Sterilization chest
First Claim
1. A container which seals upon evacuation comprises:
- (a) an open-top receptacle having upright sidewalls and a bottom wall;
(b) a peripheral flange about the upper edges of its sidewalls of sufficient width to provide an annular, flat sealing surface;
(c) open channel grooves in said flange, one each, extending along each of at least two opposite sides of said receptacle and located inwardly on said flange surrounded by said annular, flat sealing surface;
(d) a flexible membrane cover overlying said open top with outside sealing face edges overlying said annular flat sealing surface of said peripheral flange and in sealed contact with said annular flat sealing surface when said chamber is evacuated;
(e) a plurality of membrane stiffening members in side-to-side array carried on the underside of said flexible membrane and terminating short of the sealing face edges with distal legs received in each of said grooves.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is disclosed a container that is useful as a sterilization chest for surgeons'"'"' instruments and the like. The container includes a generally open-top box having a peripheral flange about its top edge and an open channel extending along at least two of the opposite sides of the box in the peripheral flange. A flexible membrane cover is provided which overlies the top of the box and the peripheral flange and this membrane is reinforced with a plurality of stiffening members which are supported on the undersurface of the flexible membrane cover in a side-to-side array. These stiffening members have distal, downwardly dependent lips which are received in the open channel grooves in the peripheral flange whereby the stiffening members reinforce both the flexible cover and the upper sidewalls of the box, preventing collapse of these elements when the chamber within the chest is evacuated. The flexible cover serves to seal the container yet it can be readily removed by lifting from a corner and, in this fashion, also serves as a valve for the sterilization chest.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A container which seals upon evacuation comprises:
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(a) an open-top receptacle having upright sidewalls and a bottom wall; (b) a peripheral flange about the upper edges of its sidewalls of sufficient width to provide an annular, flat sealing surface; (c) open channel grooves in said flange, one each, extending along each of at least two opposite sides of said receptacle and located inwardly on said flange surrounded by said annular, flat sealing surface; (d) a flexible membrane cover overlying said open top with outside sealing face edges overlying said annular flat sealing surface of said peripheral flange and in sealed contact with said annular flat sealing surface when said chamber is evacuated; (e) a plurality of membrane stiffening members in side-to-side array carried on the underside of said flexible membrane and terminating short of the sealing face edges with distal legs received in each of said grooves. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification