Hinged Surgical Drape Cinch Assembly for Sterile Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical drapes for computer-assisted surgical systems face challenges in maintaining sterility and physical integrity by preventing excess material from contacting non-sterile components or becoming entangled during surgical procedures.

Innovation Solution

A cinch assembly, including a pair of links joined by a hinge joint, is affixed to the surgical drape to manage excess material, along with hinged cinch and attachment elements to secure the drape around the surgical system components, ensuring sterility and preventing entanglement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a surgical drape is used to cover surgical manipulators, then sterility is maintained, but excess drape material may contact non-sterile components or become entangled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterility maintenanceVSAvoidentanglement and contact with non-sterile components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the problematic excess drape material from the surgical field by introducing a drape management system that actively removes and contains the excess material, preventing it from contacting non-sterile components or becoming entangled with manipulators

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a drape management system as an intermediary between the sterile drape and non-sterile surgical components. This intermediary system manages the excess drape material, preventing direct contact between the drape and potentially contaminating components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the surgical drape is secured around manipulator assemblies, then sterility is maintained, but the drape may become entangled with moving components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterility maintenanceVSAvoiddrape integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic drape management mechanisms that can adapt to the movement of manipulator assemblies. The system includes movable components and adjustable securing mechanisms that maintain drape stability while accommodating the dynamic nature of surgical manipulators

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the drape management system into multiple independent components, including separate securing mechanisms for different manipulators and modular drape sections. This segmentation allows each component to be managed independently, reducing the risk of entanglement while maintaining overall sterility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12472026B2Mechanism for managing and retaining a surgical drape

Publication Date: 2025.11.18 INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS INC

AI summary

A cinch assembly affixed to a surgical drape may include at least two pairs of links connected by a hinge joint, with each link foldable relative to one another about the hinge joint between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration. A portion of the surgical drape may be in an extended configuration when the pairs of links are in the unfolded configuration and may be in a gathered configuration when the pairs of links are in the folded configuration. The cinch assembly may further include at least two alignment and attachment element assemblies including first and second attachment elements configured to align with and engage with first and second complementary attachment elements of equipment of a surgical system.