Stethoscope head cover dispensing arrangement

A plurality of single diaphragm cover dispensable assemblies (11) each of which has a stethoscope diaphragm cover (12) having a thin plastic body member (16) to which there is applied a pressure sensitive adhesive layer (26) mounted on an adhesive protective layer (14) on a first surface (30). A stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer (34) is on the adhesive protective layer (14) in a location spaced from the portion (28B) attached to the cover (12). The stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer 34 may be on the first surface (30) or the second surface (32) of the adhesive protective layer (14). A plurality of the assemblies (11) are in a stacked aligned array with the stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layers (34) providing the detachable coupling of one assembly (11) to the next assembly (11) in the stack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to the dispensing art and more particularly to an 
improved arrangement for supplying a plurality of covers for a stethoscope 
head diaphragm and which allows the convenient selective removal of a 
single cover as required. 
2. Background of the Invention 
A number of structural arrangements have been proposed and/or utilized as 
disposable covers for the head of a stethoscope . These covers are 
utilized to prevent the contamination of the diaphragm of the stethoscope 
head from the ambient environment as well as patient to patient 
contamination from the head of the stethoscope. One such cover for a 
stethoscope head is shown in our U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,025. Such a cover for 
a stethoscope head as disclosed therein, and as disclosed in other patents 
including some of the prior art patents mentioned therein is generally 
comprised of a body member having a thin sheet of plastic, usually 
circular in shape to conform to the shape of the diaphragm of the 
stethoscope. The body member also comprises a layer of a peelable, 
pressure sensitive adhesive applied to one surface of the plastic sheet. 
An adhesive protective layer is generally applied to the pressure 
sensitive adhesive layer to protect the adhesive during shipping, storage 
and handling of the cover before the use thereof. The adhesive protective 
layer is removed from the adhesive and discarded when it is desired to 
mount the cover on the head of the stethoscope. The cover is then applied 
by pressing the pressure sensitive adhesive to the diaphragm of the 
stethoscope and the thin plastic sheet is pressed against the desired 
portion of the anatomy of the patient during use of the stethoscope. After 
the examination of the patient is concluded, the cover is discarded. 
Since there are a very large number of separate utilizations by, for 
example, a medical practitioner, of a stethoscope on different patients 
during the course of a day, for safety a large number of stethoscope head 
covers must be available to the medical practitioner. In those 
applications where the medical practitioner is at a permanent location, a 
dispensing arrangement consisting of a large roll of covers mounted on a 
suitable adhesive protective layer, as disclosed in our U.S. Pat. No. 
5,448,025 is quite satisfactory for convenient use by the medical 
practitioner. However, in many applications such as when the medical 
practitioner is performing the rounds of a large number of patients in a 
hospital, where the medical practitioner makes a house call or even where 
the medical practitioner has several examination rooms in the medical 
office, carrying a large role, or even a smaller sized role of such 
diaphragm head covers is impractical. 
Thus, there has long been a need for a stack of a large number of 
stethoscope diaphragm head covers which may be conveniently carried and 
which allows rapid and easy removal of a single cover from the stack as 
required when the stethoscope is to be utilized. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stacked 
aligned array of a plurality of stethoscope diaphragm head covers. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a stacked, 
aligned array of a plurality of stethoscope diaphragm head covers which 
may be conveniently carried. 
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a 
stacked, aligned array of stethoscope diaphragm head covers in a "book" 
type aligned array and in a "fan" type aligned array. 
The above and other object of the invention are achieved, according to 
preferred embodiments thereof, by providing a plurality of single 
stethoscope diaphragm cover dispensable assemblies. Each of the assemblies 
has a stethoscope diaphragm cover that is mounted on a removable adhesive 
protective layer. The stethoscope cover is generally comprised of a thin, 
flexible membrane-like body member of a plastic having a thickness of on 
the order of 0.1 mm (millimeter) to 0.4 mm. The flexible stethoscope 
diaphragm cover may be of the type, for example, disclosed in our U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,448,025, though the principles of the present invention may be 
utilized in dispensing arrangements for other devices which may be similar 
to the cover 12. 
