U.S. patent application number 10/752232 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-07 for protective glove with improved coiled wrist strap.
Invention is credited to Lattari, James P..
Application Number | 20050144700 10/752232 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34679311 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050144700 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lattari, James P. |
July 7, 2005 |
Protective glove with improved coiled wrist strap
Abstract
A protective glove includes a glove portion made of mesh
material, a wrist portion also made of mesh material, and an
elastic element attached to the wrist portion in the form of a
coiled spring wider than it is thick to improve comfort.
Inventors: |
Lattari, James P.;
(Attleboro, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Iandiorio & Teska
260 Bear Hill Road
Waltham
MA
02451-1018
US
|
Family ID: |
34679311 |
Appl. No.: |
10/752232 |
Filed: |
January 6, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/161.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41F 1/06 20130101; A41D
19/01511 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/161.6 |
International
Class: |
A41D 019/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A protective glove comprising: a glove portion made of mesh
material; a wrist portion also made of mesh material; and an
elastic element attached to the wrist portion in the form of a
coiled spring wider than it is thick to improve comfort.
2. The protective glove of claim 1 in which the coiled spring is at
least twice as wide as it is thick.
3. The protective glove of claim 1 in which each coil of the coiled
spring extends parallel to the glove portion for the width of the
coiled spring and then turns perpendicular to the glove portion for
the thickness of the coiled spring.
4. The protective glove of claim 3 in which the turn of each coil
is rounded.
5. The protective glove of claim 1 in which there are between 9 and
11 coils per inch.
6. The protective glove of claim 5 in which the width of each coil
is between 0.5 and 1 inches and the thickness of each coil is
between 0.2 and 0.3 inches.
7. The protective glove of claim 1 in which the coiled spring is
made of metal.
8. The protective glove of claim 1 in which the ends of the coiled
spring are welded together.
9. The protective glove of claim 1 in which the coils of the coiled
spring extend through the terminal links of the wrist portion of
the glove.
10. The protective glove of claim 1 in which the coiled spring is
color coded wherein different colors indicate different size
gloves.
11. The protective glove of claim 7 in which the coiled spring is
color coded with a colored coating that complies with the 21 CFR
.sctn.175.300.
12. The protective glove of claim 1 further including a forearm
portion.
13. The protective glove of claim 12 in which the forearm portion
also includes an elastic element attached thereto in the form of a
coiled spring wider than it is thick to improve comfort.
14. The protective glove of claim 13 in which one coiled spring is
attached to the wrist portion on one end thereof and attached to
the forearm portion on the other end thereof.
15. A protective glove comprising: a glove portion made of metal
mesh material; a wrist portion also made of metal mesh material;
and an elastic element attached to the wrist portion in the form of
a coiled spring at least twice as wide as it is thick and wherein
each coil extends parallel to the glove portion for the width of
the coiled spring and then turns perpendicular to the glove portion
in a rounded manner for the thickness of the coiled spring to
improve comfort.
16. A protective glove comprising: a glove portion made of metal
mesh material; a wrist portion also made of metal mesh material;
and an elastic element attached to the wrist portion in the form of
a coiled spring wider than it is thick to improve comfort and color
coded to indicate the size of the glove.
17. A protective glove comprising: a glove portion made of metal
mesh material; a wrist portion also made of metal mesh material; a
forearm portion; an elastic closure element attached to the wrist
portion in the form of a coiled spring wider than it is thick to
improve comfort; and another elastic element attached to the distal
end of the forearm portion also in the form of a coiled spring
wider than it is thick to improve comfort.
18. A protective glove comprising: a glove portion; a wrist
portion; and an elastic closure element for the wrist portion color
coded to indicate the size of the glove.
19. The protective glove of claim 18 in which the elastic closure
element is in the form of a coiled spring wider than it is thick to
improve comfort.
20. The protective glove of claim 18 in which the glove and wrist
portions are made of metal mesh material.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to protective gloves.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Protective gloves and garments made of metal mesh material
are used by butchers and meat packers and also other industries
where there is a risk of cuts or punctures or the like.
[0003] Since the mesh gloves are inherently flexible but also
fairly heavy, they tend to hang from the user's hand and would fall
off but for a securing strap. Various types of straps have been
developed to secure the glove about the user's wrist and/or
forearm.
[0004] The prior art, however, discloses a number of often
unsuitable straps. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,250,150 shows a
helical coil strap joined to the mesh portion of the glove; U.S.
