Cartridges, Dispensers, and Kits For Dispensing Stethoscope Covers

Abstract

A kit for dispensing disposable stethoscope covers is provided. The kit may include a cartridge and a dispenser for automatic touch-free dispensing of disposable stethoscope covers. The kit further includes a first spool having a roll of backing member with disposable stethoscope covers disposed thereon and a second spool for receiving the spent backing member after a disposable stethoscope cover has been removed, self-contained within the cartridge. The cartridge is inserted within the dispenser so that a user may insert a stethoscope head through a window of the dispenser to attach to a disposable stethoscope cover. The kit may further include a proximity sensor for detecting a user. Upon detection of the user, the first and second spools rotate to align a disposable stethoscope cover with the window of the dispenser in a ready-to dispense position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cartridge for automatic touch-free dispensing of disposable stethoscope covers, the cartridge comprising:
 a first spool configured to hold a backing member having disposable stethoscope covers disposed thereon;   a second spool configured to hold spent backing member without disposable stethoscope covers disposed thereon, the second spool spaced apart from the first spool to define a flat area of the backing member disposed between the first and second spools, the flat area sized to allow contact between a stethoscope head and the disposable stethoscope covers; and   a housing configured to house the backing member having the disposable stethoscope covers disposed thereon and the spent backing member without disposable stethoscope covers disposed thereon, the housing comprising a cartridge window configured to permit insertion of the stethoscope head therethrough to permit coupling of the stethoscope head to the disposable stethoscope cover exposed at the cartridge window and positioned at the flat area of the backing member, wherein the first and second spools are configured to rotate such that the disposable stethoscope covers are exposed through the cartridge window.   
     
     
         2 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises an opening configured to receive a flat back element for maintaining the flat area of the backing member between the first and second spools. 
     
     
         3 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a protrusion configured to interact with at least one of the first or second spools to prevent the first or second spools from unraveling. 
     
     
         4 . The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge further comprises a frame, the frame configured to space apart the second spool from the first spool, the frame comprising a flat back element configured to maintain the flat area of the backing member between the first and second spools.