Importance

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Abstract

A sterilizable silicone mat (10) includes a repeating S shaped rib structure (38) on the bottom surface (28) that aligns the mat (10) with steam apertures (20) in a support tray (12) and facilitates maximum steam penetration and optimum water drainage while reducing condensate. The mat body (26) includes a top surface (24) and a bottom surface (28) and a plurality of steam penetration holes or apertures (40). Each steam penetration hole (40) is surrounded by four instrument supporting finger-like structures (30) located on the top surface (24) of the mat (10). The four fingers (30) that surround each steam penetration hole (40) are located at 90 degrees with respect to each other. A plurality of S shaped rib structures (38) are located on the bottom surface (28) of the mat (10). Each S shaped rib (38) separates two adjacent steam holes (46) and includes a nub (42) at the distal ends of each S shaped rib (38) for engaging some of the steam penetration holes (20) in the bottom (18) of the tray (12). The nubs (42) insure that the steam penetration holes (20) in the tray (12) align directly opposite the steam penetration holes (40) in the mat body (26). The holes (40), fingers (30) and associated S shaped rib structures (38) are organized into subgroups (48) separated by long, straight continuous land sections (50) so that the mat (10) can by cut and subdivided into smaller mats depending upon the size of the sterilizable tray (12) to be used.

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First Claim