WO2015128386A1

WO2015128386A1 - Foldable box for sterilising and holding surgical instruments

Info

Publication number: WO2015128386A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/053949
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giulio TORELLO; Alfredo Ricci
Original assignee: Ith S.R.L.
Priority date: 2014-02-27
Filing date: 2015-02-25
Publication date: 2015-09-03
Also published as: ITMI20140075U1

Abstract

A new and useful box (10) for sterilising and holding surgical instruments, comprising: - a base or bottom (11) having a substantially rectangular shape defined by four sides (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d), and - four flaps (12, 13, 14, 15) each one foldable on a corresponding side (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) of the base (11). The box of the invention allows easy and convenient closure of the box containing the surgical instruments to be sterilised, as also safe holding and conservation thereof after their sterilisation.

Description

FOLDABLE BOX FOR STERILISING AND HOLDING SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

DESCRIPTION

Sector of the invention

The present invention relates in general to the sector of containers, boxes and similar objects for sterilising, disinfecting, holding and conserving surgical equipment and instruments, and more particularly it has as an object a new and useful box, of the type comprising a plurality of closable walls or flaps, for sterilising and conserving surgical instruments, which has a very convenient system of closure of the flaps of practical use for opening and closing the box, and at the same time able to ensure effective and stable closure of the same box, once the surgical instruments to be sterilised have been placed therein.

Prior art

The prior art offers numerous models of boxes and containers in general to be used both for sterilising surgical equipment, instruments and tools, such as scalpels of various types and sizes, scissors, also of various types and sizes, tweezers, spatulas and others, and for conserving them, once sterilised.

For example a box is currently in use, which was made specifically for the storing and holding of surgical tools and instruments after they have been used in a surgical operation, wherein this box is apt to be used subsequently for sterilising instruments, contained therein, and for conserving them subsequently in sterile conditions, i.e. once sterilised, until the subsequent surgical operation.

In detail this known box is formed by a base or bottom, rectangular in shape, which is associated with a plurality or system of foldable walls or flaps, that is to say they can be opened and closed with respect to this base, wherein this system of foldable flaps implies that the box is apt to assume an open configuration, with the flaps open with respect to the base, to receive and house the surgical instruments after the surgical operation, and a closed configuration, with the flaps closed on the base and blocked and attached one in relation to the other, wherein the box is used for sterilising the surgical instruments and tools contained therein and for their subsequent conserving, once sterilised.

In use this known box is initially set up in the open configuration, with the flaps open, to receive the surgical instruments and tools, and is then closed, folding the flaps on the base and then attaching them one in relation to the other, so as to house the surgical instruments and tools.

Therefore the box, containing the surgical instruments and tools, is used to sterilise them, and for this purpose the respective flaps which can be folded with respect to the base have on their surface a plurality of through holes.

Therefore, when the box in the closed configuration is immersed in a sterilisation bath, the liquid of the bath penetrates the box through the holes formed in the respective foldable flaps so as to wash the surgical instruments and tools contained in the box and therefore sterilise them.

For completeness of information an example of one of these conventional boxes, exhibiting a plurality of foldable perforated flaps, i.e. which can be opened and closed with respect to a bottom base, to be used for sterilising and conserving surgical tools and instruments, is shown by the photographic images of Figs. 3A and 3B.

This known box, similarly to other similar containers and boxes currently used for sterilising and conserving surgical instruments and tools, is not however free from limits and disadvantages, so as to require improvement.

For example in this known box both the operation of closure of the foldable flaps with respect to the bottom base and the operation of blocking and attachment between these parts, to make the box assume the respective closed configuration, can be found to be inconvenient and difficult for an operator, due to the intrinsic features of the system of closure and blocking of these foldable flaps. In other words the foldable flaps of these boxes known today and in use can be found to be inconvenient to handle and fold by a respective user and operator, and also not always able to ensure a stable and secure attachment between them in the closed configuration of the box.

