Patent ID: 8485567

Claim:
A sterilization cassette having mating pieces to form a closed compartment, the sterilization cassette including a latch comprising; a finger tab on an outside surface of a first piece of the cassette; a first spacer connected to the finger tab and disposed between the finger tab and the outside surface of the first piece of the cassette, wherein the first spacer facilitates sliding of the finger tab and the first spacer along the outside surface of the first piece of the cassette; a latch arm on an inside surface of the first piece of the cassette, the latch arm connected to the finger tab through an elongated slot in the first piece; a second spacer disposed between the latch arm and the inside surface of the first piece of the cassette, wherein the second spacer facilitates sliding of the latch arm and the second spacer along the inside surface of first piece of the cassette; a tension spring disposed between the latch arm and the second spacer, the tension spring holding the finger tab and the first spacer against the outside surface of the first piece and the latch arm and the second spacer against the inside surface of the first piece preventing the finger tab and the first spacer and the latch arm and the second spacer from sliding freely along the elongated slot; and a bracket connected to a second piece of the cassette, wherein the bracket on the second piece of the cassette is captured by the latch arm and held by the tension spring on the first piece of the cassette and the latch is in the closed position when the pieces are mated forming a closed compartment.