Abstract:
A flexible electric bandage protector for use on a bandage or an animal. The protector comprising a flexible thin battery and a conductive layer disposed on one side of the battery. The conductive layer is in the form of two sets of conductive traces, the conductive traces not being conductively connected to each until touched by the mouth of the animal and wherein the battery has sufficient voltage to cause discomfort to the animal.

Description:
The present application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/504,909, filed Sep. 22, 2003, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to devices that discourage animals from instinctively licking their wounds. 
   In the past, various devices have been proposed and/or employed for use in discouraging animals from licking their wounds. These devices, for the most part, have been cumbersome. 
   Examples of prior art devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,896,830, 6,000,366, 6,453,850, 6,561,136 and Des. 417,529. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention includes a flexible electric bandage protector for use on a bandage or an animal. The protector comprising a flexible thin battery and a conductive layer disposed on one side of the battery. The conductive layer is in the form of two sets of conductive traces, the conductive traces not being conductively connected to each until touched by the mouth of the animal and wherein the battery has sufficient voltage to cause discomfort to the animal. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The device of the present invention is generally indicated at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The device  10  is in the form of a flexible electric bandage protector that utilizes an electrical charge to discourage the licking or biting off of a medical bandage. The electrical bandage protector of the present invention includes a layer of electrical traces  12 , a substrate layer  14 , a pressure sensitive adhesive layer  16 , a battery layer  18 , a pressure sensitive adhesive layer  20 , and a release liner  22 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
   The trace layer  12  includes a plurality of electrically conductive traces  24   a  and  24   b  running substantially parallel to each other, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Preferably, the traces  24   a  and  24   b  are spaced from each other and run longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal configuration of the particular electrical bandage protector illustrated in  FIG. 1 . However, the traces  24   a  and  24   b  may run in a transverse direction or in any other direction or in any other pattern. The conductive traces  24   a  are not conductively connected to conductive traces  24   b  and are an “open” circuit. Conductive traces  24   a  and  24   b  provide an electrical current having sufficient voltage to tingle an animal&#39;s lips or tongue when the animal&#39;s lips or tongue touch the traces  24   a  and  24   b . The animal&#39;s lips or tongue (including saliva) provide a conductor between traces  24   a  and  24   b , thereby carrying current and discomfort to the animal. 
   Preferably, the conductive traces  24   a  and  24   b  are printed in silver ink over coated with carbon ink (to prevent silver migration) on the substrate  14  using either well-known screen printing methods, gravure printing methods, or flexo printing methods. Preferably, the substrate  14  is made from a flexible dielectric, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, terephthalate and other similar polymers that can be made into flexible plastic films. The pressure sensitive adhesive layer  16  secures the substrate to the battery  18 . 
   Conductive silver and protective carbon ink suitable for screen-printing process include Electrodag® PF-427 and Electrodag® 725A. Electrodag 423SS Acheson Colloids Company of Port Huron, Mich. Suitable conductive inks for flexo printing or gavure printing processes include Electrodag® 415, Electrodag® PD-034, Electrodag® PD-022, Electrodag® PM-011 and Electrodag® PE-001 Electrodag 154. The conductive and protective inks are cured according to specifications provided by Acheson Colliods Company to form the conductive traces. The conductive traces after curing should be at least about 0.3 mils in thickness and should be between about 5 mils to 10 mils in width to provide maximum conductivity throughout the extent of the traces. Similar inks are available from DuPont, Dow, and other companies. 
   The traces  24   a  and  24   b  also include a fuse section  25 . The fuse section  25  is formed by printing a short thin section of a trace using the same conductive ink as forming the traces. The fuse section  25  should be thin enough such that if the animal accidentally deforms any of the traces, forming a short, the increase in current flowing through the fuse  25  will burn or melt the fuse  25  thereby stopping current from flowing through the traces  24   a  and  24   b . The fuse  25  prevents traces  24   a  and  24   b  in a short situation from getting hot, and either burning the animal or its bedding. 
   The traces  24   a  and  24   b  are connected by through-hole connections  26   a  and  26   b  that connect the traces  24   a  and  24   b  to the battery  18 . Preferably, the fuse  25  is formed near one of the through-hole printed connections  26   a  and  26   b . Holes may be punched into the substrate layer  14  proximate the terminals (not shown) of the battery so that when the traces  26   a  and  26   b  are formed with the conductive ink, the conductive ink flows into the through-holes to make a conductive connection with the terminals (not illustrated) of the battery  18 . Conductive adhesive Acheson 5810 can be used to connect battery if separate layer is used on the battery. 
   The battery  18  of the present invention is a thin flexible battery made of conventional zinc maganese-dioxide components in the 0.0156″ to 0.0312″ range. Production of thin flexible batteries using zinc maganese-dioxide is well known. Suitable flexible thin batteries are made by Thin Battery Technologies Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio. Such batteries are non-toxic to animals, and therefore, if the animal ingests the battery or a portion of the battery, it will not be harmed. The battery  18  is preferably from 9 to 12 volts, or more, which is sufficient voltage to provide the animal with an undesirable experience when the traces  24   a  and  24   b  are licked. The traces  24   a  run across the top of the device  10  without touching the traces  24   b . Consequently, the top of the device  10  is an open circuit until the animal licks the traces and provides a conductive path for current to flow between traces  24   a  and  24   b.    
   The battery  18  can be conductively connected to the traces  24   a  and  24   b  permanently since the traces are in an open circuit configuration and do not draw current from the battery until the animal licks the battery. Therefore, the battery will not run down over time. The only time that current is drawn from the battery is when an animal licks the traces and provides a conductive path between traces  24   a  and  24   b.    
   Alternatively, the traces  24   a  and  24   b  and fuse  25  could be printed directly on the battery  18 . The ends of the traces  24   a  and  24   b  would then directly be connected to the terminals of the battery. 
   Pressure sensitive adhesive layer  20  is applied to a side of the battery opposite from the traces  24   a  and  24   b . The pressure sensitive adhesive layer  20  permits the veterinarian or other person to apply the device  10  over the medical bandage. Preferably a release liner  22  with a release layer is positioned over the pressure sensitive adhesive layer  20  so that the adhesive layer  20  may be exposed by simply peeling off the release liner  22  and securing the device  10  to the medical bandage. A hook and loop device with pressure sensitive adhesive can be used on the back of the release liner to attach the bandage protector in a reusable mode so dressings can be changed. Suitable pressure sensitive adhesives and hook and loop fasteners are made by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company of St. Paul, Minn. 
   Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.