FINGER COVERS AND DEVICES FOR DISPENSING FINGER COVERS

• US 20100088794A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael E. Sr. Oradini
• Original Assignee: Michael E. Sr. Oradini
• Inventors: Oradini, Michael E. SR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/21
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/087 especially for fingers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/08 for dispensing thin flat articles in succession towel dispensers intended for re-use A47K10/24; dispensers for surgical scalpel blades A61B17/3215

Abstract

A finger covering system includes a finger cover dispensing device and a plurality of first and second finger covers. The finger cover dispensing device includes a dispenser body having a face and at least first and second openings disposed in the face, with the first and second openings each being sized to receive at least one finger inserted therethrough, and first and second cavities disposed in the dispenser body extending inward from the first and second openings. The plurality of first and second finger covers are disposed in the first and second cavities, with each of the plurality of first finger covers having an open first end facing the first opening of the dispenser body and a closed second end, and each of the plurality of second finger covers having an open first end facing the second opening of the dispenser body and a closed second end. The plurality of first and second finger covers are disposed in a stacked relationship within the corresponding first and second cavities.

Claims

1. A finger cover comprising:

a tubular body having an open first end and a closed second end, the tubular body being tapered inward from the first end to the second end;

a reinforced portion extending around a circumference of the body and configured to maintain the first end of the body in an open condition;

a finger engaging region disposed on an internal surface of the body, the finger engaging region being configured to adhere to a finger inserted into the first end of the body; and

a cover releasing region disposed on an external surface of the body, the cover releasing region being configured to resist adherence to a finger engaging region of a second finger cover when the finger cover is inserted into the second finger cover.

2. The finger cover of claim 1, wherein the finger engaging region comprises an adhesive coating.

3. The finger cover of claim 1, wherein the finger engaging region comprises a frictional surface.

4. The finger cover of claim 1, wherein the cover releasing region comprises an adhesive resistant coating.

5. The finger cover of claim 1, wherein the cover releasing region comprises a raised pattern configured to reduce surface contact between the cover releasing region and the finger engaging region of the second finger cover.

6. The finger cover of claim 1, wherein the cover releasing region comprises a recessed pattern configured to reduce surface contact between the cover releasing region and the finger engaging region of the second finger cover.

7. The finger cover of claim 1, wherein the internal surface of the body further comprises a raised release portion adjacent to the finger engaging region, the raised release portion being configured to reduce contact between the finger engaging region and an external surface of a third finger cover when the third finger cover is inserted into the finger cover.

8. The finger cover of claim 1, wherein the reinforced portion comprises a flanged portion disposed at the first end of the body.

9. A finger cover dispensing device comprising:

a body having a face and an opening disposed in the face, the opening being sized to receive a finger inserted therethrough;

a cavity disposed in the body extending inward from the opening, the cavity being sized to retain a plurality of finger covers; and

an annular membrane surrounding the opening, the annular membrane having an outer edge secured to the face of the body, and an inner edge extending radially inward of the cavity to releasably retain the plurality of finger covers within the cavity.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a second cavity disposed in the body extending inward from a second opening, the second cavity being sized to retain a second plurality of finger covers.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the second opening is disposed on the face of the body.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the second opening is disposed on a second face of the body opposite the first stated face.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the first stated cavity and the second cavity are substantially coaxial.

14. The device of claim 9, further comprising a biasing member disposed at an innermost end of the cavity, the biasing member being configured to bias the plurality of finger covers toward the opening.

15. The device of claim 9, further comprising second, third, fourth, and fifth cavities disposed in the body and extending inward from corresponding second, third, fourth, and fifth openings in the face, wherein the first stated opening, second opening, third opening, fourth opening, and fifth opening are positioned to receive a thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger and small finger of a hand of a user.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth cavities disposed in the body and extending inward from corresponding sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth openings in a second face of the body opposite the first stated face, wherein the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth openings are positioned to receive a thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger and small finger of a second hand of the user.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein at least one of the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth cavities is substantially coaxial with one of the first stated, second, third, fourth and fifth cavities.

18. The device of claim 9, further comprising a lid adapted to be secured over the opening.

19. The device of claim 9, wherein the body comprises a housing configured to be mounted to an external surface, and a removable cartridge received in a shell portion of the housing, the cavity being disposed in the cartridge.

