U.S. patent application number 13/214191 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-30 for disposable hand cover.
Invention is credited to Kevin Dennis.
Application Number | 20120216329 13/214191 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46717992 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120216329 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dennis; Kevin |
August 30, 2012 |
DISPOSABLE HAND COVER
Abstract
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for a disposable
fabric hand cover. The disposable fabric hand cover includes a
first layer, a second layer, an opening and a sealed perimeter. The
opening is adapted to accommodate insertion of a user's hand into
the opening and into a cavity between, and formed by, the first
layer and the second layer. The first layer, the second layer, or
both may comprise a disposable fabric moistened with a cleaning
solution and/or skin moisturizer. The disposable fabric may include
a flushable fabric that is safe for disposal in a toilet emptying
into conventional septic systems and/or sewage treatment
facilities. Embodiments of the disposable fabric hand cover may
resemble a rectangle, a thumbed-mitten, and/or a five-fingered
glove. Numerous other aspects are provided.
Inventors: |
Dennis; Kevin; (Stroudsburg,
PA) |
Family ID: |
46717992 |
Appl. No.: |
13/214191 |
Filed: |
August 21, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61375786 |
Aug 20, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/158 ; 2/167;
221/135; 221/282 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 33/002 20130101;
B65D 83/0805 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/158 ; 2/167;
221/282; 221/135 |
International
Class: |
A41D 19/00 20060101
A41D019/00; B65D 83/00 20060101 B65D083/00; A41D 19/01 20060101
A41D019/01 |
Claims
1. A disposable hand cover comprising a first layer, a second
layer, an opening and a sealed perimeter, wherein the first layer
comprises a disposable fabric.
2. The disposable hand cover of claim 1, further comprising a
cleaning solution.
3. The disposable hand cover of claim 1, further comprising a
flushable disposable hand cover that is safe for disposal in a
toilet emptying into conventional septic systems and/or sewage
treatment facilities.
4. The disposable hand cover of claim 1, further comprising a
plastic layer.
5. The disposable hand cover of claim 1, further comprising a
disposable hand cover shape resembling a rectangle, a
thumbed-mitten, a five-fingered glove, or a combination of
these.
6. The disposable hand cover of claim 5, further comprising a
rectangular first layer and a rectangular second layer sealed and
perforated to form a rectangular thumbed-mitten or a rectangular
five-fingered glove.
7. The disposable hand cover of claim 1, further comprising
perforation at the opening.
8. The disposable hand cover of claim 1, wherein the second layer
comprises the disposable fabric.
9. A device comprising a hand cover dispenser and a plurality of
disposable hand covers, wherein the plurality of disposable hand
covers forms a stack within the hand cover dispenser.
10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a cleaning
solution.
11. The device of claim 9, further comprising a flushable
disposable hand cover that is safe for disposal in a toilet
emptying into conventional septic systems and/or sewage treatment
facilities.
12. The device of claim 9, further comprising a disposable hand
cover shape resembling a rectangle, a thumbed-mitten, a
five-fingered glove, or a combination of these.
13. The device of claim 9, further comprising perforation at an
opening of each disposable hand cover.
14. The device of claim 9, wherein the disposable hand covers
comprise disposable fabric.
15. A system comprising a plurality of disposable hand covers,
wherein a first disposable hand cover is detachably conjoined to a
second disposable hand cover along a perforation line, and the
first disposable hand cover is adapted to be detached from the
second disposable hand along the perforation line.
16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a cleaning
solution.
17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a flushable
disposable hand cover that is safe for disposal in a toilet
emptying into conventional septic systems and/or sewage treatment
facilities.
18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a disposable hand
cover shape resembling a rectangle, a thumbed-mitten, a
five-fingered glove, or a combination of these.
19. The system of claim 15, further comprising a plastic layer in
each disposable hand cover.
20. The system of claim 15, wherein the disposable hand covers
comprise disposable fabric.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related to and claims the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/375,786 ("the '786
application"), titled "DISPOSABLE HAND COVER," and filed 20 Aug.
