Patent Publication Number: US-2023148690-A1

Title: Sanitary assistive device for finger

Description:
This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No. 63/279,102 filed Nov. 13, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference and relied upon. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates generally to assistive devices for opening shopping bags, and more particularly to sanitary assistive devices worn on a user&#39;s finger for opening thin plastic shopping bags. Separating adjacent walls of plastic bags is a struggle for most people. The plastic bag walls are very thin and tend to stick together making it difficult for a user to obtain access to the inside of the bag. This leaves many shoppers frustrated. Some shoppers lick their fingers in an attempt to assist separation. This is very unsanitary and contributes to the spreading of germs. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Various forms of fingertip covers are available in the prior art. Most of these are manufactured from a rubber or silicone rubber and attempt to utilize small elastomeric projections from the surface to improve frictional capabilities for separating the back. This rarely works well. What is needed is a more effective bag wall separation device and a device that helps reduce the spreading of germs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Disclosed herein are novel sanitary assistive devices worn on a user&#39;s finger for opening thin plastic shopping or produce bags. The sanitary assistive device can also be referred to as a sanitary bag opening device. 
     In one form, a sanitary assistive device comprises an elongate tube body. 
     In one form, the elongate tube body comprises a proximal port axis extending centrally. 
     In one form, the elongate tube body is enclosed on a distal end by a distal wall. 
     In one form, the elongate tube body comprises a tube wall with an inner face formed thereon. 
     In one form, the inner face is generally cylindrical but may assume other profiles such as polygons. 
     In one form, the inner face defines a finger space sized for housing a user&#39;s finger. The inner face faces interior. 
     In one form, the elongate tube comprises an outer face formed on the tube wall facing the exterior. 
     In one form, the elongate tube body comprises a proximal face at a proximal end and which extends between the inner face and the outer face. 
     In one form, a proximal port extends through the proximal face to provide entry for a user&#39;s finger into the finger space from a proximal end. 
     In one form, a distal face is formed on the distal wall and faces distally. 
     In one form, an end face is formed on the distal wall and faces proximally. 
     In one form, a joint face extends laterally between the proximal end and distal through the elongate tube body and extends between the inner face and outer face. 
     In one form, the joint face defines a joint port laterally extending through a side of the elongate tube body. 
     In one form, the joint port is offset from midline towards a proximal end of the elongate tube body. 
     In one form, a tack face defines a tack port extending through a side of the elongate tube body. 
     In one form, the tack port and the joint port are substantially on opposed sides of the elongate tube body. 
     In one form, the tack port is spaced from midline towards a distal end of the elongate tube body. 
     In one form, the tack face extends between the inner face and outer face of the elongate tube body. 
     In one form, the tack port comprises a central tack port axis that is substantially perpendicular to the proximal port axis. 
     In one form, the joint port comprises one or more joint axes that are substantially perpendicular to the proximal port axis. 
     In one form, the finger space comprises a diameter smaller than a user&#39;s finger and the sanitary assistive device can be stretched over to a larger diameter thereby providing a frictional fit over the end of the finger. 
     In one form, the elongate tube body is made from an elastomeric material such as a silicone. 
     In one form, a tack is housed in the tack port. 
     In one form, the tack comprises a T-shaped body 
     In one form, the T-shaped body comprises and enlarged head. 
     In one form, the enlarged head is substantially flat. 
     In one form, a tactile surface is formed on the top of the enlarged head and is opposed by a stop surface on the opposing side of the enlarged head. 
     In one form, the T-shaped body comprises a stem extending from the enlarged head. 
     In one form, the stem is elongate and comprises an annular recess. 
     In one form, the T-shaped body comprises a tip at and opposing the enlarged head. 
     In one form, the profile of the stem complements the profile of the tack port. 
     In one form, the tip extends beyond the outer face of the elongate tube body a distance E in an assembled configuration. 
     In one form, a tack flap extends from the outer face of the elongate tube body from a position proximally adjacent the tack port and extends over the tack port. 
