STRETCHABLE BANDAGE TAPE AND METHOD OF USE

Abstract

A bandage tape comprises a strip body having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface being made of one of a silicone and a silicone rubber. A thickness between the first surface and the second surface ranges between 0.5 mil-120.0 mil, the strip body configured for the first surface at a first end to self-adhere to the second surface at a second end by overlaying in a silicone-to-silicone bond. The strip body is configured for the second surface at the first end to self-adhere to the first surface at the second end by overlaying in a silicone-to-silicone bond. A use of a combination of a bandage tape, and dressing for bandaging an anatomical body part is provided, as well as a method for bandaging an anatomical body part with the bandage tape.

Claims

1. A bandage tape comprising a strip body having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface being made of one of a silicone and a silicone rubber, a thickness between the first surface and the second surface ranging between 0.5 mil-120.0 mil, the strip body configured for the first surface at a first end to self-adhere to the second surface at a second end by overlaying in a silicone-to-silicone bond, the strip body further configured for the second surface at the first end to self-adhere to the first surface at the second end by overlaying in a silicone-to-silicone bond.

2. The bandage tape of claim 1, wherein the strip body is a monolithic body of silicone or silicon rubber.

3. The bandage tape of claim 1, further comprising printing on at least one of the first surface and of the second surface.

4. The bandage tape of claim 1, wherein the strip body is non-continuous and divided into a section sized for a contemplated used.

5. The bandage tape of claim 4, wherein the non-continuous strip body is in an individual package in a sterile condition.

6. The bandage tape of claim 1, wherein the strip body is in a roll, and further comprising a backing layer placed between the first surface and the second surface of the bandage tape in the roll.

7. The bandage tape of claim 6, further comprising pre-perforated tear lines transversely positioned and spaced apart along the strip body.

8. The bandage tape of claim 1, wherein the strip body has a width ranging between 0.25 and 6.0.

9. A method for bandaging an anatomical body part comprising: obtaining a bandage tape comprising a strip body having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface being made of one of a silicone and a silicone rubber, a thickness between the first surface and the second surface ranging between 0.5 mil-120.0 mil; placing a first end of the strip body against the anatomical body part to be bandaged; wrapping and stretching the strip body around the anatomical body part; and forming a silicone-to-silicone bond by overlaying the second surface at a second end onto the first surface at the first end, whereby the strip body self-adheres to itself while stretched around the anatomical body part.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein forming the silicone-to-silicone bond by overlaying the second surface at a second end onto the first surface at the first end comprises forming the silicone-to-silicone bond while the strip body is over a wound on the anatomical body part, whereby the strip body self-adheres to itself while stretched to cover said wound of the anatomical body part.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein forming the silicone-to-silicone bond while the strip body is over a wound on the anatomical body part comprises forming the silicone-to-silicone bond while the strip body is directly in contact with said wound.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising placing a dressing on the wound, and wherein forming the silicone-to-silicone bond includes forming the silicone-to-silicone bond such that the dressing is between the wound and the strip body.

13. (canceled)

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising applying at least one of a disinfectant and ointment to the anatomical body part prior to bandaging the anatomical body part, whereby the bandage tape is directly in contact with the at least one of a disinfectant and ointment.

15. The method according to claim 9, further comprising applying medication to the anatomical body part prior to bandaging the anatomical body part, whereby the medication is held captive and in contact with the anatomical body part.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein stretching the strip body around the anatomical body part comprises stretching the strip body by at least 50%.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein obtaining a bandage tape comprises unrolling a length of the bandage tape from a roll, sectioning the bandage tape to define the strip body, and removing a backing layer from the strip body.

18. The method according to claim 9, wherein obtaining a bandage tape comprises removing the strip body from an individual package.

19. The method according to claim 9, further comprising placing a wireless device between the strip body and the anatomical body part, whereby the wireless device is maintained captive against the anatomical body part.