2010, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for
all purposes.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to systems, methods and apparatus of a
Disposable Hand Cover. Proposed uses include domestic, medical,
health care, and sanitation applications, such as for changing a
diaper, wiping fecal matter from an individual's rear and,
generally, for cleaning an unsanitary surface.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] This invention relates to hygienic supplies and medical
devices used to clean surfaces and/or handle unclean items.
Surfaces in need of regular cleaning may include those found, for
instance, in bathrooms, kitchens, nursing homes, emergency rooms,
and hospital patient rooms. In addition to needing to clean the
surfaces of inanimate objects, users may need to clean skin, bodily
orifices, feathers, and/or fur of people and/or animals,
respectively. Unclean items that may need to be handled may
include, for example, feces, raw food, soiled clothing, bloody
items, used sanitary napkins, used tampons, used diapers, etc.
[0006] Conventionally, a user needing to clean surfaces or handle
unclean items may wear a disposable glove or hold a flat disposable
barrier to contain the surface contaminants. As used herein,
"disposable" refers to items and/or materials intended for a single
use (e.g., not intended to be re-used, or to be worn, removed, and
then worn again, etc.). In contrast, "non-disposable" items and/or
materials might be used or worn multiple times, and in some cases,
for example, they might be washed between uses or wears.
[0007] A person using conventional cleaning products, for instance,
may wear form-fitting gloves made of rubber or latex and use a
paper towel, a length of toilet paper, a baby wipe, a moist
towelette, a hand towel, or a sponge, to wipe the unclean surface
or handle the unclean item. An example of a conventional disposable
flat barrier includes a biodegradable moist wipe that may kill
germs and also moisturize with vitamin E. In many circumstances,
such as at home, not involving particularly dangerous substances or
diseases, users may just forego using a latex or rubber glove. For
instance, a user changing a baby's diaper may choose to only use
baby wipes to wipe away feces on the baby's skin and anus, and not
don latex gloves. Instead of wearing gloves, a user may rely on
hand-washing after changing a baby's diaper.
[0008] In addition to hand-washing, a person changing a baby's
diaper still may attempt to avoid getting fecal matter on the
person's hands, while attempting to contain the fecal matter on the
baby wipe. Given that a baby wipe typically comprises a flat,
rectangular sheet of disposable fabric, a user may attempt to hold
an edge of the wipe with a thumb, apply pressure with fingers on a
backside of wipe, and use a front side of the wipe to scrape away
fecal matter. This attempt may be awkward at best, and inefficient
or ineffective at worst, at getting much of the fecal matter in a
single wipe and/or keeping the fecal matter off the user's hand. In
some cases, just a center portion of the wipe actually is used,
while a user grips a perimeter of the wipe. Consequently, multiple
wipes may be used to effectively remove all visible fecal matter
from a baby's bottom.
[0009] A disadvantage of many baby wipes and paper towels is that
they should not be flushed down a toilet. If toilet paper is used
instead of baby wipes, the toilet paper may rip if it gets wet or
moist. Because toilet paper usually is found near a toilet and may
be flushed, toilet paper may be appear to be a convenient choice of
caregivers when wiping a backside of an adult patient who is
sitting on a toilet, but the convenience factor decreases greatly
if the toilet paper falls apart. Likewise, a caregiver of an adult
patient may not be in a position to see an area being wiped if the
patient is sitting on a toilet. As such, a caregiver may opt for a
non-flushable towelette or wipe, to avoid a rip while wiping, but
the consequence is that a feces-laden wipe is placed in garbage
container, where it may emit foul odors and potentially leave a
trail of fecal matter.
[0010] In the adult patient scenario, a moist wipe may not be big
enough to cover the area for quick and thorough cleaning. Likewise,
a conventional moist wipe may not provide the protection to a
caregiver's hand that the caregiver might desire. Some more capable
adult patients might be able to handle the task of sanitary wiping
themselves, given the proper equipment.
[0011] In other circumstances, a user may need to handle an unclean
item and possibly clean its surface, or dispose of it. If an item
has curvy contours (e.g., door knobs, toilet knobs, faucet
handles), and/or rough, uneven, or bumpy surfaces (e.g., cutting
boards, toys, keyboards), the item may be difficult to handle
and/or clean with a flat wipe, towel or sheet, because the wipe,
towel or sheet may roll up and/or not follow the contour of the
surface. Rolling potentially may cause the user's hand to come into
unwanted contact with the surface, and the user repeatedly may
unroll the sheet.
