Surgical device tray inserts and trays

Abstract

An insert for a surgical device tray and a method of preparing a surgical device tray are described. The insert may include a top defining at least one support configured to receive an item of surgical equipment and defining a first plane and having a plurality of edges defining a polygonal shape. The first sidewall may extend downwardly from a first edge of the top and may define a second plane. The first sidewall may have a first male attachment feature. The second sidewall may extend downwardly from a second edge of the top and may have a second female attachment feature. The first attachment feature may be configured to mate with a shape of the female attachment feature when the first sidewall moves in a direction parallel to the first and second planes to connect the insert to an additional insert having a similar structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure is directed to surgical device trays, and more particularly, to inserts for surgical device trays, methods of assembling inserts for surgical device trays, and surgical device trays.

Background Art

[0002] Surgical device trays are generally known and are typically used to handle various surgical devices such as surgical instruments, tools, implants, and auxiliary surgical equipment. Surgical device trays can be used to transport surgical devices to the operating room, store surgical devices during a surgical procedure, remove surgical devices for subsequent sterilization, and reload the devices onto the tray for storage and future use.

[0003] Some surgical procedures may use a number of different instruments, some surgical procedures may vary depending on the patient, and thus may require that different versions of the same instrument be available when needed, some surgical procedures may require that instruments of different sizes be available, some surgical procedures may require that other surgical items such as surgical implants for orthopedic procedures be present, and some surgical procedures may require that auxiliary surgical equipment such as bone screws or pins be available. Thus, even for relatively simple surgical procedures, a number of trays may be required in order to make available most or all of the devices that a surgeon is likely to need.

[0004] In many cases, the intended contents of a surgical tray are largely fixed in place, as supports are provided within the tray to safely and securely hold various different parts of the device provided in the tray, and to enable inventory checks by ensuring that all parts of the device are present at the start and end of the procedure. As mentioned above, a large number of items of the device may be provided, many of which may not actually be needed or used during the surgical procedure.

[0005] The provision of extra equipment can be mitigated by providing customized trays that may contain only a selected subset of the surgical equipment most likely to be needed. However, this may vary from procedure to procedure, and therefore, a different tray layout may be required for each procedure, and different trays may need to be assembled.

[0006] Furthermore, significant variations in tray layout and contents can reduce the ease with which operating room staff can find the correct part of the device, improve inventory management by ensuring trays are packed accurately and quickly in their original locations, and reduce the need to return devices to trays to ensure all devices are explained at the end of the procedure. [Overview of the Initiative] [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This disclosure relates to a more modular approach to surgical instrument trays that may enable more customized surgical instrument trays to be provided in an efficient and / or reliable manner.

[0008] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides an insert for a surgical instrument tray, the insert may comprise: an upper defining a support configured to receive items of surgical instruments, the upper defining a first plane and having a plurality of edges defining a polygonal shape of the upper; a first side wall extending downward from the first edge of the upper and defining a second plane, the first side wall having a first mounting feature, the first mounting feature being a male mounting feature; and a second side wall extending downward from a second edge of the upper and having a second mounting feature, the second mounting feature being a female mounting feature having a certain shape, the first mounting feature being configured to engage with the shape of the female mounting feature when the first side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first and second planes to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure.

[0009] The first mounting feature may have a first position along the first wall, and the second mounting feature may have a second position along the second wall, the second position being offset along the second wall from the first position by an offset length corresponding to the distance the first side wall moves in the direction of fitting the first forming part with the second forming part.

[0010] The first side wall may have a third mounting feature, the third mounting feature being a further male mounting feature; the second side wall may have a fourth mounting feature, the fourth mounting feature being a further female mounting feature having a further shape; the third mounting feature is configured to engage with the further shape of the further female mounting feature when the first side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first and second planes to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure.

[0011] The first side wall may have a third mounting feature, the third mounting feature being a further female mounting feature having a further shape; the second side wall may have a fourth mounting feature, the fourth mounting feature being a further male mounting feature, the fourth mounting feature being configured to engage with the further shape of the further female mounting feature when the first side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first and second planes to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure.

[0012] The insert may further comprise: a third side wall extending downward from an upper third edge and defining a third plane, wherein the third side wall has a further mounting feature, the further mounting feature being a further male mounting feature; and a fourth side wall extending downward from an upper fourth edge and having a fourth mounting feature, the fourth mounting feature being a further female mounting feature having a further shape, the third mounting feature being configured to engage with the shape of the further female mounting feature when the third side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first and third planes to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure.

[0013] The first and second walls may be on opposite sides of the upper polygonal shape, and / or the third and fourth walls may be on opposite sides of the upper polygonal shape.

