U.S. patent application number 11/748812 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-06 for knit gloves.
Invention is credited to Marry Capelli-Schellpfeffer, Anne Capelli Golding.
Application Number | 20080053157 11/748812 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39136253 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080053157 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Golding; Anne Capelli ; et
al. |
March 6, 2008 |
Knit Gloves
Abstract
The disposable knit gloves are made from a combination yarn,
preferably a core spun yarn with a latex core and natural or
synthetic yarn sheaths. A drawstring bag may be used as a
dispensing container for the gloves.
Inventors: |
Golding; Anne Capelli;
(Sussex, WI) ; Capelli-Schellpfeffer; Marry;
(Kenosha, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WHYTE HIRSCHBOECK DUDEK S C
555 EAST WELLS STREET, SUITE 1900
MILWAUKEE
WI
53202
US
|
Family ID: |
39136253 |
Appl. No.: |
11/748812 |
Filed: |
May 15, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60824085 |
Aug 31, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
66/174 ; 2/167;
206/278 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 2400/52 20130101;
D02G 3/32 20130101; A41D 19/015 20130101; A41D 19/01547 20130101;
D04B 1/28 20130101; D10B 2505/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
66/174 ; 2/167;
206/278 |
International
Class: |
D04B 7/34 20060101
D04B007/34; A41D 19/00 20060101 A41D019/00; B65D 85/18 20060101
B65D085/18 |
Claims
1. A disposable glove which comprises a combination yarn wherein
the glove has a unitary, single-piece construction.
2. The glove of claim 1 wherein the combination yarn is a core spun
yarn.
3. The glove of claim 2 wherein the core spun yarn comprises a
spandex core and spun sheaths of natural and synthetic yarns.
4. The glove of claim 3 wherein the spun sheaths comprise yarns
comprising materials selected from the group consisting of cotton,
wool and blends thereof.
5. The glove of claim 3 wherein the spun sheaths comprise yarns
comprising materials selected from the group consisting of
polyester, rayon, cellulose-based fibers and blends thereof.
6. The glove of claim 1 further comprising a ravel preventing edge
portion.
7. The glove of claim 6 wherein the edge portion comprises at least
one heat fusible yarn.
8. The glove of claim 6 wherein the edge portion comprises of a
sewn over lock stitch adapted to hold any loose ends of material in
place.
9. The method of making a disposable glove, the method comprising
knitting a fifth finger; knitting in the order of fourth finger,
third finger, second finger, a four finger body; knitting a thumb;
and, knitting of a five-finger body to comprise a glove with seven
glove components wherein the glove is knitted with yarn comprising
at least one combination yarn.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the disposable glove is knitted
from core spun yarns.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the core spun yarns are selected
from the group comprising of spandex core and spun sheaths of
natural and synthetic yarns.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the spun sheaths of natural yarn
are selected from the group comprising of cotton, wool and blends
thereof.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the spun sheaths of synthetic
yarns are selected from the group comprising of polyester, rayon,
cellulose-based fibers and blends thereof.
14. The method of claim 9 further comprising forming a ravel
preventing edge portion.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the ravel preventing edge
portion comprises of at least one heat fusible yarn.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the ravel preventing edge
portion comprises a sewn over lock stitch designed to hold any
loose ends of material in place.
17. A disposable glove which comprises a combination yarn, the
glove comprising a palm side that comprises of a non-durable
adhesive wherein the glove has a unitary, single-piece
construction.
18. The disposable glove of claim 17 wherein the non-durable
adhesive is applied as a layer covering the palm side of a
five-finger body not including a glove cuff.
19. The glove of claim 18 wherein the non-durable adhesive is a
repositionable adhesive.
20. The method of claim 9 wherein a non-durable adhesive is applied
as a layer covering the palm side of the five-finger body not
including the glove cuff.
21. A method of making a disposable glove, the method comprising
knitting a fifth finger; knitting in the order of fourth finger,
third finger, second finger, then a three-finger body; knitting a
four-finger body; knitting a thumb; and, knitting of a five-finger
body to comprise a glove with eight components where the glove is
knitted from yarn comprising at least one combination yarn.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein the combination yarn is a core
spun yarn.
23. A packaging unit for disposable gloves intended for one time
use only, where said articles are placed in one or more layers,
said packaging unit comprising of a clear drawstring bag.
24-36. (canceled)
37. A method for producing a glove, the method comprising flat
knitting the glove from yarn comprising at least one combination
yarn.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
application Ser. No. 60/824,085 filed on Aug. 31, 2006,
pending.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to a hand covering for the
human hand which is in the shape of a glove or mitten, and more
specifically to a disposable knit glove.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Workers, such as electricians, frequently need to wear
rubber gloves for protection during potentially hazardous work.
