Bandage Containing A Medicinal Material And Method Of Using

Abstract

A bandage for covering a break in the skin such as a cut, a scratch or a tear. The bandage contains a medicinal material which may be released and activated after the bandage has been applied to the break in the skin. The medicinal material is contained within a capsule which is ruptured after the bandage is applied.

Description

When a person cuts himself or scratches himself or tears his skin, the person often applies medicinal material and a bandage to the break in the skin. For example, when a person is working and cuts himself with a knife he will apply a medicinal material to the skin and the cut and then place a bandage over the cut. For example, he may place some gauze over the cut and then a form of adhesive tape. Or, he may place a combined form of adhesive tape and gauze over the cut or break in the skin. This procedure necessitates the carrying of a medicinal material and also the carrying of material for making the bandage. The carrying of at least these two separate materials becomes rather bulky and at times burdensome. With this background in mind, I have invented a bandage which contains the medicinal material inside of the bandage and can be applied to the break in the skin after the bandage has been placed over the break. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a bandage which is in one package and contains material to cover the break in the skin and also for applying a medicinal material to said break in the skin; to provide a bandage which can be used and applied almost immediately; to provide a bandage wherein there is practically no chance of spilling the medicinal material of the bandage; to provide a bandage which releases the medicinal material after the bandage has been applied to the break in the skin; to provide a bandage which can be made in various sizes for different size breaks in the skin; and, to provide a bandage which is inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other important objects and advantages of the invention will be more particularly brought forth upon reference to the detailed specification, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view looking down on one form of the bandage and shows the same as comprising a protective upper layer, medicinal material and a protective lower layer;

FIG. 2, taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, is a lateral cross-sectional view of the bandage and illustrates the protective upper layer, the medicinal material and the protective lower layer;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of another form of the bandage and illustrates three separate units of medicinal material in the bandage;

FIG. 4, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the bandage and illustrates the medicinal material in a capsule;

FIG. 5 is a lateral cross-sectional view of a bandage and illustrates the protective upper layer, a protective lower layer having an opening in it, medicinal material in a capsule, an absorbent material and a gauze;

FIG. 6 is a lateral cross-sectional view of another form of the bandage and illustrates a protective upper layer, the protective lower layer with an opening in it, the medicinal material in a capsule and a gauze; and,

FIG. 7 is a lateral cross-sectional view illustrating another form of the bandage and shows a protective upper layer, a protective lower layer, a medicinal material in the form of a solid, an absorbent material and a gauze.

With respect to the drawings, it is seen that in FIG. 1 there is shown a bandage 10 which comprises a protective upper layer 12 and a protective lower layer 14. In the bandage 10 and positioned between the layers 12 and 14 there is a medicinal material 16. The medicinal material 16 may be in a capsule or may be a solid. The solid may be one piece of solid or may be granulated pieces of solid. The protective upper layer, on that surface facing the protective lower layer, has an adhesive film for assistance in attaching the bandage to the skin of a person. In the protective upper layer there may be numerous small holes or air vents 18 for ventilation after the bandage has been applied to the skin of the person.

In FIG. 2 the bandage 10 is shown encompassed in a container or packaging material 20. The packaging material 20 completely encompasses the bandage 10 so as to exclude extraneous matter and foreign matter and air from the bandage 10. Upon use, the packaging material 20 may be removed so as to expose the bandage 10.

In FIG. 3 there is illustrated a bandage 22 which comprises a protective lower layer 24 and a protective upper layer 26. It is seen that in the bandage 22 that there are three capsules 28. The surface of the protective upper layer 26 facing the protective lower layer 24 has adhesive on it for assistance in sticking to the skin of a person.

In FIG. 4 there is illustrated in detail the construction of the capsule 28. The capsule 28 has a flexible upper wall 30 and a flexible lower wall 32. In the lower wall 32 there is a recess or a thin portion 34. The recess or thin portion 34 makes it possible to readily open the capsule 28 so as to allow the medicinal material 36 to leave the capsule 28. In FIG. 4 it is seen that the bandage 22 may comprise an absorbent material 38.

In FIG. 5 there is illustrated, in a lateral cross-sectional view, a bandage 40 having a protective upper layer 42, a protective lower layer 44, a capsule 28, an absorbent material 46 and a gauze 48. In the protective upper layer 42 there may be air holes or vents 50. In the protective lower layer 44 there may be a large opening 52 below the capsule 28. On the lower surface of the protective lower layer 44 there is an adhesive coating 54 for adhering the bandage 40 to the skin of the person. Also, on that surface of the protective upper layer 42 facing the protective lower layer 44 there may be an adhesive material for attaching the bandage 40 to the skin of a person if the protective lower layer 44 is removed.

In use, the bandage 40 is applied to the skin of the person and over the break in the skin and then the capsule 28 is squeezed so as to rupture the thin area 34 and the wall 32 to allow the medicinal material 36 to flow onto the absorbent material 46, the gauze 48 and through the opening 52 and into the break in the skin.

The bandage 40 may be placed in a protective envelope 56 so as to keep out extraneous and foreign matter. Upon use, the protective envelope 56 may be removed.

It is to be understood that the use of air vent holes is optional and in some instances the air vent holes may not be in the protective upper layer 42.