20. The method according to claim 9, further comprising placing a medical device interacting with the anatomical body part between the strip body and the anatomical body part, whereby the medical device is maintained captive against the anatomical body part.

21.-22. (canceled)

23. The method according to claim 9, wherein forming the silicone-to-silicone bond by overlaying the second surface at a second end onto the first surface at the first end comprises forming a tourniquet to reduce blood flow on the anatomical body part.

24.-39. (canceled)

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a bandage tape in accordance with the present disclosure, in a roll on a backing strip;

[0058] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the bandage tape as being detached from the backing strip;

[0059] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the bandage tape as being brought toward a wound on a finger;

[0060] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the bandage tape having a first end applied to the wound;

[0061] FIG. 1E is a perspective view of the bandage tape attached to the wound on the finger;

[0062] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of dressing being applied to a wound;

[0063] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the bandage tape as being cut from the roll;

[0064] FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the bandage tape having a first end applied to the dressing;

[0065] FIG. 2D is a perspective view of the bandage tape stretched around the forearm;

[0066] FIG. 2E is a perspective view of the bandage tape securing the dressing to the forearm:

[0067] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bandage tape of the present disclosure with pre-perforated tear lines; and

[0068] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a section of the bandage tape of the present disclosure as individually packaged.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] Referring to the Figures and more particularly to FIG. 1A, there is illustrated a stretchable bandage tape 10 in accordance with the present disclosure, for bandaging anatomical body parts (e.g., human beings and non-human animals as well). The tape 10 may be a monolithic and/or a continuous tape, made of silicone or silicone rubber. Silicone rubber is an elastomer (rubber-like material) composed of silicone and/or a polymer containing silicon together with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Silicone rubbers are often one- or two-part polymers, and may contain fillers to improve properties. For the purpose of the present disclosure the word silicone will imply a material containing silicon and/or any mixture of silicone rubber. The present disclosure is based on the properties of silicone and silicone-rubber materials to stretch and bond to itself. The present disclosure also covers non-continuous sectioned portions of the self-fusing silicone and silicone-rubber. The sections of the tape 10 may be provided on a backing strip as described below (support liner, backing substrate) or on any specially coated surface to prevent the tape from sticking to itself. Furthermore, the sections of the tape 10 can be provided without a backing strip as a sized portion individually packaged. Such a package can contain more than one size of section of the tape 10 separated with a barrier to prevent sticking to each other or treated with a substance to prevent agglomeration. The tape 10 can be provided in any format including but not limited to individual piece, sheet, stripe, roll, fanfold (with pre-perforated tear lines 10A in FIG. 3, transversely positioned along the tape 10) or other. One essential property of the silicone is that it adheres to itself. When two layers of the tape 10 are overlaid, with a slight pressure being applied, the overlaid layers of the tape 10 fuse and become integral. The adhesion therebetween is dry, in that no adhesive of any sort needs to be applied to cause the adhesion. By having the tape in a monolithic configuration, both sides of the tape X are silicone or silicone rubber, and therefore self-adhering (a.k.a., self-fusing, self-amalgamating). This may allow the tape 10 to be used to surround a body part as a bandage. Moreover, the free ends of a same side may be connected to each other to create a flag. Although described as monolithic, the tape 10 may have a composite construction, or may have a core covered by the silicone or silicone rubber.

[0070] The bandage tape 10 may come in substantial length, for a limited thickness and width. As explained below, the thickness is selected such that the tape 10 has some elasticity when manually pulled or stretched. According to an embodiment, a suitable thickness range is between 0.5 mil-120.0 mil. With such thickness, the tape 10 may be ripped manually or easily cut off as in FIG. 1A, for instance when a sufficient length of tape 10 has been unrolled.

