Patent ID: 6367637
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
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 elongated base including two terminal ends; at least one fixed post extending from one of said terminal ends of the base; and at least one movable stabilizing structure including two self-gripping legs extending generally parallel to each other and from a central body of the stabilizing structure, the self-gripping legs each having an inwardly facing surface, the inwardly facing surfaces being opposed to one another and 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 self-gripping legs being dimensioned and configured to solely grip the first and second side surfaces of the base of the instrument organizer, so that the movable stabilizing structure is attachable to the base of the instrument organizer and the central body is held in place by the self-gripping legs for retaining the surgical instruments in an organized and upright state partially on the organizer; and wherein: the central body of the movable stabilizing structure includes an upwardly extending post comprising a first side surface and a second side surface that each define a plane that extends in a direction that is generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongated base when the movable stabilizing structure is mounted to the elongated base; each self-gripping leg of the movable stabilizing structure including a first side surface and a second side surface each of which defines a plane that also extends in the direction that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated base when the movable stabilizing structure is mounted to the elongated base; and the plane defined by the first side surface of the upwardly extending post and the planes defined by the first side surfaces of the self-gripping legs are generally coplanar and the plane defined by the second side surface of the upwardly extending post and the planes defined by the second side surfaces of the self-gripping legs are generally coplanar.