US-12622763-B2 - Sterile cover assembly

Abstract

A touchscreen cover assembly embodiment is configured to create a sterile interface between a touchscreen and a user and includes a sterile frame and a sterile cover member. The sterile frame includes a forward frame surface and a rearward frame surface opposite the forward frame surface. The sterile frame defines an interior opening, and the sterile frame is configured to be secured to the touchscreen such that the rearward frame surface faces the touchscreen and the interior opening is aligned with a user interface of the touchscreen. The sterile cover member includes a forward cover portion and a rearward cover portion. The sterile cover member is configured to be secured to the touchscreen by the sterile frame such that the forward cover portion is positioned between the interior opening and the user interface of the touchscreen and the rearward cover portion is positioned over a housing of the touchscreen.

Inventors

• Blaise D. Porter
• Thomas Bergner
• Spencer Fodness-Bondhus

Assignees

• ACIST MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20200902

Claims (17)

1. 1 . A touchscreen cover assembly configured to create a sterile interface between a touchscreen and a user, the touchscreen cover assembly comprising: a sterile frame including a forward frame surface and a rearward frame surface opposite the forward frame surface, the sterile frame defining an interior opening, wherein the sterile frame is configured to be secured to the touchscreen such that the rearward frame surface faces the touchscreen and the interior opening is aligned with a user interface of the touchscreen; and a sterile cover member including a forward cover portion and a rearward cover portion, the forward cover portion integrated with the sterile frame and extending in a plane across the interior opening of the sterile frame, wherein the sterile cover member is configured to be secured to the touchscreen by the sterile frame such that the forward cover portion is positioned between the interior opening and the user interface of the touchscreen and the rearward cover portion is positioned over a housing of the touchscreen, wherein the sterile frame includes at least one adjustable securement member configured to secure the sterile frame to the touchscreen, the at least one adjustable securement member including a first adjustable securement member having a first securement arm and a second securement arm spaced from the first securement arm, the first securement arm and the second securement arm defining a first securement space therebetween configured to receive the touchscreen, wherein the first adjustable securement member is configured to be adjusted so as to change a size of the first securement space, wherein the sterile frame includes at least one handle, each at least one handle extending outward from a respective one of the at least one adjustable securement member in a direction parallel to the touchscreen, wherein each at least one handle includes a forward handle surface facing a common direction with the forward frame surface, wherein the sterile frame includes at least one first removable handling interface and the sterile cover member includes at least one second removable handling interface, each at least one first removable handling interface disposed on the forward frame surface and the forward handle surface of a respective one of the at least one handle, each at least one first and second removable handling interfaces configured to be used as contact points for the user while positioning the touchscreen cover assembly at the touchscreen, and configured to be removed from the sterile frame and sterile cover member respectively without contacting either the sterile frame or the sterile cover member.
2. 2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sterile cover member is configured to be secured to the touchscreen by the sterile frame such that the rearward cover portion is positioned over the housing of the touchscreen at a first surface of the touchscreen different than a second surface of the touchscreen having the user interface.
3. 3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the forward cover portion includes a continuous cover segment, and wherein the rearward cover portion includes cover segments defining a cover opening therebetween, and wherein the sterile cover member is configured to be secured to the touchscreen by the sterile frame such that the cover segments are positioned over the housing of the touchscreen and the cover opening is opposite the user interface of the touchscreen.
4. 4 . The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the sterile cover member is configured to be secured to the touchscreen by the sterile frame such that the cover segments are positioned over a mounting mechanism for the touchscreen and the cover opening is positioned around the mounting mechanism for the touchscreen.
5. 5 . The assembly of claim 3 , further comprising: a cover adjustment member configured, upon actuation, to reduce a space between the cover segments and the housing of the touchscreen.
6. 6 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the forward cover portion and the rearward cover portion are separate sterile cover portions, wherein the rearward frame surface is configured to secure the rearward cover portion to the touchscreen.
7. 7 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the forward cover portion and the rearward cover portion are integrated to form a single piece sterile cover member.
