Patent Publication Number: US-2011062051-A1

Title: First-aid and emergency preparedness kit bag

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/242,629 filed on Sep. 15, 2009. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a kit and more particularly to an application-specific kit and related method. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. This section also provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. 
     Conventional kits are sold and marketed for use in treating an injury and/or for use during an emergency, generally. Such kits typically include a series of bandages, gauze, and medication suitable for use in treating various injuries and/or medical conditions. The various components of the kit are grouped and stored within a container and, once grouped within the container, are generally referred to as a “first-aid” or “emergency preparedness” kit. 
     The container housing the various components of a conventional kit is typically a hard-walled structure that may be stored in a readily accessible area of a household or business or may be mounted to a wall of a common area of a household or business for quick access to the contents of the container. Because conventional kits are generic and may be used in virtually any household or business, conventional kits often include bandages of varying size and shape to accommodate a wide range of applications. Likewise, such kits often include a myriad of medications and other products in an effort to provide the kit with the ability to address a wide range of injuries and/or medical conditions. 
     Conventional kits are not application-specific and, as a result, are typically cumbersome and oftentimes include a large container to accommodate a wide range of products designed to address numerous injuries and/or medical conditions. Due to the overall size and construction of a conventional kit, conventional kits are typically not suitable for everyday transport in a small bag such as a purse or backpack and are not designed for a particular application or use. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective views of a kit in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a back view of the kit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the kit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the kit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the kit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a layout showing the construction of the bag used in the kit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 8A-17B  are front and back views of the indicia of the kit of  FIG. 1  when in the form of a first-aid kit identifying the contents of the kit; 
         FIGS. 18A-21B  are front and back views of the kit of  FIG. 1  when in the form of a fundraising first-aid kit identifying the contents of the kit; and 
         FIGS. 22A-25B  are front and back views of the kit of  FIG. 1  when in the form of an emergency preparedness kit identifying the contents of the kit. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     With reference to the figures, a kit  100  is provided and includes a flexible bag  102  with contents therein that are selected for a particular application which kit  100  is intended. Bag  102  includes a front side  104 , a back side  106 , a top  108 , and a bottom  110 . A pair of edges  112 ,  114  extends from bottom  110  to top  108  and separate front and back sides  104 ,  106 . Front and back sides  104 ,  106  are adjacent one another along top  108  and edges  112 ,  114 . Front and back sides  104 ,  106  are spaced apart from one another along bottom  110 . As a result, an interior cavity  116  is formed within bag  102  to allow storage of contents therein, as described below. Bottom  110  forms a gusset  118  that maintains front and back sides  104 ,  106  spaced apart from one another and allows bag  102  to stand upright on a surface, such as a shelf. Gusset  118  is formed during the manufacturing of bag  102 , as described below. 
     Bag  102  includes a hanger opening  120  adjacent top  108 . Hanger opening  120  facilitates the displaying of kit  100  in a retail store. The inclusion of hanger opening  120  advantageously facilitates the display of kit  100  at a point of purchase location, such as the checkout area, of a store. Thus, the inclusion of hanger opening  120  and bottom  110  having a gusset  118  allows kit  100  to be displayed by either standing upright on a surface, such as a shelf, or hanging from a hook or other device through hanger opening  120 . 
     Kit  100  includes a resealable mechanism  124  that allows kit  100  to be resealed after opening. Resealable mechanism  124  can be a Ziploc® brand resealable mechanism and the like, by way of non-limiting example. Resealable mechanism  124  is disposed adjacent the top portion of bag  102  thereby allowing a user to remove and replace contents of kit  100  from interior cavity  116  of bag  102 . 
     Front and back sides  104 ,  108  are sealed together along top  108  and edges  112 ,  114  and are sealed to bottom  110 . As such, kit  100  is a fluid-tight kit that can maintain the contents within kit  100  dry and in a useable condition regardless of the conditions exterior to bag  102 . 
     Bag  102  can include a notch  128  on one or both edges  112 ,  114  adjacent top  108 . Notches  128  facilitate the removal of the top portion of bag  102  to allow access to interior cavity  116  by a user. Notches  128  are located above resealable mechanism  124  such that after the top portion of bag  102  is removed kit  100  can be sealed again by use of resealable mechanism  124 . 
