Did You Know...
...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7951342 | Sterilizing apparatus A sterilizer (20) is provided having a steam filled sterilizer chamber (24) for sterilizer articles placed within the chamber (24). An electronic air valve (186) is provided to control the venting rate of the steam is vented back to a wat... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7431900 | Hydrogen peroxide vapor system with replaceable desiccant cartridge A hydrogen peroxide vapor generation unit (10) receives hydrogen peroxide and water solution at an interface (20) and interconnects with an air dryer (14) by way of nipples (72, 92). In one embodiment, the dryer includes a clamping assemb... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7378067 | Apparatus for retaining and heat sanitizing articles An article 100 and realted methods for reducing a microbial population on an article 168, wherein apparatus 100 includes a chamber in an article-holding basket 164 retains article 168 in an up-right position within the cahbmer an e... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7309472 | Sterilization apparatus for orthodontic bands A sterilization system for dental and orthodontic tools is provided with a transport rack dimensionally sized to hold a plurality interchangeable cassettes. The interchangeable cassettes are designed and intended to hold kits of dental or orthodontic tools and are p... | 12/18/2007 |
| 6839982 | Dryer and atomized medicinal liquid apparatus for feet with shoe drying attachment A combination dryer and atomized medicinal liquid apparatus and shoe or boot drying attachment, wherein the apparatus accommodates the placement of a shoe and/or boot drying attachment on an upper surface thereon. The attachment rests upon the upper surface of the d... | 01/11/2005 |
| 6800246 | Bulk decontamination and degermination of materials in a sub-atmospheric saturated steam environment A method and apparatus for significantly reducing the biological load on consumer products such as food products, spices, produce, botanicals, cosmetic ingredients, barrels, pallets, crates, birdseed and medical products is disclosed. The method involves applying a ... | 10/05/2004 |
| 6746646 | Method and apparatus for the disinfecting biosolids A biosolids treatment system comprising a storage tank for containing a quantity of biosolids sludge, a system of disinfection piping within the storage tank comprised of a segment of inner biosolids piping having a plurality of holes spirally arranged at a desired ... | 06/08/2004 |
| 6705023 | Dryer and atomized medicinal liquid apparatus for feet A combination dryer and atomized medicinal liquid apparatus for feet is provided having a housing with two slightly recessed footprints shaped concavities formed wihtin the top. A plurality of air discharge outlets discharge a pressurized stream of warm air in conju... | 03/16/2004 |
| 6696028 | Biological analysis system comprising a means for controlling the link between a biological analysis device and a complementary receptacle A biological analysis system including at least one receptacle of a biological sample to be analyzed, a part associated with the receptacle incorporating an electronic circuit including a memory and a contactless transmitter, and a biological analysis dev... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6499495 | Waste treatment system for suction canisters The present invention provides an apparatus and method for treatment of waste from suction canisters. The waste treatment system includes a canister-cleaning and a reservoir chamber. The canister-cleaning chamber holds the suction canister to be treated. ... | 12/31/2002 |
| 6500386 | Method for preserving sterilized implant components A method for preserving a component including polymeric material that reduces oxidation degradation after irradiation. The method includes sealing the polymeric material in a container filled with a fluid, preferably a liquid. Monitoring the integrity of ... | 12/31/2002 |
| 6495095 | Method for treating the liquid phase of contaminated materials A method for treating the liquid phase of contaminated materials that are disinfected or sterilized in a treatment chamber is provided, whereby a defined liquid collector area is provided in the treatment chamber. When the liquid in the collector area rea... | 12/17/2002 |
| 6471422 | Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method Thermal processing unit sections each with ten tiers and coating processing unit sections each with five tiers are disposed around a first main wafer transfer section and a second main wafer transfer section, and in the thermal processing unit section, th... | 10/29/2002 |
