Surgical instrument rack

Claim 2

A rack for supporting a multiplicity of ring-handled surgical instruments, comprising a support member having a substantially flat surface and being provided with an upstanding wall dividing said member into front and rear portions; a plurality of spaced partitions projecting upwardly from said wall, whereby, a plurality of ring-handled instruments may be supported with each instrument oriented in a generally vertical plane with its handles extending between a pair of partitions and with a lower handle ring thereof disposed directly above said rear portion and behind said wall; and a retaining member engaging said rear portion of said support member; said retaining member having a cover section spaced above said rear portion to limit upward movement of the lower handle rings of instruments carried by said support member and also having a sloping cam section engagable with the upper rings of such instruments to cam the handles thereof into partially opened condition and to limit movement of said instruments rearwardly away from said upstanding wall.

Claim 3

The rack of claim 1 in which said retaining member is detachably connected to said support member.

Claim 4

The rack of claim 2 in which said retaining member is slidably connected to said rear portion of said support member for movement generally along the plane of said surface towards and away from said upstanding wall and into and out of camming engagement with the upper handle rings of instruments carried by said support member.

Claim 5

The rack of claim 3 in which latching means is provided by said members for releasably latching said members together.

Claim 6

The rack of claim 4 in which said latching means comprises interfitting tabs provided by said members, certain of said tabs of one member being provided with lugs and certain of said tabs of the other member having recesses for releasably receiving said lugs.

Claim 7

The rack of claim 1 in which said cover section extends generally horizontally and merges at its front with said sloping cam section to define a leading edge portion adapted to be received between the upper and lower handle rings of instruments supported by said support member.

Claim 8

The rack of claim 6 in which said leading edge portion presents a rounded leading surface.

Claim 9

The rack of claim 6 in which said camming section slopes upwardly and rearwardly from said leading edge.

Claim 10

The rack of claim 6 in which said leading edge is disposed above and behind the upper limits of said upstanding wall.

Claim 11

The rack of claim 6 in which a second cover section is provided by said retaining member, said second cover section projecting forwardly from the upper limits of said camming section and being adapted to extend over the upper handle rings of instruments carried by said support member to limit opening movement of the handles of such instruments.

Claim 12

The rack of claim 1 in which said partitions are formed integrally with said upstanding wall.

Claim 13

The rack of claim 11 in which said partitions are formed of substantially rigid autoclavable polymeric material, each of said partitions being capable of detachment from said wall for selectively increasing the spacing between remaining pairs of partitions, whereby, a plurality of instruments of the same type and size may be disposed in parallel side-by-side relation within a space of increased size formed by selective detachment of one or more partitions.

Claim 14

The rack of claim 1 in which said support member is provided with a second upstanding wall parallel to and spaced in front of the first-mentioned upstanding wall, said second wall having an upper edge engagable with the handles of at least some instruments supportable by said support member to hold the jaws of said instruments slightly above said flat surface.

Claim 15

The rack of claim 13 in which said partitions are arcuate and bridge the upper edges of said first and second walls.

Claim 16

The rack of claim 14 in which said partitions are formed integrally with said first and second walls.

Claim 17

The rack of claim 15 in which said support member is formed entirely of substantially rigid autoclavable polymeric material.

Claim 18

The rack of claim 1 in which said members are formed of autoclavable and substantially rigid polymeric material.

Claim 19

The rack of claim 1 in which indicia means are applied to said support member in alignment with the spaces between said partitions to identify the surgical instruments receivable in such spaces.

Claim 20

A rack supporting a multiplicity of ring-handled surgical instruments, comprising a support member having a substantially flat surface and being provided with a pair of spaced upstanding transverse walls dividing said member into front and rear portions; said walls being bridged by a transverse series of spaced parallel arcuate dividers formed integrally with said walls and defining therebetween a plurality of instrument-receiving compartments, whereby, a plurality of ring-handled instruments may be supported with each instrument oriented in a generally vertical plane with its handles extending between a pair of dividers and with a lower handle ring thereof disposed directly above said rear portion of said support member; and a retaining member releasably connected to said rear portion; said retaining member having a lower cover section spaced above said rear portion to limit upward movement of the lower handle rings of instruments carried by said support member and also having an upwardly and rearwardly sloping cam section engagable with the upper rings of such instruments to cam the handles thereof into partially opened condition and to limit rearward movement of instruments supported by said support member.

Claim 21

A rack supporting a multiplicity of ring-handled surgical instruments, comprising a support member having a substantially flat surface and being provided with a pair of spaced upstanding transverse walls dividing said member into front and rear portions; said walls being bridged by a transverse series of spaced parallel arcuate dividers formed integrally with said walls and defining therebetween a plurality of instrument-receiving compartments, whereby, a plurality of ring-handled instruments may be supported with each instrument oriented in a generally vertical plane with its handles extending between a pair of dividers and with a lower handle ring thereof disposed directly above said rear portion of said support member; and a retaining member releasably connected to said rear portion; said retaining member having a lower cover section spaced above said rear portion to limit upward movement of the lower handle rings of instruments carried by said support member and also having an upwardly and rearwardly sloping cam section engagable with the upper rings of such instruments to cam the handles thereof into partially opened condition and to limit rearward movement of instruments supported by said support member.

Claim 22

The rack of claim 19 in which said retaining member is slidably connected to said rear portion of said support member for movement into and out of camming engagement with the upper handle rings of instruments carried by said support member.

Claim 23

The rack of claim 20 in which latching means is provided by said members for releasably latching said members together with said retaining member in instrument-camming position.

Claim 24

The rack of claim 19 in which said lower cover section extends generally horizontally and merges with said sloping cam section to define a rounded leading edge receivable between the upper and lower handle rings of instruments supported by said support member.

Claim 25

The rack of claim 22 in which an upper cover section is provided by said retaining member, said upper cover section projecting forwardly from the upper limits of said camming section and being adapted to extend over the upper handle rings of instruments carried by said support member to limit opening movement of the handles of such instruments.

Claim 26

The rack of claim 19 in which said support member is formed of substantially rigid autoclavable polymeric material, each of said dividers being capable of detachment from said walls for selectively increasing the width of the spacers between remaining pairs of dividers, whereby, a plurality of instruments of the same type and size may be disposed in contiguous parallel relation within a space of increased size formed by selective detachment of one or more dividers.

Claim 27

The rack of claims 19 or 24 in which both of said members are formed of substantially rigid autoclavable polymeric material.

Claim 28

The rack of claim 19 in which indicia means are applied to said support member in alignment with said spaces defined by said dividers to identify the type, size, and quantity of surgical instruments intended to be supported within said spaces.