Sanitary guard for food and beverages

Abstract

A sanitary guard for food and beverages is provided. The sanitary guard includes a guard plate and a mechanism for securing the guard plate to the torso of an individual user. When the guard plate is secured to the user, the guard plate extends outwardly from the torso of the user and establishes a protective barrier between the user's head and upper body area and any food or beverages being prepared or handled by the user. The guard plate is transparent so that the user can see through the plate and easily view the food being handled. The sanitary guard protects any food or beverages being handled by the user from human contaminants that may come from the user's head or upper body. Because the guard plate is secured to an individual user's torso, a protective barrier is always present without interfering with the user's ability to work.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sanitary guard, comprising:
 a guard plate, wherein at least a substantial portion of the guard plate is transparent, and   at least one securing element attached to the guard plate, wherein the at least one securing element is configured such that the guard plate can be secured to the torso of a user in a position in which the guard plate extends outwardly from the torso of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The sanitary guard of  claim 1 , wherein the guard plate has a sidewall disposed along the perimeter of the guard plate. 
     
     
         3 . The sanitary guard of  claim 1 , wherein the guard plate has at least one end that is generally straight. 
     
     
         4 . The sanitary guard of  claim 3 , wherein the guard plate comprises a generally flat central portion and a sidewall disposed along the perimeter of the guard plate on at least the straight end of the guard plate, and wherein the sidewall disposed along the straight end is generally perpendicular to the central portion. 
     
     
         5 . The sanitary guard of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one securing element is attached to the exterior of the sidewall disposed along the straight end of the guard plate. 
     
     
         6 . The sanitary guard of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one securing element comprises adhesive or a component of hook and loop tape. 
     
     
         7 . The sanitary guard of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one securing element comprises a strap having two ends, wherein each end of the strap is attached to the sidewall of the guard plate, and wherein the strap is configured such that the guard plate can be secured to the torso of a user by tightening the strap around the torso of the user. 
     
     
         8 . The sanitary guard of  claim 4 , wherein the sidewall disposed along the straight end of the guard plate has an aperture extending through the sidewall, wherein the aperture has a lower portion having a wider diameter than an upper portion. 
     
     
         9 . The sanitary guard of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one securing element comprises a strap having two ends, wherein each end of the strap is attached to the guard plate, and wherein the strap is configured such that the guard plate can be secured to the torso of a user by tightening the strap around the torso of the user. 
     
     
         10 . A sanitary guard, comprising:
 a guard plate, wherein at least a substantial portion of the guard plate is transparent, and   a means for securing the guard plate to the torso of a user in a position in which the guard plate extends outwardly from the torso of the user.   
     
     
         11 . The sanitary guard of  claim 10 , wherein the guard plate has a sidewall disposed along the perimeter of the guard plate. 
     
     
         12 . The sanitary guard of  claim 10 , wherein the guard plate has at least one end that is generally straight. 
     
     
         13 . The sanitary guard of  claim 12 , wherein the guard plate comprises a generally flat central portion and a sidewall disposed along the perimeter of the guard plate on at least the straight end of the guard plate, and wherein the sidewall disposed along the straight end is generally perpendicular to the central portion. 
     
     
         14 . The sanitary guard of  claim 13 , wherein the sidewall disposed along the straight end of the guard plate has an aperture extending through the sidewall, wherein the aperture has a lower portion having a wider diameter than an upper portion. 
     
     
         15 . The sanitary guard of  claim 10 , wherein the means for securing the guard plate to the torso of the user comprises adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . The sanitary guard of  claim 10 , wherein the means for securing the guard plate to the torso of the user comprises a component of hook and loop tape. 
     
     
         17 . The sanitary guard of  claim 10 , wherein the means for securing the guard plate to the torso of the user comprises a strap having two ends, wherein each end of the strap is attached to the guard plate, and wherein the strap is configured such that the guard plate can be secured to the torso of a user by tightening the strap around the torso of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The sanitary guard of  claim 13 , wherein the means for securing the guard plate to the torso of the user comprises a strap having two ends, wherein each end of the strap is attached to the sidewall of the guard plate, and wherein the strap is configured such that the guard plate can be secured to the torso of a user by tightening the strap around the torso of the user. 
     
     
         19 . The sanitary guard of  claim 10 , wherein the means for securing the guard plate to the torso of the user comprises a first securing element and a second securing element.