Abstract:
Medical tray and cover apparatus includes a tray body having an open top and an open front; the cover is removable and covers the tray top and front. The tray body includes a plurality of oppositely disposed grooves that provide for the insertion of closure and divider panels. The tray grooves are configured to allow the tray to be loaded with ampoules or vials without being snagged by the grooves. The trays are transparent so that its contents are visible without removing the cover. The trays are stackable with the cover in place. The trays are lockable such that the ability to stack the trays is not interfered with. The tray and cover eliminate particle generation from use and wear that can contaminate the contents of the tray. The tray and cover are capable of being autoclaved.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is related to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/601,051, filed on Aug. 13, 2004. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   a. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates in general to the field of material handling equipment and in particular to medical material handling apparatus and more particularly to the construction of a tray and cover for primary use in the medical field. 
   b. Description of the Prior Art 
   There exists a problem in the prior art in the efficient, sterile and convenient storage and transfer of various medical equipment, drugs, specimens, vials, and other such medical paraphernalia and materials. In the past a simply constructed fiberglass tray having a bottom with four sides extending upward therefrom has been employed for the storage and transfer of the described medical materials. Such simply constructed trays usually have an open top. 
   One problem associated with the prior art trays is that the fiberglass generates small particles that can contaminate whatever is being stored in the trays. Continual usage and transfer of the trays exacerbate the particle generation and resulting contamination problem. Decontamination of the prior art fiberglass trays by the generally known and used methods in the medical field can cause deterioration of the fiberglass and make it more susceptible to the particle generation problem. For example, both usage and decontamination can cause deterioration of the fiberglass finish coat exposing the glass and resin under the finish coat which can then result in particles of glass and resin. Equally important is that prior art fiberglass trays have been known to fracture. Even a small fracture during usage can generate talc, resin, glass and other particles that can and will contaminate the interior of the prior art trays and the contents within the tray 
   Additional problems are associated with the prior art trays is that the open top does not prevent the entrance of other contaminates and does not provide for security and/or tamper evidence of the materials being stored in the trays. 
   Another prior art tray comprises the tray being made from stainless steel. While stainless steel trays do provide for decontamination and are generally superior to fiberglass trays, they are expensive, heavy and can generate metallic particles. Moreover, if stainless steel trays incorporate a provision for stacking one on top of another, they become especially expensive. 
   Thus, there exists the need for a tray construction that allows for convenient, secure, ready accessibility to the interior thereof, that lessens the problem of contamination, that allows for decontamination without deterioration of the tray itself, and that can be used with a transfer cart, or that can be used for general purposes. These needs have been a long standing problem in the prior art which are overcome by the present invention. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification herein including the drawings and the claims, which comprises a unique medical storage and transfer tray having a storage member, a removable front side, and a cover member. In a preferred embodiment, the storage member includes a bottom surface, two vertical side members connected to a vertical back member, and a removable front member. The cover member includes a vertical front member connected to a top member with the front member having an inwardly extending bottom edge. In another embodiment, one or more dividing members are provided to divide the space within the inventive tray into one or more discrete compartments. Other unique features are described in the following description of the preferred embodiments. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following discussion taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric rendering of the storage member comprising the inventive tray; 
       FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the body of the storage member or tray showing various details of the tray body; 
       FIG. 3  is an isometric illustration of a removable front member of the tray; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial view of the fit up of the front member to an “L” shaped groove in a side member; 
       FIG. 5  is a partial view of the fit up of a tray dividing member to a “U” shaped groove in a side member; 
       FIG. 6  is an isometric drawing of one embodiment of the cover member; 
       FIG. 7  is an isometric drawing of another embodiment of the cover member; 
       FIG. 8  is a partial top view of the lockable feature of the cover and the tray body; and, 
       FIG. 9  is plan view of the rear of the tray and the attached cover. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention. 
   Reference is now made to the drawings, wherein like characteristics and features of the present invention shown in the various figures are designated by the same reference numerals. 
   Reference is now made to  FIGS. 1 and 2  which comprise an isometric view of the inventive tray apparatus  10  comprising the tray body  11  having a cover  34  attached thereto, and an isometric view of the tray body  11 , respectively. The tray body  11  includes a bottom  12 , one side member  13 , an opposite side member  14 , and a back member  15 ; the back and side members being integrally attached to the bottom  12  along a horizontal edge thereof such that an open three sided box like structure is formed. The actual dimensions of the box-like structure are of course not critical to the invention. However, for purposes of explanation and as an example, the body  11  may be approximately 18 inches in depth, approximately 12 inches in width, and approximately five inches high. In a preferred embodiment, the box-like structure or body  11 , is formed from clear or transparent, rigid plastic that is injection molded in one piece. The transparency allows any objects stored in the inventive apparatus to be viewed without the necessity of having to open the tray  10 . In order to assist in automatic or machine assisted loading of a plurality of vials, ampoules or other such objects, it is preferable that the top surface of the bottom member  12  be provided with a friction reducing medium or a physical surface treatment such an embossment having rounded edges that allow vials or ampoules to easily slide there along when for example the vials or ampoules are mass loaded into a tray by a pushing technique. 
