Method for sterilizing single use disposable PPE medical equipment using non-destructive

sterilization methods to enable safe reuse of the equipment.

Inventors:
Anda Astra Pilmanis (Arnold) apilmanis@pilmanis.com
Peter William Arnold pwapub1@pilmanis.com

1. This method allows for traditional single use PPE&E to be treated to allow for it to be used
multiple times without risking the health and safety of the users and others for example
medicals staff, first responders, patients and other persons requiring such equipment.
2. Using the correct sterilizing chemical/s this method does not destroy the integrity of the
PPE&E.

Summary of the Invention

Place PPE&E in an Enclosable Space and use one or more foggers to create a fog of a sterilizer
such as, but not limited to, Hydrogen Peroxide, Ozone, Chlorine Dioxide or other chemicals
known to kill viruses, (especially Corona viruses), bacteria, molds and other pathogens to fill the
Enclosable Space and coat the surfaces of the PPE&E with the sterilizing agent rendering the
PPE&E sterile and able to be reused.

Use Drying Heater/s to shorten the PP&E drying time and also apply further stress to pathogens
that are susceptible to heat and drying.

Terms:
Drying Heater - refers to a device that supplies heat and/or heated air that dries the PPE&E
faster and also dries and heats viruses, bacteria, microbes which adds to their destruction.

Fogger – includes fogger and vaporizer and refers to a device that creates and disperses a
vapor, mist or fog of a sterilizing agent.

Fog - Fog, Vapor Mist, Smoke, Gas and refer to aerosolized sterilizing agent.

PPE - Personal protective equipment refers to protective clothing, helmets, gloves, face shields,
goggles, facemasks and/or respirators or other equipment designed to protect the wearer from
injury or the spread of infection or illness.

PPE&E – refers to PPE and/or other protective and medical equipment

Enclosable Space - Room, Temporary Space, Tent, Demountable Space, Shipping Container. This
includes any volume that can be made airtight which is enclosed by walls, a floor and ceiling,
has at least one door/entrance and which is suitable as an Enclosable Space for this application.
The space may have vents for the entrance or exhaust fog but should otherwise be able to be
sealed and made airtight.

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Sterilize –refers to the elimination of viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi and other microbes.

Sterilizing Agent -includes but is not limited to the following, Hydrogen Peroxide, Ozone,
Chlorine Dioxide. - Chemicals including ozone, chlorine or alcohol-based chemicals may affect
the integrity of certain PPE&E or be toxic if directly exposed to skin or airways and may only be
suitable for use in limited cases for this method. Hydrogen Peroxide currently best option.

Description of the Problem/s that the Invention solves:

At the time of writing, there is a shortage of PPE nationally and internationally and no method
of sterilizing otherwise disposable PPE&E in large quantities quickly, to allow safe reuse.

Description of how the Invention is an Improvement over existing technology:

Single use PPE is usually used once and discarded. The PPE equipment has not been designed
with reuse in mind and current methods of washing and/or sterilizing PPE&E typically results in
the damage and/or destruction of the PPE&E. This method does not destroy the PPE and
sterilizes it, so it is safe for reuse.

Individual and businesses that would use this invention:

Medical practitioners, staff, hospitals, clinics, doctor’s surgeries, emergency personal, first
responders, particularly in epidemic, pandemic situations, military, people in conflict situations
and situations where medical staff or others do not have sufficient PPE&E to serve their
professional needs because of financial and/or supply chain limitations.

Background:
Currently many items of Personal Protection Equipment and other applicable equipment
(PPE&E), particularly in the medical industry, are thrown away after a single use. This method is
used to prevent contamination of medical staff and/or patients with pathogens as the medical
staff move from one patient to the next.

At present there is a shortage of PPE&E and further shortages of PPE&E are predicted. While in
normal circumstances the single use approach is appropriate, in the case of epidemics,
pandemics and in times of conflict, this method results in medical staff going through great
quantities of disposable PPE&E very quickly, creating shortages and being forced to re-wear
potentially contaminated PPE&E, putting themselves and their patients at higher risk. A lot of
modern PPE&E is typically light weight, somewhat fragile and is not designed for reuse. Normal
sterilization techniques used in medical facilities cannot be used to sterilize PPE&E because
these methods cause damage to and/or destruction of the PPE&E.

The method proposed in this application is considerably less destructive, will sterilize the PPE&E
and make it available for safe reuse.

