Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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5~33
VNIVER~AL SURGICAL BINDER
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~ This invention relates to a binder of a predetermined
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~ length for encircling and supporting a body member within a
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range of sizes without having excessive overlap of the belt.
Binders in the form of wide fabric belts are widely
used by physicians on patients for a number of purposes,
- including providing support ~or the abdomina~ walls following
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~ surgery or childbirth, keeping bones in place which have been
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,- set following a brea]c and after removal of the cast, and to
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~ prevent cutaneous sutures from being pulled from a woundO These
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~'~ 10 types of binders or belts, referred to generically as surgical
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binders herein, may be used on various body members, such as
the abdomen, thorax, legs, and arms to accomplish any one or
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~`` more of the purposes set out above. Likewise, such surgical
binders may be used on infants and children, as well as adults.
For these reasons, prior su:rgical binders are required
to be stocked in numerous lengths to fit body members having
widely differing circumferences, as, for example~ a small child's
` leg or a very large adult's abdomen. As a result, the manu-
, ', ! . ' '~j facture, distribution and use of binders of this type involve
several problems. For example, the necessity of manufacturing
many different sizes of the binders results in inherently ;
inefficient manufacturing techniques which necessarily increase ;
the cost thereof. Likewise, because distributors and retailers
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~;~ must carry a wide range o~ sizes in inventory, their inventory ~-
expense is greater and results in a higher price charged to the
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~ ultimate user. Further, suppliers have difficulty in maintaining ; ;
;~ a full inventory, and often a binder of the correct size may not
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'jc~ be in stock when needed. The alternative is to select a binder
~ o a larger size, which is then overlapped around the body member
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35~33
Prior surgical bindexs of the described type haYe been
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proposed which are adjustable in circumference to fit various
sizes. For example, the prior U,S. Patents to Kaplan,
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i No. 3,115,879, and Lewis, No~ 3,598,114, each disclose an adjust- -
. able binder or belt having a row of buttons or other fasteners
`~ along one end edge, and several spaced rows of cooperating
fasteners along the opposite end edge. The single row of fasten-
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; ers is adapted to engage a selected one of the opposite rows
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~- of fasteners to permit adjustment within a range of sizes.
;j~ When an adjustable binder or belt of the above describedtype is positioned about a relatively small body member within
, its range of sizes, an overlap of excess material results. This
overlapping of the fabric undesirably increases the bulk of the
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`; binder, which in turn results in increased retention of body
~i heat and perspiration and thus contributes to the discomfort of
` the wearer. In addition, the added bulk increases the overall
~ circumference of the supported body member and it may in some
3~S,`' cases hinder the wearer in wearing clothing which would normally
be of a correct size. Finally, such binders may also be unsatis~
factory in that the fasteners along the single row may not be
able to be properly aligned with the spaced rows of cooperating
~^ fasteners when the binder is positioned about certain body
members. As a result, the fasteners do not properly mate, and
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~ the use of additional fastening means, such as pins, hooks, or
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tape may be required.
Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to pro-
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-. vide a surgical binder of a predetermined length for encircling
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and supporting a body member within a wide range of sizes with-
out having an excessive overlap, and which avoids the above
problems of the prior art devices.
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~5~3~33
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These and other objects and advantages of the present invention
' are achieved in the preferred embodiment set forth herein by providing a
surgical binder which comprises an elongate base panel defining first and
second opposite end edges and having a length sufficient to encircle the
body of certain wearers of the binder, and at least one end panel defining
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first and second opposite end edges. Means are provided for releasably
securing the first end edge of the end panel to the second end edge of the
base panel so that the end panel serves as an extension for accommodating
the binder to a larger size wearer. A first fastening member is carried
by the base panel adjacent the first end edge and a second fastening member
is carried adjacent the second end edge of the base panel. Another second
fastening member is carried by the end panel adjacent the second end edge
thereof. Each of the second fastening members is adapted to cooperate
with the first fastening member for being independently and releasably
engaged by the first fastening member. The binder may be secured in
encircling relation about a body member by interconnecting the firs-t '
fastening member with a selected one of the second fastening members. To
reduce the overlap when the binder is adjusted to a relatively small size,
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the end panel may be removed from the binder with the first fastening
member engaging the selected second fastening member.
