Finger and palm protector for public use

Abstract

A protective shield 2 for protecting the operable part of a working hand comprises multiple finger sleeves and a palm shield. The sleeves being composed of hydrophobic polymeric or other materials coated or otherwise laden with disinfecting or pharmaceutical agents for destroying disease causing virus inter alia. The hand protector being designed to be attached separately or in a sheath in a non-obtrusive position on the users body such that only the hand to be protected is required to employ the hand protector for use.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A protective shield for preventing the transfer of disease and viruses to the palm and digits of the working hand of an individual, comprising: 
 a plurality of sleeves whose first ends are open and whose second distal ends are closed;    a palmar shield of finite extent having first and second surfaces and first and second edges;    finger insertion enabling means mounted in said first ends of said sleeves; retaining means cooperating between the host and the protective shield for maintaining said protective shield within the insertable reach of the hand of a user.    
     
     
         2 . The protective shield of  claim 1 , wherein said retaining means comprises hook and loop fasteners attached to an object on the user and the second edge of the palmar shield.  
     
     
         3 . The protective shield of  claim 1 , wherein said finger insertion enabling means is a plurality of rings mounted one each in said first end of each of the plurality of sleeves.  
     
     
         4 . The protective shield of  claim 1 , wherein said retaining means comprises hook and loop fasteners for attaching said protective shield to an article of clothing of the user and to the apron of the protective shield.  
     
     
         5 . The protective shield of  claim 1 , wherein said retaining means is a portable container.  
     
     
         6 . A protective shield for preventing the transfer of disease and viruses to the palm and digits of the working hand of an individual, comprising: 
 a plurality of sleeves whose first ends are open as by rings mounted in said first ends of said sleeves and whose second distal ends are closed;    a palmar shield of finite extent having first and second surfaces and first and second edges;    means cooperating with said sleeves and said palmar shield for counteracting the transfer of active viruses or other infectious agents from a public surface to the palm and fingers of a hand;    and, retaining means cooperating between the host and the protective shield for maintaining said protective shield within the insertable reach of the hand of a user.    
     
     
         7 . The protective shield of  claim 6 , wherein said means cooperating with said sleeves and said palmar shield for counteracting the transfer of active viruses or other infectious agents from a public surface to the palm and fingers of a hand comprises disinfectants, fungicides in cooperation with a binding agent that allows one to coat the active surfaces of the protective shield.  
     
     
         8 . The protective shield of  claim 6 , wherein said means cooperating with said sleeves and said palmar shield for counteracting the transfer of active viruses or other infectious agents from a public surface to the palm and fingers of a hand comprises disinfectants, fungicides in cooperation with a binding agent immersed in the material of the palmar shield and sleeves.  
     
     
         9 . A apparatus for preventing the transfer of disease and viruses to the hands of an individual comprising: 
 a sheath with an absorber mounted in the interior of said sheath with said absorber being substantially impregnated with a contact transferable decontaminator;    a palm and finger protector having an apron contiguous with a multiplicity of sleeves connected to said apron which is inserted and withdrawn with rubbing contact with said absorber to facilitate the transfer the decontaminants to the working surfaces of the palm and finger protector;    attaching means connected to the apron and to the sheath for securing and palm and finger protector in the sheath and for connecting the sheath to an element on the body for securing said apparatus during non-use.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the decontaminant is a liquid.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the decontaminator is a powder.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said attaching means consist of hook and loop fasteners.  
     
     
         13 . The protective shield of  claim 1 , wherein the number of sleeves equal the number of fingers.  
     
     
         14 . The protective shield of  claim 1 , wherein a single sleeves is used to cover multiple fingers in addition to an independent sleeve for the thumb.  
     
     
         15 . The protective shield of  claim 5 , wherein the protective shields have a limited lifetime.  
     
     
         16 . The protective shield of  claim 6 , wherein said retaining means is a portable container.  
     
     
         17 . The protective shield of  claim 16 , wherein the protective shields are used only once.