WO1990013232A1

WO1990013232A1 - Ambidextrous glove

Info

Publication number: WO1990013232A1
Application number: PCT/AU1990/000177
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roger Juen-Ming Syn
Original assignee: Syn, Mark, Wei-Ming; Chew, Phineas, Hoo, Ling; Lye, William, Ewe, Min
Priority date: 1989-05-03
Filing date: 1990-05-03
Publication date: 1990-11-15

Abstract

An ambidextrous glove, capable of being used for immersion in hot water, comprising opposed layers of waterproof resilient material defining opposite sides of the glove and shaped to provide fingers (2) and a thumb (1) which lie in substantially the same plane. This glove differs from known immersible gloves in that the region at or adjacent to the base of the thumb (3) at each side of the glove which is provided with a surplus (4) of said material. The surplus (4) of material is in the form of one or more ridges (9). The surplus (4) allows deflection of the thumb (1) to both the right and left side of the plane, so that the glove may be manufactured from thick materials necessary for immersion in hot water whilst still providing ambidextrous operation.

Description

Ambidextrous Glove

Technical Field

This invention relates to gloves which may be used for immersion in hot liquids. It has particular, but not exclusive application to gloves for use in kitchen, laundry or other domestic areas. It also has application to gloves used in industry and the medical field.

Background Art

Conventional immersible domestic gloves which may be used for immersion in hot water are made from rubber or some other suitable polymeric material and are designed to uniquely fit either the right or the left hand. Gloves of this type usually have the thumb displaced forward to resemble the morphology of the human hand. Consequently, the right hand say, cannot be inserted comfortably into the left hand glove because the thumb will be displaced in the wrong direction. Accordingly, when one glove of a pair becomes unusable, the remaining glove cannot be used with any other gloves which happen to be available unless there is a spare glove of the appropriate hand. In such instances, some householders often resort to turning a remaining glove inside out. The present invention addresses this problem by providing an immersible glove of ambidextrous design.

Ambidextrous gloves are gloves that can be used interchangeably on either the right or the left hand. Ambidextrous gloves have been proposed for surgical, laboratory and general domestic applications, and are designed to conform to a hand which is laid flat so that the thumb and fingers lie in the same plane. However these known ambidextrous gloves are composed of a thin, flexible material to allow the thumb sufficient flexibility, and the thinness of the material makes these gloves unsuitable for applications where the hands may need to be immersed in hot liquids. Moreover, if these known ambidextrous gloves were to be made from thicker material necessary for use in hot liquids, the thicker material would constrain the movement of the thumb and fingers.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided an ambidextrous glove capable of being used for immersion in hot liquids, the glove being a generally snugly fitting glove, the glove comprising opposed layers of waterproof resilient material defining opposite sides of the glove and shaped to provide fingers and a thumb which lie in substantially the same plane.

A snugly fitting glove is defined as a glove which snugly fits the hand from the fingers to the palm and thereafter fits loosely around the wrist.

It is preferred that the glove comprises a region at or adjacent to the base of the thumb at each side of the glove which is provided with a surplus of said material, the surplus allows deflection of the thumb to both the right and left side of the plane.

The surplus of material is preferably located in the region of the hand known as the "^■'anatomical snuff box" and generally extends to the saddle joint between the thumb and index finger. This location is preferred because on deflection of the thumb of the hand to be inserted into the glove, this is the region of maximum stretch. It is preferred that the surplus of material be in the form of a single ridge, although it is to be appreciated that other forms, such as a plurality of ridges, may be used.

It is preferred that the glove comprises another region at or adjacent to the knuckles, between the fingers and the rest of the hand, at each side of the glove which is provided with a surplus of said material, this surplus allows deflection of the fingers to both the right and left side of the plane.

The waterproof resilient material may be either a natural or synthetic polymeric material, such as rubber, or any other material which possesses sufficient heat insulation and moisture resistance. The material may also provide protection against chemicals which are potentially harmful to the skin. It is preferred that the glove is formed by latex dipping.

The glove may have external surface features, such as stipples or markings, which may enhance surface friction and grip. Since the glove of the present invention is intended for ambidextrous use, such markings would be duplicated on either side of the glove.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In order that the invention may be more fully described, an embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of one side of the glove, the other side being identical; and FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line X-X shown in

Figure 1. Description of Preferred Embodiments

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the ambidextrous glove has the thumb 1 and fingers 2 lying in substantially the same plane. The region at the base of the thumb 3 is provided with a surplus of material 4 which extends from the anatomical snuff box 5 to the saddle joint 6 between the thumb 1 and the index finger 2, because this is the region of maximum stretch when the thumb is deflected. The surplus of material 4 is present on both sides of the glove so that the thumb 1 can be deflected to both the right and left side of the plane in accordance with whatever hand the glove is placed on. In the embodiment shown, the surplus of material 4 is in the form of a single ridge 9, although it is to be appreciated that other forms such as a plurality of ridges may be used.

The glove is made of a waterproof resilient material, possessing sufficient heat insulation. It generally snugly fits the hand from the fingers 2 to the palm 7 and thereafter fits loosely around the wrist 8. The resilient material allows the fingers 2 to have sufficient flexibility when the glove is in use. The glove of the present embodiment is made from natural rubber and is formed by latex dipping and is suitable for being used for immersion in hot water.

In a further embodiment, the glove also comprises a region, over each of the knuckles 10 between the fingers and the rest of the hand, which is provided with a surplus of material. This surplus of material at the knuckles is also present on both sides of the glove. This further surplus at the knuckles allows deflection of the fingers to both the right and left side of the plane.

The embodiments have been advanced by way of example only and modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An ambidextrous glove capable of being used for immersion in hot liquids, the glove being a generally snugly fitting glove, the glove comprising opposed layers of waterproof resilient material defining opposite sides of the glove and shaped to provide fingers (2) and a thumb (1) which lie in substantially the same plane.

2. An ambidextrous glove according to claim 1 wherein a region (3) at or adjacent to the base of the thumb at each side of the glove is provided with a surplus (4) of said material, the surplus (4) allows deflection of the thumb (1) to both the right and left side of the plane.

3. An ambidextrous glove according to either claims 1 or 2 wherein the surplus (4) of said material is generally located in the region of the hand known as the "anatomical snuff box" (5) and generally extends to the saddle joint (6) between the thumb (1) and index finger (2).

4. An ambidextrous glove according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the surplus (4) of said material comprises one or more ridges (9).

5. An ambidextrous glove according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a region at or adjacent to the knuckles at each side of the glove is provided with a further surplus of said material, the further surplus allows deflection of the fingers (2) to both the right and left side of the plane.

6. An ambidextrous glove according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said material is a natural or synthetic polymeric material -which possesses sufficient heat insulation and moisture resistance so that the glove is capable of being used for immersion in hot liquids.

7. An ambidextrous glove according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the glove comprises external surface features which enhance surface friction and grip, said features being duplicated on either side of the glove.

8. An ambidextrous glove according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said material provides protection against chemicals which are potentially harmful to the skin.

9. An ambidextrous glove according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the glove is formed by latex dipping.

SUBSTITUTE SK£E - 1