Patent Application
20050178783
The present invention relates generally to dispensing devices and more particularly to a first-aid dispensing system having a plurality of dispensing modules.
First-aid supplies, including adhesive bandages and antibacterial cream, are widely used in homes, schools, and places of work for treatment of skin injuries such as minor cuts, punctures, and abrasions. These supplies are typically contained in different packages and stored in drawers, cabinets, or shelves, often requiring a user to search for several packages in order to provide adequate first aid.
A group of individually packaged adhesive bandages, e.g., twenty to thirty bandages, are typically contained in a cardboard or metal box having a hinged lid. Often, different sizes of adhesive bandages are packaged together in a single box. The conventional manner of storing and packaging adhesive bandage strips has a number of drawbacks. It may be difficult to observe and select the desired bandage strip from the conventional container due to the tendency of its contents to become disorganized over time. It may be difficult to determine whether a particular size needs replenishing without emptying the whole box. There may be a tendency to run out of the more popular types of adhesive bandage strips in the assortment, thereby leaving an excess of the types of bandage strips that are used less often. In addition, conventional containers of adhesive bandage strips are easy to misplace and upset.
Often, the use of adhesive bandages is accompanied by the use of an antibacterial cream or gel. These creams or gels are generally packaged in a squeezable tube and stored in a drawer, cabinet, or shelf. These tubes do not easily stand upright, resulting in a disorganized appearance in a cabinet or on a shelf. Moreover, the tubes do not stack neatly next to adhesive bandage boxes, resulting in them often being stored in a different location than the adhesive bandage.
Often, injuries require that direct pressure be applied to the cut, leaving only one hand to prepare the first-aid bandage and related applications. It may be difficult to remove the cap on a tube, squeeze out its contents, and reapply the cap on the tube with one hand. It may also be difficult to locate an adhesive bandage box, retrieve the correct size bandage from it, remove the protective packaging, and apply the bandage with one hand.
It is widely recommended in the health care profession that cuts and abrasions should be cleansed before adhering a bandage to reduce the threat of infection. If one does not have easy access to a sink, cleansing wipes are sometimes used. These wipes are often sold in small pre-packaged packets to prevent them from drying out. These packets are difficult to open with one hand, result in wasted packaging, and often appear disorganized on a shelf, in a drawer, or in a cabinet.
There are hundreds of items that may be used with first-aid products. Analgesic tablets or capsules, anti-itch cream, gauze, and cotton balls are a few examples. Each person may have a different combination of items that they prefer to use as first aid. Regardless of the different combination of first-aid items used, usage of first-aid products often necessitates some waste, which may include removing an old bandage or removing the packaging from an individually wrapped product.
A variety of first-aid kits have been designed for use in providing care in an emergency. They generally consist of a box that contains many items related to first-aid, including adhesive bandages, creams and gels, and cleansing wipes. First-aid kits are typically compact, to allow for easy storage, and portable, to allow users to bring the first-aid kit with them in a variety of situations. Conventional first-aid kits have a number of drawbacks. They quickly become very disorganized, making it difficult to find the required product without emptying most of the kit. In addition, in most first-aid kits, there is no clear indicator when a certain product has been depleted, so users may only be aware of a missing product when they look for it in an emergency. Replenishing items in a first-aid kit often consists of purchasing a first-aid product like a box of bandages, removing some of them from the packaging and placing them in the kit, and then storing the remainder of the box elsewhere. Moreover, the kit and its contents are difficult to access with one hand. Finally, the portable nature of a first-aid kit makes it easy to misplace and time-consuming to retrieve from its stored location in an emergency.
One aspect of the present invention is a dispensing system for storing and dispensing bandages and other first-aid supplies. The dispensing system includes the following: a plurality of bandages; one or more single-use disposable bandage modules, each of the modules having a plurality of walls joined with one another to form a substantially sealed body having an internal cavity for receiving the plurality of bandages, one of the walls having an opening through which the bandages may be dispensed from the cavity, wherein said walls are constructed and joined to one another so that the cavity is not accessible without damaging the walls.
Another aspect of the present invention is a single-use, disposable module for storing and dispensing bandages. The module includes the following: a plurality of walls permanently connected together to form a substantially sealed body having an internal cavity for receiving a plurality of bandages; an opening formed in at least one of the plurality of walls through which the plurality of bandages may be dispensed from the cavity; and wherein the module is pre-loaded with the plurality of bandages at the time of manufacture such that the module may not be refilled without damaging one or more of the plurality of walls.
Still another aspect of the present invention is a method of forming a first-aid dispensing system for mounting on a surface. The method includes the following steps: obtaining at least two single-use type, non-refillable, disposable bandage modules; connecting the at least two modules together; and positioning the modules on a surface.
