Abstract:
A protective cover for a stethoscope comprises an elongate sleeve member having a closed first end and an open second end. The sleeve member defines an enclosed interior volume accessible via the open second end. A clip member is operatively connected to the first or second ear tube. A head and interconnecting elongate tubular body portion of the stethoscope are reposed in a position in the interior volume of the sleeve member such that the head and the body portion of the stethoscope are substantially covered. The clip member releasably holds the sleeve member in this position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES 
     This application is related to U.S. provisional application No. 62/140,772, filed Mar. 31, 2015, entitled “DISPOSABLE STETHOSCOPE COVERS AS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION TO PREVENT STETHOSCOPE CONTAMINATION AND OVERCOME BARRIERS TO STETHOSCOPE HYGIENE”, naming Shivani Sud as the inventor. The contents of the provisional application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, and the benefit of the filing date of the provisional application is hereby claimed for all purposes that are legally served by such claim for the benefit of the filing date. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A protective sleeve is described for enclosing a portion of a medical stethoscope and, more particularly, a stethoscope sleeve for the head and a portion of the tubing of a stethoscope for preventing contamination and transmission of infectious organisms and other biohazards. 
     Stethoscopes used by health care professionals during patient examinations have become a known cause of cross-contamination and biohazards transmission. The stethoscope, typically a personal device carried by a health care professional, is used to examine multiple patients. During each examination process, the stethoscope directly contacts body parts of each patient. Thus, the stethoscope acts as a fomite from patient to patient, significantly increasing cross-contamination and transmission of infectious organisms. 
     Cleaning a stethoscope between uses is typically ineffective in eliminating certain resistant infectious organisms. It is also difficult and impractical for health care professionals to carry out the cleaning process each time with consistency. Single-patient use disposable stethoscopes have been implemented as a less than adequate solution to eliminate breaks in barrier protection. The single-patient stethoscopes are used by all providers caring for a given patient resulting in multiple opportunities for the stethoscope ear tips to become contaminated and spread pathogens to the providers resulting in an occupational safety hazard for the providers and increased risk of pathogen transmission to patients. 
     For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a new stethoscope sleeve for preventing contact with the stethoscope thereby reducing the chances for contamination and transmission of infection from one observed patient or health care worker to another worker or patient. The sleeve should cover at least a portion of the body of the stethoscopes for providing the necessary protection while not interfering with the stethoscope&#39;s operation. Ideally, means for releasably retaining the sleeve on the stethoscope is also provided. 
     SUMMARY 
     A protective cover is provided for a stethoscope including a head, first and second ear tubes, and an elongate tubular body portion extending between and interconnecting the head and the ear tubes. The protective cover comprises an elongate sleeve member having a closed first end and an open second end. The sleeve member defines an enclosed interior volume accessible via the open second end. A clip member is adapted to be operatively connected to the first or second ear tube. The head and the interconnecting elongate tubular body portion of the stethoscope are reposed in a position in the interior volume of the sleeve member such that the head and the body portion of the stethoscope are substantially covered. The clip member releasably holds the sleeve member in the position. 
     A protectively covered stethoscope assembly is also provided and comprises a stethoscope including a head, first and second ear tubes, and an elongate tubular body portion extending between and interconnecting the head and the ear tubes. An elongate sleeve member has a closed first end and an open second end and defines an enclosed interior volume accessible via the open second end. A clip member is configured to be operatively connected to the first or second ear tube. The head and the interconnecting elongate tubular body portion of the stethoscope are reposed in a position in the interior volume of the sleeve member such that the head and the body portion of the stethoscope are substantially covered. The clip member releasably holds the sleeve member in the position. 
