Disposable Handle Wrap Apparatus

Abstract

Handheld items, such as musical instruments, often have a cylindrical handle for a user to hold while using the item. If the handheld item is then handed to another user for subsequent use, the first user's perspiration, germs, dirt and other unsanitary particles may remain on the handle and thereby be transferred to the subsequent user. The present invention avoids this situation by providing a disposable handle wrap that may be removably attached to a handle of an item during a user's use of the item. After the user is done with his or her use of the item, the disposable handle wrap may be removed so that the user's unsanitary particles are not transferred to a subsequent user of the handheld item.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally related to sanitation of handheld items, and more particularly related to a disposable handle wrap apparatus for use on handheld items, such as musical instruments, so as to avoid the transfer of unsanitary particles (such as germs) from one user of the handheld item to the next user of the handheld item.

Handheld items, such as musical instruments, often have a cylindrical handle for a user to hold while using the item. For example, a rain stick or a maraca may be handheld by a user via a cylindrical handle. If the user is vigorously utilizing the handheld item, the user may transfer perspiration, germs, dirt, or other unsanitary particles onto the handle. If the item is then handed to another user for subsequent use, the perspiration, germs, dirt and other unsanitary particles may remain on the handle and thereby be transferred to the subsequent user. The present invention avoids this situation by providing a disposable handle wrap that may be removably attached to a handle of an item during a user's use of the item. After the user is done with his or her use of the item, the disposable handle wrap may be removed so that the user's unsanitary particles are not transferred to a subsequent user of the handheld item.

An exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed disposable handle wrap apparatus may comprise: a wrap body formed of a non-toxic material and having a height of approximately 9 inches, a width of approximately 7 inches, and an adhesive strip spanning the width; and an adhesive strip cover removably attached to the wrap body.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENTS AS TO THE RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING,” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Handheld items, such as musical instruments, often have a cylindrical handle for a user to hold while using the item. For example, a rain stick or a maraca may be handheld by a user via a cylindrical handle. If the user is vigorously utilizing the handheld item, the user may transfer perspiration, germs, dirt, or other unsanitary particles onto the handle. If the item is then handed to another user for subsequent use, the perspiration, germs, dirt and other unsanitary particles may remain on the handle and thereby be transferred to the subsequent user.

Programs that involve physical activity are important in elder care. Such programs may include music, wherein elderly persons are instructed in the playing of musical instruments. Handheld percussion instruments, such as rain sticks, maracas, drums, etc., are popular instruments for such elder care music programs. But such physical activity programs can expose elderly persons to the above described problem of transferring perspiration, germs, dirt, and other unsanitary particles from one user of a handheld musical instrument to a subsequent user of the handheld musical instrument. And because elderly persons may be at a greater risk for the transfer of communicable diseases (due to their compromised immune systems), this is a particularly dire threat.

There is a need, therefore, for a disposable handle wrap for use on handheld items to avoid the transfer of unsanitary particles from one user of a handheld item to a subsequent user of the handheld item.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1A illustrates a general overview of an exemplary embodiment of a disposable handle wrap apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a disposable handle wrap in accordance with the present invention, wherein the removable adhesive cover is partially removed so as to illustrate the adhesive strip;

FIG. 2A illustrates a side-view of an exemplary embodiment of a disposable handle wrap in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a disposable handle wrap in accordance with the present invention, wherein the disposable handle wrap has been placed on a handle of an item during use by a user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The herein disclosed disposable handle wrap apparatus for use on handheld items, such as musical instruments, is intended to help avoid the transfer of germs and other unsanitary particles from one user of the handheld item to the next user of the handheld item. The disposable handle wrap may be removably attached to a handle of an item during a user's use of the item. After the user is done with his or her use of the item, the disposable handle wrap may be removed so that the user's unsanitary particles are not transferred to a subsequent user of the handheld item.

