MXPA00009413A - Dispenser for roll of surgical drape material and methods of use - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser for a roll of surgical drape material comprises a frame for holding the roll and a blade assembly pivotally mounted on the frame. The frame includes a side portion for partially enclosing the roll and an opening for receiving the roll. The blade assembly includes a tensioning handle and a blade for cutting a selected length of surgical drape material, and is adapted to pivot from a shielded safety position to an unshielded cutting position.

Description

DESPACHADOR APPARATUS FOR A ROLL OF MATERIAL FOR SURGICAL FIELDS AND METHODS OF USE Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the dispensing apparatus for cutting and dispensing a material for surgical fields from a roll, in particular, to the dispensing apparatuses which have a motionless blade of a cutting blade that rotates from a position protected from safety to a cutting position.

Background of the Invention Surgical fields that are used to limit the risk of infection during surgical procedures by covering portions of the environment surrounding the aseptic field of operation, including the patient's body, which can not be properly sterilized or cleaned. The surgical fields provide a sterile barrier between the non-sterile areas and the open surgical incision and thus reduce the possibility of infection. The Ref: 123168 surgical fields are physically sterile, they are flexible sheets of a material that easily adapts to the shape of any object on which they are placed. Disposable surgical fields are well known and are available in several different forms that have different characteristics. The surgical fields can be absorbent or non-absorbent, on all or a part of its surface. They can be permeable to water vapor but impermeable to liquid. In addition, there are several surgical fields that have openings in their surfaces, to provide an uncovered area of the skin, in which the physician can make an incision. In contrast, other surgical fields called incision fields do not have these openings, and the surgeon makes his incision by cutting through the fabric of the field and the underlying skin. Fields may include several other advantageous features, including instrument or fluid collection bags, loops and absorbent pads. Disposable fields are normally sterilized and packaged individually or as part of a set of attachments with other surgical items. This leads to a considerable expense of packing and a waste when compared to the cost incurred, if several fields are packaged together. In addition, there is an additional waste resulting from the use of expensive sterile fields for medical procedures where sterility is not required. Sterile fields can be used in several of these procedures, without any increased risk of infection. Appropriate procedures for the use of non-sterile fields include any procedure in which a field needs to absorb the fluid, providing a barrier to preserve cleanliness at a site that is not close to the surgical incision. For example, non-sterile fields can be wrapped around a tourniquet that is not close to a wound, to keep it clean. The non-sterile fields can also be used to absorb puddles of fluid on, or near, the patient's body during a surgical preparation, at a location that is not close to a wound. Non-sterile fields can also be used to keep areas and equipment that are not close to the wound clean.

