GB1588500A

GB1588500A - Automatic washing machine for medical equipment

Info

Publication number: GB1588500A
Application number: GB2437478A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Draegerwerk AG and Co KGaA
Current assignee: Draegerwerk AG and Co KGaA
Priority date: 1977-07-12
Filing date: 1978-05-30
Publication date: 1981-04-23
Also published as: FR2397196B1; DE2731362B1; CH631642A5; DK149799B; DK149799C; DK241578A; NL7805738A; FR2397196A1; DE2731362C2

Abstract

In the automatic washer, the equipment (3) is suspended freely in magazines (10) above an elastic magazine receiver (9) in a frame and is set into shaking motion in a vertical direction. To this end the magazine receiver is fastened via springs (8) on the frame and is in jolting contact with a nozzle system (2) connected elastically to the water feedline (14) and air feedline (15), which nozzle system is excited vertically by oscillation generators (11). The water adhering to the equipment (3) is thereby shaken off both externally and internally. The drying process is reduced to approximately 25% of the drying time hitherto required. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE FOR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (71) We, DRAGERWERK AKTIENGES ELLSCHAFT, a German company, of Moislinger Allee 53-55, 2400 Lübeck, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to an automatic washing machine for cleansing, disenfecting and drying medical equipment.

The cleansing, disinfecting and drying of medical equipment, for example respirator masks, flexible hoses and respirator bags, require a considerable amount of time. The overall time is determined to a large extent by the time of the drying process. The deep folds in the corrugated hoses are particularly difficult to dry as water remains in the folds of the hoses for a long time.

What is required is to effect with maximum simplicity the necessary cleansing, disinfecting and drying of medical equipment such as respirator masks, corrugated hoses and respirator bags in an automatic manner and, whilst carrying out this task reliably, to keep the time required to the minimum possible.

According to the present invention there is provided an automatic washing machine for cleansing, disinfecting and drying medical equipment, which includes a main frame, a subframe which is resiliently mounted and which is capable of carrying medical equipment, and means for importing a vibratory motion to the subframe.

Conveniently the washing machine includes a cabinet and the main frame is removable from the cabinet.

Preferably the subframe comprises a support by which a plurality of magazines may be supported in a detachable manner, which magazines are capable of supporting medical equipment.

Preferably the subframe is resiliently mounted with respect to the main frame.

Conveniently the subframe is resiliently secured to the main frame by springs and is during operation of the machine pressed by the springs against a nozzle assembly, which is resiliently connected with water and air feedlines, the means for imparting vibratory motion being one or more actuators capable of acting on the nozzle assembly.

The actuators may be pneumatic or hydraulic actuators, or they may be electrically driven.

In an automatic washing machine according to the present invention any pleated hoses suspended in the magazines are subjected to vibratory movement, and consequently, water adhereing to both the exterior and the interior of the hoses trickles down more quickly. The drying process, which is effected subsequent to preceding cleansing and disinfecting processes, by means of a hot air steam, may be shortened to approximately 25% of the drying time of some known automatic washing machines. Conse quently, the equipment is more rapidly available for use by the patients. Also there is a saving of energy corresponding to the saving of time.

In practice the magazines may be excited or energised by various means, such as air, water or electrical current, available for operating the automatic washing machine.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing which shows a vertical section through an embodiment of an automatic washing machine according to the present invention.

The automatic washing machine 1 serves for cleansing, disinfecting and drying medical equipment, and is provided with water and air feedlines of substantially conventional design. By means of a nozzle assembly 2, the interior of an item of equipment, for example a corrugated hose 3, may be treated and the exterior is treated by means of spraying wheels 4.

The equipment to be treated is indirectly attached to a main frame 5, which is displaceable on rollers, so as to be removable from an inner chamber 6 of the automatic washing machine 1. A subframe 9 is resiliently attached to sides 7 of the main frame 5 by springs 8. Magazines 10 are detachably secured to the subframe 9, and the corrugated hoses 3 are suspended from the magazines 10. Internal cleansing is effected by means of individual nozzles 12 of the nozzle assembly 2. The complete nozzle assembly 2, connected via bellows 13 with a water feedline 14 and an air feedline 15 can be lowered for that purpose. As the nozzle assembly 2 is lowered, it abuts the subframe 9 and compresses the springs 8. The individual nozzles 12 are either partially within the hoses 3 or between the hoses 3. The nozzle system 2 is adapted to be excited or vibrated in the vertical direction by actuators 11.As the nozzle assembly 2 abuts the subframe 9, the subframe 9 is also vibrated by the actuators 11. Due to these vibratory movements, the water adhereing to the interior and exterior of the hoses 3 trickes down more quickly than would be the case in the absence of such vibratory motion.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An automatic washing machine for cleansing, disinfecting and drying medical equipment which includes a main frame, a subframe which is resiliently mounted and which is capable of carrying medical equipment, and means for imparting a vibratory motion to the subframe.

2. An automatic washing machine as claimed in claim 1, which includes a cabinet, the main frame being removable from the interior of the cabinet.

3. An automatic washing machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the subframe comprises a support by which a plurality of magazines may be supported in a detachable manner, which magazines are capable of supporting medical equipment.

4. An automatic washing machine as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the subframe is resiliently mounted with respect to the main frame.

5. An automatic washing machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the subframe is resiliently secured to the main frame by springs and is during operation of the machine pressed by the springs against a nozzle assembly, which is resiliently connected with water and air feedlines, the means for imparting vibratory motion being one or more actuators capable of acting on the nozzle assembly.

6. An automatic washing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the actuators are pneumatic actuators.

7. An automatic washing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the actuators are hydraulic actuators.

8. An automatic washing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the actuators are electrically driven.

9. An automatic washing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. springs 8. Magazines 10 are detachably secured to the subframe 9, and the corrugated hoses 3 are suspended from the magazines 10. Internal cleansing is effected by means of individual nozzles 12 of the nozzle assembly 2. The complete nozzle assembly 2, connected via bellows 13 with a water feedline 14 and an air feedline 15 can be lowered for that purpose. As the nozzle assembly 2 is lowered, it abuts the subframe 9 and compresses the springs 8. The individual nozzles 12 are either partially within the hoses 3 or between the hoses 3. The nozzle system 2 is adapted to be excited or vibrated in the vertical direction by actuators 11. As the nozzle assembly 2 abuts the subframe 9, the subframe 9 is also vibrated by the actuators 11.Due to these vibratory movements, the water adhereing to the interior and exterior of the hoses 3 trickes down more quickly than would be the case in the absence of such vibratory motion. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An automatic washing machine for cleansing, disinfecting and drying medical equipment which includes a main frame, a subframe which is resiliently mounted and which is capable of carrying medical equipment, and means for imparting a vibratory motion to the subframe.