Therefore these known boxes, despite the fact that they are widespread and in use for some time, appear to require further improvements, also in order to meet expectations and needs, always felt by trade and operators, to have increasingly efficient, practical and easy to use systems, boxes and containers for sterilising and conserving surgical instruments and tools.

Therefore, taking account of the solutions currently available and the expectations of further improvements, as illustrated above, the inventors have perceived that it was possible to make a new and useful box, for sterilising and conserving surgical instruments and tools, able to fill some gaps present in the boxes now in use and offered by the prior art, and in particular characterised both by a great ease of use and the capacity for housing stably and securely the surgical instruments and tools to be sterilised, and to conserve them safely, once sterilised, between one surgical operation and the next.

Summary of the invention

Therefore the primary object of the present invention is to make a new and useful box, of the type with perforated flaps which can be folded with respect to a bottom base, to be used both for sterilising surgical instruments and tools, after the use in a surgical operation, and for their subsequent holding and conserving, once sterilised, until the next surgical operation, which new box implies significant and advantageous improvements with respect to the boxes and to the containers, currently known and in use, for sterilising and conserving surgical instruments and tools, and in particular has a system of perforated flaps which can be folded on the bottom base such as to allow a convenient, easy, safe and reliable closure of the box, once the surgical instruments and tools to be sterilised have been received. A further object, moreover connected to the primary one as above, of the present invention, is also that of making a new box, of the type comprising a plurality of flaps which can be folded on a bottom base to allow the box to assume an open configuration for receiving surgical instruments and tools to be sterilised and a closed configuration for sterilising surgical instruments and tools, which implies a secure holding and conserving of the surgical instruments and tools, once sterilised, housed in the box.

The above objects can be considered to be fully achieved by the box for sterilising and conserving surgical instruments and tools having the features disclosed by the independent claim 1.

Particular embodiments of this new box for sterilising and conserving surgical instruments are moreover defined by the dependent claims.

Advantages of the invention

As will be made clearer here below in the description, the new box for containing surgical instruments and tools, in accordance with the present invention, offers a series of important advantages, in part already announced previously, among which the following are mentioned purely by way of an indication:

- a convenient, simple and practical closure of the box, in order to make the box take on the respective closed configuration, with the surgical instruments to be sterilised contained in its interior;

- a secure and stable closure of the box for the purpose of conserving and holding the instruments once sterilised;

- a very solid construction of the box;

- a low manufacturing cost.

Brief description of the drawings

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be made clearer and evident by the following description of one of its preferred embodiments, given purely by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs. 1A-1E are graphic images which show a box, in accordance with the present invention, for sterilising and holding surgical instruments, in different and successive configurations, through which the box passes and assumes from an initial open configuration, in which the box is apt to receive the surgical instruments to be sterilised, to a final closed configuration, in which the same box is apt to be used to sterilise the surgical instruments contained therein and to hold them once sterilised;

Figs. 2A-2C are graphic images, on an enlarged scale, which show some details of the box of Figs. 1A-1E;

Figs. 3A and 3B are graphic images of a conventional box currently in use for sterilising and holding surgical instruments and tools; and

Figs. 4A-4D are graphical images, on an enlarged scale, showing further details of the box of the invention of Figs. 1A-1E, in particular concerning a connecting system, consisting of a flexible tongue and a mushroom-shaped button, adapted to connect two opposite external closure flaps of such box.

Description of a preferred embodiment of the box, in accordance with the invention, for sterilising and holding surgical instruments and tools

Referring to the drawings, a box or in general a container, in accordance with the present invention, provided to receive and contain surgical instruments and tools, such as scalpels, scissors, tweezers and others, typically after a surgical operation, and moreover apt to be used to sterilise the surgical instruments and tools contained therein, and to conserve and hold them, once sterilised, until the next surgical operation, is denoted overall by 10.