Pat. No. 5,088,123 shows the use of a spring as a glove stiffening
elements; U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,495 shows a cuff enclosing a strap
with a fastener; and PCT/EP95/04040 shows the use of a helical
spring as a strap inside the cuff portion of the glove. All of
these patents are hereby incorporated herein by this reference.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,833, also incorporated herein by this
reference, and by the applicant hereof, discloses an improved strap
in the form of a continuous, flat, flexible band inside a cuff
formed in the glove providing a more comfortable wrist closure
element. The '833 patent notes that the helical spring of the '150
patent can result in an uncomfortable and gangly appearing
glove.
[0006] The benefit of a coiled spring type closure element,
however, is the low cost and ease of assembly. In this application,
those benefits are realized by employing, not a round coiled spring
which is uncomfortable and gangly in appearance, but a coiled
spring which is much wider than it is thick resulting in improved
comfort and a neater finished appearance.
[0007] Another problem with the prior art is the difficulty of the
user ascertaining the size of the glove. Trying on a number of
gloves to find the correct size is inefficient. In this invention,
that inefficiency is overcome.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a
closure element for a glove which need not be coupled or decoupled
from about the wearer's wrist.
[0009] It is a further object of this invention to provide such a
closure element which is more comfortable than prior art helical
spring type closure elements.
[0010] It is a further object of this invention to provide such a
closure element which has a neat and finished appearance.
[0011] It is a further object of this invention to provide such a
closure element which is infinitely adjustable.
[0012] It is a further object of this invention to provide such a
closure element which has a longer useful life when compared to
many prior art closure elements.
[0013] It is a further object of this invention to provide such a
closure element which makes it easier for the user to ascertain the
correct size of the glove.
[0014] The invention results from the realization that a more
comfortable and easy to manufacture closure element for a mesh
glove which also has a neat and finished appearance is effected by
a coiled spring which is much wider than it is thick and which can
optionally be color coded to indicate to the user the size of the
glove.
[0015] This invention features a protective glove comprising a
glove portion made of mesh material, a wrist portion also made of
mesh material, and an elastic element attached to the wrist portion
in the form of a coiled spring wider than it is thick to improve
comfort.
[0016] In the preferred embodiment, the coiled spring is at least
twice as wide as it is thick and each coil of the coiled spring
extends parallel to the glove portion for the width of the coiled
spring and then turns perpendicular to the glove portion for the
thickness of the coiled spring. Typically, the turns of each coil
are rounded.
[0017] In one example, there are between 9 and 11 coils per inch,
the width of each coil is between 0.5 and 1 inches, and the
thickness of each coil is between 0.2 and 0.3 inches.
[0018] The coiled spring is preferably made of metal and the ends
of the coiled spring are welded together. Typically, the coils of
the coiled spring extend through the terminal links of the wrist
portion of the glove.
[0019] Also, in an optional embodiment, the coiled spring is color
coded wherein different colors indicate different size gloves.
Preferably, the coiled spring is color coded with a coating that
complies with the FDA's CFR title 21 section 175.300.
[0020] In another embodiment, the glove includes a forearm portion
and also includes a second elastic element attached thereto in the
form of a coiled spring wider than it is thick to improve comfort.
Typically, the first coiled spring is attached to the wrist portion
on one end thereof and attached to the forearm portion on the other
end thereof.
[0021] This invention also features a glove portion made of metal
mesh material, a wrist portion also made of metal mesh material,
and an elastic element attached to the wrist portion in the form of
a coiled spring at least twice as wide as it is thick and wherein
each coil extends parallel to the glove portion for the width of
the coiled spring and then turns perpendicular to the glove portion
in a rounded manner for the thickness of the coiled spring to
improve comfort.
[0022] One protective glove in accordance with this invention
includes a glove portion made of metal mesh material, a wrist
portion also made of metal mesh material, and an elastic element
attached to the wrist portion in the form of a coiled spring wider
than it is thick to improve comfort and color coded to indicate the
size of the glove.
[0023] Another protective glove in accordance with this invention
features a glove portion made of metal mesh material, a wrist
portion also made of metal mesh material, a forearm portion, an
elastic closure element attached to the wrist portion in the form
of a coiled spring wider than it is thick to improve comfort, and
another elastic element attached to the distal end of the forearm
portion also in the form of a coiled spring wider than it is thick
to improve comfort.