[0012] In light of the disadvantages of conventional disposable
barriers, e.g., wipes, sheets, towelettes, paper towels, and toilet
paper lengths, a new type of disposal barrier is desirable that
allows for more efficient and/or effective use of the disposable
barrier and protection of the user's hand.
SUMMARY
[0013] In a first aspect of the invention, a disposable fabric hand
cover is provided. The disposable fabric hand cover includes a
first layer, a second layer, an opening and a sealed perimeter. The
opening is adapted to accommodate insertion of a user's hand into
the opening and into a cavity between, and formed by, the first
layer and the second layer. The first layer has a first perimeter
edge, the second layer has a second perimeter edge, and the first
perimeter edge and the second perimeter edge are joined at the
sealed perimeter and are not joined at the opening. The sealed
perimeter and the opening form a total perimeter of the disposable
hand cover.
[0014] The first layer, the second layer, or both may comprise a
disposable fabric moistened with a cleaning solution. The
disposable fabric may include a flushable fabric that is safe for
disposal in a toilet emptying into conventional septic systems
and/or sewage treatment facilities. The first and/or second layer
may comprise a plastic layer, such as cellophane, instead of, or in
addition to, the disposable fabric. In exemplary embodiments, the
disposable fabric hand cover may resemble a rectangle, a
thumbed-mitten, a five-fingered glove, or a combination of these.
For example, a rectangular first layer and a rectangular second
layer may be sealed and perforated to form a rectangular
thumbed-mitten or a rectangular five-fingered glove.
[0015] In a second aspect of the invention, a device is provided
that includes a hand cover dispenser and a plurality of disposable
hand covers. The plurality of disposable hand covers are removably
contained in the hand cover dispenser. The plurality of disposable
hand covers may comprise exemplary embodiments of the first aspect
of the invention. The plurality of disposable hand covers may
comprise a stack within the dispenser. In one embodiment, the
plurality of disposable hand covers form overlapping folds in the
stack. In another embodiment, the plurality of disposable hand
covers are not folded in the stack, but instead are stacked flat on
each other. When the plurality of disposable hand covers are
stacked flat upon each other in the hand cover dispenser, the
opening of each disposable hand cover may face a dispenser opening,
allowing a user to insert a hand through the opening and into the
cavity to grasp and remove a disposable hand cover from the hand
cover dispenser.
[0016] In a third aspect of the invention, a system is provided
that includes a first disposable fabric hand cover and a second
disposable fabric hand cover. Each of the first disposable hand
cover and the second disposable hand cover comprises a disposable
fabric hand cover that includes a first layer, a second layer, an
opening-forming perforation and a sealed perimeter. The
opening-forming perforation is adapted to create an opening adapted
to accommodate insertion of a user's hand into the opening and into
a cavity between, and formed by, the first layer and the second
layer.
[0017] The first layer has a first perimeter edge, the second layer
has a second perimeter edge, and the first perimeter edge and the
second perimeter edge are joined at the sealed perimeter and are
not joined inward of the opening-forming perforation. The sealed
perimeter and the opening-forming perforation form a total
perimeter of the disposable hand cover.
[0018] The first layer, the second layer, or both may comprise a
disposable fabric moistened with a cleaning solution. The
disposable fabric may include a flushable fabric that is safe for
disposal in a toilet emptying into conventional septic systems
and/or sewage treatment facilities. The first and/or second layer
may comprise a plastic layer, such as cellophane, instead of, or in
addition to, the disposable fabric.
[0019] In exemplary embodiments, the disposable fabric hand cover
may resemble a rectangle, a thumbed-mitten, a five-fingered glove,
or a combination of these. For example, a rectangular first layer
and a rectangular second layer may be sealed and perforated to form
a rectangular thumbed-mitten or a rectangular five-fingered
glove.
