Methods of maintaining and using a high concentration of dissolved copper on the surface of a useful article

Abstract

A method for maintaining and using a high concentration of dissolved copper on a surface of a useful article by providing a copper surface without coatings thereon, which increase the wetting angle and which isolate the copper surface and which has a surface roughness between 2 and 50 micro inches Ra, so as to kill microbes thereon.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A useful product configured for providing a solution with continuously replenishing copper dissolved therein, the useful product comprising:
 a. a mass of solid copper alloy having a copper alloy contact surface; wherein the copper alloy contact surface has a predetermined surface roughness characteristic and an associated predetermined characteristic for killing microbes;   b. said copper alloy contact surface being free of any barrier coating thereon which covers said copper alloy contact surface, isolates said copper alloy contact surface from exposure to atmospheric oxygen and further provides said copper alloy contact surface with an increased wetting angle;   c. said copper alloy contact surface being a surface configured to provide a continuous source of copper;   d. said mass of solid copper alloy being deployed such that said copper alloy contact surface is configured to facilitate exposure to contact with a human hand or contaminated particles and cause a reduction in live harmful pathogens disposed on said copper alloy contact surface;   wherein said step of directing placement comprises the steps of:
 manufacturing a useful object from said mass of solid copper alloy and advising users that said useful object has anti-microbial properties. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said useful object is a coin minted by a government and released for distribution. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of killing live microbes by providing anti-microbial consumer products:
 providing a useful consumer product that performs a useful function that has a contact surface thereon, which is configured to be touched by a portion of a human hand during operation of the useful consumer product and while performing the useful function;   wherein said useful consumer product is one of:
 a door knob; 
 a cooking utensil; 
 door push plate; 
   wherein said contact surface comprises a copper alloy contact surface having a roughness characteristic of between 2 and 50 micro inches Ra;   wherein said contact surface is free of any coating which isolates said contact surface from atmospheric oxygen; and   deploying said consumer product so as to receive live microbes thereon to reduce over time a quantity of live microbes on the contact surface, at least based in part upon said copper alloy contact surface.   
     
     
         16 . The method of killing microbes of  claim 15  wherein said useful consumer product is a door knob and wherein said copper alloy contact surface has a roughness characteristic of between 6 and 14 micro inches Ra. 
     
     
         17 . The method of killing microbes of  claim 15  wherein said useful consumer product is a door push plate and wherein said copper alloy contact surface is free of any coating applied thereto, which tends to increase a wetting angle of the copper alloy contact surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of killing microbes of  claim 15  wherein said useful consumer product is a cooking utensil. 
     
     
         19 . A method of killing microbes by providing an anti-microbial building product:
 providing a useful building product that performs a useful function that has a contact surface thereon which is configured to be contacted by living harmful microbes while performing the useful function;   wherein said contact surface comprises a copper alloy contact surface having a roughness characteristic of between 2 and 50 micro inches Ra;   wherein said contact surface is free of any coating which isolates said contact surface from atmospheric oxygen; and   deploying said useful building product so as to come in contact with live microbes and to reduce over time a quantity of live microbes on the contact surface, at least based in part upon said copper alloy contact surface.   
     
     
         20 . The method of killing microbes by providing anti-microbial building product of  claim 19  wherein said anti-microbial building product is duct work for a heating and ventilation system and wherein said copper alloy contact surface has a roughness characteristic of between 4 and 36 micro inches Ra. 
     
     
         21 . A method of reducing transmission of disease comprising the steps of:
 providing a copper alloy surface on a door at a location that is designed to be contacted by a human hand when the door is being opened;   said copper alloy surface having a surface roughness of 6 to 14 micro inches Ra and being free of any coating thereon, which tends to increase a wetting angle of the copper alloy surface; and   deploying the door in a hospital.   
     
     
         22 . A useful product configured for providing a solution with continuously replenishing copper dissolved therein, the useful product comprising:
 a. a mass of solid copper alloy having a copper alloy contact surface; wherein the copper alloy contact surface has a surface roughness characteristic and an associated characteristic for killing microbes;   b. said copper alloy contact surface being free of any barrier coating thereon which covers said copper alloy contact surface and isolates said copper alloy contact surface from exposure to atmospheric oxygen;   c. said copper alloy contact surface being a surface configured to provide a source of copper;   d. said mass of copper alloy being deployed such that said copper alloy contact surface is configured to facilitate exposure to contact with a human hand or contaminated particles and cause a reduction in live harmful pathogens disposed on said copper alloy contact surface;   wherein said step of directing placement comprises the steps of:   manufacturing a useful object from said mass of solid copper alloy and advising users that said useful object has anti-microbial properties.   
     
     
         23 . A method of reducing transmission of disease comprising the steps of:
 providing a copper alloy surface on a useful object at a location that is designed to be contacted by a human hand when the useful object is operated;   said copper alloy surface having a surface roughness of 6 to 14 micro inches Ra and being free of any coating thereon, which tends to increase a wetting angle of the copper alloy surface; and   deploying the useful object in a hospital.