Patents by Inventor Thaddeus Mielnik
Thaddeus Mielnik has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 7186374Abstract: A flash vapor generator (10) provides a constant flow of vaporized hydrogen peroxide for rapidly sterilizing a large decontamination tunnel (11) with a high container throughput. The vaporizer includes a heated block which defines an interior bore or bores. The conditions within the decontamination tunnel are carefully monitored to avoid condensation of the vapor while maintaining the vapor as close as possible to the saturation limit.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2002Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: Steris Inc.Inventors: Francis J. Zelina, Gerald E. McDonnell, Aaron L. Hill, Thaddeus Mielnik, Iain F. McVey, Peter J. Buczynski
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Publication number: 20070034095Abstract: A mobile deactivation apparatus for deactivating contaminants within a defined region that includes a source of a vaporous deactivating agent, a gas handling system, a support member, a drive means, a control system, and a power system is disclosed. The gas handling system dispenses the vaporous deactivating agent to the defined region. The support member is movable in the defined region and supports the source of the vaporous deactivating agent and the gas handling system. The support member can be propelled by the drive means. The control system is programmed to control the operation of the gas handling system and the drive means. A power system is provided to supply power to the mobile deactivation apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2005Publication date: February 15, 2007Inventors: Gerald McDonnell, Thaddeus Mielnik, Francis Zelina, Michael Centanni
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Patent number: 7157046Abstract: A flash vaporizer (34) provides a constant flow of vaporized hydrogen peroxide or other antimicrobial compounds for rapidly sterilizing large enclosures (10), such as rooms or buildings. The vaporizer includes a heated block (50) which defines an interior bore or bores (70, 72, 74). The flowpath created by the bore or bores increases in cross sectional area as the hydrogen peroxide passes through the block to accommodate the increase in volume during the conversion from liquid to gas. The vapor is injected into dry air in a duct that circulates it to the large enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2002Date of Patent: January 2, 2007Assignee: Steris Inc.Inventors: Iain F. McVey, Francis J. Zelina, Aaron L. Hill, Gerald E. McDonnell, Kevin O. Williams, Thaddeus Mielnik
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Publication number: 20060289490Abstract: An integrated duct system is utilized to admit an antimicrobial vapor into a vehicle to decontaminate the contents and surfaces of the vehicle and subsequently to remove the vapor. The ducts comprise an air conditioning and/or heating duct, a decontamination duct for admitting an antimicrobial vapor, an auxiliary circulation duct for diffusing the vapor throughout the vehicle, and an aeration duct for removing the vapor from the vehicle, as well as a catalytic converter for detoxifying the antimicrobial vapor before removal. The integrated decontamination system is suitable for the chemical or biological decontamination of vehicles, provides enhanced vapor delivery and distribution on a rapid basis and also provides for rapid aeration for removing the antimicrobial vapor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2006Publication date: December 28, 2006Applicant: STERIS Inc.Inventor: Thaddeus Mielnik
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Publication number: 20060008379Abstract: A system for microbially and/or chemically decontaminating a room such as a hotel room includes a vapor generator which supplies a decontaminant vapor, such as hydrogen peroxide vapor to the room. The room is then aerated to a level at which it is safe for normal occupants to enter. By using a two step aeration, with a second step at lower humidity than the first, the concentration of residual hydrogen peroxide is reduced rapidly to safe levels of 1 ppm or less, typically about 0.5 ppm, in under four hours. The room is rendered substantially free of contaminants, such as those responsible for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Norwalk virus, and unpleasant odors.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2004Publication date: January 12, 2006Inventors: Thaddeus Mielnik, Eric Krieger, Donald Eddington, George Koos
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Publication number: 20050084415Abstract: A flash vaporizer (34) provides a constant flow of vaporized hydrogen peroxide or other antimicrobial compounds for rapidly sterilizing large enclosures (10), such as rooms or buildings. The vaporizer includes a heated block (50) which defines an interior bore or bores (70, 72, 74). The flowpath created by the bore or bores increases in cross sectional area as the hydrogen peroxide passes through the block to accommodate the increase in volume during the conversion from liquid to gas. The vapor is injected into dry air in a duct that circulates it to the large enclosure.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2004Publication date: April 21, 2005Inventors: Iain McVey, Francis Zelina, Aaron Hill, Peter Burke, Thaddeus Mielnik, Matthew Lawes, Gerald McDonnell, Kevin Williams
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Publication number: 20050074359Abstract: An integrated system for decontaminating an aircraft, its passengers, and items transported in the aircraft in the event of a known or suspected contamination of the aircraft by a pathogenic biological or chemical agent includes several mobile decontamination systems. A first decontamination vehicle (32) sprays a chemical decontaminant solution over an exterior of the aircraft. A mobile passenger recovery and treatment assembly (36) recovers passengers from the aircraft and decontaminates them with a human decontaminant solution. The assembly prevents escape of pathogenic agents into the surrounding environment. Luggage and other items are removed from the aircraft to a separate vehicle for decontamination or disposal. The aircraft interior (100) is then decontaminated with a gaseous decontaminant, such as hydrogen peroxide vapor delivered by a mobile generator (142).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2003Publication date: April 7, 2005Inventors: Eric Krieger, Thaddeus Mielnik
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Publication number: 20020159915Abstract: A flash vapor generator (10) provides a constant flow of vaporized hydrogen peroxide for rapidly sterilizing a large decontamination tunnel (11) with a high container throughput. The vaporizer includes a heated block which defines an interior bore or bores. The conditions within the decontamination tunnel are carefully monitored to avoid condensation of the vapor while maintaining the vapor as close as possible to the saturation limit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2002Publication date: October 31, 2002Applicant: STERIS INC.Inventors: Francis J. Zelina, Gerald E. McDonnell, Aaron L. Hill, Thaddeus Mielnik, Iain F. McVey, Peter J. Buczynski
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Patent number: 5535667Abstract: A method and system of decontaminating the surface of food products including seeds, grains, nuts, spices, fruits and dried and dehydrated food with hydrogen peroxide vapor is provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: July 16, 1996Assignee: American Sterilizer CompanyInventors: Joseph Dalmasso, Thaddeus Mielnik
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Patent number: 5534221Abstract: A system for sterilizing an object including a hollow cassette for containing the object, a sealable opening in the cassette for ingress and egress of the object, a seal for forming a fluid-tight seal around the opening, input and output ports in the cassette for receiving and exhausting a sterilizing fluid and a sealing check valve in the input and output ports for providing a fluid-tight seal when no connections are made to the input and output ports such that when the object is sterilized within the cassette, the cassette will maintain a sterilized atmosphere for the object until the cassette is opened to allow use of the object.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1994Date of Patent: July 9, 1996Assignee: American Sterilizer CompanyInventors: H. William Hillebrenner, Vipul B. Sheth, Joseph M. Stack, Charles T. Curtis, Kevin H. Butler, David E. Shoff, Robert S. Petko, William C. Little, Thaddeus Mielnik, Peter Zell
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Patent number: 5460845Abstract: A method and system of decontaminating the surface of food products including seeds, grains, nuts, spices, fruits and dried and dehydrated food with hydrogen peroxide vapor is provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 1994Date of Patent: October 24, 1995Assignee: American Sterilizer CompanyInventors: Joseph Dalmasso, Thaddeus Mielnik