   It is preferred that the plastic material from which the body  11  of the tray  10  is made comprises injectable plastic, for example a polycarbonate, that is not filled with a material such as fiber glass or other particle generating filler. Non-filled injectable plastic completely eliminates the prior art problem of talc, glass, resin and metallic particles being generated by use, handling, transfer and decontamination of the tray. Additionally, injection molding allows for substantially parallel inside and outside surfaces of the walls of sides  13 ,  14  and back member  15  of the tray  10  and substantial perpendicularity with the bottom member  12 . Such parallelism and perpendicularity further allows for close toleranced and convenient attachment of a front  28 A and intermediate or dividing  28 B panels and cover  34  to the tray body  11  that is important for safe storage and proper insertion and arranging of small diameter vials and ampoules within the tray  10 . The plastic material can also be specially adapted to accommodate different needs, e g. general storage trays, autocavable trays, and trays exposed to sub freezing temperatures. Suitable plastics include but are not limited to polyphenylsulfone and polycarbonate S X, the latter being available from the General Electric Company. 
   Plastic trays are preferred because of further advantages associated with plastic, i.e. it allows for color coding, allows for venting perforations that do not generate particles, and any plastic particles that are generated do not comprise medical contamination. 
   The tops of the side members  13 ,  14  and the back member  15  are provided with a ledge  16  that extends around and internal to the side and back members and is located an appropriate distance below the top edges  17  of a rim  20 . (See  FIG. 2 ) The ledge  16  stops a small distance from the front edges  25  of sides  13  and  14  so as to form a small lip or protruding member  21  that in combination with the rim  20  of the back member provides front to rear containment of another tray  10  when stacked on the ledge  16  of a first tray  10 . Side to side containment being obtained by inside edges of the rim  20  of sides  13  and  14  directly above the ledge  16 . The bottom of each tray  10  is configured to fit within the ledge  16  of another tray  10  such as by providing another rim or footer that fits within the rim  20 . The ledge  16  further provides a surface for fitting a cover member to the tray body  11  so as to completely enclose the tray  10 . 
   The top edges  17  of the rim  20  of the side members  13 ,  14  can be provided with elongated members  18  that extend outwardly in the direction of top edge  17  for an appropriate distance and serve as handles to allow lifting or otherwise moving of the tray  10 . The back member  15  is likewise provided with an extending handle member  19  which is further provided with a slot or groove  22  at the approximate center of handle  19 , the bottom surface of the groove  22  being positioned to lie in the plane of the ledge  16 . An opening  23  is provided through the bottom surface of groove  22  within the extending portion of handle  19 . 
   Each side  13  and  14  is provided with a plurality of pairs of vertical grooves  24  (relative to the bottom member) spaced along the inner surface of each side  13  and  14 . Each groove  24  of each pair of grooves being located opposite each other such that the distance from the front edge  24  of sides  13  and  14  of each pair of grooves is the same. One or more of the grooves  24  can have an “L” shaped cross sectional configuration  24 A. Others can have “U” shaped cross sectional configuration  24 B. Preferably, the first one or two pairs of grooves  24 A, back from the front edges  25  of sides  13  and  14 , have the “L” configuration. The different configurations of grooves  24 A and  24 B are shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   The grooves  24 A and  24 B do not extend to the bottom member  12 , but rather stop a short distance above the bottom member  12  where the bottom of the grooves intersect with the inside surface of sides  13  and  14 . The purpose of the non continual length of grooves  24 A and  24 B is to provide a flush surface directly below the grooves that comprises the interior surface of sides  13  and  14 . A flush surface is important when small vials or ampoules are being loaded into the tray  10 . In this way, the small vials or ampoules do not hang up within the grooves or are affected in their movement by the edges of the grooves. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates the outer surface of side  14  and applies equally to the outer side of side  13 . The wall of sides  13  and  14  are relatively thin and can approximately equal the width of ledge  16  and such that the rim  20  extends outward from the walls. A plurality of ribs  32  is provided at the location of the grooves  24  on the outside of sides  13  and  14  in order to provide stiffness to sides  13  and  14  and to maintain the relative thinness of the walls of sides  13  and  14 . In this manner, the tray body  11  is able to be made stiff but relatively light in weight. Moreover, the ribs  32  allow the depth of the grooves  24  to exceed the thickness of the walls of sides  13  and  14 . Additional reinforcing ribs can be provided at the corners of tray body  11 . 