The disposable handle wrap apparatus comprises: a wrap body formed of a non-toxic material and having a height, a width, and an adhesive strip spanning the width; and an adhesive strip cover removably attached to the wrap body. An exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed disposable handle wrap apparatus may comprise: a wrap body formed of a non-toxic cotton material and having a height of approximately 9 inches, a width of approximately 7 inches, and an adhesive strip spanning the width; and an adhesive strip cover removably attached to the wrap body. An embodiment of the present invention may include one or more ties, which may be formed of a plastic material, for tying the disposable handle wrap apparatus to a handle and thus more securely attaching the handle wrap to a handle during use.

Referring to FIG. 1A, a general overview of an exemplary embodiment of a disposable handle wrap apparatus in accordance with the present invention is shown. Disposable handle wrap 101 includes wrap body 110 having a height 111 and a width 112. Wrap body 110 is formed of a non-toxic material. The non-toxic material may be cotton, for example. Alternatively, the non-toxic material may be a paper. In another alternative, the non-toxic material may include more than one material combined together to form wrap body 110, and may include soft and/or fibrous materials to increase absorption and grip. For example, the non-toxic material may be formed of a plastic central layer having a layer of cotton on one or both sides. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that wrap body may be formed of any material that provides a non-slip (or somewhat non-slip) grip to a user, while also providing for some absorption of unsanitary particles from a user's hand, and all such materials are intended to be included herein. Unsanitary particles include perspiration, germs, dirt, etc. Disposable handle wrap 101 also includes adhesive strip cover 120, which is removably attached to wrap body 110. Adhesive strip cover 120 may be formed of the same material as wrap body 110, or alternatively, may be formed of a different non-toxic material such as a plastic material or a paper material. Adhesive strip cover 120 may extend beyond the edges (on each side, or alternatively, on a side) of wrap body 110 so as to provide an accessible tab of adhesive strip cover 120 that hangs beyond the wrap body 120 for facilitating easy removal of adhesive strip cover 120 by a user. Disposable handle wrap 101 may also, in certain embodiments, include one or more ties 140 for tying disposable handle wrap 101 to a handle. Ties 140 may be one tie protruding from wrap body 110, or alternatively ties 140 may include a plurality of ties protruding from wrap body 110. As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, in an exemplary embodiment ties 140 may include a first tie having two strands (the two strands for tying together around the handle, much like shoe laces) and a second tie also having two strands, wherein the first tie protrudes from a side of wrap body 110 and the second tie also protrudes from the same side of wrap body 110. Ties 140 may, for example, be formed of a plastic material comprising a central layer of wrap body 101, so that the central layer continuously forms ties 140.

Height 111 may be, in an exemplary embodiment, approximately 9 inches. Width 112 may be, in an exemplary embodiment, approximately 7 inches. But those skilled in the art will appreciate that the herein disclosed disposable handle wrap apparatus may be formed in alternative dimensions without deviating from the intended purpose, and so all such dimensions for height 111, width 112, and thickness 211 (discussed below) are intended to be included herein. For example, the disposable handle wrap apparatus may be formed in an extra long embodiment, wherein height 111 may be 24 inches and width 112 may be 7 inches.

Referring to FIG. 1B, wrap body 110 further includes adhesive strip 130 spanning the width of wrap body 110. Adhesive strip 130 may be formed of any adhesive material (such as a synthetic glue, for example) capable of removably attaching the disposable handle wrap 101 to a handle of a handheld item. Adhesive strip 130 may be layered directly to a surface of wrap body 110, beneath adhesive strip cover 120. As shown in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1B, disposable handle wrap 101 may include one or more ties 140.

Referring to FIG. 2A, a side-view of an exemplary embodiment of the herein disclosed disposable handle wrap is shown. Disposable handle wrap 101 includes wrap body 110 and adhesive strip cover 120, with adhesive strip 130 (not visible in FIG. 2A) located beneath adhesive strip cover 120. As is visible in FIG. 2A, wrap body 101 includes height 111 and a thickness 211. In an exemplary embodiment, thickness 211 is between approximately 1/16^th inches and ⅛^th inches. But those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative thicknesses for thickness 211 may provide for the functionality of the disposable handle wrap apparatus disclosed herein, and all such alternative thicknesses are intended to be included herein.