In detail the box 10 comprises:

- a base or bottom wall, also referred to simply as a bottom or base, denoted by 1 1 , having a substantially rectangular shape defined by four sides, respectively 1 la, 1 lb, 1 lc, 1 Id, and

- four walls or flaps, denoted in order by 12, 13, 14, 15, each one foldable on a corresponding side of the base 1 1, respectively 1 1a, 1 lb, 1 1c, l id.

Of these four flaps the flaps 12 and 14 can be folded on two opposite sides, respectively 1 la and 1 lc, of the rectangular base 1 1, while the other two flaps, 13 and 15, can instead be folded on the other two opposite sides l ib and l id of the rectangular base 1 1, so that the flaps form two pairs of flaps 12-14 and 13-15 formed by opposite flaps, i.e. placed with respect to the base 1 1 one opposite and in front of the other.

The bottom or base 1 1 and the four foldable flaps 12, 13, 14, 15 constitute a single body or part 10', as shown in Fig. 1A, which is made by moulding, in particular by injection moulding, of a plastic material, as for instance silicone.

More particularly this single part is formed by an appropriately shaped leaf exhibiting a certain thickness, wherein the sides 1 1a, 1 lb, l id, l ie of the base 1 1 which define the lines of folding of the four flaps 12, 13, 14, 15 with respect to the same base 1 1 are made by lines of reduced thickness of this leaf of plastic material.

According to a distinctive feature of the present invention the base or bottom 1 1 of the box 10 has along its surface a bed, denoted by l ie, formed by a dense plurality of projecting deformable pegs l ie', apt to serve as support for the instruments housed in the box 10, and moreover a plurality 1 If of through holes l lf, having the function of allowing the passage of a sterilisation fluid, as described in detail further on.

Again, according to a further distinctive feature of the box 10 of the present invention, the base or bottom 1 1 has, in addition to the bed l ie formed by the projecting pegs l ie' and to the plurality l lf of through holes l lf, also two projecting ridges or bodies denoted by 16a and 16b, placed in an approximately median position along the two opposite sides 1 1a and 1 lc of the same base 1 1 and apt to act as contrast elements during the closure of the box 10, as described more clearly further on.

Each of the foldable flaps 12, 13, 14, 15 is in turn divided and is constituted by a respective first internal portion, in order 12', 13', 14', 15', and by a second external portion, respectively 12", 13", 14", 15", foldable one in relation to the other, wherein the internal portion 12', 13', 14', 15' of each flap 12, 13, 14, 15 extends adjacently and is foldable with respect to the base 1 1 along the corresponding side 1 1a, l ib, 1 1c, l id.

The four internal portions 12', 13', 14', 15' of the four foldable flaps 12, 13, 14, 15 have each one a rectangular shape which extends in length adjacently to the corresponding side 1 1a, 1 lb, 1 1c, l id of the rectangular base 1 1 and which has a height H which in turn defines the thickness of the box 10, once closed to contain the surgical instruments to be sterilised, as will be made clearer here below in the description.

The external portion 12", 13", 14", 15" of each flap 12, 13, 14, 15 in turn extends outwards from the side, of the internal portion 12', 13', 14', 15', which is opposite the one adjacent to the rectangular base 1 1, and can be folded along this side with respect to the internal portion, i.e. in order 12', 13', 14', 15', of the same flap.

According to a distinctive feature of the box 10 of the present invention, the external portions 12" and 14" of the flaps 12 and 14 which define the pair 12-14 of opposite flaps also each have, similarly to the base 1 1, a respective bed 12a, 14a, formed by a dense plurality of deformable and projecting pegs, respectively 12a' and 14a'.

Moreover, again similarly to the base 1 1, these two external portions 12" and 14" of the flaps 12 and 14 have each one along the respective surface a dense plurality 12b, 14b, of through holes, respectively 12b', 14b', that are formed between the pegs 12a' and 12b' of this portion 12" and 14" and have the function of allowing the passage of the sterilisation fluid. Again each one of the two external portions 12" and 14" of the foldable flaps 12 and 14 has on the external face opposite to the one which has the projecting pegs 12a' and 14a' two buttons or projecting pegs, denoted respectively by 12c and 14c, in an approximately median position along the side of the external portion 12" and 14" adjacent to the internal portion 12' and 14' of the flap 12 and 14.