     In one form, the tack flap comprises a cover face facing the outer face. 
     In one form, the tack flap comprises an exterior face opposing the cover face. 
     In one form, the tack flap is biased whereby the cover face covers the tip of the tack in a covered configuration. 
     In one form, a user exposes the tip of the tack by retracting the tack flap proximally in a retracted configuration. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily appreciated when considered in connection with the following detailed description and appended drawings, wherein each drawing is according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein, and wherein: 
         FIG.  1    depicts a proximal perspective view of a sanitary assistive device; 
         FIG.  2    depicts a distal perspective view of the sanitary assistive device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    depicts a side view of the sanitary assistive device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    depicts a cross-sectional view of the sanitary assistive device of  FIG.  1    through plane F; 
         FIG.  5    depicts a close-up cross-sectional view of the sanitary assistive device of  FIG.  1    through plane F; 
         FIG.  6    depicts a close-up cross-sectional view of the sanitary assistive device of  FIG.  1    through plane F with tack flap covering the tack; 
         FIG.  7    depicts a close-up cross-sectional view of the sanitary assistive device of  FIG.  1    through plane F with the tack flap retracted from the tack; 
         FIG.  8    depicts a perspective view of a tack used in the sanitary assistive device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  9    depicts a cross-sectional perspective view of the tack used in the sanitary assistive device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  10    depicts a user&#39;s finger seated inside a cross-sectional view of the sanitary assistive device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  11    is a flow diagram depicting steps for using the sanitary assistive devices disclosed herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SELECTED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Select embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the Figures. Like numerals indicate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views and wherein various embodiments are separated by letters (i.e.  100 ,  100 B,  100 C). The terminology used in the description presented herein is not intended to be interpreted in any limited or restrictive way, simply because it is being utilized in conjunction with detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may include several novel features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which is essential to practicing the invention described herein. 
       FIG.  1 - 5    depict views of a preferred embodiment of a novel sanitary assistive device.  FIGS.  1 - 2    are perspective views,  FIG.  3    is a side view, and  FIGS.  4 - 7 ,  9    are cross-sectional views through central plane F.  FIGS.  4 ,  6 ,  7    illustrates the sanitary assistive device  100  that includes tack  138  whereas  FIG.  5    illustrates the device with tack  138  removed. 
     The sanitary assistive device  100  is worn on a user&#39;s finger as illustrated in  FIG.  10   , to assist with opening thin plastic bags and as a sanitary barrier. In this embodiment, the sanitary assistive device  100  comprises an elongate tube body  114 . The elongate tube body  114  comprises a proximal port axis (Axis A) extending centrally along the elongate tube body  114 . On a distal end, the elongate tube body is enclosed by a distal wall  115  whereas a tube wall  118  forms the elongate tube body and has an inner face  120  formed thereon facing interior. Although it may assume other profiles such as polygons such as a hexagon, the inner face  120  in this embodiment is generally cylindrical and defines a finger space  122  sized for housing a user&#39;s finger. An outer face  124  is formed on the tube wall  118  and faces the exterior. 
     The elongate tube body  114  comprises a proximal face  126  at a proximal end and which extends between the inner face  120  and the outer face  124 . A proximal port  128  extends through the proximal face  126  to provide entry for a user&#39;s finger to reside in finger space  122  from a proximal end. As illustrated here, a distal face  117  is formed on the distal wall  115  and faces distally, whereas, an end face  116  is formed on the distal wall  115  and faces proximally. A joint face  130  extends laterally partially through the elongate tube body  114  and again extends between the inner face  120  and outer face  124 . The joint face  130  defines a joint port  132  laterally extending through a side of the elongate tube body  114 . The joint port  132  is spaced towards a proximal end of the elongate tube body and is formed to accommodate an enlarged DIP joint as it rises during bending. 
