Surgical Drape Adhesive Edge for Contour Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical drapes with adhesive edges struggle to create a leak-proof barrier on obese patients or those with curved body parts due to the inability of commercial drapes to follow body contours, leading to complicated application and increased leakage risks.
Innovation Solution
A surgical drape with a base sheet featuring a recessed edge region covered by a thin, flexible, and stretchable plastic film strip with an adhesive layer, allowing for easy application and adherence to curved skin surfaces, and providing handles for tensioning during application to prevent folds and ensure a secure barrier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a thin plastic film with adhesive is used for the adhesive edge, then flexibility and ability to follow body contours is improved, but handling and application becomes difficult due to lack of stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive edge is segmented into two functional parts: a thin plastic film for flexibility and contour adaptation, and a separate removable stiffening strip for handling. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The stiffening strip is applied preliminarily to provide handling capability during application, then removed after the drape is positioned. This preliminary action enables easy application without compromising the final flexibility needed for contour adaptation.
2Ease of operation
If a stiffening strip is added to enable handling, then ease of application is improved, but device complexity and production difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffening function is extracted as a separate removable strip rather than being integrated permanently into the adhesive edge structure. This allows the stiffening element to be applied only when needed and removed afterward, simplifying the overall design while maintaining functionality.
3Reliability
If the adhesive edge is made thick or rigid to ensure barrier integrity, then leak-proof barrier is improved, but flexibility and ability to follow curved contours deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive edge is constructed as a thin film structure that inherently provides both flexibility for contour adaptation and sufficient barrier integrity when properly applied. The thinness of the film enables it to conform to curved surfaces while maintaining its protective function.
4Ease of manufacture
If commercial adhesive edges are used, then production simplicity is maintained, but ability to follow body contours on obese or curved patients deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The key parameter changed is the thickness and flexibility of the adhesive edge material. By using a thin plastic film instead of traditional thicker adhesive edges, the product achieves contour-following capability while remaining relatively simple to produce through coating or lamination processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables easy, flexible, and secure application of the surgical drape on complex body contours, maintaining a leak-proof barrier even during skin stretching, reducing application complexity and leakage risks.
Implementation Method 1
a strip of thin plastic film having a layer of adhesive on one side thereof for attaching the surgical drape or towel to skin
Implementation Method 2
The thin plastic film is very flexible and can follow any curved contour of the body of a patient and also irregularities in the skin of the patient
Implementation Method 3
the thin plastic film is stretchable which facilitates application to curved contours and to irregularities in the skin and also enables an attached adhesive edge to follow any stretching of the skin occurring after application of the surgical drape or towel
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a surgical drape or towel comprising a base sheet composed of one or more layers. An edge region of the base sheet has a recess therein and the recess is covered by a strip of thin plastic film having a layer of adhesive on one side thereof for attaching the surgical drape or towel to skin.