The stethoscope cover also has a peelable, pressure sensitive adhesive 
layer on the body member. The pressure sensitive adhesive layer is 
detachably mountable onto a stethoscope head for detachably adhering to, 
at least, the diaphragm of a stethoscope head. The use and construction of 
a diaphragm cover which may be utilized in the present invention is shown, 
for example, in our U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,025. Thus, the cover described 
herein is utilized herein as an illustrative type of structure which may 
be conveniently dispensed according to the principles of the present 
invention and is not limiting on the general application of the present 
invention. 
The removable adhesive protective layer is detachably mounted on the 
pressure sensitive adhesive layer of the cover in a manner well known in 
the pressure sensitive adhesive art. The adhesive protective layer has a 
margin portion extending outwardly from the portion of the adhesive 
protective layer which is adhered to the cover. The adhesive protective 
layer has a first surface and a second surface and the cover, in a 
preferred embodiment of the present invention, is detachably mounted on 
the first surface of the adhesive protective layer. 
A stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer is applied to the first 
surface of the adhesive protective layer on the first surface in a 
location thereon spaced from the portion thereof attached to the cover. 
The stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer provides the detachable 
coupling for the stacked alignment array of a plurality of the single 
stethoscope diaphragm cover dispensable assemblies. 
A plurality of such assemblies are coupled together in a stacked aligned 
array by the stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer. To provide a 
"book" type aligned array, the assemblies are place with the corresponding 
stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layers in the same location 
throughout the stack. To provide a "fan" type stacked aligned array, 
alternate assemblies are rotated 180.degree.. In other embodiments of the 
present invention, the cover is on the first surface of the removable 
adhesive protective layer and the stacking pressure sensitive adhesive 
layer is on the second surface of the removable adhesive protective layer. 
A plurality of such assemblies may be coupled together in either a "book" 
type or a "fan" type stacked array as above described. 
Another embodiment of the present invention incorporates a plurality of 
double stethoscope diaphragm cover dispensable assemblies in which a 
diaphragm cover is on each side of a single adhesive protective layer . 
Such an arrangement is particularly useful in those applications wherein 
two stethoscopes may be used and the heads of the stethoscopes may be of 
different sizes. In such applications, each of the diaphragm covers may be 
contoured to accommodate the size of each of the stethoscope heads. 
Similarly, more than one diaphragm cover may be placed on the same side of 
the adhesive protective layer and such diaphragm covers may be of the same 
contours or different contours as may be desired for particular 
applications.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
As utilized herein, the terms "top", "bottom", "side", "front", "back", 
"first" and/or "second" are used for clarity in description and are not 
limiting on the general construction of the invention according to the 
principles thereof. Further, while the covers of the present invention are 
referred to as "diaphragm covers" for the head of the stethoscope, such 
covers also, in preferred embodiments, cover, in addition to the 
diaphragm, the rim portion of the stethoscope which surrounds the 
diaphragm and/or other portions of the diaphragm head which may come into 
contact with the person under examination. 
As noted above, the depiction of the preferred embodiments of the present 
invention as shown on the drawing are not necessarily to scale in order 
that the features of the present invention as well as the functional 
inter-relationship between the various elements of the structure of the 
present invention may be more easily understood. In particular, the 
relative thicknesses of the various components of the embodiments 
illustrated in the drawing are not to scale and the thicknesses of certain 
of the elements has been enlarged to show clearly the functional 
relationships. 
Referring now to the drawing, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 an embodiment 
10 of the present invention showing a single stethoscope diaphragm cover 
dispensable assembly 11 having a stethoscope diaphragm cover 12 that is 
mounted on a removable adhesive protective layer 14. The stethoscope cover 
12 is generally comprised of a thin, flexible membrane-like body member 16 
of a plastic having a thickness of on the order of 0.1 mm (millimeter) to 
0.4 mm and having an upper surface 18, a lower surface 20 and a cover 
peripheral edge 22 having a first predetermined geometrical configuration 
as indicated at 24. The flexible stethoscope diaphragm cover 12 may be of 
the type, for example, disclosed in our U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,025, though 
the principles of the present invention may be utilized in dispensing 
arrangements for other devices which may be similar to the cover 12. 
The first predetermined geometrical configuration 24 is selected to match 
the contour of a stethoscope head to which it is to be applied. Such 
contour is generally round, but oval or other shapes may be included in 
the stethoscope heads available. Thus, the first preselected geometrical 
configuration may be any configuration desired to match a particular 
stethoscope head contour. 
