US-12623159-B2 - Role play first aid kit and simulated bandage

Abstract

A kit for creating and healing a simulated wound includes a fabric patch that can be saturated with a liquid to become translucent. The patch includes an image of a simulated wound, such as a cut, scratch, or abrasion. Water is applied to a person's skin. The patch is applied to the wetted skin and is saturated by the water, causing the fabric forming the patch to become translucent so that the color of the user's skin is at least partially visible through the patch. This creates the illusion that the simulated wound image is an actual injury. The kit also includes a simulated bandage. The bandage has a gripping portion, such as a patch of “hook” materials from a “hook-and-loop” fastener, on its bottom surface. When the gripping portion of the bandage is contacted with the patch, the gripping portion engages with the fabric so that when the bandage is pulled away from the skin, the patch and the simulated wound are also pulled away from the skin, creating the illusion that the wound has been healed.

Inventors

• Cristina Ables
• Jeffrey Butler

Assignees

• MELISSA & DOUG, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230720

Claims (19)

1. 1 . A patch adapted to display a simulated wound, the patch comprising: a fabric layer having a first translucency when dry and a second, greater translucency when saturated with a liquid; and a simulated wound applied to the fabric layer, wherein, when the fabric layer is applied to a skin of a user and is saturated to achieve the second translucency, a color of the user's skin is visible through the patch, and wherein the simulated wound is visible on the patch to display the simulated wound.
2. 2 . The patch of claim 1 , further comprising a gripping layer on a top surface of the fabric layer.
3. 3 . The patch of claim 2 , wherein the gripping layer comprises fibers that protrude from the upper surface of the patch.
4. 4 . The patch of claim 3 , wherein the fibers form loops protruding from the top surface.
5. 5 . The patch of claim 1 , wherein the fabric layer is white or a neutral color.
6. 6 . The patch of claim 1 , wherein the fabric layer comprises one or more of a woven textile, a non-woven textile, a natural textile, a synthetic textile, cotton, wool fabric, gauze, muslin, linen, polyethylene, or polypropylene.
7. 7 . The patch of claim 6 , wherein the fabric layer comprises non-woven polypropylene.
8. 8 . The patch of claim 1 , wherein the simulated wound image is applied to the fabric layer by one or more of printing, screen printing, thermal transfer printing, and hand drawing.
9. 9 . The patch of claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises one or more of water, sea water, an aqueous dye solution, a non-aqueous material, mineral oil, petroleum jelly, baby oil, hand lotion, and sunscreen.
10. 10 . A kit for creating a simulated wound comprising: the patch of claim 1 ; and a liquid dispenser adapted to deliver the liquid to the skin.
11. 11 . The kit of claim 10 , wherein the dispenser comprises a reservoir and a dispensing opening in fluid connection with the reservoir, wherein a limited flow of the liquid flows from the reservoir, through the opening, and onto the user's skin.
12. 12 . The kit of claim 11 , wherein the dispenser includes a cap removably connected with the dispenser and adapted to close the opening to prevent the liquid from flowing from the reservoir.
13. 13 . A simulated bandage comprising: a thin, flexible body having a bottom side, wherein the body is adapted to at least partially conform to a three-dimensional shape; a gripping portion on at least a portion of the bottom side a patch adapted to create a simulated wound, the patch comprising: a fabric layer having a first translucency when dry and a second, greater translucency when saturated with a liquid; a simulated wound applied to the fabric layer, wherein, when the fabric layer is placed on a skin surface and is saturated to achieve the second translucency, a color of the skin surface is visible through the patch, and wherein the simulated wound is visible on the patch when the patch is saturated; and a gripping layer on a top surface of the fabric layer, wherein the gripping portion of the flexible body engages with the gripping layer of the patch, and wherein movement of the flexible body away from the skin pulls the patch from the skin to remove the simulated wound.
14. 14 . The bandage of claim 13 , wherein the gripping portion comprises a plurality of hooks.
15. 15 . The bandage of claim 14 , wherein the gripping portion comprises a hook component of a hook-and-loop fastener.
16. 16 . The bandage of claim 13 , wherein the gripping portion of the flexible body comprises a plurality of hooks, wherein the gripping layer of the patch comprises a plurality of loops, and wherein engagement of the body with the patch comprises interengagement of at least a portion of the hooks with at least a portion of the loops.
17. 17 . A method for creating a simulated wound comprising, providing a patch comprising a fabric layer having a first translucency when dry and a second, greater translucency when saturated with a liquid, wherein a simulated wound is applied to the fabric layer; providing a simulated bandage comprising a thin, flexible body having a bottom side, wherein the body is adapted to at least partially conform to a three-dimensional shape and wherein the body includes a gripping portion on at least a portion of the bottom side; applying the liquid to a skin surface to create a liquid layer; applying the patch to the liquid layer, wherein liquid in the liquid layer saturates the fabric layer to achieve the second translucency, wherein a color of the skin is visible through the patch, and wherein the simulated wound is visible on the patch when the patch is saturated with the liquid; applying the simulated bandage to the patch with the gripping portion in contact with fabric layer, wherein the gripping portion engages with the fabric layer.
