US 12,108,940 B2
Apparatus for decontaminating equipment having internal channels (lumens)
Alain Chouinard, Quebec (CA); Louis Martineau, Levis (CA); Nicolas Verreault, Quebec (CA); and Maxime Robert, L'Ancienne-Lorette (CA)
Assigned to STERIS Inc., Temecula, CA (US)
Filed by STERIS INC., Temecula, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 9, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/924,361.
Application 16/924,361 is a division of application No. 15/652,313, filed on Jul. 18, 2017, granted, now 10,772,491.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/365,615, filed on Jul. 22, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0337543 A1, Oct. 29, 2020
Int. Cl. A61B 1/12 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61L 2/18 (2006.01); A61L 2/22 (2006.01); A61L 2/24 (2006.01); A61L 2/26 (2006.01); B08B 9/023 (2006.01); B08B 9/032 (2006.01); G01M 3/02 (2006.01); G01M 3/28 (2006.01); A61B 90/70 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 1/125 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00057 (2013.01); A61B 1/00059 (2013.01); A61B 1/123 (2013.01); A61L 2/18 (2013.01); A61L 2/22 (2013.01); A61L 2/24 (2013.01); A61L 2/26 (2013.01); B08B 9/023 (2013.01); B08B 9/0323 (2013.01); B08B 9/0325 (2013.01); B08B 9/0328 (2013.01); G01M 3/02 (2013.01); G01M 3/2853 (2013.01); A61B 90/70 (2016.02); A61L 2202/15 (2013.01); A61L 2202/17 (2013.01); A61L 2202/24 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A washer/disinfector for washing and disinfecting instruments, said washer including:
a housing defining a chamber;
spray arms disposed in said chamber, said spray arms for spraying a fluid in said chamber;
a rack dimensioned to be received within said chamber for holding medical instruments to be washed and disinfected, said rack movable between a first position within said chamber and a second position extending from said chamber;
an apparatus for testing and/or cleaning one or more channels or lumens in a medical instrument, the apparatus including one or more ports and a controller operatively coupled to the one or more ports;
an elongated flexible connector having one or more passageways extending therethrough, said flexible connector having a first end connectable to said one or more ports and a second end connectable to one or more channels or lumens of a medical instrument in said rack, said flexible connector being movable with said rack as said rack moves between said first position and said second position, wherein said controller is configured to
determine an individual flow coefficient through each channel or lumen in said medical instrument;
determine a pair flow coefficient for a selected pair of channels or lumens;
compare said pair flow coefficient for said selected pair to a sum of individual flow coefficients of the channels or lumens forming said pair; and
determine said pair of channels or lumens merge when said pair flow coefficient for said selected pair is less than said sum of individual flow coefficients forming said pair.