Protective device for use with a glove

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12178268-B2
Application number	US-202217874833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2022
Priority date	Jul 27, 2022
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

A glove has a protective member in the thumb-crotch region and includes a textured outer surface. The protective member is configured to protected against slicing done by sharp objects. The textured outer surface enables grip ability in greasy environments. The textured outer surface may be formed via a foaming process during manufacture of the glove. There may be a colored layer between an inner liner and the protective member that establishes a color splash effect in the event that a portion of the glove ruptures or fails.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
attaching a glove liner to a glove mold, the glove liner comprising a first finger sleeve and a thumb sleeve, and the glove liner defining a thumb-crotch region that extends from a palmar side to a dorsal side between the first finger sleeve and the thumb sleeve of the glove liner;
applying a colored layer to the glove liner;
connecting a protective member to the glove liner positioned above the colored layer in the thumb-crotch region;
heating and stirring an aqueous polymeric emulsion;
foaming the aqueous polymeric emulsion;
dipping the glove mold with the glove liner, the colored layer, and the protective member into a tank containing the aqueous polymeric emulsion that has been heated, stirred, and foamed, wherein at least the protective member is fully submerged into the aqueous polymeric emulsion within the tank while dipping the glove mold with the glove liner, the colored layer, and protective member;
removing the glove mold with the glove liner, the colored layer, and the protective member from the tank; and
curing the aqueous polymeric emulsion on the glove mold to result in a glove having a textured outer layer defining a grip surface in at least the thumb-crotch region above the protective member that is above the colored layered and glove liner and is adapted to assist with grip ability for a boundary layer of oil or grease on the grip surface,
wherein the textured outer layer is formed by steps comprising:
providing air bubbles of the aqueous polymeric emulsion adjacent to an external surface on the glove mold, wherein the air bubbles open outward when cured thereby providing increased roughness.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying a colored layer comprises:
painting the colored layer onto the glove liner within the thumb-crotch region prior to connecting the protective member to the glove liner.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
curing the colored layer after having been painted within the thumb-crotch region, wherein the colored layer is liquid impermeable after curing.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
connecting the protective member after the colored layer has fully cured.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein curing the aqueous polymeric emulsion on the glove mold to result in the glove having the textured outer layer defining the grip surface in at least the thumb-crotch region above the protective member further comprises:
forming a shape in the textured outer layer having a configuration that opens outward and is located above the protective member and above the colored layer.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein forming a shape in the textured outer layer having a configuration that opens outward and is located above the protective member further comprises:
forming an edge that defines a lateral ridge in the textured outer surface above the protective member, wherein the lateral ridge is aligned in direction that extends around a circumference of the first finger sleeve or the thumb sleeve on the glove.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
forming a valley in the textured outer layer between the lateral ridge and an adjacent lateral ridge, and above the protective member and the colored layer in the thumb-crotch region.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
forming a striation that extends across the valley between adjacent lateral ridges, and above the protective member and the colored layer in the thumb-crotch region, wherein the striation extends in a generally longitudinal direction associated with the first finger sleeve or the thumb sleeve.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein curing the aqueous polymeric emulsion on the glove liner is accomplished by washing and heating to vulcanization temperature the aqueous polymeric emulsion while connected to the glove liner.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein heating and stirring an aqueous polymeric emulsion further comprising:
heating the aqueous polymeric emulsion to a temperature in a range from 18° C. to 20° C.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the aqueous polymeric emulsion comprises latex, further comprising:
circulating latex along a bottom of the tank past one or more heat exchangers;
enabling the latex to rise past a whipping stirrer adapted to maintain the foam quality, and then across the surface of the latex in the tank at a speed similar to the speed of travel of the glove mold as the glove mold is passed through the tank.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein foaming the aqueous polymeric emulsion comprises:
maintaining air content of the foam a range from 5% to 50% on a volume basis; and
adding a surfactant to stabilize the foam.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the surfactant comprises a hydrophobic dodecanoic tail.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
adjusting the viscosity of the foam.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein adjusting the viscosity of the foam comprises:
driving an impeller at a first desired speed; and
refining a size of an air bubble in the foam by driving the impeller at a second desired speed that is reduced from the first desired speed.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
reducing a modulus of elasticity of the cured aqueous polymeric emulsion that is adapted to increase flexibility of the glove.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
maintaining air content in a range from 5 to 15 volumetric percentile of foams that have closed air bubbles.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein dipping the glove liner and protective member into the tank further comprises:
controlling a speed of a dip line assembly, wherein the speed of the dip line assembly moves the glove mold in a range from 4 ft/min to 14 ft/min.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein curing the aqueous polymeric emulsion on the glove liner further comprises:
controlling an oven having a temperature in a range from 95° C. to 155° C.; and
moving the glove mold through the oven.

20. A method comprising:
attaching a glove liner to a glove mold, the glove liner comprising a first finger sleeve and a thumb sleeve, and the glove liner defining a thumb-crotch region that extends from a palmar side to a dorsal side between the first finger sleeve and the thumb sleeve of the glove liner;
applying a colored layer to a protective member;
connecting the protective member to the glove liner positioned in the thumb-crotch region;
heating and stirring an aqueous polymeric emulsion;
foaming the aqueous polymeric emulsion;
dipping the glove mold with the glove liner, the protective member, and the colored layer into a tank containing the aqueous polymeric emulsion that has been heated, stirred, and foamed, wherein at least the protective member is fully submerged into the aqueous polymeric emulsion within the tank while dipping the glove mold with the glove liner, the protective member and the colored layer;
removing the glove mold with the glove liner, the protective member, and the colored layer from the tank; and
curing the aqueous polymeric emulsion on the glove mold above the glove liner, the colored layer, and the protective member in the thumb-crotch region to result in a glove having a textured outer layer defining a grip surface in at least the thumb-crotch region above the protective member that is above the colored layered and glove liner and is adapted to assist with grip ability for a boundary layer of oil or grease on the grip surface,
wherein the textured outer

Assignees

• Summit Glove Inc

Inventors

• Hull James L

Classifications

• A41D19/01529

  with thermal or fire protection · CPC title

• A41D19/0006

  made of several layers of material · CPC title

• A41D19/0096

  Means for resisting mechanical agressions, e.g. cutting or piercing · CPC title

• A41D19/02 Primary

  Arrangements for cutting-out, or shapes of, glove blanks · CPC title