Wearable finger-moistening device for easily opening supermarket plastic produce bags
View Patent ↗A wearable finger-moistening device to help open plastic produce bags in the supermarket. At least one opening in a waterproof front panel or a sponge expansion barrier exposes a wettable antimicrobial sponge. The sponge can retain moisture for 4-8 hours. The device is used by touching one's fingers to the moistened sponge, and then using one's moistened fingers to easily open a plastic produce bag. A clasp allows the user to attach the device using only one hand onto a belt loop, a zipper pull, or a purse strap, for example. The at least one opening in the front panel or in a sponge expansion barrier can be shaped to enhance the appearance of the device.
1 . A wearable finger-moistening device, the device comprising:
a sponge having a sponge outer boundary;
a front panel and a back panel,
the front panel having an outer boundary and the back panel having an outer boundary,
the front panel being in connected relationship with the back panel via a tab having a fold line that represents a transition from the front panel to the back panel, and the outer boundary of the front panel being in bilaterally symmetric relationship about the fold line with the outer boundary of the back panel,
the front panel having at least one opening with an opening shape and size that can be inscribed within the sponge outer boundary,
the front panel having a peripheral region in bonded relationship with a peripheral region of the back panel so as to trap the sponge between the front panel and the back panel, the sponge being finger accessible via the opening in the front panel, and
an open channel formed along the fold line of the tab when the peripheral region of the front panel enters bonded relationship with the peripheral region of the back panel, the open channel configured to receive an attachment assembly.
2 . The device of claim 1 , further including:
an attachment assembly.
3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the attachment assembly includes one of:
a clasp, a carabiner, a one-handed connection device, a key ring, a paper clip, a ring having a closable opening.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the opening in the front panel is one of:
a heart-shaped hole, a round hole, an oval hole, a square hole, a rectangular hole, a diamond-shaped hole.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sponge is trapped between the front panel and the back panel such that all of the at least one opening presents the sponge for finger access.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the front panel and the back panel include a layer of waterproof or water-resistant material.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sponge is configured to retain moisture for 4-8 hours.
8 . A wearable finger-moistening device, the device comprising:
a front panel having at least one opening;
a sponge configured to retain moisture;
a back panel in sealed relationship with the front panel, such that the sponge is captured between the front panel and the back panel, a portion of the sponge being exposed through the at least one opening; and
a tab connected to at least one of the front panel and the back panel, the tab configured for attachment via an attachment assembly to a wearable object, and
the tab configured for attachment to the attachment assembly is folded to form an open channel configured to capture the attachment assembly.
9 . The wearable finger-moistening device of claim 8 , wherein the tab is a strip of material that is an extension of the front panel that extends to join the back panel.
10 . The wearable finger-moistening device of claim 8 , wherein the tab is folded in half along a fold line.
11 . The wearable finger-moistening device of claim 8 , wherein the sponge is wider and longer than the at least one opening such that all areas of the at least one opening expose a portion of the sponge.
12 . The wearable finger-moistening device of claim 8 , wherein the front panel is in peripherally bonded relationship with the back panel so as to trap the sponge between the front panel and the back panel, the sponge being finger-accessible via the at least one opening.
13 . The wearable finger-moistening device of claim 8 , wherein the sponge is treated to be anti-microbial.
14 . The wearable finger-moistening device of claim 8 , wherein the front panel and the back panel include a layer of waterproof or water-resistant material.
15 . A kit for forming a wearable finger-moistening device, the kit comprising:
a front panel connected to a back panel via a tab, the front panel having at least one opening;
a first double-sided adhesive layer sized and shaped to match the front panel, the back panel, and the tab;
a foam wall with a foam tab, the foam wall and the foam tab sized and shaped to match the back panel and the tab, the foam wall defining a foam wall opening configured to receive a sponge; and
a sponge that is sized and shaped to fit within the foam wall opening.
16 . The kit of claim 15 , further including:
a sponge expansion barrier; and
a second double-sided adhesive layer shaped like the sponge expansion barrier.
17 . The kit of claim 15 , further including:
an attachment assembly configured to be captured along the foam tab when the foam tab, a respective portion of the first double-sided adhesive layer, and the tab are folded over.
18 . The kit of claim 17 , wherein the attachment assembly includes one of:
a clasp, a carabiner, a one-handed connection device, a key ring, a paper clip, a ring having a closable opening.
19 . The kit of claim 15 , wherein the sponge is treated to be anti-microbial.