[0020] In exemplary embodiments of the second aspect, the first
disposable fabric hand cover and the second disposable fabric hand
cover are joined at the opening-forming perforation. In a first
direction inward from the opening-forming perforation, the first
layer and the second layer stacked but not sealed, and form the
cavity of the second disposable hand cover. In a second direction
outward from the opening-forming perforation, the first layer and
the second layer are sealed and form the sealed perimeter of the
first disposable hand cover. The opening-forming perforation may be
ripped to separate the first disposable hand cover from the second
disposable hand cover and to create the opening of the second
disposable hand cover. The first and second disposable hand covers
may be rolled onto a cylinder for storage and dispensed by
unrolling them from around the cylinder.
[0021] In a fourth aspect of the invention, a method is provided
for forming a plurality of disposable hand covers conjoined at
perforated lines. The plurality of disposable hand covers may
comprise exemplary embodiments of the third aspect of the
invention. The method includes the actions of forming a layer stack
from a first layer and a second layer; sealing a top edge of the
layer stack; sealing a bottom edge of the layer stack; sealing a
first sealed line between the top and bottom edges; perforating a
first perforated line between the top and bottom edges; sealing a
second sealed line between the top and bottom edges, wherein the
first perforated line occurs between the first sealed line and the
second sealed line; and perforating a second perforated line
between the top and bottom edges, wherein the second sealed line
occurs between the first perforated line and the second perforated
line.
[0022] Other features and aspects of this invention will become
more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the
appended claims and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] Features of the invention can be more clearly understood
from the following detailed description considered in conjunction
with the following drawings, in which the same reference numerals
denote the same elements throughout, and in which:
[0024] FIGS. 1A-1D show perspective views of exemplary embodiments
of a disposable hand cover according to a first aspect of the
invention.
[0025] FIGS. 2A-2B show perspective views of exemplary embodiments
of a dispenser device and contents according to a second aspect of
the invention.
[0026] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment
of a plurality of disposable hand covers and its dispensing
cylinder roll according to a third aspect of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1A-1D, the invention relates to a
disposable hand cover, such as for cleaning, personal sanitation
and/or hygiene purposes. As shown in FIG. 1B, an exemplary
embodiment of the invention may include a wet wipe fashioned in the
shape of a mitten. Exemplary embodiments of the invention may
include a disposable hand cover having, for instance, an opening
width of between five and nine inches, and a cover depth of between
six and ten inches, and a mitten thickness per layer of one to four
millimeters. Other dimensions are conceivable also. The opening
width refers to how wide the opening is into which a user inserts a
hand into a cavity formed by the first layer and the second layer.
The cover depth refers to how deep the hand cover is from the
opening to an opposing sealed edge potentially contacting a user's
fingers after insertion of the hand.
[0028] Each mitten may be moistened with germicides and
moisturizers similar to those found in conventional wet wipes. The
germicide is optional, though. In some embodiments, the moistening
agent may contain germ-killing properties as well as a soothing
agent, like vitamin E for example. The mitten may be made of a
product including natural fibers, synthetic materials and a
combination thereof. The mitten may be wet or moist prior to use,
or it may become wet or moist while being dispensed or during use.
These wet wipes mittens may be dispersible when in prolonged
contact with water, or they may be non-dispersible. An exemplary
mode of use may involve pulling a single mitten from container,
placing a hand in the mitten, and applying the sheathed hand to
clean and/or handle an area and/or item.
[0029] The fact that the wet wipe is now fashioned as a mitten
gives it more cleaning power. It will cover a larger, potentially
problematic surface area than conventional wet wipes or toilet
tissues used for similar purposes, thus providing a more efficient
method of cleaning. Embodiments of the invention also protect the
hand from coming into direct contact with contaminants being
handled or cleaned by a user. After use, the mitten may be disposed
of in a plastic bag, or, if made of flushable materials, flushed in
toilet.
[0030] As shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, the disposable hand cover may
have finger inserts, and these finger inserts may be conjoined with
a single seam between two fingers, as in FIG. 1C, or the finger
inserts may be separated, as in FIG. 1D. Conjoined finger inserts
may provide more control to a user of the disposable hand cover
while preventing waste from passing between the fingers. Separated
finger inserts may provide more dexterity to a user's hand to grip
and handle unclean items, while also allowing sheathed fingers to
clean inside narrower passageways than otherwise possible with
conjoined finger inserts.
