Self-sterilizing device using plasma fields

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9757487-B2
Application number	US-74362508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2008
Priority date	Nov 21, 2007
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for self-sterilizing a surface or other portion of the apparatus and/or sterilizing other objects. Embodiments can utilize self-generated and/or remotely controlled plasma fields for the purpose of self-sterilization and/or sterilization of another object. Embodiments of the invention can have broad applications in procedures and equipment requiring the sterility of devices used for medical procedures, decontamination procedures, drug delivery, sterility of consumer products, and sterility of food preparation equipment and tools.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of sterilizing at least a portion of a surface of a device, comprising:
providing a device with at least a portion of a surface of the device exposed to an environment of interest; and
producing a plasma proximate the entire at least the portion of the surface of the device for a duration sufficient to sterilize the entire at least the portion of the surface of the device,
wherein the entire at least the portion of the surface of the device is sterilized via the plasma,
wherein producing the plasma proximate the entire at least the portion of the surface of the device comprises:
providing a plurality of first electrodes located proximate the at least the portion of the surface of the device,
wherein the plurality of first electrodes are incorporated into the at least the portion of the surface of the device;
providing one or more second electrodes located proximate the plurality of first electrodes;
providing a dielectric material,
wherein the dielectric material is located between the plurality of first electrodes and the one or more second electrodes; and
applying at least one voltage across the plurality of first electrodes and the one or more second electrodes such that:
(i) for each first electrode of the plurality of first electrodes, one voltage of the at least one voltage is applied across the each first electrode of the plurality of first electrodes and at least one second electrode of the one or more second electrodes with the dielectric material located between the each first electrode of the plurality of first electrodes and the at least one second electrode of the one or more second electrodes; and
(ii) for each second electrode of the one or more second electrodes, one voltage of the at least one voltage is applied across at least one first electrode of the plurality of first electrodes and the each second electrode of the one or more second electrodes with the dielectric material located between the at least one first electrode of the plurality of first electrodes and the each second electrode of the one or more second electrodes,

such that applying the at least one voltage across the plurality of first electrodes and the one or more second electrodes results in a corresponding at least one dielectric barrier discharge, and
wherein the at least one dielectric barrier discharge produces the plasma proximate the entire at least the portion of the surface of the device for a duration sufficient to sterilize the entire at least the portion of the surface of the device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
providing one or more sensors for detecting potential contamination of the at least the portion of the surface of the device or contamination of the at least the portion of the surface of the device.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
automatically producing the plasma proximate the entire at least the portion of the surface of the device upon the one or more sensors detecting potential contamination of the at least the portion of the surface of the device or the one or more sensors detecting contamination of the at least the portion of the surface of the device.

4. The method according to claim 2 ,
wherein the one or more sensors are coated with a conductive or semi-conductive material that enhances the sensitivity and/or specificity of the one or more sensors.

5. The method according to claim 4 ,
wherein the conductive or semi-conductive material comprises one or more of the following:
carbon nanotubes, nanowires, conductive polymers, and nanorods.

6. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a coating over the one or more sensors such that the one or more sensors are not exposed to the environment of interest.

7. The method according to claim 6 ,
wherein the coating is coated with a second coating of a conductive or semi-conductive material that enhances the sensitivity and/or specificity of the one or more sensors.

8. The method according to claim 7 ,
wherein the conductive or semi-conductive material comprises one or more of the following:
carbon nanotubes, nanowires, conductive polymers, and nanorods.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
exposing the at least the portion of the surface of the device to an environment having nonsterile matter contaminants,
wherein producing the plasma proximate the entire at least the portion of the surface of the device comprises producing the plasma proximate the entire at least the portion of the surface of the device after exposing the at least the portion of the surface of the device to the environment having nonsterile matter contaminants.

10. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least the portion of the surface of the device is at least the portion of a surgical surface of the device.

11. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least the portion of the surface of the device is a corresponding at least a portion of a first surface of a corresponding at least a portion of a laminate material, and
wherein the at least the portion of the laminate material comprises:
a first electrode layer,
wherein the first electrode layer comprises the plurality of first electrodes;
a second electrode layer,
wherein the second electrode layer comprises the one or more second electrodes; and
a dielectric layer,
wherein the dielectric layer comprises the dielectric material.

12. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein the plurality of first electrodes proximate the at least the portion of the surface of the device have a coating such that the plurality of first electrodes are not exposed to the environment of interest.

13. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein a portion of a surface of the dielectric layer that would be exposed to the environment of interest is coated with a conductive or semi-conductive material such that the portion of the surface of the dielectric layer is not exposed to the environment of interest, and
wherein the conductive or semi-conductive material enhances the generation of the plasma.

14. The method according to claim 13 ,
wherein the conductive or semi-conductive material comprises one or more of the following:
carbon nanotubes, nanowires, conductive polymers, and nanorods.

15. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein the plurality of first electrodes are coated with a conductive or semi-conductive material that enhances the generation of the plasma.

16. The method according to claim 15 ,
wherein the conductive or semi-conductive material comprises one or more of the following:
carbon nanotubes, nanowires, conductive polymers, and nanorods.

17. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the device is configured to hold a fluid in a container portion of the device, and
wherein the at least the portion of the surface of the device is at least a portion of a surface of the container portion of the device.

18. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least the portion of the surface of the device and the plurality of first electrodes are located on a first section of the device, and the one or more second electrodes are located on a second section of the device,
wherein the first section of the device and the second section of the device are moveably connected to each other such that the first section of the device and the second section of the device can transition between a first position and a second position,
wherein when the first section of the device and

Assignees

• Roy Subrata
• Zawoy Karl
• Univ Florida

Inventors

• Roy Subrata
• Zawoy Karl

Classifications

• A61L2103/15

  Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps · CPC title

• A61L2/14 Primary

  Plasma, i.e. ionised gases · CPC title

• A61L2202/11

  Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps · CPC title

• A61L2/24 Primary

  Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation · CPC title

• H05H1/34

  Details, e.g. electrodes, nozzles · CPC title