US Patent 7204388 Latchable container system

A latching system including both apparatus and methods addresses the need for a reusable latch that is identical on either side of a container opening, thereby facilitating container manufacture. Also disclosed are apparatus and methods for assuring the quality of latchable container enclosed contents and enhancing the safety of container users by providing an unopened condition assurance element such as a tab that is removable from a reusable container latch. A novel latching system with a split insertion element on a first latch side and unitary receptor element on a second latch side is also disclosed. A preferred embodiment involves an elastically obstructed latch as used on a squeeze-openable container.