COMPRESSION BANDAGE HAVING AN INTEGRATED STRAIN GAUGE

• US 20140276275A1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Inventors: Stokes, Benjamin, Robinson, Timothy Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,427,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/84
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00059 provided with visual effects, e.g. printed or colored
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/01038 Flexibility, stretchability or elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00123 with elastic indicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/008 Apparatus for applying pressure or blows almost perpendicular to the body or limb axis, e.g. chiropractic devices for repositioning vertebrae, correcting deformation
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/427 not condensed and containing further heterocyclic rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/40 Cyclodextrins; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0048 Eye, e.g. artificial tears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A compression therapy apparatus and a method for manufacturing and applying compression with the same may include a bandage and a tension indicator coupled to the bandage. A tension indicator may include a film having layers of liquid crystal droplets deposited on a polymer matrix. The tension indicator can b adapted to color shift under tension between the first end and the second end of the bandage.

Claims

1. A compression therapy apparatus, comprising:

a bandage; and

a tension indicator comprising layers of liquid crystal droplets deposited on a polymer matrix, the tension indicator coupled to the bandage and adapted to color shift under tension.

2. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bandage and the tension indicator have equal lengths.

3. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bandage and the tension indicator have equal widths.

4. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage.

5. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage, each tension indicator adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the width of the bandage.

6. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage, each tension indicator adapted to indicate a different predetermined tension.

7. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage.

8. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage.

9. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage; and

each tension indicator is disposed linearly along the length of the bandage.

10. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage; and

each tension indicator is disposed linearly along the length of the bandage so that an end of a first tension indicator is adjacent to an end of a second tension indicator.

11. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage;

each tension indicator is disposed linearly along the length of the bandage so that an end of a first tension indicator is adjacent to an end of a second tension indicator; and

the tension indicators are coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage.

12. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage;

each tension indicator is disposed linearly along the length of the bandage so that an end of a first tension indicator is adjacent to an end of a second tension indicator;

the tension indicators are coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage; and

each tension indicator is adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the width of the bandage.

13. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage;

each tension indicator is disposed linearly along the length of the bandage so that an end of a first tension indicator is adjacent to an end of a second tension indicator;

the tension indicators are coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage; and

each tension indicator is adapted to indicate a different predetermined tension.

14. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more couplers adapted to couple at least one of the first end and the second end to a portion of the bandage.

15. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator comprises a holographically formed polymer dispersed liquid crystal film.

16. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the color shift comprises changing from a first color to a second color when tension is applied to the bandage.

17. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the color shift comprises the tension indicator changing from a milky color to a blue color.

18. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator is woven into the bandage.

19. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix is an elastic polymer matrix.

20. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bandage and the polymer matrix are configured to deform at substantially the same rate.

21. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators distributed across a width of the bandage.

22. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators apportioned across a width of the bandage.

23. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators equally apportioned across a width of the bandage.

24. The compression therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators distributed across a width of the bandage and in parallel along a length of the bandage.

25. A method of manufacturing a bandage comprising:

providing a bandage; and

coupling a tension indicator to the bandage, the tension indicator adapted to color shift under tension, the tension indicator comprising layers of liquid crystal droplets deposited on a polymer matrix.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein coupling the tension indicator comprises adhering the tension indicator to a surface of the bandage.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein coupling the tension indicator comprises weaving the tension indicator into the bandage.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein coupling the tension indicator comprises bonding the tension indicator to a surface of the bandage.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators.

30. A method for providing compression therapy to a tissue site, the method comprising:

providing a compression therapy apparatus, comprising;

a bandage, and

a tension indicator comprising layers of liquid crystal droplets deposited on a polymer matrix, the tension indicator coupled to the bandage and adapted to color shift under tension;

securing the first end of the bandage to the tissue site;

applying tension to the bandage;

monitoring the tension indicator for the color shift; and

if the tension indicator color shifts, wrapping the bandage around the tissue site.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage, each tension indicator adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the width of the bandage.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage, each tension indicator adapted to indicate a different predetermined tension.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage; and

each tension indicator is disposed linearly along the length of the bandage.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage; and

each tension indicator is disposed linearly along the length of the bandage so that an end of a first tension indicator is adjacent to an end of a second tension indicator.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage;

each tension indicator is disposed linearly along the length of the bandage so that an end of a first tension indicator is adjacent to an end of a second tension indicator; and

the tension indicators are coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage;

each tension indicator is disposed linearly along the length of the bandage so that an end of a first tension indicator is adjacent to an end of a second tension indicator;

the tension indicators are coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage; and

each tension indicator is adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the width of the bandage.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the tension indicator comprises a plurality of tension indicators, each tension indicator coupled to the bandage along a length of the bandage and adapted to indicate tension in a portion of the length of the bandage;

each tension indicator is disposed linearly along the length of the bandage so that an end of a first tension indicator is adjacent to an end of a second tension indicator;

the tension indicators are coupled to the bandage across a width of the bandage; and

each tension indicator is adapted to indicate a different predetermined tension.

41. (canceled)