Abstract:
The system contains a latch mechanism for a container having a first container portion and a second container portion comprising a guide part attached to the first container portion. A slide part is carried by the guide part, shiftable relative to the guide part between a closed position restraining the second container portion and an open position releasing the slide part from the second container portion. A guide catch part is integral with said guide part and a slide part including a depressible flap. A slide catch part is integral with said depressible flap. Interaction between said guide catch part and said slide catch part restrains said slide part against movement from said closed position into said open position. Actuating said depressible flap releases said slide catch part from being restrained by said guide catch part and frees the slide part to move from the closed to open position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/222, 656 filed Jul. 2, 2009, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present disclosure is generally related to latches, and more particularly is related to latches for medical instrument sterilization containers. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0003]    This disclosure relates to a latching mechanism for the purpose of securing a lid to a container base and has specific but not limited application to a sliding latch usable with sterilization containers for such things as medical instrumentation. 
         [0004]    Most latch mechanisms for sterilization containers and instrument containers are of metallic manufacture and generally of an over center type of operation. Some latches have sharpened edges which can cause tearing of a sterile barrier or a gloved hand and are not easily opened in medical situations where many times time is critical. In this disclosure a slide latch is provided. The latch includes a guide part which is secured to the lid of the container and an interfitting slide part which moves relative to the guide part. The slide part of the latch mechanism includes a lip which when the slide part is retracted fits over the container base serving to secure the lid to the base. The guide and slide parts of the latch mechanism are preferably formed of an injection molded plastic. The latch assembly may be of a specific color so as to identify the type of instrumentation or purpose of the container. Also, the latch mechanism can be easily and simply secured to the lid of the container by a snap fit interconnect. 
         [0005]    Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0006]    Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system for a latch for medical instrument sterilization containers. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. The system contains a latch mechanism for a container having a first container portion and a second container portion, the latch mechanism having a guide part attached to the first container portion. A slide part is carried by the guide part, shiftable relative to the guide part between a closed position restraining the second container portion and an open position releasing said slide part from the second container portion. The system includes a guide catch part integral with the guide part. The slide part includes a depressible flap and a slide catch part integral with the depressible flap, wherein interaction between the guide catch part and the slide catch part restrains the slide part against movement from the closed position into the open position, whereby actuating the depressible flap releases the slide catch part from being restrained by the guide catch part and frees the slide part to move from the closed position to the open position. 
         [0007]    The present disclosure can also be viewed as providing a method for unlatching a latch mechanism having an open and a closed position. In this regard, one embodiment of such a method, among others, can be broadly summarized by the following steps: attaching a guide part to a first container portion; actuating a depressible flap, attached to a slide part, thereby freeing a slide catch part integral with the slide part from the restraint in the closed position of a guide catch part integral with the guide part; retaining the depressible flap in an actuated position; and shifting the slide part relative to the guide part to the open position, wherein the slide part is guided by at least one sliding rail engaged with at least one guiding rail thereby disengaging at least one lip integral with the slide part from a second container portion. 
         [0008]    Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a perspective view of a container with the latch in a closed position in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of a perspective view of a container with the latch in an open position in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of an exploded view of the latch mechanism of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of the latch mechanism of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an illustration of a top view of the latch mechanism in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of a side view of the latch mechanism in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating a method of unlatching the latch mechanism shown in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a perspective view of a container  10  with the latch mechanism  16  in a closed position, in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 2  is an illustration of a perspective view of a container  10  with the latch mechanism  16  in an open position, in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The container  10  includes a plurality of sides  12 . A lid  14  is included with the container  10 . A latch mechanism  16  is included with the container  10 . The latch mechanism  16  is secured to one of the plurality of sides  12  of the container  10 . The latch mechanism  16  may also be secured to the lid  14 . The form and style of the container  10  may vary but will generally include a plurality of sides  12 , a base  13  and a lid  14  which may be of a metallic or plastic composition. 
