Patent ID: 8453977

Claim:
A neutral field tray for use in association with a surgical instrument having a proximal end and a distal end provided with a sharp, the neutral field tray comprising: a base having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a length between said proximal and distal ends; an instrument trough longitudinally extending in the proximal-distal direction and at least partially recessed relative to said base, said base having a downward slope transverse to the length of said base toward said trough, wherein said trough is sized to receive at most a single surgical instrument, said trough angled in the proximal-distal direction relative to said base such that when the surgical instrument supported in said trough has its distal end oriented toward said distal end of said base, the proximal end of the surgical instrument is elevated relative to the distal end of the surgical instrument, two sidewalls extending upward from opposite sides of said base between said proximal and distal ends; a distal endwall extending upward from said distal end of said base between said two sidewalls; and a cover extending between a portion of said sidewalls above said base and adjacent said distal endwall, said cover configured to cover the sharp at the distal end of the instrument when the instrument is positioned in said trough.