Patent Application
20240382348
The present disclosure relates generally to devices and methods for treating dry skin, and more particularly, to devices and methods for treating dry cracked skin, or fissures, on a heel of a foot.
Dry cracked heels, or heel fissures, are a common problem affecting many individuals. Current treatments include moisturizing creams and lotions, which often provide temporary relief but fail to address the underlying causes and provide long-lasting healing. Therefore, there is a need for an improved solution that promotes effective healing of dry cracked heels or heel fissures.
The various systems and methods of the present disclosure have been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available devices and methods for interspinous-interlaminar stabilization systems.
In some embodiments, a method for treating a fissure of a heel, wherein the fissure extends from a side and/or back portion of the heel to a bottom portion of the heel, may include positioning a patch proximate the fissure. The patch may include an exterior-facing side formed of a flexible material, a skin-facing side comprising an adhesive material configured to adhere to the skin of the heel, a central portion having a first thickness, and an outer edge having a second thickness equal to the first thickness; wherein one of the exterior-facing side and the skin-facing side may include a hydrocolloid material. The method may further include applying the patch to the fissure such that the adhesive material retains the patch on the side and/or back portion of the heel and the bottom portion of the heel.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, both the exterior-facing side and the skin-facing side may include the hydrocolloid material.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the method may also include opening a sterile package containing the patch and removing the patch from the sterile package.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the patch may further include an ellipse shape having a uniform thickness.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the ellipse shape may have an aspect ratio of 2:1.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the ellipse shape may include a major axis less than or equal to 60 mm and a minor axis less than or equal to 30 mm.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the adhesive material may be configured so that 1) the patch remains in place after application and 2) the patch is removeable from the heel without causing damage to the skin of the heel or the fissure.
In some embodiments, a method for treating a fissure of a heel, wherein the fissure extends from a side and/or back portion of the heel to a bottom portion of the heel, may include positioning a patch proximate the fissure. The patch may include an exterior-facing side formed of a flexible material, a skin-facing side comprising an adhesive material configured to adhere to the skin of the heel; wherein one of the exterior-facing side and the skin-facing side includes a hydrocolloid material. The method may further include applying the patch to the fissure such that the adhesive material retains the patch on the side and/or back portion of the heel and the bottom portion of the heel; wherein the patch may further include an ellipse shape comprising a uniform thickness and the ellipse shape includes a major axis less than or equal to 60 mm and a minor axis less than or equal to 30 mm.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, both the exterior-facing side and the skin-facing side may include the hydrocolloid material.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the ellipse shape may have an aspect ratio of 2:1.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the adhesive material may be configured so that 1) the patch remains in place after application and 2) the patch is removeable from the heel without causing damage to the skin of the heel or the fissure.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the method may also include opening a sterile package containing the patch and removing the patch from the sterile package.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the patch may be flat within the sterile package.
In some embodiments, a method for treating a fissure of a heel, wherein the fissure extends from a side and/or back portion of the heel to a bottom portion of the heel, may include opening a sterile package containing a patch, wherein the patch is flat within the sterile package. The patch may further include an exterior-facing side formed of a flexible material and a skin-facing side including an adhesive material configured to adhere to the skin of the heel, wherein one of the exterior-facing side and the skin-facing side includes a hydrocolloid material. The method may further include, removing the patch from the sterile package, positioning the patch proximate the fissure, and applying the patch to the fissure such that the adhesive material retains the patch on the side and/or back portion of the heel and the bottom portion of the heel.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, both the exterior-facing side and the skin-facing side may include the hydrocolloid material.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the ellipse shape may have an aspect ratio of 2:1.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the ellipse shape may have a major axis less than or equal to 60 mm and a minor axis less than or equal to 30 mm.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the adhesive material may be configured so that 1) the patch remains in place after application and 2) the patch is removeable from the heel without causing damage to the skin of the heel or the fissure.
In the method of any preceding paragraph, the patch may further include a central portion having a first thickness and an outer edge having a second thickness equal to the first thickness.
Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only exemplary embodiments and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of the scope of the appended claims, the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which:
Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. It will be readily understood that the components of the disclosure, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the apparatus, system, and method, as represented in
The phrases “connected to,” “coupled to” and “in communication with” refer to any form of interaction between two or more entities, including mechanical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, fluid, and thermal interaction. Two components may be functionally coupled to each other even though they are not in direct contact with each other. The term “abutting” refers to items that are in direct physical contact with each other, although the items may not necessarily be attached together. The phrase “fluid communication” refers to two features that are connected such that a fluid within one feature is able to pass into the other feature.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. While the various aspects of the embodiments are presented in drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated.
The device and method of use in accordance with the present application may overcome one or more of the above-discussed problems commonly associated with dry cracked heels. These and other unique features of the device and method of use are discussed below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The patch 100 may be configured to be easily applied to a heel and may be worn discreetly under socks and/or shoes, allowing users to continue their daily activities while benefiting from the healing process. The patch 100 may help the skin retain its own moisture.
