Surgical Drape With Edge Grips And Method

Abstract

A surgical drape or laminate is provided including a plastic film with a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on one face surface of the film and a flexible paper center cover layer thereover, and parallel pairs of cover strip means on edge portions of the adhesive whereby when an inner cover strip is removed, the edges of the laminate can be folded inwardly on themselves to provide a thickened laminate for drape grip and handling action.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Heretofore there have been several patents issued on various types of laminated surgical drapes and these patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,260,360 and 3,349,765. Products made in accordance with one or more of such patent disclosures have been used appreciably commercially heretofore. These patents describe the problems involved in the production of the surgical drapes and particularly in the use of the drapes. That is, the drapes, when they are sold, normally are provided in asceptic form and it is naturally essential that the drapes be maintained asceptic as they are prepared for use and used by being applied to a patient.

Problems arise in the use of surgical drapes as made heretofore inasmuch as it has been somewhat difficult for the nurse or doctor or other person using the surgical drapes to handle these drapes and apply them to a patient in a convenient easily controlled manner and yet to maintain the desired asceptic conditions at all times. Also manufacture of prior types of drapes as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,260 has required use of some release coated paper covering means and some paper which is not release coated. This requires special handling or processing of the drape as it is being made.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved surgical drape or laminate and particularly one which is characterized by the provision of opposed marginal grip areas formed from plural thicknesses of the laminate; and to provide removable cover strips at portions of a laminate spaced from the edges thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide surgical drapes or laminates wherein the laminate can be conveniently and economically manufactured by substantially conventional means and processes and yet be provided in form for use with plural thicknesses of the laminate at opposed marginal portions thereof to form handles for the laminate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a surgical drape using a pressure sensitive adhesive in the drape and wherein a suitable plastic film provides an impervious cover means in the laminate which can be readily used by skilled personnel without damage to the asceptic condition of the drape or laminate.

Other objects of the invention are to fold a laminate laterally inwardly on itself and provide a surgical drape which is extremely convenient to handle and use and to maintain in asceptic condition.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

Reference now is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a section through a laminate of the invention and embodying the principles thereof, showing it as initially produced;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the laminate of FIG. 1, but indicating an edge folding step or action in producing the desired end article;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the laminate of FIG. 2 with an additional laterally inward edge folding action having been performed; and

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to FIGS. 1 to 3 of a modified laminate.

When referring to the accompanying drawing and the specification, corresponding numerals are used to facilitate comparison between corresponding members found in the drawing and referred to in the specification.

SUBJECT MATTER OF INVENTION

A surgical laminate comprising a plastic film, a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive carried on one face of the film and including strips or portions of adhesive at opposed lateral marginal areas of the film which adhesive portions may be spaced from the center area of the film, and a flexible paper covering layer on the center area of the adhesive layer on the film. Reenforcing handle strips are secured to the film by the adhesive layer at the lateral marginal areas of the film and with such handle strips preferably comprising two relatively narrow strips positioned on each of the lateral marginal areas of the film and with the laterally inner one of the strips being removable whereby lateral portions of the laminate can be folded inwardly on themselves and be adhesively bonded together to provide plural layers of laminates at opposed marginal portions of the drape or laminate to facilitate handling thereof.

Reference now is directed to the details of the structure shown in the drawings, and a surgical drape embodying the principles of the invention is indicated as a whole by the numeral 10. Obviously this drape can be prepared in any desired size in width and length and be sold in any desired manner. However, rectangular or square sheets of the drape normally would be provided and the laminate of the invention is adapted to be packaged, and shipped in any conventional manner. However, usually the drape is made and processed so as to be asceptic in condition and then is suitably protected and enclosed when it is transported and stored to be ready for use.

The drape 10 comprises a sheet of suitable plastic film 12, and this film can be made from polypropylene, or other suitable plastic materials with the film normally being quite thin, such as from about 0.001 to 0.005 inch. The film 12 is flexible, but tough and durable for use to maintain a continuous, impervious surface over the portion of the human anatomy to which the drape is applied.

In the drawings, obviously the thickness of the various layers of material used in the drape 10 are exaggerated or magnified for convenience in illustration and with all of the layers in the drape being quite thin, in the order of from about 0.001 inch to any other reasonable thickness, such as 0.005 inch.

In making the drape 10, the film layer 12 has a conventional adhesive layer 14 applied thereby by conventional means. Normally this adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive and it is a continuous layer on the film 12. The center area of the drape 10 has a conventional release coated cover sheet 16 applied thereto and this cover sheet normally is made from paper and it has a conventional layer of a release material 18 applied to the surface of the cover sheet engaging the adhesive layer 14 to facilitate removal of this cover sheet when the laminate is to be used.

Special features of the invention reside in the provision of, usually, a pair of edge strips 20 and 22 at each lateral margin of the drape. These edge strips 20 and 22 are parallel and are formed from paper, usually from the same material as the cover sheet 18. Layers of the conventional release coating also are provided on the surfaces of the edge strips engaging the adhesive layer of the drape 10.

These edge strips 20 and 22 usually have their lateral edges abutted and the inner strip may abut on or be spaced from the sheet 16. In all events, after the laminate as shown in FIG. 1 has been formed it can be stored and shipped. When the drape is to be used it is processed by hand or in other suitable manners so as to fold or roll each lateral edge portion of the film 12 and the means thereon laterally inwardly of the drape. Such action is only taken after the laterally inner edge strips 22 have been removed from the laminate. Such action exposes a portion of the adhesive layer 14 as indicated in FIG. 2. Then the edge portions of the drape are either folded inwardly upon themselves one time, or else they can be folded inwardly a plurality of times, such as to be folded inwardly on itself once and then the thus produced plural ply laminate can be folded inwardly on itself again to provide the structure as shown in FIG. 3.

