Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Plural related horizontal surfaces – Terraced
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-08
2001-02-20
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3636)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Plural related horizontal surfaces
Terraced
C108S147210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189459
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to specialized tables, particularly to tables or carts used in surgical operating rooms, and specifically to an instrument shelf for use on carts to promote efficient and organized availability of surgical tools while optimizing the maintenance of a sterile field in the operating room.
2. Background Art
During even moderately complicated surgery, the surgeon must have rapid access to numerous surgical instruments. To this end, the instruments are disposed upon a sterilized wheeled cart (or sometimes a wheelless table) situated in the operating room. The cart has one or more shelves upon which the surgical instruments are placed.
In complex surgeries, so many instruments may be required that more than one shelf are required to hold all the instruments for ready use. Accordingly, presently in the art, more than one cart may be used, which crowds the operating room and complicates efforts to maintain the sterility of the operating area. Alternatively, operating room personnel may place instruments upon more than one tray, and then stack the trays one upon another on a single cart, which unfortunately complicates access to the instruments. Un-stacking and re-stacking trays of instruments upon a single cart takes too much time and increases the possibility of mishaps. Nevertheless, there is a need for rapid and ready access to all the instruments, without needlessly cramping the work area in the operating room with multiple carts—especially in smaller operating rooms.
Various attempts have been made to improve the stability, compactness, and facility of carts and tables in the furniture art generally, such as by providing various shelves and collapsing shelf arrangements, and modes of improving cart stability and adjustability. Examples of previous efforts include U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,742 to Maynard; U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,073 to Isaacs; U.S. Pat. No. 1,715,076 to Schmidt et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 1,624,862 to Elliot, et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,650,293 to Morey et al. None of these prior efforts were specifically directed at solving the problems unique to carts and tables used in surgical operating rooms, and leave those problems unresolved.
Another challenge in surgical operating rooms is the preservation of the sterile field. It is known to provide covers for hospital gurneys and tables, such as the cover shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,053 to Herum, and to provide some means for securing a cover to a table, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,363 to Jones. Nevertheless, a significant need remains for a drape for covering tables and carts, that is specially suited for the special needs and demands of the operating room. Against the foregoing background, the present invention was developed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION (DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION)
The invention relates to an auxiliary shelf that can be attached to existing operating room carts to provide additional sterile space upon which instruments may be placed for access during surgery. The auxiliary shelf is located above the main shelf are of the cart. The auxiliary shelf can be swivelled between a collapsed position parallel against the back of the cart when not in use to permit storage of the cart in less space. The vertical position of the shelf can be adjusted, and a lift assist is provided to reduce the effort required to raise the auxiliary shelf from the lower collapsed storage position to the horizontal use position above the main shelf of the cart. There also is provided according to the invention a special custom drape for placement upon the auxiliary shelf to provide a sterile covering for the auxiliary shelf. The drape includes several special features which permit it to be handled, placed upon the auxiliary shelf, and secured in place with minimal challenges to sterility and to maintain the sterile filed in the operating room. There also is disclosed a retractable step stair that is easily operated by the user's foot. The step stair allows personnel to step up to the elevated auxiliary shelf. The step stair can be deployed or retracted for storage under the cart without having to by touched by the user's hands, another advantage promoting sterility of the operating room sterile field.
Objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth in part in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 141593 (1945-06-01), Doty
patent: 270443 (1883-01-01), Kraemer
patent: 912035 (1909-02-01), Schaefle
patent: 1624862 (1927-04-01), Elliot
patent: 1640440 (1927-08-01), Conrad
patent: 1650293 (1927-11-01), Morey et al.
patent: 1683228 (1928-09-01), Armstrong
patent: 1715076 (1929-05-01), Schmidt et al.
patent: 1802362 (1931-04-01), Walter
patent: 3113531 (1963-12-01), Barnard
patent: 3184207 (1965-05-01), Hermanns et al.
patent: 3905311 (1975-09-01), Carpentier
patent: 3971568 (1976-07-01), Wright
patent: 4488497 (1984-12-01), Bevans
patent: 4504073 (1985-03-01), Isaacs
patent: 4627363 (1986-12-01), Jones
patent: 4948154 (1990-08-01), Guggenheim
patent: 4998742 (1991-03-01), Maynard
patent: 5379703 (1995-01-01), Marshall
patent: 5436053 (1995-07-01), Herum
patent: 5642898 (1997-07-01), Wise
patent: 5713584 (1998-02-01), Crane
patent: 5931102 (1999-08-01), Grahl
Baker Rod D.
Chen José V.
LandOfFree
Collapsible auxiliary instrument shelf for use in surgical... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Collapsible auxiliary instrument shelf for use in surgical..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Collapsible auxiliary instrument shelf for use in surgical... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2606644