Modular sterilizing system

• US 4,643,303 A
• Filed: 10/15/1985
• Issued: 02/17/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micromedics, Inc. (Nordson Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Micromedics, Inc. (Nordson Corporation)
• Inventors: Conroy, W. Patrick, Weinzetl, James M., Miller, Curtis H., Arp, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Jimmy G.
• Application Number:
  US06/787,787
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 206/363, 206/369, 206/370, 206/438, 206/439, 206/564, 422/300, 422/301, 422/310, 422/302, 211/70.6
• US Class Current: 206/370
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment

Abstract

A surgical instrument storage and transporting assembly which facilitates the sterilization, storage, protection, handling and presentment during surgery of a variety of surgical instruments and devices. An outer box-like enclosure having a removable top, contains a wire basket in which are placed a plurality of instrument carrying modules. The individual modules are provided with an instrument gripping member which positively, but releasably, holds the instruments in a first predetermined order and orientation when being stored in the box-like enclosure, but which permits placement of the instruments in the same order, but in a second orientation to facilitate the location and selection of given instruments during the course of a surgical procedure when the modules have been removed from the basket and placed on the surgical stand. When the instruments, instrument modules and basket are placed in the enclosure and covered with the removable top, the entire unit can be put in an autoclave and subjected to sterilizing steam which, because of the proper attention to hole patterns in the enclosure, the modules and the instrument supports, a free flow of steam takes place to ensure total sterilization. Because the individual instruments are positively held, they do not become loose and scrambled even during rough handling.

Claims

1. An autoclavable surgical tray storage and transporting assembly, comprising:

(a) a fluid impervious box-shaped base having a bottom surface and four mutually perpendicular side walls extending upwardly therefrom to define an open top;

(b) a generally rectangular top member having means for receiving the upper edges of said four side walls defining said open top, said top member having a pattern of perforations extending through the major surface thereof by which steam can enter;

(c) means for clamping said top member to said base;

(d) a removable wire basket having a bottom and four upwardly projecting, mutually perpendicular sides, the length, width and height dimensions of said basket allowing it to fit within said box-shaped base;

(e) a plurality of instrument modules removably situated in said wire basket, each of said modules supporting in a predetermined orderly manner, instruments to be used in carrying out surgical procedures, said instrument modules each comprising a generally flat, rectangular sheet having its peripheral edges formed normal to the plane of said flat sheet, said sheet having a pattern of apertures therethrough and at least one flexible, deformable, plastic instrument supporting member on said sheet, said instrument supporting member including a recess dimensioned to receive a surgical instrument therein with a predetermined gripping force; and

(f) means for releasably securing said instrument modules to said bottom of said basket.

2. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein said instrument supporting member includes a passage extending between one or more of said apertures on said sheet and said recess.

3. The assembly as in claim 1 and further including a further flexible, deformable, plastic instrument supporting member on said sheet and including means for presenting a surgical instrument in a desired orientation during a surgical procedure.

4. The assembly as in claim 1 wherein said sheet, said peripheral edges and said instrument supporting member are integrally formed in a molding process.