The external portions 13" and 15" of the two foldable flaps 13 and 15 which define the pair of flaps 13-15 have each in turn along the respective surface a plurality, denoted by 13b and 15b, of through holes, respectively 13b' and 15b', also having the function of allowing the passage of the sterilisation fluid.

Again these two external portions 13" and 15" of the two foldable flaps 13 and 15 have a series of holes, denoted respectively by 13c and 15c, apt to cooperate with the corresponding buttons 12c and 14c formed on the external portions 12" and 14" of the two flaps 12 and 14, during the operation of closure of the box 10 as described in detail further on.

Finally the external portion 13" of the flap 13 has a projecting perforated tongue, denoted by 17a, in a median position along an external side or edge 13d, of this portion 13", opposite to that adjacent to the internal portion 13' of the same flap 13, wherein this perforated tongue 17a is apt to co-operate with a corresponding button 17b formed along an edge 15d of the external portion 15" of the foldable flap 15.

As anticipated, the box 10 of the invention is used typically for sterilising surgical instruments of various types, such as scalpels, tweezers, scissors and others, usually after the instruments have been used in a surgical operation, and moreover to conserve and hold them, once sterilised, until the subsequent surgical operation wherein they will be used once again.

More particularly, in this use, the box 10 is initially set up in an initial open configuration, denoted by CI and shown in Fig. 1A, wherein the box 10 is apt to receive the surgical instruments to be sterilised, and for this purpose, in this configuration CI , the box 10 has its four flaps 12, 13, 14, 15 completely open with respect to the base 1 1, i.e. substantially lying on the same plane as the base 1 1.

With the box 10 in this initial open configuration CI, the user places the surgical instruments to be sterilised on the bed l ie of pegs l ie' formed on the internal face of the base 1 1 , and then folds and closes one of the two flaps of the pair 12-14, for example the flap 12, on the base 1 1, as indicated by an arrow fl in Fig. IB, so as to make the box 10 assume a first intermediate configuration C2, shown in the same Fig. IB.

Then the user folds and closes also the other flap 14 on the base 1 1, as indicated by an arrow f2, so as to make the box 10 assume a second intermediate configuration C3, shown in Fig. 1C.

Subsequently the user, with the pair of flaps 12-14 folded on the base 1 1 , folds and closes one of the two external flaps, for example the flap 15, as indicated by an arrow f3 in Fig. ID, and inserts, applying a light pressure, two buttons 12c and 14c, formed respectively in the flaps 12 and 14, in the corresponding holes 15c of the flap 15, so as to fix the latter stably, once folded, on the two flaps 12 and 14.

More particularly, during this phase of folding of the box 10, the ridges 16a and 16b formed on the base 1 1 operate advantageously as elements of abutment and support for the two internal flaps 12 and 14, folded over the same base 1 1, so that the user can effectively press the external flap 15 against these two internal flaps 12 and 14, in order to insert the two buttons 12c and 14c of the internal flaps

12 and 14 in the corresponding holes 15c of the external flap 15.

In this way the box 10 takes on a second intermediate configuration C4, shown in Fig. ID.

Finally, as final operation, the user folds and closes the other external flap

13 on the pair of flaps 12-14, as indicated by an arrow f4 in Fig. IE, and inserts, applying a light pressure, the two buttons 12c and 14c, still free, formed in the flaps 12 and 14, in the corresponding holes 13c of the flap 13, so as to fix the latter stably, once folded, on the two flaps 12 and 14.

Also during this final phase of closure of the box 10, the ridges 16a and 16b formed on the base 1 1 operate advantageously as elements of abutment and support for the two internal flaps 12 and 14, already folded over the base 1 1, so that the user can effectively press the external flap 13 against these two internal flaps 12 and 14, in order to insert the two buttons or pegs 12c and 14c in the corresponding holes 13c formed in the flap 13.

