Sanitary phone cover

Details Sanitary phone cover Sanitary phone cover

2001-01-30

2003-05-06

Chiang, Jack (Department: 2642)

Telephonic communications

Terminal accessory or auxiliary equipment

Protective structure

C379S439000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06560335

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to sanitary covers that are secured over the earpiece and/or mouthpiece of a telephone (or a doorknob) to reduce the incidence of contamination and infection therefrom
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The past 12 years has seen a dramatic increase in the incidence of infectious disease. Infectious disease is now the third leading cause of death in the United States. Just a few years ago it ranked only fifth. One factor in this dramatic increase is an increase in travel, and the resultant multiple use of telephones in public phone booths, airports, train stations, and even hotel rooms. In addition, the new global economy brings with it travel to and from the “third world”, where the traveler may not fully understand the necessary sanitary practices. Both the increase in total travel time, and trip distance, increase risk of infectious disease. Even short trips are not free of risk, as personal hygiene practices have been all but forgotten. But perhaps the greatest danger arises from our complacency regarding disease: in this age of antibiotics. In fact, the pervasiveness of antibiotics may have created new dangers.
Wide spread use of antibiotics has resulted in new “killer” bacteria. These bacteria have grown resistant to most or all of our present antibiotics. This result is not unusual. All bacteria bred in the presence of antibiotics select out resistance strains, thereby increasing their resistance. Thus we find ourselves in a continuous and accelerating search for newer antibiotics and methods of protecting ourselves from the ever evolving bacteria strains.
Even hospitalization carries increased risk of infection. Hospitals are themselves the only source of certain new “killer” bacteria. These bacteria were literally bred, and evolved, in hospitals. Currently, two million (2,000,000) hospital patients per year contract nosocomial infections: infections contracted in the hospital, from the hospital.
Our schools are also a hot bed of infectious diseases, especially the nurse's office. Thus, travel, as well as hospitalization, and schooling, increase the risk of cross contamination; which greatly increases the spread of illness. This situation requires another approach to sepsis.
The eyes, ears, nose and mouth are common portals of entry for infection into the body. Telephones are brought into intimate proximity to these portals. Ever since the invention of the telephone there have been concerns about the possible spread of pathogens by multiple users of the phone. Investigations of these concerns have confirmed contamination of telephones. For example, on Jul. 2, 1999, an ABC News 20/20 Monday broadcast reported an investigation of “environmental surfaces”, such as pay phones, restaurant salt & pepper shakers and napkin dispensers, shared computer keyboards and bathroom doors. As reported, students from Wagner College in Staten Island gathered microscopic samples from environmental surfaces, cultured them onto agar plates, and identified them. In interpreting the results, ABC News correspondent Dr. Johnson stated, “Many of the germs found were not dangerous, but in several places the telephone mouthpiece and keypad, the computer terminal, the bathroom door and on paper money they did find disease-producing forms of staph, which can cause anything from food poisoning to acne to boils.”
In another examples Dr. Wallace reported, in the Dec. 12, 1992 edition of the Orange County Register, in Section G, page 10, that, “ . . . colds are usually spread by simple hand-to-hand contact with another human being or such objects as doorknobs and telephones.” With the increase in the number of phones, and the increased mobility of vacationers, business travelers, commuters and the workforce in general, phones have increasingly become vectors for disease.
The vast majority of bacteria are in the size range of 1-10 microns. Many of them form chains, are in pairs, or form clumps. They may be round or rod shaped. These bacteria can be easily picked up from the environment, and may cause disease. Objects exposed to droplets from coughing, oral secretions, nasal discharges, earwax (cerumen) and pus can be contaminated, and hands contaminated therefrom. Secretions can transfer bacteria to telephones, eyes, mouths, and other objects.
Bacteria produce disease, and at times extensive disease, in normal individuals. If there is any impairment to the immune system, or another disease is present, they can produce disease more readily, and more extensively. Diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease, chronic heart disease, such as congestive heart failure, are some examples. Chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis, or any break in the skin, can increase susceptibility to infection. Impairment of the immune system caused by drugs, such as cortisone or chemotherapy, can vastly increase the body's predisposition to infections.
Staphylococcus is present in nasal passages, throat, sputum, droplets and hands. It is capable of producing a great many diseases or infections, including abscess, dermatitis, pneumonia, septicemia, endocarditis, gastroenterological diseases and many generalized diseases. It can be notoriously resistant to bacteria. Staphylococcus was present in cultures taken of various phones (see forward).
Bacillus can cause diarrheal disease, nausea and vomiting. It can also cause abscesses, cellulitis, endocarditis and other severe systemic disease. And, it can be transmitted from environmental objects.
Enterococus and related bacteria such as citrobacter, tatumelia, aerococcus, and enterobacter can all produce severe systemic disease. They are ubiquitous in the environment. The diseases produced by these bacteria range from gastroenterological diseases to abscess to cellulitis to endocarditis.
Pseudomonas can infect any tissue. It is also found on environmental surfaces, such as telephones and doorknobs, and can be transmitted by hand contact as well as from the oral, nasal and respiratory passages. This bacteria is the fourth (4th) most common nosocomial, i.e., hospital acquired, infection. It accounts for 10% of all such infections. These bacteria can produce pneumonia, dermatitis, generalized septicemia, dermatitis, etc. They can be spread by hand contact, sputum, and oral passages and from environmental surfaces. Sadly, they are tolerant to a wide variety of physical environments so they are very difficult to eradicate.
Stenotrophomonas is a newly described bacteria. It is generally a hospital-acquired infection. Quite serious outbreaks have developed in hospitals. It has been responsible for causing respiratory infections, wound infections and septicemia. This bacteria is resistant to many antibiotics
Mycobacterium can cause severe disease. The most common is tuberculosis. This group will produce pneumonia, abscess and generalized diseases. They can be very difficult to treat, requiring multiple antibiotics and frequently developing resistance to these antibiotics.
In addition to bacteria, head lice and phone mites may be transmitted by the use of a telephone. Not surprisingly, many efforts have been undertaken to avoid both contamination and cross-contamination from telephones. Disinfectant sprays and wipes have been used, however, most bacteria easily survive a brief exposure to disinfectants, and the broad use of disinfectants leads to resistant strains of bacteria. In addition, use of disinfectants pose the possibility of allergic reactions and if in fluid form, may actually serve as a transport medium for bacteria.
Many attempts have been made to provide a physical barrier between the user and the phone. These have involved the use of materials which may provide an impervious barrier, and hence muffle sound or distort voice transmission, or those that have perforations or are wettable, and hence can transport the bacteria from the phone to the mouth, and visa versa. Barriers are used to cover the mouth piece, the earpiece, the earpiece and mouthpiece, and sometimes the handle. When away from home, the hands are more easily was

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