A suture display cabinet

Abstract: A suture display cabinet having a plurality of interconnected suture display boxes (10) and suture storage boxes (12). The boxes are connected to each other through integral dovetail connection members (24,38) which secure suture display boxes (14) to suture storage boxes (12) and suture display boxes (10) to each other in a side by side arrangement. Various modifications are presented to facilitate transportation of the suture display cabinet from place to place in a surgical environment.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to display cabinets, and more particularly to display cabinets for surgical instruments or packages such as suture packages, where the cabinets are modular in construction and which may be provided with means for transporting the cabinets to and from and within surgical environments. 2. Discussion of the Prior Art Display cabinets and racks for storing and displaying surgical instruments such as sutures and suture packages are well known in the art. These cabinets and racks generally comprise conventional shelving which may be separated into individual compartments and constructed as a large semi-permanent structure. Typically, the structures include a back wall which is generally positioned against a wall in either a free-standing position, or which maybe hung on the wall with mounting brackets or screws. A top wall, a bottom wall, and two side walls usually complete the structure, and numerous horizontal and vertical partitions are provided to separate the cabinet into individual compartments. The structures are very cumbersome, and are usually provided as permanent fixtures in a surgical environment. Also known in the art are modular-type suture display and storage boxes which generally comprise a plurality of small stackable boxes which may be arranged in rows or columns either as a free-standing structure or where the individual boxes are mounted in an array on a wall as individual components. The modular structures also become semi-permanent, in that they are generally not connected to each other and, therefore, cannot be moved without risk of toppling all or part of the structure. Since the structures are impractical to move, they require positioning near the surgical location to allow access to the surgical personnel during an operation. However, this creates a crowded working environment and reduces the freedom of movement which the surgical team requires to perform most operations. Locating the suture display structures remote from the operating table necessitates a surgical team member to be designated as the messenger for retrieving the sutures, thus reducing the efficiency of the surgical team. U.S. Patent No. Des. 259,604 and U.S. Patent No. Des. 260,955, both to Schuler et al. disclose modular suture cabinet boxes which appear to be of the stackable type which are not interconnected to form a transportable unit. There appears to be no means for connecting individual suture boxes to adjacent boxes, other than mounting each box in an array on the wall through a plurality of holes formed in the back of the box. U.S. Patent No. 4,592,601 to Hlinsky et al. discloses a modular storage system in which two connected storage boxes are connected to each other by a hook and groove arrangement at the corner of each box. However, each box shares at least one wall with its adjacent boxes, so that individual boxes cannot stand alone. Furthermore, a drawer system is provided to create a closed storage system. Furthermore, the system does not appear to be portable, in that there are no means to move the connected boxes from place to place. US-A-3743372 discloses boxes for drawers, the external walls of the boxes having dovetail formations by which boxes are connected with each other, above and below each other, and side by side. Modular storage and display racks are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,796,763 and U.S. Patent No. 4,813,553 to Franklin et al. These patents disclose display racks having a box-like outer container which is provided with a plurality of horizontal shelves and vertical partitions. These outer boxes are then stacked together in an upright free-standing display rack, with the boxes being connected only by the rack itself and not to each other. The racks do not appear to be portable, and are apparently constructed for displaying items in supermarkets or department stores. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The device of the present invention comprises the features recited in claim 1, below. The present invention provides a modular suture display cabinet which utilizes individual suture display boxes and suture storage boxes for creating an interconnected and thus portable suture-display cabinet. Each individual box is dimensioned to hold at least one column of individual suture packages which are stacked one on top another, and additional shelves may be added or removed to provide for varied display and storage capabilities. The device of the present invention also provides a number of novel means for transporting and moving the suture display cabinet from place to place in a surgical environment such as an operating room. In the cabinet according to the invention, a plurality of suture storage and suture display boxes are interconnected. Provided it is within the scope of claim 1, the boxes may be connected in any combination of individual boxes. It is preferred that the boxes are connected in at least two rows. The rows may be stacked vertically, in that at least two rows of three boxes each are provided in an array of six individual boxes to form the cabinet. A handle member is connected to the cabinet at the back wall of the upper