[0071] The width may depend on the application with which the bandage tape 10 is used, and more particularly the size of the wound or dressing. In a particular use to support dressing as explained after, the width of tape 10 may be equal or superior than that to the dressing width, although it may also be inferior as shown herein. According to an embodiment, the width may range between 0.25 to 2.5. It is also contemplated to use the tape 10 to apply to a larger area of a body, in which case the width can be between 2 and 6. These dimensional ranges are provided as an example only, and should be interpreted non-limitatively as convenient and practical dimensions for the contemplated use. Wrapping of larger objects, injured location or body or dressings is possible by using multiple overlapping layers of the bandage tape 10. Furthermore, a single piece of the bandage tape 10 or separate pieces of the tape 10 fused together may be used. Furthermore, the bandage tape 10 of sufficient thickness may be used to restrain movement of limbs and/or secure a body, for example on a stretcher.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 1A, the bandage tape 10 may come as a roll. In such arrangement, a backing strip 12 may be applied to one of the surfaces of the bandage tape 10, to protect the tape 10 from sticking to itself with its self-adhering properties. An applicator device may be used if desired to facilitate the dispensing and separation of a strip of the tape 10 with backing layer 12 from the roll. According to an embodiment, the length should be sufficient to reach the other end of the material upon stretching.

[0073] When a strip of the bandage tape 10 of suitable length has been obtained, the backing 12 may be removed from the tape 10 as in FIG. 1B. The tape 10 may come in pre-cut strips, or may be cut off or ripped from the roll of FIG. 1A. As another example, the tape 10 may be ripped from the roll when overlaying it onto itself to form the bandage. A first end of the tape 10 is firstly brought toward a wound A on the body portion, such as finger B as an example, as in FIG. 10. The tape 10, being sterilized, may be applied directly onto the wound A, to cover it, as in FIG. 10, by either one of its ends. Before the free end of the tape 10 is overlaid onto the applied end of the tape 10, the user exerts some pull on the free end of the tape 10 to stretch it. Therefore, when the tape 10 is overlaid on itself, as in FIG. 1E, it is in a stretched condition, and retained by its elasticity to the finger B. The tape 10 creates a non-penetrable barrier to water and can protect the injured area against contamination. The stretching adds elasticity to the formed bandage, by which it biases onto the finger B. The fusion after stretching and inherent coefficient of friction of silicone ensure that the formed bandage of tape 10 remains in position on the body, instead of sliding off. It is observed that a first side of the strip of tape 10 is overlaid onto a second side of the strip of tape 10: as the tape 10 is of monolithic construction, both sides have the self-fusing properties. Therefore, it is non-directional and reversible, such that the first surface at a first end of the strip of bandage tape 10 self-adheres to the second surface at a second end by overlaying, or the second surface at the first end self-adheres to the first surface at the second end by overlaying. The fusion may be permanent and may not be undone without ripping it apart. A less permanent or removable fusion may possibly be obtained depending on the chemical formulation and concentration of polymers and/or additives in the bandage tape 10. Because of the elasticity and permanent bond, the user must take the necessary precautions not to make the wrapping too tight which may cause stoppage or decrease in blood circulation.

[0074] Other uses or sequences may also apply. Referring to FIGS. 2A to 2E, the bandage tape 10 is used to secure a dressing C (e.g., gauze) to a limb D, such as the forearm as in FIG. 2A. Again, the tape 10 may come in pre-cut strips, or may be cut off or ripped from the roll, as in FIG. 2B. A first end of the tape 10 is applied directly onto the dressing C. Before the free end of the tape 10 is overlaid onto the applied end of the tape 10, the user exerts some pull on the free end of the tape 10 to stretch it as in FIG. 2D. Therefore, when the tape 10 is overlaid on itself, as in FIG. 2E, it is in a stretched condition, and attached by its elasticity to the forearm D. Although shown as only covering part of the dressing C, a larger width of the bandage 10 may be used to completely cover the dressing C and hence isolate it from the surroundings, for example forming a waterproof barrier. The bandage 10 of smaller width may also be wound spirally to completely cover the dressing C if desired.

