Pliable and resilient sealing pad

• US 6,152,137 A
• Filed: 06/04/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GelTight Enterprises LLC
• Original Assignee: Alan N. Schwartz, Thomas D. Theisen
• Inventors: Theisen, Thomas D., Schwartz, Alan N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamilton, Lalita M.
• Application Number:
  US09/090,717
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 2/428, 2/430, 2/429, 2/439, 2/447, 2/206.25, 2/206.26, 128/846
• US Class Current: 128/846
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/12 Bathing caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12099 characterised by the location of the occluder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12159 Solid plugs; being solid before insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/24 for use in the oral cavity, larynx, bronchial passages or nose for medical inspection of cavities or tubes in the body A61B1/00; Tongue scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 42/00 Surgical gloves; Finger-stalls specially adapted for surgery; Devices for handling or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/08 internal, e.g. earplugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/026 Paddings; Cushions; Fittings to the face
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0616 with face sealing means comprising a flap or membrane projecting inwards, such that sealing increases with increasing inhalation gas pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0688 by means of an adhesive

Abstract

A sealing pad (14) made of a compliant and resiliently deformable gelatinous elastomer suitable to conform under pressure to form a substantially airtight seal with at least a portion of the user'"'"'s skin adjacent to the sealing pad (14). The gelatinous elastomer may be attached to a second material by incorporating the gelatinous elastomer into a large plurality of interstitium in the second material. In addition, the second material can be configured to form an endoskeleton or exoskeleton that modifies the physical properties of the gelatinous elastomer.

Claims

1. A sealing pad forming a substantially airtight seal between a skin covering material and at least a portion of the user'"'"'s skin comprising:

a compliant and resiliently deformable annular gelatinous elastomer suitable to conform under pressure to form a substantially airtight seal between the skin covering material and at least a portion of the user'"'"'s skin.

2. The sealing pad of claim 1, wherein the sealing pad forms a substantially airtight seal between the user'"'"'s skin and the effective perimeter of the skin covering material.

3. The sealing pad of claim 1, further comprising a flexible membrane attached to the skin covering material and also attached to the sealing pad by surrounding and enclosing the sealing pad.

4. The sealing pad of claim 1, wherein the skin covering material has a large plurality of interstitium and wherein the sealing pad is attached to the skin covering material by integrating the sealing pad into such interstitium.

5. The sealing pad of claim 4, wherein the skin covering material has hooked projections and wherein the sealing pad is attached to the skin covering material by integrating the sealing pad within the interstitium of the hooks.

6. The sealing pad of claim 1, further comprising a transitional material attached to the skin covering material and having a large plurality of interstitium, wherein the gelatinous elastomer of the sealing pad is integrated into such interstitium in order to attach the gelatinous elastomer to the transitional material.

7. The sealing pad of claim 6, further comprising a transitional material attached to the skin covering material and having hooked projections, wherein the gelatinous elastomer of the sealing pad is integrated into said hooked projections and wherein the sealing pad is attached to the transitional material by integrating the sealing pad within the interstitium of the hook.

8. The sealing pad of claim 1, wherein:

the sealing pad is attached to a substantially waterproof covering material designed to cover an appendage of the user and having at least one opening for insertion of the user'"'"'s appendage; and

the sealing pad forms a substantially watertight seal between the covering material and the user'"'"'s skin at at least one of the openings.

9. The sealing pad of claim 1, wherein the sealing pad is configured to form an airtight seal with the user'"'"'s skin at least partially isolating at least one of the user'"'"'s orifices from the outside environment.

10. The sealing pad of claim 9, wherein the sealing pad is attached to a lightweight skin covering material that is substantially permeable to vapor, but will effectively prevent the transmission of solids or liquids.

11. The sealing pad of claim 10 configured to at least partially isolate the user'"'"'s nose and mouth.

12. The sealing pad of claim 11 wherein the sealing pad and skin covering material are used as a surgical mask.

13. The sealing pad of claim 9 configured to form an airtight seal fully isolating the user'"'"'s orifice from the outside environment.

14. The sealing pad of claim 13, wherein the sealing pad and skin covering material are used as a breathing mask.

15. The sealing pad of claim 1, wherein the sealing pad is configured as a bandage to at least partially isolate a wound or injury of the user from the outside environment.

16. The sealing pad of claim 1, wherein the pliability of the sealing pad varies between the user'"'"'s skin and the skin covering material.

17. A sealing pad forming a substantially airtight seal between a skin covering material and at least a portion of the user'"'"'s skin comprising:

a compliant and resiliently deformable gelatinous elastomer which form a non-annular barrier suitable to conform under pressure to form a substantially airtight seal between the skin covering material and at least a portion of the user'"'"'s skin.

