A sterilization container has a valve arrangement that remains open in a
venting phase and is then closed before a pressure difference is
compensated for at a predetermined differential pressure. The valve
remains closed until the container is opened for the purpose of
withdrawing and using the sterilized instruments contained therein. The
valve is actuated through a snap disk arrangement, the snap disks of
which vault gradually into opposite directions at predetermined
temperatures, thereby effecting a defined valve control. The snap disk
arrangement is provided in a thermally isolated housing, which prevents a
premature back-switching of certain snap disks that could be caused by a
cooling-off as a result of the evaporation of condensate.