Surgical instrument transfer tray

Abstract

A transfer tray for safely holding and passing surgical instruments. The tray has ribs which provide grasping openings. Protrusions project inwardly, to hold the instrument away from the tray sidewalls. This allows the instrument to be easily picked up. Finger recesses are formed on the bottom of the tray to allow the tray to be easily grasped and held from below. The tray sidewalls surround the instrument held in the tray and shield the sharp edges or point of the instrument, helping to avoid blade/needle stick accidents during surgery. An adhesive or magnetic strip or element on the bottom of the tray may be used to hold the tray to a surgical drape or other surface. An extendible transfer tray has a first section telescopically engaged to a second section, allowing the tray to be extended to a desired length.

1 . A surgical instrument transfer tray, comprising: 
 an outer sidewall joined to a top surface;    an inner sidewall joined to the top surface;    a floor joined to the inner sidewall;    a plurality of ribs creating grasping openings; and    at least one pair of protrusions projecting inwardly from the inner sidewalls, between the ribs.    
   
   
       2 . The transfer tray of  claim 1  with finger recesses formed between the inner and outer sidewalls, at the protrusions.  
   
   
       3 . The transfer tray of  claim 1  further comprising an adhesive or magnetic element on the bottom of the tray.  
   
   
       4 . The transfer tray of  claim 1  wherein the floor is flat between protrusions.  
   
   
       5 . The transfer tray of  claim 1  wherein the ribs have a height less than %50 of the height of the top surface.  
   
   
       6 . The transfer tray of  claim 1  wherein the top surface comprises a substantially flat and continuous extending around the tray.  
   
   
       7 . The transfer tray of  claim 1  further comprising a lip attached to a lower edge of the outer sidewall at a right or obtuse angle to the side wall.  
   
   
       8 . The transfer tray of  claim 1  with the inner sidewalls defining an instrument holding space having first and second end sections at opposite ends of a central space section, and with the end sections narrower than the central space section.  
   
   
       9 . The transfer tray of  claim 1  with the outer sidewall forming tray ends and a tray center section, with the tray ends narrower than the tray center section.  
   
   
       10 . The transfer tray of  claim 1  with the ribs extending across the floor an connecting into opposite sides of the inner sidewall, and with ribs having a uniform height between the sidewalls.  
   
   
       11 . The transfer tray of  claim 1  with the ribs having a generally uniform height above the floor, and with the inner sidewalls forming an instrument holding space above the floor, and with the tray having no features extending up from the floor into the instrument holding space, except for the ribs.  
   
   
       12 . The transfer tray of  claim 11  wherein the ribs extend up from the floor to less than %50 of the height of the instrument holding space.  
   
   
       13 . A surgical instrument tray, comprising: 
 an outer sidewall joined to a top surface;    an inner sidewall joined to the top surface;    a floor joined to the inner sidewall;    a plurality of ribs extending up from the floor;    at least one pair of protrusions projecting inwardly from the inner sidewalls; and    with the outer sidewall having a straight section joined to a first side of a narrowing shoulder section and an outer end wall joined to a second side of the narrowing shoulder section, with the tray having a central section and opposite ends narrower than the central section.    
   
   
       14 . An extendable surgical instrument tray, comprising: 
 a first tray section;    a second tray section slidably attached to the first tray section, with the first and second tray sections forming an instrument holding space; and    a holding element on at least one of the first and second tray sections, for holding them into an extended position.    
   
   
       15 . The extendable surgical instrument tray of  claim 14  further including a mechanical stop on at least one of the first and second tray sections, to prevent the tray sections from separating from each other.  
   
   
       16 . The extendable surgical instrument tray of  claim 14  with the first tray section having: 
 an outer sidewall joined to a top surface;    an inner sidewall joined to the top surface;    a floor joined to the inner sidewall;    a plurality of ribs extending up from the floor; and    at least one pair of protrusions projecting inwardly from the inner sidewalls.    
   
   
       17 . The extendable surgical instrument tray of  claim 14  further comprising a handle on the first tray section.  
   
   
       18 . The extendable surgical instrument tray of  claim 14  further comprising a groove in a channel section on the first tray section, and a lip on the second tray section in the groove.  
   
   
       19 . The extendable surgical instrument tray of  claim 14  with the holding element comprising one or more of a pressure sensitive adhesive, a ratchet, a detent or a dimple.  
   
   
       20 . The extendable surgical instrument tray of  claim 14  with the first tray section formed as an integral molded single piece unit.