In this way the box 10 takes on the respective final configuration denoted by C5 and shown in Fig. IE, with the various surgical instruments and tools contained and held in its interior among the beds of pegs formed in the base 1 1 and in the pair formed by the two internal flaps 12 and 14.

Therefore, to sum up, the box 10 of the invention is characterised by a new, useful and advantageous system of closure of its four foldable flaps 12, 13, 14, 15, wherein this new system of closure comprises a series of holes 13c, 15c, formed in the two external closure flaps 13 and 15, which co-operate with corresponding pegs 12c, 14c, formed on the two internal flaps 12 and 14, and two projecting ridges 16a, 16b, formed on the bottom or base 1 1 of the box 10, which act as abutment and support for the flaps 12, 13, 14, 15, once folded, so as to allow the user, when he or she closes the box 10, to press the two external flaps 13 and 16 on the two internal flaps 12 and 14 and then insert easily the pegs 12c, 14c formed in the two internal flaps 12 and 14 in the holes 13c, 15c formed in the two external flaps 13 and 15.

The box 10, once closed, i.e. in the final configuration C5 shown in Fig. IE, is ready to be used for sterilising the tools and instruments contained therein, for example by immersing it in an appropriate sterilisation bath, where the tools and equipment are washed by a sterilisation fluid which penetrates the box 10 through the plurality of through holes which are formed in its parts, i.e. the bottom 1 1 and the four flaps 12, 13, 14, 15.

Subsequently the box 10 can be advantageously used for conserving in sterile conditions the surgical instruments and tools, sterilised, contained therein, until the successive surgical operation wherein these instruments will serve again.

It is therefore clear, from the description given, that the present invention achieves in full the objects set, and in particular proposes a new box with foldable flaps for sterilising and holding surgical instruments exhibiting a simple and practical use, and therefore apt to be of valid aid and great utility for the staff working in the medical and surgical field.

Lastly, to supplement the above description and with reference to Figs. 4A-

4D, there will be provided in the following further details, since being considered of particular interest and such as to highlight the innovative features of the box 10 of the invention, concerning the closing system, constituted by the projecting tongue 17a and the respective closing button 17b, associated respectively with the two external closure flaps 13 andl5 of this box 10 for the sterilization and storage of surgical instruments.

In particular, the closing button 17b, formed on one of the closure flaps, for example that indicated by 15, exhibits a mushroom shape, with a head 17b' and a stem 17b", while the tongue 17a, typically of a resilient material, is formed or fixed to the other closure flap 13 and has an opening 17a' adapted to cooperate with the mushroom-shaped closing button 17b.

This opening 17a', formed in the tongue 17a, in turn defines two circular holes indicated with 17a'-l and 17a'-2, of a greater and smaller diameter, respectively corresponding to the head 17b' and the stem 17b" of the button 17b, and a slot 17a'-3 which extends between these two holes 17a'-l and 17a'-2, of different diameters, of the opening 17a', wherein the circular hole 17a'-l, of greater diameter, of the tongue 17a, is arranged spaced from the edge 13d of the closure flap 13, while the circular hole 17a'-2, of smaller diameter, is instead arranged adjacent to this edge 13d of the closure flap 13, as for instance shown by Fig. 4B.

Moreover a recess 17a'-4, adjacent to the opening 17a', is defined by the tongue 17a so as to be suitable to house the head 17b' of the closing button 17b.

In the use of the box 10, when closing the two closure flaps 13 and 15, opposite and foldable, relatively to one another in order to fully close the box 10, the user initially inserts the mushroom-shaped button 17b with its head 17b' into the hole 17a'-l , of larger diameter, of the tongue 17a.

