GB2481456A

GB2481456A - A cleaning pad

Info

Publication number: GB2481456A
Application number: GB1010765.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Freeman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-06-25
Filing date: 2010-06-25
Publication date: 2011-12-28
Also published as: GB201010765D0

Abstract

A cleaning pad 1 comprises means for attaching the pad to a finger tip 10 and a cleaning layer 3 comprising a material that is wet with a cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid containing an anti bacterial or anti viral ingredient. The cleaning layer 3 is for applying the cleaning liquid to a surface to be cleaned when said cleaning pad is attached to a fingertip 10 and said cleaning pad 1 touches the surface. The cleaning pad 1 may contain a mid-layer (2, fig 1) of rubber and is particularly for cleaning touch screen devices.

Description

A cleaning pad

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cleaning pad adapted for attachment to a fingertip. In particular, but not exclusively, the cleaning pad is attachable to a finger tip of a user for use by the user to touch the screen of a touch screen display to apply a cleaning liquid to the screen.

Background of the Invention

Touch screen displays are electronic visual displays for electronic devices and are veiy well known. Touches within a display area of a transparent touch screen are detected so that the display acts as a data input means for its device. There are several different types of touch screen displays characterised by the system used to detect touches, for example, resistive systems, capacitive systems, surface acoustic wave systems and infra-red systems.

Touch screens suffer the problem that the transparent screen becomes dirty as a result of a user touching the screen. The screen, for example, may become smudged with fingerprints or contaminated with foodstuffs passed onto the screen from a user's finger. Touching the screen may pass disease spreading bacteria, viruses or other micro-organisms onto the screen, which can then be transferred to the hands of subsequent users. This is particularly concerning if the screen is being used in a hospital or other such environment where infectious diseases are prone to spread.

The present invention aims to alleviate this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a cleaning pad comprising means for attaching the pad to a finger tip; and comprising a cleaning layer comprising a material that is wet with a cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid containing an anti bacterial or anti viral ingredient, the cleaning layer for applying the cleaning liquid to a surface to be cleaned when said cleaning pad is attached to a fingertip and said cleaning pad touches the surface.

According to the irwention, there is also provided a method of touching a surface, the method comprising, attaching a fingerpad to a fingertip and then touching the surface with the fingerpad, wherein touching the surface causes liquid to be transferred from a layer of the fingerpad to the surface, wherein the liquid comprises an anti-bacterial or anti -viral ingredient.

The surface may be a data input means of an electronic device, for example, a touch screen display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOF THE INVENTION

The invention will be described in more detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a fingerpad; Figure 2 is a schematic drawing showing a fingerpad on a fingertip touching a touch screen disp[ay; Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of a first packet of fingertip pads; Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of a second packet of fingertip pads; Figure 5 is a schematic drawing of a third packet of fingertip pads.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a finger adhesible fingertip pad I embodying the present invention. The fingertip pad 1, which is roughly circular in shape and has an area of that of the base of a typical human fingertip, comprises a middle layer 2 comprising a thin flexible material, for example, rubber. The fingertip pad I further comprises a lower layer 3 comprising a soft material that is wetted or otherwise impregnated with a cleaning liquid and is attached to one side of the middle layer 2, and an upper layer 4 comprising an adhesive material, for example a layer of sticky material, and which is attached to the other side of the middle layer 2.

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a fingertip pad 1 attached to a user's finger tip 10 and the user using the fingertip pad 1 to touch a touch screen display 11.

The fingertip pad 1 is adhered to the finger tip 10 by means of the adhesive upper layer 4 and the lower layer 3 contacts the display 11 when the user's finger tip 10 touches the display Ii. Preferably, the flexible middle layer 2 is flexible enough to mould to the contours of the fingertip 11 when the fingertip pad 1 is being worn.

