Patent Application
20160200341
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to shopping cart, pushcart, or stroller handle covers. Particularly the invention is a sanitary handle cover to prevent the passage of germs bacteria, dirt, bodily fluids, infectious agents, disease organisms, contaminants, or particles of debris from previous users to new users. Additionally, the cover is easily removable from a shopping cart or stroller handle for washing and later re-use, reducible in size for self-storage, easily transportable, and does not cross-contaminate itself during storage or transport.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of shopping carts are widespread and have multifunctional purposes, with the most common currently being their use in grocery stores and retail stores, to enable users with the ability to carry and transport a large volume of items they otherwise would be incapable carrying, and to increase the ease at which these items can be carried and transported. Similarly, pushcarts and strollers enable the user to carry and transport a number of items above an otherwise prohibitive limit, and increase the ease of which these items are carried or transported. Conventional shopping carts and the like include a wheeled frame on which is provided a storage basket. A horizontal handle extends from one end of the basket to the other to enable users with a point of contact to apply force to the cart in an effort to push the cart in a longitudinal direction.
The multiple users of these push carts and the high frequency of their use by the multiple users creates various sanitation issues, namely the easy transmission of germs, bacteria, dirt, bodily fluids, infectious agents, disease organisms, contaminants, or particles of debris. Cart users contribute to the accumulation of these various sanitation issues by the unprotected touching of the cart handles, when their hands have been used for eating, touching their own bodily fluids, and touching various other unclean items such as money, doors, and other people. The frequent handling of these carts necessarily involves the accumulation of the aforementioned sanitation concerns, and successive users are faced with protecting themselves from these concerns, and are therefore susceptible to the harms associated with coming into contact with these sanitation concerns. Harms occurring from contact with germs, bacteria, dirt, bodily fluids, infectious agents, disease organisms, contaminants, or particles of debris include infection, uncleanliness, sickness, general malaise, disease, physical trauma, and bruising.
Handles of carts are breeding grounds for the festering and accumulation of the countless germs and particles responsible for harms such as infection, uncleanliness, sickness, general malaise, disease, physical trauma, and bruising, and the handles of these carts are necessarily touched for the proper use of these carts. Also, the handles of carts are rarely cleaned by the business entities offering these carts for use by consumers. Transmission by way of contaminated carts is also one of the most effective modes of disease transmission, since the efficiency of transmission is maximized when touching of these infectious agents occur, as opposed to being in common areas without touching and relying on infection by way of inhaling a satisfactory amount of infectious agent. In total, the necessary touching of rarely cleaned carts where transmission efficiency is at its most effective creates an unavoidable danger, requiring the institution of precautionary measures.
A pervasive germ-conscious culture also exacerbates the need for precautionary measures that combat the sanitation concerns created by frequent and unprotected handling of cart handles. The notable prevalence of personal hand sanitizers available for purchase at countless businesses and a similar prevalence of strategically placed sanitizing solutions at health care facilities highlights the increased cultural significance and relatedly high demand for sanitary protections from the countless germs our hands come in contact with throughout the day.
Past attempts at combatting this concern have been accompanied by various disadvantages, which are solved by this current invention.
As recently disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,109,524 B1, a Shopping Cart Handle Cover discloses several shopping cart handle cover embodiments. For all embodiments, it is disclosed that a top cover panel will include a top panel longitudinal handle perforations, where a flexible cover panel handle flap maybe defined by and between the longitudinal perforations, to accommodate hands of a user, to enable protection under the users hands when grasped by the user. The flexible panel handle flap fails to provide a satisfactory coverage area of protection, and therefore fails in its core purpose. The flexible cover panel handle covers a maximum surface area the width of the flexible panel handle flap, and when grasped by user hands, segments of exposed cart handle protrude from each side of the grasped flexible panel handle flap. For a high majority of cart users, where user hands, or portions thereof, extend further than the width of the flexible panel handle flap, which I have found is a likely occurrence for larger hands or users that move their hands often when grasping a handle, then the primary function of germ protection is lost. Alternatively, the current invention extends considerably to the far ends of a standard shopping cart handle, completely and circumferentially encompassing the entire surface area of the contaminated shopping cart handle, which solves the shortcoming of surface area under-protection found in prior art such as '524 B1.
