Sanitizing And Cleaning System For Fingers

Abstract

Systems and methods for cleaning or sanitizing a finger. A container has an interior sized to receive a finger, the container having a bottom portion and a wall portion extending from the bottom portion to an opening along an edge of the wall portion through which the finger may be received. The wall portion and bottom portion each have an interior surface within the container. A plurality of bristles extend from an interior surface of the container for contact with a portion of the finger when liquid is in the container.

1 . A system, for cleaning or sanitizing a finger or a region about a fingernail, in the form of a container for holding liquid, the container having an interior sized to receive a finger, the container having a bottom portion and a wall portion for containing liquid, the wall portion extending from the bottom portion to an opening along an edge of the wall portion through which a finger may be received into the container,
 the wall portion having opposing exterior and interior wall surfaces, the exterior wall surface facing away from the container interior, the majority of interior wall surface extending along the exterior surface, and   the bottom portion having opposing exterior and interior bottom surfaces, the exterior bottom surface facing away from the container interior and the interior bottom surface facing the container interior, the container further comprising:   a plurality of bristles extending from one or both interior surfaces of the container for contact with a portion of a finger inserted in the container.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further including a removable lid positioned against the edge of the wall portion to seal the opening and keep liquid placed in the container prior to use of the system for cleaning or sanitizing. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further including a liquid placed therein for use with the bristles when cleaning or sanitizing. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  where each in the plurality of bristles has a height measurable along a direction in which the bristle extends away from an interior surface, some of the bristles having an elongate height relative to bristle width or diameter with a ratio of height to width or height to diameter ranging from 37 to 125. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  where each in the plurality of bristles has a height measurable along a direction in which the bristle extends away from an interior surface, some of the bristles varying in size, with bristles of different heights interspersed in a series of spaced apart bristles. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  where the bristles are mixed in a pattern, allowing short and long bristles to simultaneously contact varied surface contours created by adjoining finger regions. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  where the plurality of bristles includes a first plurality of bristles extending from the interior bottom surface for contact with a portion of a finger when positioned in the container. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6  where the plurality of bristles also includes a second plurality of bristles extending from the interior wall surface that also come into contact with a portion of a finger when positioned in the container. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  where the plurality of bristles includes bristles extending from the interior wall surface that come into contact with liquid when liquid is in the container. 
     
     
         10 . A system, for cleaning or sanitizing a finger or a region about a fingernail, in the form of a container for holding liquid, the container having an interior sized to receive a finger, the container having a bottom portion and a wall portion for containing liquid, the wall portion extending from the bottom portion to an opening along an edge of the wall portion through which a finger may be received into the container,
 the container having an upper interior surface along the wall portion and a lower interior surface along the bottom portion, the container further comprising:   a first group of bristles extending upward from the lower interior surface toward the container opening for contact with a portion of a finger positioned within the container.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  further including a second group of bristles extending from the upper interior surface for contact with a portion of a finger positioned within the container. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  where the container is axially symmetric between the bottom portion and the opening and the bristles extending from the upper interior surface extend toward a central axis of symmetry. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  where the edge of the wall portion is a sealing lip, the system further including a removable seal lid bonded to the sealing lip to seal the opening and keep liquid placed in the container prior to use of the system for cleaning or sanitizing. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  where the bond between the seal lid and the sealing lip is effected with application of an adhesive, via a heating process, by welding, or with another well-known technique. 
     
     
         15 . A method of cleaning or sanitizing fingers comprising:
 positioning a finger along an interior surface of a container filled with fluid;   moving a portion of the finger along a series of varying bristle patterns immersed in the fluid to clean or sanitize the finger portion with the fluid.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  where the step of moving a portion of the finger along a series of bristles is performed with bristles mounted along a bottom surface of the container. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  where the step of moving a portion of the finger along a series of bristles is performed with bristles mounted along a wall surface of the container. 
     
     
         18 - 20 . (canceled)