Adhesive bandage for personal use

An adhesive bandage used personally to cover a minor injury on a human body, especially on a finger or a toe thereof, comprises a bandage proper having an adhesive inside, a pad fixed to a substantially central portion of the inside of the bandage proper, and a protective paper having opposed end portions removably attached to the inside of the bandage proper. The protective paper has a central, greater part folded flatwise. The central greater part of the protective paper can be unfolded and has a sufficient length to provide, together with the bandage proper, an ample space through which a finger or a toe with a minor injury to be covered can be inserted, when the central greater part is unfolded. Another adhesive bandage for personal use comprises a bandage proper having an adhesive side, a pad fixed to a substantially central portion of the adhesive side of the bandage proper for directly covering a minor injury, a loop means having opposed end portions removably attached to opposed end portions of the adhesive side of the bandage proper, and a protective paper having a substantially central, greater part removably attached to the adhesive side of the bandage proper. The loop means has a sufficient length to form, together with the bandage proper, a loop which defines an expandable space through which fingers can be inserted.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an adhesive bandage used personally to cover a 
minor wound, such as a small abrasion or a small cut, or a minor burn on a 
human body, more particularly on a finger or a toe. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A typical example of a conventional adhesive bandage used personally to 
cover a minor wound or a minor burn on a human body is illustrated in FIG. 
25 of the drawing of Japanese Pat. Application No. 60-38279 published in 
Japanese Official Gazette of Pat. Application No. 61-196958. The adhesive 
bandage illustrated therein comprises (i) a strip of tape, or bandage 
proper, having an adhesive inside and (ii) a gauze pad fixed to the center 
of the inside and covered with two sheets of protective paper. In use, the 
protective papers are removed to expose the pad, and the bandage proper is 
applied on a minor wound or burn so as to cover the injury exactly with 
the pad. 
There is a case where, although a wound or burn is one of a minor nature on 
a finger of one hand, only the other hand can be used to cover the injury. 
Thus, in such a case, in order to cover the injury with the foregoing 
conventional bandage, its protective papers must be removed and the 
bandage proper must be applied to the injury so as to cover it exactly 
with the pad, only b one hand. However, such operations are not always 
easy. Also, in such a case, if the conventional bandage is used, the 
bandage proper may be accidentally applied on a position other than the 
intended position before the user is able to apply it on the intended 
position. Moreover, in such a case, with the conventional bandage, 
different portions of the inside, or adhesive side, of the bandage proper 
may stick to each other before the user can apply it on the intended 
position. Also, there is a case where, although one of two sides of the 
inside of the bandage proper opposed to each other with was correctly 
applied, different portions of the other side may stick to each other. 
Thus, with the conventional bandage, if only one hand can be used to cover 
the injury, it is possible that the user may not succeed in applying the 
bandage proper only at one time, but may let it or some portion of it 
stick to an unintended portion before being able to apply it correctly. 
And, in such an event, the user makes one more attempt to correctly apply 
the bandage proper, but the portion of it which stuck to the unintended 
portion in the previous attempt no longer has the same adhesive strength 
as before and, hence, it may be necessary for the user to throw away the 
useless bandage and use a new bandage. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the invention to provide an adhesive bandage used 
personally to cover a minor injury on a human body, more particularly on a 
finger or a toe. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an adhesive bandage for 
personal use which is particularly adapted for application on an injury on 
a finger which is a minor one, but which is of such a nature that only the 
hand not injured can be used to cover it. 
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon 
reading a detailed description of the preferred embodiments which will 
follow. 
According to one aspect of the invention, an adhesive bandage used 
personally to cover a minor injury includes a bandage proper having an 
adhesive inside, a pad fixed to a substantially central portion of the 
inside of the bandage proper for directly covering a minor injury, and a 
means for protecting both the pad and the inside of the bandage proper 
which is removably attached, at its opposed end portions, to two sides of 
the inside of the bandage proper opposed to each other with the pad 
between. The protecting means has a central greater part not attached to 
any portion of the bandage proper nor to the pad, but folded flatwise so 
as to make the entire bandage a relatively flat bandage. The central 
greater part of the protecting means can be unfolded and has a sufficient 
length to provide, together with the bandage proper, an ample space 
through which a finger or a toe with a minor injury to be covered can be 
inserted, when the central greater part of the protecting means is in the 
state of being unfolded. The bandage proper is applied on the injury to 
cover the injury exactly with the pad. After the insertion of a finger or 
toe injured through the foregoing space and the covering of its injury 
with the pad, the protecting means is pulled in different directions in a 
successive manner, thereby attaching the opposed two sides of the inside 
of the bandage proper to the finger or toe while simultaneously removing 
the opposed end portions of the protecting means from the opposed two 
sides of the inside of the bandage proper. 
