Patent ID: 6964078
Filing Date: 2005-11-15
Classification: A61B,B08B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for cleaning the tip of a surgical instrument comprising: a base; a cleanout unit attached to said base, said cleanout unit having an aperture and a first abrasive cleaning surface located inside said aperture and resiliently attached to said cleanout unit; a strut section spanning said aperture; and, a second abrasive cleaning surface also resiliently attached to said cleanout unit and located inside said aperture and on the opposite side of said strut section from said first abrasive cleaning surface, wherein said strut section supports a third cleaning surface and said aperture includes an outer rim and wherein said first and second cleaning surfaces are located proximate to said outer rim and said strut section is located deeper inside of said aperture than said first and second abrasive cleaning surfaces wherein an instrument introduced into said aperture first contacts said first and second abrasive cleaning surfaces, which flex when an instrument is introduced into said aperture, before said instrument contacts said third cleaning surface located on said strut section so that insertion of said instrument into said aperture causes said instrument to contact said strut section and said first and second abrasive cleaning surfaces thereby cleaning debris off of said instrument.