Still another aspect of the present invention is a surface-mounted dispensing system for dispensing bandages. The system includes the following: one or more single-use disposable bandage modules, each of the modules having a plurality of walls joined with one another to form a substantially sealed body having an internal cavity for receiving the plurality of bandages, one of the walls having an opening through which the bandages may be dispensed from the cavity, wherein the walls are constructed and joined to one another so that the cavity is not accessible without damaging the walls; structure for releasably joining the modules to one another; and structure for releasably mounting the modules to a surface.
Other features, utilities and advantages of various embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show a form of the invention that is presently preferred. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein:
The present invention is a customizable modularized first-aid dispensing system made up of individual modules that contain first-aid products and that are connected to each other and mounted on a surface. The dispensing modules are easily attached to and disconnected from each other to provide an integrated dispensing device of variable size that may be accessed quickly and efficiently with one hand or two. The modules may be discarded when their originally loaded supply is exhausted, thereby clearly indicating which products remain stocked (those with the modules showing) and which need replenishment. The pre-loaded modules may contain a variety of first-aid products: adhesive bandages in a roll or stack with minimal packaging; lotions, creams, and gels; wipes; and gauze pads. The system may also include a user-defined module that the user may fill with any first-aid product desired. The system may further include a trash receptacle module to collect waste.
An example of the disclosed invention is depicted in
Referring now to the drawings,
Because cavity 118 is substantially sealed in that it does not include any openings other than opening 119, bandages are typically loaded in cavity 118 during fabrication of module 110. In addition, as one skilled in the art will appreciate, because opening 119 is generally only large enough to facilitate the removal of a single bandage, the opening may not be used to efficiently refill cavity 118 with a new supply of bandages or other first-aid materials. Generally, it is preferred that the size of opening 119 be minimized to further maintain the level of sterility in cavity 118. Thus, because cavity 118 may not be readily accessed for refilling, empty modules 110 are typically discarded and replaced in favor of new, fully-loaded modules.
In one embodiment, opening 119 is positioned on front wall 113 of module 110, a cutting edge 120 is positioned within the opening, and one or more module-joining attachments 121 are positioned on said right and left side walls 115 and 116, respectively. As described in greater detail below, system 100 may include a plurality of other modules containing various first-aid supplies. Typically, each of the modules will include substantially the same structural configuration as module 110. In addition, the specific dimensions of a module are generally selected according to the specific dimensions of the particular first-aid supply it will contain.
Module 110 is designed to dispense adhesive bandages contained in either an elongated, folded stack or an unfolded stack of individual bandages. Opening 119 and cutting edge 120 are sized according to the bandages being dispensed. Opening 119 may be variably positioned on module 110. In use, the leading edge of the strand of bandages is pulled from opening 119 until an entire bandage is exposed, then the strand is pulled sharply against cutting edge 120 to completely break the perforation. The bandage is then removed from the protective wrapping and applied to a wound. Of course, as one skilled in the art will appreciate, in some instances, the bandage may not include protective wrapping and may be applied to a wound immediately after pulling the bandage from opening 119. As the bandage is withdrawn from module 110, the next successive bandage is pulled partially through opening 119 to be accessible for future use.
Module 110, as well as the other modules described herein, are typically the individual containers in which the first-aid products are sold. These containers are formed of any suitable material to provide an attractive appearance for first-aid dispensing system 100, such as cardboard, plastic, or metal. For example, module 110 may be formed of a standard metal box, such as those in which adhesive bandages are often sold, with the additional features of opening 119 and cutting edge 120.
Module 110 as well as the other modules described herein may be formed of a clear plastic or of an opaque material. In
The design of module 110 as wells as the other modules described herein reflects the type of product dispensed. For example, dispensing heavier items may require a particular module to be formed of a sturdier material. Alternatively, a module may be provided with a counterweight to facilitate dispensing of heavier items.
As mentioned above, each module in first-aid dispensing system 100 may be attached to neighboring modules by module-joining attachments 121. Module-joining attachments 121 may be any conventional holding means that provide ready attachment and removal of modules 110, 122, 130, 140, and 150, such as a tab-and-slot closure (e.g., “cereal box” closure), a light and temporary adhesive, a strip fastener (e.g., Velcro® brand hook and loop-type fasteners), an anchor-peg and keyhole mechanism, a mating groove-and-track mechanism, or a male-female snap mechanism. Attachment 121 is provided on opposing sides of module 110 as well as the other modules described herein. Attachment 121 is a variable mechanism that is suitable for the type of material used to form a module. Any exposed attachment 121 on first-aid dispensing system 100 may be covered with an end piece to conceal the attachment from view for aesthetic purposes.
First-aid dispensing system 100 also includes a module 122 with an opening 123, a cutting edge 124, and module-joining attachments 121 on opposing sides (not shown). Module 122 is a module for dispensing a roll of adhesive bandages. Opening 123 and cutting edge 124 are sized according to the bandages being dispensed. Opening 123 may be variably positioned on module 122. In use, the leading edge of the strand of bandages is pulled from opening 123 until an entire bandage is exposed, then the strand is pulled sharply against cutting edge 124 to completely break the perforation. The bandage is then removed from the excess wrapping, if any, and applied to a wound. As the bandage is withdrawn from module 122, the next successive bandage is pulled partially through opening 123 to be accessible for future use.
