Stretchable Medicated Sleeve with Perforated Section

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medicated sleeves, such as the Icyhot medicated sleeve, are complicated to manufacture and cumbersome to use, requiring consumers to flip them inside out to apply the medicinal composition, which can lead to incorrect usage and reduced medication dosage.

Innovation Solution

A stretchable sleeve designed to be pulled up straight from a pouch in an outside-out configuration, with a medicinal section and a perforated section that overlap, allowing for easy application of the medicinal composition through the perforations without needing to flip the sleeve inside out, and packaged in an outside-out configuration to facilitate correct usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the sleeve is manufactured and packaged in an inside-out configuration to allow medicinal composition application to the inner surface, then the medication can be applied to the correct surface, but the manufacturing process becomes complicated and the usage becomes cumbersome requiring consumers to roll and flip the sleeve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrect medication applicationVSAvoidsleeve application process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by packaging the sleeve in an outside-out configuration instead of inside-out. The medicinal composition is applied to the outer surface through perforations, allowing consumers to pull the sleeve on directly without flipping, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable medication application and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a perforated section in the sleeve material that allows medicinal composition to be applied to the outer surface while still enabling the medication to reach the inner surface that contacts the skin. This porous structure resolves the contradiction by allowing correct medication application without requiring the sleeve to be packaged inside-out

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Manufacturing precision

If the sleeve is packaged in an inside-out configuration, then the medicinal composition can be applied to the inner surface, but consumers may not follow the illustrated directions and pull the sleeve up straight, thereby not receiving the full dose of medication

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedicinal composition placementVSAvoidfull medication dosage delivery

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the packaging configuration from inside-out to outside-out, allowing the sleeve to be pulled on directly in the correct orientation. This eliminates the risk of consumers incorrectly applying the sleeve and ensures full medication dosage delivery while maintaining precise medicinal composition placement on the outer surface through perforations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If the sleeve requires rolling and flipping into an outside-out configuration for proper use, then the medication can be applied correctly to the inner surface, but the manufacturing and usage process becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrect medication applicationVSAvoidsleeve configuration process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent simplifies the device configuration by inverting the packaging approach - the sleeve is packaged outside-out and can be pulled on directly without rolling or flipping. The medicinal composition is applied to the outer surface through perforations, ensuring correct application while eliminating device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The perforated section allows the medicinal composition applied to the outer surface to reach the inner surface that contacts the skin, eliminating the need for complex rolling and flipping configurations while ensuring correct medication application

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Data Source

PatentUS7959616B2Medicated sleeve

Publication Date: 2011.06.14 UNITED EXCHANGE CORP

AI summary

Embodiments of the invention provide a stretchable sleeve having a medicinal section that can be loaded with a medicinal composition and a perforated section comprising a plurality of openings, wherein the medicinal section and the perforated section overlap, and wherein the sleeve is sized so that the interior surface of the medicinal section comfortably fits a body portion and the medicinal section contacts the body portion at the site of pain. Embodiments of the invention also provide methods for preparing a sleeve by applying a medicinal composition to the inner surface of the medicinal section through the openings at the perforated section. Embodiments of the invention also provide methods for relieving pain in a body portion by pulling the sleeve in an outside-out configuration straight up a body portion without having to roll and flip its exterior surface outside.