Surgical drape configuration and package

A configuration of surgical drapes for convenient dispensing and handling from a container. The configuration includes a continuous rolled length of surgical drapes having opposing major and minor longitudinal edges. Each drape of the continuous roll is separable from adjacent drapes by longitudinally spaced apart lines of weakness throughout the continuous length of surgical drapes. The continuous rolled length of surgical drapes includes an adhesive strip adjacent the major longitudinal edge of the continuous rolled length of surgical drape. The adhesive strip in turn carries a removable release liner thereover which preferably partially overhangs the adhesive strip. The continuous rolled length of surgical drapes further has an accordion pleat fold to thereby reduce the stored and dispensed width of each drape of said continuous length of surgical drapes.

TECHNICAL FIELD
 The present invention relates broadly to surgical drapes. More
 particularly, however, the invention relates to a surgical drape
 configuration and package permitting compact surgical drape storage for
 convenient dispensing and handling, and methods of dispensing and making
 same.
 BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
 Surgical drapes are known to have a variety of uses during all aspects of
 surgical operations. It is not uncommon to consume a great number of
 drapes even for the most elementary of procedures. Efficient and reliable
 storage, dispensing and deployment of bulk quantities of surgical drapes
 is most desirous. Heretofore, surgical drapes have been provided as
 sterile, individually folded and packaged products or as individually
 folded, non-sterile bulk packaged products.
 As surgical drapes have both sterile and non-sterile uses, use of the more
 convenient but package intensive individually folded and wrapped sterile
 drapes in non-sterile applications has proven cost prohibitive. The unit
 costs of individually folded and wrapped drapes are high because of
 additional and sometimes elaborate packaging that is provided and
 oftentimes required. This, in combination with the fact that operating
 room storage space is typically at a premium and room for surgical drapes
 a low priority, makes bulk packaging of surgical drapes an attractive
 alternative.
 Non-sterile bulk packed surgical drapes have had limited success as their
 packaging is generally not permitted in the operating room because they do
 not pass a minimum cleanliness threshold. When the bulk drapes are removed
 from their packaging or cartons, which can be a chore in and of itself,
 they are difficult to maintain in an orderly manner, usually becoming an
 unusable jumble of material. Furthermore, bulk storage exposes the entire
 supply to grasping hands in the operating room which may inadvertently
 cross contaminate remaining drapes of the bulk supply and thereby render
 them unusable.
 It is thus desirous and advantageous to provide a convenient way to store a
 greater density of surgical drapes and deliver individual drapes from a
 supply of surgical drapes in a neat, quick, efficient and reliable manner.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention is configuration of surgical drapes for convenient
 dispensing and handling from a container. The configuration comprises a
 continuous rolled length of surgical drapes having opposing major and
 minor longitudinal edges. Each drape of the continuous roll is separable
 from adjacent drapes by longitudinally spaced apart lines of weakness
 throughout the continuous length of surgical drapes. The continuous rolled
 length of surgical drapes includes an adhesive strip adjacent the major
 longitudinal edge of the continuous rolled length of surgical drape. The
 adhesive strip in turn is equipped with a removable release liner
 thereover which preferably partially overhangs the adhesive strip. The
 continuous rolled length of surgical drapes has a fold to thereby reduce
 the stored and dispensed width of each drape of said continuous length of
 surgical drapes.
 The fold generally takes the form of an accordion pleat, more particularly
 the fold forms overlying adjacent longitudinal drape panels. These panels
 are delimited by spaced apart longitudinal creases and have a collapsed
 zig-zag cross section. The minor longitudinal edge is positioned to be
 retained under the overhang of the removable release liner for especially
 easy handling and deployment (i.e., unfolding) of a dispensed drape.
 In a preferred embodiment, the configuration of surgical drapes is provided
 in combination with a container such that configuration of surgical drapes
 is removably housed therein for easy dispensing of at least one drape from
 the configuration of surgical drapes. The container generally includes a
 base joined to a cover at a common hinge to permit closure of the cover
 about the configuration of surgical drapes placed on the base. A drape
 dispensing mouth is formed opposite the common hinge and is configured to
 hold the outer most drape of the configuration of drapes in a position for
 easy grabbing and removal from the continuous rolled length of surgical
 drapes.
 More specifically, a package of surgical drapes is provided and includes a
 container having a base connected to a cover by a common hinge and a
 continuous rolled length of surgical drapes removably housed therein. The
 continuous rolled length of surgical drapes has opposing major and minor
 longitudinal edges. Each drape of said continuous roll being separable
 from adjacent drapes by longitudinally spaced apart lines of weakness
 throughout said continuous length of surgical drapes for easy dispensing
 of at least one drape from said continuous rolled length of surgical
 drapes. The continuous rolled length of surgical drapes further has a fold
 to thereby reduce the stored and dispensed width of each drape of the
 continuous length of surgical drapes.
