BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved medical securing tape for securing a medical device, such as tubing, a catheter, an intravenous needle, or the like to a patient's skin or to another support.

Securing tapes for use in securing various medical devices to a patient's skin or to a support associated with the patient are well known. Prior securing tapes were either relatively complex and/or difficult to fabricate and/or difficult to use and/or incapable of adjustment once they were installed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved securing tape for a medical device, such as a tube or catheter, which is extremely simple to use in that it can be applied simply and easily to a patient and will permit the medical device to be installed thereon simply and easily and will positively immobilize the medical device relative to the surface to which it is attached.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a securing tape which permits the medical device mounted thereon not only to be immobilized but also to to be removed and reapplied or readjusted simply and easily and to again be immobilized after it has been so reapplied or readjusted.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved securing tape which can be fabricated from conventional materials in a simple and expedient manner. Other objects of the present invention will readily be perceived hereafter.

The present invention relates to a securing tape for securing to a patient's skin or to a support, a medical device such as tubing, a catheter, an intravenous needle, or the like, comprising a base, a nonadhesive outer surface on said base, an inner surface on said base having a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive thereon for adhesive securement to said patient's skin or to a support, a hold-down tab, a nonadhesive outer surface on said hold-down tab, an inner surface on said hold-down tab having a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive thereon, an inner end on said tab, an outer end on said tab, attachment means attaching said inner end of said tab to said nonadhesive outer surface of said base, an exposed portion of said inner surface of said hold-down tab with said coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive thereon located adjacent said inner end of said tab, and securing means for securing facing portions of said inner surface of said tab and said outer surface of said base portion to each other to secure said outer end of said hold-down tab to said base portion after establishing adhesive securement between said medical device and said exposed portion of said inner surface of said hold-down tab.

The various aspects of the present invention will be more fully understood when the following portions of the specification are read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved securing tape as it is ready for use;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the securing tape in position on a patient's skin or support and holding a medical device such as a tube;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the first step in the method of fabricating the securing tape of FIGS. 1-4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the second and third steps in the manufacture of the securing tape;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the third step in the manufacture of the securing tape;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view showing the fourth and fifth steps in the manufacture of the securing tape;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 9--9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the protective release paper which is secured to the exposed surface of the adhesive on the tab of the securing tape;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of still another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of yet another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The securing tape 10 of the present invention includes a base portion 11 consisting of spaced parts 12 and 13 and an integral tab 16. Base portions 12 and 13 have outer surfaces 14 and 15, respectively, and inner surfaces 17 and 19, respectively, which have pressure-sensitive adhesive 20 and 21, respectively, thereon. The adhesive surfaces 20 and 21 are each completely covered by a strip of release paper 22 and 23, respectively, which are peeled off separately to expose the adhesive surfaces 20 and 21 when the base portion 11 is to be adhered to a surface 24 which may be a patient's skin or any other support for a medical device, such as tube 25.

The integral tab 16 extends away from portions 12 and 13 of base portion 11. In this respect, the side 27 of tab 16 is an integral extension of base portion 13 and the side 29 is an integral extension of base portion 14. Sides 27 and 29 are caused to adhere to each other by the adhesive on their inner surfaces, and they are integral continuations of each other by virtue of a return bend at edge 41. More specifically, there are two spaced strips 30 and 31 on tab side 29 which are integral extensions of side 14, and there is a cutout 32 between strips 30 and 31 which exposes the adhesive surface 33 on the surface on the inside of tab side 27. A sheet of release paper 34 adheres to adhesive surface 33 and covers it to prevent it from premature attachment to foreign objects, as is the case with release paper strips 22 and 23.