         [0018]    The container  10  may include one latch mechanism  16  or a plurality of latch mechanisms  16  that secure one of a side  12 , lid  14  or base  13  of the container  10  to one of the other. For example, a latch mechanism  16  may be located on one of the plurality of side  12  and engage a lid  14 , or located on a lid  14  and engage a side  12 . If the container  10  is being utilized as a sterilization device for sterilizing medical instruments, there may be a plurality of openings  15  formed in a combination of the plurality of sides  12 , the base  13  and lid  14  to allow for the escape and passage for the sterilization material, such as steam. The latch mechanism  16  is secured to one of the plurality of sides  12  of the container  10 , to the lid  14  or the base  13 . The latch mechanism  16  may be secured by a hinge attached to the guide part  20  and/or may be secured with a threaded fastener, like a screw. One having skill in the art will recognize that there are many known ways and structures to secure the latch mechanism  16  to the container  10 . These ways and structures may include, but are not limited to a permanent attachment like bonding, an integral attachment such as molding or casting, and a removable attachment such as an intermitting clip system, all of which are considered within the scope of this disclosure. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of an exploded view of the latch mechanism  16  of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 4  is an illustration of the latch mechanism  16  of  FIG. 1  in a closed position, in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The latch mechanism  16  includes a guide part  20  and a slide part  40 . The guide part  20  and the slide part  40  are situated to be interconnected, and once interconnected, the slide part  40  may be shifted in a forward and rear direction, with respect to a front end  28  and a rear end  30  of the guide part  20 . 
         [0020]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the guide part  20  is secured to a portion of the container  10 , such as the lid  14  or a sidewall  12 , and includes a frame  24  that extends between a pair of guide rail support structures  22 . Each of the guide rail support structures  22  form in conjunction with the frame  24  a guiding rail  26 , which extends from the front end  28  of the guide part to approximately the rear end  30 . The design of the guide part  20  may also include a single or a plurality of guide rail support structures  22 . Frame  24  of guide part  20  has an inner opening  32 , which extends inwardly from the rear end  30  to the front end  28 . At least one threaded fastener hole  34  may be included in the frame  24  to facilitate attachment of the guide part  20  to the container  10  with a threaded fastener. The frame  24  also includes at least one guide catch part  36  integral with the frame  24 . The guide catch part  36  may also be attached to the frame  24  with any other design known to the art, including but not limited to a permanent, semi-permanent or removable attachment. The at least one guide catch part  36  may be located on opposing sides of the frame  24 , extending over the inner opening  32 . The at least one guide catch part  36  may extend perpendicular to the plane of the frame  24 . In other words, the guide catch part  36  may be raised off the plane of the frame  24 . The guide catch part  36  may be composed of a rigid material, or any other material capable of restraining the slide part  40  from moving such as plastic, metal, rubber or a synthetic substance. 
         [0021]    Guide part  20  may be secured to any portion of the container  10  such as the lid  14  or a side  12  by gluing, bonding, ultrasonic welding or any other permanent, semi-permanent or removable attachment means. Preferably, the guide part  20  is designed to hinge to the container  10 . This is accomplished by providing a hinge  38  adjacent to the rear part  30  of the frame  24 . The container  10  may include a feature to receive the hinge  38 . 
         [0022]    Slide part  40  of latch mechanism  16  includes a frame  42 . The frame  42  includes a frame corner  44  located at the end of one side of the frame  42 . Integral with the frame  42 , starting at the frame corner  44  and extending in one direction is at least one slide rail support structure  46 . The first embodiment of the present disclosure includes two slide rail support structures  46  positioned at opposing sides of the frame  42 , however any number of slide rail support structures  46  may be included. On the outermost face of the slide rail support structure  46  is a sliding rail  52 . The sliding rail  52  is positioned to be received by the guiding rail  26  of the guide part  20 . Once received by the guide part  20 , the sliding rail  52  may be substantially shifted in the forward and backward directions, in respect to the front end  28  and the rear end  30  of the guide part  20 . 
