2) United States Patent US006967315B2 (a0) Patent No: US 6,967,315 B2 Centanni et al. (45) Date of Patent: *Nov. 22, 2005 (METHOD FoR VAPOR 443100 4 tamer avast USING AN ELECTROMAGNETIC ‘arma A anh divinat PSPONSIVE HEATING APPARATUS head A sabe “aus Soziss A io98 Neco, sozatt (5) vers: Michael A. Centamni, Parma, OH Smo A Div Netaddeu sta 20189 yearly Ssots04 A ion} Creswell. soe. 21988 Cee areceae SSimsm A i005 Moneukss Sint Ssuss50 8006 Rima diam (73) Assignee: Steris Ine., Temecula, CA (US) 5,750,072 A 5/1998 Sangster et al 422/22 o ‘e » CACUS) 5,773,798 A 6/1998 Fukumura 219/631 (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this. 5,949,958 A 9/1999 Naperkowsl et al. 392/399 Subjestn any disaime therm ofthe 98808 A MSS Nanotech oes 303 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. 6,008,482 A 12/1999 “Takahashi et al. 219/687 This pte is subject toa terminal cis (Continve) clsimer. FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 2d Appl. No. 10995 967 Py Ose 928 12198 (2) Files: Nov. 23,2004 en ro) Prior Publication Data OTHER PUBLICATIONS ‘US 2005/0095168 Al _— May 5, 2005 PCT International Search Report for PCT/US03/12621. Related US. Application Ds Primary Exaniner—Poiti H. Leung (63) Continuation of application No, 11815315 fled on (74) Attorney, Agent or Firm—Keusne & Sale; Michael A Ape. 1, 2004, aow Pat, No. 6,906,296, which is a Centanni entiation n-part of aplication No 1016790, sIRAC filed on Jun. 12, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,734,405. on ABSTRAC GH mcr HOS 10 seen seo oat fs 5 into of mirbially desontamintng at easton of a G2 Us. mae defined arca and an item within the defined area. The method oo includes the step of () indutvely eating» bok com (8) isd of Seareh prising an electrically non-conductive material and an elec Tomppetaly eopomve male () pity an som: ined iid in an ineror passage debned by the bloc so ferences Cie there the etvely hese ek vaporizes he some 60) Retremees Cie liquid that contacts walls of the passage to form an antimi- eee) trun vapor and (@) fling te vapor ou othe bck to . the efinel area to merbitydeconaminasa east on Of 401372831977 tang royay He defined are to microbial {Beene A roan aes ca “ionioss ies A UNSa2 teed eta ions Suge A+ Tose Migs Ks J 12 Drawing SUS 6,967,315 B2 Page? US. PATENT DOCUMENTS 0323867 AL 122K Conon 219608 S008 A 2200 Jone, aivose FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS ontsss A 72mD zat sass ” ose Css ot Joon uate ew ES zs ee Grates Bo" 3200 Conomi ral ves 2868 7 Nao oyissag AI 12001 Lote Bi 20080205571 AL 11/2003. Fugstad et al 2191997 * cited by examinerUS 6,967,315 B2 Sheet 1 of 12 *Nov. 22, 2005 U.S. Patent