The stethoscope cover 12 also has a peelable, pressure sensitive adhesive 
layer 26 on the lower surface 20 of body member 16 and the pressure 
sensitive adhesive layer 26 has a lower surface 26A for detachably 
mounting onto a stethoscope head for detachably adhering to, at least, the 
diaphragm of a stethoscope head. The use and construction of a diaphragm 
cover which may be utilized in the present invention is shown, for 
example, in our U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,025. The present invention is not 
limited to utilization of the particular configuration of a stethoscope 
diaphragm cover as shown in our U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,025 for the improved 
dispensing arrangement herein but other designs of stethoscope diaphragm 
covers or similar structures whether for stethoscope diaphragm covers or 
for other utilizations may be advantageously employed in the present 
invention. Thus, the cover 12 is utilized herein as an illustrative type 
of structure which may be conveniently dispensed according to the 
principles of the present invention and is not limiting on the general 
application of the present invention. 
A central portion 28B of the removable adhesive protective layer 14 is 
detachably mounted on the lower surface 26A of the peelable, pressure 
sensitive adhesive layer 26. The adhesive protective layer 14 also has a 
margin portion 28A extending outwardly from the central portion 28B of the 
adhesive protective layer 28. The adhesive protective layer 14 has a first 
surface 30 and a second surface 32 and a peripheral edge 34 defining a 
second predetermined geometrical configuration. The cover 12 in the 
embodiment 10 is detachably mounted on the first surface 30 of adhesive 
protective layer 14. In the embodiment 10 the second predetermined 
geometrical configuration is a rectangular quadrilateral. However, the 
second predetermined geometrical configuration of the peripheral edge may 
be any desired configuration such as square, hexagonal, round or the like. 
and may, if desired, be the same geometrical configuration as the first 
predetermined geometrical configuration of the cover 12. 
A stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer 34 is applied to the first 
surface 30 of adhesive protective layer 14 on a part 28A' of the margin 
portion 28A. The stacking adhesive layer 34 provides the detachable 
coupling for the stacked alignment array of a plurality of the single 
stethoscope diaphragm cover dispensable assemblies 11, as described below 
in greater detail. The stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer 34 may 
be placed on other portions of the first surface 30 of margin portion 28A 
as may be desired in particular applications. 
FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment 40 of a single stethoscope diaphragm cover 
dispensable assembly 11' of the present invention which is generally 
similar to the single stethoscope diaphragm cover dispensable assembly 11 
of embodiment 10 and has a stethoscope cover 12' detachably mounted on a 
first surface 30' in the margin portion 28A' of a removable adhesive 
protective layer 14'. The removable adhesive protective layer 14' has a 
second surface 32'. In the embodiment 40 a stacking pressure sensitive 
adhesive layer 42, which may be similar to stacking pressure sensitive 
adhesive layer 34 described above is applied on the second surface 32' of 
the removable adhesive protective layer 14' as indicated at 28A". Thus, in 
the embodiment 40, the cover 12' is on the first surface 30' of adhesive 
protective layer 14 and the stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer 42 
is on the second surface 32' of adhesive protective layer 14' while in the 
embodiment 10 both the stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer 34 and 
the cover 12 are on the first surface of the adhesive protective layer 14. 
Both the single stethoscope diaphragm cover dispensable assembly 11 and 
11' may advantageously utilized in an aligned stacking arrangement 
according to the principles of the present invention. 
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment, generally designated 50 of a plurality of 
stacked, single stethoscope diaphragm cover dispensable assemblies 11 as 
shown in FIG. 1 in a predetermined stacked alignment array 51. While four 
of such assemblies 11 are shown on FIG. 3, several hundred may be included 
in the stacked array 51 of embodiment 50. The stacked array 51 is a "book" 
type array in that all of the assemblies 11 are detachably couple together 
at the edges 14" of adhesive protective layer 14. 