     Front side  104  and back side  106  can include areas  126  for indicia indicative of the intended use of the kit along with the contents therein. Additionally, a transparent window  130  can be included so that the contents of kit  100  can be seen through bag  102 . The particular indicia on each bag  102  will vary depending upon the intended use or audience of kit  100  and the contents therein. In some embodiments, kit  100  is a first-aid kit and includes contents that facilitate the rendering of first aid. The particular contents will vary depending upon the intended user for a particular kit  100 . 
     The contents of kit  100  when used as a first-aid kit can include bandages, dressings and tape, wipes and ointments, and medication and instruments, by way of non-limiting example. The bandages may include plastic, fabric, knuckle, fingertip, butterfly, elbow/knee, and patch bandages, by way of non-limiting example. The dressings may include gauze, conforming gauze rolls, and trauma pads, by way of non-limiting example. The tape may include first-aid tape, by way of non-limiting example. The wipes may include antiseptic cleansing wipes/towelletes, alcohol cleansing wipes, insect sting relief pads, castile soap towelletes, and the like, by way of non-limiting example. The ointments may include first aid/burn cream, antibiotic ointment packets, hand sanitizer, hydrocortisone, sunscreen, lip ointment, burn gel, and the like, by way of non-limiting example. The medications may include non-aspirin tablets, Ibuprofen, moleskin pads, and the like, by way of non-limiting example. The instruments may include safety pins, vinyl gloves, cotton tip applicators, instant cold compresses, and the like, by way of non-limiting example. Additionally, each kit  100  may also include a first-aid guide providing basic first-aid instructions to a user to facilitate the administration of first aid and usage of the contents of the kit  100 . 
     The kits  100  can be configured for particular applications, uses, jobs, and the like and the contents therein may correspond to likely materials that may be necessary in the event of an injury. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 8A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as a handyman kit and include contents that can provide first aid to the injuries and/or medical conditions that are likely to occur when doing simple chores around the house using tools and the like. As shown in  FIGS. 9A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as an outdoor first-aid kit and include contents that can provide first aid to the injuries and/or medical conditions that are likely to occur when doing outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, hunting, and the like. As shown in  FIGS. 10A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as a gardening first-aid kit and include contents to provide first aid for injuries and/or medical conditions that are likely to occur during gardening. As shown in  FIG. 11 , kit  100  can be configured as a golf first-aid kit and include contents to provide first aid for injuries and/or medical conditions likely to be incurred while golfing. As shown in  FIGS. 12A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as a sport first-aid kit and include contents to provide first aid for injuries and/or medical conditions likely to be occurred when participating in a sport. As shown in  FIGS. 13A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as a pet first-aid kit and include contents that can be used to provide first aid for pets, such as dogs and cats. As shown in  FIGS. 14A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as a children&#39;s first-aid kit and include contents to render first aid to injuries and/or medical conditions likely to be incurred by a child. As shown in  FIGS. 15A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as a kitchen first-aid kit and include contents to render first aid to injuries and/or medical conditions likely to be incurred in a kitchen. As shown in  FIGS. 16A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as an auto first-aid kit and include contents to facilitate the rendering of first aid to injuries and/or medical conditions that may be incurred in an automotive setting. As shown in  FIGS. 17A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as a home first-aid kit and include contents to render first aid to injuries and/or medical conditions that typically occur in the home environment. 
     The various configurations of kits  100 , such as those shown in  FIGS. 8A-17B , facilitate the placement of kits  100  at strategic locations throughout a retail establishment. For example, the handyman kits can be located in areas of a retail establishment associated with tools and other implements for performing handyman type activities while the automotive kits can be located in an automotive area of a store. Similarly, the outdoor kits can be located in sections of a store that include items for use in the outdoors while the gardening kits can be located in areas associated with gardening equipment and supplies. The golfing and sports kits can be located in areas of a store associated with golfing and other sports activities while the pet kits can be located in areas of the store associated with pet products. The children&#39;s kits can be located in areas of a store wherein children&#39;s items are shown while the kitchen kits can be located in areas of a store associated with kitchen equipment. The home first-aid kits can be located also in a variety of locations within a store. 