row of suture display boxes, to allow the cabinet to be transported about a surgical room. Preferably, the back walls of each of the suture display boxes are provided with several key hole type slots for mounting the handle thereto. In a second embodiment, two rows of boxes may be positioned back to back so that preferably a row of three suture display and storage boxes are positioned back to back with a second row of suture display and storage boxes to form a back to back array of six boxes. The handle is positioned between and secured to the two rows along the respective back walls, to facilitate transporting the cabinet from place to place in an operating room. Preferably, two rows of six storage and display boxes are positioned back to back with a second set of two rows of suture storage and display boxes to form a block of twelve. A handle member is positioned between the two blocks of six and secured to the abutting back walls. In another embodiment, at least one row of three suture display and storage boxes are positioned back to back with a second row of three suture display and storage boxes and positioned on a tray device also having handles for carrying the cabinet from place to place. Alternately, the tray may be provided with a revolving turntable-type pedestal to allow the cabinet to be rotated in place to access all parts of the cabinet. Additionally, it is contemplated that the tray be provided with means for accepting an extended pole member which attaches to the bottom of the tray and terminates in a pedestal base having casters for wheeling the cabinet about an operating room. The pole may be telescopic to allow for adjustment of the height of the pole thereby adjusting the height of the cabinet to best suit the surgical team. Also, the pole may be eliminated and the casters be provided directly on the tray. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing features of the present invention will become more readily apparent and may be understood by referring to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the surgical suture display cabinet, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the back-to-back arrangement of the boxes with the handle positioned and secured between adjacent back walls has not been represented in figures 1 to 5, 8, 9, 11 and 12 only to simplify these. Figure 1 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a suture display box and a suture storage box which form essential components of a suture display unit; Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of a suture display unit; Figure 3 illustrates a front plan view of a suture storage box connected to the suture display box forming part of the suture display unit of the present invention; Figure 4 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the suture display unit; Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of the assembled suture display unit of Figure 4; Figure 6 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the suture display cabinet of the present invention; Figure 7 illustrates an assembled perspective view of the suture display cabinet of Figure 6; Figure 8 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a suture display unit on a tray; Figure 9 illustrates an assembled perspective view, in partial cut-away, of the suture display unit of Figure 8; Figure 10 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the suture display cabinet of the present invention; Figure 11 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a suture display unit on a tray comprising a pole; and Figure 12 illustrates an assembled perspective view of the suture display unit of Figure 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now in specific detail to the drawings, in which like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements throughout the several views, Figure 1 illustrates the basic essential components which make up the suture display cabinet of the present invention. Suture display box 10 is shown, which is preferably constructed of rigid plastic material but may be constructed of any rigid construction material. Suture display box 10 includes top wall 14, back wall 16, bottom wall 18, and side walls 20 and 22. A suture storage box 12 is also shown in Figure 1, which is constructed of a similar material as suture display box 10. Suture storage box 12 is constructed of top wall 26, back wall 30, bottom wall 28, and side walls 32 and 34. A vertical upstanding partition 36 separates the interior cavity of suture storage box 12 into two components as shown. A removable shelf 44 may be slid into grooves 42 on the interior of walls 20 and 22 of suture display box 10 to further partition the interior cavity of suture display box 10. Preferably, suture display box 10 is dimensioned so as to accommodate at least one vertically disposed column of individual suture packages, and preferably may accommodate two side by side columns of suture packages. Suture storage box 12 is dimensioned so as to hold individual packages of sutures which may have been removed from the stacks positioned within suture display box 10. Semi-circular cutout portions 40 are positioned in the top and bottom walls of both suture display box 10 and suture storage box 12, as well as the front face of shelf 44 to provide easy gripping access to the sutures stored therein. Preferably, cutouts 40 are aligned from top to bottom along the same axes. Top wall 14, bottom wall 18, and side walls 20 and 22 of suture display box 10 are provided with at least one dovetail connection member 24 to secure suture display box 10 to adjacent boxes to construct the suture display cabinet of the present invention. Suture storage box 12 is provided with