Configurable cassettes

Abstract

A cassette has a top joined with a releasably attached double hinge to a bottom. An interior region can be filled with dental/medical instruments for sterilization and/or storage. The instruments can be supported by pre-arranged supports and retaining members. A practitioner can configure the arrangement in the cassette in accordance with his/her preferences.

1 . An instrument cassette comprising: 
 a molded body having first and second pivotably attached, molded sections, when the sections are in contact with one another they define a substantially closed interior region, one of the sections defines a plurality of perforations therethrough having a first shape, the other section defines a plurality elongated perforations therethrough having a second, different shape; and    a plurality of instrument carrying elements, the elements releasibly and lockingly engage a portion of some of the perforations of at least one of the sections, the elements are usable to establish an alterable instrument support configuration within the body.    
   
   
       2 . A cassette as in  claim 1  where one of the sections defines a plurality of circular, spaced apart perforations.  
   
   
       3 . A cassette as in  claim 1  where the sections are pivotably attached by a removable hinge.  
   
   
       4 . A cassette as in  claim 1  where the members of the plurality of elements are disengageable from the at least one section and re-engageable with the at least one section to establish a second, different, instrument support configuration.  
   
   
       5 . A cassette as in  claim 4  where at least some of the members of the plurality of elements are different from other members of the plurality of elements.  
   
   
       6 . A cassette as in  claim 1  which includes a latch that locks the sections to one another.  
   
   
       7 . A cassette as in  claim 5  which includes a latch that locks the sections to one another.  
   
   
       8 . A cassette as in  claim 7  where the latch comprises first and second portions which slidably engage one another.  
   
   
       9 . A cassette as in  claim 7  where at least some of the members of the plurality of elements are formed of metal.  
   
   
       10 . A reconfigurable instrument cassette comprising: 
 a perforated body and a releasibly attachable double hinge;    a plurality of instrument locating elements, the elements releasibly engage at least portions of the body to locate respective instruments in the body;    a releasable latch to retain the body in a closed condition;    the locating elements can be positioned in a first, initial, configuration and subsequently, positioned in a different configuration.    
   
   
       11 . A cassette as in  claim 10  where the body defines first and second different perforations and some members of the plurality slidably engage the first perforations while others slidably engage the second perforations.  
   
   
       12 . A cassette as in  claim 11  where the body is molded of a selected resin.  
   
   
       13 . A cassette as in  claim 12  with at least one of the first perforations or the second perforations generally elongated.  
   
   
       14 . A cassette as in  claim 11  with the first perforations generally symmetrical about a central axis.  
   
   
       15 . A cassette as in  claim 11  where a selected instrument is locatable by first members of the plurality which engage the first perforations.  
   
   
       16 . A cassette as in  claim 15  where a different selected instrument is locatable by second members of the plurality which engage the second perforations.  
   
   
       17 . A cassette as in  claim 16  which includes a plurality of integrally molded support posts.  
   
   
       18 . A cassette as in  claim 17  where some of the locating elements slidably engage respective ones of the posts.  
   
   
       19 . A cassette as in  claim 16  where at least some of the first members comprise snap-in rails.  
   
   
       20 . A cassette as in  claim 19  where the second members comprise snap in retaining members.  
   
   
       21 . A cassette as in  claim 20  where the snap in rails and snap in retaining members define an instrument storage region therebetween.  
   
   
       22 . A cassette as in  claim 21  where the body has a body elongated dimension, where the instrument storage region defines an instrument elongated dimension, and where the elongated dimensions are one of parallel to one another, or perpendicular to one another.  
   
   
       23 . A cassette as in  claim 22  where the elongated dimensions are alterable relative to one another.  
   
   
       24 . A cassette as in  claim 23  where the body has first and second sections hingedly coupled by the releasibily attachable double hinge.  
   
   
       25 . A cassette as in  claim 24  where the hinge has two pivoting axis.  
   
   
       26 . A cassette as in  claim 24  where the hinge is formed of metal.  
   
   
       27 . A method of organizing instruments comprising: 
 arranging a plurality of moveable instrument support rails to support a plurality of elongated instruments by constraining each of the rails in a fixed position relative to others of the rails; and    arranging a plurality of scissors clamping elements to support at least one scissors by constraining each of the clamping elements in a fixed position relative to others of the elements.    
   
   
       28 . A method as in  claim 27  which includes arranging a separate instrument compression rail parallel to the instrument support rails to apply instrument retaining forces to retain the instrument therebetween.  
   
   
       29 . A method as in  claim 28  which includes moving the instrument compression rail from a first, non-retaining, position to a second, retaining position.  
   
   
       30 . A method as in  claim 29  where the movement is non-linear.  
   
   
       31 . A method as in  claim 28  where arranging the support rails includes deforming each of the support rails, at least in part, to constrain their positions relative to one another.  
   
   
       32 . A method as in  claim 28  where arranging the compression rail includes deforming that rail, at least in part, to fixedly locate it parallel to the instrument support rails.  
   
   
       33 . A method as in  claim 28  which includes mounting the compression rails and the instrument support rails in respective open trays and releasably engaging a double hinge with the trays and folding one tray under the other.