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Publication Number
US-12350003-B2
Publication Date
2025-07-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
A folded surgical drape, including: a tubular axially collected sheath having a distal end and a proximal end and a lumen between said distal end and said proximal end, wherein the axially collected sheath comprising at least one distal opening axially collected into said lumen and, wherein the axially collected sheath is axially folded to form at least one valley fold surrounding the distal opening sized and shaped for insertion of the user's hands on both sides of the distal opening.
Core Innovation
A surgical drape is configured for covering a surgical device having an extension, where the extension comprises a robotic arm. The drape includes a thin-walled flexible tube having a proximal tube-end and a distal tube-end, with a proximal opening sized to allow passage therethrough of at least a lengthwise portion of the non-extended portion of the surgical device without stretching and a mostly-closed distal tube-end including a distal aperture smaller than the proximal opening.
The distal aperture is larger than a width of the extension of the surgical device and sized to allow insertion therethrough of the extension without requiring contact therebetween, while preventing passage therethrough of the non-extended portion of the surgical device without stretching. The thin-walled flexible tube provides a straight configuration with a straight central axis passing through respective centers of the proximal and distal tube-ends, and the distal aperture is radially offset from the central axis.
The thin-walled flexible tube is axially foldable to form at least one valley fold surrounding the distal tube-end, with a fold line defined between two axially disposed portions of the thin-walled flexible tube. The valley fold is sized and shaped for insertion of hands of a user into the valley fold on two sides of the distal tube-end to manipulate the drape, and at least one distal fastener positioned near the distal tube-end closes the aperture about the extension of the surgical device.
In a corresponding surgical apparatus, a surgical device comprises a robotic arm extending distally from a body portion, with the body portion having a transverse cross-section at least 5 times larger than a transverse cross-section of the robotic arm. The surgical drape again includes the thin-walled flexible tube with a proximal opening permitting passage of at least a lengthwise portion of the body portion without requiring contact therebetween, and a distal aperture sized to allow insertion therethrough of the robotic arm without requiring contact therebetween.
Claims Coverage
The provided claim set includes two independent claims. The coverage is centered on a thin-walled flexible tube drape structure defined by proximal and distal openings, a straight configuration with a radially offset distal aperture, and an axially foldable valley fold that enables hands of a user to manipulate the distal tube-end, or, in the apparatus context, a straight configuration with defined cross-section relationships.
Valley fold drape with radially offset distal aperture and distal fastening
A surgical drape for covering a surgical device with a robotic arm extension, where the drape comprises a thin-walled flexible tube with proximal and mostly-closed distal tube-ends defining a proximal opening sized for passage of at least a lengthwise non-extended portion without stretching and a distal aperture smaller than the proximal opening but larger than an extension width to allow insertion without contact and to prevent passage of the non-extended portion without stretching; the tube is straight with a straight central axis passing through centers of the tube-ends while the distal aperture is radially offset; the tube is axially foldable to form at least one valley fold surrounding the distal tube-end with the valley fold sized for insertion of hands of a user on two sides of the distal tube-end; and at least one distal fastener near the distal tube-end closes the aperture about the extension.
Surgical apparatus with large body cross-section, straight-axis offset distal aperture, and proximal contact-free passage
A surgical apparatus comprising a surgical device with a robotic arm extending distally from a body portion having a transverse cross-section at least 5 times larger than a transverse cross-section of the robotic arm, and a surgical drape with a thin-walled flexible tube whose proximal tube-end is open to define a proximal opening permitting passage therethrough of at least a lengthwise portion of the body portion without requiring contact therebetween; the distal tube-end is mostly closed with a distal aperture smaller than the proximal opening and larger than the transverse cross-section of the robotic arm, the distal aperture sized to allow insertion of the robotic arm without requiring contact therebetween and to prevent passage of the body portion without stretching; and the thin-walled flexible tube is arrangeable or extendable to assume a straight configuration where a straight central axis passes through centers of the proximal and distal tube-ends with the distal aperture radially offset from the central axis.
Across the independent claims, the coverage is directed to a thin-walled flexible tube drape with proximal and distal openings that enable contact-free insertion relative to a robotic-arm extension and prevent passage of a non-extended or body portion without stretching. The drape and apparatus are further defined by a straight-configuration central axis with a radially offset distal aperture, and, in one independent claim, an axially foldable valley fold surrounding the distal tube-end sized for insertion of hands on two sides, with at least one distal fastener closing the distal aperture about the extension.
Stated Advantages
Allows insertion of the extension or robotic arm through the distal aperture without requiring contact therebetween.
Prevents passage of the non-extended portion or body portion through the distal aperture without stretching.
Enables a straight configuration of the thin-walled flexible tube with a straight central axis passing through centers of the proximal and distal tube-ends.
Allows insertion of hands of a user into the valley fold on two sides of the distal tube-end.
Closes the distal aperture about the extension using at least one distal fastener.
Documented Applications
Covering a surgical device that includes a robotic arm extension, using a drape formed by a thin-walled flexible tube configured with proximal and distal openings and a valley fold for user hand insertion to manipulate the distal tube-end.
Use in a surgical apparatus context where the body portion of the surgical device has a transverse cross-section at least 5 times larger than the robotic arm, and the drape enables contact-free passage of at least a lengthwise portion of the body portion through the proximal opening while allowing robotic-arm insertion through the distal aperture.
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