Surgical instrument retention bracket

Claim 2

A bracket for fixating medical instruments or other articles, said bracket comprising a rigid frame, said frame including a base member, a plurality of spaced-apart adjacent upstanding fingers integral to the base member, each finger having opposite sides and means defining a recess in the side of at least one finger, said recess facing the adjacent finger, and a resilient sheath tightly engaged around said at least one finger, said sheath having a flexible, resilient sidewall which overlies any recess in that finger and defines therewith a void which is bridged by a portion of said sidewall so that when an article is forced into the space between said one and said adjacent finger, the article will snap into a stable position opposite the void and be resiliently engaged and fixated by said overlying sidewall.

Claim 3

The bracket defined in claim 1 wherein each sheath comprises a cot of flexible, resilient plastic material.

Claim 4

The bracket defined in claim 2 wherein said fingers and said cots are substantially rectangular in shape.

Claim 5

The bracket defined in claim 3 wherein said finger sidewalls are tapered.

Claim 6

The bracket defined in claim 1 wherein said base member is of a rigid molded plastic material.

Claim 7

The bracket defined in claim 5 wherein said base member is of polyetherimide or polyphenylsulfane and said cots are of silicone.

Claim 8

The bracket defined in claim 1 and further including means on said base member for releasably anchoring said bracket to a support surface.

Claim 9

The bracket defined in claim 7 wherein said anchoring means comprise a series of posts spaced along said base on the opposite side thereof from said fingers, each of said posts having a constriction along its length, and a clip for resiliently engaging around each constriction.

Claim 10

The bracket defined in claim 1 wherein said void is closed and forms an air pocket.

Claim 11

A bracket for retaining medical instruments or other articles, said bracket comprising a rigid frame, said frame including a base member and a plurality of spaced-apart adjacent upstanding fingers integral to the base member; a sheath tightly surrounding each finger, each sheath having opposite side walls, and means defining a compressive instrument seating site along a selected sidewall of at least one sheath so that when an instrument is forced into the space between the selected sidewall of said at least one sheath and the adjacent sheath, the instrument will snap into a stable position at the seating site and be resiliently engaged and fixated by said selected sidewall.

Claim 12

A bracket for retaining medical instruments or other articles, said bracket comprising a rigid frame, said frame including a base member and a plurality of spaced-apart adjacent upstanding fingers integral to the base member; a sheath tightly surrounding each finger, each sheath having opposite side walls, and means defining a compressive instrument seating site along a selected sidewall of at least one sheath so that when an instrument is forced into the space between the selected sidewall of said at least one sheath and the adjacent sheath, the instrument will snap into a stable position at the seating site and be resiliently engaged and fixated by said selected sidewall.

Claim 13

A bracket for retaining medical instruments or other articles, said bracket comprising a plurality of adjacent rigid finger members; means for rigidly mounting said finger members to a support so that adjacent finger members are spaced apart a selected distance and are substantially parallel to one another; a resilient sheath tightly surrounding each finger member, each sheath having opposite side walls, and means defining a compressive instrument seating site along a selected sidewall of at least one sheath said seating site being defined by a recess in the finger member underlying the selected sidewall and a portion of the sidewall that bridges said recess so that when an instrument is forced into the space between the selected sidewall of said at least one sheath and the adjacent sheath, the instrument will snap into a stable position at the seating site and be resiliently engaged and fixated by said selected side wall.

Claim 14

A bracket for retaining medical instruments or other articles, said bracket comprising a plurality of adjacent rigid finger members; means for rigidly mounting said finger members to a support so that adjacent finger members are spaced apart a selected distance and are substantially parallel to one another; a resilient sheath tightly surrounding each finger member, each sheath having opposite side walls, and means defining a compressive instrument seating site along a selected sidewall of at least one sheath said seating site being defined by a recess in the finger member underlying the selected sidewall and a portion of the sidewall that bridges said recess so that when an instrument is forced into the space between the selected sidewall of said at least one sheath and the adjacent sheath, the instrument will snap into a stable position at the seating site and be resiliently engaged and fixated by said selected side wall.

Claim 15

A bracket for retaining medical instruments or other articles, said bracket comprising a rigid frame, said frame including a base member and a plurality of spaced-apart adjacent upstanding fingers integral to the base member; a resilient sheath tightly surrounding each finger, each sheath having opposite sidewalls, and means defining a compressive instrument seating site along a selected sidewall of at least one sheath said seating site being defined by a void in or under said selected sidewall and a sidewall portion that bridges said void so that when an instrument is forced into the space between the selected sidewall of said at least one sheath and the adjacent sheath, the instrument will snap into a stable position at the seating site and be resiliently engaged and fixated by said selected sidewall.

Claim 16

A bracket for retaining medical instruments or other articles, said bracket comprising a rigid frame, said frame including a base member and a plurality of spaced-apart adjacent upstanding fingers integral to the base member; a resilient sheath tightly surrounding each finger, each sheath having opposite sidewalls, and means defining a compressive instrument seating site along a selected sidewall of at least one sheath said seating site being defined by a void in or under said selected sidewall and a sidewall portion that bridges said void so that when an instrument is forced into the space between the selected sidewall of said at least one sheath and the adjacent sheath, the instrument will snap into a stable position at the seating site and be resiliently engaged and fixated by said selected sidewall.

Claim 17

A bracket for retaining medical instruments or other articles, said bracket comprising a base member; a plurality of spaced-apart, adjacent, substantially straight fingers extending up from the base member; a resilient sheath tightly surrounding each finger, each sheath having opposite sidewalls, and means defining a compressive instrument seating site along a selected sidewall of at least one sheath, said seating site being defined by a reduced width segment of said selected sidewall, so that when an instrument is forced into the space between the selected sidewall of said at least one sheath and the adjacent sheath, the instrument will snap into a stable position at the seating site and be resiliently engaged and fixated by said selected sidewall.

Claim 18

A bracket for retaining medical instruments or other articles, said bracket comprising a base member; a plurality of spaced-apart, adjacent, substantially straight fingers extending up from the base member; a resilient sheath tightly surrounding each finger, each sheath having opposite sidewalls, and means defining a compressive instrument seating site along a selected sidewall of at least one sheath, said seating site being defined by a reduced width segment of said selected sidewall, so that when an instrument is forced into the space between the selected sidewall of said at least one sheath and the adjacent sheath, the instrument will snap into a stable position at the seating site and be resiliently engaged and fixated by said selected sidewall.