# The Invention of the Modern Adhesive Bandage

> A 1926 patent by Johnson and Johnson for the first mass-produced, sterile adhesive bandage, commonly known as the Band-Aid.

- **Patent:** US 1612267
- **Original title:** Surgical dressing
- **Owner:** Johnson and Johnson
- **Granted:** 1926
- **Status:** Public domain (expired)
- **Times cited:** 16
- **Field:** biotech, consumer_electronics

## What it does

This patent describes a surgical dressing consisting of a strip of adhesive material with a central, non-adhesive pad of sterile gauze. The design allows the user to apply a protective, absorbent covering to a minor wound without needing separate tape or pins. By integrating the adhesive backing and the sterile pad into a single, ready-to-use unit, it simplified the process of dressing small cuts and scrapes in a home environment.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover non-adhesive bandages or traditional gauze rolls.
- Does not cover liquid bandages or spray-on wound sealants.
- Does not cover medical dressings that require separate adhesive tape for fixation.
- Does not cover complex surgical sutures or internal wound closure devices.

## The clever bit

The innovation was the pre-assembly of the sterile pad onto the adhesive strip, turning a multi-step medical procedure into a single, disposable consumer product.

## Real-world examples

1. Band-Aid brand adhesive bandages
2. Generic adhesive strips found in standard first-aid kits

## Why it matters

This invention transformed home healthcare by making sterile wound care accessible to the general public. Before this, treating a minor cut required cutting gauze and applying separate adhesive strips, which was cumbersome and often non-sterile. It established the standard for the modern first-aid kit.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does The Invention of the Modern Adhesive Bandage cover?

A 1926 patent by Johnson and Johnson for the first mass-produced, sterile adhesive bandage, commonly known as the Band-Aid.

### Who owns patent US 1612267?

Johnson and Johnson owns this patent, granted in 1926.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.

### What is patent US 1612267 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 16 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This invention transformed home healthcare by making sterile wound care accessible to the general public. Before this, treating a minor cut required cutting gauze and applying separate adhesive strips, which was cumbersome and often non-sterile. It established the standard for the modern first-aid kit.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover non-adhesive bandages or traditional gauze rolls.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1612267/band-aid-adhesive-bandage

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US1612267

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._


## Related patents

Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus:

- [How Richard Drew Invented Modern Transparent Adhesive Tape](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1760820/scotch-tape-adhesive-drew) — The 1930 patent for the first pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, which replaced messy glues and paper tapes with a convenient, clear, and sticky strip.
- [How the First Cotton Swabs Were Mass-Produced](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1721815/q-tip-cotton-swab) — Leo Gerstenzang's 1929 patent for the automated manufacturing of cotton-tipped applicators, the invention that created the modern Q-Tip.
- [How the modern internal menstrual tampon was invented](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1964911/tampon-applicator-haas) — Earle Haas's 1933 patent describes the first modern internal menstrual tampon, designed to be inserted into the vagina using a cardboard applicator.
- [How Soft Contact Lenses Were Invented Using Hydrogels](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3220960/soft-contact-lens-hydrogel) — This patent describes the chemical recipe for soft, water-absorbing plastic materials that form the basis of modern soft contact lenses.
- [How the Modern Paper Drinking Straw Was Invented](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/375962/drinking-straw-stone) — A 19th-century patent for a paper tube coated in wax, designed to replace natural rye grass straws for drinking beverages.