Hook and pile fabric portions 35 and 37, respectively, which are known under the trademark VELCRO are secured to tab 16 and base portion 12, respectively. In this respect, the hook portion 35 is secured in the position shown in FIG. 1 by its backing 39 of pressure-sensitive adhesive. The edge 40 (FIG. 1) of hook portion 35 falls short of the extreme edge 41 of tab 16 so as to leave a space 42 which can be grasped digitally to lift the tab from its operating position of FIG. 2 wherein the hook fabric 35 is in engagement with the pile fabric 37. The opposite edge 43 of hook fabric 35 terminates along the edge of exposed adhesive portion 33. The edge 44 of pile fabric 37 is located substantially at the opposite edge of exposed adhesive 33. The opposite edge 45 of pile fabric 37 is positioned as shown.

In use, the release paper 22 and 23 is removed from base portions 12 and 13, respectively, so that the pressure-sensitive adhesive 20 and 21 can be pressed against member 24. Thereafter, the release paper 34 is removed from overlying relationship with adhesive window 33, and the tube 25 or other foreign body is pressed against adhesive surface 33 in window 32 to locate it. Thereafter, tab 16 is folded downwardly from an upstanding position such as shown in FIG. 1 to a securing position such as shown in FIG. 2 to thereby firmly clamp tube 25 in position wherein the adhesive in window 32 positively immobilizes tube 25 against longitudinal or rotational movement. This is of extreme importance not only with a tube which enters a body cavity, but is also of extreme importance if the device 10 is used with an intravenous needle. If for any reason it is desired to reposition tube 25 or possibly place another tube onto securing tape 10, it is merely necessary to open tab 16 by separating the hook and pile fastener portions, remove the original tube 25 and replace it with another tube which is then both held in position by the hook and pile fastener and immobilized by the adhesive in the window. It is to be noted that the relationship between the hook and pile fabric, as shown, permits the securing tape 10 to accommodate tubes 25 of different sizes.

The method of fabricating the securing tape 10 described in FIGS. 1-4 is shown in FIGS. 5-10. The starting portion is a strip 50 of pressure-sensitive tape approximately eight inches long and one inch wide which has a release paper 51 covering its adhesive surface. The first step is to score the release paper 51 along lines 52 and 53. The next step is to cut out a block of the tape 50 adjacent scored line 52 to provide a window 54. The next step is to remove the release paper 57 between score lines 52 and 53 to expose the adhesive surface 59. Thereafter, the central portion 60 between score lines 52 and 53 is folded about its midpoint line 61 so that the portions of the adhesive surface on opposite sides of fold line 61 stick to each other and thus form tab 16, as shown in FIG. 8. At this time the release paper 22 and 23 adjacent score lines 52 and 53 will still be in covering relationship with the adhesive 20 and 21 on the portions of strip 50 which are now base portions 12 and 13. It can readily be seen that the strips 30 and 31 border cutout 54 and that the edges of cutout 54 are at 64 and 65. The next step is to secure hook portion 35 and pile portion 37 in the positions shown by pressure-sensitive adhesive thereon. The final step in the fabrication is to adhesively secure a release paper patch 67 across the portion of the adhesive surface 59 which is exposed through window or cutout 54.

The securing tape 10 has been depicted in the attitude of FIG. 1 as a matter of convenience for describing it. However, when it is packed for shipment, the parts can either be positioned with the hook and pile fastener portions in engagement with tab 16 lying across base portion 12, or, if desired, tab 16 can be positioned lying against tab portion 13. The tape 50 itself without release paper 51 thereon is approximately 0.007 of an inch thick and the release paper is approximately 0.006 of an inch thick. The material from which the securing tape 10 was fabricated is known under the trademark DUROPORE of the 3M Corporation and it has the grade designation 1538L. It is a porous pressure-sensitive hypoallergenic tape. It will be appreciated, of course, that other tapes can also be used.

While the preferred embodiment disclosed in the present application has shown the base portion 11 as having two portions 12 and 13 on opposite sides of tab 16, it will be appreciated that the concept of the present invention may also be practiced with a base having only a portion such as 12 facing the exposed adhesive 33 of the tab 16, and in such a configuration, the base portion 13 would be eliminated. The modification of this type is within the scope of the following claims.

