Abstract: An apparatus for sterilizing and disinfecting medical garments such as lab coats, shoes, and related medical equipment using an electrostatically charged nozzle to deliver high velocity air or steam carrying atomized chemical or antimicrobial treatments. The top chamber is designed to hold a removable supporting member or hanger which is used to hold the garments and equipment being sterilized and disinfected. The top chamber is both electrically and thermally insulated. The bottom chamber is designed to house the various reservoirs, pumps, and generators used to perform the treatment operations. The bottom chamber is a drawer so the reservoirs can easily be refilled and alternative pumps or generators can be installed.

Abstract: An optical adapter 100 includes a pair of cylindrical ferrules 121, 122, each containing an optical fiber disposed along its central axis 101-101. The ferrules are aligned with their central axes being collinear. Moreover, the ferrules are captured within a plastic housing that comprises a plug member 110 and a jack member 140. These members interlock with each other to form an adapter that can be used, for example, for attenuating an optical signal or for interconnecting two ferrules having different diameters. Preferably, the ferrules are identical to each other. Each ferrule includes an optical fiber that is disposed in a bore, which extend s along the central axis of the ferrule between its opposite ends, and each ferrule has an end face 126 that is angled at about 82 degrees with respect to the central axis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for destroying syringe needles. The apparatus has an incinerator unit (16) into which a syringe needle may be inserted, crimped by a crimper (30), the needle measured between its tip and the sealing crimp, burned by passing an electric current corresponding to its measured length between the needle tip and the sealing crimp, and the burned needle severed by a cutting blade (36).