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A method and apparatus for providing a disinfectant cycle of a medical device such as a dental device having an input water line with a main valve and a plurality of water lines extending to instruments with control valves characterized by an arrangement for injecting a disinfectant into the input l

A method and apparatus for providing a disinfectant cycle of a medical device such as a dental device having an input water line with a main valve and a plurality of water lines extending to instruments with control valves characterized by an arrangement for injecting a disinfectant into the input line downstream of the main valve and an arrangement for controlling the opening and closing of the various valves to enable replacing the water in the water lines with disinfectant, and subsequently flushing the disinfectant therefrom. The method and apparatus can include a device for dosing the water flowing through the water lines during usage with a disinfectant to retard growth of microorganisms and the apparatus can include a selector switch to select various modes of operation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for disinfecting water lines of a medical device having a plurality of water lines with individual control valves and a water supply with a main valve, said method comprising the steps of providing a supply of disinfectant in a concentration sufficient for long-term disinfection; shuttin

1. A method for disinfecting water lines of a medical device having a plurality of water lines with individual control valves and a water supply with a main valve, said method comprising the steps of providing a supply of disinfectant in a concentration sufficient for long-term disinfection; shutting the main valve in the water supply to stop the flow of water through the water lines and the individual valves; then opening the individual control valves in the water lines and filling the water lines with the disinfectant from the supply of disinfectant; after filling the water lines with disinfectant closing the control valves to maintain the disinfectant in the lines for a prescribed period of time; and then subsequently flushing the water lines by opening the control valves and the main valve of the water supply to cause a flow of water through the water lines. 2. A method according to claim 1, which includes providing the apparatus with means for controlling the sequence and duration of each of the steps upon activation of the means, and said method includes the step of activating said means. 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of activating comprises providing the apparatus with a timing means for creating a starting signal after a predetermined time lapse. 4. A method according to claim 2, which includes indicating means, said control means having means to energize the indicating means when a disinfecting cycle is required so that a manual switch providing the activating signal can be energized. 5. A method according to claim 2, which includes means for sensing the level of bacteria in the water lines, said means for sensing creating a signal for the control means to provide at least an indication of the need to start the disinfecting cycle. 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing a supply provides a disinfectant having a concentration of 0.05-0.2% chlorhexidine digluconate. 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein subsequent to the step of flushing the disinfectant from the water lines, adding a disinfectant dosage to the water to retard growth of microorganisms, said dosage being 1-5 ppm of chlorhexidine digluconate. 8. A method according to claim 1, wherein subsequent to flushing the disinfectant from the water lines, dosing the water flowing through the water lines with a disinfectant comprising a silver preparation in the amount of 0.05-0.1 mg/liter of water to retard growth of microorganisms in said water line. 9. An apparatus for disinfecting water lines of a medical device having a water inlet line with a main valve and a plurality of water lines with individual control valves, said apparatus including a source of disinfectant having a disinfectant control valve and means to supply said disinfectant under pressure, said source being connected to the inlet line downstream of the main valve; and control means for generating a disinfectant sequence of selectively closing the main valve and selectively opening the control valves of the water lines to enable draining the water from the water lines, opening the disinfectant control valve to fill the water lines with disinfectant, then closing the control valves of the water lines to maintain the disinfectant in the lines for a given period of time and subsequently opening the main valve and the control valves of the water lines to flush the disinfectant from the water lines, said control means including timing means to automatically initiate the disinfecting cycle after a given period of time. 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the medical device has support means for supporting individual instruments having water lines, said support means for supporting including indicating means to determine the absence of the instrument from the support means and wherein the control means require a signal from all of the indicating means to show that all instruments are removed from the support means before enabling initiation of the disinfecting cycle. 11. An apparatus according to claim 9, which includes dosage means for metering a disinfectant continuously into the flow of water through the water lines to retard growth of microorganisms, and said control means include a selecting means to select the mode of operation of disinfecting cycle only, disinfecting cycle plus dosage means, and dosage means alone. 12. An apparatus for disinfecting water lines of a medical device having a water inlet line with a main valve and a plurality of water lines with individual control valves, said apparatus including source of disinfectant having a disinfectant control valve and means to supply said disinfectant under pressure, said source being connected to the inlet line downstream of the main valve; and control means for generating a disinfectant sequence of selectively closing the main valve and selectively opening the control valves of the water lines to enable draining the water lines, opening the disinfectant control valve to fill the water lines with disinfectant, then closing the control valves of the water line to maintain the disinfectant in the lines for a given period of time and subsequently opening the main valve and the control valves of the water lines to flush the disinfectant from the water lines, said control means including a display element and means for detecting a bacterial count and providing an indication on the display element when the count reaches a level requiring a disinfecting cycle to be initiated. 13. An apparatus for disinfecting water lines of a medical device having a water inlet line with a main valve and a plurality of water lines with individual control valves, said apparatus including a source of disinfectant having a disinfectant control valve and means to supply said disinfectant under pressure, said source being connected to the inlet line downstream of the main valve; and control means for generating a disinfectant sequence of selectively closing the main valve and selectively opening the control valves of the water lines to enable draining the water lines, opening the disinfectant control valve to fill the water lines with disinfectant, then closing the control valves of the water line to maintain the disinfectant in the lines for a given period of time and subsequently opening the main valve and the control valves of the water lines to flush the disinfectant from the water lines, said control means including pulse means for providing a signal to indicate a need for a disinfectant cycle after a predetermined interval has lapsed between use of the apparatus. 14. An apparatus for disinfecting water lines of a medical device having a water inlet line with a main valve and a plurality of water lines with individual control valves, said apparatus including a source of disinfectant having a disfectant control valve and means to supply said disinfectant under pressure, said source being connected to the inlet line downstream of the main valve and including a metering means for continuously dosing water flowing through the apparatus with a disinfectant of a predetermined amount; and control means for generating a disinfectant sequence of selectively closing the main valve and selectively opening the control valves of the water lines to enable draining the water lines, opening the disinfectant control valve to fill the water lines with disinfectant from the source, then closing the control valves of the water line to maintain the disinfectant in the lines for a given period of time and subsequently opening the main valve and the control valves of the water lines to flush the disinfectant from the water lines, said control means actuating the metering means. 15. An apparatus for disinfecting water lines of a medical device having a water inlet line with a main valve and a plurality of water lines with individual control valves, said apparatus including a source of disinfectant having a disinfectant control valve and means to supply said disinfectant under pressure, said source being connected to the inlet line downstream of the main valve, said source including a reservoir having sensor means for determining the level of the disinfectant in said reservoir, said sensor means also determining the concentration of the disinfectant in the reservoir; and control means for generating a disinfectant sequence of selectively closing the main valve and selectively opening the control valves of the water lines to enable draining the water from the water lines, opening the disinfectant control valve to fill the water lines with disinfectant, then closing the control valves of the water line to maintain the disinfectant in the lines for a given period of time and subsequently opening the main valve and the control valves of the water lines to flush the disinfectant from the water lines.