Claims
- 1. An instrument organizer for at least partially supporting surgical instruments, comprising:
an elongated base having a uniform, predetermined width and defining a continuous surface extending from a first side surface to an opposing second side surface thereof, the base including two terminal ends; at least one fixed end post extending from a terminal end of the base, the fixed end post comprising a generally triangular configuration in cross section; and at least one movable stabilizing structure including two gripping legs extending from a central body having opposing, inwardly facing surfaces spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the predetermined width of the base of the instrument organizer, the opposing, inwardly facing surfaces of the two gripping legs being dimensioned and configured to grip the first and second side surfaces of the base of the instrument organizer, respectively, so that the movable stabilizing structure can be attached to the base of the instrument organizer at any point between the terminal ends of the organizer and the central body is held in place by the gripping legs for retaining the surgical instruments in an organized and upright state at least partially on the organizer.
- 2. The instrument organizer of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a pair of fixed end posts each having a generally triangular configuration in cross section.
- 3. A couple for coupling a pair of instrument organizers each of which comprise an elongated base structure having a top surface and a front surface and a rear surface extending from the top surface and the front surface and the rear surface being disposed on opposing sides of the base structure, the elongated base structure comprising a predetermined width as measured from the front surface to the rear surface and the elongated base structure including opposed terminal ends;
at least one first end post fixedly positioned at one terminal end of the base structure; and at least one movable stabilizing structure mountable at any axially spaced location along a length of the base structure relative to the first end post, the movable stabilizing structure including a body portion and opposed, spaced apart legs depending therefrom, the legs being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the predetermined width of the base structure to facilitate frictional engagement with the base structure to thereby stabilize and at least partially support one or more surgical instruments; the couple, comprising:
a coupling device for connecting the pair of instrument organizers together.
- 4. The couple of claim 3 wherein the coupling device comprises a wall portion defining an aperture that is dimensioned and configured to receive adjoining end posts of each instrument organizer when the end posts are disposed in juxtaposition.
- 5. The couple of claim 3 wherein the coupling device comprises a collar including a wall portion having a generally rectangular outer configuration in cross section and defining an aperture having a generally rectangular configuration for receiving two end posts each having a cubical outer configuration.
- 6. An instrument organizer for at least partially supporting surgical instruments, comprising:
an elongated base having a uniform, predetermined width and defining a continuous surface extending from a first side surface to an opposing second side surface thereof, the continuous surface of the base comprising a contact portion having a non-linear shape in cross section and the base including two terminal ends; at least one fixed end post extending from a terminal end of the base; and at least one movable stabilizing structure correspondingly configured to engage the contact portion of the base and including two gripping legs extending from a central body having opposing, inwardly facing surfaces spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the predetermined width of the base of the instrument organizer, the opposing, inwardly facing surfaces of the two gripping legs being dimensioned and configured to grip the first and second side surfaces of the base of the instrument organizer, respectively, so that the movable stabilizing structure can be attached to the base of the instrument organizer at any point between the terminal ends of the organizer and the central body is held in place by the gripping legs for retaining the surgical instruments in an organized and upright state at least partially on the organizer.
- 7. The instrument organizer of claim 6, wherein the contact portion comprises a pair of chamfered edges.
- 8. The instrument organizer of claim 6, wherein the contact portion is arcuate in cross section.
- 9. An instrument organizer for at least partially supporting one or more surgical instruments, comprising:
a base structure comprising opposed terminal ends; at least a first end post fixedly positioned at one terminal end of the base structure; and at least one movable stabilizing structure mountable on the base structure at a location that is spaced from the first end post, to thereby stabilize and at least partially support one or more instruments; wherein at least one of the base structure and the movable stabilizing structure comprises a radiopaque material.
- 10. The instrument organizer of claim 9, wherein:
the base structure comprises an elongated structure having a continuous contact surface and a front surface and a rear surface extending from the contact surface and the front surface and the rear surface being disposed on opposing sides of the base structure, the elongated base structure comprising a predetermined width as measured from the front surface to the rear surface of the elongated base structure; and the movable stabilizing structure is mountable at any axially spaced location along the contact surface of the base structure and includes a body portion and opposed, spaced apart legs depending therefrom, the legs being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the predetermined width of the base structure to facilitate frictional engagement with the base structure.
- 11. The instrument organizer of claim 10, wherein the radiopaque material comprises at least one radiopaque string.
- 12. The instrument organizer of claim 11, wherein:
the at least one radiopaque string is mounted to at least one of the base structure and the movable stabilizing structure and; the at least one radiopaque string comprises at least one of a flexible polymer and a copolymer along with a radiopaque substance embedded therein.
- 13. The instrument organizer of claim 12 wherein:
the at least one of a flexible polymer and a copolymer comprises polyvinyl chloride; and the radiopaque substance comprises a USP barium sulfate additive.
- 14. The instrument organizer of claim 11 wherein:
the at least one radiopaque string is embedded within at least one of the base structure and the movable stabilizing structure; and the at least one radiopaque string has a length that ranges between approximately three inches and approximately 24 inches and has a diameter that ranges between approximately 0.093 inch and approximately 0.125 inch.
- 15. The instrument organizer of claim 10, wherein the radiopaque material comprises at least one strand of material composed of a metallic substance.
- 16. The instrument organizer of claim 15, wherein the at least one strand comprises multiple strands embedded within the base structure and/or in the movable stabilizing structure and the metallic substance consists of at least one metal from the group consisting of platinum, gold and tungsten.
- 17. The instrument organizer of claim 15 wherein a diametrical size of the at least one strand is within the range of between approximately 0.0007 inch and approximately 0.0015 inch.
- 18. The instrument organizer of claim 9 wherein the radiopaque material comprises a metallic coil spring embedded within at least one of the base structure and the movable stabilizing structure.
- 19. The instrument organizer of claim 9 wherein the radiopaque material comprises at least one of an acetal homopolymer and nylon.
- 20. The instrument organizer of claim 9 wherein the radiopaque material comprises at least one of a vinyl plastic and a polyvinyl chloride having a USP barium sulfate additive.
- 21. A method of applying a radiopaque material to an instrument organizer, the instrument organizer comprising a base structure and a movable stabilizing structure, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a thermoplastic polymer; dispersing a sufficient quantity of radiopaque substance into the thermoplastic polymer to render the thermoplastic polymer identifiable on an X-ray image; and compressing the thermoplastic polymer into polyurethane foam forming the base and/or the movable stabilizing structure.
- 22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of compressing the thermoplastic polymer into the polyurethane foam is carried out via at least one roller.
- 23. The method of claim 21 wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises at least one material from the group consisting of vinyl plastics and polyvinyl chloride and the radiopaque substance comprises USP barium sulfate.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/515,284, entitled “Instrument Organizer With Movable Stabilizing Post”, filed Feb. 29, 2000 and assigned to the present assignee hereof.
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09515284 |
Feb 2000 |
US |
Child |
09843211 |
Apr 2001 |
US |