US3687140A

US3687140A - Surface conforming disposable surgical preparation applicator

Info

Publication number: US3687140A
Application number: US125141A
Authority: US
Inventors: Verne J Reynolds
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-03-17
Filing date: 1971-03-17
Publication date: 1972-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-29

Abstract

A combined surgical preparation compartmentized applicator tray feeding solution to and individually storing therein ready for use hand gripped surgical preparation applicators. Each of the surgical applicators has a sponge-like material mounted on a hand grip portion so that the sponge material is biased to a convex shape when stored in the tray to receive preparation solution. In applying the sponge portion of the applicator carrying the solution it conforms to the body contour and discharges the solution evenly and completely to all abutting surfaces.

Description

ilmte States atet sesame Reynolds Aug. 29, 1972 [54] SURFACE CONFORMING DISPOSABLE 1,805,299 5/1931 Van Sam ..401/ 130 SURGICAL PREPARATION F RE T APPLICATOR 0 IGN PATEN S 0R APPLICATIONS [72] Inventor: Verne J. Reynolds, 148 Jefierson, 577,563 6/1933 Germany ..128/269 Boise, Idaho 83702 Primary ExaminerLawrence W. Trapp [22] Fled: March 1971 Attorney-Jones and Lockwood [21] Appl. No.: 125,141

[57] ABSCT Related US. Application Data A comblned surgical preparatlon compartmentlzed i 1 Dwlslon of 839,963, y 8, 1969, applicator tray feeding solution to and individually 3,613,685- storing therein ready for use hand gripped surgical preparation applicators. Each of the surgical applica- [52] US. Cl. ..128/269, 15/244R tors has a Sponge like material mounted on a hand [51] hit. Cl. ..A61m g p portion so that the p g material is biased to a [58] Flew of convex shape when stored in the tray to receive 1/ preparation solution. In applying the sponge portion of the applicator carrying the solution it conforms to the [56] References cued body contour and discharges the solution evenly and UNITED STATES PATENTS completely to all abutting surfaces.

956,105 4/1910 Knickerbocker ..15/244 CH 5 Claims, 9

SURFACE CONFORWN G DISPOSABLE SURGICAL PREPARATION APPLICATOR This is a divisional application of my copending application, Ser. No. 839,963, filed July 8, 1969 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,685.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention The invention is directed to surgical preparation equipment and implements for applying desired solutions to body parts being prepared for surgery.

2. The Prior Art and Practices Most surgical preparations of the surface being subjected to surgery are performed after the anesthesia is established. The method of preparation has been relatively unchanged for many years except to vary the solutions. The present methods are seen as wanting for real thoroughness. Whether the applications are gloved hand using gauze sponges, or by sponge forceps using cotton balls or gauze, the applicators do not fit the body contours nor do they have a smooth surface free of wrinkles, etc., with equal pressure at all points. The present methods are time consuming because of failure of the applicator to fit contours and make wide area applications. The present method is usually not a complete set up, but needs many steps and movements to set up in the operating or prep room.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a surface applicator that through varying pressure adjusts itself to flat, concave or convex surfaces with an approximate 4 to inches evenly spread stroke.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of the invention, reference is had to the drawings, the written description and the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the solution tray and individual applicators stored therein;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tray and an applicator along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan fragmentary view of the solution filling and feeding trough attached to one side of the tray;

FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view of one of the applicators shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the applicator of FIG. 4 assembled;

FIG. 6 is a vertical view of the applicator in FIG. 5 with the front wall of the handle portion removed and the sponge portion in extended convex position with the biasing spring extended;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 with the sponge portion pressed into a concave position with the biasing spring compressed;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing another form of biasing spring; and

FIG. 9 is a further modified form that the biasing spring may take.

Throughout the description, like reference numbers refer to similar parts.

As assembly of a tray and applicator is shown at 1. The tray 2 is elongated and relatively shallow and carries the applicators generally indicated at 3.

The tray 2 has at one end spaced apart transversely extending partitions 4 that form individual compartments to receive the applicators 3. The other end or half of the tray at 5 is empty and provides a storage space for sterile gloves and instruments. The tray 2 may be molded of suitably plastic material and has an elongated side wall which has a trough 7 extending therealong through the extent of the transverse partitions 4. The wall 6 has vertical slots 60 in the trough area and there are corresponding vertically extending slots 7a in the inside face of outer wall of the trough, and slots 7b in the sloping bottom 7b of the trough.

"These slots receive removable partitions 8. The wall 6 of the tray has feed canals 6b therethrough leading from the trough 7to the individual compartments in which the applicators 3 are stored. The various solutions as desired for the applicators are placed in the respective compartments of the trough 7 and feed through the canals 6b to the individual compartments in the tray 2. The bottom of the tray 2 has a concave surface 9 that conforms to the extended convex surface of the sponge portion of the applicators 3 to be described as they rest therein to absorb solution.

THE APPLICATOR The applicator is generally indicated at 3 and it cooperates with the tray 2 for storing and receiving its charge of solution. The applicator is designed to be easily gripped by the hand of the user and to apply solution over an evenly spread stroke of four to five inches in width. It has pressure applied to the handle portion, and the sponge portion conforms to the body areas covered. The hand grip on the applicator is at a good spaced relation away from the body portions being treated.

