U.S. patent number 3,841,325 [Application Number 05/184,047] was granted by the patent office on 1974-10-15 for protective ear covering.
Invention is credited to Robert E. Pickard.
United States Patent |
3,841,325 |
Pickard |
October 15, 1974 |
PROTECTIVE EAR COVERING
Abstract
A protective ear covering to be applied after ear surgery in the
form of a bag having an opening to permit the bag opening to
receive the external ear to position the ear within the bag or
protective covering, with said bag having an adhesive surface
adjacent said opening whereby the adhesive surface adheres to the
head area adjacent the ear to retain the bag as a protective
covering for the ear, with the bag having another opening to permit
the insertion of an instrument into the bag for examination and/or
treatment of the ear without removing the bag and while the bag is
retained around the ear.
Inventors: |
Pickard; Robert E. (Miami,
FL) |
Family
ID: |
22675362 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/184,047 |
Filed: |
September 27, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
128/866; 2/174;
604/346; 2/209; 2/455 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
11/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
11/06 (20060101); A61F 11/00 (20060101); A61f
011/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/151,152,157,283,163,156,292 ;2/174,209,208,2,21 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gaudet; Richard A.
Assistant Examiner: Dunne; G. F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kraus; Max R.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A protective ear covering to be applied over the ear after ear
surgery, said protective ear covering comprising an elongated
bag-like member of a flexible soft material impervious to water,
said elongated bag-like member including side and end walls and
closed at the inner end of the bag and open at the opposite outer
end, a generally D-shaped opening in one of said side walls
adjacent the closed inner end of the bag to receive the outer ear
and position the ear within the bag, the inner edge of said
D-shaped opening being flush, with its side wall and with no
portion of said inner edge extending into the interior of the bag,
the outside surface of the side wall adjacent the D-shaped opening
having an adhesive surface configured to the D-shaped opening, a
D-shaped protective strip removably covering said adhesive surface
which when removed permits the adhesive surface of the bag to be
secured against the area of the head surrounding the ear so that
the bag remains attached to the ear during the healing period, said
bag being so flexible and pliable as to permit it to be manipulated
so that the bag may be positioned at substantially right angles to
the ear and in direct alinement with the interior of the ear to
permit the attendant to examine the interior of the ear with the
bag attached to the ear, said outer open end of the bag adapted to
be closed during the healing period and capable of being opened for
examination of the ear.
Description
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a protective
covering to protect the ear of a patient who has had ear surgery,
whereby the ear is protected from contact with water and the like.
This permits the patient to bathe, shower and wash the hair without
any water coming into contact with the ear.
Another object of this invention is to provide a protective
covering and/or bag to be applied to the ear, with one end of the
bag being open to be tied to form the enclosure and which permits
the doctor to untie the tied end for the purpose of inserting the
necessary instrument through the bag to either examine or treat the
interior of the ear without removing the protective covering and/or
bag.
It is well recognized that a patient having ear surgery must guard
against the introduction of any water or the like to the ear as any
introduction of water before the healing process is completed will
destroy the beneficial effects of the surgery and will in many
cases completely destroy the hearing of the operated ear. The
healing period after surgery is usually a 4 to 6 weeks period.
Various attempts have been made to protect the ear after ear
surgery but such protective coverings make it necessary upon each
examination or treatment of the ear to remove such protective
coverings and it is then necessary to replace them with others.
Also, the prior protective coverings do not provide the psoitive
assurance against the introduction of water to the ear, as is
accomplished by this invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the protective ear covering forming
this invention, showing same in expanded position.
FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a view of the protective covering being initially applied
to the ear.
FIG. 4 is a view of same with the lower or outer end of the bag
knotted to close the bag, and
FIG. 5 is a view showing the surface area of the head adjacent the
ear to which the adhesive surface of the bag is applied.
The protective covering forming this invention is generally
designated by the numeral 10 and comprises a bag generally
designated by the numeral 12, having side walls 14 and 16 integral
with folded end walls or gussets 18, with the upper or inner end of
the bag sealed and/or closed as at 20 and with the opposite or
outer end being open as at 22.
The side wall 14 of the bag is provided with a D or half-moon
shaped opening 24 adjacent the inner sealed end 20, with the
circular portion 26 of the opening 24 facing the inner sealed end
20 of the bag. The opening 24 is approximately 21/2 by 11/2 inches
to accommodate various size ears of children and adults.
The outside surface of the side 14 of the bag adjacent said opening
is provided with an adhesive, designated by the numeral 28, which
adhesive is covered by a protective removable strip 30, which strip
is substantially D-shaped. The protective strip 30 remains on the
side 14 of the bag over the adhesive area 28 and is removed at the
time the bag is applied over the outer ear 32 so that the adhesive
surface 28 of the bag can be pressed against the area 34 of the
head 36 adjacent the outer ear. When pressed against the head
surface area 34, the adhesive surface 28 of the bag will adhere to
the skin of the head surface 34 adjacent the outer ear and will
seal the opening 24 of the bag against the head to enclose the
outer ear 32.
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the outer end 22 of the bag is open and
this serves several purposes. It permits the doctor or the
attendant to put his hand into the interior of the bag, as shown in
FIG. 3, to position the fingers of the hand around the ear 32 to
compress it so that it can be squeezed through the bag opening 24
and when the ear passes inside the bag opening and is positioned
inside the bag the ear will be released and will naturally assume
its normal position and be wholly positioned within the interior of
the bag. Before following this procedure the protective strip 30 is
removed from the adhesive surface 28.
After the ear has been inserted in the bag, as aforedescribed, the
inside of the bag is manually pressed so that the adhesive surface
28 of the bag adheres to the area 34 of the head adjacent the ear.
This seals the ear opening 24 of the bag against the head whereby
the bag is completely sealed to the head at said area of contact
therewith. The hand is then removed from the interior of the bag
and the outer open end 22 of the bag is tied as at 38 to close that
end of the bag. However, for periodic examinations and for
treatment of the ear by the surgeon it becomes necessary for the
surgeon to reach into the interior of the bag and for inserting an
appropriate instrument and this may be accomplished by untying
and/or opening the tied end 38 of the bag and making the insertion,
after which the open end of the bag may again be tied. Instead of
tying a knot, as show, the outer or open end 22 of the bag may be
closed by a clamp or any other means so that it may be opened when
desired.
The bag is made of a flexible and pliable material, such as
cellophane or the like, which would be impervious to water. The
flexible and pliable character of the bag body permits it to be
manipulated, as shown in FIG. 3, so that it can extend laterally of
the ear and substantially at right angles to the ear so that the
open outer end 22 of the bag is in direct alinement with the ear
opening.
With this invention the ear bag or closure may remain on the
patient's ear during the healing period which may be a period of
six weeks or longer, but the ear is accessible to the surgeon or
attendant for examination and/or treatment without the removal of
the bag.
* * * * *