[0014] The polygonal shape can be a square or a rectangle.

[0015] The male mounting feature may include a locking portion configured to interact with the shape of the female mounting feature when fitted together, thereby locking the male mounting feature into the female mounting feature.

[0016] The male mounting feature may be an integral part of the first wall.

[0017] The male mounting feature may be a separate part of the first wall.

[0018] The male mounting feature may include a clip having a tongue-shaped portion, and the female mounting feature includes an opening sized to receive the tongue-shaped portion.

[0019] The clip may be configured to provide a friction fit when engaging with a wall having the same thickness as the second wall.

[0020] The shape of the female mounting feature may include a first opening and a second opening, and the locking portion is configured to interact with the second opening.

[0021] Further aspects of the present disclosure provide an insert assembly comprising a plurality of inserts according to the above-described embodiment, wherein adjacent inserts are connected by the male mounting feature of one of the plurality of inserts fitting with the female mounting feature of another of the plurality of inserts.

[0022] The insert assembly may further comprise additional inserts, each of which is connected to one of the multiple inserts by the male or female mounting feature of the additional insert mating with the female or male mounting feature of one of the multiple inserts.

[0023] Further aspects of the present disclosure provide a surgical instrument tray comprising an outer container and an insert assembly of the aforementioned aspect, wherein the insert assembly is located within the outer container.

[0024] The surgical instrument tray may further comprise multiple items of surgical instruments, which are positioned on and supported by multiple inserts.

[0025] A further aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for preparing a surgical device tray. The method includes obtaining a first insert, the first insert having a first plurality of items of a surgical device on an upper surface of the first insert, the upper surface defining a first plane; obtaining a second insert, the second insert having a second plurality of items of a surgical device on the second insert; engaging a male attachment feature of the first insert with a female attachment formation of the second insert; moving the first insert and the second insert relative to each other in a direction parallel to the first plane to connect the first insert and the second insert; and disposing the connected first insert and second insert within an outer container.

[0026] The method may further include obtaining an insert, the insert having a third plurality of items of a surgical device on a third insert; engaging a male attachment feature of a first one of the first insert, the second insert, or the third insert with a female attachment structure of a second one of the first insert, the second insert, or the third insert other than the first one; moving the third insert and the connected first insert and second insert relative to each other in a direction parallel to the first plane to connect the third insert to the connected first insert and second insert; and disposing the connected first insert and second insert may further include disposing the connected first insert, second insert, and third insert within an outer container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail for illustrative purposes only with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] A perspective view of an insert for a surgical device tray is shown. [Figure 2] A plan view of the insert shown in FIG. 1 is shown. [Figure 3] Shows a side view of the insert shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] Shows a perspective view of the main body of the insert shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] Shows a plan view of the main body shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] Shows a side view of the main body shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] Shows a plan view of the clip portion of the insert shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. [Figure 8] Shows a perspective view of the clip portion shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] Shows a flowchart showing a method of preparing a surgical device tray using an insert as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. [Figure 10] Shows a plan view of a first insert and a second insert positioned to be connected to each other. [Figure 11] Shows a plan view of the first insert and the second insert during connection. [Figure 12] Shows a plan view of the first insert and the second insert after connection. [Figure 13] Shows a side view of the connected first and second inserts disposed in a surgical tray. [Figure 14] Shows a plan view of a further embodiment of a first insert and a second insert positioned to be connected to each other. [Figure 15] Shows a plan view of a further embodiment of the first insert and the second insert during connection. [Figure 16] Shows a plan view of a further embodiment of a first insert, a second insert, and a third insert positioned such that the first insert and the second insert are connected to each other. [Figure 17] Shows a plan view of a further embodiment of the first insert, the second insert, and the third insert during connection of the first insert and the second insert. [Figure 18]The following are plan views of further embodiments of the first, second, and third inserts, showing the first and second inserts connected and positioned for connection to the third insert. [Figure 19] The plan view shows a further embodiment of the first insert, the second insert, and the third insert, in which the first insert and the second insert are connected and the third insert is connected.

[0028] In drawings, similar items in different drawings share a common reference symbol unless otherwise specified. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] Referring to Figure 1, a perspective view of an embodiment of the insert 100 for a surgical instrument tray is shown. Figure 2 shows a plan view of the insert 100, and Figure 3 shows a side view of the first side wall 150 of the insert 100.

