Stethoscope dispenser for disinfectant wipes
A stethoscope dispenser includes a container for storing the disinfectant wipes, a fastener operatively connected to the container and adapted to removably connect the container to a tube of a stethoscope, and a manual input on the container for initiating dispensement of the disinfectant wipes. The container may provide an open position for dispensing the disinfectant wipes and a closed position for preserving fluid on the disinfectant wipes. The disinfectant wipes are preferably tearable. A motor may be disposed within the container and operatively connected to the manual input such that operation of the manual input advances at least one of the disinfectant wipes. Alternatively, a purely mechanical design can be used. The fastener preferably snaps or clips to the stethoscope.
The present invention relates to disinfection and to stethoscopes. In health care, proper disinfection and sterilization is of great importance. Disinfection is, of course, the process of killing pathogens. Disinfection is often performed using alcohol swabs, but such use of alcohol swabs is not always convenient. While this does not normally prevent disinfection or sterilization from taking place, it can make disinfection or sterilization inconvenient.
During the course of examination with a patient, medical instruments such a stethoscopes come in contact with the patient. Disinfection of stethoscopes after each use, is not, however, an established practice. Yet, failing to do so may result in failure to kill pathogens. What is needed is a convenient, easy, and effective manner of disinfecting stethoscopes as well as other surfaces.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTherefore, it is a primary object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to improve over the state of the art.
It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide a convenient means for health care personnel to disinfect a surface.
Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to encourage and promote disinfecting and sterilizing by health care personnel.
Yet another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a disinfectant wipe dispenser for use with a stethoscope.
A further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a disinfectant wipe dispenser for use with a stethoscope that does not interfere with auscultation and examination of a patient.
A still further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a disinfectant wipe dispenser that is disposable and environmentally safe.
Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a disinfectant wipe dispenser that allows for easy dispensement of disinfectant wipes at the discretion of health care personnel.
One or more of these and/or other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims that follow.
According to one aspect of the invention, a stethoscope dispenser for dispensing disinfectant wipes is provided. The stethoscope dispenser includes a container for storing the disinfectant wipes, a fastener operatively connected to the container and adapted to removably connect the container to a tube of a stethoscope, and a manual input on the container for initiating dispensement of the disinfectant wipes. The container may provide an open position for dispensing the disinfectant wipes and a closed position for preserving fluid on the disinfectant wipes. The disinfectant wipes are preferably tearable. A motor may be disposed within the container and operatively connected to the manual input such that operation of the manual input advances at least one of the disinfectant wipes. Alternatively, a purely mechanical design can be used. The fastener snaps or clips to the stethoscope.
According to another aspect of the invention a stethoscope dispenser is provided. The stethoscope dispenser includes a plurality of disinfectant wipes, a container for storing the disinfectant wipes, the disinfectant wipes disposed within the container, and a fastener operatively connected to the container and adapted to removably connect the container to stethoscope. It is preferred that the disinfectant wipes are odorless and are substantially square in shape. It is further preferred that each of the disinfectant wipes is impregnated with a pre-applied disinfectant. It is further preferred that the container holds at least 40 wipes. The manual input on the container initiates dispensement of at least one of the disinfectant wipes. The fastener snaps or clips to the stethoscope. The fastener preferably connects to a tube of the stethoscope.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of disinfecting is provided. The method includes accessing a stethoscope dispenser operatively connected to a stethoscope, the stethoscope dispenser having a plurality of disinfectant wipes, a container for storing the disinfectant wipes, the disinfectant wipes disposed within the container, and a fastener operatively connected to the container and adapted to removably connect the container to stethoscope. The method includes dispensing at least one disinfectant wipe from the stethoscope dispenser and disinfecting a surface with the at least one disinfectant wipe dispensed from the stethoscope dispenser. The surface being disinfected can be a skin surface of a patient prior to needle injection, a health care provider's hands, a surface of a bell of the stethoscope, a surface of a diaphragm of the stethoscope, a surface of an earpiece of the stethoscope or some other surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention includes various embodiments of stethoscope dispenser for dispensing disinfectant wipes and related methods. Although preferred embodiments are described herein, the present invention is by no means limited to these specific embodiments.
