Disposable seat cover

Abstract

A disposable cover for seats, which may comprise a bag for enveloping a seat back. The bag may comprise two layers including an outer liquid absorbent material and an inner water impermeable layer. An opening permits air to escape when the cover is being installed over a seat back. The cover may have an element for gathering the same about the seat back. The cover may include leg covers in the form of tabs which project from the cover to extend over the seat where a person's legs would contact the seat.

1 . A disposable seat cover for seats having seat backs which are cushioned or upholstered or both, comprising an envelope portion for encircling the seat back, comprising:
 a front panel for covering the front of the seat back;   a rear panel for spanning the rear of the seat back;   a proximal end formed at the top of the seat when the envelope portion is installed on a seat back with the front panel covering the front of the seat back and the rear panel spanning the rear of the seat back, the proximal end including a proximal opening of diameter less than that of the envelope portion, for relieving relatively high and low internal air pressures which would otherwise develop when the disposable seat cover is installed over and removed from a seat back; and   a distal end formed at the bottom of the seat back when the envelope portion is installed on the seat back with the front panel covering the front of the seat back and the rear panel spanning the rear of the seat back, the distal end including a distal opening of diameter about equal to that of the envelope portion, for passing the seat back through the disposable seat cover for installation, wherein   at least the front panel comprises an outer web of liquid retentive, permeable material, and an inner web of liquid impermeable material.   
   
   
       2 . The disposable seat cover according to  claim 1 , further including a gathering element for constricting the overall diameter of the disposable seat cover so that when installed over a seat back, the disposable seat cover conforms closely to the seat back. 
   
   
       3 . The disposable seat cover according to  claim 2 , wherein the gathering element comprises hook and loop fastener. 
   
   
       4 . The disposable seat cover according to  claim 2 , wherein the gathering element comprises a draw string retained on the envelope portion. 
   
   
       5 . The disposable seat cover according to  claim 2 , wherein the gathering element comprises a hook and an eye arranged to receive and retain the hook. 
   
   
       6 . The disposable seat cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner web comprises a synthetic polymeric material. 
   
   
       7 . The disposable seat cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer web comprises flexible netting material. 
   
   
       8 . The disposable seat cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer web comprises a soft fabric material. 
   
   
       9 . The disposable seat cover according to  claim 1 , further including at least one extension tab extending from the envelope portion at the distal end thereof, wherein the extension tab is arranged to underlie the thighs of a person sitting in the seat. 
   
   
       10 . The disposable seat cover according to  claim 1 , wherein the front panel and the rear panel are fabricated from an elongated strip of material having the inner web and outer web, wherein the elongated strip displays generally constant width along its length, and the proximal opening is formed generally in the center of the elongated strip of material, and the distal opening is defined when the elongated strip of material is folded over onto itself at a fold coinciding with location of the proximal opening and the distal end of the front panel is disposed in overlying registry with the distal end of the rear panel with respective lateral edges of the front panel and of the rear panel caused to abut. 
   
   
       11 . The disposable seat cover according to  claim 1 , further comprising indicia disposed on the outer web in a location visible to view when the disposable seat cover is installed over a seat back of a seat. 
   
   
       12 . A method of covering a seat having a seat back which is cushioned or upholstered or otherwise covered so as to be permeable to fluids and fine particulate matter, to prevent cross contamination between the seat back and a person sitting in the seat, comprising the steps of:
 providing a disposable seat cover having an envelope member which is dimensioned and configured to cooperate with the seat back of the seat, which has an opening of width less than the width of the envelope member, and which is made of material comprising a liquid impervious inner layer and a liquid absorbent, permeable outer layer; and   placing the disposable seat cover over the seat back such that the opening is located at the top of the seat back, a front panel portion of the envelope covers the front of the seat back, and a rear panel portion of the envelope member spans the rear of the seat back.   
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , comprising the further step of discarding the disposable seat cover after each usage by one person. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , comprising the further step of providing and installing a new disposable seat cover on the seat for a subsequent usage by a person.