Abstract:
A disposable cover for seats, which may comprise a bag for enveloping a seat back. The bag may comprise two layers including an outer liquid absorbent material and an inner water impermeable layer. An opening permits air to escape when the cover is being installed over a seat back. The cover may have an element for gathering the same about the seat back. The cover may include leg covers in the form of tabs which project from the cover to extend over the seat where a person&#39;s legs would contact the seat.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This application relates generally to a disposable cover for seats. More particularly, this application is directed to a bag-like member intended for installation over the seat back of a seat, such as an upholstered seat intended for public accommodations. 
         [0002]    Many seats and chairs are covered with fabric or other permeable coverings for user comfort. Examples are upholstered chairs and seats and fabric covered chairs and seats. Other coverings such as leather and even plastic materials are also susceptible to contamination by dander, perspiration, spilled beverages and toiletries such as skin lotion, among many others. 
         [0003]    In most places which offer public accommodation for seating, such as trains, airplanes, ships, busses, restaurants, meeting and lecture halls, theaters, and waiting rooms, seats are left unprotected. These seats may become fouled over time due to spills and due to long term exposure to bodily fluids and substances. In extreme cases, insect infestations, such as lice, mites, fleas, and others may be transferred to the seats. There exists a need for easily installed, inexpensive protection for seats intended for public use. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    This application discloses a disposable seat cover intended for promoting hygiene in seats intended for public accommodations. 
         [0005]    In particular, this application discloses a disposable seat cover which is particularly suitable for preventing cross contamination between an upholstered or cushioned seat and a member of the public using that seat. 
         [0006]    Of course, it is not necessary that use of the novel seat cover be reserved for public accommodations. The novel seat cover may be used in the home or in other private facilities to protect chairs and seats, especially those having liquid permeable upholstering, cushioning, or other covering which might be susceptible to permeation from bodily fluids, spilled beverages, and other potential contaminants. 
         [0007]    A novel disposable seat cover is disclosed, which seat cover slips over and conforms to the seat back of a seat or chair, and which can be quickly removed therefrom and discarded. 
         [0008]    This application also discloses a construction of a disposable seat cover, wherein the seat cover is fabricated from two joined plies, including an outer liquid absorbent layer and an inner liquid impermeable layer. The outer layer retains bodily fluids such as perspiration. The inner layer prevents perspiration, small insects and pests, and some particulate matter, such as dandruff, dust, pollen, dirt, and lint from passing to and potentially contaminating upholstery and cushions. The inner layer also prevents contaminants already present in the upholstery or cushions of the seat from being transferred to a new user. 
         [0009]    This application also discloses additional advantageous features of a disposable seat cover, such as an opening to permit air to be rapidly evacuated while installing the seat cover over a seat back, extensions to extend protection to the legs of the user, and an element for gathering the seat cover so as to conform closely to the dimensions of the seat on which it is installed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The drawings, when considered in connection with the following description, are presented for the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a disposable seat cover according to one aspect of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional detail view illustrating constituency of a constituent material for making a disposable seat cover. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional detail view similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing a different construction. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of a disposable seat cover according to another aspect of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of a disposable seat cover according to a third aspect of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view of a disposable seat cover according to a fourth aspect of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of a disposable seat cover according to a fifth aspect of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of one construction of tubular stock material for making a disposable seat cover. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a pattern of single thickness stock material for making a disposable seat cover. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a block diagram illustrating summarized steps of a method of practicing the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a disposable seat cover  10  according to one aspect of the invention. The seat cover  10  is intended for covering a cushioned, upholstered, or otherwise covered seat back  2  of a seat or chair  4 , which seat back  2  is permeable to fluids and fine particulate matter. The chair  4  comprises a seat bottom  6  which is similarly cushioned, upholstered, or otherwise covered, and thereby susceptible to the same type of contamination which could occur with the seat back  2 . The seat cover  10  may comprise an envelope portion  12  for encircling the seat back  2 , the envelope portion  12  comprising a front panel  14  for covering the front of the seat back  2  and a rear panel  16  for spanning the rear of the seat back  2 . The envelope portion  12  has a proximal end  18  which is formed at the top of the seat  4  or seat back  2  when the envelope portion  12  is placed over the seat back  2  as it would be installed to cover the seat back  2 . In this installed condition, the front panel  14  covers the front of the seat back  2  and the rear panel  16  spans the rear of the seat back  2  so as to support the front panel  14  in its operative condition covering the front of the seat back  2 . 