[0075] If desired, the user may inscribe information on the tape 10, whether it be before applying it as a bandage or after it has been applied. Indeed, the material of the tape 10 will retain marker ink thereon. Any form of printer may be used to print information, or markers such as permanent ink markers.

[0076] If desired, the silicone bandage tape 10 can be provided in different colors for color coding according to medical alert system or medical nomenclature. Similarly, the color coding can be used in veterinary and related use. Other color-coding, identification methods, symbology or any other information can be printed on the silicone bandage tape 10 depending on the end-use application. The bandage tape 10 may be commercially printed if desired.

[0077] The silicone or silicone containing material of the bandage tape 10 gives it the capability of being applied over a surface which is wet in rain or snow conditions, mud, sand or dirt as a result of an accident or an environmental catastrophe, or disinfectant-wet or medication-wet surface, oily surface or when any type of ointment has been applied and create a hermetic seal to protect and maintain a sterile environment underneath the formed seal. The silicone and silicone-rubber bandage tape 10 is not affected by alcohol or other chemicals, solutions and ointments as it bonds to itself and remains bonded even when soaked in alcohol. This has useful implications for sterility protection Furthermore, since the material of the bandage tape 10 can withstand high temperatures (e.g., up to 260 C.), autoclave sterilization of a packaged tape and/or sized sections thereof can allow its use in surgical applications and in clean room applications. Furthermore, the silicone bandage tape 10 can be sterilized using gamma radiation, with sterilized sections of the silicone bandage tape 10 provided in individual sterile packages, as 10B in FIG. 4. The continuous tape in its entirety may also be provided in a sterile packaging. The bandage tape 10 may be provided in the form of an individually packaged portion in a sterile packaging or a plurality of individually packaged portions in the form of strips attached to each other with or without perforations (perforations in the form of a tear line might be used for easy separation of an individual package); or a plurality of individually packaged portions in a box or enclosure. Other types of packaging can be used. Other methods of sterilization of the bandage tape 10 are also contemplated, such as using ethylene oxide.

[0078] When the bandage tape 10 is in individually sized packages, it may have a dressing (such as gauze, cotton, etc.) attached to it via a glue, adhesive, or non-adhesive fusion allowing the wound dressing to remain fixed to the bandage tape 10. In such a case, the integral dressing would be aligned and applied onto the wound area or the skin and the dressing-free ends of the bandage tape 10 would be used for stretching and fusing with each other to hold the bandage tape 10 in place.

[0079] The bandage tape 10 may solve challenges: 1) it can secure a dressing on an injured area; 2) it can be applied directly to skin and assist in stopping a bleeding by creating a pressure; 3) it can be applied to wet and oily surfaces which may be present when there is an injury and the area is covered with blood and body fluids, sprayed with a disinfectant or with any ointment applied; 4) it will not stick to skin or to hair; 5) it can withstand high temperatures used in steam sterilization in autoclaves; 6) it can be provided in sterile packaging exposed to gamma irradiation; and/or 7) it can be used for other types of sterilization, such as ethylene oxide.

[0080] The present disclosure also describes the method of using the silicone tape for medical and veterinary applications comprising the following steps: a) cutting the desired portion of the bandage tape 10; b) removing the bandage tape 10 from the backing strip 12 if present; c) stretching the bandage 10 tape to a desired length; d) applying the bandage tape 10 to a dressing (or any equivalent) and/or directly to skin; e) bonding the tape 10 to itself. Although shown as contemplated sequence a)b)c)d)e), the steps can be done in any appropriate sequence, for example: b)a)c)d)e); b)c)d)a)e). Stretching described in step c is possible but not necessary and could be omitted. The step a may be a manually ripping off or tearing off instead of cutting with a sharp instrument. For an individually packaged portion, the tape 10 might not contain a backing strip and in this case the step of removing the tape 10 from the backing strip would be omitted.

