Abstract:
The present invention relates to a barrier, and more particularly, to an emission bag where a user coughs or sneezes into the emission bag, with the emission bag acting as a barrier such that pathogens transmitted from a nose or mouth will be confined to an interior of the emission bag. The emission bag has small perforations allowing it to breathe, so that when a user coughs or sneezes into the emission bag, it doesn&#39;t immediately fill full of air and cause a blow-back of the pathogens onto a user&#39;s face. Additionally, the small perforations are medicated with an anti-septic, such that emissions are sterilized upon passing through the small perforations.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM  
       [0001]     This application is a Continuation In Part Application, claiming the benefit of priority to non-provisional application Ser. No. 10/651,530, filed in the United States on Aug. 29, 2003, and titled “Emission Bag”. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a barrier, and more particularly, to an emission bag where a user coughs or sneezes into the emission bag, with the emission bag acting as a barrier such that pathogens ejected from a nose or mouth will be confined to an interior of the emission bag. Additionally, the emission bag has small perforations that are medicated with an anti-septic, such that emissions are sterilized upon passing through the small perforations.  
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0003]     Pathogens are often transmitted through fluid droplets, such as mucous, saliva, and nasal secretions. Projected through a cough or sneeze, the droplets act as carriers, transferring the pathogen from one individual to another. A single cough may produce anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand droplets, each potentially contaminated with pathogens. Contrasted with a sneeze, a sneeze may produce anywhere from a few hundred to a few million droplets. While some of the droplets produced by a sneeze may be large enough to immediately fall to the floor, others evaporate, forming residues of “droplet nuclei” which may remain airborne for hours or even days.  
         [0004]     Preventing transmission of pathogens is often accomplished through use of barriers. The barriers are used to prevent the droplets from transferring to one&#39;s hand or from becoming airborne. The barriers take form as rubber gloves, handkerchiefs, tissues, and mitts. While effective in a sterile setting such as a hospital, rubber gloves are impractical for daily use. If an individual were to sneeze or cough, she would unlikely place a rubber glove over her hands before sneezing into them. While more practical than rubber gloves, handkerchiefs and tissues do little to prevent contamination of the hands since the microorganisms progress through the barrier from one site to another.  
         [0005]     In an attempt to prevent contamination of the hands, a few inventors have created mitts with impervious layers. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,196,244 and 5,864,883, to Beck and Reo respectively, a mitt-like bag couples an impervious inner layer with an absorbent external layer. As disclosed in Beck and Reo, a user inserts her hand into the mitt-like bag and proceeds to blow her nose, sneeze, or cough onto the absorbent external layer of the mitt-like bag. The user then turns the mitt-like bag inside-out, sealing any pathogens on a now interior portion.  
         [0006]     Although the mitt-like bags are successful in preventing contamination of the hands, they are not entirely successful in preventing pathogens from becoming airborne. When sneezing directly onto the absorbent external layer of the mitt-like bag, it is likely that pathogens will escape. Additionally, because of the impervious inner layer, if a user were to sneeze directly into an internal portion of the mitt-like bag, air would quickly fill the mitt-like bag and cause a blow-back of pathogens onto the user&#39;s face.  
         [0007]     Therefore, there exists a need to present a bag where a user may sneeze or cough directly into an internal portion of a sealable bag, the bag being such that it allows air to pass through the bag, while keeping droplets and pathogens in the internal portion. Additionally, because sneezes and coughs often come unexpectantly, it is desirable that the bag be small and portable, allowing a user to carry one bag or a package of several bags. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention comprises an emission bag for covering a nose and mouth in such a manner that pathogens transmitted from the nose and mouth will be confined to an interior of the emission bag. The emission bag comprises a piece of material with an opening; and a bag attached with the piece of material and opening, such that an entrance to an interior of the emission bag is through the opening.  
         [0009]     In another aspect, a top film is attached with the emission bag, such that manipulating the top film exposes the opening. Additionally, a bottom film is attached with a bottom portion of the piece of material, whereby manipulating the bottom film exposes the bag. In another aspect, the bottom film may also be attached with an exterior surface of the bag, such that pulling on the bottom film pulls open the bag and extends the bag away from the opening.  