         [0022]    The proximal end  18  of the envelope portion  12  may have a proximal opening  20 , for relieving relatively high and low internal air pressures which would otherwise develop within the envelope portion  12  when the latter is drawn over the seat back  2  and removed therefrom. The lower or distal end  22  of the envelope portion  12  has a distal opening  24  to pass the seat back  2  as the envelope portion  12  is being installed over the seat back  2 . The envelope portion  12  may be of generally constant diameter when installed on the seat back  2 , with the diameter thereof great enough to pass the seat back  2  through the distal opening  24  into the envelope portion  12  for installation. Alternatively stated, the distal opening  24  is a diameter about equal to that of the envelope portion  12 . 
         [0023]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the front panel  14  may comprise an outer web  26  of liquid retentive, permeable material, and an inner web  28  of liquid impermeable material such as polyethylene or polypropylene film. The outer web  26  may comprise for example a soft fabric material, which may be made from natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or a blend of natural and synthetic. Natural fibers may include among others, cotton, linen, and hemp. Synthetic materials may include polyester, polyamide, and nylon. Fibers may be microfibers. As an alternative, and as shown in  FIG. 3 , the outer web  126  of a front panel  114  may comprise a flexible netting material  126 . In other respects, the front panel  114  may be structurally and functionally identical to the front panel  14  of  FIG. 1 . The inner web  128  of the front panel  114  may comprise for example a synthetic polymeric material  128  such as polyethylene or polypropylene film. 
         [0024]    It would be possible to provide the outer web only in limited areas, such as on the front panel, such as the front panel  14 , only, and to omit the outer web in other areas. 
         [0025]    Again referring to  FIG. 1 , the seat cover  12  may comprise at least one extension tab (two extension tabs  30  and  32  are shown) which extends from the envelope portion  12  at the distal end  22  thereof. In use, the extension tab or tabs  30 ,  32  are arranged to underlie the thighs of a person (not shown) sitting in the seat bottom  6 . A single extension tab (not shown) spanning both thighs may be substituted for the two extension tabs  30  and  32  if desired. 
         [0026]    Turning now to  FIG. 4 , the disposable seat cover  10  may further comprise a gathering element for constricting the overall diameter of the envelope portion  12  so that when installed on the seat back  2 , the envelope portion  12  is gathered about and conforms closely to the seat back  2 . The gathering element may comprise a draw string  34  suitably secured to the envelope portion  12  by for example, being contained within a hem  36 . The two free ends  38 ,  40  of the draw string  34  may be drawn apart to constrict the draw string  34  about the envelope portion  12  and then tied together. 
         [0027]    In an alternative to the arrangement of  FIG. 4 , and referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown the envelope portion  212  of a disposable seat cover (not shown in its entirety), wherein the gathering element may comprise a hook  34  and an eye  36  disposed to receive and retain the hook  34 . The hook  34  may be fixed to the envelope portion  212  by a pad  238 , and the eye fixed to the envelope portion  212  by a similar pad  240 . The pads  238 ,  240  may be stitched, adhered, sonically welded, or joined or bonded in any other way to their respective hook  234 , eye  236 , and envelope portion  212 . 
         [0028]    In a further alternative shown in  FIG. 6 , an envelope portion  312  of a disposable seat cover (not shown in its entirety) may have a gathering element in the form of hook and loop fastener patches  334 ,  336 . The patch of hook fastener  334  is located on a strip  338  of flexible material which is fixed to the envelope portion  312  to enable constriction of the envelope portion  312  over a seat back such as the seat back  2  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0029]    In still another alternative illustrated in  FIG. 7 , an envelope portion  412  of a disposable seat cover (not shown in its entirety) may have a gathering element in the form of tie strings  434  and  436 , which may be joined or bonded to the envelope portion  412  in any way including those described above for the pads  238  and  240 . 
         [0030]    The envelope portion of a disposable seat cover according an aspect of the invention may be made in any of several ways. For example, the envelope portion, such as the envelope portion  12  of  FIG. 1  may be made from a tubular stock material in the way that plastic bags (not shown) are made. That is, a tubular base element is made as a stock material of indefinite length, is cut to a desired length (as for example a tubular base element  500  shown in  FIG. 8 ), and then is bonded along one end such as the end  502  to create a bag with one opening. Obviously, bonding along the end may be interrupted to form an air relieving opening, such as the proximal opening  20  of the disposable seat cover  10  of  FIG. 1 . As an alternative, the end  502  may be bonded along its entire length, with the air relieving opening cut into the bonded end. Where extension tabs such as the extension tabs  30  and  32  of  FIG. 1  are to be present in the final disposable seat cover, such tabs may be die cut, knife cut, or otherwise severed before or after bonding that end bearing the air relieving opening. 