[0024] Still another protective glove includes a glove portion, a
wrist portion, and an elastic closure element for the wrist portion
color coded to indicate the size of the glove. Preferably, the
elastic closure element is in the form of a coiled spring wider
than it is thick to improve comfort.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those
skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred
embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the back of an example of
a protective glove in accordance with the subject invention;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the front of the
protective glove shown in FIG. 1;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the width portion of the
coiled spring closure element of FIGS. 1-2;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic partial view showing one coil of the
coiled spring closure element of FIGS. 1-3;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic depiction of another protective glove
including a forearm portion in accordance with the subject
invention; and
[0031] FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a protective glove in
accordance with the subject invention where the elastic closure
element is color coded to indicate the size of the glove.
DISCLOSURE OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0032] Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed
below, this invention is capable of other embodiments and of being
practiced or being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be
understood that the invention is not limited in its application to
the details of construction and the arrangements of components set
forth in the following description or illustrated in the
drawings.
[0033] In one example, protective glove 10, FIGS. 1-2, in
accordance with the subject invention, includes glove portion 12
preferably made of stainless steel metal mesh material and wrist
portion 14 also preferably made of stainless steel metal mesh
material. Elastic element 16 is attached to wrist portion 14 as
shown and is in the form of a metal coiled spring wider than it is
thick to improve wearer comfort.
[0034] Preferably, coiled spring 16 is at least twice as wide as it
is thick (e.g., between 0.5 and 1 inches wide and between 0.2 and
0.3 inches thick). In the preferred embodiment, there are between 9
and 11 coils per inch and angle .alpha., FIG. 4 is between 8.0 and
9.0 degrees. In one example, the spring was 0.71 inches wide, 0.23
inches thick, and .alpha. was 8.5.degree.. Also, for better
comfort, it is preferred that the turns of each coil 18 are rounded
as shown in FIG. 3. The ends of coiled spring 16 are typically
welded to together as shown at 20, in FIG. 2 after manually
spiraling the spring closure element through the terminal links or
rings 22 of metal mesh wrist portion 14 (see also FIG. 4).
[0035] As shown in FIG. 4, each coil 18 extends parallel to the
glove portion which is the plane defined by the page of FIG. 4.
Thus, the width of the coiled spring closure element is parallel to
the glove. Each coil 18 then turns in a rounded manner
perpendicular to the plane of the glove defining the thickness of
the coiled spring closure element.
[0036] FIG. 5 shows glove 10' with glove portion 12, wrist portion
14, first coiled spring element 16a, forearm portion 30, and second
coiled spring element 16b. Typically, coiled spring 16b has the
same configuration as coiled spring 16a: that is, coiled spring
closure element 16b is much wider than it is thick. Coiled spring
closure element 16a, on one end, is attached to the rings of wrist
portion 14 and, on the other end, is attached to the rings of
forearm portion 30. Alternatively, a bangle type mechanism could be
used in place of second coiled spring element 16b.
[0037] In the preferred embodiment, coiled spring closure element
16', FIG. 6 (or coiled springs 16a and/or 16b, FIG. 5) are color
coded using a coating that complies with FDA regulation 21 CFR
.sctn.175.300. In one example, yellow is used to denote an
extra-extra-small glove, grey denotes an extra small glove, white
denotes a small glove, red denotes a medium size glove, blue
denotes a large glove, green denotes an extra large glove, and
black denotes an extra-extra-large glove. Colors could also be used
to denote the type of glove (full or thumb and two finger type
gloves) and/or left or right hand gloves.
[0038] The result is an improved closure element for a mesh glove
which does not need to be adjusted prior to use, which does not
need to be coupled or decoupled from about the wearer's wrist,
which is more comfortable than prior art helical spring type
closure elements, which is neat and finished in appearance, which
is infinitely adjustable, and which has a long useful life. When
the closure element is color coded as set forth above, users can
readily determine the correct size and/or type glove for their
needs.
[0039] Although specific features of the invention are shown in
some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only as
each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features
in accordance with the invention. For example, the innovations
disclosed in the '123 and '833 patents may be incorporated in the
gloves of the subject disclosure. The words "including",
"comprising", "having", and "with" as used herein are to be
interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are not limited to any
physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodiments disclosed in
the subject application are not to be taken as the only possible
embodiments. For example, gloves with only a thumb and no fingers
and gloves with a thumb and only one or two fingers are also
possible embodiments.
[0040] Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and
are within the following claims:
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