Therapeutic bandage

A therapeutic bandage provides a removable bandage article that can be readily wrapped and fastened around an injured joint. The bandage includes an internal air bladder that can be selectively inflated to provide compression to the injury, and an internal coolant bladder that can be selectively chilled to provide cooling therapy to the injury.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates generally to first aid methods and associated 
medical rehabilitative materials, and more specifically to an improved 
therapeutic bandage device for efficient treatment of minor injury or 
discomfort to a user's joints. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Bandages such as those used to support and treat joint injuries are well 
known. Typically, such bandages consist of a length of elastic material 
that is wrapped around the joint and secured in place with pins or clamps, 
thereby temporarily supporting or otherwise immobilizing the joint. 
However, such known bandages are difficult to adjust in their degree of 
compression to the injury, and may be awkward to properly apply. In 
addition, such bandages do not readily enable cooling or chilling of the 
injured area, which can be important in therapeutic treatment. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The therapeutic bandage of this invention provides a removable and reusable 
bandage article that can be readily wrapped and fastened around an injured 
joint. The inventive bandage includes an internal air bladder that can be 
selectively inflated so that the bandage exerts provide compression to the 
injury, and may further include an internal coolant bladder that can be 
selectively chilled so that the bandage provides cooling therapy to the 
injury. 
The therapeutic bandage of this invention is intended to serve as a 
non-disposable, repetitive-use device for people who sustain muscle 
strains or sprains while exercising, or in the treatment of chronic 
recurring muscle soreness, tendinitis or general inflammation and pain. 
The inventive device is not intended to serve as a first-aid remedy for 
compound fractures or any open bleeding wounds. While the inventive device 
is envisioned to be primarily used on knee-joints, it is foreseen to be 
equally applicable to other body joints including elbows, shoulders, 
ankles, wrists, etc. 
The inventive bandage body is made of a semi-elastic yet rigid material 
such as neoprene that is preferably attached to the knee or other joint 
using complementary strips of sewn-on hook-and-loop type fastener 
material. The bandage body is attached using the mating fastener strips in 
a wrap-around fashion about the joint. 
Inside the neoprene bandage body is an internal air bladder that is 
selectively filled with ambient atmospheric air by means of an external 
manual air pump located on the outer surface of the bandage body. Once the 
bandage is fastened in place, the user simply inflates the bandage by 
repeatedly depressing the manual air pump button until the desired degree 
of compression is attained. The pump includes a one-way valve such that 
with each depression of the button, the air bladder is further inflated 
with air, and with each release of the button, the air bladder is sealed. 
The user may thus regulate the degree of compression exerted by the 
bandage upon the joint, without manually removing and re-attaching the 
bandage. To release the air out of the bladder, the user simply twists 
open the bleed valve, thereby allowing the air to escape. In addition to 
the compression function of the invention, a coolant-filled reservoir or 
bladder may be positioned within the bandage body and adjacent to the air 
bladder. The reservoir may be singular, or may be divided into smaller 
reservoirs, preferably lining the inner circumference of the bandage. The 
coolant material itself may be composed of a variety of substances, but is 
preferably non-toxic. The coolant material should preferably have a low 
freezing point temperature so as to remain fluid when in use. It is 
envisioned that prior to applying the bandage, the user would store the 
inventive bandage in a refrigerator or freezer for a specific period of 
time (determined by the coolant material, type of injury, and the like). 
Thus, the therapeutic bandage of this invention provides a combination of 
compression and cooling functions for an injured or sprained joint. The 
inventive device may be made in a range of sizes to fit different joints 
and different body sizes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIGS. 1a-1d are a series of pictorial views illustrating a therapeutic 
bandage of this invention being applied to an injured knee. FIG. 1a is a 
view of a user's this invention being wrapped around the injured knee such 
that a complementary set of fastening strips 12, 14 (such as VELCRO brand 
hook-and-loop fastening material) are brought into juxtaposition for 
releasable fastening. The fastening strips may alternatively comprise 
complementary snaps, buttons, zippers, or any other appropriate fastening 
system. FIG. 1c is a view of the bandage 10 as applied to the injured knee 
with the fastening strips sealed together, and illustrating a manual air 
pump actuator 16 exposed for use. FIG. 1d is a view of the manual air pump 
actuator 16 being depressed by the user to inflate an internal air bladder 
(not visible in this view) and exert compression to the injured knee. 
FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a therapeutic bandage 20 of this 
invention in its flattened configuration. This view illustrates a bandage 
body 22; an outside layer 24 with an exposed surface 26 carrying a strip 
of first fastening material 28, a manual air pump and actuator 30, and a 
pressure release valve 32; with an inside layer on the reverse side with 
an exposed surface carrying a strip of second fastener material 
(illustrated in phantom). 
The therapeutic bandage can of course be made in any size and thickness. 
For example, a neoprene bandage body with overall dimensions of 
approximately 12.5 inches by 12.5 inches and a thickness of approximately 
0.38 inches, has been determined to be suitable for some applications. 
FIG. 3 is a bottom end elevation view in partial cross-section of the 
therapeutic bandage 20 of this invention, illustrating the bandage body 
22, the outside layer 24 exposed surface 26 carrying the strip of first 
fastening material 28, the manual air pump actuator 30, and the pressure 
release valve (not visible in this view). This view further illustrates 
the inside layer 34 exposed surface 36 carrying the strip of second 
fastening material 38; an internal air bladder 40; and an internal coolant 
reservoir or bladder 42. 
The internal air bladder 40 is of course in fluid communication with the 
externally-mounted air pump actuator 30 and pressure relief valve 32, but 
it is otherwise sealed within the bandage body 22. The internal coolant 
reservoir or bladder 42 is similarly sealed within the bandage body, or 
could itself form the inside surface 36. The coolant bladder is preferably 
located proximate the inside surface and below the internal air bladder. 
This arrangement enables the air bladder to act as an insulator for the 
coolant material, thereby extending its cooling time and efficiency in 
use. 
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the therapeutic bandage of this 
invention, illustrating the spatial relationship of the outside layer 24, 
the internal air bladder 40, the internal coolant bladder 42, and the 
inside layer 34. The manual air pump actuator 30 is in fluid communication 
with the internal air bladder 40, as described supra. The air bladder 40 
and the coolant bladder 42 are preferably sealed within outside and inside 
layers 24, 34, as by sealing around their perimeter edges. 
While this invention has been described in connection with preferred 
embodiments thereof, it is obvious that modifications and changes therein 
may be made by those skilled in the art to which it pertains without 
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the 
scope of this invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.