As recently disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,794 B1, a Shopping Cart Sanitary Handle Cover claims and discloses a novelty and object of convenience of storage of a sanitary cart handle cover device, through the use of spring clip fasteners depending from opposed corresponding lateral edges of the invention, which enables the sanitary handle cover to be coupled to a bag or purse and serve an additional purpose of a shoulder strap to a bag or purse, which is a notably convenient location to store the invention. Where users of '794 B1 are non-users of purses or bags requiring shoulder straps, I have found that the novel feature of this device is severely undermined, and fails in performing a disclosed object of the invention. Where a majority of most men and a minority of women do not wear bags or purses requiring straps, during the completion of daily errands, and according to the most recent 2010 U.S. Census, 49.2% of the U.S. population (151.8 million people) is male—evidencing that a substantial demographic will be failed by this device and its novel element of transportability will be inaccessible. A necessary feature of transportability for a sanitary handle cover device is to ensure the feature is accessible to all users, and ensure that no gender bounds limit its access, especially when these bounds isolate nearly 152 million people. Furthermore, I have found that '794 B1 fails to satisfactorily offer the convenience intended from its storage pocket fixedly attached to its inner surface, which is configured to selectively receive a writing instrument. A necessary accompaniment to a writing instrument is a surface to receive and display content inscribed by the writing instrument. The writing instrument storage pocket of '794 B1, albeit sufficient in providing a convenient storage repository for a useful writing instrument, fails in providing an adequate repository for a writing instrument's necessary complement—a surface on which to inscribe—which severely mitigates the usefulness of the writing instrument repository feature. I have found that by providing a storage area within the shopping cart handle cover for a thin and bendable substantially rectangular material, such as a piece of paper on which to write a shopping list, then a truly useful repository for a shopping cart tool is created, undermining the usefulness of the '794 B1 writing instrument repository.
As recently disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,672, a Reusable Protective Cover for Shopping Cart Handle/Rented Strollers claims and discloses, in addition to an ability provide a protective, washable, reusable, reducible in size, and transportable cover for push carts, I have found that it fails to provide reducible and transportable features that can coexist in harmony with its protective and sanitary purpose. After an initial use of '672 where contaminated surfaces are covered and protected against for a user, the subsequent folding for convenient storage during transport unavoidably cross-contaminates sanitary surfaces of '672 with contaminated surfaces. The contaminated surfaces of '672 that had come in contact with the surfaces of the cart handle where germs have accumulated are necessarily folded upon sanitary surfaces intended to be clean and free of contact with the germs. Therefore, when a user must visit more than one (1) location, necessitating the protection of a cart handle cover, before they are able to wash their cart handle cover for reuse, then the inevitable cross-contamination prevalent here severely undermines the core function of '672 and bolsters that of the current invention, which is to provide adequate protection in a convenient fashion, that can be transported without compromise of any other useful feature.
In light of the shortcomings of the above inventions, there is a need for a protective cart handle covering, that is washable, reusable, and transportable, that can serve useful to a substantial majority, and can be used on consecutive occasions without having its germ protection efficacy compromised when folded during periods of non-use where clean surfaces are contaminated by its own contaminated surfaces.
None of the above inventions, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention includes a single substantially rectangular sheet, with first and second longitudinal edges extending between opposed first and second lateral edges, forming a rectangular shape, having inner and outer surfaces, with a tie attached to the outer surface, and with a connector attached to the outer surface. The sheet is constructed of a flexible and durable textile. The tie is arranged to wrap around and secure close the folded invention. The connector is arranged to form a fastener for attaching to a belt, loop, purse, keychain, or clothing of a user. The tie can also be used as a connector.
The opposed first and second lateral edges define a width dimension such that the cover may be wrapped circumferentially around a cart handle, and allow for portions of the cover to overlap one another at opposed longitudinal edges to enable fasteners on opposed longitudinal edges to mate, while the inner surface of the cover engages the surface of the cart handle. The opposed first and second lateral edges will be folded in a longitudinal direction upon themselves and secured to define an opening for an elastic band to be attached therein, which will serve to aid in increasing tension circumferentially about the cart handle, to secure the cover about the cart handle, minimizing horizontal displacement and rotational displacement of the cover on the cart handle. The said fasteners include, but are not limited to, hook and loop fasteners.
The opposed first and second longitudinal edges define a width dimension such that the cover may protectively cover at least the width of a standard grocery push cart, when the cover is wrapped about the cart handle cover.
The inner surface of the first longitudinal edge will have a plurality of fasteners mounted in spaced apart relation thereon. Similarly, on the outer surface of the second opposed longitudinal edge, a plurality of corresponding fasteners will be mounted in spaced apart relation thereon, such that they engage in complement to fasten to the first plurality of fasteners, to aid in securing the cover circumferentially about the cart handle, minimizing horizontal displacement and rotational displacement. The said plurality of fasteners include, but are not limited to, hook and loop fasteners.