However, rubber gloves are uncomfortable and may irritate the
workers' hands when worn. To prevent some of the discomfort
associated with rubber gloves, workers may wear cotton gloves under
the rubber gloves.
[0004] Current knit gloves used as underliners to work gloves have
various disadvantages. Such gloves are not meant to be disposable,
are normally sold in pairs, are heavy-weight, and typically come
only in limited size selections. These disadvantages impact not
only the economics of using underlying gloves but also can hinder
the fit of the gloves and the touch sensitivity of the user's
fingers and hands. An objective of this invention is a disposable
glove that overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of the
prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In one embodiment, this invention is a disposable knit glove
of unitary, single-piece construction and comprising a combination
yarn.
[0006] In another embodiment, the invention is a method of making a
knit glove, the method comprising of programming a knitting machine
to knit a glove comprising of at least seven glove components; a
plurality of finger components, one or more palm portions and a
wrist cuff.
[0007] In another embodiment, the invention is a method of making a
knit glove that comprises a combination yarn in eight
components.
[0008] In another embodiment, the invention is a packaging unit for
disposable gloves intended for one time use only, where said
articles are placed in one or more layers, said packaging unit
comprising of a clear drawstring bag.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below
with reference to the following accompanying drawings, which are
for illustrative purposes only. Throughout the following views,
reference numerals will be used in the drawings, and the same
reference numerals will be used throughout the several views and in
the description to indicate same or like parts or steps.
[0010] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a glove of the invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the glove of FIG. 1 having an
adhesive applied thereto.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front side view of a glove container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In the following detailed description, references made to
the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is
shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the
invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in
sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice
the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments
may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the present invention.
As used herein, a combination yarn is a yarn in which there are
dissimilar component yarns especially when these are of fibre and
filaments. Composite yarn a yarn composed of both staple and
continuous-filament components, e.g., core spun or wrap spun. The
combination yarn of this invention does not refer to knitting from
two separate yarns, such as an elastic yarn and a standard
yarn.
[0014] The gloves of the current invention comprise any combination
yarn that provides the necessary stretch and comfort features. The
combination may be a core spun yarn in which the core is an elastic
fiber and the sheath may be either a natural or synthetic yarn. A
suitable elastic fiber for the core is spandex, which is
commercially available. Natural yarns for the sheath may be made
from cotton, wool, or blends thereof. Synthetic yarns for the
sheath may be polyester, rayon, or cellulose based fibers (such as
those sold commercially under the trademarks TENCEL, TENCEL A100,
VILOFT, MODEL, etc.). Core spun yarns combining these materials are
commercially available.
[0015] Preferably, the combination yarn comprises substantially
all, more preferably comprises all, of the yarn of the gloves of
this invention, with the possible exception of threads used for
stitching seams and/or the material used for the ravel preventing
edge portion.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a disposable knit glove
10 in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a
disposable knit glove 10 with a ravel preventing edge portion 11, a
ribbed cuff 12, a palm portion 13, a plurality of fingers 14 and a
thumb 15. The plurality of fingers 14, the palm portion 13, the
thumb 15 and the ribbed cuff 12 are knit comprising core spun yarn.
The edge portion 11 may comprise a sewn over lock stitch designed
to hold any loose ends of material in place. In one embodiment, the
ravel preventing edge portion 11 comprises at least one heat
fusible yarn. As shown, the glove is a full-finger design, although
open-finger designs can be used if desired.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the palm side of a
disposable knit glove with a non-durable adhesive applied in
accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a disposable
knit glove 10 with a layer of a non-durable adhesive applied 16 to
the surface area of palm 13, the inner surface of the thumb 15, the
inner surfaces of fingers 14, giving the disposable knit glove
enhanced gripping capability. The edge portion 11 may comprise a
sewn over lock stitch designed to hold any loose ends of material
in place. The non-durable adhesive 16 is easily applied to the palm
side of the disposable knit glove 10, has a tacky feel and remains
tacky for a limited time; that time limit influenced by the
cleanliness of the surfaces the non-durable adhesive comes in
contact with and the overall time of exposure. In one embodiment,
the non-durable adhesive 16 comprises a repositionable adhesive. As
shown, the glove is a full-finger design, although open-finger
designs can be used if desired.
[0018] FIG. 3 shows a front perspective view of the glove unit
package according to the invention. FIG. 3 shows a glove packaging
unit 20 for disposable gloves 10 according to a preferred
embodiment of the invention. The glove packaging unit comprises a
pouch body 21 having a drawstring tie 22. The pouch body 21 is
preferably composed of a resilient plastic but may be otherwise.
