Anti-Microbial Strap

Abstract

The invention discussed includes a durable antimicrobial strap made using a polymer material, including plastics or vinyl, or a combination thereof, which have been enhanced through the integration of antimicrobial material adapted to kill microbes. The antimicrobial strap may be used in applications including but not limited to gait belts, helmet harness, and seat belts in child safety seats where the strap controls the level of cross-contamination by killing unwanted microbes that contact the strap and thereby, prevents the spread of disease and infections. A belt such as a child safety restraint made by a method of applying heat to the belt strap ends to form loops between the ends and the belt is also presented.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending and co-owned U.S. application Ser. No. 13 / 586,851 having a filing date of Aug. 15, 2012, which claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 575,087, entitled “Antimicrobial strap” filed Aug. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF INVENTION[0002]The disclosed invention is a strap including antimicrobial properties designed to improve the ability to maintain an antimicrobial free or near antimicrobial free point of contact between hosts in contact with the strap, thereby slowing down or stopping the cycle of spreading pathogens or germs.BACKGROUND[0003]In everyday life humans and animals come in contact with inanimate objects. During this contact, microbes are exchanged between the host and the inanimate object. The conventional method for controlling the spread of microbes is to clean the major ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes an antimicrobial strap that can reduce the spread of germs and prevent the transmission of microbes. The strap has a unique design that attacks pathogens at the point of contact, and a heating process is used to form junctions within the strap. The result is a belt that can safely and effectively prevent the transmission of harmful microbes.

Problems solved by technology

When used, the conventional method for controlling the spread of microbes may be inhibited by human elements such as failure to see the need for cleaning, failure and inadequacies of policies and procedures, inappropriate methods for cleaning, and inadequate training of staff personnel responsible for cleaning, as well as a poor understanding of proper hygiene by those doing the cleaning.

Furthermore, even if the inanimate object is cleaned appropriately, the cleaning does not protect against future transmission of pathogens or germs to the inanimate object in contact with or in close proximity to the inanimate object.

Yet further, even when cleaned “properly”, there is oftentimes residual contamination left behind.

Currently available methods for cleaning straps are often ineffective or not adhered too.

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