U.S. patent application number 10/152825 was filed with the patent office on 2003-07-10 for protective hand covering and method of manufacture thereof.
Invention is credited to McNamara, Kevin.
Application Number | 20030126666 10/152825 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 4171029 |
Filed Date | 2003-07-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030126666 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McNamara, Kevin |
July 10, 2003 |
Protective hand covering and method of manufacture thereof
Abstract
A method of applying a slip-resistant surface to a hand
covering, for example a glove, in a mold, comprising the steps of:
a. placing a swatch of a host material in the mold, b. applying a
slip-resistant material to the mold, c. applying heat and pressure
to the slip-resistant material thereby bonding the slip-resistant
material to the host material to produce a composite material, and
d. constructing a hand covering using at least the swatch of
composite material. The method may also include the step of cutting
the swatch of composite material into a desired shape either before
or after molding. The hand covering is constructed using the swatch
of composite material and a second material, which may be the host
material, the composite material or any other material. The
slip-resistant surfaces may comprise a texture, and the hand
covering may comprise a plurality of slip-resistant surfaces.
Indicia and/or any other type of design can be applied to the host
material prior to the application of a clear slip-resistant
surface. The invention also includes a hand covering produced
according to the method, for example a glove or mitten.
Inventors: |
McNamara, Kevin; (Taichung,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Mark B. Eisen
Dimock Stratton Clarizio LLP
Suite 3202, Box 102
20 Queen Street West
Toronto
ON
M5H 3R3
CA
|
Family ID: |
4171029 |
Appl. No.: |
10/152825 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/16 ;
2/161.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 19/01558
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/16 ;
2/161.6 |
International
Class: |
A41D 013/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 7, 2002 |
CA |
2,366,654 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A method of applying a slip-resistant surface to a hand covering
in a mold, comprising the steps of: a. placing a swatch of a host
material in the mold, b. applying a slip-resistant material to the
mold, c. applying heat and pressure to the slip-resistant material
thereby bonding the slip-resistant material to the host material to
produce a composite material, and d. constructing a hand covering
using at least the swatch of composite material.
2. The method of claim 1 including, before step d., the step of
cutting the swatch of composite material into a desired shape.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the swatch of host material is cut
to a desired shape before being placed in the mold.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the hand covering is constructed
using the swatch of composite material and second material.
5. The method of claim 4 in which the second material is the host
material.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the composite material comprises a
plurality of slip-resistant surfaces.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the composite material comprises a
plurality of slip-resistant surfaces interposed with surfaces of
the host material disposed in positions corresponding to joints of
a user's hand.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the slip-resistant surface
comprises a texture.
9. The method of claim 1 comprising, before step a. or step b.,
applying a design to the host material.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the design comprises indicia
11. A hand covering produced according to the method of claim
1.
12. The hand covering of claim 11 wherein the hand covering is a
glove.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to protective hand coverings. In
particular, this invention relates to a method of manufacturing a
glove or mitten having one or more gripping surfaces provided with
a slip-resistant material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Protective hand coverings, for example gloves and mittens,
have many functions. Amongst these are to protect the hands from
the elements, such as cold or heat, and to protect the hands
against injury.
[0003] A major disadvantage to such hand coverings is that, in most
cases, feeling and grip are greatly diminished due to the materials
used in their construction. The greater the protection afforded by
the hand covering, the greater is the reduction in feeling and
grip. A leather, fabric or nylon palm will not supply a sure grip
when in contact with another surface. Thus, in many cases it is
desirable to affix a slip-resistant material to the palm, and/or
other surfaces of a hand covering, to enhance the user's grip.
[0004] Conventionally a separate slip-resistant patch, such as
rubber, is cemented or stitched to the host material. However,
because of the harsh conditions under which such protective
coverings are used, particularly in industrial applications, the
separate patch will almost invariably peel or move, no matter how
securely sewn or cemented to the host material. Repeated use of the
hand covering results in the host material moving in one direction
and the patch in another, and/or the rubber actually stretching
under the forces imparted during use.
