Surgical drape having securing device for attachment to thermal treatment systems

• US 6,003,328 A
• Filed: 06/16/1999
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microtek Medical Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Medical Company, Inc. (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Faries, Durward I. Jr., Heymann, Bruce R., Licata, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US09/334,269
• Time in Patent Office: 188 Days
• Field of Search: 2/69, 2/89, 62/66, 62/340, 62/342, 128/846, 128/849, 108/90, 150/165, 150/158, 5/496, 5/497, 297/219.1
• US Class Current: 62/342
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0241 Apparatus for the preparation of hot packs, hot compresses, cooling pads, e.g. heaters or refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 1/125 on flexible surfaces

Abstract

A surgical drape for use in a thermal treatment system congealing a sterile medium within a basin and automatically dislodging the congealed sterile medium adhered to the drape adjacent basin walls is accomplished by a drape having a drape portion covering the system housing with part of the drape portion disposed in the basin. The drape may further include a pre-formed container portion fitted to match the contour of, and being disposed within, the basin. The container portion may accommodate various shaped basins and include individual fluted sections, drape deformities, or an inflatable bladder surrounded by the fluted sections for facilitating dislodgement of the congealed medium. Further, the drape or pre-formed container portion may include a substantially annular bladder, or a bladder having a plurality of individually inflatable sections for manipulation of the drape relative to the basin to dislodge the congealed sterile medium. Alternatively, the bladders may be disposed between the drape or container portion and bottom of the basin for manipulation of the drape as described above. Moreover, the drapes may include stirrups to secure the drape to the system. A pump or bellows inflates and deflates the bladders via a piston having a reciprocating motion within a chamber, or, alternatively, via separate connections for inflation and deflation which are controlled by selective actuation of solenoids. The individually inflatable sections are inflated and deflated one section at a time in sequential order to manipulate the drape relative to the basin to dislodge the congealed sterile medium.

Claims

1. In a thermal treatment system including at least one basin recessed in a top surface of a system housing for thermally treating a sterile medium, a surgical drape comprising:

a drape portion covering said system housing and hanging down from said top surface; and

a plurality of stirrups with each of said stirrups disposed on said drape portion for engaging said system to secure said drape to said housing.

2. The drape of claim 1 wherein each of said stirrups include a looped member for engaging said system housing to secure said drape to said housing.

3. In a thermal treatment system including at least one basin recessed in a top surface of a system housing for thermally treating a sterile medium and a drape covering said housing and including stirrups attached to said drape, a method of securing said drape to said housing comprising the step of:

(a) engaging said housing with said stirrups to secure said drape to said housing.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said stirrups include looped members and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) engaging said housing with said looped members to secure said drape to said housing.

5. A thermal treatment system for thermally treating a sterile medium comprising:

a system housing including a top surface;

at least one basin recessed in said top surface of said housing for transferring thermal energy to said sterile medium;

a drape covering and hanging down from said top surface of said housing with a portion of said drape disposed in each said basin for collecting said sterile medium, wherein said drape includes a plurality of stirrups for engaging said housing to secure said drape to said housing; and

thermal treatment means in thermal relation with each said basin for thermally treating said sterile medium.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein each of said stirrups includes a looped member for engaging said housing to secure said drape to said housing.

7. In the system of claim 5, a method of securing said drape to said housing comprising the step of:

(a) disposing said drape on said housing such that said stirrups engage said housing to secure said drape to said housing.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said stirrups include looped members and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) disposing said drape on said housing such that said looped members engage said housing to secure said drape to said housing.

9. In the system of claim 5, a method of securing said drape to said housing comprising the step of:

(a) forming said drape to include said stirrups such that said stirrups engage said housing when said drape is disposed over said housing.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) forming said drape to have said stirrups include looped members such that said looped members engage said housing when said drape is disposed over said housing.

11. In a thermal treatment system including at least one basin recessed in a top surface of a system housing for thermally treating a sterile medium, a method of securing a drape to the housing comprising the step of:

(a) forming the drape to include stirrups for engaging the system housing and securing the drape.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) forming the drape to have the stirrups include looped members to engage the system housing and secure the drape.