Applicator Mitt

Abstract

An applicator mitt having a normally open chamber for receiving the user's hand, a treated pad attached to the exterior portion of said hand chamber, and protective covers jointed to the opening adjacent margin of said chamber and detachably connected along their remaining confronting margins for enclosing said pad when connected and forming a gauntlet when detached; there being retainer members formed with said covers for securing same into both positions.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to flexible packaging and, more particularly, to an applicator mitt having a hand receiving chamber and a pad attached to the exterior face of said chamber, which pad is enclosed within gauntlet forming covers.

An object of the present invention is to provide an applicator mitt incorporating a hand receiving chamber having front and rear faces with an applicator pad disposed on at least one exterior face of the chamber so that a user may readily insert his hand within the chamber and apply the pad to the surface to be treated without having to touch said pad.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an applicator mitt incorporating a pair of protective covers which are joined along one margin to the opening adjacent margin of said hand chamber and are detachably connected along their remaining confronting margins for enclosing said applicator pad.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an applicator mitt of the character described wherein said protective covers are adapted to be peeled away from said pad and wrapped around the wrist and forearm of the user for forming a gauntlet.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an applicator mitt of the type described which incorporate retainer members employed to maintain the protective covers in a gauntlet position as well as in the pad enclosing position for repeated usage.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an applicator mitt of the type described wherein the retainer members maintain the mitt against undesired displacement during usage thereby permitting vigorous manipulation by the user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an applicator mitt of the type described wherein the applicator pad is extended on the gauntlet portion of the mitt for increasing the applicator surface area thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an applicator mitt of the type described which utilizes an applicator pad on each exterior face of the hand chamber, which may be comprised of different materials, or may be treated with different treatment agents, depending on the desired usage.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an applicator mitt of the type described which is constructed from a single blank of sheet material thereby being conducive to low cost, high volume production; and which is flexible and compact so that same may be easily carried on the person of the user or may be readily stored within a travel bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an applicator mitt constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal transverse section taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the hand of the user being received within the hand chamber of the mitt with a portion of one protective cover being peeled rearwardly for exposing the applicator pad.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the applicator mitt in one stage of its construction.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the applicator mitt in another stage of construction.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the applicator mitt illustrating same in a position of use with the protective covers in the gauntlet position.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another form of applicator mitt in one stage of construction wherein the applicator pad is extended on the inner face of the protective covers.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the mitt shown in FIG. 7 in another stage of its construction.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the completed applicator mitt.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, A generally designates an applicator mitt comprising a pair of panels 1, 2 preferably formed of a thermoplastic film, such as polyethylene, and disposed in back-to-back relationship with their upper and side edges 3, 4, 5, respectively, being joined for defining a chamber 6. The lower edge 7 of each panel 1, 2 is free, thereby establishing an opening 8 to chamber 6 which latter is of sufficient width and depth to accommodate the average adult hand h. Attached to the exterior face of each panel 1, 2 is an applicator pad 9, 9' which is constructed of a nonwoven, moisture absorptive fabric, or the like, which applicator pads 9, 9' may be treated with any conventional polishing or cleaning agent.

Joined to the lower edge 7 of each panel 1, 2 around the periphery of opening 8, is the lower margin 10 of a protective cover 11, 12, respectively, formed of like material as panels 1, 2. Said covers 11, 12 are greater in length and width than panels 1, 2 and are arranged in overlying relationship with their side margins 13, 14 and upper margin 15 extending beyond the corresponding edges 3, 4, 5 of panels 1, 2. Said covers 11, 12 are detachably connected along their respective side and upper margins 13, 14 and 15, as by heating sealing, adhesives, or the like, forming a line of sealing 16 for protectively enclosing each pad 9, 9'.

Formed with each protective cover 11, 12 is a pair of retainer members 17, 18 located at the juncture of upper margin 15 and the respective side margins 13, 14. Each retainer member 17, 18 is provided with an adhesive 19 of the pressure-sensitive type for permitting repeated engagement and disengagement. The upper margins 15 of the respective covers 11, 12 are free, as at 20, in the region between retainer member 17, 18 and the line of sealing 16, so that a user may readily grasp one of said covers 11, 12 for pulling same away from each other in order to break the line of sealing 16 between covers 11, 12 and disengage the related retainer members 17, 18 (FIG. 3). The detached covers 11, 12 are wrapped around the wrist and forearm portion of a user developing a gauntlet 21 (FIG. 6) which latter is maintained in position by engaging the respective retainer members 17, 18.

Applicator mitt A may be adapted for a myriad of uses. One particular use contemplated by the present invention is to employ applicator mitt A for shining the shoes of a user, wherein each applicator pad 9, 9' may be treated with a suitable agent for ready application to the shoes to clean as well as polish same. In such cases, one applicator pad 9 may be treated with a polishing agent, while the other pad 9' may be constructed of a soft, fluffy material of the type used for obtaining a high luster shine. It will be observed during usage of applicator mitt A the hands of the user will not become soiled by the treatment agent applied to the applicator pad 9, 9' because of the novel protective relationship between the covers 11, 12 and the hand-receiving chamber 6.

