Door and handle sanitizers and assemblies

• US 9,051,757 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2014
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vernon Bracey
• Original Assignee: Vernon Bracey
• Inventors: Bracey, Vernon
• Primary Examiner(s): DELISLE, ROBERTA S
• Application Number:
  US14/176,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20140150211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 161/101, 164/22, 164/30, 169/04, 16D/IG.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 1/0069 Sanitary doorknobs or handles, e.g. comprising a disinfectant
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 1/04 with inner rigid member and outer cover or covers

Abstract

A flat or three dimensional body constructed of a sanitary plastic, with an inner surface of the body defining a hollow interior adapted to contact a door hardware surface or projecting knob. The body in one variant exhibits an end face from which projects an undulating and perimeter extending skirt, the design of which providing additional fabric which, upon being grasped and rotated by a user, can be circumferentially deflected and folded over against itself and the underlying surfaces of the rotatable door knob over which the cover is installed, this in order to facilitate additional frictional engaging contact with the door handle. An inside or flattened base surface of the body can also exhibit any desired tacky or adhesive material in order to provide additional gripping engagement of the handle or knob.

Claims

1. A sanitary attachment for covering a conventional door hardware, said attachment comprising:

a generally annular shaped body constructed of a sanitary and flexible plastic having a deformable but semi-rigid and form retaining properties;

said body further comprising a skirt adapted to extend over a user grasping knob portion of the door hardware, said skirt exhibiting alternating peaks and valleys which define a circumferential undulating profile around an outermost perimeter of said skirt;

said body further having a flexible and stretchable inner band integrated into an annular inner rim edge thereof to facilitate engagement of said body over the knob portion; and

an inner surface of said body defining a hollow interior which facilitates application over the knob such that, upon said body adapted to being grasped and rotated by a user, said semi-rigid peaks folding over against said valleys to provide frictional engagement in combination with non-exposure of the user'"'"'s hand to the surfaces of the knob.

2. The sanitary attachment as described in claim 1, said body further comprising a material composition exhibiting any of a transparent, semi-transparent or opaque composition.

3. The sanitary attachment as described in claim 1, further comprising a tacky material applied to said inner surface of said body.

4. The sanitary attachment as described in claim 1, said body further comprising an end face extending from said skirt and adapted to covering a front of the knob, an inner perimeter defined aperture in said end face revealing a key slot associated with the knob.

5. A sanitary attachment for covering a conventional door hardware, comprising:

a ring shaped body constructed of a flexible material and having a first plurality of circumferentially spaced apart protuberances upon an outer annular surface of said body, said body having a second plurality of circumferentially spaced apart protuberances upon an inner annular surface of said body; and

said body adapted to being manipulated over the door hardware in order to frictionally engage said inner surface and associated second plurality of protuberances against an outer surface of a rotating knob associated with the door hardware, said outer surface with said first plurality of protuberances providing additional frictional engagement in combination with non-exposure of a user'"'"'s hand to the surfaces of the knob during contact therewith.

6. A sanitary attachment for covering an arcuate and lever styled door handle, said attachment comprising:

a flexible body including a collar portion having an open underside which is adapted to overlay a pivotal defining support location of the door handle, a closed perimeter aperture defining a keyhole access location;

an elongate and three dimensional handle portion extending from said collar portion and which is dimensioned to form fit over the arcuate and lever styled door handle; and

an incision defined along an inside extending edge of said collar and handle portions for permitting adjoining portions of said handle portion to peel apart during installation of body over the lever styled door handle.

7. The sanitary attachment as described in claim 6, further comprising a plurality of exterior ribs defined along at least an exposed surface of said handle portion.

8. The sanitary attachment as described in claim 6, further comprising an outermost angled tip extending integrally from a distal end of said handle portion, said incision termination at an interface established between said handle portion and tip.

9. A sanitary attachment for covering a conventional door hardware, comprising:

a substantially planar shaped flexible body constructed of at least one of a sanitary or a disinfectant impregnated material and having a ribbed profile exhibited in end profile by pluralities of alternating and linear extending peaks and valleys;

which when applied over door hardware such that when said body is applied pressure upon by a user'"'"'s hand provides frictional engagement in combination with non-exposure of the user'"'"'s hand to the surfaces of the door hardware;

an adhesive applied to rear flat surface of said body and a peel away strip removably attached to said rear surface such that, upon removing said strip, said body capable of being resized through incision thereof and further adapted to being adhesively applied to any surface location associated with the door hardware not limited to a configured handle and/or a flattened surface contact area not limited to a likewise flat metal covering.

10. The sanitary attachment as described in claim 9, further comprising a packaged kit including a plurality of said flexible bodies.

11. The sanitary attachment as described in claim 9, said body further comprising a material composition exhibiting any of a transparent, semi-transparent or opaque composition.