     A tack face  134  ( FIG.  5   ) defines a tack port  136  extending through a side of the elongate tube body between the inner face  120  and outer face  124 . In preferred forms, the tack port  136  and the joint port  132  are positioned substantially on opposed sides of the elongate tube body  114 . As illustrated in the Figures, the tack port  136  is spaced towards a distal end of the elongate tube body with the tack face  134  extending between the inner face  120  and outer face  124  of the elongate tube body. The tack port  136  comprises a central tack port axis (axis B) that is substantially perpendicular to the proximal port axis. 
     In some embodiments, the finger space  122  comprises a diameter smaller than a user&#39;s finger and can be stretched over a larger diameter thereby providing a frictional fit over the end of the finger. The elongate tube body is made from an elastomeric material such as a silicone. 
     A tack  138  comprising a T-shaped body  140  is housed in the tack port  136  in an assembled configuration. The T-shaped body  140  comprises an enlarged head  142 . The enlarged head and stem in this embodiment are rounded as if turned on a lathe. Here, the enlarged head  142  is substantially flat. Tactile surface  146  is formed on the top of the enlarged head  142  and is opposed by a stop surface  146  on the opposing side of the enlarged head  142 . The tactile surface is positioned in the assembled configuration to abut the user&#39;s finger pad of their distal phalange  104 . The T-shaped body  140  comprises a stem  148  extending from the enlarged head  142 . The stem  148  comprises an annular recess  150 . The profile of the stem  148  complements the profile of the tack port  136  such that the stem can be pressed and seated therein. When seated in the tack port  136 , the protruding tack port ridge  135  is seated within the annular recess  150  thereby retaining the tack  138  in the in the tack port. The T-shaped body  140  comprises a tip  152 . As illustrated, the tip  152  extends beyond the outer face  124  of the elongate tube body  114  a distance E in an assembled configuration. This distance is just enough for the tip  152  to catch on one layer of a plastic bag when dragged across its surface. The tack is preferably made from a rigid material such as a polymer, or metal. Vibrations through the tack are transmitted to the user&#39;s finger pad of their distal phalange providing the user a sensitive sense of touch despite wearing the assistive device. The tack can also be used to perform tasks such as pressing buttons on a keypad. 
     As illustrated in the Figures, a tack flap  154  extends from the outer face  124  of the elongate tube body  114  from a position proximally adjacent the tack port  136 . The tack flap  154  comprises a cover face  156  facing the outer face  124  and an exterior face  158  opposing the cover face  156 . The tack flap  154  is biased whereby the cover face  156  covers the tip  152  of the tack  138  in a covered configuration. A user exposes the tip  152  of the tack  138  by retracting the tack flap  154  proximally in a retracted configuration. This is done for example, by rubbing the user&#39;s thumb proximately over the tack flap such that the tack flap moves from the position illustrated in  FIG.  6    to the position illustrated in  FIG.  7   . 
     A method of separating thin plastic bags utilizing a the novel sanitary assistive device described herein comprises the following steps ( FIG.  11   ). Obtaining a sanitary assistive device as described in the previous paragraphs that includes an elongate tube body, a proximal port leading into a finger space, a joint port, a tack port with a T-shaped tack housed therein, and a tack flap extending over the tack port from an outer face of the elongate tube body ( 170 ). Sliding a user&#39;s finger through the proximal port such that it is fully seated in a finger space whereby the user&#39;s finger pad of their distal phalange is resting on a tactile surface of a tack housed in a finger port of the sanitary assistive device ( 172 ). Obtaining a thin plastic bag ( 174 ). Retract the tack flap, for example by placing the user&#39;s thumb over the tack flap retracting the tack flap proximally thereby exposing the tip of the tack ( 176 ). Placing the tip of the tack on an outer surface of the thin plastic bag and dragging such that the sides of the thin plastic bag separate to provide access to the inside of the bag ( 178 ). 
     It is noted that the terms “substantially” and “about” and “generally” may be utilized herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. These terms are also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue. 
     The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the invention.