AU2005100702A4 - Protective Glove - Google Patents

Description

30/08 2005 16:30 FAX +61 2 94090101 HODGKINSON McINNES 01024/070 0

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE PATENT SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT

TITLE:

APPLICANT:

INVENTOR:

ADDRESS FOR SERVICE:

REFERENCE:

Protective glove CSR Limited Level 4, 9 Help Street Chatswood NSW 2067 Raymond Colin THOMPSON HODGKINSON MelNNES PAPPAS Patent Trade Mark Attorneys P120002AU00 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of perfonning it know to me: COMS ID No: SBMI-01455561 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:44 Date 2005-08-30 30/08 2005 16:30 FAX +61 2 84080101 HODGKINSON McINNES Ia025/070 I -2- 0 0 PROTECTIVE GLOVE 0

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION oThe present invention relates to protective gloves that can be used while handling materials that irritate the skin, such as fibreglass based insulalion products in the Obuilding industry.

oThe gloves according to the invention have been developed primarily for use in 0handling fibreglass based insulation, such as glasswool, rockwool and the like. The invention will be described with reference to these applications, but, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to these particular filds of use.

Handling fibreglass based insulation products such as glasswool and rockwool can cause irritation and damage to the skin. It is known to wear long sleeved protective shirts and protective gloves. Generally, a user will attach the protective gloves to the protective shirt by means of adhesive tape. However, in hotter climates where installers prefer to wear short-sleeve shirts for general work, this is impractical.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a protective glove tbat will overcome or ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of thu present invention concerns a protective glove which protects a human hand and arm at least from fibre and dust that can cause skin irritation, including that produced while handling fibreglass based insulation; the glove compri6sing in combination a hand portion and a sleeve portion, characterised in that; the hand portion and sleeve portion are composed of a material that provides an effective barrier against the fibres and dust; the sleeve portion extends from the hand portion to a position above the elbow of the user; and the sleeve portion incorporates sealing means at least at or near the end of the sleeve portion for sealing the sleeve portion, during use.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01455561 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:44 Date 2005-08-30 30/06 2005 16.31 FAX +'61 2 94090101HO KISN&MINEIj02/0 HODGKINSON McINNES [a026/070 03 0 Preferably, the sealing means comprises an elasticised band within the sleeve portion. Preferably the sleeve portion is composed of a breathable flexible material, ;Z preferably a mian-made polyethylene fibre such as TYVEK® TYVEC fM, available fl-m DuPont.

SBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is now discussed with reference to drawings, where Figure I shows I> a pair of gloves according to one embodiment of toe present invention.

0 DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EM]BODIMENTS o Figure I shows a pair of protective gloves each glove able to fit on to a human a hand and arm, one glove for the left hand and the other for the right Each protective glove comprises a hand portion and a sleeve portion The hand portion is designed to correspond to, and fit over, the shape of a left or right hand-L The baud portion may be made from any suitable material that is adapted to protect a user from skin irritation and damage while handling material or, products that can irritate thc skin, such as fibreglass based insulation, (for example, glasswool and rockwool). The hand portion may be manuractured in any suitable shape or size for use.

It is preferred that the hand portion may specifically fit either a right or left hand, or else it may be a loose fit, able to be used with either hand. Depending on the material of its manufacture, it may be possible to make a single,-handed version, that can be turned inside out to fit on each hand, but it is preferred to make the gloves in pairs, adapted for each hand- The sleeve portion extends from the hand portion and is of a length sufficient [0 reach a position above the elbow of the user, around the user's upper ar-i when in use, The sleeve portion and preferably also the hand portion should be made from a suitable material capable of forming a protective barrier around the arn and hand, so as to protect a user from skin irritation and damage while handling materials tat can irritate the skin, such as fibreglass based insulation products, for example.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01 455561 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:44 Date 2005-M830 30/08 2005 16:31 FAX +61 2 94090101 HODGKINSON McINNES a027/070 t-4- 0 0 c"I Preferably the material for the gloves is breathable and flexible. One preferred O)material is a high-density, lightweight, polyethylene fabric. It should ideally be ;lightweight and strong; vapour-permeable, and water-, chemical-,, puncture-, tear- and o abrasion-resistant, but also low-linting, smooth and opaque. An example of a suitable such material is "TYVEK®" (or "TYVECTM"), which is produced by Du Pont.

Other materials with similar characteristics may be used, especially other 0synthetic materials. The material for the gloves may be laminated from two or more O layers to provide the best combination of properties. In this ease a soft inner layer may 0be used to provide good skin "feel", which may be made of a natural or synthetic fabric.