     FIG. 3  shows a front member or panel  28 A that is preferably fitted to the grooves  24 A in sides  13  and  14  having the “L” shaped configuration. Front member  28 A is a separate part from tray body  11 . Front member  28 A is also clear or translucent and can be injection molded from a rigid type of plastic having features as described above. Front member  28 A essentially comprises a planer member having a pair of “U” shaped slots or grooves  29  in the front or back surface thereof and extend in a vertical direction and located at a small distance inward from the ends  31 . Front member  28 A is intended to be removably attached to the tray body  11  such that it forms the front side of the tray  10 . The bottom portion  30  of the ends  31  is cut away so as to effectively eliminate the groove  29  at the cut away portion  30 . Thus, grooves  29  do not extend to the bottom edge of front member  28 A but stop at the beginning of the cut away portion  30 . The combination of the non-grooved portion  30  and the non-continuous length of grooves  24 A allow the front member  28 A to be inserted in grooves  24 A and yet allow the bottom edge of front member  28 A to come in contact with and rest on the upper surface of tray bottom  12 . In other words the unique configuration of grooves  24 A and  29  allow the front panel  28 A to be inserted in grooves  24 A for the full height of the sides  13  and  14  and for the full height of front panel  28 A such that the top edge of front panel  28 A substantially lies in the plane of ledge  16  and the bottom edge of panel  28 A rests on the upper surface of bottom member  12 . 
     FIG. 4  illustrates a top view of the front panel  28 A fitted to an “L” shaped groove  24 A in a side member  13  or  14 . Although  FIG. 4  illustrates such attachment as applied to one side  13  or  14  of tray body  11 , it is to be understood that the same attachment applies to the opposite side. In installing the front member  28 A, the “U” shaped grooves  29  of the front member  28 A are aligned with the “L” shaped grooves  24 A in the side members  13  and  14  and inserted in a downward direction until the bottom edge meets with the top surface of bottom member  12 . The interlocking fit up of the front member  28 A with the side members  13  and  14 , shown in  FIG. 4 , results from the configurations  24 A and  29  of the respective grooves, and provides further structural rigidity to the tray  10 . While some clearance space is necessary between the interlocking grooves  24 A and  29  in order to assemble the two members, modern injection molding can allow for tight or close tolerances that provide for very small clearances such that upon assembly, a relatively rigid structure of the tray  10  is effectuated. Additional rigidity can be obtained by utilizing the same interlocking fit up by fitting a second removable panel  28 A in a second pair of “L” shaped grooves  24 A located an appropriate distance toward the back side of body  11  and spaced from the first panel  28 A. 
   One or more front to rear space dividing panels  28 B can be incorporated in the tray  10 . In a simpler embodiment, as partially shown in  FIG. 5 , the dividing panels  28 B do not have the interlocking fit up as the front one or two panels  28 A. The dividing panels  28 B can simply comprise a planer member without any grooves that fit within the “U” shaped grooves  24 B in side members  13  and  14 . The “U” shaped grooves  24 B are also non-continuous in length as with the grooves  24 A. The dividing panels  28 B do however incorporate the cut away portion  30  in the same manner as per the front panel  28 A. Thus. as with the front panels  28 A, the top edge of the dividing panels  28 B lies in the plane of the ledge  16  when the dividing panels  28 B are fully inserted in the tray body  11 , and the bottom edge of the panel  28 B rests on the upper surface of tray bottom  12 . 
   The front to rear space between two interlocking panels  28 A, or an interlocking panel  28 A and a non-interlocking panel  28 B, can be further divided into side to side spaces by providing full length grooves  24 C in the front and or back surfaces of the panels  28 A and or  28 B. and inserting a plain panel  28 C in the grooves  24 C. The cross sectional configuration of grooves  24 C can either be the “L” or the “U” shaped configuration. Thus, the side to side dividing panels  28 C and the grooves  24 C do not incorporate the cut away portion  30 . Rather the side edges of panels  28 C and their respective grooves  24 C extend the full height of the panels. 
   The divided interior spaces in tray  10  are of course intended be used for storage and to allow separation of different types of vials and other medical paraphernalia. This feature allows for a plurality of separate compartments within a single tray  10 . For example, the divided spaces can be sized to fit vial receiving stands that contain vials in a particular order and location. Additional uses for the inventive tray  10  and the divided spaces can be readily envisioned. 
   Front panels or members  28 A and or dividing panels  28   b  can be provided with one or more openings through the face of the panels. This feature is shown in phantom in  FIG. 3 . The openings which can be square, rectangular or round, can allow for access into the tray  10  or its divided compartments when the front panel  28 A or dividing panels  28 B are inserted in place in to tray body  11 . 