20. A finger covering system comprising:

a finger cover dispensing device including a dispenser body having a face and an opening disposed in the face, the opening being sized to receive a finger inserted therethrough, and a cavity disposed in the dispenser body extending inward from the opening; and

at least first and second finger covers disposed in the cavity, each of the first and second finger covers including a tubular cover body having an open first end facing the opening of the dispenser body and a closed second end, each tubular body being tapered inward from the first end to the second end, the first finger cover being received in the second finger cover in a stacked arrangement.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the device further comprises an annular membrane surrounding the first opening, the annular membrane having an outer edge secured to the face of the dispenser body, and an inner edge extending radially inward of the cavity to releasably retain the first and second finger covers within the cavity.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the first finger cover comprises a finger engaging region disposed on an internal surface of the first cover body, the finger engaging region being configured to adhere to a finger inserted into the first end of the first cover body, and a cover releasing region disposed on an external surface of the first cover body, the cover releasing region being configured to resist adherence to a finger engaging region of the second finger cover.

23. A method for applying finger covers to a user'"'"'s fingers, the method comprising:

providing a cavity extending from an opening;

providing a finger cover in the cavity such that an open end of the finger cover faces the opening;

providing a finger engaging region on an internal surface of the finger cover;

allowing the finger engaging region to adhere to a finger when the finger is inserted into the cavity through the opening, the finger engaging region being configured to remain adhered to the finger after the finger is withdrawn from the opening of the cavity.

24. A finger covering system comprising:

a finger cover dispensing device including a dispenser body having a face and at least first and second openings disposed in the face, the first and second openings each being sized to receive at least one finger inserted therethrough, and first and second cavities disposed in the dispenser body extending inward from the first and second openings; and

a plurality of first and second finger covers disposed in the first and second cavities, each of the plurality of first finger covers having an open first end facing the first opening of the dispenser body and a closed second end, and each of the plurality of second finger covers having an open first end facing the second opening of the dispenser body and a closed second end, the plurality of first and second finger covers being disposed in a stacked relationship within the corresponding first and second cavities.

25. The finger covering system of claim 24, wherein one of the first finger covers is received in the open first end of an adjacent one of the first finger covers.

26. The finger covering system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of first and second finger covers are stacked in a flattened side-by-side relationship.

27. The finger covering system of claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of first finger covers is connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of second finger covers by a web portion.

28. The finger covering system of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of first and second finger covers are formed from a covering sheet joined along three edges with a base sheet to form an envelope, wherein a portion of the base sheet spans between corresponding ones of the first and second finger covers to form the web portion.

29. The finger covering system of claim 27, further comprising a raised saddle portion disposed between the first and second openings for supporting the web portions.

30. The finger covering system of claim 29, further comprising a retaining pin extending from the saddle portion, the retaining pin being inserted through aligned retaining apertures in the web portions.

31. The finger covering system of claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of first and second finger covers includes a tubular cover body having an open first end facing a corresponding one of the first and second openings of the dispenser body and a closed second end, each tubular body being tapered inward from the first end to the second end, such that an outermost one of the plurality of first and second finger covers is received in a corresponding adjacent one of the plurality of first and second finger cover in a stacked arrangement.

32. The finger covering system of claim 24, wherein the open first end of at least one of the plurality of first and second finger covers is angled with respect to the closed second end of the at least one of the plurality of first and second finger covers.

33. A mitt dispensing device comprising:

a body having a face and first and second openings disposed in the face, the first opening being sized to receive a thumb inserted therethrough, the second opening being sized to receive one or more opposed fingers inserted therethrough, and a raised saddle portion spanning the first and second openings;

first and second cavities disposed in the body extending inward from the corresponding first and second openings, the first and second cavities being sized to retain a plurality of stacked finger covering envelopes of a plurality of stacked mitts, the first and second cavities being at least partially defined by first and second angled support walls; and

a retainer pin extending from the saddle portion.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the retainer pin is radially compressible.

35. The device of claim 33, further comprising compressible pads disposed on the first and second angled support walls.

36. The device of claim 33, further comprising a lid adapted to be secured over the first and second openings.