[0030] The insert 100 has a body 102 that is substantially cubic in shape. The body 102 has an upper part 104 that is substantially square, having first to fourth edges 106, 107, 108, and 109. In other embodiments, the body may have other polygonal shapes, in particular quadrilateral shapes such as rectangles. The upper part may include a plurality of supports, each support configured to receive a respective item of the surgical instrument. In the illustrated embodiment, each support may include an opening (e.g., 110) defined by the edge 112 of the upper part 104 and having a shape corresponding to the shape of the item of the surgical instrument to be embedded in the support, and the support may be an acetabular trial liner in the illustrated embodiment. Each support may also include a structural member 114 in the shape of a flat item having a curved portion (e.g., 116) connected by a web of material (e.g., 118), and an elongated member (e.g., 120) extending thereover through the upper part 104. The elongated member 120 can assist in the assembly of the insert by allowing the user to grasp and pull the elongated member, thereby pulling the elongated member through until the barbs extending laterally from the elongated member are seated in place on the upper surface of the upper part 104. In other embodiments, the support may be implemented in different ways and may be configured differently to support other different items of surgical equipment, such as surgical instruments, tools and fixation devices, and other auxiliary surgical instruments.

[0031] The main body 102 of the insert 100 may be made from a sheet of a suitable metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel, and the structural members may be made from plastic or rubber, such as silicone rubber.

[0032] As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upper portion 102 may have recesses, for example, recesses 122, defined by the upper edge at each corner.

[0033] The upper part 104 may have a generally flat shape and may define a first plane.

[0034] The insert may have a first side wall 150 extending from a first edge 106, a second side wall 152 extending from a second edge 107, a third side wall 154 extending from a third edge 109, and a fourth side wall 156 extending from a third edge 108. The first and third side walls may face each other, and the second and fourth side walls may face each other.

[0035] The first side wall may be generally flat and may define a second plane which is generally perpendicular to the first plane defined by the upper part 104.

[0036] The first side wall may include a first mounting feature portion 160, which may have the shape of a male mounting feature portion, and a second mounting feature portion 162, which may also have the shape of a male mounting feature portion. The first mounting feature portion 160 may include a clip 164 and a locking portion 166, and the second mounting feature portion 162 may include a clip 168 and a locking portion 170.

[0037] The second side wall 152 and the fourth side wall 156 may each have a space in which various marks can be presented, and multiple openings (e.g., 172, 174) may be defined therein to improve the cleanability and sterilization of the insert 100.

[0038] The third side wall may include first and second female mounting features arranged to connect the inserts to each other by interacting with male mounting features of further inserts corresponding to the mounting features of the inserts shown in Figures 1 to 3.

[0039] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the insert body 102 with the support omitted, for example, in the early stages of insert manufacturing. As best shown in Figure 4, the third side wall 154 may include a first female mounting feature 170 and a second female mounting feature 172. The first and second female mounting features may each be substantially rectangular openings 174, 176, respectively, defined by the third side wall 154. These may generally be arranged and configured to receive the corresponding male mounting features of adjacent inserts, as will be described in more detail below. A further rectangular opening 178 may also be defined by the third side wall and may generally be arranged and configured to receive the corresponding locking features of adjacent inserts, as will be described in more detail below.

[0040] The first opening 174 and the second opening 176 may be dimensioned to receive the respective clip portions of the male mounting features and may have lengths such that when the clip engages with the wall portion defining the end of the opening, the locking portion 166 then contacts the wall portion defining the other end of the opening. The male mounting features 160, 162 may have positions along the first side wall, and the female mounting features 174, 176 may have positions along the third side wall, with these positions offset by an amount roughly corresponding to the respective lengths of the clip portions 164, 168. In this way, the clip portion on a further insert can be engaged within the opening, and the clip can then be slid in a direction substantially parallel to the planes of the upper and first walls until the clip engages with the end of the opening and the second and fourth walls are substantially aligned and flush with the corresponding second and fourth walls of the further insert, which will be described in more detail below. Simultaneously, the locking features 166, 208 of the additional inserts may be received within the third opening 178 to prevent unintended disassembly in embodiments in which these optional features are provided.

[0041] Figure 5 shows a plan view of the insert body 102 shown in Figure 4, and Figure 6 shows a side view of the first wall 150 having a male mounting structure. Figure 7 shows a plan view, and Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the male mounting feature portion 200 before it is attached to the first side wall 150. As best shown in Figure 6, each male mounting feature portion 180, 190 may include a first rectangular opening 182, 192, a second square opening 184, 194, and a third circular opening 186, 196 defined by the first side wall 150.

[0042] The male mounting feature portion 200 may have a central body portion 202 that defines a circular opening 203 within which the male mounting feature portion 200 is attached to one of the male mounting feature portions via an opening 196 or 186 for receiving a rivet. A tongue-shaped portion 204 at the free end of portion 200 may be connected to the body 202 by a spring region or elastic region 206, and a narrower tail portion 208 may be provided at the other free end of the body 202 and may be inclined relative to the body. As best shown in Figure 1, the male mounting feature portion 200 can be attached to the inner surface of the first side wall 150 at each of the mounting portions 180, 190, with the tongue portion 204 passing through the first openings 182, 192 and the tail portion 208 passing through the second openings 184, 194, and can be held in place by rivets 212, 214 passing through the circular opening 203 of the portion 200 and the circular openings 186, 196 of the first side wall.