For a minor injury on a portion of a body other than a finger or a toe, the 
protecting means can be turned by substantially 180 degrees without 
removing the extreme end portions of the protecting means from the opposed 
two sides of the inside of the bandage proper, so that an outside surface 
of the protecting means immediately after when the protecting means has 
been unfolded forms an inside surface and so that this inside surface, 
together with a surface of the bandage proper opposed to the inside 
surface of the bandage proper, forms an ample space through which two 
fingers, for example, can be inserted. 
According to another aspect of the invention, an adhesive bandage used 
personally to cover a minor injury includes a bandage proper having an 
adhesive side, a pad fixed to a substantially central portion of the 
adhesive side of the bandage proper for directly covering a minor injury, 
a loop means removably attached, at its opposed end portions, to opposed 
end portions of the adhesive side of the bandage proper, and means for 
protecting both the pad and the adhesive side of the bandage proper. The 
protecting means has a substantially central, greater part removably 
attached to the adhesive side of the bandage proper to protect both the 
pad and the adhesive side of the bandage proper. The loop means has a 
sufficient length to form, together with the bandage proper, a loop which 
defines an expandable space through which fingers can be inserted. The 
foregoing loop is located on the side opposed to the side of the pad with 
the bandage proper between. Thus, after the protecting means has been 
removed from the bandage proper, the bandage proper can be applied on the 
injury to cover the injury exactly with the pad while supporting, with 
fingers inserted through the foregoing space, the surface of the bandage 
proper opposed to the adhesive surface thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
First Preferred Embodiment 
Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 depicts an adhesive bandage for 
personal use which embodies the invention in one preferred form. The 
bandage of FIG. 1 includes (i) a strip of tape, or bandage proper, 2 
having an adhesive inside (, or an adhesive lower side) and (ii) a pad 1 
fixed to the inside of the tape 2. A single sheet of protective paper 3 is 
attached, at opposed end portions 3a and 3b thereof, to two sides 2a and 
2b of the inside of the tape 2 opposed to each other with the pad 1 
between, respectively. In use, the bandage is applied to a minor injury on 
a portion of a human body such as a finger in such a manner that the pad 1 
covers the injury exactly. The pad 1 may be made of cotton gauze or any 
other suitable material. Also, the pad 1 is usually located at the center 
of the inside of the tape 2. In FIG. 1, as illustrated, the central 
portion S of the protective paper 3, or its portion other than its opposed 
end portions 3a and 3b, is hanging down from the end portions 3a and 3b. 
However, before the bandage is used, or when the bandage is sold to a 
customer, the central portion S of the protective paper 3 is in the state 
of being folded flatwise, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 7 or 8, to make 
the entire bandage a relatively flat product for convenience of the sale 
to customers of the bandage as a compact product. In use, the central 
portion S is unfolded as illustrated in FIG. 1. The central portion S of 
the paper 3 has a greater length than the tape 2. 
Usually the central portion S of the protective tape 3 is folded as 
illustrated in FIG. 7. In FIG. 7, the central portion S is folded 
outwardly at its opposed upper portions 3c and 3d, and then is folded 
inwardly at its middle opposed portions 3e and 3f, and finally is folded 
to the right side at its lower portion 3g. As illustrated, when the 
central portion S is in the state of being folded in such a manner, the 
central portion S has substantially the same length as the tape 2 as 
viewed from above or below. 
As mentioned above, in use, the central portion S of the protective paper 3 
is unfolded as illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, when the 
central portion S is thus unfolded, it provides a generally diamond-shaped 
space X which is more than sufficient for the user to insert his finger 7 
with an injury 8 therethrough without causing the injury 8 to touch the 
pad 1. It will be appreciated that a toe (not shown) also can be inserted 
through the space X. 
If the bandage is designed exclusively for a minor injury only on a finger 
or a toe, the protective paper 3 is formed with from about one and half 
times to about three times the length of the bandage proper 2. However, if 
the bandage is designed to cover a minor injury either on a finger or a 
toe or on a wrist or an ankle, the protective paper 3 is formed with a 
greater length. 
