Shape and Pressure Adjustable Dressing

• US 20120238931A1
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Inventors: Rastegar, Jahangir S., Spinelli, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,615,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/44
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/083 Clips, e.g. resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/085 with adhesive layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/023 wound covering film layers without a fluid retention layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0233 characterised by the oclusive layer skin contacting layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0246 characterised by the skin-adhering layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00119 elastic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/0028 applying of mechanical pressure; passive massage

Abstract

A method for applying pressure to skin with a dressing. The method including: adhering at least a portion of the dressing to the skin; and subsequent to the adhering, changing the shape of the dressing by removing a restraint which restrains an elastic member associated with the dressing into a first shape. Where the removing of the restraint from restraining the elastic member moves the elastic member towards an unrestrained second shape to one or more of elongate or reduce a dimension of the dressing to apply a pressure to corresponding portions of the skin.

Claims

1. A dressing for application to skin, the dressing comprising:

a portion;

an adhesive applied on a surface of the portion for adhering the portion to the skin;

an elastic member associated with the portion and restrained into a first shape; and

a restraining member connected to the elastic member to maintain the elastic member in the first shape;

wherein when the restraining member is removed from restraining the elastic member, the elastic member moves towards an unrestrained second shape to one or more of elongate or reduce a dimension of the portion to apply a pressure to corresponding portions of the skin.

2. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the portion has a rectangular shape.

3. The dressing of claim 2, wherein the adhesive is applied to the surface of the portion at first and second ends of the rectangular shape.

4. The dressing of claim 3, wherein the first and second ends are separated in a lengthwise direction.

5. The dressing of claim 3, wherein the first and second ends are separated in a widthwise direction.

6. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member has a circular shape.

7. The dressing of claim 6, wherein the adhesive is applied to the surface of the portion at an annular ring of the circular shape.

8. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the portion is constructed of first and second portions, each having the adhesive applied on a surface of the first and second portion for adhering the first and second portions to the skin.

9. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the portion includes portions for facilitating application of the portion to the skin in a non-linear shape.

10. The dressing of claim 9, wherein the portions comprise a series of notches disposed at one or more of an edge of the portion.

11. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is configured so as to reduce or enlarge the dimension in one or more of a width or length of the portion.

12. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is configured so as to reduce the dimension in a diameter of the portion.

13. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member comprises two or more elastic members.

14. The dressing of claim 13, wherein the two or more elastic members are arranged in one or more of a width direction or a length direction of the portion.

15. The dressing of claim 13, wherein at least one of the two or more elastic members is arranged interiorly of another of the two or more elastic members.

16. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member has a closed shape.

17. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member has an open shape.

18. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member has a complex shape.

19. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is attached to a surface of the portion.

20. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is formed interiorly to the portion.

21. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is at least partially formed integrally with the portion.

22. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the restraining member is a tensile member.

23. The dressing of claim 22, wherein the tensile member is one or more of a flexible or rigid member.

24. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the restraining member is a rigid compressive member.

25. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the restraining member is connected to at least two points on the elastic member.

26. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the restraining member comprises two or more restraining members, each connected to the elastic member.

27. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the two or more restraining members are configured such that removal of each one incrementally moves the elastic element from the first shape towards the second shape through one or more intermediate shapes.

28. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the two or more restraining members has one or more of a differing length or elasticity.

29. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the portion includes one or more rigid portions for facilitating the elongation or reduction in the dimension over a width of the portion.

30. The dressing of claim 29, wherein the one or more rigid portions comprise a bar.

31. The dressing of claim 29, wherein the one or more rigid portions comprise an embossed part of the portion.

32. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the portion has at least a part that is formed of an elastic material.

33. The dressing of claim 32, wherein the elastic material is a woven fabric having one or more of weft and warp fibers being elastic.

34. The dressing of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a second elastic member and the portion is formed at least partially of a first elastic member restrained into a shape in which the portion is applied to the skin.

35. The dressing of claim 34, wherein the restraining member restrains both the first and second elastic members.

36. A method for applying pressure to skin with a dressing, the method comprising:

adhering at least a portion of the dressing to the skin; and

subsequent to the adhering, changing the shape of the dressing by removing a restraint which restrains an elastic member associated with the dressing into a first shape;

wherein the removing of the restraint from restraining the elastic member moves the elastic member towards an unrestrained second shape to one or more of elongate or reduce a dimension of the dressing to apply a pressure to corresponding portions of the skin.

37. A method for applying pressure to skin with a dressing, the method comprising:

adhering a first portion of the dressing to the skin;

with the first portion adhered to the skin, changing the shape of the dressing from a second shape to a first shape by application of a force to the dressing to elastically deform the dressing;

with the dressing in the second shape, applying a second portion of the dressing to the skin where the first and second portions bridge a wound on the skin such that an elastic force in the dressing tending to return the dressing to the second shape closes the wound; and

subsequent to the applying of the second portion of the dressing to the skin, further changing the shape of the dressing to further close the wound by removing a restraint which restrains an elastic member associated with the dressing into a third shape;

wherein the removing of the restraint from restraining the elastic member moves the elastic member towards an unrestrained fourth shape to further close the wound.

38. A woven fabric comprising:

having a body with a length longer than a width; and

end portions of the body in a length direction having less elasticity than a central portion of the body between the end portions;

wherein weft and warp fibers forming the body are arranged offset from the length direction and a width direction.