Abstract:
The disclosure relates to an instrument count stand for supporting scissors or scissor-like instruments having a pair of blades and a pair of handles. The stand includes a base having a plurality of slots for receiving portions of the instruments. A pair of side walls extending from the base support a roller. A handle is attached to the roller for moving the roller from a first position disengaged from the handles of the instruments to a second position which contacts the handles of the instruments and spreads the handles and accordingly the blade-like members of the instruments.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention generally comprises a surgical instrument count stand for holding, counting, and sterilizing surgical scissors and other ring handle instruments. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     When performing surgical procedures, it is highly desirable to be able to organize, count, and support surgical instruments, such as scissors, needle holders and clamps, prior to and after sterilization. It is also desirable to spread the blades of the scissors prior to sterilization so that the entire surface of the scissors is appropriately cleaned and sterilized. The prior art literature discloses a number of devices to hold surgical scissors for that purpose. 
     One of the most common prior art devices is referred to as a “stringer”. It gets its name from the fact that a rod, or similar mechanism, passes through one of the handles of the surgical scissors as they sit on a rack. Movement of the rod causes the handles of the scissors to move apart thereby spreading the blades for sterilization. Examples of prior art stringer instrument racks can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,925,014; 5,137,151; and 5,449,069. 
     Another category of prior art instrument count racks, or stands, employ a bar which, unlike the stringers, does not pass through one of the handles of the scissors but, instead, pushes the handles away from each other. Examples of such prior art devices can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,342,391; 4,577,755; and 4,865,821. 
     A variation on the foregoing is a movable wedge or bracket mechanism that cams the scissors apart using an inclined plane or similar surface. Such a device is described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,420. 
     More recently, computerized devices have been employed to count and sterilize instruments. They are, however, relatively complex and expensive. Note, for example, the surgical count stand described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,939. 
     Lastly, there are a variety of passive instrument count stands that hold the instruments in position but do not necessarily assist in spreading the blades. Examples of the foregoing are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,564,662; 4,541,992; 4,643,303; 5,284,632; 5,451,380; and 5,433,929. 
     One of the major difficulties with prior art instrument count stands is that surgical scissors come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. A stand that might be appropriate for one size scissors may be totally inappropriate for another size. Also, many prior art instrument count stands require several steps, or procedures, in order to spread the scissors. For example, prior art “stringer” instrument stands require that each of the individual handles be strung over a rod. Insofar as understood, none of the prior art appears to hint, teach or suggest an instrument count stand that will adequately work with a wide variety of different scissors sizes and in which the steps of holding, spreading and locking can be essentially done in one simple movement of a handle. It was in the context of the foregoing prior art that the present invention arose. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly described, the invention comprises an instrument count stand or sterilization rack that holds between 16 and 42 scissors of various sizes. The stand includes an aluminum base with horizontal slots which serve to hold the scissors&#39; handles, a bracket that serves as a stop for small instruments, two sidewalls including a slot for engaging an axle, a vertical slot rack; two leaf spring handle locking clips, a roller for spreading the scissors handles, and a wire handle connected to the roller. Between 16 and 42 scissors, of various sizes, are arranged on the count stand in the vertical slots with their handles placed in the horizontal slots. The stand comes in three sizes: a small size 10, such as shown in FIGS. 1-3C that holds 16 scissors; a medium size that holds 29 scissors; and, a large size that holds 42 scissors. The roller is preferably formed from an aluminum perforated tube with end plug which roll on a wire axle. The wire axle is retained within the slots on the two opposing sidewalls. Pulling the wire handle forward or backward moves the roller forward or backward as the axle translates in the axle slots in the sidewalls. As the roller is brought forward, under the influence of the handle, the roller is “squeezed” in between the scissors handles (sometimes referred to as “loops” or “rings”) forcing them open and, consequently, spreading the blades apart. The forward motion of the roller which spreads the blades apart, also serves as a lock preventing the scissors handles from moving out of the horizontal slots. After the roller has been pushed or pulled all the way forward, the handle is rotated and locked in position by the pair of respective leaf springs. The stand and scissors are then ready for sterilization. In one action, the spreading mechanism spreads the blades, locks and secures the instruments to the count stand, and prepares them for sterilization. After sterilization, as the handle is unlocked and the roller is pushed backward, the instruments are also unlocked and ready for use. 