     The use of kits configured for particular applications advantageously allows the kits to be located throughout various locations of a store so that a potential purchaser can come in contact with kits at numerous locations throughout their shopping experience. Moreover, the specialized or particularly configured kits can also be utilized in stores that are specialized, such as automotive stores, pet stores, kitchen stores, sporting good stores, children&#39;s stores, and the like. 
     The relatively small size of the kits along with their limited contents also may provide a cost advantage over the larger kits that are configured to provide materials for a larger range of applications. Reduced costs may facilitate impulse purchases by users such that more kits may be sold by having the kits tailored to particular activities or associated therewith. Additionally, the use of both a wide bottom  110  that allows the kits to stand upright in conjunction with the inclusion of the hanger opening  120  also facilitates a retail establishment displaying of the various kits they offer for sale at a variety of locations utilizing the existing display devices associated with those sections or areas of the store. 
     Kits  100  can also be configured for fundraising activities. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 18A-21B , the kits can be configured for particular activities and sold as fundraisers by various organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and the like, by way of non-limiting example. As shown in  FIGS. 18A  and B, a kit  100  can be configured as an active first-aid kit and used as a fundraiser and include contents that can facilitate the rendering of first aid to injuries and/or medical conditions associated with various activities, such as sports. As shown in  FIGS. 19A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as auto first-aid kit and sold as a fundraiser and include contents that facilitate rendering of first aid to injuries and/or medical conditions associated with automotive activities. As shown in  FIGS. 20A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as a fundraising pet first-aid kit and include contents that facilitate rendering of first aid to animals, such as cats and dogs. As shown in  FIGS. 21A  and B, kit  100  can be configured as a fundraising home first-aid kit and include contents that facilitate the rendering of first aid to injuries and/or medical conditions associated with the home environment. The indicia used on the kits  100  associated with fundraising can be different than that associated with the retail kits, such as those shown in  FIGS. 8A-17B . Additionally, in some embodiments the fundraising kits  100  can include indicia associated with the organization for which the fundraising activity is being conducted. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 22A-25B , kits  100  according to the principles of the present disclosure can be configured as emergency preparedness kits. The emergency preparedness kits may include contents therein that vary depending upon the particular intent of the emergency preparedness kit and the desires of a purchaser of such kits. The emergency preparedness kits may include contents for flu and germ protection. The contents of an emergency preparedness kit may include masks of various types, such as NIOSH certified N95 masks, ear loop face masks, soft duckbill masks, and dust-type masks, by way of non-limiting example. The contents may also include vinyl protective gloves and hand sanitizers along with a guide regarding the prevention of the spreading of germs. Various configurations for kits  100  when in the form of emergency preparedness kits are shown in  FIGS. 20A-25B  and the contents therein can vary, as shown. The indicia utilized on the emergency preparedness kits can also include information associated with the purchaser or provider of the kit. For example, governments or other agencies may desire to purchase emergency preparedness kits and have their name included thereon such that recipients will know who provided the emergency preparedness kits. Furthermore, while the kits shown in  FIGS. 20A-25B  have various contents listed thereon, it should be appreciated that the contents can be varied or customized based on the requirements of a purchaser of such kits. 
     With particular reference to  FIG. 7 , construction of bag  102  will be explained. Each bag  102  can be formed from a single sheet of material  132 . Sheet  132  can be cut from a larger roll of the material and can be imprinted with the desired indicia thereon. Sheet  132  can be transparent such that areas without printing can provide a window into interior cavity  116  so that the contents therein are visible from the exterior of the resulting bag  102 . Sheet  132  can include the front indicia on one portion of it (portion intended to become front side  104 ) while the back indicia is on the different portion (portion intended to become back side  106 ). Notches  128  can be cut into sheet  132  prior to being formed into bag  102 . Sheet  132  can be folded along multiple lines  134  to have various portions of the bag overlapping one another. Resealable mechanism  124  can be added to sheet  132  at the appropriate locations so that they align and can engage with one another when sheet  132  is folded and formed into bag  102 . In some embodiments, resealable mechanism  124  is first attached to one portion of sheet  132  and is later attached to the subsequent portion, such as by heat sealing, during the forming of bag  102 . The overlapping portions can be sealed together, such as by heat sealing, so that the bag  102  is formed with front and back sides  104 ,  106 , a bottom  110 , and an interior cavity  116  therein. Top  108  is not sealed during the initial construction bag  102  so that the contents can be added to interior cavity  116  to form the particular kit  100 . 