         [0023]    In between the two slide rail support structures  46 , integral with the frame  42 , starting at the frame corner  44  and extending parallel to the slide rail support structures  46  is a depressible flap  48 . The depressible flap  48  may be composed of a rigid material capable of holding its shape but able to be biased by a minimal force such as plastic, metal, rubber or a synthetic substance. The depressible flap  48  will generally be integral with the frame  42 , but may also be permanently, semi-permanently or removably attached by any means known to those having skill in the art. The slide part  40  also includes a front plate  56 , integral with the frame  42  of the slide part  40 , and at least one lip  54  connected to the front plate  56 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is an illustration of a top view of the latch mechanism  16  in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 6  is an illustration of a side view of the slide part  40  of latch mechanism  16  in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The slide part  40  includes at least one slide catch part  50  on one side of the depressible flap  48 . The at least one slide catch part  50  is situated to be restrained by the guide catch part  36  of the guide part  20 . The slide part  40  also includes a front plate  56 , integral with the frame  42  of the slide part  40 . At least one lip  54  is integral with the front plate  56 . The design of the frame  42 , the front plate  56  and the lip  54  may also be constructed in any other method known in the art, including but not limited to a non-integral design, a removable attachment or a permanent attachment. 
         [0025]    There are three exemplary situations for engagement of the guide catch part  36  and the slide catch part  50  when the slide part  40  is interconnected with the guide part  20 . In other words, the elongated tab  52  would be located within the guiding rail  26  of the guide part  20  in these exemplary situations. The first exemplary situation is when the slide catch part  50  is positioned between the guide catch part  36  and the front end  28  of the guide part  20 . Here, the slide catch part  50  would be restrained from moving towards the front end  28  of the guide part  20  by the frame  24 , and also restrained from moving towards the rear end  30  of the frame  24  by the guide catch part. 
         [0026]    In the second situation, the slide catch part  50  would be engaged directly with the guide catch part  36 , positioned such that the slide catch part  50  is below the guide catch part  36 . In this arrangement, the slide catch part  50  would be forcibly secured against the guide catch part  36 , thereby restraining movement of the slide part  40  with respect to the guide part  20 . 
         [0027]    The third exemplary situation is when the slide catch part  50  is positioned between the guide catch part  36  and the rear end  30 . In this arrangement, the slide catch part  50  is snuggly engaged to the rear side of the guide catch part  36 , thereby restraining movement of the slide part  40  in the direction towards the front end  28  of the guide part  20 . The slide part  40  may also be restrained from movement towards the rear end  30  of the guide part  20  by a front plate  56  of the slide part  40 . The front plate  56  is integral with the slide part  40  and positioned perpendicular to the slide rails  46  and the depressible tab  48 . Restraint of the slide part  40  in a rear direction in this third example is created by the interaction of the rear end  28  of the guide part  20  and the front plate  56  of the slide part. This example can be best seen in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0028]    To move the slide part  40  between the arrangements of the first, second or third exemplary situations, the depressible flap  48  is actuated towards or away from the guide catch tab  36  in concert with movement of the slide part  40  in a front or back direction. This action will subsequently move the at least one lip  54 , integral with the front plate  56 , located parallel to the frame  42  of the slide part  40 . The lip  54  is situated to engage the container  10  when the latch mechanism  16  is in the closed position. To facilitate this engagement, the container  10  may include a feature (not shown) to receive the lip  54 . In this situation, i.e. the closed position, the lip  54  would engage the feature thereby restraining movement of the portion of the container  10 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart  100  illustrating a method of unlatching the latch mechanism  16  shown in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be noted that any process descriptions or blocks in flow charts should be understood as representing modules, segments, portions of code, or steps that include one or more instructions for implementing specific logical functions in the process, and alternate implementations are included within the scope of the present disclosure in which functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as would be understood by those reasonably skilled in the art of the present disclosure. 
         [0030]    As is shown by block  102 , a guide part  20  is attached to a first container portion. A depressible flap  48  attached to a slide part  40  is actuated, thereby freeing a slide catch part  50  integral with the slide part  40  from the restraint in the closed position of a guide catch part  36  integral with the guide part  20  (block  104 ). The depressible flap  48  is retained in an actuated position (block  106 ). The slide part  40  is shifted relative to the guide part  20  to the open position, wherein the slide part  40  is guided by at least one sliding rail  52  engaged with at least one guiding rail  26  thereby disengaging at least one lip  54  integral with the slide part  40  from a second container portion (block  108 ). 
         [0031]    It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the disclosure without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present disclosure and protected by the following claims.