18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising applying an additional amount of the liquid to the patch after the step of applying the patch to the liquid layer.
19. 19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising moving the bandage away from the skin, wherein the patch remains engaged with the bandage and the patch is removed from the skin.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present disclosure relates to a simulated wound that can be removably applied to a user's skin to create the appearance of an actual wound, such as a cut, scrap, or abrasion. The present disclosure further relates to a simulated bandage that allows a user to pretend to treat a simulated wound on the user's skin. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a patch that, when wetted, shows a simulated wound on the skin and to a simulated bandage that, when applied to the wetted patch, pulls the patch from the skin, creating the illusion that the wound has been healed. The present disclosure further relates to a kit including such patches, simulated bandages, and accessories related to administering first aid. 2. Description of the Related Art Children enjoy playing games where they have the sensation that they are acting as an adult. Toys that allow children to pretend to act as medical professionals are well known. Such toys may provide children with simulated medical instruments, such a syringes, stethoscopes, tweezers, medicine bottles, and the like. A child can manipulate these objects while pretending to be a doctor, nurse, or other health professional. Such toys allow a child to use his or her imagination, to envision a visit to the doctor or hospital, and to pretend to heal themselves and their playmates. Such toys may also help children facing actual health problems better cope with frightening medical experiences by enacting situations for themselves. The experience of playing with toys that simulate medical procedures may be more engaging if the procedure seems more realistic. For example, a child may pretend that she or her playmate has a cut or scratch. The child may enjoy applying real bandages to herself or her playmates to pretend to treat the wound. Since there is no actual wound, the child must imagine it and image that the wound has healed when the bandage is removed. There is a need for a toy that creates a realistic-looking simulated wound and that allows the child to pretend to treat that wound. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the disclosure provide a toy that includes a mechanism to simulate a skin wound, such as a scratch, abrasion, cut, insect bite or a suture. According to one aspect, such a wound is simulated by a patch of fabric that is opaque or nearly opaque when dry and that has a simulated wound printed on the fabric. The patch is applied to skin and saturated with water. The material forming the patch becomes translucent when wetted. The simulated wound and the skin beneath the patch become visible through the patch, creating the illusion that that there is an actual wound on the skin. According to one aspect of the disclosure, the simulated wound is printed in colors that contrast with the skin to enhance the visual impact of the wound. According to another aspect, a plurality of patches are provided as part of a kit printed with a variety of simulated wounds. The user can select a particular simulated wound and imagine a scenario that logically connects with the wound selected. For example, the child may envision having fallen down and scraped her hand. The child might select a patch with a simulated abrasion. As part of her play, the child would apply the patch to her hand and wet the patch to create what looks like an abrasion. According to another aspect, the patch is thin and flexible to conform to the skin. Once the patch has been placed on the skin and wetted, capillary forces between the wetted patch and the skin hold the patch in contact with the skin. This temporarily fixes the patch to the skin, allowing the child to enact a play scenario involving the simulated wound. According to another embodiment of the disclosure, a simulated bandage is provided along with one or more of the patches as described above. The simulated bandage has a top side that may be decorated to simulate an actual bandage, such as a Band-Aid® adhesive bandage manufactured by Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. One or more engaging regions are provided on the bottom side of the simulated bandage. According to one embodiment, the engaging regions are covered with flexible hooks, such as the hooks provided as part of a “hook-and-loop” fastener. According to this embodiment, the top surface of the patch is provided with loops, pores, or fibers that engage with the hooks when the bottom side of the simulated bandage is contacted with the top surface of the patch. Once the hooks engage with the patch, the bandage is pulled away from the skin. Because the patch is held to the skin only by capillary forces, the patch, along with the simulated wound lifts away from the skin easily, creating the illusion that the simulated wound has healed. According to one embodiment, the patch is unchanged by the process of adhering and removing from the skin. Such a patch can be reused repeatedly. According to another embodiment of the disc