[0043] In the embodiments described above, the clip portion 200 may be supplied as a separate part. Providing the clip 200 as a separate part allows the clip to be made from a different material than the insert body, and thus allows for the selection of its material properties and / or dimensions to enhance its clipping function. For example, the clip may be made from a harder material (such as stainless steel if the body is made of aluminum) and / or may have a different thickness. This may help improve the friction and / or retention and / or fatigue life of the joint. This also makes it easier to manufacture the assembly, as it is easier to mass-produce a large number (e.g., tens of thousands) of these clips at once via a press and rive the clips to the body, rather than adding several complex bends to the insert body.

[0044] In other embodiments, the male mounting feature may be provided as an integral or separate portion of the sidewall material of the insert. For example, the sidewall may be cut to define a metallic tongue-shaped portion or tab, and then bent or folded away from the sidewall to form a clip or other mounting feature. Similarly, the locking portion may be formed by a notch and may be a folded or bent portion of the sidewall material.

[0045] Additionally or alternatively, the locking portion may be provided as a clip-on or inclined portion and may be arranged to interact with a similarly sized and positioned recess or opening defined in the side wall of a further insert and adjacent to the end of an opening in the side wall provided to receive a male mounting structure.

[0046] Next, an exemplary use of insert 100 will be described with further reference to Figures 9 to 13. Figure 9 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 220 for connecting inserts similar to insert 100 to assemble a surgical instrument tray. As described above, this disclosure may enable a more modular approach to surgical instrument tray assembly and preparation. Thus, at least two inserts having the general shape of insert 100 can be used, but they do not necessarily have to be the same shape or size. These inserts are similar in that they have the same general shape and the male and female mounting features are dimensioned and positioned on the sidewalls of each insert so that the first insert can be connected to the second insert by mating the male mounting feature(s)(s)(s)(s)(s)(s) of the second insert, and then translating the first and second inserts relative to each other. The supports for the surgical instrument items may, of course, vary from insert to insert to allow different combinations of surgical instruments to be provided in the same tray.

[0047] Furthermore, the inserts may have different shapes, but generally have polygonal tops, so that at least one of the walls of the first insert and one of the walls of the second insert can abut, enabling sliding engagement and fitting of the male and female mounting features. For example, at least triangular, hexagonal, and octagonal tops are also conceivable. Also, inserts of different shapes may be combined with each other. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the male and female mounting forms may be on opposing sides, in other embodiments, the male and female mounting forms may be on adjacent sides, and in other embodiments, the aforementioned combinations may be provided. Preferably, the inserts can tile space so that the base of the outer container into which the inserts are received can be completely filled to form a tray.

[0048] In one embodiment of the method, all steps may be performed by the same entity, while in other embodiments, some steps may be performed by different entities. For example, in some embodiments, various different inserts may be provided without the instruments and / or implants to be added to them, and then a second entity may add the instruments and / or implants to the inserts. These pre-prepared inserts may then be stored by the second entity for the subsequent assembly of the tray itself. In this case, the pre-prepared inserts are stored in a storage facility, and then the individual trays can be taken out as needed to assemble the trays.

[0049] This approach can be useful for "inventory management" type considerations, as this is one of the reasons for the "horizontal fixing" approach. Inserts may be received by a tray supply entity from a first entity with their brackets already installed to secure the intended contents of the inserts. Instruments can then be mounted on these inserts and stored until an order is received. Upon receiving an order (for example, for 1 x trial liner inserts and 1 x reamer inserts in one full-size tray), the tray supply entity fulfills the order by selecting one of each of these inserts (with the instruments already added), clipping them together, adding them to a case, and sending the tray to, for example, a hospital or other healthcare facility.

[0050] As shown in Figure 9, method 220 can be initiated in 221 by a first entity adding supports to each of a plurality of blank inserts to help determine the contents of the inserts. After some time thereafter, the empty inserts may have the appropriate instruments and / or implants added in 222. This may be performed by a second entity, such as a tray supplier, as indicated by the dashed process flow arrows. The pre-prepared inserts may then be optionally stored in 223 for subsequent use.

