Patent ID: 6880869

Claim:
A method for safeguarding the sterility of a sterilization container having a base, a lid matable with the base in sealing engagement, and a latch mechanism having a latched position for locking the lid to the base and an unlatched position for releasing the lid for removal from the base, said method comprising placing articles to be sterilized into the base; closing the base with the lid; placing the latch mechanism in the latched position to lock the lid to the base; assembling a seal to the latch mechanism to obstruct the free movement of the latch mechanism from the latched position to the unlatched position, the seal having a body including a sterilization indicator material and a tongue having at least one end connected to the body and a free end; processing the container through a sterilization treatment, whereupon the tongue shrinks to maintain the latch mechanism in the latched position, and a property of the sterilization indicator material changes to indicate completion of sterilization; and moving the latch mechanism to the unlatched position to release the lid from the base, the movement of the latch mechanism from the latched position to the unlatched position breaking the tongue.