Digital wipes and method of handling

Abstract

A new and useful digital wipe structure, and method for handling the wipe structure, are provided that is particularly useful in forming and handling a an oral wipe to clean teeth and gums, especially a young child's teeth and gums. A digital wipe structure comprises a piece of material impregnated with an oral therapeutic solution, and configured to be wrapped completely about a user's index finger to provide a sleeve about the user's index finger. The wipe structure is further configured so that when wrapped about a user's index finger an outer portion of the sleeve is oriented so that pressure from the user's thumb will hold stabilize the sleeve and maintain the sleeve on the user's index finger, preferably against the middle or distal phalanx. The digital wipe structure can form an oral wipe that can be efficiently produced, and easily handled by a user to produce a wipe that is impregnated with an oral therapeutic solution and can be formed into a sleeve that can be effectively stabilized on a user's finger (preferably against the middle or distal phalanx), and effectively used to clean a person's teeth and gums. Moreover, a preferred wipe can be folded into a pattern that enables the wipe to be effectively packaged, and effectively unfolded and formed into a sleeve that can be stabilized on a user's finger, despite the fact that the wipe is impregnated with an oral therapeutic solution

1 . An oral wipe comprising a piece of material impregnated with an oral therapeutic solution, the piece of material configured to be wrapped completely about a user's index finger to provide a sleeve about the user's index finger, and further configured so that when wrapped about a user's index finger an outer portion of the sleeve is oriented so that pressure from the user's thumb will stabilize the sleeve and maintain the sleeve on the user's index finger.  
   
   
       2 . An oral wipe as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material is configured so that when the sleeve is wrapped about the user's index finger, the sleeve extends at least from the tip of the user's finger to a location that is past the middle inter phalangeal joint of the user's index finger.  
   
   
       3 . An oral wipe as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the piece of material is further configured so that a distal end of the sleeve extends past the distal tip of the user's finger and can be bent back over the sleeve and captured between the user's thumb and the sleeve, to stabilize the distal end on the sleeve and maintain the sleeve on the user's finger.  
   
   
       4 . An oral wipe as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material has a parallelogram shape.  
   
   
       5 . An oral wipe as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the parallelogram shaped piece of material has (i) parallel sides, each of which has a length of at least 4 inches, (ii) a height of at least 2.5 inches, and adjacent surfaces that form acute angle portions of 40 to 70 degrees.  
   
   
       6 . An oral wipe as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the piece of material is absorbent and the oral therapeutic solution includes anti cariogenic agent and/or anti microbial agent.  
   
   
       7 . An oral wipe as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the piece of material is absorbent and the oral therapeutic solution includes anti cariogenic agent and/or anti microbial agent.  
   
   
       8 . An oral wipe as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the oral therapeutic solution includes anti-cariogenic agent and/or anti microbial agent.  
   
   
       9 . An oral wipe as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet of material includes a pair of acute angle end portions provide an acute angle lead point for initiating wrapping about a user's index finger and an acute angle trailing point that overlies the remainder of the sleeve an which can be engaged by a user's thumb to stabilize the sleeve on the user's index finger.  
   
   
       10 . A method of handling an oral wipe, comprising the steps of, 
 a. providing an oral wipe structure comprising a piece of material in a predetermined folded condition, the piece of material having a predetermined unfolded configuration and being impregnated with oral therapeutic solution,    b. unfolding the piece of material to its predetermined unfolded configuration, and    c. wrapping the piece of material about a user's index finger to form a sleeve about the user's index finger, and applying pressure to the sleeve by the user's thumb to stabilize the sleeve on the user's finger.    
   
   
       11 . A method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the step of wrapping the piece of material about a user's index finger comprises using a portion of the piece of material as a lead point to initiate wrapping of the piece of material about a user's index finger and wrapping the piece of material in a pattern that produces a trailing point that overlies the remainder of the sleeve and which can be engaged by a user's thumb to stabilize the sleeve on the user's index finger.  
   
   
       12 . A method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein a distal portion of the sleeve extends past the distal tip of the user's index finger, and the method includes bending the distal portion of the sleeve back over the sleeve and capturing the bent back distal portion between the user's thumb and the sleeve, to stabilize the distal end of the sleeve and maintain the sleeve on the user's finger.  
   