[0051] In 224, the intended contents may be determined for the current surgical tray, which is assembled or otherwise prepared. In 226, the inserts required for the current tray may be obtained, for example, by obtaining appropriate pre-prepared inserts from storage equipment. For example, a first insert may have various surgical instruments within its respective support, and a second insert may have other surgical instruments. In some embodiments, the items of surgical instruments may be surgical implants, such as test implants, which are widely used in joint reconstruction surgical procedures, including orthopedics. Regardless of the contents of the inserts, once all inserts have been obtained along with the intended items of surgical instruments, in 228, the inserts may be joined together.

[0052] Figure 10 shows plan views of a first filler insert 340 and a second filler insert 360, which are generally similar but have different supports and are filled with different items (not shown). The first insert may have a pair of male mounting features 342, 344 on its first side wall 346. The first insert 340 may also have a pair of female mounting features on its second side wall 352, the position and size of which are generally indicated by double-headed arrows 348, 350. The second insert 360 may also have a pair of male mounting features 362, 364 on its first side wall 366. The second insert 360 may also have a pair of female mounting features on its second side wall 372, the position and size of which are generally indicated by double-headed arrows 368, 370. Therefore, the main substantial difference between the first insert and the second insert is the support structure on their respective tops, but the connecting features may be the same on each insert or complementary to each other, thus leading to modularity of the inserts.

[0053] In 228, the inserts may be attached to each other via their respective male and female mounting features. As shown in Figure 10, the male mounting features 342, 344 of the first insert can engage with the female mounting features 368, 370 of the second insert by moving the first and second inserts together in the direction indicated by arrow 380. Arrow 380 points in a direction that is substantially parallel to the plane defined by the tops of the first and second inserts and substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by either the first or second side wall. Thus, the inserts do not need to move perpendicular to the plane defined by their tops, which can help prevent the supported surgical item from coming loose during the attachment of the first and second inserts. Nor do the inserts need to be rotated, twisted, or moved in a way that disturbs the contents.

[0054] As shown in Figure 11, when the male mounting feature of the first insert 340 engages with the female mounting feature of the second insert 360, the adjacent side walls of the inserts generally come into contact. The first and second inserts can then translate relative to each other in the direction indicated by arrow 384, which is substantially parallel to the upper plane of the inserts and also parallel to the plane of the first wall 346 of the first insert. Thus, the clips 344, 342 engage and fit with the portion of the second side wall 372 of the second insert 360 defining the ends of the openings 368, 370, and then, by friction fitting between the clips and the side walls of the second insert, the first and second inserts can be held together. When the clips are fully engaged, the other side walls of the inserts are substantially aligned, as shown in Figure 12. As shown in Figure 11, the first and second inserts may need to translate relative to each other by a distance 386, which may be substantially equal to the length of each clip along the direction of the wall. The distance 386 may be approximately the same as the amount by which the female mounting portion is offset along the second wall 352 relative to the position of the male mounting structure along the first wall 346, such that the clip slides along the female forming portion and the other side walls of the insert align after it has fully engaged as shown in Figure 12.

[0055] Furthermore, when the clip is fully engaged with the first end of the opening, the tail portion 208 may abut against the other end of the opening to lock the male mounting feature into the female mounting feature. Thus, the tail portion 208 protruding from the side wall can function as a locking portion by engaging with the end wall of the opening, preventing the clip shape from moving back in the opposite direction, and thus locking the mounting features together. The lock can be released by pushing the tail portion inward using a tool or instrument, thereby disengaging the tail portion from the end of the opening, thereby allowing the insert to be separated and reused as needed. Thus, optionally, a lock can be provided to facilitate accidental or unauthorized separation of the insert. This may be desirable to ensure the consistency of the intended tray contents and / or for tracking or auditing purposes.

[0056] Since the direction of arrow 384 is substantially parallel to the upper plane of both inserts, the inserts cannot move perpendicular to that plane, which can also help prevent the supported surgical article from being removed during the firm connection between the first and second inserts by friction fitting between the male and female mounting features.

[0057] While Figures 10–12 show two inserts, it will be understood that in other embodiments, a greater number of inserts may be used and connected using their complementary mounting features.

[0058] After all the inserts are connected at 228, at 230 the connected inserts can be loaded into a case or tray that provides an outer container or housing for forming a surgical instrument tray. For example, Figure 13 shows a side view of assembly 390 of connected first inserts 340 and second inserts 360 loaded into an outer container or case 394 in the direction indicated by arrow 392. Thus, all the connected inserts and the surgical instruments supported by the inserts can be placed in the tray 394 at the same time. A tray lid can then be added to close the tray 394 and help to hold and protect its contents.

[0059] Once the current tray is completed, the next tray may be determined at 232, and the method may then be repeated to operation 224, as indicated by the return line 234, where the same or different combinations of inserts may be used to produce the next surgical instrument tray.