8. 8 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising: a spacing tab configured to be secured to the touchscreen and be positioned between the touchscreen and the sterile cover member, the spacing tab including a base configured to be secured to the touchscreen and a lip projecting out from the base so as to create a space between the forward cover portion and the user interface of the touchscreen.
9. 9 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one adjustable securement member includes a second adjustable securement member having a third securement arm and a fourth securement arm spaced from the third securement arm, the third securement arm and the fourth securement arm defining a second securement space therebetween configured to receive the touchscreen, wherein the second adjustable securement member is configured to be adjusted so as to change a size of the second securement space, the at least one handle includes a first handle and a second handle, wherein the first handle extends outward from the first adjustable securement member in a direction parallel to the touchscreen and the second handle extends outward from the second adjustable securement member in a direction parallel to the touchscreen.
10. 10 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sterile cover member includes a first sterile cover member and a second sterile cover member overlaying the first sterile cover member, wherein the first sterile cover member includes the forward cover portion and the rearward cover portion, wherein the second sterile cover member includes a second forward cover portion overlaying the forward cover portion of the first sterile cover member and a second rearward cover portion overlaying the rearward cover portion of the first sterile cover member, wherein the sterile cover member is configured to be secured to the touchscreen by the sterile frame such that the forward cover portion of the first sterile cover member is positioned between the second forward cover portion and the user interface of the touchscreen and the second forward cover portion is positioned between the interior opening and the forward cover portion of the first sterile cover member.
11. 11 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second sterile cover member is removably adhered to the first sterile cover member such that when the second sterile cover member is removed from the first sterile cover member the forward cover portion of the first sterile cover member is positioned between the interior opening and the user interface of the touchscreen and the rearward cover portion of the first sterile cover member is positioned over the housing of the touchscreen.
12. 12 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising: a first magnetic attachment member at the sterile frame, wherein the first magnetic attachment member is configured to magnetically attach to a second magnetic attachment member at the touchscreen to attach the sterile frame to the touchscreen.
13. 13 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first removable handling interface is in the form of a tab.
14. 14 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second removable handling interface is in the form of a pull string.
15. 15 . A touchscreen cover assembly configured to create a sterile interface between a touchscreen and a sterile user, the touchscreen cover assembly comprising: a sterile frame including a forward frame surface and a rearward frame surface opposite the forward frame surface, the sterile frame defining an interior opening, wherein the sterile frame is configured to be secured to the touchscreen such that the rearward frame surface faces the touchscreen and the interior opening is aligned with a user interface of the touchscreen; and a sterile cover member including a forward cover portion and a rearward cover portion, the forward cover portion integrated with the sterile frame and extending in a plane across the interior opening of the sterile frame, wherein the sterile cover member is configured to be secured to the touchscreen by the sterile frame such that the forward cover portion is positioned between the interior opening and the user interface of the touchscreen and the rearward cover portion is positioned over a housing of the touchscreen, wherein the sterile frame includes at least one adjustable securement member configured to secure the sterile frame to the touchscreen, the at least one adjustable securement member including a first adjustable securement member having a first securement arm and a second securement arm spaced from the first securement arm, the first securement arm and the second securement arm defining a first securement space therebetween configured to receive the touchscreen, wherein the first adjustable securement member is configured to be adjusted so as to change a size of the first securement space, wherein the sterile frame includes at least one first-handle, each at least one handle extending outward from a respective one of the at least one adjustable securement member in a direction parallel to the touchscreen, wherein each at least one handle includes a forward handle surface facing a common direction with the forward frame surface, wherein the sterile frame includes at least one first removable handling interface and the sterile cover member includes at least one second removable handling interface, each at least one said first removable handling interface disposed on the forward frame surface and the forward handle surface of a respective one of the at least one handle, each at least one first and second removable handling interfaces configured to be gripped by a non-sterile user to position the touchscreen cover assembly at the touchscreen, and to be removed by the non-sterile user from the touchscreen cover assembly after the sterile frame is secured to the touchscreen and before the sterile user interacts with the touchscreen.
