Abstract:
A durable cover enables a person to shower while shielding body part that is healing. The durable cover has three components: a water resistant material shaped to encircle the body part, a stretch band stitched to the water resistant material at the top end of the water resistant material and a hook and loop fastener that in cooperation with the stretch band adds to the snug fit as well as making it adjustable to the patient so that no water can seep onto the covered area. Nylon thread may be used to secure together the water resistant material and the stretch band. Making the durable cover includes steps of securing the stretch band at the top end; folding the top end over the stretch band to create a tubular passage; and attaching the first end in place with the stretch band within the tubular passage.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/459,397, filed 13 Dec. 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    In the field of bandages, a covering prevents wetting and further injury to a body portion due to contamination from showering. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0003]    Bandages and coverings for body parts are commonly needed to enable a person to shower without contaminating a surgical site or injury with water from the shower. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0004]    A durable cover enables a person to shower while shielding body part that is healing. The durable cover preferably has just three components but may have other optional components. The first component is a water resistant material shaped to encircle the body part. It may be sheet-like and wrap around the body part or it may have a tubular shape that is slipped over an appendage. The second component is a stretch band stitched into the water resistant material at one end to provide a snug engagement. The third component is a hook and loop fastener such as VELCRO that in cooperation with the stretch band adds to the snug fit as well as making it adjustable to the patient so that no water can seep onto the covered area. 
         [0005]    A second stretch band is optionally at a lower end of the water resistant material. Nylon thread is optionally used to sew together the water resistant material and the stretch band. A hook-and-loop fastener may be added to the sheet-like water resistant material for example to add an additional tightening means when the durable cover is wrapped around the torso. 
         [0006]    Making the durable cover may include steps of sewing the stretch band to the first end; folding the first end over the stretch band to create a tubular passage; and attaching the first end in place with the stretch band within the tubular passage. 
       TECHNICAL PROBLEM 
       [0007]    Coverings over healing body portion presently do not offer ease of use by a person using one hand. Too many times, a second person is needed to tie the ends of the covering so that it is taut against the skin. Such second-person dependency is often considered a nuisance by the injured party. If only the injured person is available, this presents a significant problem for an injured person who may only have one hand available to apply the covering. Such coverings often do not maximize a patient&#39;s comfort because they require bending over or raising a person&#39;s arms. 
         [0008]    Today&#39;s coverings are often inadequate to actually seal the healing body portion from in-seepage of water. This is especially troublesome when the covering is designed for ease of use by a person with one hand. While complicated schemes have been proposed to tape or seal the ends of a covering above an injury site, these are often found to leak past the ends and, thus, provide inadequate protection against water from a shower seeping onto the healing body portion. These also can cause an adverse allergic reaction on the person&#39;s skin. 
         [0009]    Many existing coverings suffer from a lack of durability preventing re-use of the covering. Once affixed to the body, taped or sealed ends lose their sealability upon being removed and, thus, become unusable a second time. 
         [0010]    Existing coverings are complicated and costly to make. 
         [0011]    Existing coverings often involve painful removal procedures. For example removal of the taped plastic often results in painful pulling of the hair and skin. 
       SOLUTION TO PROBLEM 
       [0012]    The solution to the problem is a simple three component covering of a water resistant material, an embedded stretch band and a hook and loop fastener, like VELCRO. 
       ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION 
       [0013]    An embodiment of the present covering is easy to apply by a person using one hand. The stretch band easily expands using one hand. Once relaxed above the site to be protected, the stretch band becomes uniformly taut against the skin preventing the in-seepage of water. 
         [0014]    The wrap-around design aids in patient comforts and protects a surgical area without the patient having to move in ways that compromise surgical recovery. For example, to use the wrap-around cover, the patient does not have to take action that would compromise a surgery site, for example for a patient having undergone torso surgery, that patient does not have to raise arms to apply the cover. Also, a patient having undergone abdominal surgery does not have to bend over when trying to slip something up and over hips. 
         [0015]    The cover easily and automatically seals out water from the healing body portion once put into position, for example by a person using one hand as well as protecting a surgical area containing stitches or staples without the person having to bend over, raise arms or pull the cover. 
         [0016]    The present covering is durable and can be used over and over again. The covering is a durable material and the connected stretch band can be used over and over again without losing its ability to seal against water in-seepage. None of the components of the covering is single use. For preferred embodiments, use of heavy vinyl, a heavy elastic band and a heavy duty VELCRO fastener means that the cover can be reused over a person&#39;s entire recovery period. 
