Patent ID: 7128215

Claim:
A container for swabs comprising: a housing defining a chamber with an opening for receiving and containing a plurality of swabs therein; a hinged lid for alternately opening and closing said opening of said housing, said lid being connected to said housing by a hinge and said lid being capable of moving in a substantially rotational motion pivoting about said hinge, moving between a closed position and an open position relative to said opening of said housing; a translationally movable internal support member movably disposed within said chamber for supporting said swabs, said support member being capable of moving substantially translationally between a first position in which said swabs do not substantially protrude from said opening, and a second position in which said swabs substantially protrude from said opening; and, a mechanism rigidly connected to the lid and disposed to engage in movable contact with the support member, the mechanism linking the rotational motion of said lid to at least partially cause movement of said support member such that the support member is disposed in the first position when the lid is in the closed position and the support member is disposed in the second position when the lid is in the open position; whereby in the first position the mechanism is not in contact with the support member and in the second position the mechanism is in contact with the support member whereby the mechanism creates a camming effect in its movable contact with said support member to cammingly move the support member.