Sterile Compartmented Drape System for Sequential Field Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical procedures often require sterile supplies to be maintained in a specific order to prevent infections, but individually packaged kits can become disorganized during shipping and use, leading to exposure and loss of sterility, especially in multi-step procedures where different supplies are needed at different times.
Innovation Solution
A sterile compartmented packaging system with clear or transparent pockets on two base drape materials, allowing for separation into distinct sterile fields or zones, ensuring that medical supplies are organized and accessible in the correct order without compromising sterility, using a foldable design that separates into two zones for sequential use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If individually packaged medical supply kits are used, then all necessary supplies for a procedure are bundled together, but once opened, items required in future time periods become exposed to the environment and lose sterility
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical kit is divided into multiple sealed compartments, each containing supplies for specific time periods or procedural stages. This segmentation allows the kit to maintain sterility while enabling sequential access to different supplies as needed during the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where multiple sealed compartments are arranged within a single surgical kit. Each compartment can be independently accessed without exposing other compartments, allowing supplies for future time periods to remain protected and sterile while being accessible when needed.
2Ease of operation
If components are stacked in order of use from top to bottom, then the correct order is established, but odd sized components shift inside the kit during shipping making the stack awkward and challenging to determine the correct order
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the kit into separate sealed compartments, each containing specific components. This segmentation eliminates the problem of components shifting during shipping, as each component remains fixed in its own compartment rather than being stacked together.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates visual indicators such as color-coded labels or transparent sections on the compartments that allow users to easily identify the correct order and contents of each compartment without needing to physically manipulate or rearrange components.
Data Source
AI summary
A pocket and drape system which provides multiple (e.g., at least two) sterile fields and the methodology for employing said system is provided. The system includes first and second base drape materials each having upper and lower edges edge both extending in a longitudinal direction and first and second side edges both extending in a transverse direction. The first base drape material and the second base drape material also each include a longitudinal fold line. A first zone of pockets is present on a surface of the first base drape material and a second zone of pockets is present on a surface of the second base drape material. The manner in which the base drape materials are folded and joined to each other during assembly (e.g., before sterilization) maintains the sterility of the first and second zone of pockets until each zone is ready for use during a medical procedure.