Multipurpose surgical instrument tray

• US 6,426,041 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2000
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharon G. Smith
• Original Assignee: Sharon G. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Sharon G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONLEY, SEAN EVERETT
• Application Number:
  US09/721,312
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 422/297, 422/300, 422/28, 422/310, 206/370, 206/363, 206/364, 206/369, 206/438, 206/565
• US Class Current: 422/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/3008 having multiple compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/33 Trays
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps

Abstract

A sterilizable, surgical instrument tray that can deliver, in an instant nearly, 100 ringed surgical instruments held and displayed in a perpendicular fashion in a space and manner similar to that used by surgical scrub nurses on their operating room back tables, as well as hold and display with easy access, a number of forceps, knife handles and retractors. A surgical instrument tray, capable of retaining all the general/major/trauma instruments and arranging these instruments in such a way that said tray may be placed in the operating room in sterile manner, being ready for operational usage. Due to the design and construction of the tray, with recessed sections of applicable shape and size to accommodate certain instruments, upon extraction of the instruments from the tray, the instruments are in ready position to be relayed to the person performing the operation, with no further manipulation of the instruments. Thus, the device is delivered in the above-described state, available for use upon delivery into an operating room setting with no additional setup time and personnel are required. The tray can be employed in one and two tier embodiments.

Claims

1. A sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments comprising:

a surgical tray comprised of two opposed, longitudinally oriented sides and two opposed, widthwise oriented sides, said longitudinally oriented sides being substantially longer than the widthwise oriented sides;

a mortised, first rectangular channel, longitudinally oriented and aligned substantially parallel and at a close distance to a first of said longitudinally oriented sides of said tray;

a plurality of section dividers, removably attached and disposed in a manner perpendicular to the longitudinal span of said first channel set apart at intervals;

wherein said section dividers are adapted to releasably and securely retain at least two ring handled instruments in a space defined by consecutively placed dividers;

a second rectangular channel, extending over the entire longitudinal distance of the tray, said second rectangular channel disposed at a distance from said first rectangular channel and at a further distance from said first longitudinally oriented side;

wherein said second channel is disposed in such a manner to allow removal of instruments retained in said first rectangular channel;

a large mortised triangular shaped groove comprising arcuate edges and disposed at a distance from said second rectangular channel and on the opposing side from said first rectangular channel;

a plurality of mortised trapezoidal grooves, aligned parallel to said second rectangular groove, said trapezoidal grooves length regulated by the size and positioning of said triangular groove;

a plurality of mortised, small, thin rectangular slots;

wherein said first rectangular channel is disposed to retain at least one ring handled instrument in the proper position for operating room procedures.

2. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein said first rectangular channel is disposed to retain a plurality of ring handled surgical instruments, a variable distance apart, and in the proper position for operating room procedures.

3. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 2 wherein said first rectangular channel is disposed to retain a plurality of ring handled surgical instruments in constant contact.

4. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein said plurality of section dividers are set at a distance of 2 centimeters apart.

5. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein the coaction between said first rectangular channel and said second rectangular channel allows an operating room assistant to maintain a proper grip on said ring handled instruments in order to relay said instruments a person performing an operation in accordance with proper operating room procedures.

6. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein said triangular groove is utilized to retain instruments that comprise a straight handle and an arcuate operational surface.

7. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 6 wherein said triangular groove is disposed to retain retractors.

8. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 7 wherein said triangular groove is disposed to retain eight retractors.

9. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein said trapazoidal grooves are disposed to releasably retain cylindrically shaped or flat, dual handled instruments.

10. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 9 wherein said trapezoidal grooves releasably retain forceps or other such instruments.

11. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein said plurality of mortised, small, thin rectangular slots releasably retain knife handles.

12. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 1 wherein said plurality of section dividers are fixed and disposed in a manner perpendicular to the longitudinal span of said first rectangular channel.

13. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 1, wherein said instruments are in said ready position for operating room use throughout sterilization, transportation and delivery to an operating room.

14. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is reusable for a next operation since said unused instruments are ready countable in an operation ready position.

15. A sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments comprising:

a pair of substantially rectangular instrument retaining trays comprising an upper tier and a lower tier;

said upper tier comprising a plurality of upwardly concave grooves and said lower tier comprising a plurality of upwardly concave grooves, said grooves disposed to retain a plurality of surgical instruments;

wherein said upper tier is releasably retained on top of said lower tier,

wherein each of said plurality of upwardly concave grooves is employed to retain at least two surgical instruments, in a ready position for operation room procedures,

wherein said upper tier further comprises;

a pair of opposed, longitudinally oriented sides and a pair of opposed widthwise oriented sides, said longitudinally oriented sides being substantially longer than said widthwise oriented sides;

a longitudinally oriented, mortised first rectangular channel, aligned substantially parallel and in close proximity to one of said longitudinally oriented sides of said upper tier;

said channel disposed to retain ring handled instruments;

a plurality of section dividers removably attached in a substantially perpendicular manner within said rectangular channel, said section dividers placed at intervals defined by the amount of said instruments to be retained;

a second rectangular channel extending an entire length of said longitudinal sides and positioned a distance from said first rectangular channel and a further distance from said longitudinaily oriented side;

said second channel disposed for proper removal of said ring handled instruments;

a plurality of rectangular slots disposed parallel to said second rectangular channel and disposed on the opposing side from said first rectangular channel;

said slots disposed to retain knife handles, said slots disposed with bevels.

16. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 15 wherein said plurality of section dividers are fixed and disposed in a manner perpendicular to the longitudinal span of said first rectangular channel.

17. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 15 wherein said lower tier further comprises:

a pair of large, mortised triangular grooves including arcuate edges and aligned with opposing hypotenuses, said triangular grooves disposed at a close distance from and parallel to either of said longitudinally oriented sides;

said triangular grooves utilized to releasably retain instruments comprising a straight handle and an arcuate operational surface.

a plurality of mortised trapezoidal grooves, aligned parallel to said longitudinally oriented sides of said lower tier, said trapezoidal grooves disposed to releasably retain cylindrically shaped or flat, dual handled instruments, said trapezoidal grooves further disposed with bevels.

18. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 17 wherein said triangular groove is disposed to retain retractors or other such instruments.

19. The sterilizable apparatus for retaining surgical instruments of claim 17 wherein said trapezoidal grooves releasably retain forceps or other such instruments.