Each of the stacking adhesive layers 34 are mounted on the first surface 30 
of adhesive protective layer 14 and are detachably adhered to the second 
surface 32 of the next assembly 11. The assembly 11A is shown in the 
position where it has been almost detached from the stacking adhesive 
layer 34B of assembly 11B and the cover 12 is partially removed from the 
first surface 30 of adhesive protective layer 14. As shown in FIG. 3, all 
of the assemblies 11 have the stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer 
34 in the corresponding location on the adhesive protective layer 14. In 
the embodiment 50, each of the assemblies may be removed from the stacked 
array 51 as required and the entire stacked array 51 may be conveniently 
carried in the pocket or purse of the medical practitioner, in the medical 
bag of the medical practitioner or in some similar carrying case. The 
stacked array 11 may be on the order of 2 inches to 4 inches square and 
may be on the order of 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick depending upon the number 
of assemblies 11 in the array. 
FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment, generally designated 60 of a plurality of 
stacked, single stethoscope diaphragm cover dispensable assemblies 11' as 
shown in FIG. 2 in a predetermined stacked alignment array 61. The 
embodiment 60 of FIG. 4 may be generally similar to the embodiment 50 but 
is comprised of a plurality of the assemblies 11' of FIG. 2 rather than a 
plurality of the assemblies 11 of FIG. 1. While four of such assemblies 
11' are shown on FIG. 4, several hundred may be included in the stacked 
array 61 of embodiment 60. The stacked array 61 is also a "book" type 
array in that all of the assemblies 11' are detachably couple together at 
the edges 14" of adhesive protective layer 14'. 
Each of the stacking adhesive layers 42 are mounted on the second surface 
32 of adhesive protective layer 14' and are detachably adhered to the 
first surface 30 of the next assembly 11'. The assembly 11A' is shown in 
the position where stacking adhesive layer 42A has been almost detached 
from the first surface 30A' of assembly 11B' to allow removal of assembly 
11A' from the stack 61 and the cover 12A' is partially removed from the 
first surface 30' of adhesive protective layer 14'. As shown on FIG. 4, 
all of the assemblies 11' have the stacking pressure sensitive adhesive 
layer 42 in the corresponding location on the adhesive protective layer 
14'. In the embodiment 60, each of the assemblies 11' may be removed from 
the stacked array 61 as required and the entire stacked array 61 may be 
conveniently carried in the pocket or purse of the medical practitioner, 
in the medical bag of the medical practitioner or in some similar carrying 
case. The stacked array 11' may be on the order of 2 inches to 4 inches 
square and may be on the order of 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick depending upon 
the number of assemblies 11' in the array. 
Both the embodiments 50 of FIG. 3 and the embodiment 60 of FIG. 4 are an 
aligned stacked array of the "book" type in that each of the assemblies is 
connected at the same edge of the adhesive protective layer. In some 
applications of the present invention, however, it has been found 
advantageous to utilize a "fan" or accordion stacked array. Both the 
assembly 11 of FIG. 1 and the assembly 11' of FIG. 2 may be formed into an 
aligned "fan" type stacked array. 
FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment 70 of a plurality of the assemblies 11 of 
FIG. 1 in a stacked, fan type alignment array generally indicated at 71. 
The embodiment 70 is generally similar to the embodiment 50 described 
above. The stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layers 34 are on the first 
surfaces 30 of the removable adhesive protective layers 14 and the 
diaphragm covers 12 are on the first surfaces 30 of the adhesive 
protective layers 14. In embodiment 70, the assemblies 11 are in two 
groups. In the first group there are assemblies 11B and in the second 
group there are the assemblies 11C which are alternately positioned 
between the assemblies 11B in the stacked array 71. Assembly 11B' is shown 
partially removed from the stacked array 71 as it is peeled from the 
stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer 34 of the adjacent assembly 
11C' as indicated at 72. Similarly, assembly 11C' will separate from the 
stacking adhesive layer 34 of the assembly 11B" at 74. Each of the 
assemblies 11B are the same as the assemblies 11C except they are rotated 
180.degree. from the orientation of the assemblies 11B. 
FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment 80 of a plurality of the assemblies 11' of 
FIG. 2 in a stacked, fan type alignment array generally indicated at 81. 