         [0010]     In another aspect, the piece of material is constructed from a material selected from a group consisting of plastic, metal and paperboard. Additionally, the piece of material may have perforations, allowing it to fold along the perforations and thereby create two opposing sides.  
         [0011]     In yet another aspect, the piece of material has an enclosure apparatus, such that when the piece of material is folded along the perforations, the enclosure apparatus on the two opposing sides come into contact with each other and thereby seal the emission bag. The enclosure apparatus is selected from a group consisting of adhesive tabs, tape, Velcro, glue, and twist-ties.  
         [0012]     Additionally, the bag is constructed of a material selected from a group consisting of plastic, paper and cloth.  
         [0013]     In another aspect, the bag has small perforations allowing the bag to breathe. The small perforations are medicated with an anti-septic on the interior of the bag, such that emissions are sterilized upon passing through the small perforations.  
         [0014]     Furthermore, the bag has an entrance and a base and the entrance has an area and the base has an area, where the area of the entrance is smaller than the area of the base.  
         [0015]     Finally, a wet napkin may be placed within the interior of the bag and may further be medicated. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     The nature of the emission bag described herein will be readily apparent in the following drawings, in which:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the present invention, showing a piece of material with an opening;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention, taken from line II-II of  FIG. 1 , showing the piece of material with a top film and a bottom film attached thereto;  
         [0019]      FIG. 2B  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention, taken from line II-II of  FIG. 1 , showing an emission bag attached with the piece of material; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention, taken from line II-II of  FIG. 1 , showing the piece of material being folded, with two opposing sides coming into contact with each other and thereby sealing the emission bag.  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention, taken from line II-II of  FIG. 1 , showing a wet napkin placed within the bag.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]     The present invention relates to a barrier, and more particularly, to an emission bag where a user coughs or sneezes into the emission bag, with the emission bag acting as a barrier such that pathogens transmitted from a nose or mouth will be confined to an interior of the emission bag. Additionally, the emission bag has small perforations that are medicated with an anti-septic, such that emissions are sterilized upon passing through the small perforations. An inherent advantage of this invention is that it is small and portable, allowing a user to carry a single emission bag or a package containing several emission bags.  
         [0023]     The following description, taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings, is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. Various modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to a wide range of aspects. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the aspects presented, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. Furthermore it should be noted that unless explicitly stated otherwise, the figures included herein are illustrated diagrammatically and without any specific scale, as they are provided as qualitative illustrations of the concept of the present invention.  
         [0024]     Referring to the figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates an aspect of the emission bag  100  as piece of material  102  with an opening  104 . The piece of material  102  may be constructed of any suitably semi-rigid material, non-limiting examples of which include plastic, metal and paperboard. For example, the piece of material  102  may be a planar board constructed of paperboard, with the opening  104  as a hole in the planar board. Furthermore, the piece of material  102  may be any suitably portable size, a non-limiting example of which includes Five and one-half inches long by four and one-half inches wide with a thickness of five-ply. Additionally, the piece of material  102  may be comprised of a single layer or multiple layers. The opening  104  may be any suitable size and shape, a non-limiting example of which includes a circular opening with a diameter of two and one-half inches. The piece of material  102  has perforations  106  running from one side of the piece of material  102  to the other, allowing it to fold along the perforations  106  and thereby creating two opposing sides  108 . The number of perforations  106  may be any suitable number allowing the piece of material  102  to be folded, a non-limiting example of which includes three on each side of the opening  104 . Furthermore, the size of the perforations  106  may be any suitable size allowing the piece of material  102  to be folded, a non-limiting example of which includes fourteen gauge holes.  
         [0025]     An enclosure apparatus  110  is attached with the piece of material  102 , such that when the piece of material  102  is folded along the perforations  106 , the enclosure apparatus  110  on the two opposing sides  108  come into contact with each other and thereby seal the emission bag  100 . The enclosure apparatus  110  may be any suitable apparatus for affixing two mediums together, non-limiting examples of which include adhesive tabs, tape, Velcro, glue, and twist-ties.  