The sheet will also have a plurality of fasteners mounted in spaced apart relation thereon, at two corresponding locations on the inner surface, which engage in complement to fasten the sheet securely closed when the sheet is folded upon its inner surface, prior to storage or transport, so that the opposed sides of the inner surface mate, and prevent the outer sheet surface from touching the inner sheet surface.
The handle cover also includes a pocket fixedly attached to the inner surface of the sheet and defining an opening for receiving a variety of thin, bendable, rectangular materials therein, such as coupons and shopping lists. The said pocket should be constructed of a flexible, durable fabric, where a preferred embodiment is mesh fabric that will enable the user to see the contents of the pocket, without removing the contents from the pocket.
A general object of this invention is to provide a cover for a handle for a shopping cart, push cart, or stroller, that is configured to wrap around the cart handle, and that is protective, reusable, durable, reducible in size, transportable, and that does not cross-contaminate the inner and outer cover surfaces upon its reduction in size for transport, and that releasably attaches to cart handles.
It is the objective of this current invention to provide a protective cover for a handle for a shopping cart, push cart, or stroller, that provides a barrier between the surface of the said handle and the skin surface of the cart user, which will serve to mitigate the transfer of germs, bacteria, dirt, bodily fluids, infectious agents, communicable disease organisms, contaminants, or particles of debris, that have been left behind on the cart handle by previous users, and are likely to come in contact with the current cart user when the said user engages the handle during normal cart use, without the aid of the protective cover.
It is also the objective of this current invention to provide a protective cover for a handle of a shopping cart, push cart, or stroller, that engages an area of the cart handle that extends the width of a standard grocery store push cart handle, and does not leave the surface area of the potentially contaminated cart handle exposed at portions of the handle likely to be engaged by a cart user during their use of the cart handle and while gripping the cart handle.
It is also the objective of this current invention to provide a protective cover for a handle of a shopping cart, push cart, or stroller, that is re-usable, which releasably attaches to a cart handle and can be removed for use on a different cart handle.
It also the objective of this current invention to provide a protective cover for a handle of a shopping cart, push cart, or stroller, that is made of a flexible and durable textile, so that it will be able to withstand the deteriorative physical stress found in the iterative using, removing, storing, transporting, and washing of the cover.
It is also the objective of this current invention to provide a protective cover for a handle of a shopping cart, push cart, or stroller, that is able to be reduced in size for fast and efficient storage and transportation by the user.
It is also the objective of this current invention to provide a cover for a handle of a shopping cart, push cart, or stroller, that when not in use provides the prevention of cross-contamination of the two (2) separate surfaces of the cover, which includes one (1) surface that is meant to remain free from contact with the anticipated germs, bacteria, dirt, bodily fluids, infectious agents, communicable disease organisms, contaminants, or particles of debris, that have been left behind on the cart handle by previous users, and one (1) surface that is meant to solely engage the surface of the cart handle and the anticipated germs, bacteria, dirt, bodily fluids, infectious agents, communicable disease organisms, contaminants, or particles of debris, that have been left behind on the cart handle by previous users.
It is also the objective of this current invention to provide a cover of a handle for a shopping cart, push cart, or stroller, that is releasably attached to the cart handle, which will enable the user to disengage the protective cover from the cart handle, to enable removal of the cover for later use on another cart handle, or to enable removal of the cover for later washing, or to enable removal of the cover for storage of the cover prior to a later reattachment to another cart handle, and also to enable removal of the cover and fastening of the reduced size cover to a belt, loop, purse, keychain, or clothing of a user.
It is also the objective of this current invention to provide a cover of a handle for a shopping cart, push cart, or stroller, that will include an outer surface that will be engaged by cart users' hands when the cover is releasably attached to a cart handle, and that can showcase decorative indicia.
It is also the objective of this current invention to provide a simplistic and affordable cover of a handle for a shopping cart, push cart, or stroller, for the repetitive use of cart users.
Still yet another objective of this current invention is to provide a new and improved handle cover for a shopping cart that can overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain principles of the invention.
A protective, sanitary, washable, and transportable handle cover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to
Referring now to
Preferably, the handle cover 10 is made from a flexible, foldable, durable, semi-rigid material. The handle cover 10 may be made from any number of materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. What is desired is that the handle cover 10 be an economical, flexible, durable, washable, reusable device that can fit circumferentially over the handle of a standard shopping cart.
