Patent Application
20140084019
This invention relates generally to antimicrobial copper.
The antimicrobial properties of copper and copper alloys are well known in the art. These materials have a documented ability to kill microbes that contact such materials. This action often occurs within two hours of sustained contact. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has registered hundreds of different copper alloys as “antimicrobial materials” in recognition of this property. (As used herein, the expression “antimicrobial copper” will be understood to include both pure copper as well as any copper-based alloy that exhibits antimicrobial properties.)
It is also well known that microbes can survive on non-antimicrobial surfaces (such as plastic and many metals) for considerable periods of time (often exceeding thirty days). As a result, touch surfaces can accumulate a variety of harmful microbes (including bacteria, viruses, and so forth). When these touch surfaces are proximal to particularly vulnerable persons (such as patients in a hospital room or residents in a nursing home) a considerable risk exists that such microbes will infect such persons and worsen their circumstances.
In recognition of the foregoing problem and the antimicrobial properties of antimicrobial copper, some touch surfaces for sensitive application settings (such as hospital rooms, nursing homes, and so forth) are now formed using antimicrobial copper. For example, stretchers having the touch surfaces of the rails formed of antimicrobial copper are now available. Unfortunately, notwithstanding the benefits of antimicrobial copper, replacing existing equipment to substitute equipment having antimicrobial copper surfaces can represent an insurmountable economic burden for many facilities and institutions.
The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the method and apparatus pertaining to a retroactive application of a flexible sheet of antimicrobial copper described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:
Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.
Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, an apparatus can comprise a flexible sheet comprised of antimicrobial copper that is configured to retroactively wrap conformably about at least one predetermined touch surface. The apparatus can further include a securement mechanism that is configured to secure that flexible sheet to the predetermined touch surface.
By one approach, the flexible sheet can be size and configured to wrap substantially completely about the predetermined touch surface if desired. The apparatus can further include, if desired, a cushion disposed on the backside of at least a portion of the flexible sheet.
The securement mechanism can comprise, by one approach, one or more mechanical fasteners. By another approach, in lieu of the foregoing or in combination therewith, the securement mechanism can comprise an adhesive disposed on a backside of the flexible sheet (and/or on the backside of the aforementioned cushion). In such a case the apparatus can further comprise a peel-away sheet disposed over the adhesive. So configured, the adhesive can be selectively exposed upon peeling away that peel-away sheet to thereby ready the flexible sheet for the aforementioned retroactive installation on the predetermined touch surface.
These teachings are highly flexible in practice and will accommodate a wide range of sizes, shapes, and thicknesses for the flexible sheet. Similarly, these teachings will accommodate use with a wide variety of touch surfaces including, for example, touch surfaces having a cylindrical shape (such as intravenous (IV) poles), substantially planar touch surfaces (such as table tops), and so forth.
So configured, the benefits of deploying antimicrobial copper in a given application setting can be realized without requiring replacement of existing equipment. Accordingly, the antimicrobial benefits of such a deployment can be realized at a greatly reduced cost.
These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thorough review and study of the following detailed description. Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to
This apparatus 100 includes a flexible sheet comprising antimicrobial copper 101. This flexible sheet comprising antimicrobial copper 101 is configured to retroactively wrap conformably about at least one predetermined touch surface. To this end this flexible sheet comprising antimicrobial copper 101 can comprise, for example, a very thin sheet of antimicrobial copper and may even comprise, by way of example, a foil or mesh of such material. Generally speaking, the sheet should be thin enough to readily and easily deform as appropriate to conformally match the surface of the predetermined touch surface.
For many application settings the flexible sheet comprising antimicrobial copper 101 can have an essentially uniform thickness. If desired, however, the thickness can be varied. In such a case, for example, some portion of the flexible sheet comprising antimicrobial copper 101 can be relatively thicker than other portions of the flexible sheet.
The footprint of the flexible sheet comprising antimicrobial copper 101 can vary as desired to meet the needs of a given application setting.
If desired, the flexible sheet 101 can be secured to one or more other layers of choice to form a corresponding laminate. For example, it may be helpful in some application settings and when working with a particularly thin flexible sheet 101 to secure the flexible sheet 101 to a thin, deformable layer of plastic.
Referring again to
The strength of the adhesive can vary as desired as well. For some application settings, for example, it may be useful to employ a relatively weak adhesive to thereby facilitate an intentionally temporary-only deployment of the apparatus 100 (for example, in a temporary sick room at a residence). In other cases it may be important that the adhesive be relatively strong in order to facilitate a permanent installation of the apparatus 100 on the predetermined touch surface.
When the securement mechanism comprises adhesive as described above, the apparatus 100 can further optionally include a peel-away sheet 103 that is disposed over the adhesive. So configured, the peel-away sheet 103 will prevent the adhesive from coming into contact with unintended surfaces until the peel-away sheet 103 is removed. By peeling away that peel-away sheet 103, the adhesive is exposed and the flexible sheet comprising antimicrobial copper 101 is ready to retroactively install on the predetermined touch surface.
That peel-away sheet 103 can be comprised of a material of choice (such as a treated paper or a thin plastic film). Such practices are known in the art. As the present teachings are not particularly sensitive to any particular choices in these regards, further elaboration in these regards are not presented here. Referring momentarily to
If desired, however, instead of a peel-away sheet 103 an adhesive can be applied at a time of installation on the flexible sheet 101 and/or the predetermined touch surface.
If desired, and referring now to
In the illustrative example show in
As noted earlier, the securement mechanism serves to secure the flexible sheet 101 to a predetermined touch surface. As used herein, the expression “predetermined touch surface” will be understood to refer to a specific form factor or range of touch surface form factors for which the flexible sheet 101 is designed and intended to accommodate. A planar shape as shown in
As another example in these regards, and referring to
As yet another illustrative example as regards the flexible nature of these teachings,
It will be understood that the foregoing examples are intended to serve only as illustrative examples and are not to be taken as suggesting any particular limitations in these regards. Generally speaking, the apparatus 100 (including specifically the flexible sheet 101) can have essentially any shape and size to thereby accommodate corresponding touch surfaces of interest. Examples of touch surfaces that can be retroactively treated as described herein include, but are not limited to, IV poles, hand rails, table and chair surfaces, floors, stretchers, geriatric chairs, hospital bed rails, over-bed table tops and edges, resident room accessories including push medical carts, cubicle curtain pull wands, emergency carts, hampers, and other mobile or stationary carts and tables and table tops in a surgical environment that are prone to exposure to infection control mandates and that may be listed as a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) medical device.
Referring to
Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.
As one simple example in these regards, such an apparatus 100 can serve as the basis for a rental business that temporarily provides the apparatuses 100 to persons who are looking to temporarily provide a safer environment in their home for a sick family member. Having served their purpose, the rented apparatuses 100 can be removed from their corresponding touch surfaces and returned to the rental facility.
As another example in these regards, and referring to
And as yet another example in these regards, the flexible sheet 101 itself can embody the securement mechanism by having spring-like characteristics that, combined with a preferred quiescent form factor, serves to hold the flexible sheet 101 in place on the predetermined touch surface.
As a related approach, and referring now to