In FIG. 6 there is illustrated a bandage 60 having a protective upper layer 62, a protective lower layer 64, a capsule 28 and a gauze 66. In the protective upper layer 62 there may be air vent holes 68. In the protective lower layer 64 there may be an opening 70. On the lower surface or exposed surface of the protective lower layer 64 there is an adhesive 72 for ease of attaching the bandage 60 to the skin of a person. Also, on that surface of the protective upper layer 62 and facing the protective lower layer 64 there may be an adhesive for attaching to the skin of a person provided the protective lower layer 64 is removed.

In use the bandage 60 is applied to the skin of a person and over the break in the skin and then the capsule 28 is squeezed and manipulated to rupture the thin wall area 34 of the wall 32 so as to allow the medicinal material 36 to flow onto the gauze 66 and through the opening 70 into the break in the skin.

The bandage 60 may be encased in a protective envelope 74. Upon use, the protective envelope 74 may be removed.

It is to be understood that in certain instances it may not be desirable to have air holes 68 in the protective upper layer 62 and therefore the protective upper layer 62 is one solid sheet of material.

In FIG. 7 there is illustrated a bandage 80 which comprises a protective upper layer 82, a protective lower layer 84, a solid material 86, an absorbent material 88 and a gauze 90. In the protective upper layer 82 there may be air vent holes 92. In the protective lower layer 84 there may be an opening 94. The medicinal material 86 may be finely comminuted or granulated solid. On the exposed surface of the lower protective layer 84, there is an adhesive 96 for adhering the bandage 80 to the skin of the person. On that surface of the protective upper layer 82 which faces the protective lower layer 84 there may be an adhesive for adhering to the skin of a person provided the protective lower layer 84 is removed.

In use the bandage 80 is applied to the skin of the person and over the break. Some moisture may be allowed to enter through the air holes 92 or ventilation holes 92 so as to dissolve the medicinal material 86. The medicinal material then works through the absorbent material 88 and the gauze 90 and through the opening 94 and onto the break or cut in the skin of the person.

An alternative to this is to allow some moisture to enter through the opening 94 before the bandage 80 is applied to the skin of a person. Then, the medicinal material 86 is dissolved in the moisture and works through the absorbent material 88 and the gauze 90 and the opening 94 so as to contact the break in the skin.

Again, in certain instances it may not be necessary to have ventilation holes 92, and therefore the protective upper layer 82 is one solid sheet.

The bandage 80 may be encased in an envelope 98. The envelope 98 keeps out moisture, extraneous foreign matter and the like. Prior to use the envelope 98 may be torn away and discarded.

The materials of construction of the bandage may be numerous. For example, the protective upper and lower layers 12 and 14, 24 and 26, 42 and 44, 62 and 64, and 82 and 84 may be plastic or may be cloth or in certain instances may be a paper product. The capsule 28 may be a plastic, gelatin, casing, to name a few. For example, the plastic may be polyvinyl ethylene or polyvinyl alcohol and the like. The medicinal material may be one of many and may be a medicine, a drug, an antiseptic, an astringent or a disinfectant, to name a few. For example, the medicinal material 36 in the capsule 28 may be iodine, Mercurochrome, sulfa drugs such as sulfanilamide, penicillin, boric acid solution, silver nitrate solution, tannic acid solution, gallic acid solution, zinc acetate salve and the like. Normally, the medicinal material 36 in the capsule 28 will be in a liquid or in a salve form and therefore should be contained in a capsule so as not to flow and move before use. The dry solid comminuted material 86 may be a sulfa drug such as sulfanilamide, Epsom salt, iodine in powder or crystal form, potassium permanganate, dry Mercurochrome, boric acid, silver nitrate, tannic acid, gallic acid, zinc acetate, alum and priscoline. The comminuted solid 86 will generally dissolve in moisture. Therefore, it is desirable to have a protective, moistureproof envelope around the bandage 80 so as to lessen the possibility of moisture contacting the comminuted solid 86.

From the foregoing it is seen that I have provided a bandage which is complete in itself in that it contains a protective layer for the break in the skin and that the protective layer can be applied over the break in the skin so as to keep out foreign and contaminating materials from the break in the skin. Further, the bandage contains a medicinal material which, after the bandage has been used to cover the break in the skin, can be released from its container and can flow into the break in the skin. In this way it is not necessary to carry at least two separate materials for trying to heal the break in the skin, i.e., a protective layer and a medicinal material. Also, it is seen that this bandage does not require a large volume to store and than it can be readily applied to the break in the skin with a minimum effort.

Claims

Having presented my invention what I claim is:

1. A method for treating a break in the skin, said method comprising:

a. juxtapositioning a capsule containing a medicinal material with respect to the break;

b. positioning a protective lower layer with an opening over the break in the skin and between the break and the capsule;

c. positioning a protective upper layer over the break and the capsule; and

d. opening the capsule so that the medicinal material can move to the break in the skin.

2. A bandage containing a medicinal material, said bandage comprising:

a. a protective upper layer;

b. said medicinal material being partially covered and protected by said protective upper layer;

c. an absorbent material;

d. said medicinal material being positioned between said absorbent material and said protective layer;

e. a capsule;

f. said medicinal material being in said capsule;

g. a protective lower layer; and,

h. an opening in said protective lower layer.

3. A bandage according to claim 2 and comprising:

a. said capsule having a flexible wall; and,

b. the wall of said capsule having a thin area for ease of opening said capsule to let the medicinal material out of the capsule.