The drawings clearly show that portions of the adhesive layer are exposed when the edge strips 22 are removed whereby portions of the film 12 can be folded onto these adhesive sections to achieve a permanent bonding of the multiple ply laminate areas to each other to form a thickened gripping edge therefrom. In folding these lateral marginal portions of the laminate inwardly, such action can be taken so as to bring the multiple ply laminate into substantial engagement with the lateral margins of the cover sheet 16.

Hence, when the drape 10 is to be used, the drape can be grasped by the multi-ply portions 30 formed at a pair of opposed edges of the laminate and a relatively sturdy, easily grasped handle portion or grip area is provided in the drape. By holding the drape with one edge portion, or by holding the drape by opposed edge portions, then one person or his associate can remove the center cover sheet 16 from the drape and it can be readily applied to a patient by grasping the opposed marginal portions of the drape.

Naturally, no one needs to contact the center portion of the drape except to remove the center cover sheet therefrom, and people using the drape 10 normally would be asceptic themselves and/or be wearing asceptic gloves whereby the drape 10 as applied and used can be maintained easily in completely sanitary condition.

Use of these surgical drapes 10 has been accepted commercially and by doctors as facilitating operations and the drapes aid in maintaining the surgical procedure asceptic and to prevent contamination of the cut areas of the patient.

A modified type of laminate 10a is shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. In this instance, a suitable plastic film 12a is provided that has a layer of suitable adhesive 14a applied to its center area. Additional portions of adhesive layers are applied at 14b to laterally opposed marginal portions of the film 12a. The laminate of the invention is completed by a pair of release strips 20a and 22a as before. However, in this instance, when the laterally inner cover strip 22a is removed, then there is no objectionable portion of the adhesive layer that is exposed when the drape is ready for use, or when it is being handled preparatory to use. The actions in folding marginal portions of the drape inwardly on itself and the removal of the strip 22a is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

It can be realized that the paper strips 20 and 22 and the like can be of the same size, if desired, or they can be of different widths. In all events, the laminate is made so that a pair of paper strips are present at each lateral edge and the laterally inner one of the strips can be removed. Then by one or a plurality of laterally inwardly extending folds of portions of the laminate, a thickened gripping section or handle portion is provided on each of a pair of opposed margins of the sheet.

The drape of the invention is relatively inexpensive to make and to use, and an improved laminate has been achieved without increase in cost or any difficulty in the production thereof; also, the method of forming and using the drape is readily practiced. Hence, it is believed that the objects of the invention have been achieved.

While several complete embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of these particular embodiments of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. That method of forming and using a surgical drape comprising the steps of

applying a layer of adhesive to one surface of a plastic film,

covering the adhesive with a sheet having a removable center portion therein and providing a pair of removable cover strips on opposed marginal areas of the adhesive layer whereby the adhesive layer is completely covered to prepare the drape for storage and shipping, and

removing the cover strips and folding the marginal film areas inwardly on the exposed adhesive to form handle portions for the drape to prepare the same for use.

2. A method as in claim 1 including the steps of providing and using a pair of parallel cover strips on each of said marginal areas, and removing only the inner one of each of said pairs of strips prior to the folding of the film inwardly with one edge strip on each margin thereof.

3. A method as in claim 1 including the step of providing an interrupted layer of adhesive on said one surface of said film, which adhesive layer has strips applied on said opposed marginal areas spaced from an adhesive layer section covering the center portion of said film.

4. A surgical laminate comprising

a plastic film having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive thereon,

a pair of parallel strips of a paper cover means on each of a pair of opposed margins of said film and removably adhesively attached thereto, and

a cover sheet for the center portion of said film removably attached to said adhesive layer, said cover means and cover sheet having adjacent edges which are abutted, the inner one of each of said parallel strips being removable to expose part of said adhesive layer so that opposed edges of the laminate can be folded over on themselves to engage the exposed part of said adhesive layer to provide a plural laminate thickness at marginal portions thereof to form opposed grip areas whereby the laminate can be grasped by said grip areas and be attached to a person by said adhesive layer after said cover sheet has been removed.

5. A surgical laminate comprising

a plastic film having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on a portion of one face thereof,

a pair of parallel strips of a paper cover means on each of a pair of opposed margins of said film and removably adhesively attached thereto,

a cover sheet for the center portion of said film, said cover means and cover sheet having adjacent edges which are abutted, said cover sheet being attached to said adhesive layer,

said layer of pressure sensitive adhesive being on the center portion of one face of said film and on a pair of opposed lateral marginal strips of the film spaced from the center portion adhesive,

said strips of said cover means engaging the marginal strips of said adhesive, and

a layer of release material extending the width of the laminate and being on one face of said cover sheet and of said paper cover means, said cover sheet being attached to the adhesive layer on the center portion of said film with said release material being between said film and cover sheet, release material also being present between the inner strip of each of said pairs of strips and said adhesive layer whereby the inner of said strips can be removed and opposed edges of the laminate folded over on themselves to engage the exposed adhesive to provide plural laminate thickness at marginal areas to form opposed grip areas whereby the laminate can be grasped by said grip areas and be attached to a person by said adhesive layer after said cover sheet has been removed.