Combined Package And Winder For Roll-type Bandages

Abstract

A combination package and winder for roll-type bandages including a box adapted to hold the rolled bandage and winder. Opposed slots in the end panels of the box are adapted to support a demountable bandage winding crank assembly which is retained in the slots when the box is closed by end flaps downwardly extending from the top panel. The package is utilized as a winder by attaching an end of an unrolled bandage to the crank spindle, inserting the spindle in the end panel slots, closing the top to retain the spindle in position by means of the top panel end flaps, and turning the crank to reel in the bandage while applying light pressure to the box top to smooth out and establish a light tensioning of the bandage as it is wound. The crank assembly in a preferred embodiment may be disassembled to fit within the box for storage.

Description

The present invention relates generally to the packaging of roll-type bandages and relates more particularly to a novel bandage package which also serves as a winder for the rewinding of the bandage.

Roll-type bandages of various widths and lengths are widely used in the treatment of joint injuries such as ankles, knees, etc. The necessary changing of the dressings requires the removal and rewinding of the bandages with considerable frequency. The bandages, particularly in the wider widths, are difficult to rewind into a smooth, tightly wound roll. However, unless the bandage is properly rewound, especially in the case of elastic bandages, the reapplication of the bandage in a smooth and uniformly tensioned manner becomes difficult. After prolonged use, and especially after washing, the bandages are prone to wrinkling and under such conditions the rewinding can be particularly taxing if attempted by hand. The manual rewinding can furthermore be time consuming, and, in hospitals where large numbers of bandages are used daily, the time spent on bandage rewinding can be substantial.

In the present invention, the bandage is packaged within a box which serves both as a storage container and as a winding device for rewinding the unrolled bandage. The box need be only slightly larger than the rolled bandage. Opposed slots in the end panels of the box are adapted to support the spindle of a crank assembly which is retained in the slots by downwardly depending end flaps of the top panel which are folded inside the box end panels upon closure of the box. Alternately, a hole in one end panel and a slot in the other end panel may be employed. In the preferred embodiment, the crank assembly may be disassembled for storage within the box.

For rewinding of the bandage, the end of the bandage is attached to the spindle, the crank assembly is placed in the box, and the box top is closed to secure the crank assembly in place. The bandage is led between the top edge of the box front panel and the top panel, and light pressure is applied to the front edge of the box top panel to provide a smoothing and tensioning of the bandage as the crank is turned to reel the bandage into a tightly wound roll. Upon completion of the rewinding operation, the winding crank assembly may be pulled from the roll without removal of the roll from the box, and may be disassembled for storage in the box with the rolled bandage.

It is accordingly a first object of the present invention to provide a combination package and winder for roll-type bandages which is especially adapted for rewinding elastic bandages under a uniform tension.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination package and winder as described which will provide a smooth and uniformly tensioned rewinding of a bandage even when in a wrinkled condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination package and winder as described of a size not substantially larger than that required for the conventional packaging of a rolled bandage alone.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combined package and winder as described characterized by a crank assembly which may be readily disassembled for storage within the bandage package.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combination package and winder as described of a simple construction which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combined package and winder in accordance with the present invention, showing the package at the conclusion of a bandage rewinding operation;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the crank assembly of the package and winder of FIG. 1 with the crank and spindle portions thereof disassembled and with a bandage end inserted in the spindle portion preparatory to a rewinding operation;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the combined package and winder shown in FIG. 1 as it appears partway through a bandage rewinding operation with parts thereof broken away to show internal details;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the combined package and winder shown in FIG. 1 as it appears during a bandage rewinding operation;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the combined package and winder of FIG. 1 as seen from the opposite end from the view of FIG. 4 during a bandage rewinding operation;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the combined package and winder shown with a bandage partly rewound therewithin;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the package of FIG. 7 with the winder and bandage removed.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1-6 thereof, the combined package and winder generally designated 10 includes a box 12 of paperboard or other suitable material adapted to contain a rolled elastic bandage 14 therewithin. The box 12, which may be formed in a conventional manner from a single paperboard blank by appropriate folding and glueing operations, includes front and rear panels 15 and 16, bottom panel 18, top panel 20, and opposed end panels 22 and 24. The top panel 20 is hingedly attached to the rear panel 16 along fold line 26 and includes end flaps 28 and 30 adapted to fold downwardly inside of the end panels 22 and 24 respectively upon closure of the top panel. A short front flap 32 folds downwardly from the front edge of the top panel and is adapted to overlie the upper edge of the front panel 15 when the box is closed. The upper edge 34 of the front panel 15 as shown most readily in FIG. 6 is preferably formed by folding and glueing a flap portion 36 interiorly thereof to produce a relatively wide and smoothly curved edge surface for a purpose to be presently described. The end panels 22 and 24 are respectively provided with vertical slots 38 and 40 which extend from the upper edge thereof to a point slightly below the center of the end panels. The slots 38 and 40 are preferably smoothly rounded at their lower ends.

