Evidence storage container

Abstract

A container is provided for use in storing evidence while reducing exposure of the evidence to airborne contaminants. The container includes an inner lidded box to enclose the evidence, and an outer lidded box to enclose the inner box. Each box includes at least one wall with a ventilation opening, with the walls with ventilation openings being separated by a given distance. An air filter is positioned between the walls with ventilation openings, so that air entering the inner box must pass through the ventilation openings and the filter, thereby minimizing the entry of airborne contaminants into the inner box.

1 . A container for use in storing evidence while minimizing exposure of the evidence to airborne contaminants comprising:
 a) an inner lidded box having at least one ventilation opening;   b) an outer lidded box enclosing the inner box, said outer box having at least one ventilation opening; and   c) an air filter positioned between said inner box ventilation opening and said outer box ventilation opening.   
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said inner and outer boxes are cardboard boxes. 
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said inner and outer boxes are collapsible boxes. 
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said ventilation openings are aligned. 
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said ventilation openings are offset. 
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said inner and outer boxes include side walls with ventilation openings and said filter is positioned between the ventilation openings in the side walls of the boxes. 
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said inner and outer boxes include end walls with ventilation openings and said filter is positioned between the ventilation openings in the end walls of the boxes. 
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said ventilation opening is comprised of a removable perforated wall section. 
   
   
       9 . A container for use in storing evidence while reducing exposure of the evidence to mold and mildew comprising:
 a) an inner lidded box for enclosing the evidence, said inner box having at least one wall with a plurality of ventilation openings;   b) an outer lidded box enclosing the inner box, said outer box having at least one wall with a plurality of ventilation openings; and   c) an air filter positionable between said inner and outer box side walls.   
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein said ventilation openings are comprised of circular perforated sections of said walls. 
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein said filter has a given thickness and said side walls are separated by a distance equal to said given thickness. 
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein said outer box wall has a given inner height and said inner box has a height substantially equal to said given inner height. 
   
   
       13 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein said inner and outer boxes include side walls and end walls, said inner box walls being spaced from the walls of said outer box, said container including filters between the side and end walls of said inner box and the side and end walls of said outer box. 
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein said ventilation openings in said outer wall are aligned with the ventilation openings in said inner wall. 
   
   
       15 . A method of storing evidence while minimizing exposure of the evidence to airborne contaminants comprising:
 a) enclosing the evidence in an inner lidded box having a wall with at least one ventilation opening;   b) placing the inner lidded box inside an outer lidded box that has a wall with at least one ventilation opening; and   c) positioning an air filter between the ventilation openings in said inner and outer boxes, whereby external air entering the inner box passes through said filter.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said inner and outer boxes have side walls and said ventilation openings are in the side walls of said boxes. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said inner and outer boxes have end walls and said ventilation openings are in the end walls of said boxes. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the inner and outer boxes each have a plurality of ventilation openings, the openings of the inner box being offset from the openings of the outer box. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said inner box has at least one wall spaced from a wall of said outer box by a given distance, said filter having a thickness substantially equal to said given distance. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said inner box includes at least one side wall with openings and at least one end wall with openings, and said outer box includes at least one side wall with openings and at least one end wall with openings, said method including placing a first filter between the end walls of said boxes, and a second filter between the said walls of said boxes.