   A cover  34  for the inventive tray  10  is shown in  FIG. 6 . In one embodiment, the cover  34 A is preferably made from stainless steel sheet metal formed to include a planer top member  35  and a planar front member  36  The cover  34 A is appropriately dimensioned such that the top member  35  rests on the ledge  16  (provided at the top of the sides  13  and  14  and back members  15 ) and within the rim  20 , thereby covering the open top of tray body  11  while the front member  36  fits over the open front of tray body  11 . In this manner the inventive tray  10  is completely encased and any medical paraphernalia contained therein is free from possible contamination. In a further embodiment  34 B of a stainless steel cover, another planer member  37  extends a relatively short distance from the bottom of the front member  37  back in the direction of and parallel to top member  35 . The purpose of the backwardly extending planer member  37  is to fit under the front edge of the bottom  12  of tray body  11  so as to further secure the cover to the tray body  11 . 
   The width of the top member  35  of cover  34 A and  34 B is slightly smaller that the distance between the outside of ledges  16  and inside the rim  20 , so as to fit therebetween and rest thereon. In attaching the cover  34 A or  34 B to the tray body  11 , the top planer member  35  is inserted in slots  32  provided below the small lips  21 , which lips serve to comprise non-ledged portions of the front and top of the sides  13  and  14  of the tray body  11 , and then pushed rearward until contact is made with the rim  20  of the back member  15 . Both the slots  32  and the backwardly extending planer member  37 , serve to prevent the covers  34 A and  34 B from inadvertently being lifted off the tray body  11 . The cut outs  38  in the front of cover  34 A and  34 B provide clearance for the small lips  21 . 
   Yet another embodiment  34 C of the stainless steel cover  34  comprises a cover that is configured the same as a plastic cover  39  and attached to tray body  11  in the same manner as described below. 
   In another embodiment, a cover  34 D is made from a rigid transparent or translucent plastic as described above having a top planar member  40  that is generally configured the same as top member  35  of the stainless steel embodiments so as to provide a proper fit up with the tray body  11 . See  FIG. 7 . In this embodiment  34 D, the front face  41  is provided with the “U” shaped grooves  29  and the cut away portions  30  as with the plastic front panel  28 A. Thus, the grooves  29  of the plastic cover  34 D fit within the “L” shaped grooves  24 A in the tray body  11  and in the same manner as the front plate member  28 A. In attaching the plastic cover  34 D to the tray body  11 , the front face member  39  is inserted in the “L” shaped grooves  24 A in each side member  13  and  14  and then lowered until the top member  40  rests on the ledges  16 . With the plastic cover embodiment, a front plate  28 A is not used. However, if it is desired to utilize a front plate member  28 A in addition to the front plate  41  of the plastic cover  34 D, a second pair of “L” shaped grooves  24 A can be provided in side members  13  and  14  a small distance from the first pair of “L” shaped grooves  24 A, back toward the back member  15 . The second pair of “L” shaped grooves  24 A is then used to fit the front plate member  28 A. 
   With all embodiments of the cover  34 , an extending tab  43  having a through opening  44  at the rearmost location of cover  34  or  38  is configured to fit with the slot or groove  22  provided in the back handle  19  of back member  15  when the cover  34  is placed on the tray body  11 . At this time, the through opening  44  in tab  43  aligns with the through opening  23  in the back handle  19 . In this manner when the cover  34  is placed on tray body  11 , a lock can be inserted in the openings  23  and  44  to prevent unauthorized entry into the covered tray  10 . Moreover, with the present invention and because of the location of the lockable feature, the lock does not interfere with stacking feature of the inventive trays  10  or otherwise interfere with the containment features of the tray  10 . 
   In a preferred embodiment the bottom external surface of bottom member  12  of tray body is provided with footer or rim that extends around the bottom member  12  and is indented a small distance so as to rest on and fit within the ledge  16  of another tray  10 . In this manner, one tray  10  can be stacked on another tray  10  with the footer of the upper tray  10  resting on and fitting within the ledges  16  of the lower tray  10  and, as explained above provides for front to rear and side to side containment of stacked trays  10 . In order to remove an intermediate tray  10  from a stack of trays  10 , it is a simple matter to slightly lift the upper tray or trays  10  to allow the intermediate tray  10  to clear the footer from the ledge  16  and allow the intermediate tray  10  to be removed from the stack. 
   In accordance with the above, an improved tray is disclosed that can be used as a standard in the fields of medicine, biotech, pharmaceuticals and others where the advantages of different types of plastic can be utilized to their fullest extent. Indeed, the versatility of the inventive tray fulfills the storage and handling needs of many fields including those requiring sterile conditions. 
   While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in certain terms or certain embodiments or modifications which it has assumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be nor should it be deemed to be limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the description of the invention and the drawings here appended.