First-aid dispensing system 100 also includes one or more accessory modules 129. A plurality of moist cleaning wipes, which are stacked in layers like the sheets in a facial tissue box, may be dispensed through a wipe dispenser module 130 with an opening 132 and module-joining attachments 121 on opposing sides (not shown). Opening 132 is sized according to the wipes being dispensed. Opening 132 may be variably positioned on module 130. The top wipe is pulled through opening 132, and the fold of the wipe serves to pull the wipe below it partially out of opening 132 for future access.
Another accessory module 129 in system 100 is a flip-top utility module 140 that includes a flip top 142 and module-joining attachments 121 on opposing sides (not shown). The contents of module 140 are dispensed through flip top 142. The user may determine the contents of module 140 based on personal preferences as to the type of wound-care related products to be included in system 100. Module 140 may also take the form and function of any of the other modules described herein.
Yet another accessory module 129 in system 100 is a lotion dispenser module 150 with a nozzle 152 for dispensing lotions, fluids, or the like, a conventional liquid or semi-liquid dispensing mechanism 154, and module-joining attachments 121 on opposing sides (not shown), for dispensing semi-liquid first-aid products, such as antibacterial creams or gels. Nozzle 152 and mechanism 154 may be variably positioned on module 150. Mechanism 154 may include a lever, button, or other device, and applies pressure to the semi-liquid product so that it may be dispensed through nozzle 152.
In an alternative embodiment, the integrated dispensing device may hold other products, such as pills, lotions, shampoos, medicinal and cosmetic creams, tape, ribbon, string, or any other product suitable for dispensing. For example, modules 110, 122, 130, 140, and 150 may dispense a collection of five different colored ribbons or five different types of string.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method of forming a first-aid dispensing system for mounting on a surface. A user attaches mounting backplate 200 to a surface such as a wall. Next, the user purchases a variety of boxes of first-aid products, such as modules 110, 122, 130, 140, and 150, and attaches them via module-joining attachments 121 in a desirable arrangement to module-retaining attachments 210 on backplate 200 to form first-aid dispensing system 100. The modules are single use and disposable. For example, a user dispenses bandages from module 110 through opening 119 or other first-aid products from the other modules as described above. In the case of module 110, when the last adhesive bandage has been dispensed, the empty module is removed from first-aid dispensing system 100 by disconnecting the empty module from the other modules and backplate 200. A replacement may be purchased and inserted in first-aid dispensing system 100 by connecting it to the other modules and backplate 200 using attachments 121 and 160, respectively.
Back surface 340, which is similar in composition to backplate 200, is attached by attachments 350 to vertical surface 352, such as a cabinet, refrigerator, or wall, to enable first-aid dispensing system 300 to be centrally positioned. Attachments 350 may be any suitable well-known attachment means such as an adhesive pad, an adhesive pad with a strip fastener (e.g., Velcro® brand hook and loop-type fasteners), an adhesive pad with a slide-on or snap-in track mechanism, or magnets that allow removable attachment of back surface 340 to surface 352. In an alternative embodiment, back surface 340 is permanently attached with screws to a surface such as a wall or a cabinet.
In yet another alternative embodiment, first-aid dispensing system 300 is attached to a horizontal surface such as a countertop or table via a bottom plate (not shown) that provides a suitable removable attachment mechanism, such as an adhesive pad with a strip fastener (e.g., Velcro® brand hook and loop-type fasteners), an adhesive pad with a slide-on or snap-in track mechanism, magnets, or a suitable permanent attachment mechanism such as screws.
First-aid dispensing system 300 operates in a similar manner as first-aid dispensing system 100, differing in that the user must open cover 310 before dispensing the first-aid products. Cover 310 is designed to be opened with one hand and remain opened until closed.
Referring now to
The first-aid dispensing system of the present invention is customizable and includes individual packages of first-aid products that are connected to each other and mounted on a surface to create a modularized system. The dispensing modules are easily attached to and disconnected from each other by module-joining attachments, to provide an integrated, variably-sized dispensing system that may be accessed quickly and efficiently with one hand or two. The dispensing modules may be discarded when empty, thereby clearly indicating which products are in stock (those with the modules showing) and which need replenishment. Pre-loaded modules may contain a variety of first-aid products including: adhesive bandages in a roll or stack with minimal packaging; lotions, creams, and gels; wipes and gauze pads; and other first-aid products. Because the modules are designed to be pre-loaded and non-refillable, the level of sterility of the environment in which the bandages are stored is better maintained. The system may include a user-defined module, which the user fills with any first-aid product desired, and a trash receptacle module to collect waste.
While the present invention has been described in connection with specified embodiments, it will be understood that it is not so limited. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