[0005] It is also known to dip a finished and sewn glove or mitten
into a slip-resistant material in the liquid phase, for example
liquid rubber, and then remove it and cure the rubber. However,
this process does not allow for control over the application of the
slip-resistant material, and results an inconsistent thickness of
the rubber. Also, in this process it is not possible to apply
designs of textures to the rubber, which both improve its
slip-resistance and provide a more aesthetically appealing look to
the glove or mitten.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides a method of creating a
slip-resistant surface over one or more surfaces of a hand covering
which, when in contact with another surface, will provide the user
with a better grip. The method of the invention allows for complete
control over the thickness and texture of the slip-resistant
surface, and ensures strong adhesion between the slip-resistant
surface and the host glove or mitten material, for improved
durability.
[0007] The invention accomplishes this by providing, during the
construction of a glove or mitten, a slip-resistant surface which
composed of a flexible, slip-resistant material, such as rubber,
silicone rubber, PVC, TPR, or any other suitable material. The
slip-resistant surface is applied by a molding process, for example
injection molding, directly into the material used in the
manufacturing of the glove or mitten. In the preferred embodiment
the slip-resistant surface is applied to a swatch of the host
material before the host material is cut for sewing into a hand
covering.
[0008] According to the invention, the host material to be used in
the production of the glove or mitten is placed into a mold. The
mold can be designed to produce any desired texture on the
slip-resistant surface, and any desired thickness of slip-resistant
surface. The host material is placed in the mold together with a
suitable slip-resistant material, for example raw rubber, which is
then heated and compressed. The rubber intrudes into the pores of
the host material and the slip-resistant surface is thus
permanently bonded to the host material. The slip-resistant surface
side of the mold can be designed to produce any desired texture in
the slip-resistant surface.
[0009] After the application of heat and pressure the host material
and slip-resistant material form a composite material, which is
then removed from the mold and die cut or trimmed to the desired
specifications to be sewn into a glove or mitten, for example using
the composite material for the slip-resistant portions of the hand
covering and the host material (or any other suitable material) for
the remainder of the hand covering.
[0010] In a slip-resistant surface constructed according to the
invention, the slip-resistant material is bonded directly into the
pores of the host material. The slip-resistant surface will
therefore not peel away from or shift relative to the host
material. Moreover, by bonding the slip-resistant material to the
host material in this fashion, the slip-resistant surface cannot
stretch any more than the host material will allow.
[0011] The present invention thus provides a method of applying a
slip-resistant surface to a hand covering in a mold, comprising the
steps of: a. placing a swatch of a host material in the mold, b.
applying a slip-resistant material to the mold, c. applying heat
and pressure to the slip-resistant material thereby bonding the
slip-resistant material to the host material to produce a composite
material, and d. constructing a hand covering using at least the
swatch of composite material.
[0012] In further aspects of the invention: the method includes,
before step d., the step of cutting the swatch of composite
material into a desired shape; the swatch of host material is cut
to a desired shape before being placed in the mold; the hand
covering is constructed using the swatch of composite material and
second material; the second material is the host material; the
composite material comprises a plurality of slip-resistant
surfaces; the composite material comprises a plurality of
slip-resistant surfaces interposed with surfaces of the host
material disposed in positions corresponding to joints of a user's
hand; the slip-resistant surface comprises a texture; and/or the
method comprises, before step a. or step b., applying a design to
the host material. The invention further comprises a hand covering
produced according to the method, for example a glove.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a
preferred embodiment of the invention,
[0014] FIGS. 1A to 1C are schematic views showing the method of the
invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 ia a perspective view of a mold for the method of the
invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a slip-resistant surface of a glove
having a print or screen applied to the host material.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a slip-resistant surface of a glove
having a plurality of slip-resistant surfaces molded onto a single
piece of host material.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a glove having a single
slip-resistant surface molded over the entire portion of the host
material corresponding to the gripping portion of a user's
hand.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] FIGS. 1A to 1C show a preferred embodiment of the method of
the invention, in the example shown applying a slip-resistant
surface to the palm of a glove. It will be appreciated that the
invention can be implemented in any type of protective hand
covering, including gloves and mittens, and although the invention
will be described below in the context of a protective glove, the
invention is not limited in this regard. Typically the
slip-resistant surface would be applied to the front surface of a
glove or mitten, and the invention is so described by way of
example, however the invention is not limited to this exemplary
embodiment and a similar surface can be applied to any portion of
the hand covering for purposes of slip-resistance and/or
protection.
