U.S. patent application number 13/015009 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-28 for breathable coated and perforated gloves.
Invention is credited to Steven R. VanErmen.
Application Number | 20110179551 13/015009 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44307790 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110179551 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
VanErmen; Steven R. |
July 28, 2011 |
BREATHABLE COATED AND PERFORATED GLOVES
Abstract
A protective glove includes a hand covering shell and a polymer
coating that covers at least the palm area of the hand covering
shell, wherein the coating has perforations in the palm area of the
glove, and wherein the size of the perforations, the number of the
perforations, and the overall area encompassed by the perforations
provide breathability. These features provide an improved
protective glove that keeps the hand at a lower temperature and
causes less perspiration than existing gloves, but which still can
provide a desired level of protection against cuts, abrasions,
and/or puncture.
Inventors: |
VanErmen; Steven R.; (Grand
Rapids, MI) |
Family ID: |
44307790 |
Appl. No.: |
13/015009 |
Filed: |
January 27, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61299003 |
Jan 28, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/161.6 ;
2/168 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 19/01558 20130101;
A41D 19/01505 20130101; A41D 31/145 20190201 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/161.6 ;
2/168 |
International
Class: |
A41D 19/015 20060101
A41D019/015; A41D 19/04 20060101 A41D019/04 |
Claims
1. A protective glove comprising: a hand covering shell; a
polymerized coating covering at least the palm area of the shell,
the coating having perforations in the palm area of the glove,
wherein the size of the perforations, the number of the
perforations, and the overall area encompassed by the perforations
provide breathability.
2. The protective glove of claim 1 wherein the perforations extend
through both the shell and the coating layer.
3. The protective glove of claim 1 wherein the perforations extend
only through the polymeric coating.
4. The protective glove of claim 1 wherein the shell is comprised
of a knit fabric.
5. The protective glove of claim 1 wherein the shell is comprised
of a woven fabric.
6. The protective glove of claim 1, wherein the shell is comprised
of a combination of knit and woven fabrics.
7. The protective glove of claim 1, wherein the shell is entirely
knitted.
8. The protective glove of claim 1, wherein the shell is comprised
of cotton and/or polyurethane fibers.
9. The protective glove of claim 1, wherein said shell comprises
polyaramid fibers.
10. The protective glove of claim 1, wherein said shell comprises
ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers.
11. The protective glove of claim 1, wherein said shell comprises
glass fibers.
12. The protective glove of claim 1, wherein the outer rubbery
coating comprises nitrile rubber.
13. The protective glove of claim 1, wherein the outer rubbery
coating comprises polyurethane.
14. The protective glove of claim 1, wherein the outer rubbery
coating comprises PVC.
15. The protective glove of claim 1, wherein the outer rubbery
coating comprises natural rubber.
16. A method of making a protective glove, comprising: selecting a
glove shell; applying a protective polymeric coating to some
portion of said glove shell; and creating perforations at least
through the polymeric coating in the palm area of the glove,
wherein the size of the perforations, the number of the
perforations, and the overall area encompassed by the perforations
are selected to provide breathability.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims benefit under 35 USC .sctn.119(e) of
provisional application Ser. No. 61/299,003, filed Jan. 28, 2010,
entitled BREATHABLE COATED AND PERFORATED GLOVES, the entire
contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to the field of coated or
"rubberized" gloves.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Protective gloves are commonly used by workers in many
industries to prevent or minimize hand injuries. One popular type
of protective glove is a knit glove made from yarns of cotton,
aramids, Vectran steel wire, fiberglass, HDPE, polycotton, etc.
Such knit gloves are often combined with a rubbery coating layer in
and around the palm area, to provide grip and also for wear
resistance. Another popular style of a glove is those that are cut
and sewn together. These may also contain materials such cotton,
aramids, Vectran, steel wire, fiberglass, HDPE, polycotton, etc.
