Foot anti-contamination barrier membrane structure

Abstract

Disposable, anti-pathogen, anti-contamination barrier membrane structure characterized with drape, and adapted to be interposed the sole of the foot and a walking surface including (a) gossamer-thin, flexible, pathogen-blocking, sheet-like barrier material having an adhesion face, placeable, adhesively and removably, with light pressure, onto, and fully covering, from a perimetral point of view, the sole of a person's foot, and (b) low-tack, re-positionable adhesive structure resident on the adhesion face.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION[0001]At commercial airports distributed around the United States and elsewhere in the world, ticketed passengers are now routinely subjected to a regular security screening process before they are permitted to enter the relevant boarding-gate concourses. This screening process now almost routinely either requires, or strongly encourages, that, before a person passes through a personnel security-screening gate, that person's shoes be removed, with such shoes, and other passenger-carried items, being directed independently through a weapons and contraband scanning tunnel on a conveyor belt which collects these items typically at a point which is some distance, perhaps several yards, away from where they are ultimately returned to their owning passengers. With regard to many people who are airline passengers, objections and concerns have arisen, and have been voiced, regarding the fact that, when shoes are removed in safety-screening areas, with ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]Preferably, these thin underfoot barriers are constructed so that they will adhere relatively tenaciously during the short periods of time that they are worn and walked upon, and that they have structural qualities which allow them, despite their preferable gossamer characteristic, to stay intact during short periods of use, and also to stay relatively well adhered to the bottoms of feet, stockings, etc. during use.

[0005]Also, the specific material forming this barrier structure should be such that it will confidently prevent true contamination with respect to any pathogenic contaminant which might be picked up from foot / stocking / sock contact with the floor surface where they are used.

[0010]FIG. 4 illustrates a point in time slightly later than that which is illustrated in FIG. 3, and specifically shows how, when the now barrier-guarded foot lowers into contact with the airport concourse floor (in this illustration shown as a carpeted floor), the gossamer and drapey nature of the barrier sheet causes it to form and reshape itself to provide intimate adhesion contact with the sole of the foot—a feature of the invention which promotes successful use of a low-tack, repositionable adhesive without creating a situation where an applied barrier shape is likely to break away from the foot sole during a short period of use.

Problems solved by technology

With regard to many people who are airline passengers, objections and concerns have arisen, and have been voiced, regarding the fact that, when shoes are removed in safety-screening areas, with the result that people must then committedly walk substantially or actually barefooted on the safety-screening area floor (carpeted or not), there is a potential for floor contact foot exposure to pathogenic contaminants which could cause illness.

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