GB2382763A

GB2382763A - Protective article for the forearm

Info

Publication number: GB2382763A
Application number: GB0228475A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Eric Hill
Original assignee: TOP TEAM UK Ltd
Current assignee: TOP TEAM UK Ltd
Priority date: 2001-12-06
Filing date: 2002-12-06
Publication date: 2003-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-06
Also published as: GB0129204D0; GB0228475D0; GB2382763B

Abstract

A protective article 20 suitable for wearing on the forearm comprises a frustro conical tube which is substantially impervious to solvents. It may be formed from a composite fabric 10 comprising a core of foamed material 15 such as neoprene between outer layers 16,17 of woven fabrics, which may be of polyamide yarns. The sheet of fabric may be rhombic and define the sector of a ring having two concentric arcs, the two straight edges being seamed together.

Description

Protective Article This invention relates to a protective article, especially an article suitable to be worn to protect the forearm.

Workers in the building and related trades often come into contact with potentially hazardous substances such as resins and resin precursors, paints and solvents and cement products which may be harmful in a variety of ways from toxicity to acting as desiccants against the skin, as is the case with many lime-containing cement products, and non-aqueous solvents.

Generally speaking, there is no protection available for covering workers forearms other than long sleeved overalls. Shirts, sweatshirts and other woven or knitted sleeved garments provide little protection as most of the substances can readily penetrate the woven or knitted fabric to reach the skin.

Gloves usually protect the wearers fingers and hands, but tend to be perceived as encumbering when manipulation is required, and do not generally extend beyond the wrist. Gauntlet type gloves, which extend over at least part of the forearm beyond the wrist are however excessively cumbersome for wear as ordinary work wear.

It is an object of the invention to provide a protective article, which is suitable to be worn to protect the forearm.

Accordingly, the invention provides a protective article comprising a tubular member formed from a material which is substantially impervious to solvents.

The material from which the tubular member is formed may be a composite fabric, for example comprising a layer of foamed material between outer layers comprised by woven textile fabrics. The foamed material may be neoprene, and the woven textile fabrics may be for example be of polyamide yarns.

The tubular member preferably comprises a tapering tubular member made from a sheet of the composite fabric by cutting out a rhombic shaped piece having curved parallel sides and straight divergent sides, in strict geometric terms a sector of a ring defined between two radii of the ring (the straight divergent sides) and two concentric arcs (the curved parallel sides) forming the inner and outer edges of the ring.

The piece produced by this cutting out operation is then formed into a tube by juxtaposing the straight edges and seaming the edges together.

The tubular member thus produced is suitably shaped for wearing over a forearm, extending from the wrist towards the elbow. A pair of protective articles may be provided as a set to be worn as a pair or removable sleeves which can be worn independently of other garments including other protective clothing such as overalls or gloves, and over ordinary work clothing such as shirtsleeves.

A preferred embodiment of protective article will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein :- Figure 1 is a plan view of a piece of material cut out ready for making a protective article according to the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic sectional view of the material used in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the piece of material of Figure 1 after making up into a tubular member constituting a protective article according to the invention; and Figure 4 is an illustration showing how the protective article is worn on a forearm.

A protective article is made up from a piece of material 10, which as shown in Figure 1 is of a generally quadrilateral shape, having two straight edges 11, 12 and two curved edges 13, 14. At least in approximation, the straight edges 11, 12 are radii diverging from a common focus to the left of the figure, whilst the curved edges are arcs of circles centred on the said focus so that the piece 10 is a sector of a ring or annulus, and can be rolled up to form a tapering frusto conical tubular member 20 as shown in Figure 3.

The material forming the piece 10 is a composite fabric, one embodiment of which is shown in the enlarged cross section in Figure 2 and comprises a sandwich construction of a core 15 of closed cell

impervious neoprene or similar foam, between an outer facing layer 16 and an inner facing layer 17 which each comprise a woven web of e. g. polyamide (nylon) yarns, or other suitable woven fabric.

The material is similar to that used for making up diving dress such as wet suits.

To form the piece 10 into a tubular member 20 as shown in Figure 3, the straight edges 11, 12 are abutted, and joined by a suitable sewn and/or welded seam 18.

The protective article constituted by the tubular member 20 is worn as shown in Figure 4, about the wearer's forearm, with the narrower end towards the wrist, and the wider end towards the elbow.

Protective articles as illustrated and described may be provided in a range of sizes, and provided in pairs for wearing on both arms. These protective arm sheaths prevent splashing or smearing of the arm, skin or sleeves with harmful or contaminating substances or dirt, and also protect against abrasion.

The material used may be any suitable non-pervious material, and is preferably also elastic to some degree so that the article may also give some support to the wearer's forearm.

Velcro tabs may be provided on the outer faces of the tubular members 20, to enable the articles to be kept together as a pair when not being worn, and fabric loops may be attached to the wider end of each article to help with fitting or removal of the articles.

Claims

1. A protective article comprising a tubular member formed from a material which is substantially impervious to solvents.

2. An article according to claim 1 wherein the tubular member is formed from a material comprising a composite fabric, consisting of a layer of foamed material between outer layers comprised by woven textile fabrics.

3. An article according to claim 2 wherein the foamed material is neoprene, and the woven textile fabrics are of polyamide yarns.

4. An article according to any preceding claim, wherein the tubular member comprises a tapering tubular member made from a sheet of the composite fabric and comprising a rhombic shaped piece having curved parallel sides, and straight divergent sides.

5. An article according to claim 4 wherein said piece is a sector of a ring defined between two radii of the ring and two concentric arcs.

6. An article according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the piece is formed into a tube by juxtaposing the straight edges and seaming the edges together.

7. A protective article substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to an as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.