Patent Application
20090099496
The present invention generally relates to medical bandages. Specifically, the invention relates to pressure bandages.
Bandages serve many functions. These functions can include protection of a wound from germs and contaminants, protection of a would from further trauma that could cause additional pain, immobilization or restriction of motion to promote healing, compression to reduce swelling or bleeding, creation of a better wound environment, such as maintaining a high level of moisture or applying medication to aid in healing, or concealment of a wound for cosmetic purposes.
The prior art reveals various kinds of pressure bandages. Pressure bandages are often used to administer pressure to a wound site. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,723 to Grau teaches a device with a pressure enhancement member for applying pressure to wounds to stop the flow of blood. Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,983 to Rosofsky et al. describes a pressure bandage with a compressed cellulose layer that expands when wet.
The prior art suffers from certain shortcomings or limitations. The purpose of the present invention is to overcome these and other shortcomings or limitations in the prior art.
A first aspect of the invention is a pressure bandage for applying pressure to a target site. The pressure bandage includes (i) a backing layer having a coating of a pressure-sensitive adhesive on a first major surface of the backing layer, and (ii) a snap-bucklable member coupled to the backing layer and capable of snap-buckling from a concave to a convex configuration after the bandage has been adhesively applied over the target site, whereby the convex snap-bucklable member applies continuous pressure to the target site so long as the bandage is worn.
A second aspect of the invention is a method of applying pressure to a bleeding target site, comprising the steps of (i) obtaining a pressure bandage, comprising (A) a backing layer having a coating of a pressure-sensitive adhesive on a first major surface of the backing layer, and (B) a snap-bucklable member coupled to the backing layer and capable of snap-buckling from a concave to a convex configuration, (ii) adhering the pressure bandage over a bleeding target site with the snap-bucklable member positioned over the target site, and (iii) snap-buckling the snap-bucklable member from a concave to a convex configuration.
When a range or interval is disclosed, the disclosure is intended to disclose both the endpoints and the intervals within the range. For example, a range of 0.005 to 0.010 includes 0.005, 0.006 and 0.010 within that range.
The invention is a medical device for bandaging parts of the human body. Specifically, the device is a bandage 100, 200, 300, 400 with a pressure mechanism.
In one embodiment depicted in
A first embodiment of the pressure bandage 100 is shown in
The length of the bandage 100 is the maximum dimension measured in the longitudinal direction X. The width of the bandage 100 is the maximum dimension measured in the lateral direction Y. The thickness of the bandage is the maximum dimension measured in the transverse direction Z.
The pressure bandage 100 as shown in
The pressure bandage 100 includes (i) a backing 102 coated on the interior side 106 with an adhesive of a kind well known in the art of bandages, and (ii) a snap-bucklable member 104, such as the dome shaped member depicted in the FIGs. The pressure bandage 100 may also include a pad 101 of a kind well known in the art of bandages.
The pressure bandage 100 can be applied to a target surface (not shown) such as the skin (not shown) of a human body (not shown) and held in place with the adhesive on the interior side 106 of the backing 102. Pressure in the first transverse direction Z1 can then be applied by pressing with a finger (not shown) on the snap-bucklable member 104 as shown in
The pad 101 can have different properties and be made in different ways. For most applications a film (not shown) can be provided on the interior side 106 of the pad 101 to provide various beneficial properties such non-adherent, non-absorbent, air and liquid permeable. Such qualities can prevent the pad 101 from sticking to a wound, can allow wound exudate to pass through to absorbent materials in the pad 101 and can regulate the level of moisture present at or near a wound site. One suitable material for such a film (not shown) on the pad 101, can be Delnet® Apertured Film from Delstar Technologies, Inc., of Middleton, Del. Materials such as Mylar® or other film materials or coatings can also be used to form a nonadherent layer (not shown).