     These and other features of the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the instrument count stand. 
     FIG. 1B is a rear perspective view of the instrument count stand of FIG.  1 A. 
     FIG. 2A is a top plan view of the instrument count stand in the locked position. 
     FIG. 2B is a left side elevational view of the instrument count stand in the locked position. 
     FIG. 2C is a rear elevational view of the instrument count stand in the locked position. 
     FIG. 2D is a front elevational view of the instrument count stand in the locked position. 
     FIG. 3A is a detailed view of the instrument count stand in the first or unlocked position with the roller in the rear, disengaged position and the handle fully back. 
     FIG. 3B is a detailed view of the instrument count stand in an intermediate position with the roller moving toward the fully forward position spreading the scissors handles but with the handles remaining back. 
     FIG. 3C is a detailed view of the instrument count stand with the roller and handle fully forward and the handles in the second or locked position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     During the course of this description like numbers will be used to identify like elements according to the different figures that illustrate the invention. 
     The preferred embodiment of the invention  10  is illustrated in a front perspective shown in FIG. 1A and a rear perspective shown in FIG.  1 B. FIGS. 2A,  2 B,  2 C and  2 D illustrate top plan views, left side elevational views, rear elevational views, and front elevational views, respectively. 
     The preferred embodiment  10  includes a base  12  having a front floor section  14 . A left sidewall  16  and a right sidewall  18  are located on opposite sides of base  12  and are attached thereto. A left sidewall handle  20  is attaches to the left sidewall  16 . Similarly, a right sidewall handle  22  is attached to the right sidewall  18 . Handles  20  and  22  are employed to lift the count stand  10  and transport it to a sterilization station and back. 
     A vertical slotted scissors holder section  24  rests on base  12  and spans the distance between left and right sidewalls  16  and  18 , respectively. A plurality of slots  26  is intended to support between 16 and 42 scissors  52 , respectively. Each pair of scissors  52  includes a pair of blades  54  and a pair of handles or loops  56 . Scissors  52  normally comprise surgical scissors of varying sizes and shapes. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention  10 , the vertical scissors holder section  24  includes 16 slots  26 , but the number of slots  26  could be greater or lesser depending upon the needs of the user. The stand comes in three sizes, as previously discussed: a small size 10, such as shown in FIGS. 1-3C, which holds 16 scissors; a medium size that holds 29 scissors; and, a large size that holds 42 scissors. 
     Base  12  also includes a rear section, or deck,  30 . A plurality of horizontal scissors handle slots  32  are located in the rear deck  30  of the base  12 . Horizontal slots  32  receive one of the two handles, or loops,  56  of scissors  52 . In addition, in order to prevent small scissors  52 , or instruments, from falling through the horizontal slots  32 , a small instrument stop bracket  58  is attached to the bottom of base  12 . See FIG.  2 B. 
     A roller  36 , preferably formed from a perforated aluminum or stainless steel tube, is located above the rear deck  30  of base  12 . A pair of roller axle caps, or plugs,  39  are located at opposite ends of roller  36 . A roller axle wire  38 , supported by axle caps  39 , passes through the length of roller  36  and is received in slot  34  located in each of the sidewalls  16  and  18 , respectively. In order to securely lock small and large instruments, including scissors, clamps and needle holders, the position of axle slots  34 , in terms of height and distance from the back side of the holder  24 , and the diameter of roller can be important. Slot  34  preferably has a length of 1 inch. The preferred diameter size of the roller  36  was found to be 1.5″±0.15″ for this embodiment. 
     A wire handle  40  is attached at opposite ends to the roller axle caps  39  and forms a bail with respect thereto. Wire handle  40  includes a stop bar section  42  the end portions of which are receivable in slots  48  on the top of sidewalls  16  and  18 , respectively. When wire handle  40  is rotated for its first or fully rearward position  60 , as illustrated in FIGS. 3A, to its second or fully forward position  64 , as illustrated in FIG. 3C, the stop bar  42  is received in slots  48 . In addition, the sidewalls 16 and 18 include leaf spring locks  28  which engage the wire handle  40  in the full forward position  64  as shown in FIG.  3 C. 
