Autoclave cassette

• US 5,505,916 A
• Filed: 03/30/1995
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Precimed Cmp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Med-Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Berry, Bernie B. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US08/414,037
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 422/104, 422/297, 422/300, 422/310, 206/210, 206/263, 206/363, 206/369, 206/370, 206/438, 206/439, 206/480, 206/483, 206/565
• US Class Current: 422/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/06 Hot gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment

Abstract

A metal autoclave cassette for dental instruments and appliances includes a pair of identical tray halves which are free of any outwardly extending flanges and which are provided with rounded corners and corner edges. Each tray half includes a retaining frame which is riveted in place and which includes a plurality of aligned recesses in the opposite ends. The recesses are used for the receipt of the elongate dental instrument'"'"'s and a hold down mechanism clamps the instruments into position yet is easily moved out of position to provide access to the dental instruments.

Claims

1. An autoclave cassette comprising:

a first drawn metal tray having a front wall, an oppositely disposed rear wall and a base panel and including means defining a plurality of sterilant apertures;

a second drawn metal tray having a front wall, an oppositely disposed rear wall and a base panel and including means defining a plurality of sterilant apertures and having a construction which is identical to said first drawn metal tray;

a continuous hinge having a first hinge flange attached to the rear wall of said first drawn metal tray and a second hinge flange attached to the rear wall of said second drawn metal tray so as to retain said first and second drawn metal trays together as a single unit and so as to enable the second drawn metal tray to hingedly open off of said first drawn metal tray;

latch means having a first portion attached to the front wall of said first drawn metal tray and a second portion attached to the front wall of said second drawn metal tray for retaining said first and second drawn metal trays in a closed condition;

a first instrument retainer attached to the base panel of said first drawn metal tray;

a second instrument retainer attached to the base panel of said second drawn metal tray; and

a hold down bar attached to said second instrument retainer so as to clamp instruments retained therein, said hold down bar cooperatively arranged with said first instrument retainer with said first and second drawn metal trays in a closed condition so as to secure instruments retained in said first instrument retainer.

2. The autoclave cassette of claim 1 wherein the first and second drawn metal trays are free of any outwardly extending flanges.

3. The autoclave cassette of claim 1 wherein said first and second instrument retainers are each configured as a three-sided generally rectangular frame with opposite end walls having a plurality of aligned recesses for receiving dental instruments.

4. An autoclave cassette for medial and dental instruments comprising:

a first tray member;

a second tray member;

a hinge attached to and between said first and second tray members;

two-part latch means for retaining said first and second tray members in a closed condition, one part of said means being assembled to said first tray member and the other part of said latch means being assembled to said second tray member; and

retention means assembled to one of said tray members for receiving and securing instruments, said retention means including

a receiving frame with a plurality of receiving channels;

a pivot block attached to said receiving frame and having means defining an axial, generally cylindrical aperture; and

a hold down bar, said hold down bar having a generally planar main body, a pivot post at a first end of said main body and a locking stem at a second, opposite end of said main body, said pivot post being received by said axial, generally cylindrical aperture.

5. The autoclave cassette of claim 4 which further includes a flexible sleeve secured to said generally planar main body for cushioning the securing of instruments by said hold down bar.

6. A retention assembly for receiving and securing dental instruments comprising:

a receiving frame with a plurality of receiving channels;

a pivot block attached to said receiving frame and having means defining an axial, generally cylindrical aperture; and

a hold down bar, said hold down bar having a generally planar main body, a pivot post at a first end of said main body and a locking stem at a second, opposite end of said main body, said pivot post being received by said axis, generally cylindrical aperture.

7. The retention assembly of claim 6 which further includes a flexible sleeve secured to said generally planar main body for cushioning the securing of instruments by said hold down bar.

8. An autoclave cassette comprising:

a first drawn metal tray having a front wall, an oppositely disposed rear wall and a base panel and including means defining a plurality of sterilant apertures;

a second drawn metal tray having a front wall, an oppositely disposed rear wall and a base panel and including means defining a plurality of sterilant apertures and having a construction which is identical to said first drawn metal tray;

means for securing said first and second drawn metal trays together in a hinged arrangement whereby said first and second drawn metal trays are moveable between an opened orientation and a closed orientation;

a first instrument retainer attached to the base panel of said first dawn metal tray;

a second instrument retainer attached to the base panel of said second drawn metal tray; and

a hold down bar attached ho said second instrument retainer so as to secure instruments retained therein, said hold down bar cooperatively arranged with said first instrument retainer with said first and second drawn metal trays in said closed orientation so as to clamp instruments retained in said first instrument retainer.