         [0026]     As illustrated in  FIG. 2A , a top film  200  is attached with the emission bag  100 , such that the top film  200  needs to be peeled off or otherwise manipulated in order to expose the opening  104 . The top film  200  may be attached with the emission bag  100  through any suitable means for affixing two mediums together, non-liming examples of which include staples, tape, adhesive and being in-sewn. The top film  200  may be any suitable size to cover the opening  104 , a non-limiting example of which includes being five and one-half inches long by four and one-half inches wide. Additionally, the top film  200  may be attached with the enclosure apparatus  110  or attached with the piece of material  102 . Furthermore, the top film  200  may be constructed of any suitable material for covering the opening  104 , non-limiting examples of which include a flexible clear plastic film, and paperboard.  
         [0027]     Attached with a bottom portion  202  of the piece of material  102 , is a bottom film  204 . The bottom film  204  may be attached with the bottom portion  202  of the piece of material  102  through any suitable means for affixing two mediums together, non-liming examples of which include staples, tape, adhesive and being in-sewn. The bottom film  204  may be removed or otherwise manipulated to expose a bag  206 , allowing the bag  206  to be extended from the piece of material  102 . In addition to being attached with the piece of material  102 , the bottom film  204  may be optionally attached with an exterior surface of the bag  206 , such that pulling on the bottom film  204  pulls open the bag  206  and extends the bag  206  away from the opening  104 . The bottom film  204  may be constructed of any suitable material for covering or protecting the bag  206 , non-limiting examples of which include a flexible clear plastic film, and paperboard. When paperboard, a piece of plastic would be attached in a center of the bottom film  204  to help prevent any medication from drying out.  
         [0028]     As illustrated in  FIG. 2B , the bag  206  is attached with the piece of material  102  and opening  104 , such that an entrance to an interior  208  of the bag  206  is through the opening  104 . The bag  206  may be attached with the piece of material  102  through any suitable means for affixing two mediums together, non-limiting examples of which include staples, tape, adhesive, in-sewn, and being compressed between multiple layers of the piece of material  102 . The bag  206  may be constructed of any suitable material for constructing a bag, non-limiting examples of which include plastic, paper and cloth. The bag  206  has small perforations  210 , allowing the bag  206  to breathe, such that when a user sneezes or coughs into the bag  206 , air is allowed to pass through the small perforations  210 . The number of small perforations  210  may be any suitable number to allow the bag  206  to breathe, a non-limiting example of which includes five perforations. Additionally, the size of the small perforations  210  may be any suitable size to allow the bag  206  to breathe, a non-limiting example of which includes a diameter of one millimeters. Furthermore, the small perforations  210  are medicated with an anti-septic, such that emissions are sterilized upon passing through the small perforations  210  from an interior  208  of the bag  206  to an exterior  212  of the bag  206 . Additionally, the bag  206  may be any suitable size or shape, a non-limiting example of which includes five and one-half inches wide by seven inches long. In another example, the bag  206  has an entrance  214  and a base  216 , where an area of the entrance  214  may be smaller than an area of the base  216 . Furthermore, the bottom film  204  may optionally be attached with the bag  206 , such that pulling on the bottom film  204  pulls open the bag  206 .  
         [0029]     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the emission bag  100  may be sealed, containing any pathogens inside. When the piece of material  102  is folded along the perforations  106 , the two opposing sides  108  are brought together. When the two opposing sides  108  are brought together, the enclosure apparatus  110  on the two opposing sides  108  come into contact with each other and thereby seal the emission bag  100 . When sealed, any pathogens are trapped in the interior  208  of the bag  206 .  
         [0030]     Illustrated in  FIG. 4  is the emission bag  100  with a wet napkin  400 . In this aspect, the emission bag  100  contains a wet napkin  400  placed within the interior  208  of the bag  206 . The wet napkin  400  may be constructed of any suitable material for creating a napkin, non-limiting examples of which include paper and cloth. Additionally, the wet napkin  400  may be any suitable size and thickness, a non-limiting example of which includes being six inches wide by eight inches long, and with a thickness of two-ply. Further, the wet napkin  400  may be medicated with an anti-septic or any other suitable medication. Placement of the wet napkin  400  within the interior  208  of the bag  206  will help to reduce the drying out of the anti-septic associated with the small perforations  210 . Additionally, the wet napkin  400  may be used to wipe ones nose or mouth after a cough or sneeze and thereafter sealed within the interior  208  of the bag  206 .