Special receptacle or package – For a tool – Body treatment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-14
2001-05-15
Bui, Luan K. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For a tool
Body treatment
C206S372000, C206S560000, C211S070600, C422S300000, C422S310000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230888
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally comprises a surgical instrument count stand for holding, counting, and sterilizing surgical scissors and other ring handle instruments.
2. Description of Related Art
When performing surgical procedures, it is highly desirable to be able to organize, count, and support surgical instruments, such as scissors, needle holders and clamps, prior to and after sterilization. It is also desirable to spread the blades of the scissors prior to sterilization so that the entire surface of the scissors is appropriately cleaned and sterilized. The prior art literature discloses a number of devices to hold surgical scissors for that purpose.
One of the most common prior art devices is referred to as a “stringer”. It gets its name from the fact that a rod, or similar mechanism, passes through one of the handles of the surgical scissors as they sit on a rack. Movement of the rod causes the handles of the scissors to move apart thereby spreading the blades for sterilization. Examples of prior art stringer instrument racks can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,925,014; 5,137,151; and 5,449,069.
Another category of prior art instrument count racks, or stands, employ a bar which, unlike the stringers, does not pass through one of the handles of the scissors but, instead, pushes the handles away from each other. Examples of such prior art devices can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,342,391; 4,577,755; and 4,865,821.
A variation on the foregoing is a movable wedge or bracket mechanism that cams the scissors apart using an inclined plane or similar surface. Such a device is described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,420.
More recently, computerized devices have been employed to count and sterilize instruments. They are, however, relatively complex and expensive. Note, for example, the surgical count stand described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,939.
Lastly, there are a variety of passive instrument count stands that hold the instruments in position but do not necessarily assist in spreading the blades. Examples of the foregoing are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,564,662; 4,541,992; 4,643,303; 5,284,632; 5,451,380; and 5,433,929.
One of the major difficulties with prior art instrument count stands is that surgical scissors come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. A stand that might be appropriate for one size scissors may be totally inappropriate for another size. Also, many prior art instrument count stands require several steps, or procedures, in order to spread the scissors. For example, prior art “stringer” instrument stands require that each of the individual handles be strung over a rod. Insofar as understood, none of the prior art appears to hint, teach or suggest an instrument count stand that will adequately work with a wide variety of different scissors sizes and in which the steps of holding, spreading and locking can be essentially done in one simple movement of a handle. It was in the context of the foregoing prior art that the present invention arose.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, the invention comprises an instrument count stand or sterilization rack that holds between 16 and 42 scissors of various sizes. The stand includes an aluminum base with horizontal slots which serve to hold the scissors' handles, a bracket that serves as a stop for small instruments, two sidewalls including a slot for engaging an axle, a vertical slot rack; two leaf spring handle locking clips, a roller for spreading the scissors handles, and a wire handle connected to the roller. Between 16 and 42 scissors, of various sizes, are arranged on the count stand in the vertical slots with their handles placed in the horizontal slots. The stand comes in three sizes: a small size 10, such as shown in
FIGS. 1-3C
that holds 16 scissors; a medium size that holds 29 scissors; and, a large size that holds 42 scissors. The roller is preferably formed from an aluminum perforated tube with end plug which roll on a wire axle. The wire axle is retained within the slots on the two opposing sidewalls. Pulling the wire handle forward or backward moves the roller forward or backward as the axle translates in the axle slots in the sidewalls. As the roller is brought forward, under the influence of the handle, the roller is “squeezed” in between the scissors handles (sometimes referred to as “loops” or “rings”) forcing them open and, consequently, spreading the blades apart. The forward motion of the roller which spreads the blades apart, also serves as a lock preventing the scissors handles from moving out of the horizontal slots. After the roller has been pushed or pulled all the way forward, the handle is rotated and locked in position by the pair of respective leaf springs. The stand and scissors are then ready for sterilization. In one action, the spreading mechanism spreads the blades, locks and secures the instruments to the count stand, and prepares them for sterilization. After sterilization, as the handle is unlocked and the roller is pushed backward, the instruments are also unlocked and ready for use.
These and other features of the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings.
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Amster Ron
Frieze Marcia A.
Bui Luan K.
Woodbridge Richard C.
Woodbridge & Associates P.C.
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