Advantageously, when the fingertip pad 1 contacts the display 11, the fingertip pad 1 prevents the user's fingertip 11 from dirtying the display 11. Additionally, contact between the lower layer 3 and the display 11 causes cleaning liquid to be transferred from the lower layer 3 to the display 11 and as the user operates the display by touching different parts it, the cleaning liquid is spread across the display 11. Consequently, the display 11 is cleaned each time it is used.

The lower layer 3 may be comprise a material selected from any of a number of different materials, preferable bio-degradable materials, for example, foam, natural hessian, chamois leather or cotton combinations thereof.

The cleaning liquid comprises an anti-bacterial or anti viral agent/ingredient that has the ability to act against bacteria or viruses (e.g. by destroying them or inhibiting their reproduction). For example, the cleaning liquid may be a solution comprising purified water, Benzethonium Chloride and Kathon, as is commonly found in wet wipes, or a solution containing small concentrations of Chiorohexadine, which is thought to be effective in killing MRSA, ozonated water, an alcohol based fluid, Seri-X, Cinnamon oil, Theraworx, Lysol, sunflower or honey oils or indeed any liquid that contains an anti bacteria or anti viral ingredient.

Using such a cleaning liquid is particularly advantageous if the touch screen display 11 is being used in a hospital or other such place where it is very important to prevent infections from spreading.

It is envisaged that a user will dispose of a fingertip cleaning pad 1 after one or a small number of uses. Accordingly, it will be convenient for a user to be able to purchase packets of cleaning pads.

It is also envisaged that the use of a fingertip pad will prevent the users of touch screens from getting sore finger tips when using their screens for extended periods.

Figure 3 is a schematic drawing of a first example of a packet 20 of fingertip adhesible cleaning pads. The packet 20 comprises a sealable container 21, for example, a small cardboard or plastic box, and a roll of a plastic strip 22. Multiple fingertip adhesible cleaning pads 1 are arranged in a line along a surface of the strip 22, each releasably adhered to the strip 22 by means of its adhesible upper layer 4. A user (not shown) may peel a pad I away from the strip 22 with the pad's adhesible upper layer 4 retaining enough adhesiveness for the user then to be able to attach the pad I to his or her fingertip.

Figure 4 is a schematic sectional view of a second example of a packet 30 of fingertip adhesible cleaning pads 1. The packet 30 comprises a base 31, preferably made of plastic, which defines a plurality of individual compartments 32, each compartment 32 containing a fingertip adhesible cleaning pad 1. A lid 33, preferably made of thin foil or the like, seals the base 3 1. A user (not shown) may press his 01.

her finger down onto the lid 33 in a region over a compartment 32 with sufficient force to rupture the lid 33 in that region giving access to the fingertip pad 1. The user may then remove the fingertip pad 1 from the compartment 32 and attach it to his or her finger tip in the manner described above.

Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a third example of a packet 40 of fingertip adhesible cleaning pads 1. The packet 40 comprises a base 41, preferably in the form of a plastic card, having formed on an upper surface thereof an array of individual compartments 42, each compartment 42 containing a fingertip adhesible cleaning pad 1. A lid 43, preferably made of thin foil or the like, releasably seals the compartments 42, with each pad 1 adhered to the underside of the lid 43 by means of its adhesible layer 4. Either the underside of the lid 43 or the upper surface of the base 41 may be sticky so that the two may be releasably adhered together. In order to release a fingertip pad 1, a user (not shown) may flex the base 41, peel back the lid 43 away from a compartment 42 so that the lid 43 removes the fingertip pad 1 from the compartment and then peel the fingertip pad I away from the lid 43.

Preferably, the packet 40 is approximately credit card sized so that it can easily be slipped into a touch screen device's wallet or the like for storage.

For the avoidance of doubt it is to be noted that fingertip as used herein also means thumbtip.

