Appeal No. 2006-0661
Application No. 10/358,027
Invention
The invention relates to a self-contained monitoring assembly configured
to monitor hydrogen peroxide (H202) vapor during sterilization of articles. Claim 9
is representative of the invention and reproduced below:
9. A hydrogen peroxide (H202) vapor monitoring assembly for a
sterilization apparatus using H202 vapor to sterilize articles, the H202 vapor
monitoring system comprising:
an H202 vapor sensor configured to provide output signals
corresponding to detected levels of H202 vapor, said H202 vapor sensor
including a gas-detecting semiconductor element and a heater to elevate
the temperature of said gas-detecting semiconductor element;
a temperature sensor configured to provide output signals
corresponding to the ambient temperature proximate said H202 vapor
sensor;
a data collection circuit operatively coupled to said H202 vapor
sensor and said temperature sensor to receive output signals therefrom as
collected data, wherein the data collection circuit is configured to perform
data collection in accordance with selected conditions, said selected
conditions selected from the group consisting of (a) time and (b)
temperature, the data collection circuit including a signal connector to
allow entry of said selected conditions for such data collection; and
a power source to provide electrical power to said H202 vapor
sensor, said temperature sensor and said data collection circuit;
wherein the H202 vapor sensor, the temperature sensor, the data
collection circuit and the power source are self contained on a portable
structure so as to be freely positionable proximate a sterilization apparatus
to monitor levels of the H202 vapor thereat.
References
The references relied upon by the examiner are:
Colvin 5,491,092 Feb. 13, 1996
Ichida et al. (Ichida) 6,189,368 Feb. 20, 2001
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