Endoscopic draping apparatus and method

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, comprising: moving an opening on the drape over the instrument prior to said engagement step.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2, wherein said mounting step further comprises: short folding said drape over said mandrel.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3, wherein said securing step further comprises: mounting an outer housing over said mandrel; securing said drape to said mandrel by contact of said outer housing to the mandrel.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4, further comprising: providing a passageway between said mandrel outside of said bore and said outer housing to allow said drape to cover the instrument as said drape begins to feed off said mandrel.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5, further comprising: tapering said mandrel adjacent said passageway to facilitate said feeding step.

Claim 8

The method of claim 4, wherein said securing step further comprises: trapping said leading end between a snap fit of said outer housing to said mandrel; storing said drape in an annular space between said mandrel and said outer housing until said beginning to feed step draws said drape through said passageway.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7, further comprising: providing an opening in the trailing end of said drape; slipping said drape over the instrument with a portion of the instrument to be draped extending through said opening.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8, further comprising: slipping said drape over the endoscopic instrument by advancing said opening over the instrument; covering with said drape the endoscopic instrument comprising at least one of a camera, a coupling, and a light source.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9, wherein: slipping said drape over a coupling connecting the endoscopic instrument to a camera; securing said drape in said coupling by putting the coupling together, with said opening on said coupling; covering a camera and a portion of the coupling with said drape; leaving undraped the remainder of the coupling, the light source, and the endoscopic instrument.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing an opening in the trailing end of said drape; slipping said drape over the instrument with a portion of the article not to be draped extending through said opening.

Claim 13

The method of claim 11, further comprising: slipping said drape over the endoscopic instrument by advancing said opening over the instrument; covering with said drape the endoscopic instrument comprising at least one of a camera, a coupling, and a light source.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11, wherein: slipping said drape over a coupling connecting the endoscopic instrument to a camera; securing said drape in said coupling by putting the coupling together, with said opening on said coupling; covering a camera and a portion of the coupling with said drape; leaving undraped the remainder of the coupling, the light source, and the endoscopic instrument.

Claim 15

In combination, an endoscopic instrument comprising at least one of a camera, a coupling, or a light source, and an apparatus for dispensing a drape around said endoscopic instrument, said apparatus comprising: a mandrel having a bore therethrough, said bore being larger than said instrument to allow said mandrel to pass over said instrument; a drape mounted to said mandrel; an outer assembly mounted to said mandrel creating an annular space in which said drape is disposed, said outer assembly having an opening thereon; said drape extending into said bore such that advancement of said outer assembly brings said drape into contact with said instrument, with further movement of said outer assembly resulting in said drape extending through said opening in said outer assembly to drape said instrument as said bore is passed over said instrument.

Claim 16

In combination, an endoscopic instrument comprising at least one of a camera, a coupling, or a light source, and an apparatus for dispensing a drape around said endoscopic instrument, said apparatus comprising: a mandrel having a bore therethrough, said bore being larger than said instrument to allow said mandrel to pass over said instrument; a drape mounted to said mandrel; an outer assembly mounted to said mandrel creating an annular space in which said drape is disposed, said outer assembly having an opening thereon; said drape extending into said bore such that advancement of said outer assembly brings said drape into contact with said instrument, with further movement of said outer assembly resulting in said drape extending through said opening in said outer assembly to drape said instrument as said bore is passed over said instrument.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: said drape is corrugated on said mandrel to allow a given length of drape, when expanded, to be housed in said annulus on a mandrel that is significantly shorter than its expanded length.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: the ratio of said drape length when mounted over the said instrument and said drape when mounted on said mandrel is greater than 10:1.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said drape is folded in folds not exceeding 0.5 inch.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: said outer assembly snap fits to said mandrel; said snap fit engaging one end of said drape to retain it as its opposite end is fed out through said opening.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: said drape has an opening, said opening straddling the said instrument to be draped; said drape is cylindrically shaped when extended over the said instrument; said bore in said mandrel sized to fit closely over the said instrument such that said drape covers the said instrument with a minimum of slack.

Claim 22

In combination a drape dispenser and an endoscopic instrument comprising at least one of a camera, a coupling, or a light source, said dispenser comprising: a mandrel having a bore therethrough, said bore being larger than said instrument to allow said mandrel to pass over said instrument; a cover connected to said mandrel having an opening adjacent said bore to define an annular space for storage of a drape and an exit passageway from said annulus through said opening; means for securing an end of a drape in said annulus; said cover adapted to be grasped with one hand in applying a drape over said instrument by moving said bore over said instrument.

Claim 23

In combination a drape dispenser and an endoscopic instrument comprising at least one of a camera, a coupling, or a light source, said dispenser comprising: a mandrel having a bore therethrough, said bore being larger than said instrument to allow said mandrel to pass over said instrument; a cover connected to said mandrel having an opening adjacent said bore to define an annular space for storage of a drape and an exit passageway from said annulus through said opening; means for securing an end of a drape in said annulus; said cover adapted to be grasped with one hand in applying a drape over said instrument by moving said bore over said instrument.

Claim 24

The dispenser of claim 20, further comprising: a drape mounted to said mandrel in a manner where its mounted length is at most 1/10 of its extended length when draped over the instrument.

Claim 25

The dispenser of claim 21, wherein: said drape has a generally cylindrical shape when extended over the instrument, thereby closely conforming to the instrument over which said bore in said mandrel has been passed.

Claim 26

A drape dispenser allowing one person to drape an instrument for isolation thereof, said dispenser comprising: a mandrel having a first end and a second end and a bore therethrough, said bore being larger than the instrument to allow said mandrel to pass over the instrument, said mandrel having a flange at said first end; a drape mounted to said mandrel, a leading end of said drape secured to said first end of said mandrel and a trailing end of said drape having an expandable fenestration for imperviously contacting the instrument to be draped; a cover connected to said mandrel at said flange, capturing one end of said drape between said flange and said cover, and having an opening adjacent said bore at said second end of said mandrel to define an annular space for storage of said drape and an exit passageway from said annulus through said opening; said cover adapted to be grasped with one hand in applying said drape over the instrument by engaging the expandable fenestration of said drape with the instrument and feeding said drape off said mandrel by moving said bore over the instrument.

Claim 27

A drape dispenser allowing one person to drape an instrument for isolation thereof, said dispenser comprising: a mandrel having a first end and a second end and a bore therethrough, said bore being larger than the instrument to allow said mandrel to pass over the instrument, said mandrel having a flange at said first end; a drape mounted to said mandrel, a leading end of said drape secured to said first end of said mandrel and a trailing end of said drape having an expandable fenestration for imperviously contacting the instrument to be draped; a cover connected to said mandrel at said flange, capturing one end of said drape between said flange and said cover, and having an opening adjacent said bore at said second end of said mandrel to define an annular space for storage of said drape and an exit passageway from said annulus through said opening; said cover adapted to be grasped with one hand in applying said drape over the instrument by engaging the expandable fenestration of said drape with the instrument and feeding said drape off said mandrel by moving said bore over the instrument.