GB2160387A

GB2160387A - Cover for apparatus such as a telephone

Info

Publication number: GB2160387A
Application number: GB08413946A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Arnold Snell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-05-31
Filing date: 1984-05-31
Publication date: 1985-12-18
Also published as: GB8413946D0

Abstract

A cover (1) for apparatus such as a telephone (2) has on its inner surface a pocket (5) in which is contained a block (6) of disinfectant material which will be slowly released into the atmosphere inside the cover (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATiON Cover for apparatus such as a telephone This invention relates to a cover for apparatus such as a telephone, microphone, dictating machine or the like.

Apparatus such as telephones into which people speak and which are frequently used by more than one person can be a source of infection and should desirably be disinfected from time to time. Such disinfecting is normally carried out periodically, e.g.

once a week, and generally comprises simply wiping the mouthpiece with a tissue, cloth or the like soaked in a disinfectant solution. Such periodic disinfecting of a telephone mouthpiece is of little practical benefit because of the long periods of time between each disinfecting operation and the fact that the effects of wiping the mouthpiece with a disinfecting solution are relatively short lived.

The present invention aims to provide a cover for apparatus such as a telephone which will obviate or mitigate this problem.

The present invention provides a cover for apparatus such as a telephone, the cover having at least one pocket on the inner surface thereof containing a disinfectant material which will be slowly released into the atmosphere inside the cover.

The cover is preferably a flexible cover and is preferably impermeable to the disinfectant vapour which will be contained therein so as to minimise loss of the disinfectant to atmosphere when the cover is in use. Thus the cover may be formed from a suitable flexible sheet plastics material such as polythene or may be formed from a textile material which is coated or lined with a suitable plastics material. Alternatively, the cover may be a rigid cover or substantially so and again may be formed, e.g. moulded, from a suitable plastics material.

The cover is preferably open at the bottom so that it can simply be placed over apparatus and rest on the surface on which the apparatus is standing so as to totally enclose the apparatus.

The disinfectant material may be incorporated in a solid carrier material, e.g. in the form of a block, which will slowly vapourise and release the disinfectant into the atmosphere. Alternatively, a liquid disinfectant material may be used, in which case said pocket may contain a pad of absorbant material which can be impregnated with the liquid disinfectant material.

The said at least one pocket may be provided at any suitable location within the cover and the inner wall of the pocket may be suitably perforated to enable the disinfectant material to be released into the atmosphere inside the cover. The size and spacing of the said perforations may be chosen having regard to the disinfectant material used to give a required rate of release of the disinfectant material. Where the cover is a flexible cover the said at least one pocket is preferably so arranged therein that when the cover is not in use it can be folded to enclose the disinfectant material and prevent or reduce the release thereof so as to minimise wastage of the disinfectant material.Where the cover is a rigid cover then the perforations in said at least one pocket may be closable as by means of a movable, e.g. rotatable, shutter two reduce wastage of the disinfectant material when the cover is not in use.

If desired the disinfectant material may incorporate other materials which will perform a required function, e.g., may incorporate a perfume to impart a pleasant smell to the apparatus or a deodorant or air freshener.

The invention will be more particularly understood with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of a cover according to the present invention in use on telephone apparatus, and Figure 2 is a side sectional elevation of another embodiment of cover according to the present invention in use on telephone apparatus.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings there is shown a flexible cover 1 of suitable plastics material such as polythene placed over telephone apparatus 2 and cooperating with the surface 3 of a desk or table 4 on which the telephone apparatus 2 is standing. On the inner surface of the cover lisa pocket 5 in which is contained a block 6 of disinfectant material such that it will slowly vapourise and be released into the atmosphere inside the cover 1. The pocket 5 has perforations 7 in the inner wall thereof for the release of the disinfectant material.

The embodiment of Figure 2 is similar to the embodiment of Figure 1 except that the pocket 5 is located in an upper part of the cover 1 instead of on a rear wall of the cover as in the Figure 1 embodiment.

When the cover 1 is not in use it is folded around the block 6 of disinfectant material to minimise vapourisation of the disinfectant material and so reduce wastage thereof.

It will readily be understood that the cover 1 can be placed over the telephone apparatus 2 at night or when the telephone apparatus 2 is not in use and that when in position over the telephone apparatus 2 it serves to keep the telephone apparatus 2, and in particular the mouthpiece thereof, constantly disinfected.

1. A cover for apparatus such as a telephone, the cover having at least one pocket on the inner surface thereof containing a disinfectant material which will be slowly released into the atmosphere inside the cover.

2. A cover according to claim 1, wherein the cover is impermeable to the disinfectant vapour which will be contained therein.

3. A cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover is a flexible cover.

4. A cover according to claim 3, wherein the cover is formed from a flexible sheet plastics material or from a textile material which is coated or lined with a plastics material.

