Process and apparatus for cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, or combinations thereof

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for cleaning, disinfecting, and/or sterilizing a device. More specifically, a first treatment chamber can be configured to conduct a first treatment stage therein at a first pressure, a first temperature, and a first sterilant concentration. A first passage can be operatively connected to the first treatment chamber and a second treatment chamber can be operatively connected to the first passage and in communication with the first chamber via the first passage. The second chamber can be configured to conduct a second treatment stage therein at a second pressure, a second temperature, and a second sterilant concentration. An object can be treated in the first treatment chamber and moved to the second treatment chamber via the first passage to be treated in the second treatment chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating an object, comprising:
 placing the object into a first treatment chamber;   treating the object in a first treatment stage within the first chamber at a first pressure, a first temperature, and a first sterilant concentration;   moving the object from the first chamber into a second treatment chamber via a first passage; and   treating the object in a second treatment stage in the second chamber at a second pressure, a second temperature, and a second sterilant concentration.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first pressure, the first temperature, and the first sterilant concentration is different from the second pressure, the second temperature, and the second sterilant concentration, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 moving the object from the second chamber into a third treatment chamber via a second passage; and   treating the object in a third treatment stage in the third chamber at a third pressure, a third temperature, and a third sterilant concentration.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the second treatment stage and the third treatment stage remediates a portion of sterilant. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising removing the object from the third chamber via a first opening. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling a parameter of at least one of the first treatment stage and the second treatment stage. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the parameter comprises at least one of the first temperature, the first pressure, the first sterilant concentration, the second temperature, the second pressure, and the second sterilant concentration. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 controlling a time the object spends in at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein there is a seal between the first chamber and the second chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a treatment condition is established in the first treatment stage, and the treatment condition is maintained and/or adjusted in the second treatment stage. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first chamber and the third chamber are the same chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the remediation of the portion of sterilant comprises generating a plasma via radiation from a radiation source. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first sterilant concentration and the second sterilant concentration are measurements of hydrogen peroxide as the first sterilant and the second sterilant. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the controlling is accomplished by a programmable hardware device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the controlling is accomplished by a programmable hardware device. 
     
     
         16 . A method for treating multiple objects, comprising:
 placing a first object into a first treatment chamber;   placing a second object into the first chamber;   treating the first object in a first treatment stage within the first chamber;   treating the second object in the first treatment stage within the first chamber;   moving the first object from the first chamber into a second treatment chamber via a first passage;   moving the second object from the first chamber into the second chamber via the first passage;   treating the first object in a second treatment stage in the second chamber; and   treating the second object in the second treatment stage in the second chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first object and the second object are moved independently of each other between the first and second chambers. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first object and the second object are treated independently of each other during the first and/or second treatment stages. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first object is treated at a time, a pressure, a temperature, and/or a sterilant concentration that is different from a time, a pressure, a temperature, and/or a sterilant concentration at which the second object is treated. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the treating in the second treatment stage, for at least one of the first and the second objects, comprises remediating sterilant.