EP0020157A1 — Device for destroying bacterial flora

Claim 1

Independent Claim 72 words

A device for destroying bacterial flora by sterilization of contaminated waste which contains the bacterial flora, said device characterized by a housing (5,58), said housing has an inlet (14,52) to allow waste material to pass into said housing, heating means (32,34,68) in said housing for heating the waste material such that any bacterial flora which gathers in or on said housing (5,58) may be sterilized by heat from said heating means (32,34,68).

Claim 2

Independent Claim 72 words

A device for destroying bacterial flora by sterilization of contaminated waste which contains the bacterial flora, said device characterized by a housing (5,58), said housing has an inlet (14,52) to allow waste material to pass into said housing, heating means (32,34,68) in said housing for heating the waste material such that any bacterial flora which gathers in or on said housing (5,58) may be sterilized by heat from said heating means (32,34,68).

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 135 words

The device according to claim 1, wherein said housing (5,58) is defined by a first member (12) which receives a second member (20) therein, the second member (20) is in contact with said first member (12) at least along one side and said second member contains said heating means (32,34) such that heat from the heating means may be conducted from the second member (20) to the first member (12), said heating means (32,34) comprising two heating elements (32,34) releasably sealed within said second member (20), said second member (20) containing fluid for conducting heat from the elements (32,34) to the second member (20), such that waste which gathers in said housing (5) between the first and second members may be boiled by heat conducted from the second member to destroy bacteria in the housing.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 47 words

The device according to claim 1 wherein said housing (5,58) comprises a water collecting housing (58), said water collecting housing (58) having the heating means (68) therein such that waste material collected in said housing may be boiled by said heating means (68) to destroy bacteria therein.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 63 words

A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said housing (5,58) has an outlet (16) and said inlet (14) and said outlet (11) are adapted to be coupled with a drainage pipe (52) from a sink (50) or the like such that water together with the waste material can pass through the housing and out of the drainage pipe.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 106 words

A device according to claim 4, wherein said housing is located in an S-bend (56) in the drainage pipe (52) such that waste material and water which generally form a water plug in the S-bend (56) will also be trapped in the housing (5,58) such that said heating means (32, 34,68) can selectively boil the water and waste material to destory bacteria in the waste and the boiling of the water together with the heat conduction through the pipe (52) also causing bacteria on the insidie of the drainage pipe between the sink (50) and the outlet (90) of the S-bend (56) to also be destroyed.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 32 words

A device according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein said device includes an actuator (62) for actuating said heating means (68) when water or waste material passes into the housing (58).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 58 words

A device according to claim 6, wherein said actuator (62) comprises a tongue member (64) projecting into the path of waste material and water into the housing (58) such that the water or waste material contacting said tongue (64) will cause the tongue (64) to move to close a contact (78) to thereby actuate the heating means (68).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

The device according to claim 7, wherein a timing means (80) is coupled between said actuator (62) and said heating means (68) to actuate the heating means (68) for a desired time upon actuation of the actuator (62).

Claim 10

Independent Claim 175 words

A device for destroying bacteria by the sterilization of contaminated waste which contains the bacteria,.said device being characterized by: a housing (58) having an inlet and an outlet for connecting in an S-bend (56) of a drainage pipe (52) for allowing the waste material and water to pass into said housing for forming a plug in the housing and S-bend (56); a heating means (68) associated with said housing (58); an actuating means (62) for locating in the path of said water material in said drainage pipe (52) such that when said waste material passes said actuating means (62), said actuating means actuates the heating means (68) to boil the waste material and water which forms the plug in said housing (58) and S-bend (56), the boiling action of the water and waste material extending throughout the housing (58) and drainage pipe (52) between a basin (50) and outlet (90) of the S-bend (56) to destroy bacteria in the waste material and water as well as bacteria on the inside of the drainage pipe (52).

Claim 11

Independent Claim 175 words

A device for destroying bacteria by the sterilization of contaminated waste which contains the bacteria,.said device being characterized by: a housing (58) having an inlet and an outlet for connecting in an S-bend (56) of a drainage pipe (52) for allowing the waste material and water to pass into said housing for forming a plug in the housing and S-bend (56); a heating means (68) associated with said housing (58); an actuating means (62) for locating in the path of said water material in said drainage pipe (52) such that when said waste material passes said actuating means (62), said actuating means actuates the heating means (68) to boil the waste material and water which forms the plug in said housing (58) and S-bend (56), the boiling action of the water and waste material extending throughout the housing (58) and drainage pipe (52) between a basin (50) and outlet (90) of the S-bend (56) to destroy bacteria in the waste material and water as well as bacteria on the inside of the drainage pipe (52).

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 99 words

A device according to claim 9 wherein said actuating means (62) is housed in a branch (60) connected to said drainage pipe (52) above said housing (58), said branch (60) being inclined relative to said drainage pipe (52) to prevent water and waste material from collecting in the branch (60), said actuator (62) including a tongue member (64) which extends into the drainage pipe and a switch (78) such that when water and waste material contact the tongue member (64), the tongue member (64) is displaced to actuate the switch (78) to supply power to the heating means (68).

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 31 words

A device according to claim 10, wherein said tongue member (64) is provided with at least one aperture (66) to allow waste material in solid form to pass through the aperture.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 58 words

A device according to claim 10, wherein a timer means (80) is coupled between the actuating means (62) and the heating means (68) such that upon actuation of the actuating means (62) the timer means (80) supplies power to the heating means (68) for a desired amount of time to cause boiling of the water and waste material.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 30 words

A device according to claim 9, wherein said heating means comprises a heating element (68) disposed in said housing for directly heating the water and waste material in said housing.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

A device according to claim 9, including shut-off means (70,76) for shutting off said heating element (68) if the water and waste material in the housing is completely boiled off or drops below a predetermined level.

Device for destroying bacterial flora

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