 A method of storing and dispensing surgical drapes from a container is
 provided including the steps of: supplying a continuous length of surgical
 drapes having a uniform width where the drapes are separable by
 longitudinally spaced apart lines of weakness; folding the continuous
 length of surgical drapes in a manner to reduce the uniform width; rolling
 the reduced width continuous length of surgical drapes; providing a
 container having a base and a cover where the cover is joined to the base
 at a common hinge for closure of the cover; and housing the rolled reduced
 width continuous length of surgical drapes within the container for
 dispensing at least one drape from the configuration of surgical drapes.
 Finally, in a method of manufacturing a continuous rolled length of
 surgical drapes for convenient dispensing and handling, the steps of
 accordion folding the longitudinal edges of a supply of drape material
 towards the centerline of the supply; and cutting the supply along said
 centerline to thereby form two lengths of fan folded surgical drape
 material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
 Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like
 elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 & 2 illustrate a package of
 surgical drapes in plan and sectional views respectively. The package 10
 generally includes a special configuration of surgical drapes 20 housed
 within a container 50, with at least a portion of the end or outer most
 drape 22 of the supply 20 being accessible for dispensing therefrom. The
 supply of drapes 20 are provided in a continuous rolled length format
 having a special configuration permitting convenient dispensing and
 handling, whether or not a container is used. The continuous rolled length
 of drapes 20 generally has a width 25 and opposing major 26 and minor 28
 longitudinal edges. Each drape 21 of the continuous rolled length of
 surgical drapes 20 is separable from adjacent drapes by lines of weakness
 30. The lines of weakness 30 are longitudinally spaced apart throughout
 the continuous length of surgical drapes 20 to permit the easy tear
 removal of single or multiple drapes from the supply of drapes, and or
 from each other.
 FIGS. 3-5 illustrate a single drape of the configuration of surgical
 drapes. A layer of adhesive 32 (i.e., an adhesive strip) is preferably
 included and positioned adjacent to the major 26 longitudinal edge of the
 continuous rolled length of surgical drapes 20. The adhesive strip 32
 permits sure positioning of a single drape to, or in a work area, as well
 as affixation of single drapes to each other to create greater drape
 coverage in a work area. The adhesive strip 32 is equipped with a
 removable release liner 34 thereover, and may be adapted to carry printed
 matter 36 denoting the drapes as being "sterile" or "non-sterile" or other
 indicia believed to have significance to the users of such articles.
 Preferably the release liner 34 has a portion 38 overhanging the adhesive
 strip 32 on its inner longitudinal limit.
 As is best illustrated in FIG. 4, the continuous rolled length of surgical
 drapes 20 has a fold 40 throughout its length to thereby reduce the stored
 and dispensed width of each drape 21 of the specially configured supply
 20. The fold 40 generally resembles an accordion pleat. More specifically,
 the fold 40 forms overlying adjacent longitudinal drape panels 42, each of
 the panels 42 being separated by spaced apart longitudinal creases 44. The
 fold 40 produces a collapsed or flattened zig-zag cross section 46 for the
 continuous rolled length of surgical drapes 20 wherein the overlying or
 collapsed panels 42 do not overlap or otherwise interfere with the
 adhesive strip 32. However, the overhanging portion 38 of the release
 liner 34 creates a crotch (i.e., the space between the overhanging portion
 38 of the release liner 34 and the laterally extending drape panel 42
 thereunder) for receipt of the outer edge of the uppermost panel 28 (i.e.,
 the minor longitudinal edge 28 of the continuous length of surgical drapes
 20). This arrangement permits "tucking" the minor longitudinal edge 28 of
 the folded length of surgical drapes 20 under the overhanging release
 liner 34 to thereby form a neatly configured, easily dispensed drape 21
 that does not immediately unfold and become messy to handle. Furthermore,
 the overhanging release liner 34 permits an easy finger hold to facilitate
 removal of it from the adhesive 32 for affixation of the drape as is
 typically required.
 FIG. 5 illustrates a dispensed and deployed (i.e., unfolded for use) single
 drape 21 of the preferred embodiment having a overall length 23 and width
 25, four drape panels 42 and three creases 44. Assigning increasing
 numbers to the panels 42 from the minor longitudinal edge 28 to the major
 longitudinal edge 26 of the continuous length of surgical drape 20, the
 first drape panel is turned about the first longitudinal crease such that
 the top surface of the first drape panel substantially covers the top
 surface of the second drape panel. The second drape panel is turned about
 the second longitudinal crease such that the bottom surface of the second
 drape panel substantially covers the bottom surface of the third drape
 panel. The third drape panel is thereafter turned about the third
 longitudinal crease such that the top surface of the third drape panel
 covers a majority of the top surface of the fourth panel without
 overlapping the adhesive layer. Using this nomenclature, the fourth panel
 is the uppermost overlying drape panel, the panel that is tucked under the
 overhanging release liner 34 as shown in FIG. 4.