         [0017]    The present covering can be easily and inexpensively made using components that are readily obtainable. 
         [0018]    The present covering can be easily and painlessly removed from the body part without any adverse and painful tape pulls on hair and skin and without any allergic reaction to tape or adhesives. An embodiment of the covering protects the surgical area containing stitches and/or staples without the patient needing to bend over, pull the cover over a body part, or the raise one&#39;s arms. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the cover and the method of making the cover and the reference numbers in the drawings are used consistently throughout. New reference numbers in  FIG. 2  are given the 200 series numbers. Similarly, new reference numbers in each succeeding drawing are given a corresponding series number beginning with the figure number. 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a covering on a stylized representation of a person&#39;s arm. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of a stretch band. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of a covering on a stylized representation of a person&#39;s leg. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is perspective of a covering in a cylinder-like shape. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a covering with a tubular passage at the top end. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of a wrap-around cover having a planar shape showing a hook and loop fastener. 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of making the covering. 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  illustrates a tubular cover on a person&#39;s arm with elastic at both ends. 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  illustrates a tubular cover on a person&#39;s leg with elastic at both ends. 
           [0029]    FIG. illustrates a wrap-around cover about a person&#39;s waist. 
           [0030]      FIG. 11  illustrates a wrap-around cover about a person&#39;s chest. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0031]    In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and which illustrate several embodiments of the present invention. The drawings and the preferred embodiments of the invention are presented with the understanding that the present invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms and, therefore, other embodiments may be utilized and structural, and operational changes may be made, without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the steps in the method of the invention may be performed in any order that results making the covering. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a durable cover ( 100 ) on a stylized representation of a person&#39;s arm (illustrated with dashed lines). The durable cover ( 100 ) enables a person to shower while shielding from water a first portion ( 125 ) of the person&#39;s body that is healing.  FIG. 8  is a black and white illustration of a dual-stretch-band arm cover ( 800 ) on a person&#39;s arm. Similarly,  FIG. 3  shows a dual-stretch-band leg cover ( 300 ) on a stylized representation of a person&#39;s leg.  FIG. 9  is a black and white illustration of the dual-stretch-band leg cover ( 300 ) on a person&#39;s leg. 
         [0033]    The durable cover ( 100 ) includes a water resistant material ( 105 ). The water resistant material ( 105 ) is preferably a waterproof material such as heavy vinyl with a polyester lining, plastic sheeting, polyvinyl chloride sheeting, or woven plastic that is also durable yet flexible, washable, and reusable. The water resistant material ( 105 ) may be a water repellent fabric including for example waterproof breathable fabrics such as GORE-TEX. Such water repellent fabric may be inherently, or have been treated to become, resistant to penetration by water and wetting. The water resistant material ( 105 ) may be natural or synthetic fabrics that are laminated to or coated with a waterproofing material such as rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), silicone elastomer, fluoropolymers, and wax. 
         [0034]    The durable cover ( 100 ) may be roughly in the shape of a cylinder that slides over a person&#39;s appendage or trunk, as shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 . It may be planar or a sheet-like, as shown in  FIG. 6 , which in use, is wrapped around a person and fastened closed, as shown in use in FIG. and  FIG. 11 . The wrap-around cover ( 600 ) is also referred to as a torso cover. In any embodiment, the durable cover ( 100 ), including the wrap-around cover ( 600 ) is fashioned from the water resistant material ( 105 ), which may start out having a cylindrical shape or having a planar shape like a sheet. Thus, the water resistant material ( 105 ) may have a planar shape or cylinder-like shape ( 405 ). 
         [0035]    Thus, when the water resistant material ( 105 ) is in the shape of a cylinder, it has a first end ( 110 ) and a second end ( 115 ); and when the water resistant material ( 105 ) is in the shape of a sheet, it has a first end ( 110 ), a second end ( 115 ) and also has a third end ( 605 ) and a fourth end ( 610 ). Whether cylindrical or planar, the water resistant material ( 105 ) is shaped to encircle the first portion ( 125 ) of the person&#39;s body that must be shielded from water contamination. 
         [0036]    The durable cover ( 100 ) including the wrap-around cover ( 600 ) may include a fabric hook-and-loop fastener much like the well known VELCRO fastener. The hook-and-loop fastener consists of a linear fabric strip of hooks ( 615 ) attached to the third end ( 605 ) and a linear fabric strip of loops ( 620 ) attached to the fourth end ( 610 ). There may be additional hook and loop fasteners added as shown in  FIG. 6  to provided added closures. This fastener is preferred when using a wrap-around cover ( 600 ) because the water resistant material ( 105 ) can be stretched open and wrapped around the torso and secured by the fabric hook-and-loop fastener. The fastener working to keep the durable cover ( 100 ) in place despite the pulling action of the stretch band tightening the durable cover ( 100 ) against the person&#39;s body part. 
