Laser shield
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsRobert H. Brink, James H. C. Harper, Steven T. Link
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laser shield is constructed from a non-linting fabric sheet and a metal layer. The shield can be used as a laser-resistant surgical drape during laser surgery to protect the patient from aberrant laser strikes. The laser shield resists penetration by commonly-used surgical lasers, is non-reflective and flame resistant, and provides ready detection of any laser beam which strikes it.
Claims26
A laser-resistant surgical drape comprising an opaque, flexible, fabric sheet having one major surface juxtaposed with a reflective surface of a metal foil, said fabric sheet having about 40 or less pieces of lint/cm.sup.2 ;
- said metal foil having a thickness sufficient to resist puncture by a CO.sup.2 laser beam, 0.4 mm in diameter, using 20 watts of power for at least one second;
- and said fabric sheet and said metal foil having thicknesses sufficient to provide said laser-resistant surgical drape with a rigidity of less than about 0.1 kg.multidot.mm.
A laser shield for use in the field of operation during laser surgery comprising an opaque, flexible fabric sheet having one major surface juxtaposed with a reflective surface of a metal foil, said fabric sheet comprising nonwoven, knit or woven material, and said fabric sheet having about 40 or less pieces of lint/cm.sup.2 ;
- and said metal foil having a thickness sufficient to
- (a) resist puncture by a CO.sup.2 laser beam, 0.4 mm in diameter, using 20 watts of power for at least one second, and
- (b) provide said laser shield with a rigidity of less than about 60,000 kg.multidot.mm.
A laser-resistant surgical drape consisting essentially of first and second opaque, flexible fabric sheets, said first fabric sheet having a major surface juxtaposed with a reflective surface of a metal foil and said second fabric sheet having a major surface juxtaposed with the opposite side of said metal foil, such that said metal foil is sandwiched between said first and second fabric sheets, and first and second adhesive layers disposed between said first and second fabric sheets;
- wherein said first fabric sheet comprises thermoplastic polymeric fibers and said second fabric sheet is comprised of non-thermoplastic materials, and wherein both said first and second fabric sheets have about 40 or less pieces of lint/cm.sup.2 ;
- and wherein said metal foil has a thickness sufficient to resist puncture by a CO.sup.2 laser beam, 0.4 mm in diameter, using 20 watts of power for at least one second;
- and said fabric sheets and said metal foil have thicknesses sufficient to provide said laser-resistant surgical drape with a rigidity of less than about 0.1 kg.multidot.mm.
A laser shield for use in the field of operation during laser surgery comprising an opaque, flexible fabric sheet having one major surface juxtaposed with a reflective surface of a metal foil, said fabric sheet having about 40 or less pieces of lint/cm.sup.2 ;
- said metal foil haing a thickness sufficient to resist puncture by a CO.sub.2 laser beam, 2.0 mm in diameter, using 5 watts of power for at least 0.2 second;
- and said fabric sheet and said metal foil having thicknesses sufficient to provide said laser shield with a rigidity of less than about 60,000 kg.multidot.mm.
A laser-resistant surgical drape comprising an opaque, flexible, fabric sheet having one major surface juxtaposed with a reflective surface of a metal foil, said fabric sheet having about 40 or less pieces of lint/cm.sup.2 ;
- said metal foil having a thickness sufficient to resist puncture by a CO.sub.2 laser beam, 2.0 mm in diameter, using 5 watts of power for at least 0.2 second;
- and said fabric sheet and said metal foil having thicknesses sufficient to provide said laser-resistant surgical drape with a rigidity of less than about 0.1 kg.multidot.mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.