9. An autoclave cassette comprising:

a first drawn metal tray having a front wall, an oppositely disposed rear wall and a base panel and including means defining a plurality of sterilant apertures;

a second drawn metal tray having a front wall, an oppositely disposed rear wall and a base panel and including means defining a plurality of sterilant apertures and having a construction which is identical to said first drawn metal tray;

a latch bracket attached to the rear wall of said second drawn metal tray;

a continuous hinge having a first hinge flange attached to the rear wall of said first drawn metal tray and a second hinge flange attached to the rear wall of said second drawn metal tray so as to retain said first and second drawn metal trays together as a single unit and so as to enable the second drawn metal tray to hingedly open off of said first drawn metal tray;

latch means having a first portion attached to the front wall of said first drawn metal tray and a second portion attached to the front wall of said second drawn metal tray for retaining said first and second drawn metal trays in a closed condition;

a first instrument retainer attached to the base panel of said first drawn metal tray;

a second instrument retainer attached to the base panel of said second drawn metal tray and including a support member; and

a hold down bar for clamping against and thereby securing instruments retained in said second instrument retainer, said hold down bar having a captured end received in said support member and an oppositely disposed latching end removably secured within said latch bracket and a clamping portion disposed between said captured end and said latching end, said captured end being cooperatively arranged with said support member to enable movement of said latching end out of said latch bracket and to thereafter enable said clamping portion to move relative to said second instrument retainer so as to move out of clamping engagement with instruments positioned in said second instrument retainer, said hold down bar cooperatively arranged with said first instrument retainer with said first and second drawn metal trays in a closed condition so as to clamp instruments retained in said first instrument retainer.

10. An autoclave cassette comprising:

a first drawn metal tray having a front wall, an oppositely disposed rear wall and a base panel and including means defining a plurality of sterilant apertures;

a second drawn metal tray having a front wall, an oppositely disposed rear wall and a base panel and including means defining a plurality of sterilant apertures and having a construction which is identical to said first drawn metal tray;

a latch bracket attached to the rear wall of said second drawn metal tray;

a first instrument retainer attached to the base panel of said first drawn metal tray;

a second instrument retainer attached to the base panel of said second drawn metal tray; and

a hold down bar for clamping against and thereby securing instruments retained in said second instrument retainer, said hold down bar having a captured end received in said second instrument retainer and an oppositely disposed latching end removably secured within said latch bracket and a clamping portion disposed between said captured end and said latching end, said captured end being cooperatively arranged with said second instrument retainer to enable movement of said latching end out of said latch bracket and to thereafter enable said clamping portion to move relative to said second instrument retainer so as to move out of clamping engagement with instruments positioned in said second instrument retainer, said hold down bar cooperatively arranged with said first instrument retainer with said first and second drawn metal trays in a closed condition so as to clamp instruments retained in said first instrument retainer.

11. An autoclave cassette comprising:

a first drawn metal tray having a front wall, an oppositely disposed rear wall and a base panel and including means defining a plurality of sterilant apertures, said first drawn metal tray being free of any outwardly extending flanges;

a second drawn metal tray having a front wall, an oppositely disposed rear wall and a base panel and including means defining a plurality of sterilant apertures, said second drawn metal tray being free of any outwardly extending flanges, and having a construction which is identical to said first drawn metal tray;

a continuous hinge having a first hinge flange attached to the rear wall of said first drawn metal tray and a second hinge flange attached to the rear wall of said second drawn metal tray so as to retain said first and second drawn metal trays together as a single unit and so as to enable the second drawn metal tray to hingedly open off of said first drawn metal tray;

latch means having a first portion attached to the front wall of said first drawn metal tray and a second portion attached to the front wall of said second drawn metal tray for retaining said first and second drawn metal trays in a closed condition;

a first instrument retainer attached to the base panel of said first drawn metal tray, and being configured as a three sided generally rectangular frame with opposite end walls having a plurality of aligned recesses for receiving dental instruments;

a second instrument retainer attached to the base panel of said second drawn metal tray, and being configured as a three sided generally rectangular frame with opposite end walls having a plurality of aligned recesses for receiving dental instruments; and

a hold down bar attached to said second instrument retainer so as to secure instruments retained therein, said hold down bar cooperatively arranged with said first instrument retainer with said first and second drawn metal trays in a closed condition so as to clamp instruments retained in said first instrument retainer.