Retractable, sanitary covering sleeve

Abstract

A small container partitioned into two sections—one for housing a pair of retractable cords and the other half for housing a packet containing sanitizing material. Each of the sections have empty spaces therein and are conjoined together via click-and-lock hinges. The empty spaces between two sections when conjoined, they together house the protective covering sleeve. With the method in operation, a user engages a cart handle by attaching the device thereto, and can detach the two sections from each other easily. The two sections when separated deploy the protective covering sleeve over the surface of the handle, providing a sanitary surface for the user to grip.

What is claimed are: 
     
         1 . A method for covering a handle comprising:
 placing a cover sleeve device over a handle, said cover sleeve device having a cover sleeve therein capable of engaging and substantially covering said handle;   separating said cover sleeve device, sliding a left and a right section thereof apart;   deploying said cover sleeve over said handle from a pre-deployment state to a deployment state;   securing said left and said right sections of said cover sleeve device to said handle while apart and said covering sleeve deployed in said deployment state;   releasing said cover sleeve device and collapsing said covering sleeve from said deployment state to said pre-deployment state; and   removing said cover sleeve device from said handle.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said releasing includes a retraction mechanism, at least one of the sections connecting to said retraction mechanism, whereby upon activation of said retraction mechanism said protective cover reverts to a pre-deployment state. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein, upon said activation, said retraction mechanism retracts said left section and said right section together. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said retraction mechanism comprises a reel mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said reel mechanism comprises at least one coil. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said at least one coil is a retracting coil. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one of the sections is said left section. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of cords are connected to said left and right sections, and therebetween threaded through said covering sleeve along a multiplicity of points. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein two said cords are connected to the left and right sections, and are threaded through the covering sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said cords are threaded through a plurality of aligned holes in a plurality of folds of said covering sleeve. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said cords are attached at both ends to respective plates, and
 wherein said respective plates are secured to said left section and said right section, respectively.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said cords are attached at both ends to respective linkages, and
 wherein said respective linkages are secured to said respective plates.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in said step of securing, said left section and said right section comprise a clutch mechanism, whereby said left section and said right section can separately engage said handle. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 at least one release button, whereby upon pressing said release button, said clutch mechanism is disengaged.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said covering sleeve is made of a material having characteristics selected from the group consisting of: flexible, foldable, machine washable in hot, warm and cold water, hand washable in hot, warm and cold water, detergent resistant, bleach resistant, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said covering sleeve has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of circles, ovals, ellipticals, triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said covering sleeve has a size approximate the dimensions of handles used in services selected from the group consisting of hospitals, stores, shopping markets, airports, loading docks, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said left section and said right section are made of a material having characteristics selected from the group consisting of: plastic, weather resistant, heat and cold resistant, machine washable in hot and cold water, hand washable in hot, warm and cold water, detergent resistant, bleach resistant, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sanitizing using a sanitizer, said sanitizer including a reservoir of sanitizing fluid, and a nozzle,   whereby a user can press a button on said protective cover sleeve and spray said sanitizing fluid within said covering sleeve.