The central portion S of the protective paper 3 is cut a little to the 
right of the center thereof to provide both an opening 4 and a tab 5. The 
user of the bandage may hold the tab 5 to readily unfold the central 
portion S. However, although, in FIG. 7, the tab 5 is outside the opening 
4, there may a case that the tab is wholly or substantially inside the 
opening. In such a case it may be difficult for the user to put out the 
tab 5 from the opening 4 in order to provide a portion to be held to 
readily unfold the central portion. However, a pair of opposed cuts 6 are 
provided between one 3c of the upper opposed portions of the central 
portion S and one 3e of the middle opposed portions thereof. And If it is 
difficult for the user to put out the tab 5 from the opening 4, the user 
may hold the portions of the central portion S which are located directly 
below the cuts 6 when the central portion is in the folded state of FIG. 
7. If the user holds such portions, the user can unfold the central 
portion not only readily, but without touching the pad 1, as is the case 
where the user holds the tab 5. 
First Example of How to Use the Bandage of the First Preferred Embodiment 
Description will now be made of an example of how to use or apply the 
above-mentioned bandage on a minor injury on a finger. Usually the bandage 
is sold in the state of being packaged as illustrated in FIG. 7. First the 
bandage is taken out from a package 10. Then, the tab 5 is held with the 
hand not injured. As mentioned above, however, if the tab 5 is wholly or 
substantially inside the opening 4 and cannot be put out easily from the 
opening 4, the portions of the central portion S directly below the cuts 6 
may be held. Or any other portion of the central portion S may be held 
which allows the user to unfold the central portion S without touching the 
pad 1. Then, the central portion S of the protective paper 3 is unfolded 
to provide a space X. Thereafter, the finger 7 injured at 8 is inserted 
through the space X (FIG. 2). Then, the pad 1 is applied exactly to the 
injury 8 (FIG. 3), and the lower portion 3g of the central portion S is 
held with the hand 9 not injured (FIG. 3). Then, the protective paper 3 is 
pulled down, or in a direction A of FIG. 3, so as to detach about the 
inner half of each of the opposed end portions 3a and 3b of the paper 3 
from the adhesive tape, or the bandage proper, 2 and attach about the 
inner halves of the opposed sides 2a and 2b of the inside of the tape 2 (, 
or the adhesive side thereof) to two sides of the finger 7 opposed to each 
other with the injury 8 between, respectively (FIG. 3). Then, the paper 3 
is pulled in a direction B of FIG. 4 to detach the remaining portion of 
the right-hand end portion 3b of the paper 3 from the tape 2 and attach 
the remaining portion of the right-hand side 2b of the inside of the tape 
2 to the finger (FIG. 5). Then, the paper 3 is turned to a direction C of 
FIG. 5, and is pulled in a direction D of FIG. 6 to detach the remaining 
portion of the left-hand end portion 3a of the paper 3 from the tape 2 and 
attach the remaining portion of the left-hand side 2a of the inside of the 
tape on the right-hand end portion of the tape. Thus, the protective paper 
3 is completely detached from the adhesive tape 2, and the finger 7 with 
its injury 8 is completely bandaged at its required portion. 
Needless to say, if desired, subsequently to the pulling of the protective 
paper 3 in the direction A of FIG. 3 the paper 3 may be pulled in the 
direction D of FIG. 6 and then in the direction B of FIG. 4. 
It will be appreciated that the use of the bandage of the invention enables 
the injury to be bound up exactly and very readily even if only the hand 
not injured can be used for the binding operation. 
Second Example of How to Use the Bandage of the First Preferred Embodiment 
Referring to FIG. 9, description will now be made of an example of how to 
apply the bandage of the first embodiment on a minor injury on a portion 
of a body other than a finger or a toe. For such an injury, the protective 
paper 3 may be turned upward by substantially 180 degrees from its 
position of FIG. 1 and without detaching the extreme end portions of the 
paper 3 from the tape 2, so that the outside surface of the paper 3 when 
the paper 3 is in the position of FIG. 1 forms an inside surface, as 
illustrated in FIG. 9. As illustrated, this inside surface is part of the 
whole inside surface which defines a space Y produced by turning the paper 
3 in the above-mentioned manner. Then, two fingers, for instance, are 
inserted through the space Y to touch and support the side portions of the 
tape 2 opposed to each other with the pad 1 between. Then, the pad 1 is 
applied exactly to the injury. In FIG. 9 the injury is designated by 
numeral 8. Then, the portions of the adhesive side of the tape 2 which 
have already been exposed are attached to areas of the skin opposed to 
each other with the injury between. Then, the fingers are moved away from 
both the tape 2 and the space Y, and while detaching the remaining 
portions of the paper 3 from the tape 2, the remaining portions of the 
adhesive side of the tape are attached to the skin. Or, subsequently to 
the attachment of the foregoing exposed portions of the adhesive side of 
the tape 2 to the foregoing areas of the skin, the paper 3 may be pulled 
in the direction opposite to the injury (, or in an upward direction if 
the bandage is applied on the injury from above as in FIG. 9) with one 
hand while supporting the tape 2 and attaching the remaining portions of 
its adhesive side to the skin with the fingers of the other hand. 
