Dissimilar polymer film joint with enhanced seal stability for medical drape
AssigneeMedline Industries, Inc.
InventorJoshua D. Gunn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A medical drape can be used during surgical procedures to help protect patients and equipment from contamination. The drape may comprise a first portion comprising a first polymer film material and a second portion comprising a second polymer film material. The two portions of film material may be connected at a joint. The joint may comprise an adhesive tape having an adhesive material on a first side to adhere the tape to the first film. A second side of the tape may be bonded or fused to the second film. The second side of the tape may be bonded or fused to the second film after the tape has been adhered to the first film.
Claims21
A method for forming a joint in a medical drape, the drape comprising
- a first portion having a first edge section and comprising a first polymer film, the first polymer film comprising a first polymeric component and having a first melting temperature;
- a second portion having a second edge section and comprising a second polymer film, the second polymer film comprising a second polymeric component and having a second melting temperature that is lower than the first melting temperature;
- and
- an adhesive tape comprising a carrier strip, the carrier strip comprising a first side on which an adhesive layer is distributed and a second side that is free from adhesive, wherein the carrier strip comprises the second polymeric component;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- applying the tape to a surface of the first drape edge section such that the carrier strip first side is adhered to the first polymer film by the adhesive layer;
- positioning the second drape portion such that the second edge section overlaps with the first edge section to form an overlap area and the adhesive tape is positioned at least partially within the overlap area between the first edge section and the second edge section with the carrier strip second side adjacent to the second polymer film;
- and
- applying heat to the overlap area such that the carrier strip second side is bonded to the adjacent second polymer film second edge section.
A method for forming a joint in a medical drape, the drape comprising
- a first portion having a first edge section and comprising a first polymer film, the first polymer film having a first melting temperature;
- a second portion having a second edge section and comprising a second polymer film, the second polymer film having a second melting temperature that is lower than the first melting temperature;
- and
- an adhesive tape comprising a carrier strip having a third melting temperature that is lower than the first melting temperature, the carrier strip comprising a first side on which an adhesive layer is distributed and a second side that is free from adhesive;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- applying the tape to a surface of the first drape edge section such that the carrier strip first side is adhered to the first polymer film by the adhesive layer;
- positioning the second drape portion such that the second edge section overlaps with the first edge section to form an overlap area and the adhesive tape is positioned at least partially within the overlap area between the first edge section and the second edge section with the carrier strip second side adjacent to the second polymer film;
- and
- heating at least a portion of the overlap area to a temperature that is lower than the first melting temperature and higher than the second melting temperature and third melting temperature.
The method of claim 15 wherein the first temperature is higher than 150 ℃, the second temperature is lower than 150 ℃, and the third temperature is lower than 150 ℃.
The method of claim 20 wherein the first temperature is higher than 150 ℃, the second temperature is lower than 130 ℃, and the third temperature is lower than 130 ℃.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.