5. A cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATiON Cover for apparatus such as a telephone This invention relates to a cover for apparatus such as a telephone, microphone, dictating machine or the like. Apparatus such as telephones into which people speak and which are frequently used by more than one person can be a source of infection and should desirably be disinfected from time to time. Such disinfecting is normally carried out periodically, e.g. once a week, and generally comprises simply wiping the mouthpiece with a tissue, cloth or the like soaked in a disinfectant solution. Such periodic disinfecting of a telephone mouthpiece is of little practical benefit because of the long periods of time between each disinfecting operation and the fact that the effects of wiping the mouthpiece with a disinfecting solution are relatively short lived. The present invention aims to provide a cover for apparatus such as a telephone which will obviate or mitigate this problem. The present invention provides a cover for apparatus such as a telephone, the cover having at least one pocket on the inner surface thereof containing a disinfectant material which will be slowly released into the atmosphere inside the cover. The cover is preferably a flexible cover and is preferably impermeable to the disinfectant vapour which will be contained therein so as to minimise loss of the disinfectant to atmosphere when the cover is in use. Thus the cover may be formed from a suitable flexible sheet plastics material such as polythene or may be formed from a textile material which is coated or lined with a suitable plastics material. Alternatively, the cover may be a rigid cover or substantially so and again may be formed, e.g. moulded, from a suitable plastics material. The cover is preferably open at the bottom so that it can simply be placed over apparatus and rest on the surface on which the apparatus is standing so as to totally enclose the apparatus. The disinfectant material may be incorporated in a solid carrier material, e.g. in the form of a block, which will slowly vapourise and release the disinfectant into the atmosphere. Alternatively, a liquid disinfectant material may be used, in which case said pocket may contain a pad of absorbant material which can be impregnated with the liquid disinfectant material. The said at least one pocket may be provided at any suitable location within the cover and the inner wall of the pocket may be suitably perforated to enable the disinfectant material to be released into the atmosphere inside the cover. The size and spacing of the said perforations may be chosen having regard to the disinfectant material used to give a required rate of release of the disinfectant material. Where the cover is a flexible cover the said at least one pocket is preferably so arranged therein that when the cover is not in use it can be folded to enclose the disinfectant material and prevent or reduce the release thereof so as to minimise wastage of the disinfectant material.Where the cover is a rigid cover then the perforations in said at least one pocket may be closable as by means of a movable, e.g. rotatable, shutter two reduce wastage of the disinfectant material when the cover is not in use. If desired the disinfectant material may incorporate other materials which will perform a required function, e.g., may incorporate a perfume to impart a pleasant smell to the apparatus or a deodorant or air freshener. The invention will be more particularly understood with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of a cover according to the present invention in use on telephone apparatus, and Figure 2 is a side sectional elevation of another embodiment of cover according to the present invention in use on telephone apparatus. Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings there is shown a flexible cover 1 of suitable plastics material such as polythene placed over telephone apparatus 2 and cooperating with the surface 3 of a desk or table 4 on which the telephone apparatus 2 is standing. On the inner surface of the cover lisa pocket 5 in which is contained a block 6 of disinfectant material such that it will slowly vapourise and be released into the atmosphere inside the cover 1. The pocket 5 has perforations 7 in the inner wall thereof for the release of the disinfectant material. The embodiment of Figure 2 is similar to the embodiment of Figure 1 except that the pocket 5 is located in an upper part of the cover 1 instead of on a rear wall of the cover as in the Figure 1 embodiment. When the cover 1 is not in use it is folded around the block 6 of disinfectant material to minimise vapourisation of the disinfectant material and so reduce wastage thereof. It will readily be understood that the cover 1 can be placed over the telephone apparatus 2 at night or when the telephone apparatus 2 is not in use and that when in position over the telephone apparatus 2 it serves to keep the telephone apparatus 2, and in particular the mouthpiece thereof, constantly disinfected. CLAIMS

3. A cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover is a flexible cover.

5. A cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover is rigid or substantially so.

6. A cover according to claim 5 when moulded from plastics material.

7. A cover according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover is open at the bottom and is adapted in use, to be placed over said apparatus and to rest on a surface on which the apparatus is standing.

8. A cover according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the disinfectant material is incorporated in a solid carrier material which will slowly vapourise and release the disinfectant material into the atmosphere in the cover.

9. A cover according to claim 8, wherein the carrier material is in the form of a block.

10. A cover according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, wherein the disinfectant material is a liquid disinfectant material and said at least one pocket contains a pad of absorbent material which can be impregnated with the liquid disinfectant material.

11. A cover according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner wall of said at least one pocket is perforated.

12. A cover according to claim 11, when dependant upon claim 3, wherein said at least one pocket is so arranged that when the cover is not in use it can be folded to enclose the disinfectant material to prevent or reduce the release thereof.

13. A cover according to claim 11, when dependant upon claim 5, wherein the perforations in said at least one pocket are closable.

14. A cover according to claim 13, wherein movable or rotatable shutter means is provided for closing said perforations.

15. A cover according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the disinfectant material incorporates a perfume, deodorant and/or air freshener.

16. A cover for apparatus such as a telephone, substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.