Modifications 
As mentioned before, when the bandage is sold to a customer, usually the 
central portion S of the protective paper 3 is in the state of being 
folded as illustrated in FIG. 7, i.e., in a generally symmetrical manner. 
However, the central portion S may be folded in any other suitable manner, 
including the manner as illustrated in FIG. 8. 
In the foregoing embodiment the single sheet of protective paper 3 is used. 
However, according to the spirit of the invention, the two sheets of 
protective paper used for the conventional adhesive bandage may be 
connected by a suitable connecting means (such as a sheet of paper, thread 
or a string) having a sufficient length to form, together with the bandage 
proper, an ample space for receiving a finger injured, so as to provide an 
adhesive bandage having essentially the same principal merit as the 
bandage of the invention, namely, the merit of enabling a minor injury on 
a finger of one hand to be bound up readily only with the other hand. 
Also, according to the spirit of the invention, the conventional adhesive 
bandage may be modified by providing the bandage proper with two sheets of 
protective paper having a total length substantially equal to the length 
of the single protective paper 3 and connected to each other by a suitable 
means, so as to provide an adhesive bandage of the invention having 
essentially the same principal merit as the bandage of the invention. 
If required, the protective paper 3 may be cut into two at its lower 
portion 3g or thereabout to use the bandage in the same manner as the 
conventional adhesive bandage. 
Second Preferred Embodiment 
FIG. 10 depicts an adhesive bandage for personal use which embodies the 
invention in another preferred form. The bandage of FIG. 10 comprises (i) 
a strip of tape, or bandage proper, 2 having an adhesive lower side, (ii) 
a pad 1 fixed to the adhesive side of the tape 2, (iii) a loop means 11 
attached, at its opposed end portions, to the opposed end portions of the 
adhesive side of the tape 2 to form, together with the tape 2, a loop 
which defines an expandable space Z for receiving fingers, and (iv) a 
single sheet of protective paper 3 with a substantially central, greater 
part attached to the adhesive side of the tape 2 to cover the pad 1 and 
with opposed tab portions 12. 
Example of How to Use the Bandage of the Second Preferred Embodiment 
Referring to FIG. 11, an example of how to use the bandage of the second 
preferred embodiment will now be described. First, two fingers of one hand 
9, for example, are inserted through the space Z as illustrated in FIG. 
11. As illustrated, when the fingers are inserted through the space Z, the 
space Z is expanded. Then, one of the tab portions 12 is held, and the 
protective paper 3 is detached from the tape 2 to expose the pad 1. Then, 
the bandage is applied on a minor injury 8, e.g., on a finger 7 of the 
other hand so as to cover the injury 8 exactly with the pad 1. Then, the 
inner portions of two sides 2a and 2b of the adhesive side of the tape 2 
opposed to each other with the pad 1 between are attached to the finger 7 
with the fingers of the other hand 9 inserted through the space Z. Then, 
the fingers of the hand 9 are taken out from the space Z, and the loop 
means 11 is removed from the tape 2 while lightly pressing the portion of 
the tape 2 to which the pad 1 is fixed, so as not to allow the bandage to 
remove from the finger 7. Then, the remaining portions of the opposed 
sides 2a and 2b of the adhesive side of the tape 2 are attached to the 
finger 7 in such a manner that the opposed end portions of the tape 2 
overlap each other. 
It will be appreciated that the use of the bandage of either the first 
preferred embodiment or the second preferred embodiment enables a minor 
injury on a finger to be bound up exactly and very readily even if only 
the hand not injured or the less skillful hand can be used for the binding 
operation.