Disposable sanitary mitts and dispensing device

Abstract

The present invention provides a mitt dispensing system having a mitt dispensing device and a plurality of finger covering mitts in a stack. Each finger covering mitt has a base sheet and a cover sheet sealed together around the entirety of each sheet. Each cover sheet defines an opening therethrough and the edges defining the opening have at least two flaps. The dispensing device has a body with a base wall, four side walls, and a top wall and a saddle disposed in the body and having a top surface and two angled support walls extending downwardly and outwardly from the top surface. The saddle defines two cavities within the body for receiving a stack of finger covering mitts. The flaps of a top finger covering mitt in the stack of mitts orient in a generally inclined direction away from the underlying base sheet when the plurality of finger covering mitts are disposed on the top surface of the saddle.

1 . A finger covering mitt comprising:
 a base sheet portion comprising first and second longitudinal edges and first and second lateral edges defining an outer perimeter;   a cover sheet portion comprising first and second longitudinal edges and first and second lateral edges defining an outer perimeter;   the base sheet portion and the cover sheet portion joined together along the outer perimeter of each of the base sheet portion and the cover sheet portion to form a sealed perimeter of the finger covering mitt;   the cover sheet portion defining an opening inset from the sealed perimeter and defining at least first and second flaps defined by a cut pattern in the cover sheet portion, such that the first and second flaps extend into abutment with each other;   the sealed perimeter and the opening defining first and second finger pockets between the base sheet portion and cover sheet portion at first and second longitudinal ends of the finger covering mitt; and   wherein the opening is sized to receive a user's thumb into the first finger pocket and the user's fingers into the second finger pocket.   
     
     
         2 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second flaps are longitudinally extending flaps. 
     
     
         3 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first and second flaps further comprises third and fourth flaps. 
     
     
         4 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second flaps are longitudinally extending flaps and the third and fourth flaps are laterally extending flaps. 
     
     
         5 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , wherein the cut pattern is generally X-shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , wherein the cut pattern is X-shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , wherein the cut pattern is H-shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , wherein the cut pattern includes a lateral slit mid-portion. 
     
     
         9 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , wherein the cut pattern includes a longitudinal slit mid-portion. 
     
     
         10 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , wherein the cut pattern is symmetrical about a longitudinal center line of the finger covering mitt. 
     
     
         11 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal center point of the cut pattern is offset from a longitudinal center line of the finger covering mitt. 
     
     
         12 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , wherein the cover sheet portion substantially covers the entire base sheet portion when the finger covering mitt is in a flat condition. 
     
     
         13 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 1 , comprising a strip of mitt material defining the base sheet portion and the cover sheet portion, the strip of mitt material having a folded portion defining one of the first longitudinal edge, the second longitudinal edge, the first lateral edge, and the second lateral edge of each of the base sheet portion and the cover sheet portion. 
     
     
         14 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 13 , wherein the others of the first longitudinal edge, the second longitudinal edge, the first lateral edge, and the second lateral edge of the base sheet portion are heat sealed to corresponding ones of the first longitudinal edge, the second longitudinal edge, the first lateral edge, and the second lateral edge of the cover sheet portion. 
     
     
         15 . A finger covering mitt comprising:
 a base sheet portion comprising first and second longitudinal edges and first and second lateral edges defining an outer perimeter;   a cover sheet portion comprising first and second longitudinal edges and first and second lateral edges defining an outer perimeter;   the base sheet portion and the cover sheet portion joined together along the outer perimeter of each of the base sheet portion and the cover sheet portion to form a sealed perimeter of the finger covering mitt;   the cover sheet portion defining an opening between first and second longitudinal ends of the finger covering mitt and defining a first flap proximate the first longitudinal end and a second flap proximate the second longitudinal end, wherein at least the second flap has a width that is at least about 65% of a total width of the finger covering mitt;   the sealed perimeter and the opening defining a first and second finger pockets between the base sheet portion and cover sheet portion at the corresponding first and second longitudinal ends of the finger covering mitt; and   wherein the opening is sized to receive a user's thumb into the first finger pocket and the user's fingers into the second finger pocket.   
     
     
         16 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second flaps are defined by a cut pattern in the cover sheet portion, such that the first and second flaps extend into abutment with each other. 
     
     
         17 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 16 , wherein the cut pattern further defines third and fourth laterally extending flaps. 
     
     
         18 . The finger covering mitt of  claim 16 , wherein the cover sheet portion substantially covers the entire base sheet portion when the finger covering mitt is in a flat condition. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making a finger covering mitt, the method comprising:
 providing a strip of mitt material including a base sheet portion and a cover sheet portion;   cutting a cut pattern in the cover sheet portion;   folding the strip of material along a central portion of the strip to form a first edge of the finger covering mitt; and   sealing joined edges of the folded strip to form second, third and fourth edges of the finger covering mitt.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein cutting the cut pattern in the cover sheet portion comprises cutting the cut pattern without removing material from the cover sheet portion.