Patent ID: 8840837

Claim:
A biological sterilization indicator comprising: a housing; a container containing a liquid and being dimensioned to be positioned in the housing, at least a portion of the container being frangible, the container having a first state in which the container is intact and the liquid is not in fluid communication with an interior of the housing and a second state in which the container is fractured and the liquid is in fluid communication with the interior of the housing; a first chamber in the housing in which the container is positioned when the container is in the first state; a second chamber in the housing in which the container and the liquid are not positioned when the container is in the first state, and into which a sterilant moves when the container is in the first state and into which the liquid moves when the container is in the second state, the second chamber comprising at least one source of biological activity that is not in fluid communication with the liquid when the container is in the first state and that is in fluid communication with the liquid when the container is in the second state; a first fluid path positioned to fluidly couple the first chamber and the second chamber, the first fluid path positioned to allow a sterilant to move from the first chamber into the second chamber when the container is in the first state, and to allow the liquid to move from the first chamber into the second chamber when the container is in the second state; a second fluid path positioned to fluidly couple the second chamber and the first chamber of the biological sterilization indicator, the second fluid path positioned to allow displaced gas to move from the second chamber to the first chamber as the sterilant or the liquid moves from the first chamber to the second chamber, and an insert positioned in the housing, the insert configured for at least one of holding the container intact and fracturing the container, wherein the insert is adapted to allow the container to move in the housing between a first position in which the container is in the first state and a second position in which the container is in the second state.