Patent Application
20120116278
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to articles of manufacture including bandages, methods of packaging bandages and also finds applicability in methods of applying bandages. Aspects of the invention are particularly well suited for use in special application bandage packs, such as those with a low-profile package and those used for rapid application to a patient, such as to secure trauma dressings.
b 2. Related Art
A bandage is a piece of material used typically to support a dressing, a splint, and/or a part of a patient's body. Bandages are available in a wide range of types, that may perform different functions and be particularly suited for different applications. For example, common gauze bandages may be made of a light cotton, or other gauze material, and be used to hold a dressing in place, whereas a compression bandage may be made from combinations of materials that provide light to moderate compression when applied adhesive to the skin of, and/or wrapping around, a body part of the patient.
Different types of bandages are more or less suited to particular packaging techniques based on such factors as the material, size, and intended use of the bandage. Commonly, bandages are rolled in a circular wrap that results in a relatively high profile (i.e. the roll thickness) compared to the length of the bandage.
Due to the variety of bandages that may be needed, and the size and number of bandage packs required, medical personnel, such as combat medics, EMT's, etc., are concerned with the size as well as the ease of use of the bandages themselves. This is becoming even more true with respect to military personnel, and the like, that may be required to carry their own supply of bandages, along with an ever-increasing assortment of tactical equipment. For example, a soldier may be more likely to actually carry a bandage that is easy to include on his person and that is easy to use. Whereas, a bandage pack that is bulky and inefficient to use in situations where they are typically needed may be left behind, and therefore not be available at a critical time when it is needed for potentially life-saving treatment. This concern applies to other professions in which readily accessible bandages are a requirement, such as law enforcement, firefighters, and the like.
Bandages may also be typically sealed in a packaging, such as a shrink wrap and the like, that protect the bandage from the elements, such as water and dirt. However, such packaging may also make the bandage difficult to access in tactical environments that may include low-light to dark conditions, a user's hands and/or the bandage packing being wet, and a user having otherwise limited use of their hands, such as debilitating hand or arm injuries, and/or having to apply a dressing and bandage to one's own arm. Such packaging, and the related roll configurations, can also present problems in controlling the bandage during application as the packaging is typically discarded upon opening, leaving the user with nothing to control the bandage other than physically gripping the bandage itself. Often times, because a user's hands are engaged with applying the bandage, the unused portion of the bandage roll may be dropped and allowed to unravel.
In light of the above, there are still problems and disadvantages associated with the known methods of bandage packaging, and the related methods of bandage application, particularly in tactical environments, including bulkiness, readiness and ease of use, durability and the like.
The invention provides articles of manufacture, methods for packaging and using bandages including an s-folded, or “fan folded”, bandage that is contained in a housing including an opening and a first strip of securing material proximate to the opening. The s-folded bandage may be substantially contained within the housing and may extend at least partially though the opening. In embodiments, the bandage may include a second strip of securing material that is configured to secure with the first strip of securing material.
In embodiments, the second strip of securing material may include a hook material that is configured to engage with loops of the first strip of securing material and/or a bandage material of the bandage. The second strip of securing material may be folded over an end of the bandage. In other embodiments, the first strip of securing material on the housing may be configured to engage with and secure a bandage material of the bandage.
In embodiments, the bandage pack may include means for distributing a pressure applied to a top of the housing across an area of the bandage that is larger than an area of the applied pressure. The housing comprises a wall material with a stiffness similar to impregnated cardboard, nylons and/or plastic sheets of approximately 0.5 mm-2 mm. According to embodiments, the housing may be manufactured from a material having a desired stiffness, such as, for example, a nylon or plastic material. The housing may be at least partly assembled around the bandage, such as by folding walls, and/or a top surface, of the housing around the bandage. The housing may be fixed around the bandage, such as by cementing or heat-treating the material of the housing to itself, and/or providing a wrapping material around the housing, etc.
In embodiments, the bandage may include an elastic wrap, and/or may be made of woven fabrics containing elastomeric filaments interspersed among non-elastomeric filler yarns, elastic non-woven fabrics of synthetic fibers, and other materials and combinations of materials known in the art. In other embodiments, the bandage may be a substantially inelastic material, such as nylon and/or spun fiber yarns such as cotton, viscose, polyester, cotton/viscose or cotton/polyester mixtures and other materials and combinations of materials known in the art.
In embodiments, the bandage may be about 12 feet long and/or about 4 inches wide.