Referring to FIG. 2B, an exemplary embodiment of a disposable handle wrap is shown, wherein the disposable handle wrap has been placed on a handle of an item during use by a user. As seen in FIG. 2B, disposable handle wrap 101 includes wrap body 110 wrapped around handle 201.

When a user wishes to utilize the herein disclosed disposable handle wrap apparatus, the user begins by removing adhesive strip cover 120 from wrap body 110, to expose adhesive strip 130. The user then wraps wrap body 110 around the handle, such as handle 201, so that adhesive strip 130 is positioned inward and against handle 201. Adhesive strip 130 adheres to handle 201 and thus temporarily attaches disposable handle wrap apparatus 101 to handle 201. When using an embodiment of the present invention having ties 140, a user would begin by tying ties 140 to a handle, before wrapping wrap body 110 around the handle. With disposable handle wrap 101 temporarily attached to handle 201, the wrap body 110 will absorb at least a portion of any unsanitary particles present on the user's hand during use of the item encompassing handle 201. After the user is done utilizing the item, wrap body 110 may be removed from handle 201. At this time, disposable handle wrap apparatus 101 may be disposed, and a new disposable handle wrap may be wrapped around handle 201. In this way, the subsequent user of the item encompassing handle 201 may avoid contact with unsanitary particles present on the previous user's hand.

The herein disclosed disposable handle wrap apparatus also provides for an alternative use when utilized with a user who suffers from a debilitating condition, such as nerve damage, that makes gripping a handle difficult. In this situation, the user's hand may be placed directly on the handle, and the herein disclosed disposable handle wrap may be wrapped around both the handle and the user's hand, thus securing the item to the user's hand. In this way, a person suffering from nerve damage may nonetheless be assisted in gripping the handle during use. While this is intended to be an alternative use of the herein described apparatus, those skilled in the art may recognize that for such a situation, it may be advantageous to form the disposable handle wrap apparatus with a greater width (width 112 in the Figures) than the generally suggested 7 inches, in order to more completely surround both the user's hand and the handle itself.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described herein in terms of a preferred embodiment and several alternatives, it is to be understood that the systems and methods described herein can have a multitude of additional uses and applications. Accordingly, the invention should not be limited to just the particular description and various drawing figures contained in this specification that merely illustrate a preferred embodiment and application of the principles of the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, comprising: a wrap body formed of a non-toxic material and having a height, a width, and an adhesive strip spanning the width; andan adhesive strip cover removably attached to the wrap body.

2. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, as recited in claim 1, wherein the height is approximately 9 inches.

3. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, as recited in claim 1, wherein the width is approximately 7 inches.

4. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, as recited in claim 1, wherein the height is approximately 9 inches and the width is approximately 7 inches.

5. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, as recited in claim 1, wherein the height is approximately 24 inches

6. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-toxic material is cotton.

7. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-toxic material is paper.

8. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, as recited in claim 1, wherein the wrap body further includes a thickness of between approximately 1/16 inches and ⅛ inches.

9. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more ties for tying the apparatus to the handle.

10. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more ties protrudes from a side of the wrap body.

11. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a first tie having two strands and a second tie also having two strands, wherein the first tie protrudes from a side of the wrap body and the second tie also protrudes from the same side of the wrap body.

12. An apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item, comprising: a wrap body formed of a non-toxic cotton material and having a height of approximately 9 inches, a width of approximately 7 inches, and an adhesive strip spanning the width; andan adhesive strip cover removably attached to the wrap body.

13. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item as recited in claim 12, wherein the wrap body further includes a thickness of between approximately 1/16 inches and ⅛ inches.

14. The apparatus for wrapping a handle of a handheld item as recited in claim 13, further comprising one or more ties for tying the apparatus to the handle.