These might have a rubbery coating on the palm or a full dip
coating. Usually, this coating consists of nitrile rubber,
polyurethane, PVC, natural rubber or other coatings. The
application of coating is usually done through a well-known dipping
process. These gloves provide durability, cut protection and
abrasion protection, as well as chemical, water or moisture
resistance, while also maintaining the benefit of form-fitting and
comfort of a knit construction. Typically, the coating used on the
glove will cover an area of 30% to 100% of the total glove
area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A protective glove with a coating on it that covers some
portion of the glove, but that has holes or perforations through
the coating to allow the hand to breathe through the polymer
coating thus increasing user comfort is provided. This produces a
glove that has significantly better breathability and keeps the
hand at a lower temperature and causes less perspiration than
existing gloves, but still can provide the necessary cut, abrasion
and/or, depending on the size of the perforations, puncture
resistance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a view of the palm surface of a rubberized glove
made in accordance with the present invention;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a view of the back of the glove; and
[0007] FIG. 3 is a view of the back of the glove with a portion of
the back of the glove cut away to reveal the inside of the palm
area of the glove.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0008] Protective glove 1 comprises shell 10, which can be entirely
knitted using an automatic knitting machine. Alternatively, shell
10 can be made by cutting a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, or a
combination of knitted and woven fabrics into appropriate sections
that are sewn or otherwise affixed together, generally along edges
of the cut fabric sections. The yarns or fibers used to make shell
10 can be cotton, cotton/lycra, polyamide (Nylon), polyaramid
(Kevlar.RTM.), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE,
Spectra.RTM., Dyneema.RTM.), glass, or other high performance
fibers. Optionally, combinations of these fibers and sometimes
steel fibers fiberglass can be used.
[0009] Shell 10 is sent through a dip-coating station to form
polymer coating 11 on at least the palm portion of the glove. The
glove is first placed over a three dimensional hand mold and is
then dipped into a coating bath containing the uncured rubbery
polymer. Afterwards, it is sent through an oven drying station for
drying and final curing.
[0010] The preferred embodiment glove shown in FIGS. 1-3 has a palm
coating, which covers predominantly the palm, the palm side of the
fingers and the sides of the fingers up to the wrist. However in
broader aspects of the invention, any level of dip coating may be
used, including, but not limited to the three-quarter dip, which
covers the fingers up to the first knuckle, and a full dip, which
covers the palm, fingers and back of the hand completely.
[0011] The rubbery coating layer 11 comprises a nitrile rubber,
polyurethane, PVC or natural rubber coating, or other comparable
coating. It provides grip, keeps out dirt, provides puncture
protection and provides added wear resistance.
[0012] The palm area of the almost completed glove is then
perforated with holes 12, which can be of various sizes and
locations. The perforations can be made using a variety of methods
including, laser, mechanical die cutting, water jet cutting. The
perforations or holes should be in the 0.001 mm to 20 mm size
range. This does not eliminate the possibility that the sizes of
the holes can be smaller or larger. Use can achieve a hole in
different configurations. (i.e., round, square or any angle.)
[0013] Laser cutting may be used for cutting fabrics into panels or
sections that are sewn or otherwise affixed together to make shell
10, and/or to create perforations 12. Laser cutting heats and
singes the cut ends of the knit and/or woven fabric(s) that are cut
into sections and sewn or otherwise affixed together along the
edges of the sections to make shell 10 so there is less chance of
unraveling of the glove structure. Laser cutting also eliminates
the need to clean away debris. In laser cutting, the glove is
placed on a fixture or glove former, and then the laser cuts a
series of holes 12 in the gloves to provide the required
ventilation. A laser perforator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,550,346 to Andriash et al., issued Aug. 27, 1996.
[0014] Another method for creating the perforations is by a water
jet system using a high pressure water to make perforations.
[0015] A third method for creating the perforations employs a die
cutting operation.
[0016] The perforations 12 may extend only through the polymeric
coating layer. This leaves the underlying knitted layer intact to
provide protection for the user's palm, but still provide
breathability through the knit structure. However, the perforations
or holes 12 can extend through the knit structure 10, as well as
the polymeric coating 11, as indicated by reference to FIG. 3. The
holes 12 are sufficiently large in area to provide cooling and
ventilation to the user's hand, but are sufficiently small that
they do not diminish cut resistance, puncture resistance, abrasion
resistance, and the like. If made sufficiently small, the holes can
still provide a measure of protection against liquids. For smaller
diameter holes, the perforations preferably extend through not only
the polymerized coating, but also through the fabric layer, in
order to minimize the possibility of portions of the fibers
completely blocking ventilation through the smaller holes.
[0017] The holes or perforations in the palm of a given glove may
all be of the same size, or they may be of varying sizes as shown
in FIGS. 1 and 3. The number of holes and the overall area
encompassed by the holes may vary as well. The size of the holes,
the number of holes and overall area are selected to provide a
balance between ventilation and breathability on the one hand, and
cut resistance, puncture resistance, abrasion resistance and
protection from liquids on the other hand.
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