INSTRUMENT TRAY ASSEMBLY AND BRACKETS FOR INSERTING INTO AN INSTRUMENT TRAY
An instrument tray assembly and support brackets for mounting in an instrument tray assembly, for example, for retaining medical supplies and medical devices, are provided. The brackets engage the instrument tray and are adapted to facilitate installation and removal of the brackets from the tray. The support brackets include a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending from the bottom. The plurality of side walls are adapted to engage a perforation in a planar surface of the instrument tray to secure the support bracket to the instrument tray. The side walls of the brackets include outwardly biased, cantilevered projections positioned to engage a perforation in the instrument tray. The projections releasably engage the tray for installation and removal. Methods of engaging a bracket into an instrument tray are also disclosed.
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1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to instrument trays and brackets adapted to be inserted into an instrument tray. More particularly, the present invention relates to instrument trays for medical supplies and devices and brackets that engage the trays to facilitate installation and removal of the brackets from the trays.
2. Description of Related Art
Medical device instrument trays, for example, for use in operating rooms or emergently rooms, to facilitate access and handling of medical supplies and device are common in the art. Some prior art trays may include brackets or structures that can be mounted to the tray to provide supports or cavities of retaining or locating medical supplies and/or devices. For example, a broad variety of medical instrument trays having some form of bracket structure can be found in the patent literature. U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,575 B1 issued to Frush, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,503 issued to Riley, et al. are representative of the prior art. Frush discloses a medical instrument bracket that includes a “clip part 12” and a “holder part 14” that cooperate to retain a bracket in a tray. Riley discloses brackets or fixtures that “plug into” a tray. However, neither Frush nor Riley, nor any of the other references encountered, provides the advantages of the present invention.
Aspects of the present invention provide tray assemblies and tray brackets that facilitate the handling and manipulation of brackets and related structures mounted in a tray.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOne aspect of the invention is an instrument tray assembly having a planar surface having one or more perforations; and at least one instrument support bracket, the instrument support bracket having a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending from the bottom, at least some of the plurality of side walls adapted to engage at least one of the one or more perforations in the planar surface to secure the support bracket to the planar surface. According to one aspect, the bracket may be adapted to “snap into” the planar surface, for example, releasably or removably snap into the planar surface of the instrument tray assembly. In one aspect, the bottom of the support bracket may be positioned below the planar surface when the at least some of the plurality of side walls of the support bracket engage the planar surface. In another aspect, the plurality of side walls may be outwardly biased, cantilevered projections positioned to engage at least one of the one or more perforations. In one aspect, the instrument tray assembly may be a medical device instrument tray assembly, though other uses for aspects of the invention are envisioned.
Another aspect of the invention is a an instrument tray support bracket having a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending from the bottom, the plurality of side walls adapted to engage a perforation in a planar surface of an instrument tray to secure the support bracket to the planar surface of the instrument tray. For example, in one aspect, the plurality of side walls may include outwardly biased, cantilevered projections positioned to engage a perforation in the instrument tray. In another aspect, the outwardly biased, cantilevered projections may engage ends of an elongated perforation in the instrument tray or the outwardly biased, cantilevered projections may be the outwardly biased projections in opposing side walls.
A further aspect of the invention is a method of engaging a bracket into a instrument tray by inserting a bracket having a plurality outwardly-biased, cantilevered projections into a perforation in the instrument tray; contacting the plurality of projections with edges of the perforation in the instrument tray and inwardly deflecting the outwardly-biased projections; passing the outwardly-biased projections through the perforation; allowing the outwardly-biased projections to outwardly deflect; and engaging the instrument tray with the outwardly-deflected projections. In one aspect, the method may further include, after passing the projections through the perforation, contacting the instrument tray with a second projection on the bracket whereby the bracket is retained on the instrument tray between the outwardly-deflected, outwardly-biased projection and the second projection.
Though aspects of the invention may be particularly useful for retaining and handling medical supplies and devices, aspects of the invention may be applied to any field that can benefit from a tray having brackets or other support structures.