The embodiment 80 is generally similar to the embodiment 70 described 
above. The stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layers 42 are on the 
second surfaces 32' of the removable adhesive protective layers 14' and 
the diaphragm covers 12' are on the first surfaces 30' of the adhesive 
protective layers 14'. In embodiment 80, the assemblies 11' are in two 
groups. In the first group there are assemblies 11'B and in the second 
group there are the assemblies 11'C which are alternately positioned 
between the assemblies 11'B in the stacked array 81. Assembly 11'B' is 
shown partially removed from the stacked array 71 as it is peeled from the 
stacking pressure sensitive adhesive layer 34 of the adjacent assembly 
11'C' as indicated at 72'. Similarly, assembly 11'C' will separate from 
the stacking adhesive layer 34 of the assembly 11'B" at 74'. Each of the 
assemblies 11'B are the same as the assemblies 11'C except they are 
rotated 180.degree. from the orientation of the assemblies 11'B. 
The embodiments 70 and 80 may have the same number of assemblies in the 
stacked alignment array and have the same dimensions as the embodiments 50 
and 60 as above described. 
In some applications it may be desirable to have a plurality of diaphragm 
covers on each of the adhesive protective layers. For example, in those 
applications wherein several different stethoscopes may be utilized which 
have different sized or configured heads and/or diaphragms, several of the 
appropriate diaphragm covers may be included on one adhesive protective 
layer with each diaphragm cover contoured to fit on a particular 
stethoscope head. FIG. 7 illustrated an embodiment 90 of the present 
invention in which there is provided a plurality of stacked assemblies 92 
each of which assemblies 92 is comprised of an adhesive protective layer 
94 having a first surface 96 and a second surface 98. A disposable 
stethoscope diaphragm cover 100 is provide on each of the first and second 
sides of the adhesive protective layers 92 and the diaphragm covers 100 
may be the same as the diaphragm covers 12 and 12' described above and may 
be of the same shape and contour or may be of different shapes and 
contours on each side of the. That is, each of the assemblies 92 may have 
two of the same size and contour diaphragm covers or may have two 
diaphragm covers which are of different shapes and contours. For example, 
on assembly 92A the cover 100A may be of one size and/or contour and the 
cover 100B may be of the same or a different size and/or contour. 
Each of the assemblies 92 is also provided with a stacking pressure 
sensitive adhesive layer 102 on one of the first or second surfaces 96 and 
98 of the adhesive protective layer. As shown on FIG. 7, the stacking 
pressure sensitive adhesive layers 102 are on the first surface 96 of the 
adhesive protective layers. the assemblies 92 may be connected together in 
either the fan type dispensing arrangement as shown on FIG. 7 or in a book 
type dispensing arrangement similar to that illustrated above in FIGS. 3 
and 4. 
FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment 110 of an assembly 112 useful in the 
practice of the present invention. In the embodiment 110, the assembly 112 
has an adhesive protective layer 114 similar to the adhesive protective 
layers 11, 11' and 92 described above and there is provided two diaphragm 
covers 116 and 118 on the first surface 119 of the adhesive protective 
layer 114. The diaphragm covers 116 and 118 may be the same size and 
configuration or may be of different sizes and configurations as desired 
for particular applications. A pressure sensitive adhesive layer 120 is 
also provided on the first surface 119 of the adhesive protective layer 
114 and may be the same as the pressure sensitive adhesive layers 
described above. A plurality of assemblies 112 may be stacked together in 
either the book type or fan type dispensing arrangements as above 
described. If desired, one or more diaphragm covers (not shown on FIG. 8) 
similar to diaphragm covers 116 and 118 may also be provided on the second 
surface 122 of adhesive protective layer 114 similar to the structure 
described above in connection with the embodiment 90 described above. A 
pressure sensitive adhesive layer 124 may, if desired, be provided on the 
second surface 122 of adhesive protective layer 114. 
The various assemblies of diaphragm covers as above described may be 
combined in the various structural configurations of stacked dispensing 
arrangements as described above and as illustrated on the drawing as may 
be desired for particular applications. 
This concludes the description of the present invention. From the above it 
can be seen that there is provided a convenient stacked array comprised of 
a plurality of assemblies of stethoscope diaphragm covers which may be 
conveniently carried by the medical practitioner and the individual 
assemblies quickly and easily removed from the aligned stack as required 
when a stethoscope is utilized. 
Those skilled in the art may find many variations and adaptations of the 
present invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such 
variations and adaptations falling within the true scope and spirit 
thereof.