REPROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A REPROCESSING APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND/OR DISINFECTING A MEDICAL INSTRUMENT

Abstract

A method for operating a reprocessing apparatus for cleaning and/or disinfecting a medical instrument which has at least one channel, wherein a fluid line is provided for connection to the at least one channel, the method including: introducing gas bubbles into a liquid flowing in the fluid line, determining a speed of the gas bubbles flowing in the fluid line; and extrapolating a volume flow of the liquid flowing in the fluid line on the basis of the determined speed of the gas bubbles.

Claims

1. A method for operating a reprocessing apparatus for cleaning and/or disinfecting a medical instrument which has at least one channel, wherein a fluid line is provided for connection to the at least one channel, the method comprising: introducing gas bubbles into a liquid flowing in the fluid line; determining a speed of the gas bubbles flowing in the fluid line; and extrapolating a volume flow of the liquid flowing in the fluid line on the basis of the determined speed of the gas bubbles.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of the speed of the gas bubbles comprises image processing of at least two successively captured images of a section of the fluid line.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising shining light onto the gas bubbles to increase a contrast of the gas bubbles.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the shining comprises directing the light one of approximately parallel or antiparallel to a flow direction of the liquid.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination ofthe speed of the gas bubbles comprises determining the speed of the gas bubblesin a vicinity of a wall of the fluid line.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the determination of the speed of the gas bubbles comprises determining the speed of the gas bubblesat a distance of a middle of the fluid line from a wall of the fluid line, wherein the distance is R/2.sup.1/2, wherein R is one of the internal radius of the fluid line or a distance of a central axis of the fluid line from the wall of the fluid line.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the image processing comprises performing a fast Fourier transform of the two successively captured images, wherein a movement vector of the gas bubbles is established.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the movement vector is established by a phase correlation.

9. A reprocessing apparatus for cleaning and/or disinfecting a medical instrument, the reprocessing apparatus comprising: a fluid container for a reprocessing fluid; and a reprocessing device, wherein the reprocessing device comprises: a reprocessing space in which the medical instrument is introduced for reprocessing; a fluid line for connection to at least one channel of the medical instrument, wherein the fluid line is configured to transport the reprocessing fluid to the at least one channel; a bubble introducing apparatus for introducing gas bubbles into the fluid line; and a gas bubble speed determining apparatus for determining a speed of the gas bubbles in the fluid line.

10. The reprocessing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the gas bubble speed determining apparatus comprises a camera for capturing successive images of at least a portion of the gas bubbles in the fluid line.

11. The reprocessing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein at least the portion of the fluid line is transparent.

12. The reprocessing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the gas bubble speed determining apparatus comprises an illumination apparatus for illuminating the gas bubbles with light.

13. The reprocessing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the illumination apparatus emits light in an infrared range.

14. The reprocessing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the illumination apparatus directs the light into the fluid line one of approximately parallel or antiparallel to a central axis of the fluid line.

15. The reprocessing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the portion comprises at least one region which is R/2.sup.1/2 distant from a central axis of the fluid line, wherein R is one of a radius of the fluid line or a distance of the central axis from a wall of the fluid line.

16. The reprocessing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the gas bubble speed determining apparatus comprises a computer configured to perform a fast Fourier transform of the successively captured images.

17. The reprocessing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a movement vector of the gas bubbles is established by a phase correlation.

18. A method for determining a volume flow of a reprocessing fluid in a channel of a medical instrument, the method comprising: determining the volume flow of the liquid flowing in the fluid line using gas bubbles in the fluid line.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the volume flow is determined on the basis of a speed of the gas bubbles.

20. A volume flow determining module for use with a reprocessing apparatus for cleaning and/or disinfecting a medical instrument, the volume flow determining module comprising: a fluid line; a bubble introducing apparatus for introducing gas bubbles into at least a portion of the fluid line; and a gas bubble speed determining apparatus for determining a speed of the gas bubbles in at least the portion of the fluid line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The embodiments are described below without limiting the general concept of the invention by means of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, wherein reference is expressly made to the drawings regarding all of the details which are not explained in greater detail in the text, wherein:

[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a reprocessing apparatus for cleaning and/or disinfecting medical instruments,

[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a fluid line, in which possible flow profiles are represented.

[0035] In the drawings, the same or similar elements and/or parts are, in each case, provided with the same reference numerals so that they are not introduced again in each case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 schematically shows a reprocessing apparatus for cleaning and/or disinfecting medical instruments 11. A reprocessing device 10 is provided, which has a basket for receiving an endoscope 11 in a reprocessing space 23. The endoscope 11 comprises one channel or multiple channels, which are not represented in FIG. 1, which is/are to be cleaned or disinfected. The channels are rinsed with a liquid which is supplied by an adapter apparatus 24 via lines which are not represented. An appropriate adapter apparatus or respectively distribution apparatus is represented in WO 2011/149 539 A1.

[0037] The liquid arrives via fluid lines 13, such as in a circuit from a fluid container 22 driven by a pump 30 to the adapter apparatus 24, either partially directly into the reprocessing space 23 and/or via the lines which are not represented into the channels of the endoscope 11 and from the ends of the channels into the reprocessing space 23 and from the reprocessing space 23 back into the fluid container 22. Cleaning of the liquid which is guided in the circuit can also be provided, or alternatively no circuit, but a constant supply of fresh clean liquid can be provided.