These and other aspects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood from the following detailed description of aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
As is typical of the art, tray 12 may include a substantially planar surface 26. As shown in
In
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In one aspect of the invention, the engagement of bracket 14 with perforation 34 may be enhanced by providing one or more projections 56 on one or more sidewalls 43-46 sized and positioned to engage one or more holes 57 on tray 12. The engagement of projections 56 in holes 57 may facilitate the positioning of bracket 14 into perforation 34 and may also enhance the engagement of bracket 14 with tray 12. In one aspect of the invention, bracket 14 may be fixedly mounted to tray 12 by fusing projections 56 with holes 57, for example, by soldering, brazing, or welding metallic parts or thermally fusing plastic parts, or by deforming parts to prevent disengagement, for example, by peening or otherwise deforming to prevent disengagement of projections 56 from holes 57. Other means of preventing disengagement of projections 56 from holes 57 will be apparent to those of skill in the art while still within the purview of aspects of the present invention.
In one aspect of the invention, bracket 14 may include one or more projections 60 positioned and adapted to facilitate handling of bracket 14. For example, projection 60 may be adapted to facilitate insertion or removal of bracket 14 from perforation 34 in tray 12, or to facilitate the positioning or placement of instruments (not shown) on tray 12 or within bracket 14. In the aspect of the invention shown in
In addition, one or more projections 60 on bracket 14 may be provided for positioning hardware or instruments (not shown) on tray 12 or bracket 14. For example, projections 60 may define one or more widths (not shown) between two projections 60, of substantially equal or varying dimension, for retaining one or more instruments (not shown) as needed. Also, projections 60 may provide one or more means for retaining hardware or instruments (not shown) about projections 60, for example, looped over or inserted over projection 60.
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In one aspect of the invention, the engagement of bracket 16 with perforation 36 may be enhanced by providing one or more projections (not shown) on one or more sidewalls 83-86 sized and positioned to engage one or more holes (not shown) on tray 12. In a fashion similar to projection 56 and hole 57 described with respect to bracket 14 above, the engagement of projections on bracket 16 with holes in tray 12 may facilitate the positioning of bracket 16 into perforation 36 and may also enhance the engagement of bracket 16 with tray 12. In one aspect of the invention, bracket 16 may be fixedly mounted to tray 12 by fusing the projection with the holes, for example, by soldering, brazing, or welding metallic parts or thermally fusing plastic parts, or by deforming parts to prevent disengagement, for example, by peening or otherwise deforming to prevent disengagement of the projections from the holes. Other means of preventing disengagement of projections in bracket 16 from holes in tray 12 will be apparent to those of skill in the art while still within the purview of aspects of the invention.
In one aspect of the invention, bracket 16 may include one or more projections 100 positioned and adapted to facilitate handling of bracket 16, for example, to facilitate insertion or removal of bracket 16 from perforation 36 in tray 12, or to facilitate the positioning of instruments (not shown) on tray 12 or within bracket 16. In the aspect of the invention shown in
In addition, one or more projections 100 on bracket 16 may be provided for positioning hardware or instruments on tray 12 or bracket 16. For example, projections 100 may define one or more widths 101, of substantially equal or varying dimension, for retaining one or more instruments (not shown) as needed. Also, projections 100 may provide one or more means for retaining hardware or instruments about projections 100, for example, looped or inserted over projection 100.
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According to one aspect of the invention, a method of engaging a bracket 14, 16 into an instrument tray 10 provided is illustrated in
According to aspects of the invention, bracket 14, bracket 16, and tray 12 may be fabricated from metallic or non-metallic materials. For example, brackets 14, 16 and tray 12 may be fabricated from one of more of the following metals: iron, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, nickel, magnesium, brass, bronze, or any other structural metal. In addition, brackets 14, 16 and tray 12 may be fabricated from one or more of the following plastics: a polyamide (PA), for example, nylon; a polyamide-imide; a polyethylene (PE); a polypropylene (PP); a polyester (PE); a polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE); an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS); a polycarbonate (PC); or a vinyl, such as, polyvinylchloride (PVC), among other plastics.