   
       13 . A method as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the unfolded configuration of the piece of material comprises a parallelogram.  
   
   
       14 . A wipe comprising a piece of material impregnated with a solution that is intended to be used as part of a wiping process, the piece of material configured to be wrapped completely about a user's index finger to provide a sleeve about the user's index finger, and further configured so that when wrapped about a user's index finger an outer portion of the sleeve is oriented so that pressure from the user's thumb will stabilize the sleeve and maintain the sleeve on the user's index finger.  
   
   
       15 . A wipe as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the piece of material is configured so that when the sleeve is wrapped about the user's index finger, the sleeve extends at least from the tip of the user's finger to a location that is past the middle inter phalangeal joint of the user's index finger.  
   
   
       16 . A wipe as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the piece of material is further configured so that a distal end of the sleeve extends past the distal tip of the user's finger and can be bent back over the sleeve and captured between the user's thumb and the sleeve, to stabilize the sleeve and maintain the sleeve on the user's finger.  
   
   
       17 . A wipe as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the piece of material is configured such that the distal end of the sleeve can be bent back over and stabilized against the middle or distal phalanx of the user's finger.  
   
   
       18 . A wipe as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the piece of material has a parallelogram shape.  
   
   
       19 . A wipe as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the parallelogram shaped piece of material has adjacent surfaces that form a pair of acute angle end portions, each acute angle end portion defining an acute angle.  
   
   
       20 . A wipe as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the parallelogram shaped piece of material has (i) parallel sides, each of which has a length of at least 4 inches, (ii) a height of at least 2.5 inches, and adjacent surfaces that form acute angle portions of 40 to 70 degrees.  
   
   
       21 . A wipe as defined in  claim 20  wherein the piece of material is folded into a predetermined folded configuration in which at least one of the acute angle end portions overlying the remainder of the folded piece of material and provides a convenient gripping portion to enable the piece of material to be conveniently unfolded.  
   
   
       22 . A method of handling a wipe, comprising the steps of; 
 a. providing a wipe comprising a piece of material in a predetermined folded condition, the piece of material having a predetermined unfolded configuration and being impregnated with a solution,    b. unfolding the piece of material to its predetermined unfolded configuration, and    c. wrapping the piece of material about a user's index finger to form a sleeve about the user's index finger, and applying pressure to the sleeve by the user's thumb to stabilize the sleeve on the middle phalanx of the user's finger.    
   
   
       23 . A method as defined in  claim 22 , wherein the piece of material includes a pair of acute angle portions, and wherein the step of wrapping the piece of material about a user's index finger comprises using one of the acute angle portions as a lead point to initiate wrapping of the piece of material about a user's index finger and applying the other acute angle portion as a trailing point that overlies the remainder of the sleeve and which can be engaged by a user's thumb to stabilize the sleeve on the middle phalanx of the user's index finger.  
   
   
       24 . A method as defined in  claim 23 , wherein a distal portion of the sleeve extends past the distal tip of the user's index finger, and the method includes bending the distal portion of the sleeve back over the sleeve and capturing the bent back distal portion between the user's thumb and the sleeve, to stabilize the distal end of the sleeve and maintain the sleeve on the user's finger.  
   
   
       25 . A method as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the unfolded configuration of the piece of material comprises a parallelogram.  
   
   
       26 . A method of applying an anti-cariogenic, anti-microbial, anti-inflamatory, re-calcifying, dental whitening, mouth freshening, or topical anesthetic material to a patient's mouth, comprising providing an oral wipe that is impregnated with an oral therapeutic solution, and applying pressure and wiping the wipe against the teeth, and against any or all of the gums, tongue, or mucosal surfaces of a patient's mouth.  
   
   
       27 . A method as defined in  claim 26  wherein the therapeutic solution includes an anti-cariogenic substance such as xylitol that may be applied to the teeth for the potential prevention of early childhood caries.  
   
   
       28 . A method as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the oral therapeutic solution includes an antimicrobial material that includes nystatin for the treatment of oral candidiasis  
   
   
       29 . A method as defined in  claim 26 , wherein the therapeutic solution includes a topical anesthetic, including benzocaine, which may be applied to the teeth and gums for the treatment of teething pain.