The invention has been described in detail in the foregoing specification, and it is believed that various alterations and modifications of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading and understanding of the specification. it is intended that all such alterations and modifications are included in the invention, insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMSI. A cleaning pad comprising means for attaching the pad to a finger tip; and a cleaning layer comprising a material that is wet with a cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid containing an anti bacterial or anti viral ingredient, the cleaning layer for applying the cleaning liquid to a surface to be cleaned when said cleaning pad is attached to a fingertip and said cleaning pad touches the surface.
2. A cleaning pad according to claim 1 wherein said means for attaching comprises an adhesive layer which is attachable to the fingertip.
3. A cleaning pad according to claim 2 further comprising a flexible layer between the adhesive layer and the cleaning layer.
4. A cleaning pad according to claim 3 wherein the flexible layer comprises rubber.
5. A cleaning pad according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ingredient is effective in killing the MRSA bacterium.
6. A packet comprising one or more cleanings pads, each as claimed in any of claims I to 5.
7. A packet as claimed in claim 6, the packet comprising a strip of material to which each of the plurality of pads is releasably attached, wherein, a plurality of cleaning pads are arranged in a line along a length of surface of the strip.
8. A packet according to claim 6 wherein the packet comprises a base defining a plurality of discrete compartments, each compartment containing at least one cleaning pad.
9. A packet according to claim 8 further comprising a cover for the base, wherein the cover is arranged to rupture in a region over a compartment, when a user presses down on the region to provide access to a cleaning pad in the compartment.
10. A packet according to claim 8 further comprising a cover for the base, wherein the cover is peelable from the base to provide access to a cleaning pad.
11. A method of touching a surface, the method comprising, attaching a fingerpad to a fingertip and then touching the surface with the fingerpad, wherein touching the surface causes liquid to be transferred from a layer of the fingerpad to the surface, wherein the liquid comprises an anti-bacterial or anti -viral ingredient.
12. A method according to claim 11 comprising attaching the fingerpad to the fingertip by means of an adhesive layer formed on the fingerpad.
13. A method according to claim 11 or 12 wherein the surface is a data input means of an electronic device.
14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the data input means is a touch screen display.
15. A method according to any of claims 11 to 14 wherein the ingredient is effective in killing the MRSA bacterium.*::r: INTELLECTUAL . ... PROPERTY OFFICE Application No: GB 1010765.4 Examiner: Mr Rhodri Evans Claims searched: 1-5 and 11-15 Date of search: 22 October 2010 Patents Act 1977: Search Report under Section 17 Documents considered to be relevant: Category Relevant Identity of document and passage or figure of particular relevance to claims X 1-5,11-15 US2009/0013441A1 (Duffy) all figures and paragraph 0034.X 1-4, 11, FR2802394A 12 (Mann) all figures and WPI abstract accession number 2001-411365 [44].X 1,2,11, GB2266243A 12 (Richardson) figure 3 and lines 9-13 of page 2.X 1,2,11, JP09285418A 12 (Kadowaki) all figures and WPI abstract accession number 1998-026864 [03].X 1,11 GB1411457A (Colgate-Palmolive) all figures and lines 85-92 of page 2.X 1,11 US 2005/0262655 Al (Wagner) all figures and paragraph 0033.A -CA2526815A1 (Rennie) Categories: X Document indicating lack of novelty or inventive A Document indicating technological background and/or state step of the art.Y Document indicating lack of inventive step if P Document published on or after the declared priority date but combined with one or more other documents of before the filing date of this invention.same category.& Member of the same patent family E Patent document published on or after, but with priority date earlier than, the filing date of this application.Field of Search:Search of GB, EP, WO & US patent documents classified in the following areas of the UKCX: Worldwide search of patent documents classified in the following areas of the IPC A41D; A47L; BO8B; GO6F The following online and other databases have been used in the preparation of this search report Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.ipo.gov.uk *.:r: INTELLECTUAL . ... PROPERTY OFFICE WPI, EPODOC International Classification: Subclass Subgroup Valid From BO8B 0001/00 01/01/2006 A41D 0013/08 01/01/2006 A47L 0025/00 01/01/2006 BO8B 0011/00 01/01/2006 GO6F 0003/039 01/01/2006 Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.ipo.gov.uk