1a The sleeve portion is of a generally cylindrical shape and may be attached to C' the hand portion by memas of stitching, or glue or a combination of these, or by other appropriate means. Alternately, the hand portion and sleeve portion may be composed of a single piece of material. Otherwise, the hand portion and the sleeve portion may be composed of different materials. The hand portion may be of 1s stronger or more strongly reinforced material in order to protect the hands, or it may be lined. Panels of different materials may be incorporated in the glove and/or coatings may be applied to the surface of the glove, for example to improve the grip for the hand portion The sleeve portion includes sealing means for keeping the sleeve portion closed around the upper arm during use. Sealing means in one embodiment, may comprise elastic or other similar material incorporated into the sleeve portion at least, at or near, and around its open end, for example. The sealing means such as an elasticised band, for instance, allows a user to insert their arm into the sleeve portion but after insertion, it can be closed and sealed around the tipper arm or it can 26 automatically retain the sleeve portion around the arm for use, and sealing the end of the against the entry of irritating fibres or dust.

In use, the glove of the present invention protects the hand and arm of a user from irritating or harmful fibres and dust associated with ibreglass based insulation, for instance. The sealing means ensures that unpleasant or even hanuful fibres and dust do not slip within the sleeve portion of the protective glove COMS ID No: SBMI-01455561 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:44 Date 2005-08-30 30/08 2005 16:31 FAX -'61 2 94030101 HDKIIO cNE 2/7 HODGKINSON McINNES IR1028/070 (NAlso, it may be preferred to also include a flexible and elastic wrist-band to help retain the hand portion around the wrist of the user, and increase the comfort and improve the fit of the glove- This wrist-band may be made of any suitable O material by any appropriate means, and for instance, may be a cuff of elastic fabric or en stretchable material, through which the hand is forced when putting the glove on, which then helps to hold the hand portion in place.

In another version of the invention, the sleeve portion of the protective glove may O be adapted to attach to a shirt sleeve of the user- This allows another type of, and sometimes even greater, protection of the arms of the user. In this embodiment, the o1i sleeve portion can be attached to the user's shirt sleeve by a suitable means that will seal O the opening of the glove to the shirt sleeve. It may be used with long sleeves or short sleeves. A variety of means can be utilised for this purpose.

The sleeve portion of the protective glove may attach to the sleeve at or near the sleeve opening, or it may overlap with the sleep, either by going under the sleeve as opening (and around the arn), or by going over the sleeve opening (and around the sleeve). As one option especially suitable with short shirt-sleeves, the shirt sleeve is outside of, and overlaps, the end of the protective glove, so that fibres and dirt slide, down the shirt arms and have difficulty in penetrating under the shirt sleeve, and into the glove sleeve, But if the wearer wishes morc comfort, then the end of the sleeve 'o0 portion of the glove may be positioned over the shint sleeve; either with short of long sleeve shirts.

The shirt sleeve may have attachment means incorporated in it, which is particularly suitahie ir the shirt is a special protective shirt provided by the supplier of the fibreglass insulation products for the use of their workmen- The sleeve portion on 2b the glove can be attached to the shirt sleeve by means of buttons or snaps or the likce, preferably located at or near the ends of the glove sleeve portion and the shirt sleeve, where the shirt has short sleeve's.

Otherwise, the sleeve portion may have sealing means that do not require a cooperating fastener affixed to the shirt sleeve- This may involve have at feast one strap having an adjustable closure- The strap may be an elastic or stretchable hand having a buckle, or "Velcro" type closure, or a string or tape tie that can be pulled tight and then COMS ID No: SBMI-01455561 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:44 Date 2005-08-30 30/08 2005 18:32 FAX *61 2 94080101 HODGKINSON McINNES a028/070 -6- 0 0 tied off Means that can be sealed easily by the user, and preferably one-handed, are preferred. More than one strap may be used on each sleeve- Alternately, the strap may be a wide elastic hand, that covers both ends of the glove sleeve and shirt sleeve.

O Chemical or physical adhesive means may also be used, instead of, or in addition to, the alternatives mentioned above- CNormally the gloves of the invention will be provided in pairs, one to fit the right hand and the other the left. However, it is also possible to provide only a single glove.

For some specialised applications where the user only requires the use of one arm, but in this case, the slove may be adapted to fit one hand, or else it may be a loose enough fit Oa to be placed on either hand.

CThe term "comprising" is used in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including" and not the exclusive sense of "consisting only of'.

The foregoing describes only some preferred embodiments of the present invention, and various modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made n! thereto without departing from the scope orF the present invention.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01455561 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:44 Date 2005-08-30

Claims (3)

1. 2. The protective glove for a human hand and arm as described in claim 1, wherein the sealing means comprises an elasticised band.
2. 3. The protective glove for a human hand and anr as described in claim 1 or 2, which is composed substantially of a high density, lightweight, polyethylene fabric material.
3. 4. The protective glove for a human hand and arm as described in claim 3, wherein said material is a material known as "TYVEK" from DuPont. A protective glove substantially as herein described, with reference to the drawing. Dated: 30 August 2005 Applicant: CSR LIMITED HODGKINSON MeINNES PAPPAS Patent Attorneys for the Applicant COMS ID No: SBMI-01455561 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:44 Date 2005-08-30