Medical instrument fixation method and means

Claim 1

A medical instrument fixation system comprising a sterilization tray having a bottom wall; an array of ventilation holes in the bottom wall said holes being arranged in columns and rows with a selected spacing between the columns and rows; a plurality of elongated rails, each rail having a bottom surface and a top surface; a plurality of projections extending from the bottom surface and spaced apart along each rail a distance equal to, or an integral multiple of, said selected spacing, the projections being sized to plug into said holes so that each rail extends along a column or row of holes in position for engaging and supporting one or more medical instruments; a plurality of posts, each post having opposite ends, means for keying one end of each post to a different one of said rails so that each post can slide along the corresponding rail to a selected position thereon adjacent to an instrument engaged by the corresponding rail, and fixing means for releasably fixing the position of each post on the corresponding rail, said fixing means including a threaded fastener threaded axially through said post, said fastener having an end portion engaging said rail so that when the post and fastener are rotated relatively in one direction, the post is clamped to the rail and when the post and fastener are rotated relatively in the opposite direction the post is unclamped from the rail.