Patent Application
20210348417
The present invention is directed to a small protective key that is useful for protecting a user from a contact surface such as a doorbell, keypad or touch pad, thus avoiding direct contact between the user's skin and bacteria or viruses that may be present on the contact surface.
The coronavirus pandemic has generated a need or desire for gloves, masks and other protective equipment that prevent direct contact between consumers and various articles that form part of their daily environment. This need or desire is based on concerns that viruses may live for measurable, often extended periods of time on various surfaces. Surfaces that have typically required direct contact with a user's skin include keypads on ATM machines, electronic signature pads, touch pads used for credit card processing, doorbells, and various objects. Many of these items require only a pointed touch or pressing. While protective gloves are commonly used, the gloves themselves may accumulate viruses and bacteria that can be transferred to the user's skin or clothing when the gloves are removed or manipulated. There is a need or desire for a protective device that not only avoids direct skin contact between the user and various surfaces but is formed of an antimicrobial material that resists the accumulation of viruses and bacteria.
The present invention is directed to a small protective key that can be used to protect a user from direct skin exposure to a contact surface. The contact surface can be a keypad, touch pad, doorbell, button or other surface that requires only a touch or lightly applied pressure from the user. The protective key not only places distance between its user and the contact surfaces of interest but can be formed of an antimicrobial material that resists accumulation of viruses and bacteria on the protective key surfaces.
In one embodiment, the protective key includes:
an elongated shaft having a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, a top surface and a bottom surface;
an opening at the first end of the elongated shaft for receiving a carrier;
a touch surface at the second end of the elongated shaft;
a first abrasive region covering at least a portion of the top surface; and
a second abrasive region covering at least a portion of the bottom surface.
In another embodiment, the protective key includes:
an elongated shaft having a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, a top surface and a bottom surface;
a carrier opening at the first end of the elongated shaft;
a touch surface at the second end of the elongated shaft;
a first corrugated region covering at least a portion of the top surface; and
a second corrugated region covering at least a portion of the bottom surface.
wherein the protective key comprises an antimicrobial alloy.
In another embodiment, the protective key includes:
an elongated shaft having a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, a top surface and a bottom surface;
a carrier opening at the first end of the elongated shaft;
a touch surface at the second end of the elongated shaft;
a first abrasive region covering about 25% to about 75% of the top surface; and
a second abrasive region covering about 25% to about 75% of the bottom surface;
wherein the protective key is formed using an antimicrobial alloy comprising about 50% to about 80% by weight copper and about 20% to about 50% by weight zinc.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a feature and advantage of the invention to provide a protective key that maintains distance and avoids skin contact between a user and a surface such as a keypad, credit card processing pad, doorbell, button, and other touch surfaces.
It is also a feature and advantage of the invention to provide a protective key that is formed using an antimicrobial material that resists accumulation of viruses and bacteria.
Referring to
The carrier opening 26 need only be large enough to receive a key ring, string, elastic band or other suitable carrier and can be circular (as shown), elliptical, oval, square, rectangular or any suitable shape. In one embodiment, shown in
As shown in
The abrasive regions 38 and 40 are used as gripping regions for a user to grip the protective key 10 and urge the touch surface 28 toward the contact surface of a doorbell, keypad, touch pad or other object. To this end, when the first and second abrasive regions 38 and 40 are corrugated regions, the corrugations 50 may extend from the first side 18 to the second side 20 of the elongated shaft 12 and can be perpendicular to the first side 18 and the second side 20. Further to this end, the top surface 22 can be designed such that one or more flat portions 30 and 31 of the top surface 22 define a plane and the first abrasive region 38 is located inward from the plane. The bottom surface 24 can be similarly designed such that one or more flat portions 32 and 33 of the bottom surface 24 define a plane and the second abrasive region 40 is located inward from the plane.
The protective key 10 of the invention is suitably formed using an antimicrobial alloy that resists or prevents accumulation of virus and bacteria on the protective key surfaces. One suitable antimicrobial material is an alloy of copper and zinc. The antimicrobial alloy can include about 50% to about 80% by weight copper and about 20% to about 50% by weight zinc, suitably about 60% to about 70% copper and about 30% to about 40% by weight zinc. Other antimicrobial materials can also be used to form the protective key of the invention.
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary. Various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, and all changes that fall within the meaning and range of equivalents are intended to be embraced therein.
