Patent · US Expired

Universal implant dispenser

US6012580A · kind A · utility

48Cited by
15References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 30, 1998
Grant dateJan 11, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 30, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB65D83/00
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A universal dispenser for implants or other items includes a lightweight, thin housing made up of two clamshell halves pivoted together at a hinge. One of the halves has two laterally spaced recesses and the other of the halves has two laterally spaced projections configured to be frictionally retained within respective ones of the recesses when the halves are pivoted to a closed position. At least one of the clamshell halves has an elongated recess to form a chamber when the clamshell halves are pivoted to the closed position. The ends of the clamshell halves most remote from one another may include halves of an opening which is formed when the halves are pivoted to the closed position. This opening may be provided, if necessary or desired, so that an item such as an implant stored within the chamber formed by one or both elongated recesses may be removed therefrom when the clamshell halves are in the closed position merely by squeezing their edges together to expand the size of the opening and allow the item or implant to fall out of the opening. The size of the chamber formed by one or both of the elongated recesses is slightly smaller in its dimensions than the dimensions of th…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.