From the above description, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that aspects of the invention provide a tray assembly and brackets adapted for use with a tray assembly that facilitate assembly, disassembly, and otherwise handling of the assembly and of the brackets. Aspects of the present invention may be used in a broad range of application where the insertion, removal, and otherwise manipulation of items may be facilitated by the disclosed tray assembly and brackets, for example, for household products, sporting goods, tools, toys, and the like. Aspects of the present invention may be particularly advantageous for the handling and positioning of medical devices and related hardware and tools in the medical device industry, for example, for use by health care providers, such as, operating room personal. Other applications and fields of use for aspects of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art.
While several aspects of the present invention have been described and depicted herein, alternative aspects may be effected by those skilled in the art to accomplish the same objectives. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such alternative aspects as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. An instrument tray assembly comprising:
- a planar surface having one or more perforations; and
- at least one instrument support bracket, the instrument support bracket having a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending from the bottom, at least some of the plurality of side walls adapted to engage at least one of the one or more perforations in the planar surface to secure the support bracket to the planar surface.
2. The instrument tray assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the bottom of the support bracket is positioned below the planar surface when the at least some of the plurality of side walls of the support bracket engage the planar surface.
3. The instrument tray assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of side walls comprise outwardly biased, cantilevered projections positioned to engage at least one of the one or more perforations.
4. The instrument tray assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the one or more perforations comprise elongated perforations having ends, and wherein the outwardly biased, cantilevered projections engage the ends of the elongated perforations.
5. The instrument tray assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein to secure the support bracket to the planar surface comprises to releasably secure the support bracket to the planar surface.
6. The instrument tray assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the instrument tray assembly comprises a medical device instrument tray assembly.
7. The instrument tray assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein the medical device instrument tray assembly is adapted to be sterilized.
8. The instrument tray assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein the medical device instrument tray assembly is adapted to retain a plurality of medical devices.
9. The instrument tray assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the medical device instrument tray assembly is adapted to retain a plurality of surgical implants.
10. A instrument tray support bracket comprising a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending from the bottom, the plurality of side walls adapted to engage a perforation in a planar surface of an instrument tray to secure the support bracket to the planar surface of the instrument tray.
11. The bracket as recited in claim 10, wherein the plurality of side walls comprise outwardly biased, cantilevered projections positioned to engage a perforation in the instrument tray.
12. The bracket as recited in claim 11, wherein the outwardly biased, cantilevered projections engage ends of an elongated perforation in the instrument tray.
13. The bracket as recited in claim 11, wherein the outwardly biased, cantilevered projections comprise outwardly biased projections in opposing side walls.
14. The bracket as recited in claim 11, wherein the bracket further comprises at least one projection adapted to facilitate handling.
15. The bracket as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one projection adapted to facilitate handling projects from the bottom of the bracket.
16. The bracket as recited in claim 11, wherein the bracket further comprises a plurality of projections adapted to retain articles.
17. A method of engaging a bracket into a instrument tray comprising:
- inserting a bracket having a plurality outwardly-biased, cantilevered projections into a perforation in the instrument tray;
- contacting the plurality of projections with edges of the perforation in the instrument tray and inwardly deflecting the outwardly-biased projections;
- passing the outwardly-biased projections through the perforation;
- allowing the outwardly-biased projections to outwardly deflect; and
- engaging the instrument tray with the outwardly-deflected projections.
18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the method further comprises, after passing the projections through the perforation, contacting the instrument tray with a second projection on the bracket whereby the bracket is retained on the instrument tray between the outwardly-deflected, outwardly-biased projection and the second projection.
19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the method further comprises rigidly mounting fixing the bracket to the instrument tray.
20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein fixing the bracket to the instrument tray comprises fusing a projection of the bracket to the instrument tray.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 14, 2009
Publication Date: Jul 15, 2010
Applicant: MACK MOLDING COMPANY (Arlington, VT)
Inventor: Randolph W. PELL (Marlboro, VT)
Application Number: 12/353,368
International Classification: B65D 85/00 (20060101); A47G 29/00 (20060101);