Sterilized storage container

Claim 1

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising: a container formed by a lid and a base; a support means selectively positioning said lid in an open position, wherein said lid is partially spaced from said base, or in a closed position relative to said base, said support means including a relatively stiff, plate-like member supported on a peripheral portion of said base, said member including a supporting portion which extends toward said lid so that when the lid is in said open position it rests on said support portion; and means attached to said member forming an expandable chamber for containing a fluid, said chamber positioned on said member so that expansion of said chamber urges said support portion away from said lid, when said lid is in said open position, to enable said lid to move to said closed position on said base, whereby said lid may be manually moved from its closed position to its open position in which it is supported by said support portion.

Claim 2

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising: a container formed by a lid and a base; a support means selectively positioning said lid in an open position, wherein said lid is partially spaced from said base, or in a closed position relative to said base, said support means including a relatively stiff, plate-like member supported on a peripheral portion of said base, said member including a supporting portion which extends toward said lid so that when the lid is in said open position it rests on said support portion; and means attached to said member forming an expandable chamber for containing a fluid, said chamber positioned on said member so that expansion of said chamber urges said support portion away from said lid, when said lid is in said open position, to enable said lid to move to said closed position on said base, whereby said lid may be manually moved from its closed position to its open position in which it is supported by said support portion.

Claim 10

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising a base member and a lid member which form a container, and a control actuator for controlling the closing of the container, the actuator comprising: a support plate having means formed thereon for mounting the support plate on one of said container forming members; flexible means secured to said plate forming an expandable chamber for containing fluid; and means formed on said plate adjacent to said expandable chamber for contacting an edge of the other container forming member thereby causing said container to assume an open position, said contacting means being located so that expansion of fluid within said chamber is utilized to move said contacting means away from said other container forming member thereby permitting said other member to fall onto said one of said members whereby said container assumes a closed position; said chamber being located so that when it expands it contacts said other member, when said container is in said open position, and pushes the support plate in a direction away from said other member to release said other member from said contacting means thereby causing said container to assume said closed position.

Claim 11

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising a base member and a lid member which form a container, and a control actuator for controlling the closing of the container, the actuator comprising: a support plate having means formed thereon for mounting the support plate on one of said container forming members; flexible means secured to said plate forming an expandable chamber for containing fluid; and means formed on said plate adjacent to said expandable chamber for contacting an edge of the other container forming member thereby causing said container to assume an open position, said contacting means being located so that expansion of fluid within said chamber is utilized to move said contacting means away from said other container forming member thereby permitting said other member to fall onto said one of said members whereby said container assumes a closed position; said chamber being located so that when it expands it contacts said other member, when said container is in said open position, and pushes the support plate in a direction away from said other member to release said other member from said contacting means thereby causing said container to assume said closed position.

Claim 17

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising a base member and a lid member which form a container, and a control actuator for controlling the closing of the container, the actuator comprising: a support plate having means formed thereon for mounting the support plate on one of said container forming members; a diaphragm secured to said plate forming an expandable chamber for containing a fluid in combination with said support plate; means formed on said plate adjacent to said expandable chamber contacting an edge of the other container forming member thereby causing said container to assume an open position, said contacting means being located so that expansion of fluid within said chamber is utilized to move said contacting means away from said other container forming member thereby permitting said other member to fall onto said one of said members whereby said container assumes a closed position; and said actuator contacting means comprises means projecting outwardly from said plate to contact said edge of said other member and thereby cause said container to assume said open position.

Claim 18

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising a base member and a lid member which form a container, and a control actuator for controlling the closing of the container, the actuator comprising: a support plate having means formed thereon for mounting the support plate on one of said container forming members; a diaphragm secured to said plate forming an expandable chamber for containing a fluid in combination with said support plate; means formed on said plate adjacent to said expandable chamber contacting an edge of the other container forming member thereby causing said container to assume an open position, said contacting means being located so that expansion of fluid within said chamber is utilized to move said contacting means away from said other container forming member thereby permitting said other member to fall onto said one of said members whereby said container assumes a closed position; and said actuator contacting means comprises means projecting outwardly from said plate to contact said edge of said other member and thereby cause said container to assume said open position.

Claim 23

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising a base member and a lid member which form a container, and a control actuator for controlling the closing of the container, the actuator comprising: a support plate having means formed thereon for mounting the support plate of one of said container forming members; a diaphragm secured to said plate forming an expandable chamber for containing a fluid in combination with said support plate; means formed on said plate adjacent to said expandable chamber for contacting an edge of the other container forming member thereby causing said container to assume an open position, said contacting means being located so that expansion of fluid within said chamber is utilized to move said contacting means away from said other container forming member thereby permitting said other member to fall onto said one of said members whereby said container assumes a closed position; and means defining a valve for controlling fluid flow out of said chamber, said valve being temperature responsive to fluid applied to the exterior of said chamber for closing the valve and capturing a quantity of said fluid within said chamber at a predetermined temperature.