In accordance with this invention there is provided a surgical `
binder of a predetermined length for encircling and supporting a body ~`
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~' member within a range of sizes and characterized by having at least one remov-
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able portion for adjustment of the length thereof to fit a smaller size body
~ member within the range without having an excessive overlap of the binder, ;~
; said binder comprising: an elongate base panel defining first and second
, opposite end edges and having a length sufficient to encircle a certain
' size body member; and at least one end panel defining first and second
opposite end edges; means for releasably securing said first end edge of
j 30 said end panel to said second end edge of said base panel for positioning
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said panels in end-to-end relation to allow said one end panel to serve .
as an extension for accommodating the binder to larger size body members;
a first fastening member carried by said base panel adjacent said first
end edge; and a second fastening member carried by each of said base panel
and said end panel adjacent said respective second end edges for being
selectively, independently and releasably interconnected with said first
fastening member; whereby the binder may be secured in encircling relation
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. about a body member by interconnecting said first fastening member with a
,~- selected one of said second fastening members and wherein said end panel
; 10 may be removed from the binder by said releasable means to thereby reduce
; the overlap of the binder when the size of the body member of the wearer ~:
.j does not require the presence of said end panel and said first fastening
~:~. member is interconnected with said second fastening member of said base
panel. ;
~, According to the preferred embodiment, the base panel and the ~:
c~ end panel are releasably secured together in end--to-end relation by means
of zig-zag stitching overlaying the second end edge of the base panel and
; the first end edge of the end panel, with means being provided for .
:' preventing raveling of the fabric when the en~ panel is removed from the
.` 20 binder by removing the zig-zag stitches.
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~CD58~33
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The preferred embodiment also incorporates a plurality
of end panels in order to provide a greater degree of adjust-
ability. In addition, the first fastening member comprises
numerous rows of hook-like members and the second fastening
member comprises a patch of loose, fibrous fabric ma~erial.
Some of the objects of the invention having been set
forth above, other objects and advantages will appear as the
description of the invention proceeds, when taken in conjunction
with the following drawings in which:
Figure 1 is an elevational view of the inner face of a
surgical binder according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is an elevational view of the outer face of the
binder shown in F.igure l;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the binder in position `~
. around the lower thorax and upper abdomen of a wearer;
;~ Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of
the abutting end portions of adjacent panels of the binder, and
'!;';`~ showing how the panels are releasably secured together and the `~
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means for preventiny the fabric from raveling when an end panel
is removed to shorten t.he binder; and -~
Figure 5 is an enlar~ed/ fragmentary~ cross-sectional
view of the abutting end portions of the panels shown in Fiyure ~ -~
`~ 4, showing the stitch structure utilizea.
`~ Referriny now to the drawings, a surgical binder accord~
;~ iny to the present invention is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and
broadly indicated at 10. The illustrated embodiment is particu- i
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larly adapted for use as an abdominal binder, but it should be
; understood that the invention is also applicable to other types
of binders and belts as described above.
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The binder 10 comprises an elongate base panel 11 having
a length sufficient to encircle a certain small size body member/
and a width of generally about 9 to 12 inches. The base panel 11
defines first and second opposite end edges lla and llb,
respectively, and it is preferably constructed of a conventional
elastic fabric material which is somewhat stretchable in the
longitudinal direction in order to provide comfort and adequate
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- support. A gore llc is provided in the base panel 11 to shorten
the length of one longitudinal edge of the binder to enable it
~, 10 to more closely correspond to the generally frusto-conical con-
figuration of the human torso. A pair of end panels 12 and 13,
i` are provided, each respectively defining first and second opposite
end edges 12a, 12b and 13a, 13b. The end panels 12 and 13 are
also preferably constructed of an elastic fabric material as
described above.
The end panels 12 and 13 are releasably secured together
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in abutting, end-to-end relation by joining their respective
abutting end edges 12b and 13a together by means of conventional ~`!'
wide-throw zig~zag stitching 17 overlaying the abutting end
20 edges and extending along the length of the abutting end edges
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;~ 12b and 13a, note Figures 4 and 5.
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The pair of end panels 12 and 13 ar~ similarly releasably
secured to the base panel 11 by means of conventional wide-throw
-~ zig-zag stitching 17 overlaying the second end edge llb of the
base panel 11 and the abutting first end edge 12a of the end
panel 12 and serve as an extension to enable the binder 10 to
encircle larger size body members.
A first fastening member 20, having a width substantially
contiguous with the width of the base panel 11 and comprising
numerous rows of hook-like me~lbers commonly referred to as male
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i ~ Velcro material, is secured, preferably by zig~zag stitching, to
``~ one face o~ the base panel 11 adjacent the first end edge lla
thereof.