The applicator 3 has a hollow handle or hollow housing 12 of generally rectangular parallelepiped shape and open at its bottom edge. It has a front face 13 and a rear 14 with a top 15 and ends 16 and 17. It is about 4 to 4 i2 inches wide, about 2 z inches high and about three-fourths inch thick. The lower edges 13a and 14a of the respective front and back are concave in shape with straight edge portions 13b and 14b at each end terminating at the

sides

16 and 17. The handle 12 as well as the other parts may be made of plastic and the whole applicator is disposable after use.

Housed within the hollow handle 12 are two

lever members

18 and 19. Lever member 18 is narrower and it fits within wider member 19.

Lever member 18 has a front 21 and a rear 22 spaced therefrom. The bottom of the front is straight and the left end, see FIG. 4, extends up to an acute angle 21b and curves in a convex manner while the right end extends up at an obtuse angle and curves back convexly to join the curved left-hand end. The back 22 is identically shaped to the front 21 and there is a peripheral wall joining the front 21 and back 22. A pivot pin receiving aperture 24 extends through the front 21 and back 22 in the left-hand end. An arcuate slot 21d is cut or formed in front 21 and a like slot 22d in alignment therewith is in the back 22. A pivot pin 25 extends through a pivot receiving aperture in the handle and passes through the pivot apertures 24 in lever 18 and on into pivot receiving aperture 12c in the back 14.

The other lever member 19 is like shaped to the lever member 18. It has a front 31 and a back 32 that are joined by a peripheral wall that extends at the bottom and along the top so that the end is left open in the lever to receive the other lever 18. Pivot apertures 34 receive another pivot pin 25 that passes through apertures 13c and 120 in the lower right-hand cornerof the handle.

Arcuate slots

31d and 32d are formed in the front 31. and back 32, respectively, of the lever 19. In assembled position, the arcuate slots have extending therethrough a common slot pin that is secured in

apertures

13d and 14d in the handle 12.

In the form shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7, a circular biasing spring 27 is housed within the hollow handle 12 where it is secured to the top 15 by a rivet 27a. This presses against the top walls of the levers l8 and 19 and biases them to downwardly pivoted position as shown in FIGS. 2, and 6.

A sponge or foam rubber strip 28 that has high solution absorbing properties is secured to the respective bottom portion of the peripheral walls of the

levers

18 and 19 by suitable adhesive. This sponge or absorbing member assumes the convex position as shown in FIG. 2 in the housed position in the tray and butts the concave surface 9 in the tray bottom where it absorbs solution.

Various solutions may be selectively inserted in the respective divisions of the feed trough 7 and fed through the canals 6b to the individual compartments in the tray housing the respective applicators 3.

In FIG. 7, it will be observed that pressure has been applied to the handle 12 and the sponge portion 28 of the applicator has been pressed against a convex shaped body portion (not shown) whereupon the sponge 28 assumes a concave conforming shape through the pivoting of the

respective levers

18 and 19.

In FIG. 8 a modified form of biasing spring 36 is illustrated which is of arcuate C-shape and is suspended from the inside top of the handle by a rivet 36a.

In FIG. 9, a still further type of biasing spring is shown as an elastic band 37 that extends from one lever pivot pin 25 to the opposite pivot pin and rides against the top peripheral walls of the

levers

18 and 19 urging them downwardly.

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical preparation solution applicator comprising an elongated hollow handle open at its bottom which is concave in shape in its elongated direction,

a pair of lever members pivoted within the elongated hollow handle at each end adjacent the open bottom,

an elongated sponge-like member for absorbing and dispensing solution attached to said levers so as to position it at the open end of said handle, and

a spring means in said hollow handle pressing against said lever members to urge them outwardly whereupon the sponge-like member attached thereto extends in a convex shape.

2. A surgical preparation applicator according to claim 1 wherein said levers are hollow triangular-like in shape and are pivoted at their vertex to said handle, one of the lever members having a portion thereof swinging within the other lever as they both pivot, an arcuate slot in said levers and a guide pin extending thr said I tsand secu edi said dle,s id arcuate ts bei ng so shaped and posr i i o ned at they simultaneously slide past said stationary guide pin.

3. A surgical preparation applicator according to claim 2 wherein said spring means is a generally circular shaped spring attached to the inside of the top portion of the hollow handle.

4. A surgical preparation applicator according to claim 2 wherein said spring means is a pair of C-shaped springs attached at one end to the top portion of the

Claims

1. A surgical preparation solution applicator comprising an elongated hollow handle open at its bottom which is concave in shape in its elongated direction, a pair of lever members pivoted within the elongated hollow handle at each end adjacent the open bottom, an elongated sponge-like member for absorbing and dispensing solution attached to said levers so as to position it at the open end of said handle, and a spring means in said hollow handle pressing against said lever members to urge them outwardly whereupon the sponge-like member attached thereto extends in a convex shape.

2. A surgical preparation applicator according to claim 1 wherein said levers are hollow triangular-like in shape and are pivoted at their vertex to said handle, one of the lever members having a portion thereof swinging within the other lever as they both pivot, an arcuate slot in said levers and a guide pin extending through said slots and secured in said handle, said arcuate slots being so shaped and positioned that they simultaneously slide past said stationary guide pin.

4. A surgical preparation applicator according to claim 2 wherein said spring means is a pair of C-shaped springs attached at one end to the top portion of the hollow handle and respectively pressing against the lever members.

5. A surgical preparation applicator according to claim 2 wherein said spring means is an elastic band secured at each end to the adjacent pivoted ends of the levers and passing over the backs of said lever members.