The application of E. U. A. Serial No. 08 / 855,687 addresses these problems, which provides a roll of a material for surgical fields of a continuous length that can be used to dispatch several surgical fields with a preselected length. The field material in the roll can be either sterile or non-sterile. A dispensing apparatus with a blade of a cutting blade is provided to cut the fields of the roll. By providing several fields in a single roll, the invention of Application 08/855, 687 eliminates packaging waste, resulting from the industrial practice of separately packing the individual fields. In addition, 'by providing the non-sterile fields of the Application 08/855687 provides a method to reduce unnecessary costs associated with the use of sterile fields within non-sterile procedures. However, there is a need for a safer dispensing apparatus for a roll of a material for surgical fields at the medical workplace. As a result of this, one drawback in using a dispensing apparatus with an unprotected or insufficiently protected blade blade is that there is a risk that the physician or other medical worker may be cut with the blade during an invasive procedure of an infectious disease. . In addition, a suitable dispensing apparatus should have a cutting blade blade, sharp enough to cut through the field material but protected to prevent accidental cuts to the skin. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aspects of the invention address these problems by providing a dispensing apparatus for a roll of a surgical field material having a blade blade assembly that rotates between a securely protected position and an unprotected position. to cut. When the dispensing apparatus is not used to cut the material for the surgical fields, a spring forces the blade blade assembly towards the protected safety position. In one aspect of the invention, the dispensing apparatus includes a frame for holding a roll of a surgical field material having a side portion for enclosing the roll and an opening for receiving the roll. The assembly of a blade blade including a tension handle and a blade blade is mounted rotatably on the frame. The blade blade assembly is adapted to rotate from a protected safety position to an unprotected position to cut when a force is exerted on the tensioning handle. In one aspect of the invention, a spring disposed between the frame and the tensioning handle exerts a force against the assembly of the blade that secures the blade in the protected safety position, when the dispensing apparatus is not in use. In yet another aspect of the invention, the frame of the dispensing apparatus further includes a hinge that allows the frame to be compressed and used to hold the roll during cutting and distribution. In yet another aspect of the invention, a set of implements for dispensing surgical field material from a roll is provided. The set of implements includes a roll of material for surgical fields in a dispensing apparatus made according to the invention. The dispensing apparatus comprises a frame for holding the roll and an assembly of a blade. The frame includes a side portion for partially enclosing the roll and an opening for receiving the roll. The blade blade assembly is rotatably mounted on the frame and includes a tensioning handle and a blade blade for cutting a selected length of surgical field material. The blade blade assembly is adapted to rotate from a protected safety position to an unprotected position to cut when a force is exerted on the tensioning handle. In yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for dispensing a selected length of material for surgical fields, from a roll, using a dispensing apparatus of the invention. The steps of the method include providing a roll of material in surgical fields; and providing a dispensing apparatus for the material of the surgical fields, which is made according to the present invention; placing the roll in the dispensing apparatus and unwinding a selected length of the surgical field material to be cut from the roll; pressing the tensioning handle towards the frame and therefore rotating the blade towards its unprotected position to make a cut; then cut the roll of the material for the surgical fields to the selected length with the blade unprotected. In still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for dispensing a selected length of a material for surgical fields from a roll, using a dispensing apparatus that includes a hinge in the frame, which allows the frame to be compressed and used. to grip the roll during cutting and distribution. The steps of the method include providing a roll of material for surgical fields; providing a dispensing apparatus having a hinge in the frame that allows the frame to be compressed circumferentially; placing the roll in the dispensing apparatus and unwinding a selected length of material for surgical fields to be cut from the roll; then press the tensioning handle towards the frame and therefore turn the blade to its unprotected cutting position; compress the frame to hold the roll, and cut the material for surgical fields, from the roll, with the knife blade unprotected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is further described, with reference to the accompanying Figures, wherein the same reference numbers refer to the same parts in various views, and wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view that shows a method of the invention of the surgical field dispensing apparatus showing the blade to cut in its securely protected position. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention with a roll of surgical field material inserted therein. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus with the blade in the protected safety position. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus with the blade in the cutting position. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention, with a roll of surgical field material inserted therein. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention with a roll of surgical field material inserted therein. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view with the blade in the protected safety position. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention with the blade in the cutting position. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention with a roll of surgical field material inserted therein.

Figure 10 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention with a roll of surgical field material inserted therein. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention with the blade in the protected safety position. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention with the blade in the cutting position. Figure 13 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention having a hinge in its frame. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention with the blade in the protected safety position. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention with the blade in the cutting position.

Detailed Description of the Invention The surgical field dispensing apparatus of the invention is used to dispatch a material for surgical fields from a roll of a continuous length. The material for surgical fields can be of any type and can be combined in a roll, or it can be sterile or non-sterile. The rolls of continuous length may be of any desired length, but preferably, they are long enough to provide several surgical fields. The material for surgical fields can include any of the characteristics normally found in disposable surgical fields. For example, they can include openings or penetrations through which a surgeon can make an incision. Or in the case of a surgical field for making an incision, it can include an adhesive on one of its sides to adhere the surgical field to the surface of the patient's skin. The material for surgical fields can also include sachets or bows to hold the instruments, tools, fluid bags, absorbent pads or other such items, that are useful during medical procedures. In addition, the material for surgical fields in the roll may have perforations or dashed lines to provide a guide for selecting an appropriate length of the surgical field. In addition, the surgical field material can be folded widthwise in the center, before it is wound, so that the surgical field can be expanded to a width greater than that of the roll, after being cut.