Then the user, by appropriately pulling the tongue 1 7a as indicated by an arrow f5 in Figs. 4 A and 4C, causes the slot 1 7a'-3 defined by the opening 17a' of the tongue 17a to slide with respect to the button 17b, which therefore, at the end of this sliding, is inserted and remains locked with its head 17b' in the recess 17 a^" -4 and with its stem 1 7b" in the second hole 1 7a'-2, of smaller diameter, of the tongue 1 7a, so as to close and stably connect the two external flaps 1 3 and 1 5 of the box 10.

For greater clarity. Figs. 4A-4B show in detail this locking system, constituted by the tongue 1 7a and the closing button 17, adapted to stably close and lock, in the closed configuration of the box 10, the two external closure flaps 1 3 and 15. in a central area of the two edges 1 3d and 15d, adjacent, of the same box 10. in particular. Fig. 4 A is a top view of this locking system, in the closed configuration, i.e. with the button 1 7b inserted and locked into the hole 17a'-2. of smaller diameter, of the tongue 1 7a.

Fig. 4B. in turn, shows in perspective the tongue 1 7a alone, without the closing button 1 7b.

Fig. 4C shows always in perspective this locking system, as a whole, in its closed configuration with the button 1 7b inserted with its stem 1 7b" into the hole 1 7a'-2, of smaller diameter, of the tongue 1 7a.

Finally, Fig. 41) shows in perspective and in section this locking system, in the closed configuration, so as to highlight the respective parts and features. It is therefore clear from the foregoing description that this closure system between the two closure flaps 13 and 15 helps to ensure a stable and safe closure of the box 10, thus preventing that the latter can be opened, with a consequent drop and leakage of the instruments and surgical stored within it .

Furthermore, it is noted that, advantageously, this locking system, comprising the perforated tongue 1 7a suitable to be positioned initially, so as to insert it in the closing button 1 7b, and then to be pulled sideways so as to lock the closing button 17b, is capable of allowing a rapid and robust connection, in the closed configuration of the box 10, between the two external closure flaps 13 and 15 in a central area along the two respective facing edges 13d and 15d, thereby ensuring a safe and stable closing of the same box 10, although the absence, in order to close and lock the two external closure flaps 13 and 15 to one another in such a central area along the two respective facing edges 13d and 15d, of any fastening system like that provided along the edges of the box 10 and comprising a mushroom button and a corresponding hole that are inserted into one another by appropriately pressing them against an abutment.

Variants

Naturally, without detriment to the basic concept and principle of the present invention, it is also clear that the box, for sterilising and conserving surgical instruments and tools, can be the object of variants, changes and improvements with respect to what has been described and illustrated hitherto, without thereby departing from the scope of the same invention.

For example, according to a first variant, the box, instead of being constituted by a single part or leaf, in particular of plastic material, made through moulding, can be composed of several parts, not only of plastic material but also of other materials, which are moulded or in general made separately one from the other and then assembled one in relation to the other to form the box, of the invention, for sterilising and holding surgical instruments and tools.

Claims

1. Box (10) for sterilising and holding surgical instruments, comprising:

- a base or bottom (1 1) having a substantially rectangular shape defined by four sides (1 1a, 1 lb, 1 1c, l id),

- two opposite internal closure flaps (12, 14), each one foldable on a corresponding side (1 1a, 1 lc) of said base (1 1),

- two opposite external closure flaps (13, 15), each one foldable on a corresponding side (l ib, 1 Id) of said base (1 1),

wherein said two internal closure flaps (12, 14) are suitable to be initially folded over said base (1 1),

wherein said two external closure flaps (13, 15) are suitable to be subsequently folded over said two internal closure flaps (12, 14) so as to close the box (10) after it has received the surgical instruments to be sterilised and held, and wherein said base (1 1) and said foldable flaps (12, 13, 14, 15) have a plurality of through holes for the passage of a sterilisation fluid apt to sterilise the surgical instruments contained in the same box (10),

characterised in that said two internal closure flaps (12, 14) and said two external closure flaps (13, 15) have one or more buttons (12c, 14c) and one or more corresponding holes (13c, 15c) apt to co-operate with each other during the closure of the box (10), and