 FIGS. 5 & 6 illustrate the general manner in which the specially configured
 continuous rolled length of surgical drapes is formed. A continuous length
 of surgical drape material having an adhesive strip 32 straddling the
 longitudinal centerline 48 thereof is symmetrically accordion folded about
 the longitudinal center line 48 in a manner to produce the overlying
 adjacent longitudinal drape panels 42 hereinabove described. The release
 liner 34 is next applied over the adhesive strip 32 and the continuous
 length of drape material may then be scored or perforated (i.e., line of
 weakness 30 formed) at laterally spaced apart intervals to thereby
 establish the width 25 for each drape 21 of the continuous rolled supply
 of drapes 20. Finally, the supply of drape material so manipulated is cut
 or otherwise separated along its longitudinal centerline 48 to thereby
 form two mirror imaged intermediate products suited for further
 processing.
 Returning again to FIGS. 1, 2 & 2A, the container 50 for removably housing
 the configuration of surgical drapes 20 includes a base 52 joined to a
 cover 54 by a common hinge 56. For the most part, the cover 54 and base 52
 are symmetrical. It is important that at either the base 52 or the cover
 54 have a substantially flat surface portion 58 so as to be set down,
 confident that the package will not roll, be readily displaced or
 otherwise travel. Both the container base 52 and cover 54 have flanged
 portions 60 & 62 extending thereabout. The interface of the flanged cover
 62 and base 60 portions opposite the hinge 56 generally forms a drape
 dispensing mouth 64. The mouth 64 is configured to hold the outer most
 drape 22 of the configuration of drapes 20 in a position for easy grabbing
 and removal from the continuous rolled length of surgical drapes 20. The
 flanged portions 60 & 62 forming the container mouth 64 further include
 alignable notches 66 which provide a finger hold for a drape being held
 for dispensing should such a drape not extend or protrude beyond and from
 the mouth.
 Particularly now referring to FIG. 2A, the portion of the flanges 60 & 62
 forming the mouth 64 are equipped with cooperating means to secure the
 cover 54 to the base 52, namely paired knobs 68 and knob receiving holes
 70. Furthermore, at least one of the flanges 60/62 forming the container
 mouth 64 is equipped with a tensioning mechanism, here an upwardly
 projecting ridge 72 from the base flange 60 for engaging the drape 21
 positioned for dispensing against the portion of the cover flange 62
 forming the mouth 64, to prevent the outer most drape 22 of the continuous
 rolled length 20 from "creeping" or falling back into the dispenser 50.
 The surgical drape 21 is preferably a blown polyethylene film, however
 plastic films or non-woven material compositions are suitably configured.
 Film thicknesses ranging from about 0.001 to 0.006 inches may be worked,
 with a 0.002 inch polyethylene film being preferred. Lines of weakness are
 preferably formed using a perforating wheel, blade or equivalent device
 having approximately 20-30 teeth per inch.
 Each drape 21 of the continuous rolled length of surgical drapes 20 can be
 dimensioned to be 18 inches by 24 inches, with the stored and dispensed
 width for the continuous rolled length being roughly 7 inches. It will be
 understood, however, that other dimensions are contemplated and that those
 identified above are not exclusive. Supplies of 50 individual drapes as
 hereinabove dimensioned yield a very compact and highly manageable roll
 having a diameter less than about 4 inches (i.e., advantageously
 dimensioned for single hand holding).
 The adhesive strip 32 is preferably a tacky variety and is applied adjacent
 to the major longitudinal edge 26 of the continuous rolled length of
 surgical drapes 20 to a thickness of about 0.008 inches, with the
 thickness being more a function of the performance associated with any
 given adhesive. However, in all events, the relationship between the
 thicknesses of the drape material and the thickness of the adhesive strip
 32 in combination with the release liner 34 should be such that the
 thickness of the overlying adjacent longitudinal drape panels 42 having a
 collapsed zig-zag configuration 46 be substantially equivalent to the
 thickness of the adhesive strip 32 in combination with the release liner
 34. In this way, a substantially "lump" free rolled supply of compact
 surgical drapes is provided.
 The container 50 is generally a one piece thermoform, preferably a
 polyethylene, with its critical features being light weight and durable
 construction. Preferably the container is dimensioned to be held in one
 hand, thereby permitting one handed drape removal. A container about 8
 inches long, 5 inches wide and 4 inches tall is capable of housing the
 preferred drape supply for dispensing therefrom as outlined hereinabove.
 It will be understood that this disclosure, in many respects, is only
 illustrative. Changes may be made in details, particularly in matters of
 shape, size, material, and arrangement of parts without exceeding the
 scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is as
 defined in the language of the appended claims.