| 6458321 | Sterilization system employing low frequency plasma A method and system for sterilizing an article is provided that includes use of a low frequency (LF) gas discharge plasma. The method includes placing the article in a vacuum chamber and evacuating the vacuum chamber to a predetermined pressure. Gas or va... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6368556 | Apparatus for operational cleaning of dental handpieces An apparatus for operative cleaning and preparation of dental handpieces is made as an integrated unit having holding stubs (6) for receiving the handpieces inside a treating chamber (1, 30), which is designed in a pressure resisting manner and with heati... | 04/09/2002 |
| 6299837 | Procedure to produce a disinfecting hot atmosphere and device to accomplish this A gassing incubator includes an inner housing bounding a inside space. The inside space communicates to the exterior through an opening. The opening is selectively sealed closed by a movable door. The inner housing includes a floor which is configured to ... | 10/09/2001 |
| 6217835 | Sterilization container A sterilization container for medical instruments includes a receptacle with a bottom wall and an open top, there being a multiplicity of vent openings in the bottom wall. The receptacle has a cover movable between a closed position wherein the cover clos... | 04/17/2001 |
| 6080435 | Method and system for disinfection and sterilization of foodstuffs and machinery A method and installation for disinfection or sterilization of food articles or machinery, in which the item of food or machinery to be disinfected or sterilized is electrically grounded, and vapor from water or other liquid substance is generated and dir... | 06/27/2000 |
| 5894014 | Steam decontamination apparatus A steam sterilization device (10) including a chamber (12) having a slidable sealable door (30). A flexible insulating plastic member (74) covers the sealable door (30). The sterilization device (10) includes a frame (20, 22, 24, 28, 50) supporting the ch... | 04/13/1999 |
| 5871702 | Methods and apparatus for sterilizing objects An arrangement for sterilizing objects in which a quantity of liquid and one or more objects to be sterilized are introduced into a pouch formed of flexible sheet material at least partially transparent to microwave radiation whereupon the pouch is sealed... | 02/16/1999 |
| 5840248 | Moist-heat sterilization apparatus and process, in particular to set up autoclaves for dental surgery use A moist-heat sterilization apparatus is provided which comprises a boiler shell (3), a chamber (4) inside said boiler shell (3), a heating block (14) external to said chamber (4) and in contact with the boiler shell (3), a feeding circuit (12) to supply t... | 11/24/1998 |
| 5746988 | Apparatus for processing bio-harzardous waste Infectious wastes from hospitals or other sources are sterilized in a chamber which is pivotable between a waste loading orientation, a sterilizing orientation and a waste dumping orientation. The chamber is attached to a framework by first and second pai... | 05/05/1998 |
| 5637280 | Sterilizer A sterilizer including a head and a detachable container sealingly engageable therewith to provide a pressure-resistant chamber. The head has a heating element mounted therein. The head is pivotably mounted to a frame such that the sterilizer may be selec... | 06/10/1997 |
| 5626824 | Autoclave An autoclave (1) is provided with an internal table (1) upon which articles to be sterilised can be placed. The autoclave is provided with a mechanism (2, 3, 5) for shaking or vibrating the table, and thereby shaking or vibrating the liquid undergoing ste... | 05/06/1997 |
| 5552113 | Autoclave An autoclave (1) for sterilizing at least one generally hollow article having openings at remote ends thereof, such as a dental drill handpiece (21), includes an article carrier (17) and at least one adaptor (20) for passing dry saturated steam through th... | 09/03/1996 |
| 5543119 | Cassette for treating medical instruments A cassette for the acceptance of medical instruments, and preferably dental instruments, to enable a hygienic treatment of the instruments when the cassette is placed into a chamber of an apparatus that is capable of being closed pressure-tight. The casse... | 08/06/1996 |