dovetail connection members 38 on top wall 26 and bottom wall 28 to facilitate attaching suture storage box 12 to the top or bottom wall of adjacent suture display boxes 10. Figure 2 illustrates suture display unit 50, in which a plurality of suture storage boxes 12 are secured to the bottom wall of a plurality of suture display boxes 10, and adjacent suture display boxes 10 are secured to each other through the provision of dovetail connection members 24. A corner bracket member 46 may be provided to align additional suture display units at right angles to each other. Figure 3 best illustrates the dovetail connection members interengaged to connect a suture storage box 12 to a suture display box 10. Bottom wall 18 of suture display box 10 is provided with a dovetail connection member 24 which cooperates with dovetail connection member 38 of top wall 26 of suture storage box 12. Dovetail connection member 38 is slid into dovetail connection member 24 to secure suture storage box 12 to suture display box 10 as shown. Bottom wall 28 of suture storage box 12 is provided with dovetail connection member 38 as shown, and side walls 20 and 22 of suture display box 10 are provided with dovetail connection members 24 as illustrated. Figure 4 illustrates a suture display unit. The suture display unit 60, shown in Figure 5, comprises a plurality of suture display boxes 10 and suture storage boxes 12 interconnected by means of the dovetail connection members to form an array of boxes. Preferably, from the unit shown in Figure 4 and 5, two rows of three suture display boxes 10, having suture storage boxes 12 attached to the bottom wall thereof, are provided. Suture display boxes 10 may include shelves 44, or alternately shelves 52 which are provided with a plurality of upstanding vertically disposed partitions as shown in Figure 4. Handle member 54 facilitates transporting the suture display unit 60 from place to place, preferably within an operating room. Handle 54 is secured to the back wall 16 of suture display boxes 10 as shown. One preferred method of securing handle 54 to suture display boxes 10 is through pins or hook members which are secured within key hole slots 56 positioned on back wall 16 of each of the suture display boxes 10. Key hole slots 56 also provide a means for mounting suture display cabinet 60 on a wall if so desired. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the suture display cabinet of the present invention. Suture display cabinet 70 essentially comprises two suture display units 60 as shown in Figure 5 positioned back to back with handle 54 secured therebetween. As shown, two rows of three suture display boxes 10 and their associated suture storage boxes 12 are positioned back to back to form suture display cabinet 70. Handle 54 is secured to the back walls 16 of the uppermost suture display boxes 10 utilizing key hole slots 56 to secure the handle therebetween. Of course, any means may be used to secure handle member 54 to cabinet 70, such as adhesives, heat staking or the like. Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a suture display unit. The suture display unit 80 is similar to suture display cabinet 70 in that two rows of suture display boxes 10 and suture storage boxes 12 forming cabinet 60 are positioned one on top another and then joined through the provision of pins 72 to a second cabinet 60 forming a set of two rows as shown. Pins 72 preferably join the back to back boxes through key hole slots 56. Suture display unit 80 is then positioned on a tray member 82 which includes a base 84 having ball bearings 86 secured in a ring member 88. Tray 82 revolves about base 84 over ball bearings 86, which creates a lazy-susan type arrangement which allows suture display unit 80 to revolve around base 84. This provides 360° access to sutures stored in the unit 80 for surgical personnel during use. Figure 10 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the suture display cabinet of the present invention. Cabinet 90 is similar to cabinet 70 in that two back to back display cabinets 60 are provided with a handle member 54 to facilitate moving suture display cabinet 90 from place to place. To this end, a tray 82 is provided having casters or wheels 92 positioned thereon to allow cabinet 90 to be rolled from place to place for use at various locations. In figures 11 and 12 suture display unit 100 utilizes the back to back construction of cabinets 60 shown in Figure 7, in which a suture display cabinet similar to suture display cabinet 70 is positioned on a tray member 102. The back to back construction of the suture display boxes 10 and suture storage boxes 12 are secured through the provision of pins 72 as described above. Suture display unit 100 is positioned on tray 102 which is then secured to a pole 108 at pole mount 106. Pole 108 is further secured to a pedestal base 112 at pole mount 114. Pedestal base 112 is provided with wheels or casters 116 to facilitate rolling suture display unit 100 from place to place. Tray 102 is provided with handle members 104 to provide a means for controlling unit 100 while it is being moved. Pole 108 is provided with a break or partition line 112, which allows pole 108 to be shortened or raised to vary the height at which suture display unit 100 is maintained. Preferably, pole 108 is telescopic in that it can be height adjustable to suit the particular needs of the personnel in the operating environment. In the suture display cabinet, the stacked line of suture packages to be displayed in the display box may be a stacked column of packages one on top of another, or a row of packages stacked one behind another. The packages are of course normally flat and stacked face to face with each other.