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Example using sterilization method
A typical simple use might involve either a PPE&E materials handler, or medical staff
themselves bringing their PPE&E to the allocated Enclosable Space, hanging up their mask
and/or placing their mask and other PPE&E on a porous mesh or rack (e.g. cotton fabric netting
or other materials that allow the Sterilizing Agent to coat PPE evenly from both sides), and
hanging up their gown and scrubs. When the space is sufficiently loaded, the Foggers are run
for a sufficient period to coat the PPE&E with sufficient sterilizer to kill viruses, bacteria,
microbes and other pathogens. Heating drying fans are then optionally run to hasten the PPE&E
drying process and to dry out and heat pathogens and thereby contribute to their destruction.
Once the PPE&E is dry it can be collected and used again. The temperature of the heating
drying fans must be controlled to a level that does not damage the PPE&E.

See Illustrations and detailed descriptions on following pages.

Please contact us for a list of our ideas and suggestions of currently available
equipment/products that we have found which could be used immediately for this method.
We do not own or have any interest in any company or products that we would recommend.

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Illustration 1 ( not to scale)

Description of Illustration 1:
This illustration shows a room in which PPE&E is placed. Foggers create a sterilizing fog that
coats the PPE&E with sterilizer which, in turn, kills the pathogens on its exposed surfaces.
Optional Drying Heater/s are used after the fogging completes to dry the PPE&E. Many
microbes are also susceptible to drying and heating, so this will contribute to their destruction.
When it is sufficiently dry, it may be reused. Although the illustration is of a room, the same
setup could be used for a demountable space, or a tent, or a pressurized plastic enclosure.

This variant is applicable for rapid deployment because all the equipment is portable and can
be moved rapidly into an available Enclosable Space.

Parts
Fogger containing a sterilizing agent
Sterilizing agent (e.g. Hydrogen Peroxide, Ozone, Chlorine
dioxide etc.)
Drying Heater/s (optional)
Racks with mesh and tables to hold the PPE&E
PPE&E to be sterilized

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Illustration 2: Shipping Container Example (not to scale)

This example illustrates a “Kit Form” and/or mobile form to deploy the method and system. It
can be deployed in spaces such as loading docks, parking lots and/or other areas when space
inside medical or other facilities is limited or unavailable. The method can be used in similarly
Enclosable Spaces which are portable. The example illustrates door options useable for end
and/or side loading.

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Detailed Description of the Method

The description below may be varied as needed but is meant to provide one detailed example
of the process.

1. Collect used PPE in a sealable container.

2. Take the sealed container to the Enclosable Space.
3. Open the door/s of the Enclosable Space.
4. Place the container with the soiled/exposed PPE inside the Enclosable Space.
5. Have one or more persons walk into the Enclosable Space and close the door/entrance to
the Enclosable Space.
6. Have the person/s inside the Enclosable Space do the following:
a. take one piece of PPE from the sealed container and
b. hang the individual PPE piece on a separate metal or plastic hanger.
c. Place each “filled” hanger onto a rack at a distance so that it does not touch any
other piece of PPE; or
d. take one piece of PPE from the sealed container and
e. place the individual piece on a porous net or shelf.
f. Place each piece at a distance so that it does not touch any other piece of PPE.
7. Repeat until the sealed container is empty
8. If the Fogger is located inside the Enclosable Space needs to be switched on to operate,
have the person/s inside the Enclosable Space switch on the Fogger.
9. Leave the sealable container inside the Enclosable Space and walk out of the enclosed space
10. Close the door/entrance of the Enclosable Space
11. If the Fogger is operated from outside the Enclosable Space turn on the Fogging Equipment.
12. Let the Fogger run for the specified time.
13. Once the cycle is complete, wait for the specified time before opening the door/entrance.
14. If the Drying Heater is operated from outside the Enclosable Space and is needed to dry the
PPE faster, turn on the Drying Heater.
15. If the Drying Heater is operated from inside the Enclosable Space, open the door/entrance
to the Enclosable Space and have a person/s wearing sterile PPE turn on the Drying
Heater/s.
16. Have the person/s leave the Enclosable Space and close the door/entrance.
17. Wait for the specified time for the Drying Heater to heat the Enclosable Space to the
recommended temperature.
18. If the drying heater is operated from outside the Enclosable Space turn off the Drying
Heater.
19. Open the door/entrance of the Enclosable Space.
20. If the Drying Heater is operated from inside the Enclosable Space have one or more persons
wearing sterile PPE enter the Enclosable Space and turn off the Drying Heater.
21. Have one or more persons wearing sterile PPE enter the Enclosable Space and remove the
now sterile PPE&E and the sealable container.
22. Have one or more persons refill the Fogger.
23. Repeat the process as needed.

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