[0031] Such a wet wipe mitten may enable an adult patient, for
example, to reach all the areas needed to clean after a bowel
movement, or it may make a caregiver's task of doing so more
efficient, while providing more protection to the caregiver's hand.
Moreover, such a wet wipe mitten could be used with or without
toilet paper, and such a disposable wet wipe mitten could be used
many of instances in which a user might otherwise use traditional
toilet paper, wet wipes and handy wipes. This embodiment of the
invention represents an improvement over conventional, flat wet
wipes. As it sheathes a hand, the disposable hand cover may protect
with germicides while soothing with skin moisturizing agents, in a
single use disposable mitten that can be flushable or just plain
disposable.
[0032] Referring to FIGS. 2A-2B, disposable hand covers may be
dispensed from a tub-like container. FIG. 2A, for instance, depicts
a tub-like container with a hinged lid on top, similar to tub-like
containers conventionally used to dispense wet wipes. When the lid
is opened, a slit is revealed on an inner lid that is attached to
the bottom part of the tub, which contains a stack of wet wipe
mittens that may be pulled through the slit in the container for
single use. FIG. 2B, on the other hand, depicts a tub-like
container having a bottom that hinges downward, revealing a
bottom-most hand cover in the stack. The container of FIG. 2B may
be mounted under a cabinet, for instance, and may facilitate a
user's insertion of a hand directly into the bottom-most hand cover
to dispense the bottom-most hand cover. The stack in the dispenser
of FIG. 2B may be gravity-fed, such that a new hand cover is
revealed as the bottom-most hand cover when a previous hand cover
is dispensed.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 3, a plurality of disposable hand covers
may be detachably conjoined when formed from two long strips of
material to form the first and second layers. The conjoined hand
covers may have perforations at boundaries between the hand covers,
such that the hand covers may be separated by ripping the material
along a perforation, exposing the opening of the
next-in-line-to-be-dispensed hand cover.
[0034] In accordance with aspects of the invention, a method is
provided for forming a plurality of disposable hand covers
conjoined at perforated lines, such as those depicted in FIG. 3.
The plurality of disposable hand covers may comprise exemplary
embodiments of the invention. The method may include the actions of
forming a layer stack from a first layer and a second layer,
wherein the layer stack has a width corresponding to an opening
width of the disposable hand covers, and a length corresponding to
a multiple of a cover depth. The method further may include sealing
the sides along the length of the layer stack; sealing a top edge
spanning the width of the layer stack; perforating a first
perforated line spanning the width of the layer stack and displaced
from the top edge by a distance corresponding to the cover depth;
sealing a second sealed line spanning the width of the layer stack
adjacent the first perforated line, the second sealed line being
father than the first perforated line from the top edge; and
perforating a second perforated line spanning the width of the
layer stack and displaced from the second sealed line by the
distance corresponding to the cover depth.
[0035] In accordance with further aspects of the invention, another
method is provided for forming a plurality of disposable hand
covers conjoined at perforated lines. The plurality of disposable
hand covers may comprise exemplary embodiments of the invention.
The method may include the actions of forming a layer stack from a
first layer and a second layer; sealing a top edge of the layer
stack; sealing a bottom edge of the layer stack; sealing a first
sealed line between the top and bottom edges; perforating a first
perforated line between the top and bottom edges; sealing a second
sealed line between the top and bottom edges, wherein the first
perforated line occurs between the first sealed line and the second
sealed line; and perforating a second perforated line between the
top and bottom edges, wherein the second sealed line occurs between
the first perforated line and the second perforated line.
[0036] The foregoing description discloses exemplary embodiments of
the invention, which has been described with the reference to the
exemplary embodiments. The specification and drawings, accordingly,
should be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive
sense. Various modifications and changes may be made to the
embodiments without departing from the broadest spirit and scope of
the invention. Modifications of the above disclosed apparatus and
methods that fall within the scope of the invention will be readily
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly,
additional embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the
invention, as defined by the following claims.
* * * * *