[0081] The present disclosure also describes the method of using the sized portion of the bandage tape 10 for medical and veterinary applications comprising the following steps: f) opening the packaging to expose a section of the bandage tape 10; g) removing the backing strip 12 (if present) from the bandage tape 10; h) stretching the bandage tape 10 to a desired length; i) applying the bandage tape 10 to a dressing and/or directly to skin j); bonding the tape 10 to itself. Stretching described in step h is possible but not necessary and could be omitted.

[0082] The present disclosure also describes the method of using the sized portion of the bandage tape 10 without backing strip 12 in which it comprises the following steps: k) opening the packaging; l) stretching the tape 10 to desired length m) applying the tape 10 to a bandage and/or directly to skin n) bonding the tape to itself. Stretching described in step I is possible but not necessary and could be omitted.

[0083] The silicone bandage tape 10 can be provided as part of a kit comprising a manual dispenser or an automatic dispenser for cutting the desired length of the bandage tape 10. The kit might comprise any instrument capable of cutting the bandage tape 10.

[0084] The bandage tape 10 may have some or all of the following properties: 1) it is stretchable, for example up to 300% or more and hence will comply to movements of a body portion when applied to it; 2) it does not contain any surface layer of adhesive other than its self-adhering property; 3) it can be handled by naked hands and it will not stick to a human skin but it can adhere to itself; 4) once it is wrapped onto itself for example by stretching and wrapping around an object, or wrapping a splice, it creates an integral bond and tight seal that cannot be unwrapped without force after a period of time; 5) it can be applied to surfaces such as body extremities or limbs which are wet due to bleeding, body fluids, environmental conditions, applied liquids and ointments; 6) it can withstand various environmental conditions and physical friction; 7) it can be applied over clothing or a naked skin; 8) it can withstand a relatively wide temperature range from cold to warm while not losing its fusing and elastic properties; and/or 9) it is waterproof and weatherproof. Because of its elasticity, the bandage tape 10 may be used as a tourniquet to limit or stop venom, substance or infection transfer from the area of a wound including bites from reptiles, insects or other creatures or animals.

[0085] The bandage tape 10 may incorporate (e.g., embed) a wireless device such as GPS, cellular phone, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Near Field Communication (NFC) tag technologies or any tag or device that comprises wireless communication capability. This technology allows the reading of the information without a physical contact with the wireless tag. According to an embodiment, the wireless device is positioned onto a first layer of the tape 10, with a second layer then overlaid on the first layer of tape 10, such that the wireless device is sandwiched between two layers of the tape 10, and thus fully encapsulated by the tape 10, and therefore attached to the patient. These wireless devices supported by the tape 10 may contain valuable information about the location of the patient, information about the medical condition of the patient, blood type, type of allergy, or any other information related to patient. The bandage tape 10 may also incorporate a wire, a cable, wired electronics, a memory chip, a connector or an electronic device or electrical connection for being connected to a medical device.

[0086] The present disclosure also covers when the silicone or silicone-rubber bandage tape 10 is applied on a body part over a clothing or dress such as a shirt, pullover, jacket, suit, skirt, underwear or any outer clothing designed to be worn. Artificial body parts are covered by the present disclosure. The bandage tape 10 with suitable thickness and width may provide the suitable strength to be used for movement restraint, for example in law enforcement and in other medical and non-medical facilities for restraining an individual or animal for example by tying-up extremities to each other or tying-up extremities to an object with the bandage tape 10.

[0087] These wireless devices supported by the tape 10 may contain valuable information about the location of the patient, hospital or clinic name, doctor's name, name of the patient, address of the patient, contact information, information about the medical condition of the patient, name of a disease or condition, name of a bacteria, virus, protozoa, parasite, warms, injury type, cardiogram, symptom, blood type, type of allergy, or any other information related to patient, cause of a medical condition and description of a medical condition.