Patent ID: 7523827

Claim:
A sterilization case assembly, comprising: a plurality of sterilization cases including a first sterilization case and a second sterilization case, said second sterilization case stacked directly upon said first sterilization case in a vertical direction, said second sterilization case offset from said first sterilization case in a frontward to rearward direction, each of said plurality of sterilization cases being selectively movable between a closed position and an open position, said second sterilization case offset from said first sterilization case in a direction transverse to said vertical direction when each of said first and said second sterilization cases is in said closed position, in said closed position each of said plurality of sterilization cases having a general box shape and including a plurality of walls defining said general box shape, in said closed position said plurality of walls of each of said plurality of sterilization cases including a top wall and a bottom wall, said top wall and said bottom wall of each of said plurality of sterilization cases being substantially parallel relative to one another in said closed position and substantially horizontal in said closed position, said bottom wall of said second sterilization case at least partially directly contacting said top wall of said first sterilization case when each of said first and said second sterilization cases is in said closed position, said first and said second sterilization cases being substantially identical to one another when each of said first and said second sterilization cases is in said closed position, each of said plurality of sterilization cases including at least one drawer therein selectively slidable from said closed position to said open position in a rearward to frontward direction, said bottom wall of said second sterilization case being offset from said top wall of said first sterilization case in said frontward to rearward direction when each of said first and second sterilization cases is in said closed position and when said second sterilization case is seated on said first sterilization case, wherein each of said plurality of sterilization cases includes a front wall, a rear wall, and two opposing side walls, each said drawer including a side wall, each said front wall, rear wall, opposing side walls, and side wall of said drawer defines a plurality of holes configured for permitting sterilization of at least one surgical instrument contained in a respective said drawer.