Drinking vessel sanitary device

Abstract

A sanitary shield is provided for use with drinking vessels having a rim configured for contact with the mouth of an individual drinking from the vessel, with the rim located between the interior of the vessel and the exterior of the vessel. The shield includes a disposable, flexible member having a size and shape adapted and constructed to cover the rim of the vessel, a portion of the interior of the vessel, and a portion of the exterior of the vessel. The flexible member is fabricated from a material that is self-adherent to the vessel. The shield prevents the mouth of an individual drinking from the vessel from coming into contact with any portion of the exterior surface of the vessel during normal drinking activity.

1 . A sanitary shield for drinking vessels having a rim configured for contact with the mouth of an individual drinking from the vessel, with the rim located between the interior of the vessel and the exterior of the vessel, the shield comprising the following:
 a disposable, flexible member having a size and shape adapted and constructed to cover the rim of the vessel, a portion of the interior of the vessel, and a portion of the exterior of the vessel, the flexible member being fabricated from a material that is self-adherent to the vessel;   whereby the shield prevents the mouth of an individual drinking from the vessel from coming into contact with any portion of the surface of the vessel during normal drinking activity.   
   
   
       2 . A sanitary shield for drinking vessels in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the flexible member is fabricated from a plastic material. 
   
   
       3 . A sanitary shield for drinking vessels in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the flexible member is fabricated from a static-adherent plastic. 
   
   
       4 . A sanitary shield for drinking vessels in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the flexible member is fabricated from a laminate having at least one layer of low modulus cling elastomer. 
   
   
       5 . A sanitary shield for drinking vessels in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flexible member is generally oval shaped. 
   
   
       6 . A sanitary shield for drinking vessels in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the flexible member comprises the following:
 a flexible member interior portion adapted and constructed for contact with the interior of the drinking vessel;   a flexible member exterior portion adapted and constructed for contact with the exterior of the drinking vessel; and   a flexible member rim portion connecting the flexible member interior portion to the flexible member exterior portion.   
   
   
       7 . A sanitary shield for drinking vessels in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein each of the interior portion and exterior portion is generally oval-shaped. 
   
   
       8 . A sanitary shield for drinking vessels in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a disposable, selectively openable sealed container surrounding the flexible member. 
   
   
       9 . A sanitary shield in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the sealed container comprises a sealed pouch. 
   
   
       10 . A sanitary shield in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the sealed pouch comprises a sanitary paper pouch. 
   
   
       11 . A method of providing sanitary shields for drinking vessels in a public restaurant, each of the vessels having a rim configured for contact with the mouth of an individual drinking from the vessel, with the rim located between the interior of the vessel and the exterior of the vessel, the method comprising the following steps:
 providing a plurality of disposable, flexible members having a size and shape adapted and constructed to cover the rim of the vessel, a portion of the interior of the vessel, and a portion of the exterior of the vessel, the flexible member being fabricated from a material that is self-adherent to the vessel, each of the flexible members being enclosed within a selectively openable sealed container;   placing the plurality of disposable, flexible members in proximity to an individual dining at the restaurant;   whereby the diners select one of the shields, remove the shield from the container, and apply the shield to a drinking vessel such that the shield prevents the mouth of an individual drinking from the vessel from coming into contact with any portion of the surface of the vessel during normal drinking activity.   
   
   
       12 . A method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the flexible member is fabricated from a plastic material. 
   
   
       13 . A method in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the flexible member is fabricated from a static-adherent plastic. 
   
   
       14 . A method in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the flexible member is fabricated from a laminate having at least one layer of low modulus cling elastomer. 
   
   
       15 . A method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the flexible member is generally oval shaped. 
   
   
       16 . A method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the flexible member comprises the following:
 a flexible member interior portion adapted and constructed for contact with the interior of the drinking vessel;   a flexible member interior portion adapted and constructed for contact with the exterior of the drinking vessel; and   a flexible member rim portion connecting the flexible member interior portion to the flexible member exterior portion.   
   
   
       17 . A method in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein each of the flexible member interior portion and the flexible member exterior portion is generally oval-shaped. 
   
   
       18 . A method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein each of the flexible members is enclosed within a disposable, selectively openable sealed container surrounding the flexible member. 
   
   
       19 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein each of the flexible members is enclosed within a sealed pouch. 
   
   
       20 . A method in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein each of the flexible members is enclosed within a sanitary paper pouch.