Flexible sheet barrier dispensing apparatus

Abstract

A flexible sheet barrier dispensing apparatus for protecting the bottom surface of equipment carriers, particularly carriers of medical equipment, from surface contaminants including a housing, a dispensing opening, and a releasably removable end cap to allow rolls of barrier material to be placed within the apparatus. The barrier material feeds outward through a dispensing opening, and features means for tearing or cutting the barrier material. The dispensing apparatus includes flexible attachments to an adjustable retainage system that holds the dispenser to an equipment carrying bag, and is optionally provided with a retainer centering device to hold the dispenser substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the equipment bag. In an alternate embodiment, the dispenser includes bosses to support the ends of the roll of barrier material within the dispenser. In another alternate embodiment, the dispenser includes a receiving housing to continuously accept rolled, used, barrier material.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A flexible sheet barrier dispensing apparatus adapted for receiving a roll of sheet barrier material and for mounting on a portable equipment storage bag, comprising: 
 a housing having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one sidewall, an interior surface, an exterior surface, and at least one end wall;    a dispensing opening formed in the housing;    at least one removable housing end cap to releasably engage the housing;    a first housing engagement device releasably attached to the at least one housing end wall;    a second housing engagement device releasably attached to the at least one removable end cap; and    an adjustable retainage system adapted to secure the apparatus to the storage bag,    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable retainage system is formed with (a) a flexible retainer having a proximal end and a distal end, (b) a flexible retainer adjuster mounted at the flexible retainer proximal end, (c) a first flexible retainer engagement device adapted to releasably engage the first housing engagement device and mounted to the flexible retainer substantially near the proximal end, and (d) a second flexible retainer engagement device adapted to releasably engage the second housing engagement device and mounted to the flexible retainer distal end.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a barrier tearing strip mounted to the housing interior surface.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a barrier cutting device adapted to be slideably received in the dispensing opening.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one end wall is formed with an extending boss.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one end cap is formed with an extending boss.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a retainer centering device releasably attached to the flexible retainer.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a visual inspection port.  
     
     
         9 . A flexible she et barrier dispensing apparatus adapted for receiving a roll of sheet barrier material and for mounting on a portable equipment storage bag, comprising: 
 a housing having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one sidewall, an interior surface, an exterior surface, and at least one end wall;    a dispensing opening formed in the housing;    at least one removable housing end cap to releasably engage the housing;    a first housing engagement device releasably attached to the at least one housing end wall;    a second housing engagement device releasably attached to the at least one removable end cap;    an adjustable retainage system adapted to secure the apparatus to the storage bag formed with (a) a flexible retainer having a proximal end and a distal end, (b) a flexible retainer adjuster mounted at the flexible retainer proximal end, (c) a first flexible retainer engagement device adapted to releasably engage the first housing engagement device and mounted to the flexible retainer substantially near the proximal end, and (c) a second flexible retainer engagement device adapted to releasably engage the second housing engagement device and mounted to the flexible retainer distal end; and    a barrier tearing strip mounted to the housing interior surface.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one end wall is formed with an extending boss.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one end cap is formed with an extending boss.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further including a retainer centering device releasably attached to the flexible retainer.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further including a visual inspection port.  
     
     
         14 . A flexible sheet barrier dispensing and receiving apparatus, including a dispensing device and a receiving device, adapted for dispensing and receiving a roll of sheet barrier material and for mounting on a portable equipment storage bag, comprising: 
 a dispensing housing having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one sidewall, an interior surface, an exterior surface, and at least one end wall;    a dispensing opening formed in the dispensing housing;    at least one removable dispensing housing end cap to releasably engage the dispensing housing;    a first dispensing housing engagement device releasably attached to the at least one dispensing housing end wall;    a second dispensing housing engagement device releasably attached to the at least one removable dispensing housing end cap;    an adjustable dispensing housing retainage system adapted to secure the apparatus to the storage bag;    a receiving housing having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one sidewall, an interior surface, an exterior surface, and at least one end wall;    a receiving opening formed in the receiving housing;    at least one removable receiving housing end cap to releasably engage the receiving housing;    a first receiving housing engagement device releasably attached to the at least one receiving housing end wall;    a second receiving housing engagement device releasably attached to the at least one removable receiving housing end cap;    an adjustable receiving housing retainage system adapted to secure the apparatus to the storage bag;    a receiving axle having a proximal and a distal end, removably and rotatably mounted at the proximal end to the at least one receiving housing end wall and at the distal end to the at least one receiving housing end cap, the axle further including a gripping device to releasably grip and retain the sheet barrier material; and    a hand-grippable rotation device drivingly linked to the axle.    
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further including a dispensing housing visual inspection port.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further including a receiving housing visual inspection port.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the adjustable dispensing housing retainage system is formed with (a) a flexible dispensing housing retainer having a proximal end and a distal end, (b) a flexible dispensing housing retainer adjuster mounted at the flexible dispensing housing retainer proximal end, (c) a first flexible dispensing housing retainer engagement device adapted to releasably engage the first dispensing housing engagement device and mounted to the flexible dispensing housing retainer substantially near the proximal end, and (d) a second flexible dispensing housing retainer engagement device adapted to releasably engage the second dispensing housing engagement device and mounted to the flexible dispensing housing retainer distal end.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the adjustable receiving housing retainage system is formed with (a) a flexible receiving housing retainer having a proximal end and a distal end, (b) a flexible receiving housing retainer adjuster mounted at the flexible receiving housing retainer proximal end, (c) a first flexible receiving housing retainer engagement device adapted to releasably engage the first receiving housing engagement device and mounted to the flexible receiving housing retainer substantially near the proximal end, and (d) a second flexible receiving housing retainer engagement device adapted to releasably engage the second receiving housing engagement device and mounted to the flexible retainer distal end.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , further including a dispensing housing retainer centering device releasably attached to the flexible dispensing housing retainer.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , further including a receiving housing retainer centering device releasably attached to the flexible receiving housing retainer.