THIN FILM WOUND COVER, SUCTION ASSISTED WOUND TREATMENT SYSTEM USING THE SAME, METHOD OF USING THE THIN FILM WOUND COVER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A composite structure comprising a cover, a stiffener, and a releasable liner, said cover being arranged for use on a wound of a patient and being formed of a very thin, flexible film having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, a pair of opposed marginal edges, and an adhesive on said undersurface of said film, said stiffener comprising a sheet having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, a pair of opposed marginal edges and at least one handle, said at least one handle being more rigid than said principal portion of said stiffener and forming a portion of said undersurface of said stiffener contiguous with a marginal edge of said stiffener, said stiffener being disposed over said cover, with said undersurface of said stiffener at said principal portion of said stiffener being releasably secured to said upper surface of said cover at said principal portion of said cover, said at least one handle defining between it and the marginal edge of said cover disposed therebelow a finger space in which a finger of a user can be inserted to separate said stiffener from said cover, said releasable liner comprising at least one section releasably secured to said adhesive to protect said adhesive and being removable when desired to expose said adhesive, whereupon said cover can be adhesively secured over the wound by said adhesive, said stiffener and said at least one handle being removable as a unit from said cover.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A composite structure, a suction-assisted wound treatment system including the composite structure and a method of making the same is disclosed. The composite structure includes a cover, a stiffener, and a releasable liner. The cover is a thin flexible film having an, upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, a pair of marginal edges and an adhesive on the undersurface. The stiffener is releasably secured to the upper surface of the principal portion of the cover and includes a handle which is more rigid than the principal portion of the stiffener. The handle, forms a portion of the undersurface of the stiffener and defines a finger space between it and portion of the cover disposed therebelow. The liner includes at least one section releasably secured to the adhesive of the cover. The stiffener and the handle are removable as a unit from the cover.
133 Citations
33 Claims
- 1. A composite structure comprising a cover, a stiffener, and a releasable liner, said cover being arranged for use on a wound of a patient and being formed of a very thin, flexible film having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, a pair of opposed marginal edges, and an adhesive on said undersurface of said film, said stiffener comprising a sheet having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, a pair of opposed marginal edges and at least one handle, said at least one handle being more rigid than said principal portion of said stiffener and forming a portion of said undersurface of said stiffener contiguous with a marginal edge of said stiffener, said stiffener being disposed over said cover, with said undersurface of said stiffener at said principal portion of said stiffener being releasably secured to said upper surface of said cover at said principal portion of said cover, said at least one handle defining between it and the marginal edge of said cover disposed therebelow a finger space in which a finger of a user can be inserted to separate said stiffener from said cover, said releasable liner comprising at least one section releasably secured to said adhesive to protect said adhesive and being removable when desired to expose said adhesive, whereupon said cover can be adhesively secured over the wound by said adhesive, said stiffener and said at least one handle being removable as a unit from said cover.
- 9. A composite structure comprising a cover and a stiffener, said cover being arranged for use on a wound of a patient and being formed of a very thin, flexible film having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, at least one marginal edge portion and an adhesive on said undersurface of said film, said at least one marginal edge portion of said cover and said principal portion of said cover being of essentially the same flexibility as each other, said stiffener comprising a sheet having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion and at least one marginal edge portion, said stiffener being disposed over said cover with said undersurface of said stiffener at said principal portion of said stiffener being releasably secured to said upper surface of said cover at said principal portion of said cover, and wherein said at least one marginal edge portion of said stiffener is separated from said at least one marginal edge portion of said cover disposed therebelow by a finger space.
- 17. A suction assisted wound care system comprising a source of suction, a coupling member, and a composite structure, said composite structure comprising a cover adapted to be adhesively secured over a wound of a patient to create a confined space to which a vacuum can be applied, a stiffener and a releasably securable liner, said coupling member being arranged to be coupled to said source of suction for applying suction to said confined space, said cover being formed of a very thin, flexible film having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, at least one marginal edge and an adhesive on said undersurface of said film arranged to secure said cover to the wound, said stiffener comprising a sheet having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, at least one marginal edge and at least one handle, said at least one handle forming a portion of said undersurface of said stiffener contiguous with said at least one marginal edge of said stiffener, said stiffener being disposed over said cover, with sad undersurface of said stiffener at said principal portion of said stiffener being releasably secured to said upper surface of said cover at said principal portion of said cover, said at least one handle defining between it and said at least one marginal edge of said cover disposed therebelow a finger space in which a finger of a user can be inserted, said releasable liner comprising at least one section releasably secured to said adhesive to protect said adhesive and being removable when desired to expose said adhesive, whereupon said cover can be adhesively secured over the wound by said adhesive, said stiffener and said at least one handle being removable as a unit from said covers.