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Second fastening members 22a, 22b, and 22c are secured,
preferably by zig-zag stitching~ to the face of the base panel
11 and the end panels 12 and 13 opposite the face to which the
first fastening element 20 is secured and adjacent the second
end edge llb, 12b, and 13b thereof~ respectively. The second
fastening members 22a, 22b, 22c each comprise a patch of loose,
fibrous fabric material, commonly referred to as female Velcro
, members, and are adapted to cooperate with the first fastening
' member 20 for being independently and releasably interconnected
0 therewith. ~` `
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It will be observed that each of the second fastening ;~
members 22a, 22b, 22c has a width substantially contiguous with
the width of the base panel 11 and the end panels 12 and 13 to
which they are secured for providing secure fastening of the
~~ belt along its entire width in cooperation with the first
- fastening member 20. However, the second fastening members
22a, 22b, 22c may take the form of a plurality of spaced apart
lateral strips of female Velcro material.
Likewise, it will be observed, as is shown in Figure 2, `
-`~ 20 that the second fastening members 22a, 22b, 22c each have a
substantial lengthwise dimension approximately twice that of the
first fastening member 20, in order to facilitate incremental
~i;` cooperative adjustment within a smaller range of sizes. It will
be understood to those skilled in the art that the relative
lengths of the cooperating fastening members can be varied to
` provide for greater or lesser ranges of adjustment, as desired,
without departing from the spirit of this invention.
- As described above, the binder 10 may be utilized to
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encircle and support different size body members without ~
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excessive overlap by removing either the end panel 13 or both
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~ the end panels 12 and 13 from the binder 10 so that the remaining
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~5~33
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length of the binder more closely corresponds to the circu~
ference of the body member to be supported. As is shown in
, Figure 3, the end panel 13 has been re~oved from the binder 10,
. The combined length of the base panel 11 and the remaining end
panel 12 is long enough to encircle the abdomen of the wearer
.~ with only so much overlap as to allow engagement of the inwardly
facing first fastening element 20 with the outwardly facing
second fastening member 22b.
The end panel 13 may be easily removed by severing the
. 10 zig-zag stitching 17 overlaying the first end edge 13a and the
adjacent second end edge 12a of the end panel 12, note Figure 4.
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i Likewise, both end panels 12 and 13 may be removed to provide an .:
;`r even smaller size binder by severing the zig-zag stitching 17
~! overlaying the first end edge 12a of the end panel 12 and the
adjacent second end edge llb of the base panel 11, in a manner
similar to that shown in Figure 4. ~^
.. As set forth above, the base panel 11 and the end panels
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12 and 13 preferably comprise elastic fabric material, and thus
~ the panels are likely to ravel if the severed raw edge is not
5.;'l 20 bound in some fashion. In accordance with the illustrated
embodiment of the invention, means are provided for preventing
; such raveling of either the second end edge llb of the base
,` panel or the second end edge 12b of the end panel 12, depending ~ ;
~,. on where the binder is severed. More particularly, double needle .
overedge sewing 24 is provided along second end edges llb and
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~` 12b, binding the raw edge within the sewing. Overedge sewing
.'. 25 is also provided along first end edges 12a and 13a and
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:.,i;. assists the zig-zag stitches 17 in preventing raveling of end
::`.`: panels 12 and 13 when attached to the base panel 11. ~.... ..
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~58~3~3
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In order for the overedge sewing 24 to serve the intended -
purpose of preventing raveling, care must be taken not to sever
the overedge sewing when seYering the zig-zag stitches 17 in
order to remove end panel 13, or both end panels 12 and 13.
Therefore, as is best shown in Figures 4 and 5, a thread of a
contrasting color 26 is carried immediately adjacent and parallel
to the first end edge 13a, overlaying end panel 13 within the
zig-zag stitching 17. The thread 26 defines a guide line along
which the panel 13 is severed to remove it from the binder. By
cutting along the guide line defined by the thread 26, the over- ~;
edge sewing 24 remains intact and prevents raveling of the second `
end edge 12b. As will be observed in Figure 4, in severing end
panel 13 from the end panel 12, a thin strip of the first end
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edge 13a of the end panel 13, together with the overedge sewing
25 binding the edge, is severed and therefore may ravel. ~owever,
since the panel 13 is either discarded or resewn and reused on
another belt it is of no consequence.
Although not shown in the drawings, the same means for
preventing raveling described above are also provided to prevent
raveling of tha second end edge llb of the base panel 11 in the
; event both the end panel 13 and the end panel 12 are removed from
the binder.
Thus it will be seen that there is described above a
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~` simple, easy-to-manufacture surgical binder which is easily and
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quickly adjustable to fit a wide range of sizes without excessive
overlap by removing the unneeded end panels, and which is also
- adjustable within a smaller range of sizes by the relative
longitudinal positioning of the cooperating fastening members.
~,~ It will be understood that the degree of adjustability also may
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be varied by increasing or decreasing the length of the end panels,
or the numker of end panels secured to the base panel.
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