Sterile drape for robotic surgical equipment

A method for deploying a sterile surgical drape to protect a robotic surgical system, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

• providing a flexible plastic sheet comprising an oblong main panel surmounted by two flaps, each flap forming an internal pocket accessible through a flap opening, wherein the flaps are disposed on either side of a central cut-out;
• folding the drape into a compact packet having multiple folds that are secured by multiple adhesive tabs;
• partially unfolding the drape from the compact packet so that the both flap openings are accessible;
• sliding the two flaps, one overlapping the other, over a top of a central tower of a surgical robotic cart, having a mobile base with wheels, and having one or more robotic manipulator arms, which extend from one or two side(s) of the central tower, and a robotic central camera arm, which extends from a front of the central tower, such that the central camera arm of the cart extends through the central cut-out of the drape, and such that the manipulator arms extend around the main panel of the drape, and such that the main panel of the drape partially covers the front of the central tower but does not extend down to the mobile base of the cart, so as not to engage the wheels;
• moving the cart into position for a surgical procedure;
• and
• further unfolding the drape by successively releasing or removing the adhesive tabs so that the drape covers the entire front of the central tower down to the mobile base of the cart.