Abstract:
A one-time use disposable liner for hospital wash basins to decrease the cross-contamination that currently exists. The liner has a plastic portion and an elastic portion to elastically secure to the sidewalls of a basin.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This non-provisional patent application claims priority from provisional patent application number 61289416 filed on 23 Dec. 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is a protective liner for bedside washbasins, which are generally used for giving bed baths to patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and other care facilities. The plastic liner is disposable and is designed to prevent the transmission of harmful bacteria, which often grows inside the washbasins. This product protects the receptacles from contamination, thereby reducing the risk of hospital acquired infections. It has been estimated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that about 200,000 people die annually due to hospital borne illnesses. 
         [0003]    Many hospitals and care facilities employ the use of washbasins to assist in bathing patients. These basins are continuously reused and serve as a breeding ground for infections and bacteria. Bed basins are one of the main causes of nosocomial infections, or infections that are acquired during a hospital stay. 
         [0004]    Some hospitals have eliminated bed basins for this reason; however other bathing methods are not capable of properly cleaning a patient. 
         [0005]    This present invention is designed to be used in hospitals and nursing homes, and even assisted living facilities if so needed, it may be a disposable plastic covering, held in place by a nonwoven elasticized fabric, the plastic fits the entire inside of the patient&#39;s bedside wash basins, and also emesis basins, the plastic laps over the rim of the receptacles, and may be held firmly against the circumference of the receptacles by the non woven elasticized fabric, the plastic must be able to hold water up to about 106 degrees Fahrenheit, water warm enough for bathing patients. This item would be a onetime use each time used; it would protect the receptacles from contamination. 
         [0006]    Recent research indicates that at three acute care hospitals, 92 basins including basins from 3 intensive care units were evaluated results showed that these receptacles had positive growths of bacterial contamination e.g. 54%;  enterococci  32%; gram negative organism 23%;  staphylococcus aureus  23%; vancomycin resistant  enterococci  13%; methicillin resistant  aureus  8%;  pseudomonas aeruginos  5%;  candida albicans  3%; and  escherichia coli  2%. This data confirms the fact that one way hospital acquired infection can also be brought about through the reusing of contaminated receptacles like the patient&#39;s bath basins. 
         [0007]    Currently the state of the art is for hospital personnel to simply use wipes, or disinfectant wipes, which are not effective in removing contamination of the wash basins. 
         [0008]    Therefore the need of the present invention exists. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    One aspect of the present invention is a basin ( 50 ) liner ( 10 ), comprising: a waterproof surface ( 20 ) terminating in a stretchable band ( 30 ); said stretchable band ( 40 ) having a width; whereas said stretchable band ( 30 ) is capable of being stretched over the basin ( 50 ) top edge ( 60 ) and said stretchable band ( 30 ) can secure to the basin side wall ( 70 ) due to the compressive forces inherent in elastic material. 
         [0010]    Another aspect of the present invention is a basin ( 50 ) liner ( 10 ), comprising: a stretchable band ( 30 ) surrounding a waterproof surface ( 10 ); said stretchable band ( 40 ) having a width; whereas said stretchable band ( 30 ) is capable of being stretched over the basin ( 50 ) top edge ( 60 ) and said stretchable band ( 30 ) can secure to the basin side wall ( 70 ) due to the compressive forces inherent in elastic material. 
         [0011]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates another view of an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]      10  removable and disposable wash basin liner 
         [0016]      20  waterproof surface 
         [0017]      30  stretchable band 
         [0018]      40  width of stretchable band 
         [0019]      50  wash basin 
         [0020]      60  basin top edge 
         [0021]      70  basin sidewall 
         [0022]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0023]    Generally, there may be different types of bath basins used in hospitals. Round ones, and oblong or oval shaped ones, and rectangular ones. There is also a bean shaped emesis basin. The present invention may be a combination of plastic which fits into any of these receptacles. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment, the present invention be, overlapping about one and a half inch (1½″) on the outside, held in place firmly against the receptacle  50 , by a non woven elasticized fabric  30  that is attached to the plastic  20 . The plastic  20  covers the entire inside and rims of these receptacles  50 , so as to not allow contamination, since these are reusable receptacles  50 . This liner  20  would be of a one-time use, so there would be no chance of the retransmitting of bacteria or other cross-contamination to the patient, at the same time keeping the receptacle  50  germ free. Without use of the present invention, the re-use of basins  50  may have been identified as a source of cross-contamination. 