         [0037]    The durable cover ( 100 ) further includes a stretch band ( 120 ) connected to the water resistant material ( 105 ) at the first end ( 110 ). The stretch band ( 120 ) is preferably connected by being sewn to the water resistant material ( 105 ). Alternatively, it may be connected by being glued or riveted to the water resistant material ( 105 ), or any combination of these connection means may be used. The stretch band ( 120 ) is also preferably embedded or enclosed within a fold-over of the water resistant material ( 105 ) at the first end ( 110 ). The stretch band ( 120 ) is connected to the water resistant material ( 105 ) so that stretch band ( 120 ) is stretched to an extended position when in use surrounding a body part so as to tighten against the skin above the injury to be protected. This enables the durable cover ( 100 ) to then tautly engage the body part keeping water away from the first portion ( 125 ) of the person&#39;s body that is healing. 
         [0038]    When the fold-over is used as the connection between the stretch band ( 120 ) and the water resistant material ( 105 ), the fold over creates a tubular passage ( 310 ), illustrated in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 . Thus, when a fold over is used, the first end ( 110 ) defines a tubular passage ( 310 ). 
         [0039]    The fold-over may be sewn closed, which is preferably for fabrics that can be sewn without causing weakness in the water resistant material ( 105 ). When the fold-over is sewn, the durable cover ( 100 ) further includes thread, preferably nylon thread ( 305 ) attaching the water resistant material ( 105 ) to the stretch band ( 120 ). The fold-over may be glued when the water resistant material ( 105 ) permits. The fold-over may be heat sealed with the water resistant material ( 105 ), which involves a physical merging with a partial melting. 
         [0040]    The stretch band ( 120 ) when in use confines the first end ( 110 ) of the water resistant material ( 105 ) to a snug engagement with a second portion ( 130 ) of the person&#39;s body. The second portion ( 130 ) is not the injured area sought to be shielded, but rather is an area of the person&#39;s appendage or trunk that is located near to the first portion ( 125 ) so that the stretch band ( 120 ) does not aggravate the injury. The second portion ( 130 ) is located near to the first portion ( 125 ) of the person&#39;s body that is healing so as to prevent water from flowing under the first end ( 110 ) and onto the first portion ( 125 ). 
         [0041]    The durable cover ( 100 ) may include a string partially contained within the tubular passage ( 310 ) so as to enable the string to be tightened, for example by tying a bow against the second portion ( 130 ). 
         [0042]    The durable cover ( 100 ) may include a second stretch band ( 420 ) secured to the water resistant material ( 105 ), for example at the opposite end of the durable cover ( 100 ) so that both ends of the durable cover ( 100 ) surrounding the first portion ( 125 ) would be sealed against water infiltration. The second stretch band ( 420 ) may be secured to the water resistant material ( 105 ) in a similar manner described above for the stretch band ( 120 ). Thus, the second stretch band ( 420 ) confines the second end ( 115 ) of the water resistant material ( 105 ) to a snug engagement with a third portion ( 330 ) of the person&#39;s body near to the first portion ( 125 ) so as to prevent water from flowing under the second end ( 115 ) and onto the first portion ( 125 ). 
         [0043]    The method of making the durable cover ( 100 ) is easily performed in three steps: a securing step ( 705 ); a folding step ( 710 ); and an attaching step ( 715 ). 
         [0044]    The securing step ( 705 ) comprises securing the stretch band ( 120 ) at the first end ( 110 ) such that when in use the stretch band ( 120 ) confines the first end ( 110 ) of the water resistant material ( 105 ) to a snug engagement with a second portion ( 130 ) of the person&#39;s body. The second portion ( 130 ) is located near to the first portion ( 125 ) so as to prevent water from flowing under the first end ( 110 ) and onto the first portion ( 125 ). 
         [0045]    The folding step ( 710 ) comprises folding the first end ( 110 ) over the stretch band ( 120 ) to create a tubular passage ( 310 ). 
         [0046]    The attaching step ( 715 ) comprises attaching the first end ( 110 ) in place with the stretch band ( 120 ) contained within the tubular passage ( 310 ). 
         [0047]    The above-described embodiments including the drawings are examples of the invention and merely provide illustrations of the invention. Other embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Thus, the scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0048]    The invention has application to the medical products industry.