Patent ID: 7051495

Claim:
A method of loading a plurality of medical devices into a plurality of medical device packages, said method comprising: providing an apparatus including: a pusher plate; a medical device retaining member; a transfer member; and a package support member, wherein said device retaining member and said transfer member include a plurality of grooves for receiving and removably retaining a plurality of medical devices and wherein said package support member includes a plurality of recesses for receiving and removably retaining said plurality of medical device packages therein; loading a plurality of packages into said package support member recesses; loading a plurality of integrated medical devices into the retaining member grooves; transferring half of said plurality of integrated medical devices from said retaining member to said transfer member by pushing with said pusher plate every other medical device in the grooves of the retaining member into the respective grooves of the transfer member; urging the transfer member into alignment with said package support member; inserting said plurality of integrated medical devices in said transfer member into said plurality of packages in said support member by further pushing said pusher plate; and removing said packages from said apparatus for further processing.