Modular wound-care system

Abstract

A customizable system ( 100 ) made up of a plurality of individual modules for dispensing minor wound-care products with one hand. The modules are easily attached to and disconnected from each other to provide an integrated dispensing device of variable size that may be accessed quickly and efficiently. The system includes one or more disposable bandage modules ( 110 ) having a top wall ( 111 ), a bottom wall ( 112 ), a front wall ( 113 ), a back wall ( 114 ), a right side wall ( 115 ), and a left side wall ( 116 ). The walls are permanently joined together to form a body ( 117 ) having an internal cavity ( 118 ). The bandage modules include an opening ( 119 ) on the front wall, a cutting edge ( 120 ) within the opening, and one or more module-joining attachments ( 121 ) on said side walls ( 115 ) and ( 116 ). The system may also include one or more accessory modules.

1 . A dispensing system for storing and dispensing bandages and other first-aid supplies, comprising: 
 a plurality of bandages;    one or more single-use disposable bandage modules, each of said modules having a plurality of walls joined with one another to form a substantially sealed body having an internal cavity for receiving said plurality of bandages, one of said walls having an opening through which said bandages may be dispensed from said cavity, wherein said walls are constructed and joined to one another so that said cavity is not accessible without damaging said walls.    
   
   
       2 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , further including joining attachments for releasably joining said modules to one another, said joining attachments being attached with at least one of said walls.  
   
   
       3 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , further including module mounting attachments for releasably joining said modules with a mounting backplate, said mounting attachments being attached with at least one of said walls, said mounting backplate having a mounting surface including module retaining attachments for releasably retaining said mounting attachments.  
   
   
       4 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more accessory modules selected from the group consisting of a lotion dispenser module, a wipe dispenser module, a flip-top utility module, and a trash receptacle module.  
   
   
       5 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said body is transparent.  
   
   
       6 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of bandages in one of said modules is same size.  
   
   
       7 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of bandages is a stack of individual bandages.  
   
   
       8 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of bandages is a continuous roll of bandages.  
   
   
       9 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , further including a cutting edge proximate said opening.  
   
   
       10 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cover system having a mounting case and a cover, said cover being pivotally connected to said mounting case so as to be movable between open and closed positions.  
   
   
       11 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lid sized to cover at least said opening of said module when in a closed position.  
   
   
       12 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of walls includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a back wall, a left side wall, and a right side wall.  
   
   
       13 . A dispensing system according to  claim 12 , wherein said opening is positioned on one of said front wall and said bottom wall.  
   
   
       14 . A dispensing system according to  claim 12 , wherein said joining attachments are positioned on said side walls.  
   
   
       15 . A dispensing system according to  claim 12 , wherein said mounting attachments are positioned on said back wall.  
   
   
       16 . A dispensing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a paper-towel holder attachment module.  
   
   
       17 . A single-use, disposable module for storing and dispensing bandages, comprising: 
 a. a plurality of walls permanently connected together to form a substantially sealed body having an internal cavity for receiving a plurality of bandages;    b. an opening formed in at least one of said plurality of walls through which said plurality of bandages may be dispensed from said cavity; and    c. wherein said module is pre-loaded with said plurality of bandages at the time of manufacture such that said module may not be refilled without damaging one or more of said plurality of walls.    
   
   
       18 . A single-use, disposable module according to  claim 17 , wherein said body is transparent.  
   
   
       19 . A single-use, disposable module according to  claim 17 , wherein each of said plurality of bandages is the same size.  
   
   
       20 . A single-use, disposable module according to  claim 17 , wherein said plurality of bandages is a stack of individual bandages.  
   
   
       21 . A single-use, disposable module according to  claim 17 , wherein said plurality of bandages is a continuous roll of bandages.  
   
   
       22 . A single-use, disposable module according to  claim 17 , further including a cutting edge proximate said opening.  
   
   
       23 . A single-use, disposable module according to  claim 17 , wherein said plurality of walls includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a back wall, a left side wall, and a right side wall.  
   
   
       24 . A single-use, disposable module according to  claim 23 , wherein said opening is positioned on one of said front wall and said bottom wall.  
   
   
       25 . A single-use, disposable module according to  claim 17 , further including a plurality of joining attachments for releasably joining said modules to one another, said joining attachments being attached with at least one of said walls.  
   
   
       26 . A method of forming a first-aid dispensing system for mounting on a surface, comprising the steps of: 
 a. obtaining at least two single-use type, non-refillable, disposable bandage modules;    b. connecting said at least two modules together; and    c. positioning said modules on a surface.    
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 26 , further comprising the steps of obtaining one or more accessory modules selected from the group consisting of a lotion dispenser module, a wipe dispenser module, a flip-top utility module, and a trash receptacle module and mounting said accessory modules proximate said at least two modules.  
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein said disposable bandage modules in said obtaining step include a transparent body.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 26 , further comprising the step of replacing used ones of said bandage modules with new, single-use type, non-refillable, disposable bandage modules.  
   
   
       30 . A surface-mounted dispensing system for dispensing bandages, comprising: 
 a. one or more single-use disposable bandage modules, each of said modules having a plurality of walls joined with one another to form a substantially sealed body having an internal cavity for receiving said plurality of bandages, one of said walls having an opening through which said bandages may be dispensed from said cavity, wherein said walls are constructed and joined to one another so that said cavity is not accessible without damaging said walls;    b. means for releasably joining said modules to one another; and    c. means for releasably mounting said modules to a surface.    
   
   
       31 . A surface-mounted dispensing system according to  claim 30 , wherein said means for releasably joining said modules to one another includes at least one of a tab-and-slot closure, a light and temporary adhesive, a strip fastener, an anchor-peg and keyhole mechanism, a mating groove-and-track mechanism, or a male-female snap mechanism.