Public hand protection system (PHPS)

Abstract

A system for mitigating the transmission of infectious threats by providing an easy access to a cloth or mitt attached to a retractable cord to allow the user to grab a doorknob, subway passenger strap or pole without having skin contact with public touched surfaces. A protection cloth and retraction cord are attached to a personal attachment device, which can be worn on a belt, also has a container with sanitation solution that is applied to the protection cloth after use and can also be applied to a person's hands. A second cloth is also used to wipe down surfaces such as seats, knobs, switches, etc. providing a reusable sanitation cloth and refillable sanitation container. The invention will reduce the contact transmission of infectious disease threats in a more convenient method than current traditional methods of disposable cloths or liquids.

Claims

1. A method of mitigating the transmission of infectious threats comprising the steps of: providing a first contact protection cloth attached to a user by an attachment, wherein the first cloth is connected to the attachment through a retractable cord, wherein the first contact protection cloth has a pocket on each face of the cloth configured to receive the user's hand; providing a second contact protection cloth on said attachment that is removable by the user to reach items that the retractable cord is unable to reach or where the user prefers to use the second contact protection cloth instead of or in addition to the first contact protection cloth; wherein the user places a hand into one of the pockets and pulls said first contact protection cloth on said retractable cord and places said first contact protection cloth on a publicly touched surface; wherein the user's hand is protected by the first contact protection cloth from infectious disease threats on the publicly touched surface; and providing a sanitizing bottle located on said attachment to the user, the sanitizing bottle being configured to apply sanitizing solution to the first and second contact protection cloths, the user's hand and the publicly touched surface; and the sanitizing bottle has a sprayer configured to spray the first and second contact protection cloths, the user's hand and the publicly touched surface, wherein the user sprays the publicly touched surface in order to clean the publicly touched surface after placing the first contact protection cloth on the publicly touched surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment to a person is through a belt.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment to a person is through a belt attachment loop.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment to a person is through a lanyard.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact protection cloth is removable for replacement or cleaning.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 depicts the primary system mounted on a belt.

(2) FIG. 2 depicts the addition of a detachable cloth to the base system.

(3) FIG. 3 depicts a side view of the system showing the belt mount.

(4) FIG. 4 depicts a side view with a hook shaped belt mount.

(5) FIG. 5 depicts the primary system mounted on a lanyard.

(6) FIG. 6 depicts an individual approaching a door.

(7) FIG. 7 an individual using the PUPS to open the door.

REFERENCE NUMERALS FOUND IN THE DRAWINGS

(8) Element 1 is the mounting base for the other elements

(9) Element 2 is a waist belt

(10) Element 3 is a retractable cord housing, mechanism, and attachment device to cloth

(11) Element 4 is the retractable cord

(12) Element 5 is protective cloth

(13) Element 6 is a hand opening on the protective cloth forming a mitt-like cloth

(14) Element 7 is a bottle that can hold sanitizing solution

(15) Element 8 is the cap or dispensing pump for the sanitizing solution in Element 7

(16) Element 9 is hook-and-loop attachment to hold Element 7 to Element 1

(17) Element 10 is a detachable protective cloth

(18) Element 11 is hook-and-loop attaching Element 10 to Element 1

(19) Element 12 is a belt attachment loop

(20) Element 13 is a belt attachment clip

(21) Element 14 is a neck attachment cord

(22) Element 15 is a door

(23) Element 16 is an individual or user

(24) Element 17 is a door handle

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(25) The PHPS is a simple-to-use invention that mounts on a user's belt. The system includes a base plate 1, a retractable cord system 3 mounted on the base plate, the cord 4 attached to a protective cloth 5. The protective cloth 5 has a flap 6 forming a mitt-like structure. The flap 6 can be on both sides of the protective cloth 5 to make it easier for the user to find the pocket. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) fob, device, or card can also be attached to the cord 4 or cloth 5 to serve as a convenience to the user when approaching an access reader prior to opening a door. Also attached to the mounting base 1 is a bottle 7 that holds a sanitizing solution and dispenses sanitizing solution through the cap 8. The bottle 7 is attached to the mounting base 1 through the use of an attachment system, such as hook-and-loop 9.

(26) In operation, as a user 16 approaches a door handle 17 (FIGS. 6 and 7), the user 16 simply slides his hand down to the protective cloth 5 and into the opening or fold 6. The user 16 then brings his hand up extending the retractable cord 4 until the user touches the door handle 17. The user's hand is protected by the protective cloth making contact with the door handle, thus allowing the user 16 to open the door 17 without any contact between the user 16's hand contacting the doorknob 17. The user 16 then releases the protective cloth 5. At this time, the retraction device 3 retracts the protective cloth 5 to the mounting base 1 on the user's belt 2. The user can also remove the bottle 7 and spray the cloth 5 with sanitizing solution and/or spray the door handle with the solution. A similar approach can be used for elevator buttons or to standing passenger poles on a subway or bus, etc.

(27) Exemplary Embodiment 2 has the addition of a removable cloth 10 that is attached to the mounting base 1 with an attachment mechanism such as hook-and-loop 9. This protective cloth 10 may also or alternatively have an attachment mechanism, such as hook-and-loop 1. This protective cloth 10 is used to protect the user's hand at a greater distance than the retractable cord 4. An example would be on a metro car or bus where a standing passenger holds onto a strap. The protective cloth would be on the strap protecting the user's hand. Thus, in a situation where the extendable cord 4 is unable to extend to a needed distance, the detachable cloth 10 can be used instead of the mitt attached to the extendable cord.

(28) Another Exemplary Embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3. In this exemplary embodiment, a belt attachment loop is attaching the mounting base 1 to a user's belt 2. FIG. 3 shows a belt mounting loop 12 that can easily mount mounting base 1 to a user's belt 2. Alternatively, the PHPS can also contain a belt 2 as part of the mounting base 1 as a single unit.

(29) Exemplary Embodiment 4 represents another mounting configuration, in which a belt clip 13 is used to mount the mounting base 1 of the PHPS on a belt 2.

(30) FIG. 5 represents another Exemplary Embodiment. This embodiment illustrates a different mounting configuration. Specifically, this configuration uses a lanyard 14 as an approach for someone that does not have a belt 2 or does not wish to wear the system around their waist. This exemplary embodiment can be used to attach to a purse, briefcase, backpack or worn around the user's neck or wrist.

(31) FIG. 6 represents an embodiment of the invention worn by a user 16 who is standing in front of a door 15. In FIG. 7, the user 16 is shown with his hand in the mitt-like cloth with the retractable cord 4 extended. As illustrated, the user 16 is gripping the door handle 17, without contact of his hand with the door handle 17. The PIPS of the current invention will greatly assist the user in keeping their hands clean to avoid the normal transmission a person is subject to when the hand is contaminated, and they subsequently touch their face, eyes or food, etc. This approach is easy, quick to use, and the combination of a quickly donning mitt and removing the mitt, along with sanitizing solution and

(32) with simple attachments that encourage unencumbered use by an individual.

(33) Although different exemplary embodiments are disclosed, the invention is not limited thereto as other exemplary embodiments would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. The invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.