[0038] Gas bubbles 15 are introduced into the fluid line 13, by way of a bubble introducing apparatus 25 which is schematically represented as a syringe, and indeed into the liquid 14. The liquid 14 continues to move in the flow direction 16 in the fluid line 13. The gas bubbles 15 are captured in a portion 20 by a camera 26 having an image sensor and the speed of the gas bubbles 15 in the portion 20 is determined by evaluating successive images of the camera in a computer system 27. This is explained in even greater detail below. Within the framework of the invention, a computer system 27 can be any apparatus which performs digital calculations, such as a CPU, controller, processor or circuit.

[0039] In order to increase the contrast of the gas bubbles 15 in the fluid 14, an illumination apparatus 28 is provided, which substantially shines light, such as infrared light, into the portion 20 or respectively section 20 of the fluid line parallel or antiparallel to the flow direction 16. The light is provided with the reference numeral 21. The dashed lines around the reference numeral 21 indicate the angle of divergence of the rays of the illumination apparatus 28 and corresponding dashed lines from the camera 26 indicate the image section of the camera 26.

[0040] The measuring principle is to be explained in greater detail in connection with FIG. 2. The measuring principle for establishing the speed of the gas bubbles 15 or respectively the volume flow establishment method can be based on a particle image velocimetry method.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluid line 13, in which speed profiles of fluids are represented. The fluid line 13 has a wall 17 and a diameter D. A liquid 14 which flows in the flow direction 16 and has a density as well as a viscosity is provided in the fluid line 13. In addition, a speed profile for a laminar flow is shown on the left in FIG. 2, and a speed profile for a turbulent flow is shown on the right in FIG. 2. The average speed u.sub.c is also represented.

[0042] During particle image velocimetry moving objects are captured in a series of images. Due to the movement of the objects or of an object in consecutive images of a series of images, a movement vector as well as the movement speed of the object are established. To this end, visible objects are present in a fluid flow. Gas bubbles or air bubbles are used to this end.

[0043] The movement vector of these gas bubbles is determined in order to establish a flow speed. For example, a phase correlation can be used, which has a cross correlation as its basis. This is based on the fact that displaced signals have the same amplitude, but different phases in the Fourier space. In the case of particle image velocimetry, the actual speed is measured at one point in the flow or respectively in the fluid flow and an average flow speed can be calculated therefrom. The average flow speed, with which the volume flow can be calculated, depends on whether the flow is a laminar or a turbulent flow. FIG. 2 is to be considered for this purpose. A basic version of FIG. 2 is extracted from the textbook StrmungsmechanikEinfhrung in die Physik von technischen Strmungen [Flow Mechanicsan Introduction to the Physics of Technical Flows], Vieweg+Teubner 2008.

[0044] In the case of a laminar flow, the flow is layered since the movement speed of the fluid particles only lies in the direction of the pipe axis or respectively the fluid line axis. The fluid particles or respectively gas bubbles therefore have a fixed position relative to the central axis 18 of the fluid line 13. The maximum speed lies centrally in the pipe on the axis 18 and the lowest speed lies on the wall 17 (see left side of FIG. 2).

[0045] In the case of turbulent flows there is a constant turbulence of the fluid in the flow cross-section such that the same flow speed substantially prevails over the entire cross-section. This corresponds to the average flow speed in one approximation (see right side of FIG. 2). In order to distinguish between a laminar and a turbulent flow, the Reynolds number is cited. If the Reynolds number is above the limit of 2,300, the flow is turbulent. If the Reynolds number is lower, the flow is laminar. At low flow speeds, a laminar flow is consequently to be expected and at high flow speeds, a turbulent flow is to be expected. The volume flow can be determined over the cross-sectional area of the fluid line 13 and the determined average speed u.sub.c. A typical boundary volume flow, in which the transition takes place from a laminar to a turbulent flow, is approximately 870 ml/min in the case of fluid lines which are used for cleaning and/or disinfecting medical instruments such as endoscopes. In the case of the usual medical instruments used, the boundary volume flow is 400 ml/min to 1000 ml/min, such as 600 ml/min to 900 ml/min.

[0046] The flow measurement or respectively the measurement of the speed of the gas bubbles can be performed in the vicinity of the wall 17. The distance of the measurement cab be greater than or equal to R/2.sup.1/2, wherein R is the radius of the fluid line 13 or is respectively half the diameter D.

[0047] While there has been shown and described what is considered to be preferred embodiments, it will, of course, be understood that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be not limited to the exact forms described and illustrated, but should be constructed to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0048] 10 Reprocessing device [0049] 11 Endoscope [0050] 13 Fluid line [0051] 14 Liquid [0052] 15 Gas bubble [0053] 16 Flow direction [0054] 17 Wall [0055] 18 Central axis [0056] 20 Section [0057] 21 Light [0058] 22 Fluid container [0059] 23 Reprocessing space [0060] 24 Adapter apparatus [0061] 25 Bubble introducing apparatus [0062] 26 Camera [0063] 27 Computer system [0064] 28 Illumination apparatus [0065] 30 Pump [0066] u Speed [0067] u.sub.c Average speed [0068] D Diameter [0069] R Radius [0070] r Distance from the wall [0071] Viscosity [0072] Density