US3422550A - Disposable shoe cover - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 21, 1969 R. R. ROBINSON 3,422,550

DISPQSABLE SHOE COVER Filed July 28, 1967 Z a Z. (/5 T?- INVENTOR Paah 1Q. Rab/haw? United States Patent 3,422,550 DISPOSABLE SHOE COVER Ralph R. Robinson, 322 Englewood Road, Middlesboro, Ky. 40965 Filed July 28, 1967, Ser. No. 656,923 US. Cl. 367.1 Int. Cl. A43b 3/16; Hf 3/00 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to surgical clothing and, more particularly, to a cover for shoes of persons participating in surgery or other operations normally performed in a hospital.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a shoe cover for use by doctors and other parties present in operating rooms where high sanitation standards are required, the cover being novelly designed for universal use on shoes of various sizes. Additionally, the cover is designed to permit ready securing of the cover to the shoe and also to facilitate removal therefrom.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cover of the aforementioned character which is very simple in construction and may be formed from a low cost material, thereby rendering the cover inexpensive to manufacture to the end that it is economically feasible to dispose of the cover after only a single use.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a shoe cover made pursuant to the teachings of my invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a lower perspective view of the cover showing the same in use; and

FIG. 5 is an upper perspective view thereof.

The shoe cover of the present invention includes a bag formed from a flexible material and presenting a pair of side panels 12 configured substantially similar to a shoe. Side panels 12 are stitched at the adjacent peripheries thereof to form a closed back 14, a closed bottom 16, and a closed front 18 adapted to cover the toe of the shoe. The upper edges of side panels 12 are not stitched and thus provide an access opening 20 extending from back 14 to front '18.

Bag 10 includes an elongated toe portion 22 which terminates in a tip end 24, the latter having a loop member 26 secured thereto such as by stitching 28. A pair of resilient fasteners such as rubber bands 30 are journalled through loop member 26. A conductive strap 32 is secured along closed bottom 16 and includes a free end 34.

In use, the cover is adapted to receive a shoe 36 being worn by a person such as a doctor or nurse who is to par ticipate in surgery, to the end that the shoe 36 1s covered to preclude germs or the like from contaminating the operating room. Shoe 36 is inserted through access opening 3,422,550 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 20, with the heel of the shoe being positioned adjacent back 14 and the sole of the shoe extending along the inner surface of bottom 16. Bottom 16 is longer than the length of a normal shoe, thereby presenting excess material 38 in toe portion 22, which excess material extends forwardly beyond the tip of shoe 36.

Excess material 38 is folded over the top of the toe of shoe 36, whereupon one of the bands 30 is looped beneath bag 10 for yieldably holding the latter in place against the bottom of shoe 36. The other band 30 is then drawn below the shoe and rearwardly thereof for looping around the ankle of the wearer adjacent the back of his heel, thereby yieldably holding back 14 in place. The pull of band 30 on the bight 42 of loop member 26 maintains excess material 38 in its folded position as shown in FIG. 5 to thereby adjust the effective length of bag 10 to correspond to the length of shoe 36.

Doctors and nurses take many sanitation precautions before entering the operating room, such as using rubber gloves and surgical gowns, but often fail to cover their shoes which are common carriers of germs. My invention serves to substantially cover the shoe and thus aids in maintaining the high sanitation standards required in hospital operating rooms.

Strap 32 is tucked into the wearers sock 40 and serves as a conductor for current flow between the wearer and the floor, thereby precluding a buildup of static electricity in the wearer. This provision is important inasmuch as sparks emanating from the wearer as a result of static electricity may prove to be an explosion hazard such as when oxygen is being utilized in the operating room.

It will be recognized that my cover is novelly designed so that it is adapted for universal use on shoes of various sizes, an important provision being the elongated toe portion 22 which may be drawn back in the form of excess material 38 to suitably adjust the length of bag 10 for shoe 36. Extendable fasteners such as the bands 30 are utilized to yieldably hold the bag 10 in place and thus complement the universal character of the cover.

Removal of the cover from shoe 36 is also effected quickly as it is only necessary to slip respective bands 30 from their holding positions to permit drawing of bag 10 from the shoe. Thus, the doctor or nurse is provided with a cover which is readily secured on the shoe and easily removed there-from. In view of the sanitation requirements in hospitals, it would be desirable to dispose of the cover after a single use and, thus it is preferable to form the same from an inexpensive paper material or fabric, and it will be appreciated that my novel design is readily amenable to the use of such materials.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A disposable shoe cover comprising:

a bag of flexible material having a pair of panels interconnected to present a closed bottom, a closed back, and a closed front adapted to cover the toe of the shoe,

there being an access opening at the top of the bag extending from said back to said front thereof,

said bag having an elongated toe portion terminating in a forwardmost tip end;

a fastener attached to said end of the bag adapted for looping around the ankle of the wearer adjacent the back of his heel, said bottom being longer than the length of a normal shoe, presenting excess material in said toe portion extending forwardly beyond the tip of the shoe of said wearer,

said excess material being folded over the top of the toe of said shoe and held in place by said fastener,

said fastener being resilient for yieldably holding said material in place thereby adapting the bag for universal use on shoes of various sizes;

a loop member secured to said end,

said fastener comprising a band journalled through said loop member and looped around the ankle; and

a second resilient band journalled through said loop member, said second band adapted for looping beneath the bag for yieldably holding the latter in place against the bottom of the shoe.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1960 France.

10 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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