     As previously described, roller  36  comprises an aluminum tube with a plurality of perforations  51  therein. A plurality of longitudinal seams  50 , usually four in number, extend from one end of the roller  36  to the other. 
     In operation, the invention  10  is employed in the following fashion. 
     First, the instrument count stand  10  is placed in the loading, or first, position  60  as illustrated in FIG.  3 A. In the loading position, the wire handle  40  is rotated backwards and the roller  36  is in its most rearward position. The roller axle  38  is in the most rearward position in axle slots  34  in sidewalls  16  and  18 . Between 1 and 16 scissors  52  can be placed on the count stand with the bodies of each of the scissors  52  received in the vertical slots  26  of the vertical section  24  and with one of the handles, or loops,  56  of the scissors  52  received in the horizontal slots  32  in the rear floor  30  of base  12 . The scissors  52  are slightly inclined with the handles, or loops,  52  pointing downward in vertical slots  26  to allow for easier spreading of blades  54 . The small instrument stop bracket  58  prevents small instruments, or scissors  52 , from falling through the horizontal slots  32 . 
     The wire handle  40  is either pushed or pulled forward in the direction of arrow  62  forcing the roller  36  to squeeze the scissors handles  56  apart as shown in FIG.  36 . This intermediate position  62 , also referred to as the spreading ode, causes the blades  54  of the scissors  52  to spread thereby exposing them to full sterilization. One of the major advantages of roller  36  is that is can rotate and cam, or squeeze, open scissors handles  56  of a very wide variety of sizes ranging from relatively small to relatively large. In contrast, many prior art in count stands only operate well with scissors in a narrow range of sizes. 
     Continued movement of the wire handle  40  brings it to the second, or fully locked, position  64  as illustrated in FIG.  3 C. The handle  40  is positioned so that it limits the vertical movement of scissors&#39; blades  54 . In the second, locked position the wire handle  40  is rotated fully forward so that the spring locks  28  on opposite sidewalls  16  and  18  engage the wire handle  40  and lock it into position. Simultaneously, the stop bar  42  engages slots  48  in the top of sidwalls  16  and  18 . In the second, or fully locked position  64 , the instruments  52  are securely held in position and can be transported to a sterilization device, such as an autoclave. Conversely, the instruments  52  can be removed safely from an autoclave and transported to a location where they can be removed. Another advantage, as is apparent from reviewing positions  60 , and  64  of FIGS. 3A and 3C, is that the operation can be performed in a single motion with one hand. 
     It will be clear from the foregoing that the present invention has several advantages over typical prior art instrument count stands. First, the invention  10  is relatively easy to operate and requires few operator actions. This is a major advantage in terms of saving time and is safer for the operator because it gives the operator fewer opportunities to nick or cut him or herself. Second, as compared to passive instrument count stands, the invention  10  consistently , and firmly, spreads the jaws or blades  54  of the scissors  52  apart for better sterilization. Third, the preferred embodiment  10  securely holds large instruments, such as scissors  52 , as well as small instruments. In addition, small instruments  52  have the advantage of a stop bracket  58  located on the bottom of base  12  to prevent them from falling through horizontal slots  32 . Fourth, the invention  10  has the advantage that an operator can remove any single instrument  52  from the rack  10  without having to clear or move other instruments  52  in order to reach them. In contrast, many prior art instrument count stands, such as the “stringer” variety, require that all of the instruments be manipulated before a single individual one can be removed. Fifth, the unique roller design permits the invention to be used with a very wide variety of scissors sizes without jamming or hesitation. Sixth, there are no separate parts. The invention  10  acts as a single, integrated unit with no parts to lose. Seventh, the instruments  52  can be locked in position with only one hand in a single motion. Eighth, the instruments  52  are well separated which not only protects them from each other but also makes them easier to count, easier to select and easier to sterilize. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that modifications can be made to the structure and method of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.