Figures 1-4 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the surgical field dispensing apparatus 10 of the invention. Figure 1 shows the dispensing apparatus 10 without a roll of surgical field material inserted therein, so that all parts of the dispensing apparatus can be easily illustrated and described. Figure 2 shows the dispensing apparatus 10 with a roll 40 of a material for surgical fields of a continuous length inserted there, as it appears when it is used.

The dispensing apparatus 10 includes a frame 30 for supporting a roll 40 of surgical field material and a blade blade assembly 20 rotatably mounted on the frame 30 to cut the preselected lengths of surgical field material, to be used as surgical fields. The frame 30 has a side portion 32 which is designed to partially enclose the roll 40 of the surgical field material and an opening 12 for positioning the roll within the frame 30. The frame 30 also includes the end pieces 34, which are associated with the tongues of the mandrel of the roll 40 to be inserted between these, against a reloaded force, which in turn retains the roll 40 comfortably within the frame 30. The retention rings of the roll mandrel 38, are sized and configured to conform to the inner circumference of the roll mandrel to prevent the roll mandrel from leaving the frame 30. In an alternative embodiment, the roll mandrel retaining rings 38 can be sized to receive the roll mandrel within its internal diameters and thus both retain the roll 40 inside the dispensing apparatus 10. • The assembly of the blade 20 is mounted rotatably on the frame 30 by means of rotating runners 28 in both end pieces 34 of the frame 30. The assembly of the blade blade 20 includes a tensioning handle 22 and a blade blade 24. The blade blade assembly 30 rotates around two runners 28. and therefore, rotates blade blade 24 from a safety protected position, shown in Figure 3, wherein the cutting surface of blade blade 24 is protected by a guard for blade blade 20, to an unprotected cutting position, which is shown in Figure 4, wherein the blade is exposed so that it can be used to cut the material for surgical fields. A spring 44 is disposed between the side portion 32 of the frame 30 and the tensioning handle 22. The spring 44 exerts a force on the assembly of the blade 20 which secures the blade 24 in the safety protected position when it is not is using.

