Sanitary mitt to prevent the spread of germs through vehicle hand grips and method of use thereof

Abstract

A disposable sanitary mitt for use to grip a support structure on public transportation vehicles to prevent the spread of germs, having a pair of complimentary planar, plastic sheets which are sealed together along a portion of the periphery and unsealed along the remaining periphery, to define an opening having a thumb receiving portion and a separate finger receiving portion. The opening is accessible by the unsealed portion of the periphery to allow a wearer to insert a hand in the opening, with the wearer's thumb in the thumb receiving portion and the wearer's fingers in the finger receiving portion and grip the support structure on the public transportation vehicle with the sanitary mitt covering the wear's hand to maintain balance while the sanitary mitt resists the spread of germs.

1 . A disposable sanitary mitt for use by a wearer to grip a support structure on public transportation vehicles to prevent the spread of germs, comprising:
 a pair of complimentary planar, plastic sheets disposed in a superimposed relationship to one another and sealed together along a portion of the periphery thereof and unsealed along the remaining periphery thereof, to define an opening therebetween having a thumb receiving portion and a separate finger receiving portion, said opening accessible by the unsealed portion of the periphery which defines an open edge, to permit a wearer to insert a hand in said opening, via said open edge, with the wearer's thumb in said thumb receiving portion and the wearer's fingers in said finger receiving portion, and grip the support structure on the public transportation vehicle with said sanitary mitt covering the wearer's hand; and   indicia provided on at least one of said planar, plastic sheets.   
     
     
         2 . The mitt according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said indicia is a member selected from the group consisting of advertising and promotional material.   
     
     
         3 . An assembly for dispensing sanitary mitts for use in gripping a support structure on public transportation vehicles to prevent the spread of germs, comprising:
 a plurality of sanitary mitts arranged in a group, each comprising, a pair of complimentary planar, plastic sheets disposed in a superimposed relationship to one another and sealed together along a portion of the periphery thereof and unsealed along the remaining periphery thereof, to define an opening therebetween having a thumb receiving portion and a separate finger receiving portion, said opening accessible by the unsealed portion of the periphery which defines an open edge, to permit a wearer to insert a hand in said opening, via said open edge, with the wearer's thumb in said thumb receiving portion and the wearer's fingers in said finger receiving portion, and grip the support structure on the public transportation vehicle with said sanitary mitt covering the wearer's hand; and   indicia provided on at least one of said planar, plastic sheets,   wherein a sanitary mitt can be individually removed from said group thereof.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 said indicia is a member selected from the group consisting of advertising and promotional material.   
     
     
         5 . The assembly according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a dispenser which encloses said plurality of mitts arranged in a group, wherein a sanitary mitt can be individually removed from said group thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The assembly according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a plurality of upper strips, each of which is removably attached via perforations to each of said planar plastic sheets of said plurality of mitts along said unsealed portion of said periphery of said sanitary mitts and wherein said plurality of mitts are arranged in a superimposed relationship and said plurality of upper strips are connected together, and wherein a sanitary mitt can be individually removed from said group thereof by separating both of said plastic sheets of said sanitary mitt from said upper strips connected thereto.   
     
     
         7 . The assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 said plurality of upper strips are connected together by heat sealing.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 each of said plurality of upper strips define at least one opening therein having an outer peripheral edge and wherein said outer peripheral edges of said openings are heat sealed together.   
     
     
         9 . A method of preventing the spread of germs on public transportation vehicles, comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one disposable sanitary mitt for use by a wearer to grip a support structure on public transportation vehicles to prevent the spread of germs, comprising a pair of complimentary planar, plastic sheets disposed in a superimposed relationship to one another and sealed together along a portion of the periphery thereof and unsealed along the remaining periphery thereof, to define an opening therebetween having a thumb receiving portion and a separate finger receiving portion, said opening accessible by the unsealed portion of the periphery which defines an open edge, to permit a wearer to insert a hand in said opening, via said open edge, with the wearer's thumb in said thumb receiving portion and the wearer's fingers in said finger receiving portion, and grip the support structure on the public transportation vehicle with said sanitary mitt covering the wearer's hand; and indicia provided on at least one of said planar, plastic sheets;   inserting the wearer's hand in said opening of said sanitary mitt, via said open edge, with the wearer's thumb in said thumb receiving portion and the wearer's fingers in said finger receiving portion, so that said sanitary mitt covers the wearer's hand; and   gripping the support structure on the public transportation vehicle with said sanitary mitt covering the wearer's hand.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 said indicia is a member selected from the group consisting of advertising and promotional material.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of sanitary mitts arranged in a group wherein a sanitary mitt can be individually removed from said group thereof; and   removing a sanitary mitt from said plurality of sanitary mitts arranged in a group.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
 providing a dispenser which encloses said plurality of mitts arranged in a group, wherein a sanitary mitt can be individually removed from said group thereof.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of upper strips, each of which is removably attached via perforations to each of said planar plastic sheets of said plurality of mitts along said unsealed portion of said periphery of said sanitary mitts and wherein said plurality of mitts are arranged in a superimposed relationship and said plurality of upper strips are connected together; and   removing a sanitary mitt from said group thereof by separating both of said plastic sheets of said sanitary mitt from said upper strips connected thereto.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 said plurality of upper strips are connected together by heat sealing.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 each of said plurality of upper strips define at least one opening therein having an outer peripheral edge and wherein said outer peripheral edges of said openings are heat sealed together.