in that the box (10) moreover comprises one or more projecting ridges or bodies (16a, 16b) formed on said base (1 1),

wherein said one or more projecting ridges (16a, 16b) are apt to act as abutment and support for the four flaps (12, 13, 14, 15), once folded over the base (1 1), so as to allow the user, when he or she closes the box (10) with the surgical instruments housed in its interior, to press the two external flaps (13, 15) on the two internal flaps (12, 14) and then insert said buttons (12c, 14c) in the corresponding holes (13c, 15c) formed in the internal (12, 14) and external flaps (13, 15).

2. Box (10) according to claim 1, wherein each of said internal and external flaps (12, 13, 14, 15), foldable with respect to said base (1 1), is in turn formed by a respective first portion (12', 13', 14', 15') which is placed adjacently to a corresponding side (1 1a, l ib, 1 1c, l id) of said base (1 1), and by a respective second portion (12", 13", 14", 15") which extends towards the exterior from the first portion, wherein said first and second portion of each flap (12, 13, 14, 15) are foldable one in relation to the other.

3. Box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said one or more buttons (12c, 14c) are formed solely on said two internal closure flaps (12, 14) and said one or more corresponding holes (13c, 15c) are formed solely in said external closure flaps (13, 15).

4. Box according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said base (1 1) and said two internal closure flaps (12, 14) have each one on a respective internal face a bed (l ie, 12a, 14a) formed by a plurality of projecting pegs (l ie', 12a', 14a') to receive and house the surgical instruments to be sterilised contained in said box (10).

5. Box (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said base (1 1), said two internal closure flaps (12, 14) and said two external closure flaps

(13, 15) have each one a respective plurality (l lf, 12b, 13b, 14b, 15b) of through holes (1 If, 12b', 13b', 14b', 15b') for the passage of a sterilisation fluid.

6. Box according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said box (10) is formed by a single part (10') in plastic material, in the form of a leaf, made through moulding, in particular injection moulding, and the lines of folding between said flaps (12, 13, 14, 15) and said base (1 1) are defined by lines of reduced thickness of the leaf of plastic material constituting said single part.

7. Box according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein one (13) of said external closure flaps (13, 15) has a projecting perforated tongue (17a), of resilient material, along an outer edge (13d ) of the second portion (13"), opposite to that adjacent to the first portion (13'), of the same external closure flap (13), and wherein said perforated tongue (17a) is able to cooperate, in order to close the box (10) after folding the respective four flaps ( 12, 13, 14, 1 ). with a corresponding closing button (17b) formed along an outer edge (15d) of the second portion (15"), opposite to the one adjacent to the first portion (15'), of the other ( 1 5 ) of said external closure flaps.

8. Bo according to claim 7, wherein said closing button ( 17b) has a mushroom-shaped configuration, with a head (17b') and a stem (17b"),

wherein said tongue (17a), of resilient material, has an opening (17a') in turn defining two circular holes ( 1 7a'- 1 , 17a'-2), of greater and smaller diameter, corresponding respectively to the head ( 1 7b') and the stem (17b") of said closing button ( 1 7b), and a slot ( 1 7a'-3 ) which extends between said two circular holes (17a'- 1 , 1 7a'-2), of different diameters, of said opening ( 17a'),

wherein the circular hole (17a'-l), of greater diameter, of the tongue (17a) is arranged spaced from the edge ( 13d) of the respective closure flap ( 13 ) and the circular hole ( 17a'-2 ), of smaller diameter, is arranged adjacent to this edge ( 13d) of the closure flap (13), and

wherein, during the closing of the box (10), said tongue (17a) is firstly positioned so as to insert the closing button ( 1 7b) into the hole (17a'-l), of greater diameter, of the tongue (17a), and then pulled sideways so as to insert and lock the closing button ( 1 7b) into the hole ( 1 7a'-2), of smaller diameter, of the same tongue