     Once a bag  102  is formed, the appropriate contents can be added to interior cavity  116  through top  108  to form the appropriate kit  100  that corresponds with the indicia on the bag  102 . After inserting the appropriate contents into bag  102  to form the desired kit  100 , top  108  can be sealed closed, such as by heat sealing. The resulting kit  100  can then be packaged, such as in a box, and shipped to the retailer or organization purchasing the kits. 
     Kits  100  advantageously provide a relatively small package that may include a variety of different content to address a particular need for which kit  100  is designed. The limited nature of the contents of each kit  100  facilitates a relatively small size which can allow kit  100  to be conveniently stored by a user. For example, the kit  100  may be easily stored in a purse, automotive vehicle compartment, a cabinet around the house, a backpack, a boat, golf bag, gym bag, an off-road vehicle, and the like, by way of non-limiting example. Kit  100  being fluid-tight facilitates the allowing of the storage of kit  100  in a variety of locations without concern about the environment in which it is stored. For example, if kit  100  were to be stored in a wet environment, such as a marine environment, the exposure to water and the elements will not affect the contents within kit  100 . Additionally, the flexible or non-rigid nature of bag  102  also facilitates the storage of kit  100  in a variety of locations where space may be at a premium or the configuration of the space may require that the kit be flexible. The inclusion of a resealable mechanism  124  can advantageously allow the contents of the kit to be accessed while allowing kit  100  to be returned to a fluid-tight condition after use. The resealable nature thereby facilitates the continued storage of the kit without concern for damage to the contents therein due to the exterior environment. Additionally, the resealable nature of bag  102  allows for the contents to be replaced, as needed, or to allow a person to add additional contents thereto while still maintaining the ability to reseal bag  102 . 
     While kit  100  is described as shown with configurations for various applications and includes particular contents for the particular application, it should be appreciated that the contents therein can be varied from that shown and described. Additionally, the particular configurations or intended uses for kit  100  can also be expanded from that shown and described. For example, an emergency preparedness kit  100  can be configured as a survival kit and include contents such as food, water, a whistle and/or a compass, and the like by way of non-limiting example. Another type of emergency preparedness kit  100  may be configured as an earth quake kit and include contents such as food, water, reflective blanket, flash light and the like by way of non-limiting example. In still another example, an kit  100  may be configured as an emergency spill clean up kit and includes contents useful for containing and/or cleaning up a spill such as gloves and absorbent material by way of non-limiting example. 
     Providing kit  100  with application-specific contents allows various kits  100  to be stored and used in multiple locations rather than having a single, centrally located kit. For example, while a kit  100  having contents directed to use by humans generally may be stored at any location within a home or business, a kit  100  containing contents for use in an automobile may be stored in a glove compartment or trunk of the automobile. Likewise, a kit  100  for use during athletic or recreational activities may be stored in a backpack or on a bicycle to allow the contents of the kit  100  to be readily accessible during the athletic or recreational activity. The application-specific nature of the kit  100  allows a user to have multiple kits  100 , whereby each kit  100  is directed to a particular application and can be located in a specific area for quick access during the particular activity. 
     As described above, the kit  100  is an application-specific kit. As such, a retail store may sell the kits  100  in various departments of the retail store. Namely, a first-aid kit  100  directed to use by humans generally may be sold in a Housewares Section of the retail store, while an automotive-specific kit  100  may be sold in an Automotive Section of the retail store. If the retail store does not include various departments, the kits  100  may be bundled and displayed in a common area, which allows the retailer to sell a bundle of application-specific kits  100 . 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.