-
22. A method of providing suction assisted wound treatment to a wound of a patient comprising:
-
providing a composite structure comprising a cover, a stiffener and a releasably securable liner, said cover being formed of a very thin, flexible film having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, at least one marginal edge and an adhesive on said undersurface of said film arranged to secure said cover to the patient, said stiffener comprising a sheet having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, at least one marginal edge and at least one handle, said at least one handle forming a portion of said undersurface of said stiffener contiguous with said at least one marginal edge of said stiffener, said stiffener being disposed over said cover, with said undersurface of said stiffener at said principal portion of said stiffener being releasably secured to said upper surface of said cover at said principal portion of said cover, said at least one handle defining between it and said at least one marginal edge of said cover disposed therebelow a finger space in which a finger of a user can be inserted, said releasable liner comprising at least one section releasably secured to said adhesive to protect said adhesive and being removable when desired to expose said adhesive; removing said at least one section of said releasable liner from said cover to expose said adhesive and applying said cover over the wound to;
produce a confined space to which suction can be applied;grasping said at least one handle of said composite;
structure via said finger space to remove said stiffener and said at least one handle as a unit from said cover; andcoupling a source of suction to said confined space. - View Dependent Claims (23)
-
-
24. A method of treating a wound of a patient comprising:
-
providing a composite structure comprising a cover, a stiffener and a releasably securable liner, said cover being formed of a very thin, flexible film having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, at least one marginal edge and an adhesive on said undersurface of said film arranged to secure said cover over the wound, said at least one marginal edge of said cover and the portion of said cover contiguous therewith being of essentially the same flexibility as said principal portion of said cover, said stiffener comprising a sheet having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion, at least one marginal edge and at least one handle said at least one handle forming a portion of said undersurface of said stiffener at said at least one marginal edge of said stiffener, said undersurface of said stiffener at said principal portion of said stiffener being releasably secured to said upper surface of said cover at said principal portion of said cover, said at least one handle defining between it and said at least one marginal edge of said cover disposed therebelow a finger space in which a finger of a user can be inserted, said releasable liner comprising at least one section releasably secured to said adhesive to protect said adhesive and being removable when desired to expose said adhesive; removing said at least one section of said releasable liner from said cover to expose said adhesive and applying said cover on said wound; and grasping said at least one handle of said composite structure via said finger space to remove said stiffener and at least one handle as a unit from said cover. - View Dependent Claims (25)
-
-
26. A method for making a composite structure including a cover for adhesive application to the body of a patient, said method comprising:
-
providing a cover formed of a very thin, flexible film having an upper surface, an undersurface;
a principal portion, a pair of opposed marginal edges and an adhesive on said undersurface of said film;providing a stiffener comprising a sheet having an upper surface, an undersurface, a principal portion and a pair of opposed marginal edges; providing a strip to said undersurface of said stiffener immediately adjacent one of said marginal edges of said stiffener to form at least one handle, said at least one handle being stiffer than said principal portion of said stiffener; and juxtaposing said stiffener and said cover to releasably secure said undersurface of said stiffener at said principal portion of said stiffener to said upper surface of said cover at said principal portion of said cover. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A method for making a composite structure including a cover for adhesive application to the body of a patient, said method comprising:
-
providing a cover formed of a thin, flexible film having an upper surface and an undersurface, said undersurface of said cover having an adhesive thereon; disposing said cover directly on a support surface, wherein said upper surface of said cover is in direct engagement with said support surface and said adhesive on said undersurface of said cover is exposed; applying a release liner directly to said adhesive on said undersurface of said cover to releasably secure said release liner thereto; providing a stiffener comprising a sheet having an upper surface and an undersurface; and releasably laminating said undersurface of said stiffener to said upper surface of said cover. - View Dependent Claims (33)
-
Specification