The pad 101 can also have absorbent characteristics allowing it to absorb moisture and wound exudate. The absorbent properties are usually created with a second layer (not shown) in the pad 101 of a different material. For many applications nonwoven blends of rayon and polyester can be used. Other materials can be used for any absorbent material layer in the pad 101 including natural fibers such as cotton or woven materials or absorbent foams. Such modifications and other modifications that, for example, remove the pad 101 entirely or change the properties of the pad 101 such as making it entirely of nonabsorbent materials, are within the scope of this invention.
The backing 102 can be a stretchable material of a kind typically used with adhesive bandages. The backing 102 could be stretchable and breathable with an adhesive on the interior side 106 of the bandage 100. A suitable material can be a tape with a polyurethane backing and an acrylate adhesive such as elastic nonwoven tape, Part No. 9907, from 3M®, Inc., of St. Paul, Minn. Other suitable materials include specifically, but not exclusively, polyurethane films, polyolefin films, polyvinylchloride films, ethylene vinyl acetate films, woven fabrics, and nonwoven fabrics. Such modifications and other modifications that, for example, remove the backing 102 entirely or change the properties of the backing 102 such as making it entirely of non-stretchable materials, are within the scope of this invention.
The snap-bucklable member 104 can be made from any material capable of providing the necessary and desired snap-buckling effect. Suitable materials include specifically, but not exclusively thin plasticized plastics such as a clear polyester film available from Tekra Corporation of New Berlin, Wis. under the mark M
The overall size and shape of the bandage 100 can vary depending on the application. A bandage 100 that is 2 inches long and 1 inch wide could be suitable for some applications such as stopping the bleeding of venous puncture wounds on the arm (not shown) from injections or catheters (not shown). For other applications, such as on the thigh (not shown), a bandage 100 that is 8 inches long by 4 inches wide could be suitable. Other lengths and widths could also be suitable. The appropriate size could largely depend on the part of the body for which the bandage 100 is intended and the amount of pressure needed.
The shape of the bandage 100 can also vary depending on the application. While the bandage 100 shown in
The bandage 100 can be held onto a surface (not shown) such as the skin (not shown) in different ways. The bandage 100 disclosed here uses adhesive on the interior side 106 of the backing 102. However, various other means of fastening including hook and loop fasteners, straps, buttons, hooks, etc., in combination with wraps, for example, can be employed. Such modifications can still be within the scope of this invention.
The manufacture of the bandage 100 can be accomplished in a variety of ways. For many applications, it can be preferable to have some portion or all of the cutting and assembly of the bandage 100 completed using a web converting process. The pad 101 and the backing 102 can be cut using a rotary die and bonded to each other using adhesives in such a process.
The snap-bucklable member 104 can also be manufactured and placed into the bandage 100 using a web converting process.
The bandage 100 can be constructed and manufactured in many different ways. Although a web converting process is described above, various manufacturing techniques including assembly by hand can be employed. Bonding techniques other than adhesives can be used. For example, heat can be used to melt layers together or mechanical fasteners can be used to fasten components together. Such modifications are still within the scope of this invention.
The bandage 100 as disclosed above can have many uses and offer several advantages including the following. First, the bandage 100 can be a more sterile and more efficient means to apply light pressure to wound sites to stop bleeding. For example, when a patient receives an injection such as for immunization, a venous puncture wound is typically created. Oftentimes, a caregiver will combine a cotton ball and tape to apply pressure to the wound site (not shown). A pressure bandage 100 (that can be efficiently sterilized during manufacture) can be used instead of tape and a cotton ball for wound sites such as venous puncture wounds.
Second, the bandage 100 can be used for various other reasons, such as limiting blood flow. For example, to limit blood flow to the site of an incision, the pressure bandage 100 can be applied to a vein or artery.
Other embodiments can encompass bandages 100 with different characteristics and properties and can incorporate many of the characteristics and properties described above. Some of those other embodiments are discussed below.
The pressure bandage 200 as shown in
By pressing on the arch shaped snap-bucklable member 204 the snap-bucklable member 204 can be inverted, just as the dome shaped snap-bucklable member 104 of the first embodiment was inverted. By inverting the snap-bucklable member 204, pressure is exerted upon on the frangible container 210, causing the container 210 to burst and release liquid medication or other beneficial substance (not shown) stored in the container 210. The liquid could then partially or fully soak into the pad 201. The pad 201 can also be impregnated with a medication or beneficial substance, such as a medication that can act in combination with a liquid released from the container 210.
