US 11,883,553 B2
Seal integrity indicator for a sterilization container
Namita A. Mithani, Alpharetta, GA (US); Anthony Stephen Spencer, Woodstock, GA (US); Tracy J. White, Cumming, GA (US); Edward B. Madsen, Cumming, GA (US); and Marshall R. Dean, Cumming, GA (US)
Assigned to O&M Halyard, Inc., Mechanicsville, VA (US)
Filed by O&M Halyard, Inc., Mechanicsville, VA (US)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/964,313.
Application 17/964,313 is a continuation of application No. 16/677,748, filed on Nov. 8, 2019, granted, now 11,511,010.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/757,870, filed on Nov. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0037088 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61L 2/26 (2006.01); A61L 2/07 (2006.01); A61L 2/14 (2006.01); A61L 2/20 (2006.01); B65D 25/28 (2006.01); B65D 43/02 (2006.01); B65D 51/16 (2006.01); B65D 51/24 (2006.01)
CPC A61L 2/26 (2013.01) [A61L 2/07 (2013.01); A61L 2/14 (2013.01); A61L 2/206 (2013.01); B65D 25/2841 (2013.01); B65D 43/0204 (2013.01); B65D 51/1616 (2013.01); B65D 51/242 (2013.01); A61L 2202/182 (2013.01); A61L 2202/24 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sterilization container, comprising:
a body including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first side extending between the first and second ends, and a second side opposite the first side and extending between the first and second ends, the body further including an open top portion;
a lid for securing to the body to close the open top portion of the body, the body and lid together defining an interior;
a gasket for sealing the interior against an ingress of contaminants; and
a seal indicator for indicating a seal state of the sterilization container, the seal indicator comprising an invertible projection, the projection extending in a first direction in a first indicator state, the projection extending in a second direction in a second indicator state, the first direction corresponding to a first position and the second direction corresponding to a second position, the projection invertible from the first position to the second position,
wherein the first indicator state indicates an unsealed state of the sterilization container and the second indicator state indicates a sealed state of the sterilization container,
wherein the projection of the seal indicator is visible from an exterior of the sterilization container through an opening in the body when in the second indicator state.