WO1997000699A1

WO1997000699A1 - A surgical instrument sterilization container with improved latching mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO1997000699A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/010565
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edward D. Riley
Original assignee: Riley Edward D
Priority date: 1995-06-20
Filing date: 1996-06-19
Publication date: 1997-01-09
Also published as: US5573741A; AU6335996A

Abstract

A container for the sterilization of articles disposed therein, including surgical instruments, having two ends and comprising a cover unit and a base unit. A locking mechanism, including a C-shaped tab, is pivotally and removably attached to each end of the base unit so that each tab can pivot between an open and a locked position. Each tab includes a first locking means on an upper portion of the tab. The cover unit includes a second locking means at each end of the cover unit for interfitting with the first locking means of the corresponding tab when the tab is in the locked position.

Description

A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT STERILIZATION CONTAINER WITH IMPROVED LATCHING MECHANISM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to containers for articles to be sterilized by exposure to steam. More specifically, this invention relates to improvements in the latching mechanism for securing the cover unit ofa sterilization container to the base unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sterilization of surgical instruments and the like is often performed in an autoclave where the instruments are exposed to steam at an elevated temperature. The instruments are disposed in a container having a cover unit and a base unit. The surfaces ofthe cover unit and the base unit are perforated to permit the steam to pass therethrough. The perforations also ensure that the instruments disposed within the container will be exposed to the hot steam immediately upon their introduction into the autoclave.

When transporting the container, it is important that the cover unit ofthe container be securely attached to the base unit supporting the instruments. Failure ofthe cover to remain securely attached to the base can result in the sterilized instruments being dropped during removal or transport from the autoclave, possibly contaminating the instruments. It is also important that the cover unit be easily removed from the base unit in order to quickly access the sterilized instruments in the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object ofthe present invention to provide a surgical sterilization container with an improved latching mechanism which securely attaches the cover unit ofthe container to the base unit.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide an improved latching mechanism which permits quick and easy operation in order to reduce the time necessary to open the container and remove the sterilized instruments disposed therein.

A sterilization container incorporating the invention has two ends and comprises a cover unit which can be removably attached to a base unit. At each end ofthe cover unit is a catch to be used in securing each end ofthe cover unit to the corresponding end ofthe base unit. The cover unit may also include a recess at each end, the recess having a floor and a back wall. The catch may be located along the floor of each recess in the cover unit. The cover unit and base unit may also be perforated, to permit the steam from the autoclave to pass through the container and across the instruments disposed therein.

The container further comprises a latching mechanism at each end ofthe container for securing the cover unit to the base unit. Each latching mechanism comprises a generally C-shaped tab pivotally and removably attached to each end ofthe base unit such that the tab can pivot from an open to a locked position. Each tab includes a locking ridge located at an upper portion ofthe tab. The locking ridge is adapted for interfitting with the corresponding catch at each end ofthe cover unit, when the tab is in the locked position, thereby securing the cover unit to the base unit. Each tab may also include a gripping flange for releasing the tab from its locked position on the cover unit.

The cover unit may also include a notch at the back wall of each recess. Each notch is adapted to permit a person's finger to release the tab from its locked position quickly and easily, by moving the gripping flange outwardly from the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view ofa surgical instrument sterilization container incorporating the improved latching mechanism according to the invention showing the latching mechanism in the locked position;

Fig. 2A is a side elevational view ofa portion ofthe latching mechanism ofthe invention;

Fig. 2B is a front elevational view ofthe latching mechanism of Fig. 2 A;

Fig. 2C is a bottom elevational view ofthe latching mechanism of Fig. 2A;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view ofthe container with the latching mechanism in the open position;

Fig. 4 is a partial top view ofthe container of Fig. 3 with the cover unit removed;

Fig. 5 is a partial top view ofthe cover unit ofthe surgical instrument sterilization container according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in Fig. 1, a generally rectangular sterilization container 10 comprises a base unit 12 and a cover unit 14 removably attached to the base unit 12. The base unit 12 and the cover unit 14 define an interior space 11 (Fig. 4) for the sterilization of articles (not shown) disposed within the interior space 11 ofthe container 10. The cover unit 14 and the base unit 12 have holes 16 so that steam from an autoclave (not shown) can pass through the container 10 thereby sterilizing the articles placed therein.

The base unit 12 has two end walls 18. Each end wall 18 ofthe base unit 12 includes two slots 44. The slots 44 are colinear and extend completely through the base unit 12. Each end wall 18 may further include an indentation 38 (Fig. 4), extending into the interior 11 ofthe container 10. The slots 44, corresponding to each end wall 18 ofthe base unit 12, may be located at the indentation 38.

The cover unit 14 has two ends 32. A recess 29 may be formed at each end 32 ofthe cover unit 14 (Fig. 5). Each recess 29 has a floor 31 and a back wall 33. Each end 32 ofthe cover unit 14 includes a catch 30, which may be semi-circular in cross-section. The catch 30 may be located along the floor 31 of each recess 29. The container 14 may further include a notch 34 at the back wall 33 of each recess 29. Each notch 34 is sized to fit the end ofa person's finger (not shown).

As shown in Fig. 1, a latch mechanism in the form ofa C-shaped tab 20 is pivotally and removably attached to each end wall 18 ofthe base unit 12. Each tab 20 has an upper portion 22, a center portion 23 and a lower portion 24 (Figs. 2A-2C). The upper portion 22 of each tab 20 is adapted to fit into the corresponding recess 29 at each end 32 ofthe cover unit 14.