18. The sealing pad of claim 17, further comprising a flexible membrane attached to the skin covering material and also attached to the sealing pad by surrounding and enclosing the sealing pad.

19. The sealing pad of claim 17, wherein the skin covering material has a large plurality of interstitium and wherein the sealing pad is attached to the skin covering material by integrating the sealing pad into such interstitium.

20. The sealing pad of claim 19, wherein the skin covering material has hooked projections and wherein the sealing pad is attached to the skin covering material by integrating the sealing pad within the interstitium of the hook.

21. The sealing pad of claim 17, further comprising a transitional material attached to the skin covering material and having a large plurality of interstitium, wherein the gelatinous elastomer of the sealing pad is integrated into such interstitium in order to attach the gelatinous elastomer to the transitional material.

22. The sealing pad of claim 21, further comprising a transitional material attached to the skin covering material and having hooked projections, wherein the gelatinous elastomer of the sealing pad is integrated into said hooked projections and wherein the sealing pad is attached to the transitional material by integrating the sealing pad within the interstitium of the hook.

23. The sealing pad of claim 17, wherein:

the sealing pad is attached to a substantially waterproof covering material designed to cover an appendage of the user and having at least one opening for insertion of the user'"'"'s appendage; and

the sealing pad forms a substantially watertight seal between the covering material and the user'"'"'s skin at at least one of the openings.

24. The sealing pad of claim 17, wherein the sealing pad is configured to form an airtight seal with the user'"'"'s skin at least partially isolating at least one of the user'"'"'s orifices from the outside environment.

25. The sealing pad of claim 24, wherein the sealing pad is attached to a lightweight skin covering material that is substantially permeable to vapor, but will effectively prevent the transmission of solids or liquids.

26. The sealing pad of claim 25 configured to at least partially isolate the user'"'"'s nose and mouth.

27. The sealing pad of claim 26, wherein the sealing pad and skin covering material are used as a surgical mask.

28. The sealing pad of claim 17, wherein the pliability of the sealing pad varies between the user'"'"'s skin and the skin covering material.

29. A device for delivery of a compound to a portion of the user'"'"'s skin;

and a means for utilizing an energy source to aid in the delivery of the compound to the user'"'"'s skin comprising;

a gelatinous elastomer configured to isolate the portion of the user'"'"'s skin and maintain the compound against such portion of the skin.

30. The delivery device of claim 29, wherein the energy source supplies electrical energy.

31. The delivery device of claim 29, wherein the energy source supplies magnetic energy.

32. The delivery device of claim 29, wherein the energy source supplies vibrational energy.

33. The delivery device of claim 29, wherein the energy source supplies electromagnetic energy.

34. The delivery device of claim 29, further comprising a passage to supply, remove, or maintain the compound against such portion of the skin.

35. A method for attaching a gelatinous elastomer to a second material comprising:

forming a large plurality of interstitium at the location on the second material where the gelatinous elastomer will be attached; and

integrating the gelatinous elastomer into such interstitium.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the interstitium are derived from a large plurality of projections from the surface of the second material.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the second material comprises a fabric material and the gelatinous elastomer is integrated at least partially into the fabric-like portion of the second material.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the projections from the second material are hooked.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the interstitium comprise a large plurality of small voids in the second material.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the second material comprises a fabric material and the gelatinous elastomer is integrated at least partially into the fabric-like portion of the second material.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the voids of the second material are interconnected channels.

42. A method for modifying the physical properties of a gelatinous elastomer comprising the integration of a second material into the gelatinous elastomer near the surface of the gelatinous elastomer to form an exoskeleton for the gelatinous elastomer that alters the physical properties of the gelatinous elastomer.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the second material is a fabric material.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the exoskeleton has an ordered pattern.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the exoskeleton has a random pattern.

46. A method for modifying the physical properties of a gelatinous elastomer comprising the integration of a second material into the gelatinous elastomer, wherein the second material is integrated into a substantial portion of the interior of the gelatinous elastomer to form an endoskeleton for the gelatinous elastomer that alters the physical properties of the gelatinous elastomer.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the endoskeleton is varied within the gelatinous elastomer in order to create a plurality of regions within the gelatinous elastomer having different physical properties.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the second material is a fabric material.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the endoskeleton has an ordered pattern.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the endoskeleton has a random pattern.

51. The method of claim 46, further comprising integrating a third material into the gelatinous elastomer to form an exoskeleton which alters the physical properties of the gelatinous elastomer.