Sanitary phone cover

• US 6,560,335 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Phone Guard, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Phone Guard, Inc.
• Inventors: Marks, Robert A., Zohn, Robert, Bonder, Allen, Herzog, Joseph M., Cowan, David, Schapers, Jochen
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US09/774,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20020146115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 379/452, 379/439
• US Class Current: 379/452
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/17 Hygienic or sanitary devices on telephone equipment for mouthpieces or earpieces H04R1/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/12 Sanitary or hygienic devices for mouthpieces or earpieces, e.g. for protecting against infection

Abstract

Disposable sanitary covers for the earpiece mouth piece and handle of telephone handsets. The covers are designed to provide universal fit to the earpiece or mouth piece, regardless of its shape.

Claims

1. A sanitary cover for a telephone handset comprising:

a template of barrier material, comprising a continuous layer of porous non-woven fabric;

said material provided with flexible, resilient portions, along the outer pleat at both sides of said template, to form a stick shape.

2. The sanitary cover of claim 1 further comprising:

ends of said stick firmly secured with staples, plastic or heat welded.

3. The sanitary cover of claim 1 further comprising:

a non-slip coating placed on inside portions of said resilient portions.

4. The sanitary cover of claim 3 wherein said non-slip coating comprises silicon or rubber.

5. The sanitary cover of claim 1 wherein said cover is made from biodegradable sheet material.

6. A method for securing a sanitary cover to a telephone handset comprising:

pressing two ends of a sanitary cover stick toward each other;

expanding a flexible resilient portion to expand pleats;

disposing said cover about an end of an earpiece or mouthpiece;

releasing said pressure at said ends of said stick;

closing and securing said cover on said earpiece or mouthpiece.

7. A sanitary cover for a telephone handset comprising:

continuous strips joined to the edges of a continuous layer of porous, bacteria proof, non-woven fabric by adhesive or heat sealing to form a stick shape;

said at strips constructed of a flexible and resilient material.

8. The sanitary cover of claim 7 wherein said strips have a resilient arch.

9. The sanitary cover of claim 7 wherein said strips are made of card board or plastic.

10. A method of making a sanitary cover for a telephone handset comprising:

joining edges of continuous strips to edges of a continuous layer of porous, bacteria proof nonvoven fabric;

forming a strip/fabric layer composite;

folding said strip/fabric layer composite a number of times;

securing ends of said strip/fabric layer composite to form a stick shape.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said strips are joined to said porous layer by heat sealing or an adhesive.