Claims: A modular suture display cabinet comprising: at least one suture display box (10) containing at least one line of stacked individual suture packages, said box including a back wall (16), two side walls (20, 22), a top wall (14) and a bottom wall (18), said side walls, top wall and bottom wall each having at least one externally positioned dovetail connection member (24) for modularly connecting said box to at least one additional suture display box, and a suture storage box (12) separably connected to said bottom wall, said suture storage box having a dovetail connection member (38) on a top and bottom wall thereof, said top and bottom walls having substantially identical dimensions as said top and bottom walls of said suture display box; the inside surface of each of the two side walls of the suture display box including a groove (42) to receive a horizontal shelf (44) extending across the interior of the box said cabinet further comprising a handle member (54) for lifting and carrying the cabinet, wherein said handle is positioned and secured between adjacent back walls of rows of said connected suture display and storage boxes arranged back-to-back. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1 wherein said suture display boxes accommodate at least one column of suture packages stacked one on top of another, and further wherein said suture storage boxes are dimensioned to be of the same width and depth as said suture display boxes for storing individual ones of said suture packages. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1 or 2, said cabinet further comprising a plurality of rows of said boxes stacked on top of each other and joined to each other by dovetail connection members (24, 38) on said top and bottom walls of said suture display boxes and said suture storage boxes. A cabinet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and including a tray (82) on which the boxes are mounted. A cabinet as claimed in claim 4 wherein said tray (82) includes a plurality of casters to facilitate transport of said cabinet. A cabinet as claimed in claim 4 or 5 said cabinet further comprising a base (112), said base having a plurality of casters (116), and an extended pole member (108), said tray (102) being mounted on said pole member and said pole member being attached to said base, to facilitate transport of said cabinet. A cabinet as claimed in claim 6 wherein said pole member is telescopically extendable to raise and lower the height of said cabinet. A cabinet as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein, said tray (102) is detachably mounted to said pole member (108) for removing said cabinet from said pole member and base. A suture display cabinet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and comprising: a first row of said connected suture display and storage boxes; a second row of said connected suture display and storage boxes; wherein said first row and said second row are arranged back-to-back along said back walls to form said display cabinet. A cabinet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and including a revolving pedestal for rotating said display cabinet. A cabinet as claimed in claim 10, wherein said revolving pedestal comprises a turntable arrangement, said turntable arrangement including a base member (84) having a plurality of ball bearings (86) to facilitate rotation. A cabinet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said shelf (52) includes at least one vertical partition. A cabinet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said suture display box includes at least one key hole slot (56) in said back wall to facilitate mounting said cabinet to a wall, or boxes of the cabinet to each other, back-to-back. A cabinet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said top and bottom walls of said suture storage box, and said top and bottom walls of said suture display box are provided with at least one semicircular outout portion (40) along a first edge, said first edge being opposite a second edge to which said back wall is joined, to facilitate gripping of said suture packages stacked therein. A cabinet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, said cabinet further comprising at least one right triangular prism-shaped corner bracket (46), a wall of said bracket having a dovetail connection member for joining said bracket to a side wall of said suture display box.

Inventors: BROWN DAVID L, DE LEON PETER L, MATTKE GUENTER, BROWN, DAVID L., DE LEON, PETER L., MATTKE, GUENTER
Applicants: UNITED STATES SURGICAL CORP, UNITED STATES SURGICAL CORPORATION
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A61B19
IPC codes: A61B17, A47B87, A47F5, A61B19, A47F1