[0060] It will be understood that numerous modifications, alterations, and extensions to the modular tray insert systems described herein are possible based on the general teachings herein.

[0061] For example, Figure 14 shows a plan view of a further embodiment of the insert of the present disclosure. Figure 14 shows a first tray insert 400 and a second tray insert 420, which may have similar male and female mounting forms, but which are arranged differently on the first and second opposing side walls of the insert. Each insert 400, 420 may have generally the same or similar shape, but each may have different supports for different surgical instruments on top of them.

[0062] The first tray may have a first male mounting section 402 and a first female mounting section on its first side wall 406, the position and size of which are generally indicated by double-headed arrows 404. A second male mounting section 408 and a second female mounting section may be provided on its second side wall 410, the position and size of which are generally indicated by double-headed arrows 410. The first male mounting section 402 and the second female mounting section 410 are generally positioned opposite each other and offset by the length of the clip. Similarly, the second male mounting section 408 and the first female mounting section 404 are generally positioned opposite each other and offset by the length of the clip.

[0063] To connect the first insert 400 and the second insert 420 at 226, the first and second inserts can be translated relative to each other generally along the direction of arrow 414. The male mounting feature 408' of the second insert 420 can engage with the female mounting feature 404 of the first insert, and the male mounting feature 402 of the first insert can engage with the female mounting feature 410' of the second tray, and the side walls of the inserts abut against each other as shown in Figure 15. Next, the first and second inserts can be translated relative to each other along the direction of arrow 416 in a plane substantially parallel to the upper plane of the inserts, thereby fitting the male and female mounting forming parts and connecting the inserts to each other in a state similar to that shown in Figure 12.

[0064] Each insert should include at least one male mounting section and at least one complementary female mounting section to enable multiple inserts to be connected to one another. In some embodiments, the complementary mounting section may be provided on an opposing side of the insert body (e.g., 340 in Figure 10), and in other embodiments, the complementary mounting section may be provided on an adjacent side of the insert body (e.g., 430 in Figure 16), similar to or instead of the opposing side. In other embodiments, more than two male and female mounting features may be provided per insert.

[0065] Figures 16 to 19 show plan views of further embodiments of the insert according to the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 16, the first insert 430 may have a shape substantially similar to that of insert 100, but may include a first pair of male mounting features 432, 434 and further pairs 436, 438. Insert 430 may include a first pair of complementary female mounting features 442, 444 and further pairs 446, 448.

[0066] The second insert 450 may have a rectangular top and a first pair of male mounting features 452, 454 on the first side wall 453, and a pair of female mounting features 456, 458 on the second side wall 457. A further male mounting feature 460 may be provided on the third side wall 462, and a further female mounting feature 464 may be provided on the fourth end wall 466. A third rectangular insert 470 may also be provided, which may have the same shape and the same arrangement of mounting features as the second insert 450.

[0067] First, the second insert 450 and the third insert 470 may be connected as shown in Figures 16 and 17, and then the assembly of the second and third inserts may be connected to the first insert as shown in Figures 18 and 19 to complete the insert assembly.

[0068] As shown in Figure 16, by moving the second and third inserts relative to each other in the direction indicated by arrow 480 and in a plane generally parallel to the upper planes of the second and third inserts, the pair of male mounting features 452, 454 of the second insert 450 can engage with the pair of female mounting features of the third insert 470. The second and third inserts 470 can then translate relative to each other along the direction indicated by arrow 482 in Figure 17 to fully engage the pair of clips with the ends of the pair of openings and form the first insert assembly 486 as shown in Figure 18. The first insert assembly 486 can then translate relative to the first insert 430 along the direction of arrow 482 and in a plane substantially parallel to the upper planes of the first, second, and third inserts, so that the end openings of the second insert and the end openings of the third insert can engage with the pair of clips on the side wall of the first insert 430, as shown in Figure 19. Next, the first insert assembly 486 can be fully engaged with the opening ends of the second and third inserts by translating relative to the first insert 430 along the direction indicated by arrow 484 in Figure 19 and in a plane parallel to the top of the insert, thereby forming a complete insert assembly. The complete insert assembly, and the surgical instrument items it supports, can then be placed in a tray, and a lid is added to complete the assembly of the surgical instrument tray as described above.

[0069] The outer tray or container has a shape very similar to that of the insert assembly and can snugly accommodate the insert assembly within it. Therefore, the side walls of the outer tray or container can also help prevent the inserts from moving out of place relative to each other.

[0070] Furthermore, the recesses provided at the upper corners (see 122 in Figure 2) can accommodate the user's fingers to facilitate the placement and removal of the insert assembly within the outer tray.

