Telescopic Medical Drape Accordion Fold Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing equipment drapes for large medical equipment are cumbersome and time-consuming to deploy, often requiring multiple steps and risking contamination of the sterile field due to their complex folding and transparent design, which makes it difficult to find the proper opening.
Innovation Solution
A telescopic equipment drape with an accordion fold and visible insertion indicators allows for quick deployment in three steps, reducing the risk of contamination by enabling hand insertion before unfolding, and using an adhesive layer to maintain the folded state until use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the drape is made transparent to protect the sterile field, then the sterile field is protected, but it becomes difficult to find the ends and proper opening of the drape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color coding to the drape components - the first and second ends are made with different colors or visual indicators, allowing users to easily distinguish and locate the ends of the transparent drape without compromising sterile field protection. This visual differentiation solves the problem of finding drape ends while maintaining the transparency needed for sterile field visibility.
2Volume of moving object
If the drape is folded many times to fit into a manageable package, then the drape fits into a manageable package, but it becomes time-consuming and cumbersome to open
Solution Approach 1:
The drape is divided into multiple foldable sections or panels that can be independently manipulated. This segmentation allows the drape to be compactly folded for storage while enabling quick unfolding by simply separating the sections rather than unraveling multiple tight folds, significantly reducing the time required to deploy the drape.
Solution Approach 2:
The drape is pre-folded into a specific configuration with predetermined fold lines and alignment features that guide the unfolding process. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the drape is deployed, it unfolds in a controlled manner along pre-established paths, eliminating the need to search for fold lines or figure out the unfolding sequence, thus reducing deployment time.
3Volume of moving object
If the drape is folded many times to fit into a manageable package, then the drape fits into a manageable package, but the large number of folds increases the risk of contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The drape is pre-assembled with adhesive layers that bond the folded sections together in a sterile configuration before packaging. This preliminary bonding maintains the integrity of the folded structure during storage and transport, preventing accidental unfolding or contamination exposure while keeping the package compact. The adhesive bonds are designed to be easily broken during intentional deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The drape utilizes a flexible, self-sealing material structure that maintains its folded configuration through inherent material properties rather than rigid constraints. The flexible film can be compactly folded while maintaining barrier integrity, and the folding itself creates a protective configuration that reduces exposure to contaminants during handling and storage.
Data Source
AI summary
An equipment drape (1000) is made from an elongated drape body (1401) that includes an equipment opening (1041). The elongated drape body (1401) is telescopically folded (1403) to form a telescopic drape body (1404). An accordion fold (1501) is then applied to form a rectangular shape (1503). The distal edges (1011,1012) are then folded back over the rectangular shape (1503) to meet at a longitudinal part (1511). Insertion indicators (1043,1044) can be attached to the equipment opening (1041). A user can easily and quickly insert their hands into the equipment opening (1041) to deploy the equipment drape (1000) with a single motion without having to first fumble with and unfold the drape.