A crank assembly 42 is provided for the rewinding of the bandage and in the preferred embodiment illustrated comprises a crank portion 44 which is demountably attachable to a spindle portion 46. As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the spindle portion 46 is formed of a single stiff wire element 48 which is formed into a bifurcated hairpinlike shape having a slot 50 therein through which one end of the bandage 14 may be inserted. The bifurcated element 48 includes opposed inwardly directed offsets 52 at spaced locations thereon for resiliently gripping the bandage end.

The detachable crank portion 44 of the crank assembly is in the present instance formed of a single piece of metal which includes handle portion 54, a crank arm 56 and a connector portion 58, the latter portion characterized by a doubled back arm 60 parallel to and spaced from the crank arm 56. Aligned slots 62 and 64 respectively in the crank arm 56 and arm 60 are adapted to receive the U-shaped end of the spindle 46. The element 48 is inwardly offset at 66 in a manner similar to offsets 52 and, as shown in FIG. 3, the aperture 62 cooperates with the offset 66 to hold the crank portion to the spindle portion during winding of the bandage. The assembly and disassembly of the crank assembly is thus readily accomplished by the slidable friction fit of the spindle portion within the apertures of the crank portion.

The rolled bandage, preferably at the time of manufacture, is packaged in the box 12 along with the disassembled crank assembly, the spindle portion of which will fit diagonally across the box. The front flap 32 of the top panel may be affixed to the front panel of the box by means of a peel open seal and the entire box covered with a suitable overwrap to prevent dust and dirt from entering the package through the slots in the end panels. Alternately, the front flap may be inserted into the box in a conventional manner. The slots 38 and 40 may be closed by perforated tear-outs which are removed when the package is first used as a winder.

For rewinding of the bandage after use, one end thereof is inserted within the slot 50 of the spindle portion of the crank assembly as shown in FIG. 2 and the crank portion is affixed in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The offset portions 52 of the spindle resiliently grip the bandage end to prevent the end from sliding from the spindle as the winding is started. The spindle is placed through the slots in the box end panels in the manner illustrated and the top panel of the box is closed with the top panel end flaps being folded interiorly of the end panels and the front flap overlying the upper end of the front panel.

With light pressure being applied to the box top front edge as schematically indicated in FIG. 4, the rewinding of the bandage is begun by cranking the handle 54 of the crank portion 44 in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, the clockwise rotation being illustrated. The pressure applied to the top panel serves to tension the portion of the bandage web between the spindle and the upper edge of the front panel to insure a tight winding of the bandage roll. The engagement of the top panel or the front flap thereof with the bandage web flattens the web as it passes over the upper edge of the front panel and eliminates any wrinkles in the bandage while at the same time applying a sufficient frictional force to establish the desired tensioning of the bandage as it passes on to the spindle. The flap 36 secured inwardly of the front panel 15 provides a relatively broad and smoothly curved upper edge 34 of the front panel over which the bandage will smoothly travel.

The function of the end flaps 28 and 30 of the top panel is most clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 wherein it is shown that the flaps in the closed position of the box terminate just above the spindle when mounted in the end panel slots. The end flaps thus serve to retain the spindle in the bottom of the slots without interfering with the rotation thereof. The depth of the slots is preferably selected so that the axis of rotation of the spindle is substantially in the center of the box end panels.

Upon completion of the rewinding operation, the crank assembly may be withdrawn from the bandage roll by simply sliding the spindle from the roll without withdrawing the roll from the box. Or, if the bandage is to be immediately reapplied, the spindle may be withdrawn after removal of the roll from the box. Whether or not the bandage is retained in the box, the crank assembly may be disassembled and stored within the box for future use.