A locking ridge 26 is located on the inside face of each tab 20 at the upper portion 22 (Fig. 3A). The locking ridge 26, which may be semi-circular in cross-section, may extend the entire width ofthe tab 20. The locking ridge 26 is adapted for interfitting with the corresponding catch 30 of each end 32 ofthe cover unit 14, when the tab 20 is in the locked position. Each locking ridge 26 may extend parallel to the corresponding catch 30, when the tab 20 is in the locked position.

As shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, each tab 20 may further include a gripping flange 28, which extends peφendicularly from the tab 20 at the upper portion 22.

Each tab 20 further includes two pivot studs 42 at the lower portion 24 ofthe tab 20. The pivot studs 42 extend outwardly from the tab 20 and may be colinear. As shown in Fig. 4, the pivot studs 42 are adapted to fit into the corresponding slots 44 at each end wall 18 of the base unit 12. The pivot studs 42 extend through the slots 44 into the interior 11 ofthe base unit 12, allowing the tab 20 to rotate about the pivot studs 42. Preferably, the pivot studs 42 extend sufficiently into the interior 11 ofthe base unit 12 such that the tab 20 is As shown in Figs. 2B and 2C, each tab 20 further includes a slit 48 extending along a vertical axis ofthe tab 20 from the base portion 24 to the center portion 23. The slit 48 is preferably widest at the base portion 24 and decreases in width as the slit 48 reaches the center portion 23 ofthe tab 20. The width ofthe slit 48 is constant as it extends along the vertical axis ofthe center portion 23 ofthe tab 20.

To secure the cover unit 14 to the base unit 12, each tab 20 is moved to the locked position on the corresponding end 32 ofthe cover unit 14. Each tab 20 is rotated so that the upper portion 22 ofthe tab 20 is received in the corresponding end 32 ofthe cover unit 14. The upper portion 22 of each tab 20 is then flexed upwardly as the locking ridge 26 passes over the corresponding catch 30. Once the locking ridge 26 passes over the catch 30, the upper portion 22 of each tab 20 snaps down toward the floor 31 ofthe corresponding recess 29. The catch 30 is of sufficient height to retain the tab 20 in the locked position by preventing the locking ridge 26 from passing back over the catch 30.

To open the container 10, each tab 20 is moved to its open position so that the cover unit 14 may be removed from the base unit 12. Each tab 20 is unlocked by pushing the gripping flange 28 outwardly from the corresponding notch 34 until the locking ridge 26 is disengaged from the corresponding catch 30. The locking ridge 26 is disengaged from the corresponding catch 30 by flexing the upper portion 22 of each tab 20 upwardly so that the locking ridge 26 may pass over the corresponding catch 30. Once the locking ridge 26 is disengaged from the catch 30, the tab 20 pivots outwardly as shown by arrow A (Fig. 1) and the cover unit 14 can be easily removed from the base unit 12 to access the articles disposed therein.

As shown in Fig. 4, the slit 48 is adapted to permit the removal of each tab 20 from each end wall 18 ofthe base unit 12, by allowing the pivot studs 42 of each tab 20 to be squeezed together, from the interior 11 ofthe base unit 12. The pivot studs 42 are squeezed together until the pivot studs 42 pass through the corresponding slots 44, thereby releasing the tab 20 from the base unit 12.

Preferably, the tab 20 is formed by injection molding from polyphenylsulfome, which gives the tab 20 sufficient rigidity to secure the cover unit 14 to the base unit 12, when each tab 20 is in the locked position, while still permitting each tab 20 to be moved to the open position quickly and easily by pushing the gripping flange 26 outwardly.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. A surgical instrument sterilization container comprising: a base unit forming a bottom of said container, said base unit having two end walls, a cover unit forming a top of said container, said cover unit having two ends, a generally C-shaped tab pivotally and removably attached to each end wall of said base unit so that each tab can pivot between an open and a locked position, each tab having a first locking means at an upper portion of said tab, and a second locking means at each end of said cover unit, wherein each first locking means interfits with the corresponding second locking means when each tab is moved to its locked position so as to secure said cover unit to said base unit.

2. The container of claim 1 further comprising: a flange extending perpendicularly from the upper portion of each tab.

3. The container of claim 2 further comprising: a notch at each end of said cover unit, the notch adapted to receive a person's finger for moving the corresponding tab from the locked position to the open position by pushing said flange outward.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein: each end wall of said base unit further includes an indentation, adapted to receive a lower portion ofthe corresponding tab, the indentation having two colinear slots, and each tab further comprises two colinear pivot studs extending outwardly from the lower portion of said tab, wherein the pivot studs of each tab are received in the slots in the corresponding indentation such that said tab can pivot on the pivot studs.

5. The container of claim 4 wherein: each tab further comprises a slit extending along a vertical axis of said tab from the lower portion of said tab to a center portion of said tab, wherein the slit permits the pivot studs of said tab to be squeezed together such that the pivot studs can be passed through the slots ofthe corresponding indentation, thereby removing said tab from said base unit.

6. The container of claim 1 wherein: the first locking means comprises a locking ridge and said second locking means comprises a catch.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein: the first locking means has a semicircular cross-section and said second locking means has a semicircular cross-section.