The frangible container 210 can be made of different materials. Various kinds of gels or plastics can be preferable for many applications. For most applications the container should have a low bursting strength. Glass and brittle plastics are traditionally used for ampoules, but may not be suitable for most applications because of the potentially sharp edges. To make bursting the container 210 easier, a small point (not shown) can be incorporated into the snap-bucklable member 204 to prick the container 210 when pressure is applied to the snap-bucklable member 204.
The bandage 200 as disclosed above can offer advantages including the following. First, the bandage 200 can offer a convenient way to store a liquid such as a medication in a bandage 200 without wetting the entire bandage 200. Second, the bandage 200 can offer a way to release the liquid from the bandage 200 when desired. For example, when the bandage 200 is positioned over a wound (not shown) on the body (not shown). Third, the bandage 200 can offer a way that materials can be mixed for application to the skin (not shown) at an appropriate moment. For example, it may be desirable to have materials mixed after the bandage 200 is applied to the body (not shown). This might be especially true, for example, for materials that do not have a sufficiently long shelf life in a mixed form. Fourth, the bandage 200 can offer a way to use an existing form of container 210 (e.g., a gel capsule) for use with a bandage 200.
The pressure bandage 300 as shown in
The seal 315 can be made of various materials. For many applications a medical grade gelatin film or a wax film can be suitable.
The bandage 300 as disclosed above can offer advantages including the following. First, the bandage 300 can be conveniently manufactured without a pad. The absence of a pad can permit a more direct application of the flowable material 320 to the skin (not shown), can speed the intended action of the flowable material 320, can make manufacture less expensive, and can reduce the bulk of the bandage 300. Second, the dome-shaped snap-bucklable member 304 can form part of the container 310. This can reduce the bulkiness of the bandage 300 and potentially make the release of the flowable material 320 easier.
The pressure bandage 400 as shown in
By inverting the snap-bucklable member 404 from concave as shown in
The fourth embodiment of the bandage 400 can offer advantages including the following. First, the bandage 400 can permit a direct application of medication or other beneficial substances to the skin (not shown) or other target surface (not shown). Second, the bandage 400 can create a relatively substantial amount of pressure at the face 427 of the plunger 425. Third, the pressure can be evenly spread over the face 427 of the plunger 425. Fourth, as mentioned above, the bandage 400 can incorporate solid or semi-solid medications or beneficial substances instead of liquids. This can make packaging easier. Fifth, the combination of pressure and the use of medications or other beneficial substances can speed the administration of the medication or beneficial substances.
The embodiments or examples discussed above can be combined in various ways without departing from the invention. Moreover, the present invention should not be considered limited to the particular examples described above, but rather should be understood to cover all aspects of the invention as fairly set out in the claims arising from this application. For example, while suitable sizes, materials, packaging and the like have been disclosed in the above discussion, it should be appreciated that these are provided by way of example and not of limitation as a number of other sizes, materials, fasteners, and so forth may be used without departing from the invention. Various modifications as well as numerous structures to which the present invention may be applicable will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art to which the present invention is directed upon review of the present specifications. The claims which arise from this application are intended to cover such modifications and structures.
As disclosed the invention concerns a bandage 100, 200, 300 and 400 and in particular a bandage 100, 200, 300 and 400 with a pressure mechanism. Such a bandage 100, 200, 300 and 400 can be used for bandaging parts of the human body (not shown) and applying pressure to a target site (not shown). However, the invention is not limited to such uses. The structure of the bandage 100, 200, 300 and 400 may be useful for other purposes. Other purposes might include the release or application of medications and other useful substances or any other use where a pressure mechanism for a bandage 100, 200, 300 and 400 might be usable and beneficial.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/723,599, filed Oct. 5, 2005.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US06/39353 | 10/5/2006 | WO | 00 | 9/23/2008 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60723599 | Oct 2005 | US |
