Patent ID: 8668880

Claim:
In an apparatus that inhibits microbial viability on a medical instrument, said apparatus having a sterilization chamber for receiving said medical instrument, a circulation system connected to said sterilization chamber for circulating a fluid through said sterilization chamber and a well, a chemistry container having a removable base portion, wherein a portion of a bottom surface of said removable base portion is recessed to define a mating feature of said container; and a device for detaching said removable base portion from said chemistry container, said device comprising: a mounting end secured in said well such that said device extends into a lower portion of said well; an intermediate section extending from said mounting end at first angle; and a free end that extends from said intermediate section at a second angle, said free end dimensioned to define a capturing means for capturing and applying a force to said mating feature on said chemistry container or on said removable base portion as said chemistry container is inserted into said well, said device dimensioned such that said free end engages said mating feature of said chemistry container at an outer peripheral edge of said chemistry container or of said removable base, wherein said removable base is disengaged from said chemistry container and is maintained at an angle within an interior of said chemistry container thereby preventing said removable base from obstructing a lower opening of said chemistry container.