Although applicator mitt A may be constructed in different ways, it has been found that for low-cost, high volume production, mitt A is best formed from a single blank of sheet material 22 (FIG. 4) comprising a central body portion 23 being of quadrilateral configuration, having parallel side edges 24, 24' of relative elongate extent and end flaps 25, 25', joined along opposed fold lines 26, 26', respectively. End flaps 25, 25' are of relatively shorter length and greater width than central body portion 23 and correspond to protective covers 11, 12, described hereinabove. Attached to central body 23 is a continuous applicator pad 27 which corresponds to pads 9, 9' hereinabove described. Said pad 27 incorporates side margins 28, 28' disposed inwardly of side edges 24, 24' of body 23 and end edges 29, 29' positioned spacedly from the respective fold lines 26, 26'.

Referring to FIG. 5, body 23 is folded upon itself along its transverse axis for developing said panels 1, 2; the transverse axis of body 22 being common to upper edge 3. The side edges 24, 24' of body portion 23 correspond to the side margins 4, 5 of panels 1, 2 and are heat sealed for establishing chamber 6. Next, the end flaps 25, 25' are upwardly folded along fold lines 26, 26' in overlying relationship with pad 27, with the respective edge portions corresponding to margins 13, 14, and 15 being detachably connected by any suitable adhesive agent or heat sealing. It can be seen that applicator mitt A is capable of being mass produced at a relatively low cost.

In usage, the user will insert one hand h within chamber 6 and then with the other hand grasp the free upper margin 15 in region 20 and peel back covers 11,12 thereby breaking the line of sealing 16 and disengaging retainer members 17,18. Covers 11, 12 are then wrapped around the wrist and adjacent forearm portion of the user forming gauntlet 21 by engaging the respective retainer members 17,18. In this position, the user may apply a face of the pad 9 to the particular surface to be polished or cleaned, such as shoes, furnitures, etc. and vigorously manipulate same without mitt A becoming displaced during usage. After the user has completed the desired application, said retainer members 17,18 of each cover 11,12 may be disengaged and covers 11,12 returned to their original pad enclosing position with retainer members 17,18 then reengaged for maintaining covers 11,12 in such position until mitt A is reused.

If desired, gauntlet 21 of applicator mitt A may be provided with an extension 30 of applicator pad 27, as seen in FIGS. 7-9. In this construction the side margins 28, 28' of pad 27 are positioned in alignment with side edges 24, 24' of central body portion 23, the end edges 29, 29' of pad 27 being positioned spacedly from the upper margin 15 of each cover 11, 12 (FIG. 7). It will be understood that although pad 27 is shown to be continuous, separate pads may be readily used.

The applicator mitt A formed with the gauntlet extension 30 is constructed in substantially the same manner as above described with central body portion 23 being folded upon itself for developing said panels 1, 2 (FIG. 8). The body side edges 24, 24', which correspond to the panel side margins 4, 5, are secured, as by heat sealing through pad 27 or by suitable adhesives, for developing said chamber 6. The end flaps 25, 25', which correspond to covers 11, 12, respectively, are upwardly folded to present extensions 30 in face-to-face relationship with the related portion of pad 27, whereupon the margins 13, 14 and 15 are detachably connected by conventional expedients, such as, pressure sensitive adhesives, rib and trough, hook and pile, and the like. It will be observed that with pad 27 being extended to gauntlet 21, a maximum applicator surface area is provided.

It will be understood that although blank 22 is preferably constructed of thermoplastic film, such as polyethylene, it is not limited to such as cloth or other suitable material may be readily utilized in the present invention.

Likewise, the retainer members 17, 18 may encompass other conventional securement means such as of rib and trough, hook and pile, and the like materials. Additionally, if cloth is utilized, the detachable connecting means along line of sealing 16 may incorporate reversible zippers of the conventional type so that when covers 11, 12 are disposed in gauntlet position 21 the zippers will connect side margins 13, 14 thereof for maintaining same in such position.

Claims

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is:

1. An applicator mitt comprising a pair of panels; means joining said panels for developing a chamber therebetween; said panels being free on one margin for defining an opening to said chamber for receiving the hand portion of a user; an applicator pad attached to the exterior face of each panel; a cover engaged to each panel and disposed in overlying relationship therewith for protectively enclosing the related applicator pad; each cover having a margin integrally engaged on a line of fold to the opening adjacent margin of the related panel for swingable movement about said fold line.

2. An applicator mitt as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by each cover having marginal portions of such dimension to project beyond the related margins of said panels, means on said marginal portions for detachably connecting said covers.

3. An applicator mitt as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by said covers having a length for extending to the wrist and forearm portions of the user when detached on said marginal portions and swung about said fold line, means for interengaging said covers to form a gauntlet.

4. An applicator mitt as defined in claim 3 and further characterized by said means for interengaging said covers to form a gauntlet comprising retainer tabs, pressure-sensitive adhesive means provided on said tabs for permitting repeated engagement and disengagement of said tabs.

5. An applicator mitt as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said pads being integrally engaged on a line of fold.

6. An applicator mitt as defined in claim 5 and further characterized by said pad having a length for extension on the inner face of said covers.