         [0025]    The present invention  10  has been tested and can withstand and hold water up to 106 degrees Fahrenheit. However in most cases, the water just has to be warm enough to bathe the patients. 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, the present invention  10  may be able to fit onto a rectangular basin  50  having a length of twenty seven and one quarter inches (27¼″) by twenty one and one half inches (21½″). The stretchable band  30  may be made of a non woven stretch material band three inches (3″) wide by thirty two (32″) inches in length or diameter. Therefore the band  30  may be stretched while sewn on to fabric in order to hold liner  20  snugly against the receptacle  50  or basin  50 . 
         [0027]    Basins  50  may also be round. In one embodiment, the present invention  10  may be able to securely fit a round basin  50  that may be thirty seven and one half (37½″) in circumference on the upper end, and it may be thirty two (32″) inches in circumference at the base. The base is the portion that contacts a table or floor if the basin  50  is resting on the table or floor respectively. The depth of the basin  50  may be four (4″) inches. 
         [0028]    In one embodiment the waterproof surface  20  or plastic  20  may terminate in a woven stretch material  30 , that may have a length or circumference of about thirty two (32″) and a width  40  of about two and one half inches (2½″) wide. The stretchable material  30  may be stretched while sewn on to plastic  20 , in order to hold plastic  20  snugly against the circumference of the receptacle  50 . When the present invention  10  is disposed on the basin  50  in this manner, the present invention protects the receptacle  50  from cross contamination, because the present invention  10  is a onetime use apparatus. 
         [0029]    Broadly, the present invention  10  may be used for applying on wash basins  50 , the kind typically used in hospitals. 
         [0030]    The present invention  10  offers a safe and effective method of preventing the spread of germs and bacteria while using hospital washbasins  50 . This product  10  consists of a disposable plastic liner  10  that is used to protect the inside of the basin from bacteria. The plastic portion  20 , also referred to the waterproof surface  20 , covers the entire inner basin and overlaps the rim of the basin. It is secured to the rim by an elasticized, nonporous, biodegradable material  30 , also referred to herein as a stretchable band  30  that may be sewn around, or otherwise attach to the circumference of the plastic portion  20 , or waterproof surface  20 . The elastic band  30  or stretchable band  30  may have a width  40 , and the width  40  may be approximately 2½″ wide. The present invention liner  10  is designed to accommodate basins of various sizes, including round, oval, oblong, and the like. The liner may be disposed of after each use. The exact specifications may vary. 
         [0031]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the invention has a waterproof surface  20 . In one embodiment, the waterproof surface is not stretchable, which allows it to accommodate the shape of the wash basin  50 , so that the waterproof surface may be disposed adjacent the wash basin  50 . The perimeter of the waterproof surface  20  may terminate in a stretchable band  30 . The stretchable band  30  may be stretched over the top of the wash basin  50 , and the stretchable band  30  may then be secured to the outside upstanding wall of the wash basin  50  by its compression forces created by the stretched stretchable band  40 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the present invention  10 , showing the waterproof surface  20  that conforms to the shape of the wash basin  50 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  illustrates the present invention  10  applied to a rectangular shaped wash basin  50 . The stretchable band  30  can stretch over the top of the rectangular shaped wash basin  50  and secured to the sides of the wash basin  50 .  FIG. 3  also illustrates how the waterproof surface  20  can conform to the shape of a rectangular shaped wash basin  50 . 
         [0034]    The present invention  10  may be made from a variety of materials, including but not limited to any one or more of the following materials; latex, polyisoprene, and neoprene. 
         [0035]    These materials may allow the stretchable band  30  to be elastic.