Abstract: A medical instrument tray has a frame of opposing side and end walls having inner and outer panels. Instrument supports extend across the frame and join to inner panels of the side walls. The instrument supports have pegs separated by a central plateau, radiused sections for supporting round instruments, and slots for supporting a flat handle instrument such as scalpel. Finger slots are provided on the bottom side of the tray to allow the tray to be easily carried with the fingers away from the sharp edges or points of the instruments.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed whereby a detachable surgical blade is easily and effectively removed from blade handle adapted for use with detachable surgical blades. The apparatus is a two part assembly comprising a scalpel handle and a blade release slide element. The handle includes a blade mounting tang on the proximal end thereof and a grip on the distal end thereof. The handle has dimensions such that a portion of the rear edge of the scalpel blade protrudes latitudinally beyond the perimeter of that portion of the grip adjacent to the tang. The blade release slide element is slidably mountable on the handle and is of a length such that, when in assembled relation with the handle, the blade release slide element extends forwardly from an intermediate section of the grip to a section of the grip rearward of the tang.

Abstract: A retainer and method of producing a retainer which cooperates with either a magnetic or non-magnetic surgical drape to hold instruments during surgical operations. A rectangular tray includes a wall which extends from the periphery of a base portion. The polypropylene base portion is thermally bonded to a thermoplastic rubber retainer to sandwich magnetic elements therebetween. The magnetic elements are magnetically attracted to a magnetic drape and thereby secure the retainer in any orientation with respect to the drape. The method including vacuum forming a thermoplastic shell over a tray configured mold to sandwich a magnetic element between the thermoplastic shell and a retainer.

Abstract: A closure lid for a rigid, disposable container for safely containing and disposing of medical-surgical materials, including needles, syringes, scalpels and dressings after use, comprises two lightweight plastic pieces which snap together without tools to form a closed container having a large opening for the insertion of used materials therethrough, which opening can be permanently sealed by sliding a flush cover to a closed and locked position preventing the inadvertent expulsion of macroscopic material from within the container. A one-way barrier is provided at the large opening for the protection of the user, which barrier can be removed if desired, and additional apertures having sharps-removing features molded therein to permit the simultaneous removal of sharps from associated devices and their disposal therethrough.

Abstract: A medical instrument disposal container has a hollow bin member fitted with a hollow top housing member, the two members having mating flanges with snap lock means for holding them together, the hollow top member further having a rectangular medical instruments entry port which may be closed by a closure lid which has a snap lock type locking means which engages with portions of the top member to affect a substantially permanent closure of the port. Internally of the hollow top housing member, and below the entry port, there is provided a tortuous path means including first and second oppositely inclined barrier walls which block manual entry into the interior of the hollow bin member but allow for the free fall introduction of medical instruments, syringes, sharps, or other medical materials into the storage area of the bin member.

Abstract: The surgical kit contains a pair of nested circular basins, one or more nested kidney-shaped pans, and one or more nested heart-shaped pitchers. Other surgical needs may also be packed in the basin. A drape having a sterile side is wrapped around the basin with the sterile side inward and a double fold therein. The basin is placed in a ring stand, and when the drape is unwrapped, the sterile side is outward. When there are two nested basins, a double ring stand is employed and the double fold is pulled out to cover the entire double ring stand.

Abstract: A mounting bracket for a container, such as a container for hospital sharps, is shown. The container includes a flanged top with front, side, and rear walls, extending from the flanged top to a bottom enclosure surface. At the juncture between the rear wall and bottom surface is a container recess having a closed aperture extending upwardly from the top wall of the recess. A mounting bracket includes an upper flange and a lower housing adapted to be received within the container recess for supporting the container. The upper flange of the container is engaged by the upper flange of the mounting bracket through a slot and flange combination. The lower housing of the mounting bracket includes a latching bar which is spring loaded for urging the latching bar into the closed aperture within the container recess.

Abstract: A reusable, flexible surgical drape which is laid over a patient adjacent the surgical field and which retains surgical instruments thereon to facilitate access to the instruments. A plurality of magnets are embedded in the drape so as to retain magnetizable instruments placed on the drape by means of magnetic force. A non-magnetized portion is provided in the center of the drape for storage of non-magnetizable instruments. A plurality of filaments extend upwardly from the nonmagnetic portion and aid in retaining the instruments in place. To prevent instruments from falling off the drape, the periphery of the drape is deformable to a non-planar orientation. A reusable pouch in which additional instruments are stored is removably secured to the drape. Ribs are provided on the interior of the pouch to maintain the walls of the pouch in a spaced relationship, and perforations are provided through the walls to permit sterilization of the pouch in an autoclave.

Abstract: A medical instrument holder and sharps disposal device is disclosed wherein a pair of plastic container body halves are provided to be manipulated between opened and closed positions by associated hinge means and a mechanical lock. A medical instrument rest in the form of a one piece molded plastic insert is provided on one of the body halves for positioning medical instruments thereon when the container is in its open position. A cushion of reticulated foam material is provided to receive and envelope the tips of sharps associated with the instruments laid upon the rest. Sharps removal means are provided for assisting in the release of medical instrument sharps from the associated medical instruments. A magnetic means is also provided within one of the container body halves for receiving and holding such removed sharps to facilitate the counting a subsequent disposal thereof within the container when a medical operation has been completed and the sharps and container are to be discarded.

Abstract: A light weight incineratable plastic material disposable container is disclosed for receiving, storing or counting and subsequent disposal of hospital surgery room discards including medical sponges and has a hollow open top container body or bucket made of a light weight polyethylene material. A single caster means is provided on the bottom of the container body consisting of a single roller mounted at the center of the container bottom for rollably supporting substantially all of the weight of the container and its contents during foot maneuvering of the container on the hospital operating room floor, there being a plurality of skid pads provided about the base on depending therefrom a distance slightly less than that which the single roller depends to provide lateral support as the container tips slightly to accomplish varying three point contacts with the floor.

Abstract: A sterilizable multi-part handle for attachment to a handle receiving fitting of a hospital surgery room light fixture is made of light weight, inexpensive molded plastic parts which are disposable after use, the handle including a handle body having a body grip portion and a threaded head portion to engage the fixture fitting and a disc separate from the handle which is provided with a central aperture via which the disc is assembled to the handle in a snap on fit connection between the handle body and disc. The exemplary connecting means includes a plurality of detents provided on the inner periphery of the disc aperture which snap into and seat within a disc receiving groove provided in the handle body head portion adjacent a disc seating flange against which the disc seats when the handle is turned into tight engagement with the associated light fixture fitting.

Abstract: A rigid, disposable container for safety containing and disposing of medical-surgical materials, including needles, syringes, scalpels and dressings after use, comprises five, lightweight plastic pieces which snap together without tools to form a closed container having a one-way barrier at a larger opening for the insertion of used materials therethrough, which barrier can be removed if desired, and additional apertures having sharps-removing features molded therein to permit the simultaneous removal of sharps from associated devices and their disposal therethrough. A flush, lockable, sliding cover is provided on the container to close the disposal openings against passage of macroscopic material either partially during use or completely before disposal.

Abstract: An inexpensive, foldup container for holding and disposing of used medical materials is die-stamped from a single piece of cardboard material and crimped along a plurality of lines to define a plurality of rectangular panels hingably-attached to one another which fold together to form a rectangular carton having an aperture in the top guarded by a barrier flap which permits the one-way disposal of used medical materials, such as disposable sharps and dressings, and further includes a hinged cover which can be locked shut over the disposal opening to retain the contents within the container and to resist tampering during the disposal process. The container may be provided in a partially assembled, flat configuration for storing and shipping.