Condensate outlet valve for sterilising container - in which valve is operated by series of discs which snap from one position to another when certain temps. are reached

摘要

A sterilising container condensate outlet valve opens when a certain temp. is reached and remains open until the temp. falls below a certain level during the drying phase. The valve temp. sensor consists of an arrangement of discs (28) which snap from one position to another when certain temps. are reached. The discs bear on one side against the valve disc (26) and on the other side against a fixed stop (36), and are located in a sleeve (30) which holds the valve disc and can be moved axially. This sleeve is normally held in the valve open position, and is located externally by a ring (32) around the outlet (24) on the container floor (18) and internally by the fixed stop (36). The opening spring (42) is in the form of a coil spring surrounding the sleeve and bearing at one end on the ring (32) and at the other on a flange (40) on the sleeve. USE/ADVANTAGE - Used in containers for sterilising surgical instruments, etc. The valve remains tightly closed so that the vacuum in the container at the end of the sterilising process is not lost.