[0071] In this specification, exemplary embodiments have been presented with respect to a selected set of details. However, those skilled in the art will understand that many other exemplary embodiments, including different sets of these selected details, can be put into practice. The following claims are intended to cover all possible exemplary embodiments.

[0072] Unless a specific order is explicitly stated, any instructions and / or flowcharts may be performed in any order. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that while one exemplary set of instructions / methods has been described, the contents herein can be combined in various ways to produce other examples, which should be understood within the context provided by this detailed description.

[0073] This disclosure is suitable for various modifications and alternative forms, the specifics of which have been illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, it should be understood that other embodiments other than the specific embodiments described are also possible, including all modifications, equivalents, and alternative embodiments included in the attached claims.

[0074] [Implementation Method] (1) An insert for a surgical instrument tray, An upper part defining at least one support configured to receive an item of a surgical instrument, wherein the upper part defines a first plane and the upper part has a plurality of edges defining a polygonal shape of the upper part, A first side wall extending downward from the upper first edge and defining a second plane, wherein the first side wall has a first mounting feature, and the first mounting feature is a male mounting feature, An insert comprising: a second side wall extending downward from the upper second edge and having a second mounting feature, wherein the second mounting feature is a female mounting feature having a certain shape, and the first mounting feature is configured to engage with the shape of the female mounting feature when the first side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first plane and the second plane to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure. (2) The insert according to Embodiment 1, wherein the first mounting feature has a first position along the first wall, and the second mounting feature has a second position along the second wall, the second position being offset along the second wall from the first position by an offset length corresponding to the distance the first side wall moves in the direction that engages the first forming part with the second forming part. (3) The insert according to Embodiment 1, wherein the first side wall has a third mounting feature, the third mounting feature is a further male mounting feature, the second side wall has a fourth mounting feature, the fourth mounting feature is a further female mounting feature having a further shape, and the third mounting feature is configured to engage with the further shape of the further female mounting feature when the first side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first plane and the second plane to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure. (4) The insert according to Embodiment 1, wherein the first side wall has a third mounting feature, the third mounting feature is a further female mounting feature having a further shape, the second side wall has a fourth mounting feature, the fourth mounting feature is a further male mounting feature, the fourth mounting feature is configured to engage with the further shape of the further female mounting feature when the first side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first plane and the second plane to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure. (5) A third side wall extending downward from the upper third edge and defining a third plane, wherein the third side wall has a further mounting feature, and the further mounting feature is a further male mounting feature, The insert according to Embodiment 1, further comprising: a fourth side wall extending downward from the upper fourth edge and having a fourth mounting feature, wherein the fourth mounting feature is a further female mounting feature having a further shape, and the third mounting feature is configured to engage with the shape of the further female mounting feature when the third side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first plane and the third plane to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure.

[0075] (6) The insert according to Embodiment 1, wherein the first wall and the second wall are located on opposite sides of the upper polygonal shape, and / or the third wall and the fourth wall are located on opposite sides of the upper polygonal shape. (7) The insert according to Embodiment 1, wherein the polygonal shape is a square or a rectangle. (8) The insert according to Embodiment 1, wherein the male mounting feature portion includes a locking portion configured to interact with the shape of the female mounting feature portion when fitted, thereby locking the male mounting feature portion to the female mounting feature portion. (9) The insert according to Embodiment 1, wherein the male mounting feature is an integral part of the first wall. (10) The insert according to Embodiment 1, wherein the male mounting feature is a separate part of the first wall.

[0076] (11) The insert according to Embodiment 1, wherein the male mounting feature includes a clip having a tongue-shaped portion, and the female mounting feature includes an opening sized to receive the tongue-shaped portion. (12) The insert according to embodiment 11, wherein the clip is configured to provide a friction fit when it engages with a wall having the same thickness as the second wall. (13) The insert according to embodiment 8, wherein the shape of the female mounting feature portion comprises a first opening and a second opening, and the locking portion is configured to interact with the second opening. (14) An insert assembly comprising a plurality of inserts as described in Embodiment 1, wherein adjacent inserts are connected by the male mounting feature of one of the plurality of inserts fitting with the female mounting feature of another of the plurality of inserts. (15) The insert assembly according to Embodiment 14, further comprising a further insert as described in Embodiment 5, wherein the further insert is connected to one of the plurality of inserts by the male or female mounting feature of the further insert fitting with the female or male mounting feature of one of the plurality of inserts.