The present invention also provides for a method of disinfecting. In operation, the dispenser provides a health care provider a convenient method of disinfecting a surface. Placing the dispenser on a stethoscope makes the dispenser easily accessible to health care personnel to encourage and promote proper and frequent disinfecting of various surfaces. Whenever needed, at the discretion of health care personnel, a disinfectant wipe is dispensed. The wipe can be used to sterilize the bell, diaphragm, and/or ear piece of the stethoscope. The wipe may also be used to wipe the hands of a health care provider or sterilize a patient's skin prior to needle injection. Of course, the wipe can be used to disinfect or sterilize other surfaces at the discretion of the health care provider.
Therefore a stethoscope dispenser for disinfectant wipes and method of using it ahs been disclosed. The present invention contemplates numerous variations. For example, the present invention contemplates variations in the size, shape, quantity, and composition of disinfectant wipes as well as whether they are tearable or not. The present invention contemplates variations in the type of fastener used to connect the container to a stethoscope. The present invention contemplates variations in the dispensement mechanism, including numerous mechanical and electrical systems. These and other variations are all within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A stethoscope dispenser for dispensing disinfectant wipes, comprising: a container for storing the disinfectant wipes;
- a fastener operatively connected to the container and adapted to removably connect the container to a tube of a stethoscope;
- a manual input on the container for initiating dispensement of the disinfectant wipes.
2. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 1 wherein the disinfectant wipes are tearable.
3. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 1 wherein the container provides an open position for dispensing the disinfectant wipes and a closed position for preserving fluid on the wipes.
4. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a motor disposed within the container and operatively connected to the manual input such that operation of the manual input advances at least one of the disinfectant wipes.
5. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 1 wherein the manual input mechanically advances at least one of the disinfectant wipes.
6. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 1 wherein the fastener snaps to the tube of the stethoscope.
7. A stethoscope dispenser, comprising:
- a plurality of disinfectant wipes;
- a container for storing the disinfectant wipes, the disinfectant wipes disposed within the container; and
- a fastener operatively connected to the container and adapted to removably connect the container to stethoscope.
8. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 7 wherein each of the disinfectant wipes is odorless.
9. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 7 wherein each of the disinfectant wipes is substantially square in shape.
10. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 7 wherein each of the disinfectant wipes is impregnated with a pre-applied disinfectant.
11. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 7 further comprising a manual input on the container for initiating dispensement of at least one of the disinfectant wipes.
12. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 7 wherein the fastener snaps to the stethoscope.
13. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 7 wherein the fastener is operatively connected to a tube of the stethoscope.
14. The stethoscope dispenser of claim 7 wherein the plurality of disinfectant wipes includes at least 40 disinfectant wipes.
15. A method of disinfecting, comprising:
- accessing a stethoscope dispenser operatively connected to a stethoscope, the stethoscope dispenser comprising (a) a plurality of disinfectant wipes, (b) a container for storing the disinfectant wipes, the disinfectant wipes disposed within the container, and (c) a fastener operatively connected to the container and adapted to removably connect the container to stethoscope;
- dispensing at least one disinfectant wipe from the stethoscope dispenser;
- disinfecting a surface with the at least one disinfectant wipe dispensed from the stethoscope dispenser.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of disinfecting a surface is disinfecting a skin surface of a patient prior to needle injection.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of disinfecting a surface is disinfecting a health care provider's hands.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the surface is a surface of a bell of the stethoscope.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the surface is a surface of a diaphragm of the stethoscope.
20. The method of claim 15 wherein the surface is a surface of an earpiece of the stethoscope.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 28, 2005
Publication Date: Sep 28, 2006
Inventors: Amal Agarwal (Orland Park, IL), Anil Sahai (Webster City, IA)
Application Number: 11/091,109
International Classification: A47K 10/24 (20060101);