         [0031]    In another construction, and referring to  FIG. 9 , a disposable seat cover such as the seat cover  10  of  FIG. 1  may be formed from a single thickness stock material of two ply construction according to the constructions for example of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Starting from an elongated strip of two ply material having an inner web and outer web, such as the inner web  28  and the outer web  26  of  FIG. 2 , a pattern  600  has been pre-cut to have a centrally located proximal opening  620 . The pattern  600  may display generally constant width along its length, with the proximal opening  620  formed generally in the center of the pattern  600 . The distal opening will be defined when the pattern  600  is folded over onto itself at a fold (indicated as imaginary fold line  623 ). The direction of fold is indicated as arrows A and B, with a corner  625  meeting a corner  627 , and a corner  629  meeting a corner  631  after folding. The distal opening  620  will be defined and will resemble the distal opening  20  of  FIG. 1  after folding is complete. It will be seen that the distal opening  620  is, after folding, centered on the fold line  623 , and that the distal end  622  of a panel such as the front panel  614  will be disposed in overlying registry with the distal end  626  of the rear panel  616 . The lateral edges  637  and  639  of the front panel  612  will abut respective the lateral edges  633  and  635  of the rear panel  616 . 
         [0032]    Of course, once folded, the pattern  600  will be joined or bonded along the lateral edges  633 ,  637  and  635 ,  639  to form a generally tubular member similar to that of the envelope portion  12  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0033]    The pattern  600  may optionally have extension tabs  630  and  632 , which are structural and functional counterparts of the extension tabs  30  and  32  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0034]    An optional feature that may be provided with any disposable seat cover according to one or more aspects of the invention is that indicia may be provided on the seat cover for advertising and other purposes. This is illustrated representatively in  FIG. 1 , where a patch  50  represents wording, a logo, or other indicia which may be disposed on the outer web in a location visible to view when the disposable seat cover installed over a seat back such as the seat back  2  of the seat  4 . 
         [0035]    As summarized in  FIG. 10 , the invention may be thought of as a method  700  of covering a seat having a seat back, such as the seat back  2  of the seat  4 , which is cushioned or upholstered or otherwise covered so as to be permeable to fluids and fine particulate matter, to prevent cross contamination between the seat back and a person sitting in the seat. This method  700  may comprise a step  702  of providing a disposable seat cover, such as the disposable seat cover  10 , which comprises an envelope portion and is dimensioned and configured to cooperate with the seat back of the seat, which has an opening of width less than the width of the envelope portion, and which is made of material comprising a liquid impervious inner layer and a liquid absorbent, permeable outer layer. 
         [0036]    The method  700  may comprise a step  704  of placing the disposable seat cover over the seat back such that the opening is located at the top of the seat back, a front panel portion of the envelope covers the front of the seat back, and a rear panel portion of the envelope spans the rear of the seat back. 
         [0037]    The method  700  may comprise a step  706  of discarding the disposable seat cover after each usage by one person. 
         [0038]    The method  700  may comprise a step  708  of providing and installing a new disposable seat cover on the seat for a subsequent usage by a person. 
         [0039]    A disposable seat cover according to one or more aspects of the invention, such as the seat cover  10 , may be used in the home and for other private purposes, and not just for public accommodations. For example, children sitting in high chairs and at upholstered chairs at a dinner table may have their seats protected by a disposable seat cover. Disposable seat covers according to one or more aspects of the invention may be sold at wholesale or retail in rolls or in small packs of two to ten or more seat covers. 
         [0040]    A disposable seat cover according to one or more aspects of the invention, such as the seat cover  10 , may assume proportions other than those described herein. For example, a disposable seat cover (not shown) may be made to the dimensions and proportions of a bench seat (not shown) of the type used in many forms of public transportation. Sofas and other furniture may benefit from similarly configured seat covers. In either case, a seat cover may be attached by different types of fasteners, including clips, hook and loop patches and tie strips using hook and loop, wire which may be wound around seat structure, hooks, flexible cords and strips terminating in hooks, readily removable adhesive, friction, and weight of the occupant, among others. 
         [0041]    The illustrations shown are for explanation purposes only. 
         [0042]    While the present disclosure has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.