[0077] (16) A surgical instrument tray, Outer container and A surgical instrument tray comprising an insert assembly according to embodiment 14 or 15, wherein the insert assembly is located within the outer container. (17) The surgical instrument tray according to embodiment 16, further comprising a plurality of items of surgical instruments positioned on and supported by the plurality of inserts. (18) A method for preparing a surgical instrument tray, Obtaining a first insert, wherein the first insert has a first plurality of items of a surgical instrument on its upper surface, and the upper surface defines a first plane. To obtain a second insert, wherein the second insert has a second plurality of items of a surgical device on the second insert, The male mounting feature portion of the first insert is engaged with the female mounting forming portion of the second insert, The first insert and the second insert are moved relative to each other in a direction parallel to the first plane to connect the first insert and the second insert, A method comprising arranging the connected first insert and the second insert within an outer container. (19) Obtaining an insert, wherein the insert has a third plurality of items of a surgical device on the third insert, The male mold mounting feature portion of the first insert, the second insert, or the third insert is engaged with the female mold mounting forming portion of the second insert, the first insert, or the third insert other than the first insert. The present invention further includes moving the third insert and the connected first and second inserts relative to each other in a direction parallel to the first plane, thereby connecting the third insert to the connected first and second inserts. The method according to embodiment 18, further comprising arranging the connected first insert and the second insert within the outer container.

Claims

1. An insert for a surgical instrument tray, An upper part defining at least one support configured to receive an item of a surgical instrument, wherein the upper part defines a first plane and the upper part has a plurality of edges defining a polygonal shape of the upper part, A first side wall extending downward from the upper first edge and defining a second plane, wherein the first side wall has a first mounting feature, and the first mounting feature is a male mounting feature, The first mounting feature comprises a second side wall extending downward from the upper second edge and having a second mounting feature, wherein the second mounting feature is a female mounting feature, and the first mounting feature is configured to engage with the female mounting feature when the first side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first plane and the second plane to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure, The male mounting feature includes a clip, the clip comprising a central body portion, a tongue-shaped portion integrally connected to one end of the central body portion, and a tail portion integrally connected to the other end of the central body portion, the central body portion being connected to the inner surface of the first side wall, the tongue-shaped portion being located outside the first side wall through a first opening formed in the first side wall, the tail portion being located outside the first side wall through a second opening formed in the first side wall, and the tongue-shaped portion being connected to the second side wall of the further insert An insert that enters into a formed third opening and engages with a first portion of the second side wall defining the third opening, the tail portion enters into the third opening and engages with a second portion of the second side wall defining the third opening, or enters into a fourth opening formed in the second side wall and engages with a third portion of the second side wall defining the fourth opening, the first portion of the second side wall, the second portion of the second side wall, and the third portion of the second side wall constitute the female mold mounting feature.

2. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the first side wall has a third mounting feature, the third mounting feature being a further male mounting feature, the second side wall has a fourth mounting feature, the fourth mounting feature being a further female mounting feature having a further shape, and the third mounting feature is configured to engage with the further shape of the further female mounting feature when the first side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first plane and the second plane to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure.

3. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the first side wall has a third mounting feature, the third mounting feature is a further female mounting feature having a further shape, the second side wall has a fourth mounting feature, the fourth mounting feature is a further male mounting feature, and the fourth mounting feature is configured to engage with the further shape of the further female mounting feature when the first side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first plane and the second plane to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure.

4. A third side wall extending downward from the upper third edge and defining a third plane, wherein the third side wall has a further mounting feature, and the further mounting feature is a further male mounting feature, The insert according to claim 1, further comprising: a fourth side wall extending downward from the upper fourth edge and having a fourth mounting feature, wherein the fourth mounting feature is a further female mounting feature having a further shape, the further mounting feature being configured to engage with the shape of the further female mounting feature when the third side wall moves in a direction parallel to the first plane and the third plane to connect the insert to a further insert having a similar structure.

5. The insert according to claim 4, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall are located on opposite sides of the upper polygonal shape, and / or the third side wall and the fourth side wall are located on opposite sides of the upper polygonal shape.

6. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the polygonal shape is a square or a rectangle.

7. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the male mounting feature is an integral part of the first side wall.

8. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the male mounting feature is a separate portion of the first side wall.

9. The insert according to claim 1, wherein the tongue-shaped portion is integrally connected to one end of the central body portion via a spring region.

10. An insert assembly comprising a plurality of inserts as described in claim 1, wherein adjacent inserts are connected by the engagement of a male mounting feature of one of the plurality of inserts with a female mounting feature of another of the plurality of inserts.

11. The insert assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a further insert according to claim 4, wherein the further insert is connected to one of the plurality of inserts by the male or female mounting feature of the further insert engaging with the female or male mounting feature of one of the plurality of inserts.

12. A surgical instrument tray, Outer container and A surgical instrument tray comprising an insert assembly according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the insert assembly is located within the outer container.

13. The surgical instrument tray according to claim 12, further comprising a plurality of items of a surgical instrument, positioned on and supported by the plurality of inserts.

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