     A method is also provided for protecting a stethoscope including a head to be placed during use in juxtaposition to a patient, first and second ear tubes, and an elongate tubular body portion extending between and interconnecting the head and the ear tubes. The method for protecting the stethoscope comprises the steps of providing an elongate sleeve member having a closed first end and an open second end forming a mouth. The sleeve member defines an enclosed interior volume accessible via the mouth and of sufficient size to allow the head of the stethoscope to be placed therein. The sleeve has a sufficient length to envelope the head end and the tubular body portion of the stethoscope up to at least about the ear tubes. The sleeve is comprised of acoustically transparent, biologically impermeable material. The next step is inserting the head and the interconnecting elongate tubular body portion of the stethoscope in a position in the interior volume of the sleeve member such that the head and the body portion of the stethoscope are substantially covered. The sleeve member is releasably secured in the position with a clip member adapted to be operatively connected to the first or second ear tube. The sleeve member is used on the stethoscope to isolate the patient and the user from passing any contamination between them through mutual contact with the stethoscope while the stethoscope is in use on the patient. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the stethoscope cover, reference should now be had to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an elevation view of an embodiment of a stethoscope sleeve for covering a portion of a stethoscope. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a clip for use with the sleeve for covering a stethoscope as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an elevation of an embodiment of a stethoscope sleeve for cover a portion of a stethoscope. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limiting. For example, words such as “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “upward,” “downward,” “top” and “bottom” merely describe the configurations shown in the FIGs. Indeed, the components may be oriented in any direction and the terminology, therefore, should be understood as encompassing such variations unless specified otherwise. The words “interior” and “exterior” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the core and designated parts thereof. The terminology includes the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding or similar elements throughout the several views, an embodiment of a sleeve for covering a standard stethoscope  12  is shown in  FIG. 1  and generally designated at  10 . The stethoscope  12  to which the sleeve  10  is advantageously applied may be of any suitable type and may be of conventional form, including a head  14  and a flexible sound tube  15  connecting the head  14  to binaural earpiece tubes  22  and ear tips  24 . The sleeve  10  is configured to envelop the head  14  of the stethoscope  14  with full covering extending up to cover the sound tube  15  to the junction with the earpiece tubes  22 . An upper end  16  of the sleeve  10  is removably affixed to one of the earpiece tubes  22  of the stethoscope  12 . The sleeve  10  provides a protective cover for enclosing portions of the stethoscope  12  and is configured to maintain a sterile barrier, thereby isolating the stethoscope  12  from direct contact with both the user as well as the patient for preventing contamination and reducing any risk of infection. The sleeve is designed to fit over all models of off-the-shelf stethoscopes. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  the sleeve  10  comprises an elongated tubular flexible sheath  18  having a first end  16  and a second end  18 . The sleeve  10  has formed therein a cavity defining an enclosed interior volume with an opening at the first end  16  for receiving and at least partially enclosing the head  14  and the center sound tube  15  at the lower end of the stethoscope  12 . The sleeve is closed at the second end  18 . The first end  16  may be closed by any method or technique known in the art, such as heating sealing, RF sealing, ultrasonic welding, or adhesive bonding. Alternatively, the closed end  16  may be formed by simply folding an elongate strip of polymeric film and sealing such film at its two longitudinal sides, so that the folding edge of such film naturally forms the closed end  16 . The longitudinal sides  26  of the sleeve  10  can be formed either with seam lines or without seam lines. The sleeve  10  is sized such that the head  14  of the stethoscope  12  and at least a portion of the sound tube  20  is enveloped by the sleeve  10 . In another embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the dimensions of the sleeve may variable as long as the sheath is appropriate for receiving at least the head  14  of the stethoscope  12 . 
     The sleeve  10  may be formed of any substantially flexible material, preferably comprising a material that is acoustically transmitting and impermeable to bacteria, viruses and fluids. For example, the protective cover can be formed of a suitable thermoplastic polymeric material, such as a thin, flexible, polymeric material does not significantly impede or degrade the fidelity of sound transmission to the stethoscope. Suitable materials for the sleeve  10  include polypropylene, polyethylene, latex rubber, silicone, soft vinyl, urethane, as well as fluid, bacterial, and virally impermeable fabric, paper, or the like. Various methods known in the art can be employed to form closure at the second end  18  of the sleeve  10 . Such methods include, but are not limited to, heat sealing, radio-frequency sealing, ultrasonic welding, and adhesive bonding. While the sleeve  10  does not have to be sterile, the sleeve may be provided using any suitable sterilization method known for disposable, plastic medical or surgical supplies (e.g., radiation, ethylene oxide, etc.). 
     Although  FIGS. 1 and 3  show a sleeve  10  having a generally rectangular shape, the sleeve  10  can be of any other suitable shape, such as square, trapezium, truncated ellipse with flat ends, etc. The open end  16  of the sleeve  10  can be either longer than the closed end  18 , or shorter than the closed end  18 . The two longitudinal sides  26  of the sleeve  10  can either be either straight, or curved, with a concave or a convex shape. Multiple variations in respect to the shape of the sleeve  10  can be readily determined by one skilled in the art without undue experimentation and are within the scope and spirit of the present application. 