According to other aspects of the invention, embodiments may include a method of packaging a bandage including providing a housing including an opening and a first strip of securing material proximate to the opening. An s-folded bandage may be placed substantially within the housing with an end of the bandage extending at least partially though the opening. In embodiments, the housing may be fixed around the bandage, such as by cementing or heat-treating the material of the housing to itself, and/or providing a wrapping material around the housing, etc.
Embodiments may also include removably securing an end of the bandage to the first strip of securing material via a second strip of securing material attached to the end of the bandage. Embodiments may include attaching the second strip of securing material to the end of the bandage such as, for example, by folding the second strip of securing material over the end of the bandage.
According to other aspects of the invention, embodiments may include a method of applying a bandage, such as those bandages and bandage packs described herein, including releasing an end of a bandage from engagement with a first strip of securing material proximate to an opening in a housing containing the bandage. Methods may include applying the bandage to a patient, including wrapping the bandage around a part of the patient's body and securing the end of the bandage to another portion of the bandage via a second strip of securing material attached to the end of the bandage that was used to engage with the first strip of securing material.
Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the invention claimed. The detailed description and the specific examples, however, indicate only preferred embodiments of the invention. Various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the detailed description serve to explain the principles of the invention. No attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention and various ways in which it may be practiced. In the drawings:
It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular methodology, protocols, and reagents, etc., described herein, as these may vary as the skilled artisan will recognize. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It also is be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “a lesion” is a reference to one or more lesions and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. The embodiments of the invention and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments and examples that are described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of one embodiment may be employed with other embodiments as the skilled artisan would recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the invention. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the invention may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the appended claims and applicable law. Moreover, it is noted that like reference numerals reference similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Moreover, provided immediately below is a “Definition” section, where certain terms related to the invention are defined specifically. Particular methods, devices, and materials are described, although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the invention. All references referred to herein are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
The term “bandage” as used herein refers to pieces of material used typically to protect, immobilize, compress, or support a wound or injured body part, and/or support a dressing, a splint, or similar medical device. Bandages are distinct from, but may by packaged with or attached to, dressings, that are typically applied directly to a wound. Bandages may be elastic or inelastic.
The terms “treating” and “treatment” as used herein refer to reduction in severity and/or frequency of symptoms, elimination of symptoms and/or underlying cause, prevention of the occurrence of symptoms and/or their underlying cause, and improvement or remediation of damage. Thus, for example, the present method of “treating” individuals afflicted with conditions requiring bandaging, as the term “treating” is used herein, encompasses treatment of conditions that suggest the applicability of bandages, with or without splints, dressings and other medical devices typically secured with bandages, to the symptomatic individual.
The term “patient” as in treatment of “a patient” refers to a mammalian individual afflicted with or prone to a condition, disease or disorder as specified herein, and includes both humans and animals.
The following preferred embodiments may be described in the context of exemplary bandage packs for ease of description and understanding. However, the invention is not limited to the specifically described bandage packs and methods, and may be adapted to various clinical applications without departing from the overall scope of the invention.
As further shown in
Sheet 110 may be formed with, or modified to include, an opening 140. Opening 140 may be dimensioned to allow a bandage to pass through the opening. In embodiments, the opening 140 may include additional material, not shown, to provide a better seal to the interior of the bandage pack and/or resist the movement of the bandage through the opening 140, such as, for example, flexible flaps, a rough material, adhesives, and the like. It should be noted that, although shown as a substantially unitary construction 100, the bandage housing may include multiple sheets of materials in different shapes and configurations without departing from the intended scope of the invention. Further aspects of the exemplary housing 100 are described with reference to
As shown in
The sheet 110 may further include a strip 150 of securing material, such as, for example hook, loop, adhesive and other materials that may be used to temporarily secure a part of a bandage to the housing. According to the embodiment depicted in
As further shown in
As shown in
With regard to the embodiment depicted in
The end 510 of the bandage may be secured to the housing of the bandage pack 500 by a securing strip 150. For example, the end 510 may include a loop material on at least a bottom side of the bandage that is configured to engage with a hook material of the strip 150. Other configurations are also contemplated including, for example, strip 150 being an adhesive or other securing material that is configured to engage with a material of the bandage.
As can also be seen in
The description given above is merely illustrative and is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible embodiments, applications or modifications of the invention. Thus, various modifications and variations of the described methods and systems of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments.
This application claims priority to and benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/381,506, filed Sep. 10, 2010, the disclosure of which is herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61381506 | Sep 2010 | US |
