of the sterilization chamber, thus assuring that the rate of nitrogen atoms produced in the post-discharge zone is sufficient to reach a sterilizing effect. The indicator has function with the post-discharge plasmas obtained from gas comprising mixture of nitrogen with other species and obtained from nitrogen/hydrogen or argon/nitrogen. #CMT#DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : #/CMT# The drawing shows a schematic view of a device with a sterilization indicator for sterilizing medical or surgical instrument for dental usage. 1 : Gas injecting unit 2 : Enclosure 3 : Micro-wave generator 4 : Sterilization chamber 17 : Sterilization indicator.