Surgical instrument tray

Claim 2

A surgical instrument tray comprising: a base member; first and second opposite side members each affixed to said base and extending away therefrom to form an area therebetween for the placement of surgical instruments, each of said instruments having movable lever members which are movable with respect to one another about a pivot; a plurality of apertures formed in each of the side members wherein some of the apertures in the first side member are substantially opposite some of the apertures in the second side member; retaining members each sized to extend through an aperture in said first side member to and through an aperture in said second side member, said retaining members being removably and selectively positionable through said apertures and against said movable lever members of said surgical instrument to retain said surgical instruments with said movable lever members in a predetermined orientation within said area.

Claim 3

The tray of claim 1 wherein at least one of said retaining members is formed to be arcuate in shape and made of a material selected so that when positioned through said selected apertures, a spring pressure is exerted against selected surgical instruments in said area.

Claim 4

The tray of claim 1 wherein said base member is formed to have a section raised in the direction of said first and second side members and therebetween, wherein said apertures in said side members are proximate said raised section, and wherein some of the apertures in the first side member are in registration with some of the apertures in the second side member.

Claim 5

The tray of claim 1 wherein said base member has an end section which extends away from said base in the direction of said side members, said end section being formed with handle retaining means sized to receive the handles of selected surgical instruments and retain the instruments in a substantially up-standing orientation with respect to said base member.

Claim 6

The tray of claim 1 wherein said side members are substantially normal to said base member.

Claim 7

A tray for surgical instruments of the type having ring-like handles on the ends of movable lever members which are connected through a pivot to working members, said lever members being positionable in two orientations, a first orientation wherein said working members are in contact with one another and a second orientation wherein said working members are out of contact with one another, said tray being comprised of: a base member having a first section sized in length to receive the working members of said instruments, a raised section connected to said first section sized in length to receive the lever members of said instruments, and an end section connected to said raised section and extending angularly away therefrom, said end section having a plurality of elongated slots formed therein extending angularly away from said raised section and sized to receive the ring-like handles of said instruments; first and second side members connected to said base member to extend away therefrom to form an area therebetween containing said raised section and said end section; a plurality of apertures formed in each of said first and second side members proximate the raised section of said base member; and a retaining member sized to extend through an aperture in said first side member to and through an aperture in said second side member, said retaining member being removably and selectively positionable through said apertures and against said lever members to retain said lever members of said surgical instruments in said second orientation within said tray.

Claim 8

A tray for surgical instruments of the type having ring-like handles on the ends of movable lever members which are connected through a pivot to working members, said lever members being positionable in two orientations, a first orientation wherein said working members are in contact with one another and a second orientation wherein said working members are out of contact with one another, said tray being comprised of: a base member having a first section sized in length to receive the working members of said instruments, a raised section connected to said first section sized in length to receive the lever members of said instruments, and an end section connected to said raised section and extending angularly away therefrom, said end section having a plurality of elongated slots formed therein extending angularly away from said raised section and sized to receive the ring-like handles of said instruments; first and second side members connected to said base member to extend away therefrom to form an area therebetween containing said raised section and said end section; a plurality of apertures formed in each of said first and second side members proximate the raised section of said base member; and a retaining member sized to extend through an aperture in said first side member to and through an aperture in said second side member, said retaining member being removably and selectively positionable through said apertures and against said lever members to retain said lever members of said surgical instruments in said second orientation within said tray.

Claim 9

The tray of claim 6 wherein said retaining member is formed to be arcuate in shape and made of a material selected so that when positioned through said selected apertures, a spring pressure is exerted against the lever members of selected surgical instruments in said area to retain said instruments therein with their working members separated.

Claim 10

The tray of claim 7 wherein a first retaining member is positioned through selected apertures to retain one of the lever members of the selected instruments snugly against said raised portion and a second retaining member is positioned through selected apertures to urge the other lever member of the instrument away from the base.

Claim 11

The tray of claim 8 wherein said apertures in the first side member are substantially in registration with the apertures in the second side member.

Claim 12

The tray of claim 8 wherein said base, side members, and retaining member are made of an autoclavable material.

Claim 13

The tray of claim 8 wherein said base raised section is substantially flat and wherein said end section angulates upwardly at an angle from about 15 degrees to about 80 degrees from said base.

Claim 14

The tray of claim 8 wherein said base is formed for the passage of autoclaving material therethrough.

Claim 15

The tray of claim 8 wherein the raised section is elevated above the first section a height substantially the width of a ring-like handle of an instrument.

Claim 16

The tray of claim 8 including a third side member and a fourth side member selectively connected to said base and to said first and second side members to form a box-like structure.

Claim 17

The tray of claim 14 having handle means secured to selected side members.

Claim 18

The tray of claim 14 wherein said base member and side members are sized so that, with surgical instruments positioned thereon, said tray is positionable within a surgical instrument autoclave, and so that the working members of said instruments are substantially below the upper edge of the side members proximate thereto.

Claim 19

The tray of claim 7 wherein said retaining member has securing means associated therewith to hold said retaining member in place when inserted in said selected apertures.