[0020] In general, the method of the invention comprises the steps
of placing a swatch of a host material in the mold; applying a
slip-resistant material to the mold; applying heat and pressure to
the slip-resistant material thereby bonding the slip-resistant
material to the host material to produce a composite material; and
constructing a hand covering using at least the swatch of composite
material.
[0021] FIG. 1A shows a swatch 20 of the host material placed in a
mold 10 prior to the molding step. In the example shown the swatch
20 is large enough to produce the front portion of a glove, but has
not been cut to any particular shape. It is equally possible to cut
the swatch 20 to the desired shape prior to the molding step, as
shown in FIG. 2. The swatch 20 of host material is placed into the
mold part 12, disposed over the mold cavity 12a.
[0022] A suitable moldable, flexible, slip-resistant material such
as rubber, silicone rubber, PVC, TPR, or any other suitable
material, is applied to the mold 10 in conventional fashion, for
example by injection or by any other means. The mold part 14 is
clamped to mold part 12, and heat and pressure are applied as
required, depending upon the material selected for the
slip-resistant surface 22, to mold one or more slip-resistant
surfaces 22 onto the swatch 20 of host material to produce a
composite material consisting of the slip-resistant surface
permanently bonded to the host material. FIG. 1B illustrates the
swatch 20 of composite material produced after the slip-resistant
surface 22 has been applied in the molding step.
[0023] The swatch 20 of composite material is then removed from the
mold 10, and preferably die cut or otherwise trimmed to the desired
shape, as shown in FIG. 1C, resulting in a finished unitary glove
part 24 ready for assembly into a glove. In an alternate embodiment
in which the swatch 20 of host material is cut into a glove part
prior to the molding step, the glove part 24 is ready for assembly
into a glove immediately after the molding step.
[0024] The glove is constructed using the swatch of composite
material, and preferably a second material for the remaining parts
of the glove to reduce the cost and weight of the finished product.
In the preferred embodiment the second material can be the host
material, or it can be any other suitable material. The remaining
parts of the glove can also be produced from a like composite
material, although this would typically be done for aesthetic or
protective purposes since slip-resistance is typically not required
of parts of the glove other than the front portion.
[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates a the front portion 26 for a glove,
having a slip-resistant surface 22 comprising a print or screen
applied to the swatch 20 of host material in the form of indicia,
in the embodiment shown a brand name and logo. This embodiment can
be employed for brand recognition or any other aesthetic or design
function, for example a camouflage for hunting or a flower design
for gardening gloves. The indicia is applied to the swatch 20 of
host material, for example by screening or printing, decal etc.,
and a transparent slip-resistant material (for example clear
rubber) is used in the molding process so that the indicia can be
seen through the slip-resistant surface. The slip-resistant surface
22 thus both provides improved gripping ability and protects the
indicia from wear through use and the elements.
[0026] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the composite
material forming the glove portion 28 comprises a plurality of
slip-resistant surfaces 22. The slip-resistant surfaces 22 are
interposed with surfaces of the host material 20a, which are
advantageously disposed in positions corresponding to joints of a
user's hand. This allows for a thick protective and slip-resistant
surface which does not significantly impede movement of the user's
hand.
[0027] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 the glove portion 30
has a slip-resistant surface 22 comprising a texture 32, for
example a knurled texture as shown. This improves the
slip-resistance of the glove, and the design of the texture can be
used to improve the aesthetic quality of the glove.
[0028] The invention can be applied to other types of coverings as
well. For example, the method of the invention can be used to apply
a slip-resistant surface to a tape or fabric strip, for example to
be wound as a grip on sports equipment such as a tennis or
badminton racket, baseball bat, golf club and the like.
[0029] Various embodiments of the present invention having been
thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to
those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be
made without departing from the invention. The invention includes
all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of
the appended claims.
* * * * *