Preferably, the glove packaging unit comprises a resilient, clear
plastic that enables the user to monitor the number of disposable
gloves still available for use without the surprise of "running
out." More preferably, in one embodiment, the plastic is
polypropylene and the pouch wall is between about 1 to at least
about 8 mil thick. The drawstring tie 22 is preferably composed of
a natural fiber yarn but may be otherwise. The gloves 10 are
preferably knit gloves but may be otherwise. The gloves are placed
in one or more layers within the pouch. Further, the glove
packaging unit 20 is of a convenient size for easy storing and
transportation. The drawstring construction of the container of the
present invention provides a glove packaging unit 20 for easily and
reliably storing one or more pairs of disposable gloves without the
destruction of the packaging unit itself at the time one or more
disposable gloves are withdrawn for use.
[0019] The disposable glove of the invention can be made by
conventional methods that are well-known in the art. Examples and
descriptions of such methods can be found in multiple references,
including U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,047,768; 6,981,392; 6,962,064; and
6,945,080, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Generally, glove-making methods typically comprise programming a
knitting machine to continuously knit a glove comprising of at
least seven glove sections: a plurality of finger sections, one or
more palm sections and a wrist cuff. The gloves are knit over a
hand-shaped form. Various methods will knit the glove in different
numbers of sections, and may alter the order that the sections are
knit. In one method, the disposable glove is knitted starting from
a fifth finger and then is knitted in the order of fourth finger,
third finger, second finger, a four finger body, followed by a
thumb and the knitting of a five-finger body to comprise a glove
with seven glove components. In another method, the disposable
glove is knitted starting from a fifth finger and then is knitted
in the order of fourth finger, third finger, second finger, then a
three-finger body, followed by a four-finger body, a thumb and the
knitting of a five-finger body to comprise a glove with eight
sections.
[0020] In one embodiment, the glove can be prepared by means of a
flat-knitting technique. Such techniques are well known in the art
and are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,216,494 and
6,981,392, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. U.S.
Pat. No. 6,216,494 describes a method for producing a knitted
article with a spatial main knitted element and at least one
spatial partial knitted element on a flat knitting machine with at
least two opposite needle beds, a needle displacement device and a
loop transfer device, the method has the steps of producing the
main knitted element and the at least one partial knitted element
parallel on the machine until at least the partial knitted element
is finished and the main knitted element reaches a point of
coupling with the at least one partial knitted element, connecting
loops of the main knitted element and the at least one partial
knitted element by a transfer technique with one another, and then
arranging loops of the at least one partial knitted element by the
needle bed displacement device on one needle bed opposite to the
loops of the main knitted element on the other needle bed, with
which they must be connected.
[0021] U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,392 describes a method for knitting a
glove is provided in which the glove is knitted by using a
flat-knitting device including at least a pair of front and back
needle beds which extend in a horizontal direction while facing
each other from front and back directions, at least one of the
front and back needle beds being movable horizontally in a racking
motion, the flat-knitting device capable of transferring stitches
between the front and back needle beds. The method includes the
steps of knitting a four-finger body through which a little finger,
a ring finger, a middle finger, and an index finger are to be
inserted; performing a rotational operation before joining the
four-finger body with a thumb sheath, the rotational operation
being performed by transferring stitches of the four-finger body
held by knitting needles to free needles and moving at least one of
the front and back needles beds in a racking motion so as to rotate
the four-finger body towards knitting needles holding stitches of
the thumb sheath; and joining the four-finger body with the thumb
sheath.
[0022] In one preferred embodiment, the gloves are produced by
continuous knitting techniques. The ravel preventing edge portion
11 can be made by any convenient known technique. More preferably,
the ravel preventing edge 11 is made of a heat fusing yarn, as
described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,239,846; 6,212,914; and, 6,367,290,
all of which are incorporated herein by reference. In one
embodiment, the ravel preventing edge 11 is formed using a sewn
over lock stitch adapted to hold any loose ends of material in
place.
[0023] Preferably, the gloves are pre-washed and shrunk prior to
use. Such shrinkage provides a glove that is small prior to
wearing. As such, the glove will fit small sized hands comfortably
and tightly, e.g., without sag or loose fabric. The stretchability
of the yarn allows the same sized glove to also fit users with
large hands. As such, this invention provides a disposable knit
glove in which one size fits all users. The pre-wash and shrinkage
is done with methods well-known in the textile arts. For example,
the gloves can be washed in cold water and air dried with warm,
forced air.
[0024] The glove of this invention is useful for wearing under work
and medical gloves. The gloves are capable of absorbing moisture
and protecting the hands during use. Preferably, the gloves are
designed to be disposable so that when soiled, wet or no longer
needed, the glove may be discarded. Advantageously, the disposable
knit glove may be of sufficient thinness and light weight to
minimize any in effects on a wearer's manual dexterity.
[0025] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been
described in language more or less specific as to structural and
methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the
invention is not limited to the specific features shown and
described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred
forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is,
therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the
proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in
accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
* * * * *