While the preferred embodiment has disclosed the use of hook and pile fabric for fastening tab 16 to the base, another method of effecting such fastening is to provide another window of exposed adhesive outwardly on tab 16 from window 32 and this can be used to adhere tab 16 to the nonadhesive surface 14 of base member 12. Furthermore, if desired the additional exposed window of adhesive need not be a separate window but may be an extension of existing window 32.

Another embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in FIG. 11. The securing tape 70 includes a base portion 71 consisting of spaced parts 72 and 73. Base portion 71 is a continuous piece of tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive surface 74 and a nonadhesive surface 75. Prior to use, release paper, such as 23 of FIG. 1, covers adhesive surface 74, and it is removed when the base 71 is to be applied to a foreign body. A tab 77 comprises a piece of adhesive tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive surface 79 throughout its length and a nonadhesive back 80. The lower or inner end 81 of tab 80 is secured to the nonadhesive surface 75 of base 71 by a heat seal 82. The upper end of tab 80 is folded over at 83, and thus the outer nonadhesive surface 80 is carried across to the facing adhesive surface of tab 80. The end of folded-over portion 83 is at 84. The folded-over end at 83 forms a tab for grasping tab 77.

Since the surface of the material which ultimately forms tab 77 has an adhesive surface 79 throughout its length, this adhesive surface performs a plurality of functions. The first function is to cause the end portion 81 to stick to the nonadhesive surface 75 of the base member 71. The second function, as noted above, is to cause the folded-over portion 83 to stick to the immediately adjacent opposite side of the tab. The third function is to adhesively secure the hooked fabric 85 thereto. The fourth and main function is to provide the adhesive at area 78 for adhering to the body, such as tubing 25, which is to be held down by tab 77 when the hook fabric 85 is pressed into pile fabric 87, which is adhesively secured to the rear surface 75 of base 71. Tab 86 permits convenient grasping of the outer end of tab 77 for pulling the hook fabric 85 away from pile fabric 87.

It will be appreciated that while it is most convenient for tab 77 to have the adhesive over its entire surface, as discussed above, it will be appreciated that it is only necessary for it to have the adhesive at area 78 because the heat seal 82 provides the necessary securement of the tab 77 to base member 71 and other adhesive can be used to attach the hook fabric 85 to the tab and further the outer end of tab 77 need not have a turned over portion at 83.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 12. The securing tape 90 may be identical in all respects to the securing tape 70 of FIG. 11, as described above, except that the lower or inner end portion 91 of tab 77 is secured to base 71 by means of a row of stitching 92. The remaining numerals on FIG. 12 depict the same structure described above relative to FIG. 11.

Still another embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in FIG. 13. The securing tape 95 is identical in all respects to tape 70 of FIG. 11 except that the extreme end portion 98 of tab 77 is adhesively secured to the rear surface 75' of base 71'. This can be done in certain circumstances where the rear surface 75' is not treated to resist attachment to adhesives and wherein the adhesive surface 79 on the tab 77 is sufficiently strong to provide a satisfactory bond. The remaining numerals on FIG. 13 are identical to those of FIG. 11 and depict identical structure.

It will be appreciated that the same modifications noted above relative to FIG. 11 are equally applicable to the embodiments of FIGS. 12 and 13, except that in FIG. 13 there must be adhesive on the extreme end portion 97 which is adhesively secured to base 71.

It will be noted that all embodiments of the present invention may be fabricated from a conventional type of adhesive tape having a fabric or plastic base with a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive thereon.

It will be appreciated that the adhesive surface 79 in the embodiments of FIGS. 11-13 can be considered a window in the sense that it is an exposed adhesive surface between the hooked fabric 85 and the inner end portion, such as 81 of FIG. 11, of tab 77. In this respect it is broadly analogous to the adhesive window 33 of FIGS. 1-10, in the sense that it is an adhesive surface of the tab itself which is exposed to provide adhesive securement to a foreign body, such as tube 25.

While preferred embodiment of the present invention have been disclosed, it will be appreciated that it is not limited thereto but may be otherwise embodied with the scope of the following claims.