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Publication Number
US-11229497-B2
Publication Date
2022-01-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
Adaptable medical trays are disclosed herein. An adaptable medical tray includes a first component medical tray having a plurality of walls, a bottom, and a removable top, the plurality of walls and the bottom arranged to form a cavity in the first component medical tray; and a second component medical tray removably coupled to the first component medical tray, the second component medical tray including a plurality of walls, a bottom, and a removable top, the plurality of walls and the bottom arranged to form a cavity in the second component medical tray. The first component medical tray and the second component medical tray are constructed of a sterilizable material and the first component medical tray is decouplable from the second component medical tray after a sterilization process without removing the removable tops from the cavities.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an adaptable medical tray comprising sterilizable first and second component medical trays, each including a cavity formed by pluralities of walls and a bottom, and each including a removable top. One or more passages through at least one of the walls, the bottom, and/or the removable top facilitate sterilization of contents within the cavity, and the first and second component medical trays are constructed of a sterilizable material with opposing walls having different lengths between the first and second cavities.
The first and second component medical trays are removably coupled along a common interface via one or more mating features positioned along the common interface, where the mating features include a female mating feature on the first component medical tray and a corresponding male mating feature on the second component medical tray. A release mechanism positioned along a wall adjacent to the common interface and spaced from the common interface is pushable along an axis perpendicular to an axis of the female mating feature, and the release mechanism actuates the female mating feature to engage and disengage the female mating feature with the male mating feature of the second component medical tray.
After a sterilization process, the first component medical tray is decouplable from the second component medical tray without removing the first removable top from the first cavity and without removing the second removable top from the second cavity. The system can further include a removable third component medical tray forming an additional cavity, and in alternative configurations male mating features and female mating features are arranged so components couple in a side-by-side configuration along a common interface, with opposing sidewalls defining slots for receiving the removable tops to allow the removable tops to slide along a length of the opposing sidewalls within the slots.
Claims Coverage
The relevant subject matter includes three independent claims for an adaptable medical tray system with sterilizable component trays, removably coupled mating features, and decoupling after sterilization while retaining removable tops. Across the independent claims, the inventive features are the modular component tray architecture, sterilization-facilitating passages, male/female mating-feature coupling, a release mechanism actuated by push motion along an axis perpendicular to the mating-feature axis, and the ability to decouple without removing removable tops.
Removably coupled sterilizable component trays with passages and different cavity geometry
An adaptable medical tray comprising a first component medical tray and a second component medical tray, each constructed of a sterilizable material and each forming a cavity with a removable top, where one or more passages facilitate sterilization of contents within the cavity and at least two opposing walls of the first component medical tray have a first length while at least two opposing walls of the second component medical tray have a second length different from the first length.
Male/female mating-feature coupling along a common interface with perpendicular-axis push release mechanism
The first component medical tray and the second component medical tray couple to one another along a common interface via one or more mating features positioned along the common interface, where the mating features comprise a female mating feature on the first component medical tray and a corresponding male mating feature on the second component medical tray, and where a release mechanism positioned along a wall adjacent to the common interface is pushable along an axis perpendicular to an axis of the female mating feature to actuate engagement and disengagement with the male mating feature.
Decouplable after sterilization without removing removable tops
The first component medical tray is decouplable from the second component medical tray after a sterilization process without removing the first removable top from the first cavity and without removing the second removable top from the second cavity.
Side-by-side mating of male and female features with slot-received removable tops
An adaptable medical tray where, when the at least one male mating feature is inserted in the at least one female mating feature, the first component medical tray is removably coupled to the second component medical tray in a side-by-side configuration along a common interface, and where opposing sidewalls define slots for receiving the first removable top and the second removable top, allowing the removable tops to slide along a length of the opposing sidewalls within the slots.
Multi-component side-by-side modular tray decouplable after sterilization
An adaptable medical tray comprising a first component medical tray removably coupled to a second component medical tray and a third component medical tray in a side-by-side configuration via the plurality of male mating features and plurality of female mating features, where the first component medical tray is decouplable from the second component medical tray and the third component medical tray after a sterilization process without removing the removable top from the first cavity, the removable top from the second cavity, and the removable top from the third cavity.
Release mechanism push-actuated along perpendicular axis for engage/disengage
An adaptable medical tray where the release mechanism, pushable along an axis perpendicular to an axis of the plurality of female mating features, actuates the plurality of female mating features to engage and disengage the plurality of female mating features with the plurality of male mating features of the second component medical tray.
Across the independent claims, the adaptable medical tray system is defined by sterilizable component trays having cavities with removable tops and passages for sterilization, modular coupling via male/female mating features along a common interface, a release mechanism pushable along an axis perpendicular to the mating-feature axis to engage and disengage, and a decouplable design that permits separating component trays after sterilization without removing the respective removable tops.
Stated Advantages
Component trays can be decoupled after a sterilization process without removing the removable tops from their respective cavities.
Modular reconfiguration enables coupling and decoupling of component trays while retaining removable tops during sterilization-related handling.
Documented Applications
Medical tray use as an adaptable, sterilizable tray system for holding procedure-specific equipment defined by SKUs or SKU families, including holding at least part of an SKU or an SKU family in each cavity, and for configurations enabling side-by-side coupling of component trays and optional additional component tray cavities.
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