Claim 24

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising a base member and a lid member which form a container, and a control actuator for controlling the closing of the container, the actuator comprising: a support plate having means formed thereon for mounting the support plate of one of said container forming members; a diaphragm secured to said plate forming an expandable chamber for containing a fluid in combination with said support plate; means formed on said plate adjacent to said expandable chamber for contacting an edge of the other container forming member thereby causing said container to assume an open position, said contacting means being located so that expansion of fluid within said chamber is utilized to move said contacting means away from said other container forming member thereby permitting said other member to fall onto said one of said members whereby said container assumes a closed position; and means defining a valve for controlling fluid flow out of said chamber, said valve being temperature responsive to fluid applied to the exterior of said chamber for closing the valve and capturing a quantity of said fluid within said chamber at a predetermined temperature.

Claim 26

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising a base member and a lid member which form a container, and a control actuator for controlling the closing of the container, the actuator comprising: a support plate having means formed thereon for mounting the support plate on one of said container forming members; flexible means secured to said support plate forming an expandable chamber for containing a fluid; and means formed on said plate adjacent to said expandable chamber for contacting an edge of the other container forming member thereby causing said container to assume an open position, said contacting means being located so that expansion of fluid within said chamber is utilized to move said contacting means away from said other container forming member thereby permitting said other member to fall onto said one of said members whereby said container assumes a closed position; said support plate is a one-piece, molded, plastic structure which includes a nipple formed integral with said plate and extending into said chamber and having a passage therethrough for providing fluid communication between the interior and exterior of said chamber.

Claim 27

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising a base member and a lid member which form a container, and a control actuator for controlling the closing of the container, the actuator comprising: a support plate having means formed thereon for mounting the support plate on one of said container forming members; flexible means secured to said support plate forming an expandable chamber for containing a fluid; and means formed on said plate adjacent to said expandable chamber for contacting an edge of the other container forming member thereby causing said container to assume an open position, said contacting means being located so that expansion of fluid within said chamber is utilized to move said contacting means away from said other container forming member thereby permitting said other member to fall onto said one of said members whereby said container assumes a closed position; said support plate is a one-piece, molded, plastic structure which includes a nipple formed integral with said plate and extending into said chamber and having a passage therethrough for providing fluid communication between the interior and exterior of said chamber.

Claim 29

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising: a container base having means for receiving a container lid and having a flange extending outwardly from said means; a lid cooperating with said base to form a container; a support member having its lower end connected to said flange and extending upwardly adjacent said lid in cantilever fashion with means on the lower end of the support member which cooperate with said base flange so that the upper portion of the support member is urged inwardly towards said lid, said support member including a projection which extends towards said lid sufficiently far to support the lid when a side of the lid adjacent said support member is raised so that said side of the lid rests on said projection in an open position, the material and construction of said support member and base being such that the upper end of the support member may be moved away from the lid sufficiently far to withdraw said projection from beneath said lid so as to permit the lid to fall into a closed position on said base; and flexible means carried by and cooperating with said support member to form an expandable chamber, said chamber being located between the support member and the lid such that as said chamber expands it contacts said lid and pushes against the lid to move the upper end of the support member away from the lid withdrawing said projection from contact with said lid thereby allowing the lid to fall into said closed position.

Claim 30

An apparatus for containing items while the items are being sterilized and stored, said apparatus comprising: a container base having means for receiving a container lid and having a flange extending outwardly from said means; a lid cooperating with said base to form a container; a support member having its lower end connected to said flange and extending upwardly adjacent said lid in cantilever fashion with means on the lower end of the support member which cooperate with said base flange so that the upper portion of the support member is urged inwardly towards said lid, said support member including a projection which extends towards said lid sufficiently far to support the lid when a side of the lid adjacent said support member is raised so that said side of the lid rests on said projection in an open position, the material and construction of said support member and base being such that the upper end of the support member may be moved away from the lid sufficiently far to withdraw said projection from beneath said lid so as to permit the lid to fall into a closed position on said base; and flexible means carried by and cooperating with said support member to form an expandable chamber, said chamber being located between the support member and the lid such that as said chamber expands it contacts said lid and pushes against the lid to move the upper end of the support member away from the lid withdrawing said projection from contact with said lid thereby allowing the lid to fall into said closed position.