US20080294126A1 - Method For Activating an Electronic Self Adhesive Bandage - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of activating an electronic self adhesive bandage whereby the electronic circuitry in the bandage is activated when the bandage is peeled away from its backing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/426,061 filed 23 Jun. 2006
DRAWINGSFigures
• FIG. 1 Shows side cutout view of self adhesive bandage and peel away backing.
• FIG. 2 Shows front view of self adhesive bandage.
• FIG. 3 Shows front view of peel away backing.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
• 10 Peel Away Backing
• 11 Self Adhesive Bandage
• 12 Trigger Material
• 13 Circuit Activation Sensor/Switch
• 14 Electronic Circuit
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONFIGS.2 AND3
• FIG. 2 is an illustration of the preferred embodiment of the self adhesive bandage. It includes thebandage part11 made from a polymer with physical properties similar to that used in conventional self adhesive bandages. One of the sides of the bandage would have the adhesive on it and would be adhered to the backing shown inFIG. 3.
• The bandage contains an embeddedelectronic circuit14 which may be powered by an internal battery integral to this said circuit.
• Theelectronic circuit14 may be a sanitizing circuit such as the UV LED circuit in cross referenced related application Ser. No. 11/426,061. Or it may be another type of electronic circuit or device such as a wound monitoring device or a medicine activating device.
• Thecircuit14 is intended to be activated by an electronic sensor or switch13. This can be a reed switch, a capacitive sensor, a contact switch, a photonic sensor, or some other type of sensor or switch capable of detecting the presence ofbacking10 which is adhered to the selfadhesive bandage11 or detecting material embedded in said backing.
• FIG. 3 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the peel away backing for the self adhesive bandage. In the preferred embodiment thebacking material10 is made from a coated paper material as found in standard self adhesive bandages or a material of similar physical properties. The backing may include embedded triggeringmaterial12. This triggering material may be metallic for activating a capacitive or contact switch, it may be magnetic for activating a reed switch, or it may be some other material capable of activating the sensor or switch13 in the bandage. If a photonic sensor or limit switch is used to activate theelectronic circuit14 in the bandage then an embeddedmaterial12 may not be necessary because the sensor orswitch13 would detect thebacking10 directly.
OPERATIONFIG.1
• FIG. 1 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the bandage and backing shown together but separated to show detail. Thebandage11 andbacking10 would be adhered to each other while the complete bandage is in its package or wrapper. The sensor orswitch13 would be in close proximity to and facing the embeddedmaterial12 in the backing while the backing is adhered to the self adhesive bandage. In one embodiment the sensor or switch would be a normally closed switch so the proximity of the triggering material or backing would render it open and theelectronic circuit14 de energized. When the user of the bandage peels the backing10 away from thebandage11 the sensor orswitch13 would close and energizeelectronic circuit14. This invention allows for a virtually unlimited shelf life for electronic bandages and instant activation at the moment of use.

Claims (1)

1. A self adhesive bandage with electronic circuitry comprising:

a. A bandage containing the electronic circuitry and a circuitry activation sensor or switch.

b. A peel away backing which may contain triggering material.

Whereby the circuitry in the bandage is activated when the backing is peeled from the bandage

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