     In order to secure the sleeve  10  in a position enveloping the stethoscope  12  during patient examination and prevent potential contamination caused by dropping of the sleeve  10 , means are provided for removably securing the sleeve  10  to the stethoscope  12  such that the sleeve is temporarily secured during patient examination and can be readily removed from the stethoscope  12  after the examination is completed. The securing means preferably comprises a clip  28  and a retaining ring  30 . The clip  28  may be a compressible clip that can be readily clipped onto the sleeve  10 . The retaining ring  30  is mounted to the clip  28 . The retaining ring  30  is a generally cylindrical body defining an interior configured to snugly receive a portion of the earpiece tube  22  of the stethoscope  12 . The retaining ring  30  is formed from a resilient material such that the ring can plastically deform to accept the earpiece tube  22  through its channel for resiliently securing the ring  30  and the clip  28  on the earpiece tube  22 . The ring  30  is configured such that the associated clip  28  extends radially outwardly from the earpiece tube  22 . It is to be understood that the retaining ring  30  may be fabricated from any suitable material and may be closed about the earpiece tube  22  in any other fashion, such as by bending the ring  30  around the tube or using hook and loop material, without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     The clip  28  is used to compressively releasably secure the free open end  16  of the sleeve  10  to either earpiece tube  22  to prevent the sleeve  10  from being detached from the stethoscope  12  during patient examination. In another embodiment, the clip may include a hook member such that the user could pull the sleeve  10  over the hook for securing the sleeve  10 . The hook can perforate the sleeve  10 , but it is not necessary as long as the sleeve  10  is secured in position covering the stethoscope  12 . 
     In use, one merely affixes the sleeve  10  about the stethoscope  12 , utilizes the stethoscope  12  in a normal fashion, and removes and disposes of the sleeve  10  prior to utilization upon another. More particularly, the head  14  and the sound tube  15  is inserted into the cavity formed in the sleeve  10  until the head  14  contacts the second closed end  18  of sleeve  10 , and the first open end  16  of the sleeve  10  is adjacent the earpiece tubes  22 . The retaining ring  30  is mounted to the earpiece tube  22  of the stethoscope  12  by forcing the earpiece tube through the channel of the ring into the interior of the ring  30  or by bending the ring  30  around the earpiece tube  22 . The sleeve  10  is mounted to the stethoscope  12  by inserting the head  14  of the stethoscope  12  through the open end  16  of the sleeve  10  to the closed end  18 . The sleeve  10  surrounds the stethoscope  12 .  FIG. 1  shows a protectively covered stethoscope  12  with the head  14  and the elongate sound tube  15  portion of the stethoscope  12  disposed in the interior volume of the sleeve  12  while the two earpiece tubes  22  stethoscope are exposed. In a second embodiment of the sleeve  10  as shown in  FIG. 3 , the sleeve  10  receives only the head  14  of the stethoscope  12 . In such manner, the stethoscope is protectively covered and effectively isolated from bio-contaminants. 
     Once the sleeve  10  is installed about the stethoscope  12 , the user may utilize the stethoscope in normal fashion, placing the ear cups in the appropriate position and listening to the patient by grasping the head  14  and applying the head  14  to the desired area. 
     After using the stethoscope  12  on a patient, the user may remove the sleeve  10  by simply decompressing the clip  28  and pulling the sleeve  10  off of the sound tube  14  and head  14  of the stethoscope  12 , disposing of the sleeve  10  thereafter. Even though utilized in examining the patient, the head  14  and sound tube  15  of the stethoscope  12  have not been in contact with the examined patient because of the presence of the sleeve  10 , and thereby they remain uncontaminated and safe for use again with the next patient. The clip  28  remains of the stethoscope for releasably securing another unused sleeve  10  installed prior to the next examination. 
     The stethoscope sleeve as described herein minimizes the risk of transmission of infection from one patient to another via a contaminated stethoscope by isolating the stethoscope in a disposable, biologically impermeable sleeve  10  which may be removed and changed between examinations. 
     Although a disposable stethoscope cover has been shown and described in considerable detail with respect to only a few exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that I do not intend to be limited to the embodiments since various modifications, omissions and additions may be made to the disclosed embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the stethoscope cover, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. For example, the clip may be used to mount other objects, such as name tags, pens, pencils, other medical or non-medical accessories, and the like. Accordingly, I intend to cover all such modifications, omission, additions and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.