Apparatus, process and product

Abstract

Apparatus for manufacturing large disposable specialty drapes, particularly surgical drapes such as cystoscopy sheets and lithotomy sheets. Two strips of various stock material are automatically drawn to length from separate supplies, processed, and mated in the required configuration. The processing includes making of one or more fenestrations and, for those drapes requiring it, attachment of a filter. The material is then cut to length to provide the finished sheet. The work stations, at which the fenestrations are made, the filter attached, and the sheet cut, are spaced to permit these operations to be performed simultaneously on different sheets in a line. A control unit synchronizes and controls these operations. The finished sheet is provided with an improved filter which is attached to the sheet body by a heat sealing process, thus avoiding the separation of the filter due to excessive exposure to fluid in the course of a surgical procedure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.