The patch 100 may be configured to be hypoallergenic, sterile, and/or suitable for individuals with sensitive skin. The patch 100 may be pre-packaged in a manner designed to preserve sterility, for example, in an airtight seal or another antimicrobial barrier. The patch 100 may have a skin-facing side 120 covered by an adhesive material such that the patches are able to adhere to the skin of a heel 50. The adhesive may be configured such that adhesive material retains the patch on a heel. Additionally, the adhesive may be configured so that the patch may be removed from the heel 50 without causing damage to the skin or a fissure of the heel 50.
The patch 100 may further include an exterior-facing side 110 and a skin-facing side 120. The adhesive material 200 may be proximate the skin-facing side 120. The flexible material 210 may be proximate the exterior-facing side 110
The skin-facing side 120 may be configured to adhere directly to the skin of a heel. The skin-facing side 120 may include adhesive properties inherent in the adhesive material 200. For example, the adhesive material 200 may include a pressure sensitive adhesive, for example: rubber-based, acrylic-based and/or silicone-based pressure sensitive adhesive. Additionally, or alternatively, the skin-facing side 120 may include a second adhesive that is different than the adhesive material 200. The adhesive material may be latex-free.
The adhesive material 200 may be configured so that the patch 100 may remain in place after application of the patch 100 proximate the fissure. Additionally, the adhesive material 200 may be configured so that the patch 100 may be removed from the heel without causing damage to the skin of the heel or a fissure. Additionally, or alternatively, the adhesive material 200 may be configured such that, upon removal of the patch 100 from the heel, no adhesive residue remains on the skin of the heel or the fissure. The adhesive material 200 may include a medical grade hot melt adhesive.
The adhesive material 200 may include a hydrocolloid material comprising gelatin, pectin, carboxymethyl cellulose and/or other hygroscopic particles. The hydrocolloid material may be selected to absorb water and/or moisture from the skin that is in contact with the patch 100 and retain the moisture within the patch 100 forming a hydrocolloid gel. The hydrocolloid gel may create conditions under the patch 100 which may beneficially result in an environment conducive to the formation of keratinocytes and/or other types of skin cells. Additionally, the moist environment may help to expedite the removal of dead tissue.
The flexible material 210 may include a film and/or foam. The flexible material 210 may be configured to form a moisture barrier to maintain the moist environment between the adhesive material 200 and the skin. Additionally, or alternatively, the flexible material 210 may be configured to provide structural support to the adhesive material 200 to maintain the shape of the patch 100. Additionally, or alternatively, the flexible material 210 may be configured to prevent shearing and/or decomposition of the adhesive material 200.
Additionally, or alternatively, the flexible material 210 may also include a hydrocolloid material comprising gelatin, pectin, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and/or other hygroscopic particles. The flexible material may include a polyurethane film.
The ellipse shape may facilitate application proximate a fissure without modification of the patch 100, i.e., it may be unnecessary to cut a portion of the ellipse and/or modify the ellipse shape in order to apply the patch 100 proximate the fissure. The patch 100 may be configured as a flat ellipse and may be provided to a user in a flat configuration.
The patch 100 may not be configured as a 3-dimensional surface. The patch 100 may be configured as a solid shape and may not include slits, cuts, notches, tabs, and/or other interruptions in the elliptical profile. The patch 100 may not include additional shapes and/or portions extending from the edge of the ellipse.
The patch 100 may include an ellipse shape, wherein the ellipse includes a major axis 300 and a minor axis 310. Additionally, the ellipse may include an aspect ratio defined as the proportion of the length of the major axis to the length of the minor axis. For example, an ellipse with a major axis of 60 mm and a minor axis of 30 mm, will have an aspect ratio of 2:1.
The patch 100 may be configured such that the major axis 300 is within a range less than or equal to 60 mm and the minor axis is within a range less than or equal to 30 mm. In an embodiment, the patch 100 may be one of a set of differently-sized patches, each having a different major axis and/or minor axis.
Any methods disclosed herein include one or more steps or actions for performing the described method. The method steps and/or actions may be interchanged with one another. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is required for proper operation of the embodiment, the order and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modified.
Those of skill in the art will recognize that this is only one of many potential methods that may be used for treating a fissure of a heel. In alternative embodiments, different methods may be used to treat a fissure of a heel using the patch described above. Further, the methods set forth in
Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or “the embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the quoted phrases, or variations thereof, as recited throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description of embodiments, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, Figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require more features than those expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following this Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. This disclosure includes all permutations of the independent claims with their dependent claims.
The phrases “generally parallel” and “generally perpendicular” refer to structures that are within 30° parallelism or perpendicularity relative to each other, respectively. Recitation in the claims of the term “first” with respect to a feature or element does not necessarily imply the existence of a second or additional such feature or element. Elements recited in means-plus-function format are intended to be construed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112 Para. 6. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure.
While specific embodiments and applications of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the precise configuration and components disclosed herein. Various modifications, changes, and variations which will be apparent to those skilled in the art may be made in the arrangement, operation, and details of the methods and systems of the present disclosure without departing from its spirit and scope.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/467,313 filed on May 18, 2023, entitled HYDROCOLLOID PATCH TO HEAL DRY CRACKED HEELS, which is incorporated by reference as though set forth herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63467313 | May 2023 | US |
