Sanitary assistive device for finger

Abstract

Disclosed herein are novel sanitary assistive devices to be worn on a user's finger for opening thin plastic bags and for minimizing the spreading of germs. In some embodiments, the device comprises an elongate tube body enclosed at a distal end by a distal wall. The inner face of the tube body is generally cylindrical but may assume other profiles and is sized for housing a user's finger. A proximal port provides entry for the user's finger. A joint port extends laterally through the side of the elongate tube body. A tack port extends through the side of the elongate tube body and houses a tack. The tack has an enlarged head and a stem extending from the head. A tack flap extends from the outer face of the elongate tube body to cover the tack, however, the tack flap is retracted proximally when needed to separate bags.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A sanitary assistive device for a finger comprising:
 an elongate tube body;   said elastomeric elongate tube body having a tube wall extending between the inside and outside of said elongate tube body;   a distal wall enclosing a distal end of said elongate tube body;   an inner face formed on the inside of said tube wall defining a rounded finger space operable for seating the distal portion of a user's finger therein;   a proximal face at a proximal end of said elongate tube body;   a proximal port extending through said proximal face from said proximal end of said elongate tube body;   a tack; and   wherein said tack extends through said tube wall between said finger space and said outer face.   
     
     
         4 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a joint port; 
 said joint port extending through said tube wall between a proximal end and a distal end of said elongate tube body and configured to provide relief of a user's knuckle when seated in said finger space. 
 
     
     
         5 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 4  wherein said joint port and said tack are located on opposed sides of said elongate tube body. 
     
     
         6 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a tack face extending between said inner face and said outer face; and 
 wherein said tack face forms a tack port for seating said tack therein. 
 
     
     
         7 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a tack port ridge; 
 wherein said tack port ridge is a narrowing of said tack port. 
 
     
     
         8 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 3  wherein said tack comprises a T-shaped body. 
     
     
         9 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a tack flap; 
 said tack flap extending from said outer face of said elongate tube body from a position proximally adjacent to said tack port; and 
 wherein said tack flap extends over said tack port. 
 
     
     
         10 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a tip on said tack; and 
 wherein said tack flap is biased to cover said tip of said tack in a covered configuration. 
 
     
     
         11 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 10  wherein said tip extends beyond said outer face of said elongate tube body. 
     
     
         12 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 3  wherein said elongate tube body is manufactured from an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         13 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 3  wherein said tack comprises a T-shaped body. 
     
     
         14 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 13  wherein said T-shaped body comprises an enlarged head. 
     
     
         15 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 14  wherein said T-shaped body further comprises:
 a stem; 
 wherein said stem extends from said enlarged head. 
 
     
     
         16 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a tack port extending through said tube wall; 
 said tack port having a tack port ridge narrowing a portion of said tack port; 
 wherein said stem comprises an annular recess operable for engagement in said tack port ridge. 
 
     
     
         17 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 15  wherein said stem terminates at a tip. 
     
     
         18 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a tack flap; 
 said tack flap extending from said outer face of said elongate tube body from a position proximally adjacent to said tack port; 
 said tack comprising a tip; and 
 wherein said tack flap extends over said tip in a covered configuration. 
 
     
     
         19 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 18  wherein said tip of said tack is exposed by retracting said tack flap in a retracted configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The sanitary assistive device of  claim 3  wherein said tack is manufactured from a rigid material. 
     
     
         21 . A method of using a sanitary assistive device to separate thin plastic bags comprising the following steps:
 obtaining a sanitary assistive device comprising an elongate tube body, a proximal port leading into a finger space, a joint port, a tack port with a T-shaped tack housed therein, and a tack flap extending over the tack port from an outer face of the elongate tube body;   sliding a finger through the proximal port such that it is fully seated in a finger space within the elongate tube body whereby the user's finger pad of their distal phalange is resting on a tactile surface of a tack housed in the finger port of the sanitary assistive device;   obtaining a thin plastic bag;   retracting the tack flap thereby exposing a tip of the tack; and   placing the tip of the tack on an outer surface of the thin plastic bag and dragging such that the sides of the thin plastic bag separate to provide access to the inside of the bag.   
     
     
         22 . The method of using a sanitary assistive device to separate thin plastic bags of  claim 21  wherein the step of retracting the tack flap thereby exposing a tip of the tack further comprises the step of placing the user's thumb over the tack flap and retracting the tack flap proximally thereby exposing the tip of the tack.