Surgery: splint – brace – or bandage – Orthopedic bandage – Protective covering means for a bandage or cast
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-17
2002-09-17
Pothier, Denise M. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: splint, brace, or bandage
Orthopedic bandage
Protective covering means for a bandage or cast
C024S018000, C024S130000, C024S12900C
Reexamination Certificate
active
06450982
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a cinch clip for closing the mouth of a cast or bandage protector to seal the cast or bandage protector around the user's limb, such as an arm or leg, and to hold the cast or bandage protector on the user's limb. This invention also relates to a cast or bandage protector having such a cinch clip.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cast or bandage protectors are known which comprise elongated bags that fit around the arm or leg of a user to cover a cast or bandage that has been applied to the arm or leg. The protector prevents the cast or bandage from getting wet. As such, it is used primarily when the user is bathing in a bath or shower. However, it is not limited to that use, but could also be worn while the user is outside to prevent rain from reaching the cast or bandage.
Certain protectors of the prior art comprise bags that are closed at one end and open at the other end. A strap is attached to the bag near the open end of the bag. The strap carries a buckle at one end. The other end of the strap is free to be inserted through the buckle.
In using these protectors, the user inserts whatever limb has the cast or bandage into the bag until the cast or bandage is located within the bag. The user then threads the free end of the strap through the buckle and pulls back on the free end of the strap to cinch the strap tight. The free end of the strap is then secured in place. My own U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,320 shows a cast or bandage protector of this type.
While prior cast protectors are effective, the bags must be tightly sealed around the user's limb, both to exclude water from the interior of the bag and to keep the bag in place. If the user does not pull the strap tightly enough, this need will not be met. Yet, if the strap is pulled and cinched very tightly, the cast protector can be uncomfortable, particularly since known straps used in prior art cast protectors are made from a non-extensible fabric or plastic. Thus, the need to have a tightly secured protector conflicts to some degree with the desire to provide a protector that is comfortable when in place. This conflict has not been satisfactorily resolved by cast or bandage protectors in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of this invention relates to a cinch clip for cinching an item tightly to a limb of a user. The cinch clip comprises a locking member attached to the item during use of the cinch clip. A cord has a first end fixedly attached to the locking member and a free second end that is threaded through an opening in the locking member with the cord forming a loop relative to the locking member between the first and second ends thereof. At least one slot is provided on the locking member for releasably gripping the cord after the second end of the cord has been pulled through the opening to tighten the cord loop around the limb of the user to thereby cinch and tighten the item to the limb of the user.
Another aspect of this invention relates to a cinch clip for cinching an item tightly to a limb of a user. The cinch clip comprises a locking member attached to the item during use of the cinch clip. A cord has a first end fixedly attached to the locking member and a second free second end that is releasably attachable to the locking member to cinch the cord tightly around the limb of the user. The cord is an elastic cord.
Yet another aspect of this invention relates to a cast or bandage protector for covering an arm or leg of a user that utilizes the above-described cinch clip. The cast or bandage protector comprises an elongated, flexible, plastic bag having an open end into which the arm or leg of the user can be inserted until the arm or leg is contained at least partly within the bag. The cinch clip is carried adjacent the open end of the bag for cinching the open end of the bag shut against the arm or leg of the user.
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Miller James W.
Pothier Denise M.
Thanh Quang D
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