Claims
- 1. A sterilization container for sterilizing instruments, comprising:
a base having upwardly projecting sidewalls terminating in an upper edge; a lid receivable upon the base and having downwardly depending sidewalls terminating in a lower edge; the lid and base forming an enclosure; and wherein the lid sidewalls comprise a plurality of cut-out portions at the lower edge and the base sidewalls comprise a plurality of cut-out portions at the upper edge with the lid sidewall cut-out portions and base sidewall cut-out portions being in registry with each other to create a plurality of openings into the enclosure.
- 2. A sterilization container according to claim 1 wherein the lid sidewall cut-out portions are widest at the lower edge.
- 3. A sterilization container according to claim 1 wherein the base sidewall cut-out portions are widest at the upper edge.
- 4. A sterilization container according to claim 1 wherein the base and lid are formed of a thermoplastic liquid crystal polymer whereby the base and lid resist chemical attack from hydrogen peroxide, and ethylene oxide, the wall does not unduly interfere with any electromagnetic fields, and the wall resists attack from elevated temperatures.
- 5. A sterilization container according to claim 4 wherein the thermoplastic liquid crystal polymer comprises a wholly aromatic polyester.
- 6. A sterilization container according to claim 5 wherein the wholly aromatic polyester is selected from the group consisting of: polybenzoate-naphthalate; polybenzoate-terephalate-bisphenol-isophthalate; polybenzoate-terephalate-ethylene glycol; and polynapthalate-amino terephthalate.
- 7. A sterilization container according to claim 1 and further comprising means for holding a medical instrument against movement within the enclosure.
- 8. A sterilization container according to claim 1 and further comprising a first plurality of apertures through a lower surface of the base.
- 9. A sterilization container according to claim 8 and further comprising a second plurality of apertures through an upper surface of the lid.
- 10. A sterilization container according to claim 1 and further comprising a filtering material filtering ingress and egress of material from the container, the filtering material being permeable to a gas or vapor sterilizing media but impermeable to microorganisms.
- 11. A sterilization container according to claim 10 wherein the filtering material comprises a wrappable material wrapped about the container.
- 12. A sterilization container according to claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of projections on the lid facing and abutting the base sidewall upper edge whereby to enhance diffusion into the container between the lid and the base.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This is a continuation of prior application Ser. No. 10/114,212 filed Apr. 2, 2002 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/672,802 filed Jun. 28, 1996.
Continuations (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10114212 |
Apr 2002 |
US |
Child |
10376993 |
Feb 2003 |
US |
Parent |
08672802 |
Jun 1996 |
US |
Child |
10114212 |
Apr 2002 |
US |