Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Physical type apparatus – Apparatus for treating solid article or material with fluid...
Patent
1996-04-29
1998-03-03
Upton, Christopher
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Physical type apparatus
Apparatus for treating solid article or material with fluid...
422 30, 134901, 206 51, A61L 218
Patent
active
057230960
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to an apparatus of the type described in the preamble of claim 1.
BACKGROUND ART
Contact lenses must be disinfected by the user when they are removed from the eyes. The most well-known disinfecting system is based on hydrogen peroxide H.sub.2 O.sub.2, which in the highly purified form and in acid environment is highly destructive to all microorganisms. The hydrogen peroxide can be neutralized into oxygen and water by means of either a catalyst system or an enzyme system in such a manner that the hydrogen peroxide is removed from the contact lenses before said lenses are to be used again.
The apparatus of the type stated in the preamble of claim 1 comprises as indicated in said preamble a catalyst system for decomposing or neutralizing the hydrogen peroxide in the disinfecting liquid.
The commonly used hydrogen peroxide solution contains 3% H.sub.2 O.sub.2. A wide range of tests has shown that the best effect of the disinfecting system is obtained by using such a concentration of hydrogen peroxide of 3% for at least 20 minutes.
Palatinates are for instance used as catalyst for neutralizing the hydrogen peroxide. The used 3% hydrogen peroxide solution is, however, neutralized by the known systems down to 1% already during the first 1 to 2 minutes, which is unsatisfying for obtaining a good disinfecting effect.
Another problem is found in the fact that the neutralization of the hydrogen peroxide according to the catalyst principle goes very slowly in connection with the very low concentrations with the unfortunate result that small amounts of hydrogen peroxide may remain in the contact lenses, i.e. concentrations being so high that they can irritate the eyes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,240 discloses an appliance of the above type for disinfecting contact lenses. The appliance disclosed by this U.S. patent involves the use of a catalytic element consisting of two elements in order to remedy the above problems.
The first catalytic element is most active in the initially very high concentration of H.sub.2 O.sub.2. The material composition of this first element described in greater detail in the description can delay the neutralizing speed slightly with the result that 1% of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 still remains in the solution after a neutralization for 30 minutes of a starting concentration of 3% H.sub.2 O.sub.2.
This first catalytic element ceases to have an effect after 80 to 90 minutes at an H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -concentration of approximately 100 ppm. Unlike this first catalytic element, the second catalytic element is primarily effective at lower H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -concentrations, such as 300 ppm, due to its material composition, and it continues its neutralizing effect in such a manner that an H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -concentration of less than 15 ppm is in fact obtained within 6 hours, which is indicated to be a concentration not irritating the eye.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which also assists in maintaining a high H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -concentration for 20 minutes, and which subsequently assists in neutralizing the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -solution down to such a low value that the remaining amount of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 on contact lenses does not irritate the eyes.
This object is according to the invention solved by the subject matter of the characterising clause of claim 1.
The oxygen released during the neutralization of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 is collected below the lamellas and retained for a short period of time on the surface of the catalyst, whereby it blocks up the access of H.sub.2 O.sub.2. The neutralization of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 goes slowly in this phase due to the O.sub.2 -blocking of the surface of the catalyst.
When the concentration of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 nevertheless drops after a suitable period of time which suffices for obtaining a good disinfection, the release of O.sub.2 from the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -solution is gradually slowed down in such a manner that the O.sub.2 -blocking of the surface of the catalyst finally ceases. Now the catalyst
REFERENCES:
patent: 4396583 (1983-08-01), Le Boeuf
patent: 5011661 (1991-04-01), Schafer et al.
patent: 5089240 (1992-02-01), Perlaky
patent: 5143104 (1992-09-01), Iba et al.
patent: 5196174 (1993-03-01), Cerola et al.
patent: 5270002 (1993-12-01), Neff, II et al.
Synoptik A/S
Upton Christopher
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