Universal surgical binder

Claim 2

A surgical binder of a predetermined length for encircling and supporting a body member within a range of sizes and characterized by having at least one removable 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 said end panel to said second end edge of said base panel for positioning 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 about a body member by interconnecting said first fastening member with a selected one of said second fastening members and wherein said end panel 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 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.

Claim 3

A surgical binder as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for releasably securing said first end edge of said end panel to said second end edge of said base panel comprises zig-zag stitches overlaying both said end edges.

Claim 4

A surgical binder as defined in claim 1 wherein said first fastening member is carried on one face of said binder and each of said second fastening members is carried on the opposite face thereof.

Claim 5

A surgical binder as defined in claim 3, wherein said first fastening member carried by said base panel comprises numerous rows of hook-like members and said second fastening members carried by said base panel and said end panel each comprise a patch of loose, fibrous, fabric material for being releasably engaged by said hook-like members on said first fastening member.

Claim 6

A surgical binder as defined in claim 4, wherein said second fastening members have a substantial lengthwise dimension to facilitate cooperative adjustment with said first fastening member within a smaller range of sizes.

Claim 7

A surgical binder of a predetermined length for encircling and supporting a body member within a range of sizes and characterized by having at least one removable 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 comprising elastic fabric material and having a length sufficient to encircle a certain size body member; at least one end panel defining first and second opposite end edges and comprising elastic fabric material; removable zig-zag stitches overlaying said second end edge of said base panel and said first end edge of said end panel for releasably securing said base panel to said end panel in end-to-end relation to allow said 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; 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; and means for preventing raveling of said second end edge of said base panel upon removal of said zig-zag stitches to remove said end panel; whereby the binder may be secured in encircling relation about a body member by interconnecting said first fastening member with a selected one of said second fastening members and wherein said end panel may be removed from the binder by removing said zig-zag stitches to thereby reduce the overlap of the binder when the size of the body member of the wearer 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.

Claim 8

A surgical binder of a predetermined length for encircling and supporting a body member within a range of sizes and characterized by having at least one removable 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 comprising elastic fabric material and having a length sufficient to encircle a certain size body member; at least one end panel defining first and second opposite end edges and comprising elastic fabric material; removable zig-zag stitches overlaying said second end edge of said base panel and said first end edge of said end panel for releasably securing said base panel to said end panel in end-to-end relation to allow said 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; 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; and means for preventing raveling of said second end edge of said base panel upon removal of said zig-zag stitches to remove said end panel; whereby the binder may be secured in encircling relation about a body member by interconnecting said first fastening member with a selected one of said second fastening members and wherein said end panel may be removed from the binder by removing said zig-zag stitches to thereby reduce the overlap of the binder when the size of the body member of the wearer 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.

Claim 9

A surgical binder as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for preventing raveling upon removal of said zig-zag stitches comprises over-edge sewing along said second end edge of said base panel binding said edge within said sewing.

Claim 10

A surgical binder as defined in claim 7 further including a visually contrasting thread carried immediately adjacent and parallel to said first end edge of said end panel and overlaying said end panel within said zig-zag stitching for providing a guide line for severing said zig-zag stitching to remove said zig-zag stitches and said end panel and to avoid severing of said overedge sewing along said second end edge of said base panel.

Claim 11

A surgical binder of a predetermined length for encircling and supporting a body member within a range of sizes and characterized by having removable portions for adjustment of the length thereof to fit smaller size body members 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; a plurality of end panels each defining first and second opposite end edges, and positioned in elongate, serially arranged, first end edge-to-second end edge opposing relation with each other and with said second end edge of said base panel; means for releasably securing each of said opposing first and second end edges to allow said plurality of end panels 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 plurality of end panels 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 about a body member by interconnecting said first fastening member with a selected one of said second fastening members and wherein a desired number of said plurality of end panels 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 does not require the presence of one or more of said end panels and said first fastening member engages said selected second fastening member.

Claim 12

A surgical binder of a predetermined length for encircling and supporting a body member within a range of sizes and characterized by having removable portions for adjustment of the length thereof to fit smaller size body members 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; a plurality of end panels each defining first and second opposite end edges, and positioned in elongate, serially arranged, first end edge-to-second end edge opposing relation with each other and with said second end edge of said base panel; means for releasably securing each of said opposing first and second end edges to allow said plurality of end panels 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 plurality of end panels 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 about a body member by interconnecting said first fastening member with a selected one of said second fastening members and wherein a desired number of said plurality of end panels 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 does not require the presence of one or more of said end panels and said first fastening member engages said selected second fastening member.

Claim 13

A surgical binder as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for releasably securing together said plurality of end panels and said base panel comprises zig-zag stitches overlaying said respective closely adjacent end edges.

Claim 14

A surgical binder as defined in claim 10 wherein said base panel and said plurality of end panels comprise elastic fabric material, and wherein said binder further includes means for preventing raveling of said fabric material upon removal of any number of said end panel from the binder, said means for preventing raveling comprising overedge sewing along said second end edge of said base panel and each second end edge of said plurality of end panels.

Claim 15

A surgical binder as defined in claim 11 further including a visually contrasting thread carried immediately adjacent and parallel to each of said first end edges of said plurality of end panels and overlaying each of said end panels within said zig-zag stitching for providing a guide line for severing said zig-zag stitching to remove the zig-zag stitching and a selected number of said end panels while avoiding severing of said overedge sewing along said second end edges.