Referring now to
A plurality of circular hook fasteners 16, such as VELCRO fasteners, are mounted in spaced apart relation on the inner surface 12 of the handle cover 10 along the first longitudinal edge 18. Similarly, a plurality of circular loop fasteners 22, such as VELCRO fasteners, shown in phantom, are mounted in spaced apart relation on the outer surface 14 of the handle cover 10 along the second longitudinal edge 20. Both fasteners 16 and 22 will engage and mate when the handle cover 10 is wrapped circumferentially around the cart handle to secure the handle cover 10 on the cart handle and to prevent rotational and horizontal displacement of the handle cover 10. When the handle cover 10 is to be removed from the cart handle for storage, transport, or for washing, the handle cover 10 may be disengaged from the cart handle by pulling apart the mated surfaces of the hook fasteners 16 and the loop fasteners 22.
A plurality of circular loop fasteners 30 mounted in spaced apart relation on the inner surface 12 of the handle cover are attached near the second longitudinal edge 20 and are used to engage the plurality of the circular hook fasteners 16 along the inner surface 12 of the first longitudinal edge 18, to hold secure a cart handle cover that is folded at the lateral midpoint 32, designated by the dotted line, extending across the inner surface from the first lateral edge 26 to the second lateral edge 28, which aids in ensuring the inner 12 and outer surface 14 never touch when the handle cover 10 is stored when not in use.
The handle cover 10 further includes a pocket 60 meant to receive materials therein fixedly attached to the inner surface 12. The fabric of the pocket 60 is made of a flexible and durable material 62, where a preferred embodiment of the fabric is mesh, which will allow for the user to see the contents of the pocket without needing to remove the pocket contents.
The handle cover 10 further includes, attached to the outer surface a means to secure the handle cover 10 in a rolled configuration, where securing means is preferred to be a tie 24, shown in full. The tie 24 assists in securing the rolled configuration 100 of the handle cover 10 and enhances its portability. The tie 24 will be a length to secure the rolled configuration of the handle cover 10 and also used as a connector to connect around rings or loops of a purse, bag, key chain, or pants, to aid in portability.
The handle cover 10 further includes elastic 34 integrated within the first lateral edge 26 and the second lateral edge 28 of the handle cover 10, which is used to increase the tension around the cart handle to minimize rotational and horizontal displacement of the handle cover 10.
Referring now to
A plurality of circular loop fasteners 22, such as VELCRO fasteners, shown in full, are mounted in spaced apart relation on the outer surface 14 of the handle cover 10 of
The handle cover 10 of
The handle cover 10 expressed in
Referring now to
The handle cover 10 further includes elastic 34 integrated within the first lateral edge 26 and the second lateral edge 28 of the handle cover 10, which is used to increase the tension around the cart handle to minimize rotational and horizontal displacement of the handle cover 10.
Referring now to
In actual use, when the handle cover 10 is disengaged from the cart handle and is intended to be folded and rolled for storage and later use, the user can perform this function without contaminating the sanitary outer surface 14 with the germ and contaminant-ridden inside surface 12. The outer surface 14 is meant to remain free from the countless germs, bacteria, dirt, and other contaminants protected against by the handle cover 10. The inner surface 12 is meant to engage the countless germs, bacteria, dirt, and other contaminants likely hosted by the cart handle when the inner surface engages the cart handle. Both the inner surface 12 and outer surface 14 are meant to remain exclusively apart and meant to never to come in contact with one another, so as to ensure that contamination of the sanitary outer surface 14 is not compromised by the contaminants prevalent on the inner surface 12.
The handle cover 10 can be folded so that the inner surface 12 and the outer surface 14 remain exclusively apart and never mate. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, in the preferred embodiment, elastic is integrated within a lateral edge of the cover to securing the cover about the cart handle, preventing horizontal displacement and rotational displacement of the cover. In an alternative embodiment, any other effective material may be integrated within the lateral edge of the cover to secure the cover about the cart handle, preventing horizontal displacement and rotational displacement of the cover. Also, for example, the tie for securing the invention closed in a rolled configuration is on the lateral edge. In an alternative embodiment, the tie for securing the invention closed in a rolled configuration is on the longitudinal edge.
In the preferred embodiment, the material of the cover is a flexible vinyl material. In an alternative embodiment, the material of the cover is plastic, or cotton, or leather, or biodegradable.