It will be apparent that the structural arrangement of the crank assembly may be varied within the scope of the invention and that it is not essential that the crank portion be separable from the spindle portion. The crank assembly, if made nonseparable could be packaged outside of the box or could be packaged within the box if the box were made substantially larger than required to contain the rolled bandage. In the preferred form of the invention, however, the crank portion is separable from the spindle portion to permit a compact packaging of the rolled bandage and crank assembly within the box.

A modified embodiment of the combination package and winder is shown in FIGS. 7-10 and includes a box 70 which is preferably formed of molded plastic. The box comprises a front panel 71, bottom panel 72, rear panel 73 and end panels 74 and 75. A removable top 76 includes a downwardly extending flange portion 77 which is adapted to fit within the offset upper edge 78 of the box proper. This edge is cut away at 79 along the front panel 71 for a distance sufficient to permit the passage of the bandage as shown in FIG. 7.

The edge portion 78 is also cut away at 80 along the end panel 75, and a slot 81 extends downwardly to a point slightly below the center of the panel. In the opposite end panel 74, a hole 82 is provided substantially in the center of the end panel. The hole 82 and the slot 81 are adapted to accommodate the crank assembly 42 which is identical with that shown in the earlier described embodiment. The open end of the spindle portion 46 is inserted in the hole 82 and the opposite end is received by the slot 81 to convert the box for winding purposes. Tabs 83 extend downwardly from the flange portion 77 of the top 76 and serve to restrain the spindle portion 46 of the crank assembly from moving upwardly along the slot 81 during the winding of the bandage. Although a tab is only required at the slotted end of the box, for convenience tabs are provided on both ends of the top so that it may be put on without reference to the tab position.

The operation of the modified form of combined package and winder shown in FIGS. 7-10 is essentially the same as that of the embodiment previously described. As schematically indicated in FIG. 9, pressure is applied at 84 along the forward edge of the top 76 during rewinding of the bandage to provide a slight tensioning of the bandage. For this purpose, the cutaway portion 79 of the front panel 71 is removed so as to leave little or no clearance between the flange 77 of the top and the upper edge of the front panel. The pressure applied at 84 is accordingly sufficient to smooth out any wrinkles in the bandage 14 during the rewinding process and to provide the desired amount of back tension.

Manifestly, changes in details of construction can be effected by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in and limited solely by the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A combination package and winder for roll-type bandages comprising a box having front, bottom, rear and opposed end panels and a top panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear panel, a slot in each said end panel extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof, end flaps extending downwardly from said top panel adapted to fold inside of said end panels in the closed position of said top panel, a crank assembly having a crank portion and a spindle portion, said crank assembly being adapted for mounting within said box to comprise a winder for an unrolled bandage, the spindle portion of said crank assembly in the mounted position of said assembly extending through the slots in each said end panel with the crank portion thereof disposed adjacent and exteriorly of one said end panel, said top panel end flaps in the closed position of said top panel extending downwardly to retain the crank assembly in said slots during rotation thereof.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1 including a front flap extending downwardly from said top panel, said front flap adapted to lie outside of said front panel in the closed position of said top panel, said top panel and front flap being adapted in conjunction with the upper edge of said front panel to smooth wrinkles from and apply tension to the bandage web during winding.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said slots in said end panels extend vertically from the upper edge of said end panels to substantially the center of said end panels.

4. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said crank assembly spindle includes means for temporarily attaching one end of a bandage thereto.

5. The invention as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means for attaching a bandage end to said crank assembly is adapted to permit the withdrawal of said crank assembly from a rolled bandage by axial sliding movement of the crank assembly spindle from the bandage roll.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said crank portion of said crank assembly is detachable from said spindle portion to facilitate the storage thereof within the box upon completion of the bandage rewinding operation.

7. The invention as claimed in claim 6 wherein said spindle comprises a bifurcated member adapted to receive a bandage end within the slot thereof.

8. The invention as claimed in claim 7 wherein said bifurcated member includes at at least one location along the slot thereof means for resiliently gripping a bandage end placed therewithin.