16. 16 . The assembly of claim 15 , further comprising: a spacing tab configured to be secured to the touchscreen and be positioned between the touchscreen and the sterile cover member, the spacing tab including a base configured to be secured to the touchscreen and a lip projecting out from the base so as to create a space between the forward cover portion and the user interface of the touchscreen.
17. 17 . The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the at least one first removable handling interface is in the form of a tab.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure generally relates to systems, assemblies, and methods for creating a sterile interface. Certain embodiments relate to systems, assemblies, and methods including a touchscreen cover assembly for creating a sterile interface between a user and a touchscreen. BACKGROUND A sterile environment may be desirable in a variety of contexts, including in the medical context. In the medical context, various medical procedures may require a sterile environment in order to reduce the risk of infection and/or cross contamination to an exposed patient. To help facilitate a sterile environment, medical personnel present in the vicinity of the medical procedure sanitize themselves and wear protective clothing, such as disposable gloves, gowns, and aprons. To further help facilitate a sterile environment, many devices used for a medical procedure may be single use devices. However, for certain devices useful in a medical procedure it is impractical, for instance due to cost considerations, to dispose of such devices after a single use. Yet, these reusable devices should not comprise the sterile environment. SUMMARY Draping can be used in an attempt to shield certain reusable devices and, thereby, attempt to prevent such reusable devices from compromising the sterile environment. However, such draping can have drawbacks as it may not have the ability to fit the device adequately. For example, this can result in portions of the device being exposed within the sterile environment. As another example, the draping's inability to provide an adequate fit at the device can be undesirable for devices that require medical personnel interaction. For instance, this draping may be relatively loose fitting at the device's user interface thereby making it difficult for a medical user in the sterile environment to provide certain input at the user interface. Certain devices may include a touchscreen at which particular multi-touch inputs, such as touch-and-drag inputs, are needed from the medical user to provide necessary commands to the device. However, the presence of the loose fitting drape over the touchscreen may make it difficult, and in some cases even prevent, the medical user from successfully providing such multi-touch inputs at the touchscreen. This is of particular note in the medial procedure context where quick and accurate inputs can be important. Yet, since it is impractical to have a single use touchscreen, to create and maintain a sterile environment it is desirable to shield as much of the touchscreen as possible, including the user interface. Embodiments disclosed herein include touchscreen cover assemblies and methods that can create and/or maintain a sterile interface between a touchscreen and a user. Various such embodiments can be configured to fit a touchscreen device in a manner that reduces, or eliminates, exposed portions of the touchscreen device in the sterile environment. These embodiments can also be configured to fit a touchscreen device in a manner that better facilitates successful user input at the touchscreen's user interface. For example, these embodiments can be configured to facilitate various multi-touch inputs, such as touch-and-drag inputs, that are needed from a medical user in order to provide necessary commands to the device. This can be particularly useful in the medial procedure context as it can allow for such necessary inputs at the user interface in a quick and accurate manner while also creating and/or maintaining a sterile environment between the touchscreen and the medical user. One exemplary embodiment includes a touchscreen cover assembly. This touchscreen cover assembly embodiment is configured to create a sterile interface between a touchscreen and a user. The touchscreen cover assembly includes a sterile frame and a sterile cover member. The sterile frame includes a forward frame surface and a rearward frame surface opposite the forward frame surface. The sterile frame defines an interior opening, and the sterile frame is configured to be secured to the touchscreen such that the rearward frame surface faces the touchscreen and the interior opening is aligned with a user interface of the touchscreen. The sterile cover member includes a forward cover portion and a rearward cover portion. The sterile cover member is configured to be secured to the touchscreen by the sterile frame such that the forward cover portion is positioned between the interior opening and the user interface of the touchscreen and the rearward cover portion is positioned over a housing of the touchscreen. In a further embodiment of the touchscreen cover assembly, the sterile cover member is configured to be secured to the touchscreen by the sterile frame such that the rearward cover portion is positioned over the housing of the touchscreen. The rearward cover portion can be positioned over the housing of the touchscreen at a surface of the touchscreen different than a surface of the