Method of cleaning and sterilizing endoscopic camera equipment, etc. and apparatus therefor

Abstract

A cleaning and sterilizing apparatus which provides alkaline-water-cleaning removing organic matter adhered to the surface of an endoscopic camera instrument, and effectively exhibiting bacteria-killing and virus-killing effects of acidic water, is provided. The apparatus uses as cleaning bath an alkaline-water-producing bath 2 of an electrolysis bath 1 partitioned by a separating membrane 6 and having electrodes 7 and 8 on both sides, and the apparatus is configured to conduct preliminary cleaning of an endoscopic camera instrument 4 inserted in the cleaning bath by ultrasonic cleaning with city water, subsequently provides saline solution to the electrolysis bath to conduct electrolysis, conduct ultrasonic cleaning with alkaline water obtained by the electrolysis, introduce acidic water in the acidic water generation bath 3 and conduct sterilization-cleaning, and further, conduct ultrasonic cleaning with city water. Then, the apparatus dries the endoscopic camera instrument 4 with warm air as the case requires.

1 . A method for cleaning and sterilizing an endoscopic camera instrument etc., comprising conducting ultrasonic cleaning of the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with alkaline water produced by electrolysis of saline solution supplied to an electrolysis bath, to remove e.g. lipid and solid protein adhering to the endoscopic camera instrument etc., the ultrasonic cleaning with alkaline water being conducted in an alkaline-water-producing bath of the electrolysis bath or in a cleaning bath connected to the alkaline-water-producing bath via a water-supply; subsequently transferring acidic water produced by the electrolysis into the alkaline-water-producing bath or the cleaning bath; and cleaning and sterilizing the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with the acidic water.  
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises conducting preliminary cleaning of the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with water; conducting ultrasonic cleaning of the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with alkaline water produced by electrolysis of saline solution supplied to an electrolysis bath, to remove e.g. lipid and solid protein adhering to the endoscopic camera instrument etc., the ultrasonic cleaning with alkaline water being conducted in an alkaline-water-producing bath of the electrolysis bath or in a cleaning bath connected to the alkaline-water-producing bath via a water-supply; subsequently cleaning and sterilizing the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with acidic water produced by the electrolysis; and conducting cleaning of the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with water.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , which uses as the cleaning bath the alkaline-water-producing bath of the electrolysis bath, the electrolysis bath having electrodes on both sides and partitioned by a membrane; the method comprising conducting preliminary cleaning of the endoscopic camera instrument etc. inserted into the cleaning bath by ultrasonic cleaning with water; conducting ultrasonic cleaning of the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with alkaline water produced by electrolysis of saline solution supplied to the electrolysis bath; subsequently draining the alkaline water from the alkaline-water-producing bath and supplying acidic water stored in an acidic-water-producing bath into the alkaline-water-producing bath; sterilizing and cleaning the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with the acidic water; and further conducting cleaning of the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with water.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the electrolysis bath is of a water-flow type whose acidic-water-producing bath is connected to a water storage tank via a first water-feeding pipe and whose alkaline-water-producing bath is connected to the cleaning bath via a second water-feeding pipe; acidic water produced is supplied to the water storage tank via the first water-feeding pipe, alkaline water produced is supplied to the cleaning bath to conduct ultrasonic cleaning of the endoscopic camera instrument etc., and the acidic water stored in the storage tank is supplied to the cleaning bath through the alkaline-water-producing bath to conduct sterilization.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to any one of  claims 2  to  4 , wherein water is supplied through the alkaline-water-producing bath to the cleaning bath connected to the alkaline-water-producing bath via the second water-feeding pipe.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the alkaline water and the acidic water, which are produced by the water-flow type electrolysis bath, have higher concentrations than the concentrations to be used for cleaning and sterilization, and the alkaline water and the acidic water are diluted so as to have required concentrations when they are supplied to the cleaning bath.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein the endoscopic camera instrument etc. subjected to the ultrasonic cleaning with alkaline water, is rinsed and cleaned with water before it is sterilized and cleaned with acidic water.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein operations from preliminary cleaning with water to at least sterilization and cleaning with acidic water are automatically controlled.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to any one of  claims 1  to  8 , wherein the endoscopic camera instrument etc. is a hard type endoscope attached with a camera.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus for cleaning and sterilizing an endoscopic camera instrument etc., comprising an alkaline-water-producing-cleaning bath, and an acidic-water-producing bath, which are formed by partitioning an electrolysis bath having electrodes on both sides by a membrane; the electrolysis bath being provided with a first water-feeding pipe for supplying water and a second water-feeding pipe for supplying saline solution; the alkaline-water-producing-cleaning bath being provided with draining means and an ultrasonic generator; and the alkaline-water-producing-cleaning bath and the acidic-water-producing bath communicating with each other via a control valve and a pump; wherein the apparatus is configured to conduct ultrasonic cleaning of the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with alkaline water obtained by electrolyzing saline solution supplied to the electrolysis bath, and subsequently conduct sterilization of the endoscopic camera installment etc. with acidic water transferred from the acidic-water-producing bath into the alkaline-water-producing-cleaning bath.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus for cleaning and sterilizing an endoscopic camera instrument etc., comprising a cleaning bath provided with an ultrasonic generator and draining means, a water-flow type electrolysis bath having an alkaline-water-producing bath and an acidic-water-producing bath formed on both sides of a membrane; the cleaning bath and the water-flow type electrolysis bath being connected via a water-feeding pipe; the alkaline-water-producing bath and the acidic-water-producing bath having inlets for receiving saline solution and outlets for draining alkaline water and acidic water obtained by electrolyzing saline solution; and the outlet of the acidic-water-producing bath communicating with the cleaning bath through the alkaline-water-producing bath with or without intervention of a storage tank; wherein the apparatus is configured to conduct ultrasonic cleaning of an endoscopic camera instrument etc. inserted in the cleaning bath, with alkaline water supplied from the alkaline-water-producing bath, sterilize the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with acidic water transferred into the cleaning bath through the alkaline-water-producing bath, and subsequently clean the endoscopic camera instrument etc. with water transferred to the cleaning bath.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the water is supplied to the cleaning bath through the alkaline-water-producing bath of the water-flow type electrolysis bath.