| 5527516 | Spray type retort sterilizer This invention relates to a spray type retort sterilizer which preforms various types of high-pressure sterilization. Sterilization is achieved through the use of non-atomized hot water droplets. The sterilized comprises a retort that is capable of receiv... | 06/18/1996 |
| 5523052 | Method and apparatus for rendering medical materials safe Infectious medical materials are rendered harmless by heating heterogeneous medical materials having wet and dry portions with a radio-frequency electric field. The medical materials are exposed to the radio-frequency electric field in order to heat the m... | 06/04/1996 |
| 5470546 | Apparatus for storing and sterilizing bio-hazardous waste A fluid tight waste materials receptacle is located within a housing which has an upper access opening through which infectious wastes from medical clinics or the like may be deposited in the receptacle. A lower access opening enables entry and withdrawal... | 11/28/1995 |
| 5439655 | Apparatus for washing and sterilizing rubber plugs or the like which may be used in pharmaceutical containers Apparatus for washing, rinsing, sterilizing and drying delicate components such as plugs for pharmaceutical use, or the like, formed by an autoclave chamber containing a substantially cylindrical rotating drum or basket with two helical members extending ... | 08/08/1995 |
| 5413757 | Method and apparatus for sterilizing articles Method and apparatus for sterilizing articles including introducing the article and liquid solution into a collapsible pouch formed of vapor-impermeable sheet material, sealing the collapsible pouch to form a gas-tight assembly, and heating the gas-tight ... | 05/09/1995 |
| 5387404 | Process and apparatus for heat disinfecting soft contact lenses Apparatus for disinfecting soft contact lenses includes a vessel at least partially formed of material transparent to microwave electromagnetic radiation, disinfecting solution receivable within the vessel, a device for irradiating the disinfecting soluti... | 02/07/1995 |
| 5352417 | Apparatus for deodorization of cork A method for deodorization of cork accomplished by applying steam volatilization to remove substances originating offensive odor in the cork is disclosed. The method has a first step of putting the cork into a container, a second step of supplying steam g... | 10/04/1994 |
| 5348235 | Medical waste disposal system A medical waste disposal system includes an assembly for superheating a quantity of untreated medical waste which is partially saturated with water to an internal temperature of at least 275 degrees Fahrenheit for at least thirty minutes. After such super... | 09/20/1994 |
| 5290511 | Method for steam sterilization of articles A process, system and pressure chamber for the automated sterilization of articles, particularly medical or dental instruments is disclosed, which is simple to use and economically efficient by comparison with conventional autoclaves and steam sterilizing... | 03/01/1994 |
| 5277875 | Self-contained sterilizer with duty-cycle heater A microprocessor-controlled, self-contained steam sterilizer is disclosed. Once the steam exposure phase is complete in the sterilizer, the microprocessor is programmed to operate the vaporizing heater in a low-power duty cycle to utilize the vaporizing h... | 01/11/1994 |
| 5252303 | Apparatus for sterilizing objects having chamber wall as heater An apparatus for sterilizing objects comprising a tubular container part which is removably arranged on an electric supply and control unit. The container part has a chamber-defining inner wall which is also an electrical resistance heating element. Accor... | 10/12/1993 |
| 5246674 | Microwave apparatus, and container for use in a microwave apparatus A container for use in a microwave apparatus, in particular for heating, drying, disinfecting and/or sterilizing of materials, objects, liquids or the like, includes a lid securely attachable via a pressure lock to the container and including connections ... | 09/21/1993 |
| 5176884 | Sterilizing container In a sterilizing container with a perforated zone which can be covered over in relation to the interior of the container by a filter designed so that it can be displaced and covered over, in order to improve the protection of the filter, on the one hand, ... | 01/05/1993 |
| 5173272 | Heated conveyor and process for disinfecting size-reduced hospital refuse A heated conveyor for disinfecting contaminated, size-reduced hospital refuse comprises a scraping conveyor with two endless link chains (1,2) to which drives (6) are fastened. The scraping conveyor is arranged in a housing with electricially heated floor... | 12/22/1992 |
