JP2767569B2 - Pressure leak prevention structure in sterilizer chamber - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a high-pressure steam sterilizer (hereinafter referred to as a "sterilizer") for sterilizing medical equipment using saturated steam. The present invention relates to a pressure leakage prevention structure for a concave portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to sterilize medical equipment,
A sterilizer using high-pressure steam generated by storing water in a fixed container and heating the water with a heater or the like is used. Such sterilizers are "watering, working, sterilizing,
Drying and completion "are performed. In order to fill the inside of the sterilizer chamber for accommodating the object to be sterilized with high-pressure steam in these steps, it is necessary to seal the sterilizer chamber, and the concave portion provided on the outer periphery of the lid of the chamber faces the opening edge of the chamber. And packing is provided.

[0003]

However, in such a sealed structure using a conventional packing, as shown in FIG. 6, while the sterilizer is being used, saturated steam having an excellent permeation power is applied to the lid 4. Into the gap between the concave portion 4a and the bottom of the packing 5, and further expands therein, and water droplets remaining in the gap expand by heating for sterilization.

As a result, the space between the packing 5 and the recess 4a in which the packing 5 is inserted is enlarged as shown in FIG. And the pressure inside the chamber 3 leaks to the outside even if the lid 4 is closed.

According to the present invention, even if water droplets or the like entering the gap between the concave portion 4a of the lid 4 into which the packing 5 is inserted and the bottom of the packing 5 are expanded by heating, the expanded steam is removed from the lid 4.
The above-mentioned problem is solved by providing a structure to escape to the outside.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a high-pressure steam sterilizer in which a chamber is hermetically sealed by a packing inserted into a concave portion formed along an inner peripheral edge of a lid. The recess has a small-diameter groove along which the packing does not enter, and a hole that penetrates the lid from the appropriate portion of the groove to the outside of the lid to provide a pressure leak prevention structure in the sterilizer chamber.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the sterilizer main body 1 has a door 2 at the front thereof which is openable and closable in a horizontal direction with a left end as an axis. A disk-shaped lid 4 for closing the opening of the chamber 3 to be locked is provided. A substantially cylindrical chamber 3 with a bottom for storing the object to be sterilized is provided at a substantially central portion inside the sterilizer main body 1, and a rod-shaped heater 3 a is provided at the bottom of the chamber 3. Next to 3, a water storage tank (not shown) is provided in communication with the chamber 3.

The packing 5 of the cover 4 is inserted into a circumferential recess 4a provided at an edge of the cover 4, and the packing 5 is provided.
Is pressed against the opening edge of the chamber 3 when the lid 4 is closed to hermetically close the chamber 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, a circumferential recess 4 of the lid 4 is provided.
A semicircular cross-sectional groove 6 is similarly provided circumferentially along the concave portion 4a at the bottom of a, and a through-hole 7 is formed from the semicircular cross-sectional groove 6 so that the lid 4 faces outward. I have.

When the power switch of the sterilizer main body 1 is turned on, the water supplied from the water storage tank into the chamber 3 is heated by the heater 3a. After that, the water becomes steam, the volume expands, and the inside of the chamber 3 becomes pressurized. However, since the inside of the chamber 3 is kept confidential by the packing 5 provided on the lid 4, the sterilization of the object to be sterilized smoothly. Is what you do.

During the repetition of such a sterilization process, saturated steam having excellent osmotic force may enter between the bottom of the packing 5 and the concave portion 4a provided in the lid 4, or the gap may already exist in these gaps. The water droplets that have penetrated into the container become steam due to the heating in the sterilization process, so that the volume expands.

However, even if these vapors and residual water droplets expand, the concave section 4a for inserting the packing 5 of the lid 4 is provided with the semicircular cross-sectional groove 6 so that these vapors have a semicircular cross section. It reaches the through hole 7 through the groove 6 and is discharged from the through hole 7 to the outside.

In the above embodiment, a semicircular groove is provided at the bottom of the concave portion 4a for inserting the packing 5 of the chamber lid 4, but this is effective according to the shape of the concave portion and the packing to be inserted. It can be provided at any arbitrary position. Although a semicircular groove is provided in the cross section, the groove may have a square or triangular cross section as long as the groove has a small diameter into which the packing 5 cannot enter. Further, the through hole 7 provided in the small-diameter groove is provided at one or a plurality of positions.

[0015]

According to the pressure leakage prevention structure in the chamber according to the present invention, a groove is inserted in advance into the concave portion into which the packing of the lid is inserted, along the concave portion and from an appropriate portion of the groove toward the outside of the lid. Since the holes are provided, even if steam or residual water droplets entering the gap between the bottom of the packing and the concave portion expands due to heating, such pressure passes through the grooves and is collected in the through-holes. Released to the outside. Therefore, even if the steam or the remaining water droplets entering the gap are heated, the packing inserted in the lid is not deformed,
The confidentiality inside the chamber is not broken.

[0016] Therefore, since the inside of the chamber is kept sealed for a long period of time, the sterilizer can be used for a long period of time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing a structure for preventing pressure leakage between a lid in which packing is inserted and a chamber opening edge in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a chamber used in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a sterilizer used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 3 of the sterilizer used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the sterilizer used in the embodiment of the present invention, taken along line BB in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional enlarged view showing a sealed state of a lid having a conventional packing inserted therein and a chamber opening edge.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which water droplets remaining in a gap between a concave portion of the lid and the bottom of the packing expand and push the bottom of the packing open in the conventional chamber lid.

[Explanation of Signs] 1 Sterilizer main body 3 Chamber 4 Lid 5 Packing 6 Semicircular cross-sectional groove 7 Through hole

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A high-pressure steam sterilizer that seals a chamber with a gasket inserted into a concave portion formed along an inner peripheral edge of a lid, wherein the gasket is inserted along the concave portion into which the gasket is inserted. A pressure leakage prevention structure in a sterilizer chamber, characterized in that a small-diameter groove in which the packing does not enter is provided, and a hole penetrating from the appropriate portion of the groove to the outside of the lid is provided.