To dispatch a surgical field using the dispensing apparatus 10, a roll 40 of surgical field material is inserted into the dispensing apparatus 10 through an opening 12 and placed between the end pieces 36. The retention rings of the roll mandrel 38 they sit on the ends of the mandrels of the roll 40 to prevent them from coming off. The user then advances the leading edge 42 of the roll 40 at a distance calculated to provide a surgical field of the desired length. Then, the user reduces the pressure on the tensioning handle 22, which compresses the spring 44, against the side portion 32 of the frame 30, and therefore, rotates the cutting blade blade 24 from a securely protected position, which is shown in Figure 3, towards an unprotected cutting position shown in Figure 4. Then, the surgical field material is pulled towards the blade 24, ready to cut the surgical field, of the roll 40. After that the surgical field has been cut, the tensioning handle 22 is released, and the spring 44 exerts a force against the assembly of the blade 20 that rotates the blade 24 back to the protected safety position that sample in Figure 3. The frame 30 and the tension handle 22 can be easily constructed of polymeric materials using techniques and methods that are well known. The frame 30 can be suitably made of any size necessary to accommodate a roll 40 of surgical field material having any desired width. In a preferred embodiment, blade blade 24 and side portion 32 are between 10.16 cm and 91.44 cm long. In a more preferred embodiment, they are between 10.16 cm and 60.96 cm long. In the most preferred mode they are between 10.16 cm and 45.72 cm long. The frame 30 can be made in any way to receive and store a cylindrical roll of material. However, the frame 30 is preferably shaped to match the shape of the roll 40, more preferably it has a semi-cylindrical shape. The blade 24, preferably, can be made of any material capable of providing a sharp and cutting edge. More preferably, the blade blade 24 is made of metal. In a preferred embodiment, the blade blade 24 is flat and straight as shown in Figure 1. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the blade blade is serrated as shown in the blade blade 124 of the Figure 5. The spring 44 which is used in the dispensing apparatus 10 can be made of any material having sufficient elasticity and flexibility to generate the force necessary to rotate the assembly of the blade blade 20 and hold the blade blade 24 securely against the blade blade guard 26 in the protected safety position. The spring 44 can be of any type of spring that includes, only by way of a non-limiting example, a leaf spring, or a spiral spring. The spring 44 can be fixed at one end, either to the side portion of the frame 32, or to the tension handle 22. In an alternative embodiment, the spring 44 can be fixed to both the side portion 32, and the tension handle 22. In In another alternative embodiment, the spring 44 may not be fixed to the lateral portion 32, nor to the tensioning handle 22, but instead may occupy a position therebetween. More than one spring may be used in the dispensing apparatus of the invention. Preferably, in the dispensing apparatus 10 shown in Figures 3-4, the spring 44 is a fixed leaf spring at one end of the side portion 32 of the frame 30. The spring 44 can be made of a polymeric material , and preferably can be made of a material to the frame 30. When the spring 44 is made of a polymeric material, it can be made apart from the frame 30, or it can be emptied from the same mold as the frame 30, in the manner of an integral part of the frame 30. In this embodiment, more preferably, the spring 44 is made of a polymeric material. In an alternative embodiment of the dispensing apparatus 110, which is shown in Figures 5-8, the spring 144 is a leaf spring that is bent and exposed between the side portion 132 of the frame 130 and the tensioning handle 122. More preferably, the spring 144, in this embodiment, is made of metal. Figure 7 shows the dispensing apparatus 110 with the knife blade 124 in the protected safety position, adjacent to the blade guard 126. The dispensing apparatus 110 is shown in the unprotected position to cut together with the spring 144 in a compressed position as shown in Figure 8. In another alternative embodiment of the dispensing apparatus 210, shown in Figures 9-12, two leaf springs 244 are used to hold the blade blade 224 in the safety protected position when It is not being used to cut. As an additional safety feature, a locking tab 270 is provided to lock in place one or both of the springs 244, and prevent the blade blade 224 from unintentionally rotating to the unprotected position for cutting, which is shown in Figure 11. The tongue 270 can be a toothed tongue that moves between an outward position and an inward position, as shown in Figure 11, in the outward position, the tongue 270 prevents the spring 244 the blade blade 224 is compressed and thereby locked in the safety protected position. The tab 270 is separated, as shown in Figure 12, and the spring 244 can be compressed and the blade blade can be rotated in the cutting position. In an alternative embodiment, which is not shown, the locking tab may be a sliding tab that moves from a locking position in which it blocks compression of the spring, to a cutting position where the spring can be freely compressed. As best shown in Figure 6, the dispensing apparatus 110 of the invention may also include a handle 150 on the frame 130 to utilize and firmly hold the dispensing apparatus 110 while it is being used to dispatch the material for surgical fields. Figures 13-15 even show another embodiment of the dispensing apparatus 310 of the invention which includes a further feature which is a hinge 380 between the frame 330 which is perpendicular to the end pieces 334. The hinge 380 preferably is constructed of a flexible polymeric material that allows the user of the dispensing apparatus to compress in its circumference, to the frame 330, tightening the frame 330 on both sides of the hinge 380. In this way the dispensing apparatus 310 can be used to hold the roll 40 firmly while The material is sent for surgical fields. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the hinge 380 is a hinge with free movement. An alternative configuration of the blade blade 324 is also provided as part of the dispensing apparatus 310. The blade blade 324 is inclined so that when it is in the protected safety position, shown in Figure 14, the edge of the blade blade points toward the inner wall of the side portion 332 of the frame 330. When the blade blade 324 is rotated toward the unprotected cutting position, as shown in Figure 15, the blade blade 324 contacts the surface upper of the roll 340. This configuration of the blade blade 324 provides an additional margin of safety because the cutting surface of the blade blade 324 is never openly exposed, even when the blade is in the unprotected cutting position. Therefore, the possibility that a user accidentally cuts himself on the blade is further reduced when the blade blade 324 is used. The blade blade 324 is shown in particular, with reference to the modality that is illustrated in Figures 13-15, it is understood that this configuration can be used in any of the embodiments of the invention. To dispatch a surgical field using the dispensing apparatus 310, a roll of a surgical field material 340 is placed inside the dispensing apparatus 310 from the two terminal ends 334, and the retention rings of the roll mandrel 338 are inserted into the mandrel of the surgical mandrel. Roll 340 to hold it firmly in place during the distribution operation. While holding the dispensing apparatus 310 with one hand, the user pulls the leading edge 342 of the roll 340 at a distance calculated to provide a surgical field of the selected size. The user then compresses the frame 330 to hold the roll 340 during the dispensing operation. When the roll 340 is held in this manner, the blade blade 324, which is still in the protected safety position of Figure 14, is pushed further towards the roll 340. Then the spring 344 is compressed with the tensioning handle 322 and the blade blade 324 flows toward the cutting position shown in Figure 15. Then the surgical field is cut off from the roll by pulling the surgical field material toward the knife 324. The present invention is now described with reference to various embodiments this. The detailed description and the above examples are given only as clarity and understanding. It is not necessary to understand, from these, any unnecessary limitation. It is apparent to those skilled in the art, that various changes can be made in the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited by the details or exact structures that are described herein, but rather by the structures described in the language of the claims, and the equivalents of those structures.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best known method for the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects or products to which it refers.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. A dispensing apparatus for a material for surgical fields in a roll, characterized in that it comprises: a) a frame for supporting a roll which includes a side portion for partially enclosing the roll and an opening for receiving the roll; and b) a rotary blade blade assembly that is shown in the frame and includes a tensioning handle and a blade to cut, at a selected length, a material for surgical fields, the blade blade assembly it is adapted to rotate from a protected safety position, to an unprotected position to cut when a force is exerted on the tensioning handle.

2. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises (c) a spring that secures the blade in the protected safety position when the spring is not compressed.

3. A dispensing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the spring is arranged between the frame and the tensioning handle.

4. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises two or more springs.

5. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the dispensing apparatus further comprises a movable closing tab having a first position wherein the tongue prevents compression of the spring and a second position where the tongue allows the spring to be compress.

6. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the dispensing apparatus further comprises a movable closing tab having a first position wherein the tab prevents compression of at least one of the springs and a second position where the tongue allows the spring to be compressed.

7. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame further comprises a hinge that allows the frame to be compressed and used to hold the roll during the cutting and distribution operation.

8. A set of implements for dispatching the surgical fields, characterized in that it comprises: a) a roll of a material for surgical fields; b) a dispensing apparatus for the roll of surgical field material, comprising i) a frame for supporting the roll having a portion for partially enclosing the roll and an opening for receiving the roll; ii) an assembly of a blade blade that is rotatably mounted to the frame including a tensioning handle and a blade blade for cutting a selected length of a material for surgical fields, the blade blade assembly adapts to rotate from a protected safety position to an unprotected position to cut when a force is exerted on the tensioning handle.

9. The set of implements according to claim 8, characterized in that the dispensing apparatus further comprises (iii) a spring that secures the blade in the protected safety position when the roll is not compressed.

10. The set of implements according to claim 9, characterized in that the spring is arranged between the frame and the tensioning handle.