WO2011077077A1 - Interface utilitaire pour main - Google Patents

Interface utilitaire pour main Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2011077077A1
WO2011077077A1 PCT/GB2010/002301 GB2010002301W WO2011077077A1 WO 2011077077 A1 WO2011077077 A1 WO 2011077077A1 GB 2010002301 W GB2010002301 W GB 2010002301W WO 2011077077 A1 WO2011077077 A1 WO 2011077077A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
hand
utility interface
hand utility
finger
interface
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2010/002301
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Michael Charlton Powell
Original Assignee
Switchkey (Iom) Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Switchkey (Iom) Ltd filed Critical Switchkey (Iom) Ltd
Publication of WO2011077077A1 publication Critical patent/WO2011077077A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
    • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
    • A41D13/05—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches protecting only a particular body part
    • A41D13/08—Arm or hand
    • A41D13/081—Hand protectors
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
    • A41D19/00—Gloves
    • A41D19/015—Protective gloves
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L13/00—Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L13/10—Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
    • A47L13/16—Cloths; Pads; Sponges
    • A47L13/18—Gloves; Glove-like cloths

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a hand utility interface which can grip the hand of a user and which serves to protect the user's hand during utility tasks.
  • the hand utility interface may be for a wide range of purposes, including, for example, for: domestic surface care, wet trade and food surface care, hospital surface care, janitorial care, automotive care and boat care, amongst many other possible uses. Background to the Invention
  • the hand utility interface is fabricated from a block foam structure or from a self-supporting resilient membrane and has open-topped finger channels each sized and shaped to receive one finger of the user's hand.
  • the user's hand is releasably gripped by the finger channels of the hand utility interface when the fingers of the hand are pressed into the finger channels.
  • the upper part of the side walls of the finger channels and material bridging between adjacent finger channels has a form and resilience to hold the interface securely to the user's hand and this has substantially prevented the interface from allowing the user to spread/splay the fingers of their hand in the interface or to independently vary the lifting or lowering of the fingers relative to each other.
  • substantial independent movement and splay of the fingers is needed.
  • a hand utility interface comprising a body having a plurality of open-topped finger channels each sized and shaped to receive one finger of the user's hand, the user's hand being releasably gripped by the hand utility interface when the fingers of the hand are pressed through the open tops of the finger channels, wherein adjoining upper edges of adjacent finger channels of the interface body are inter-linked by a respective web of the body that is adapted to flex to allow the finger channels to move between a state where the finger channels are substantially parallel/ un-splayed and a state where the finger channels are splayed/ spread laterally apart.
  • each web is suitably adapted to fold about at least one pre-defined folding axis/ fold line.
  • the folding axis/ fold line allows the web to fold reliably and collapse or open out in a concertina-like manner.
  • each web has a substantially V-shaped form as viewed in front elevation of the hand utility interface. This V-shaped form may even be apparent when the hand utility interface is in its maximally splayed state
  • the pre-defined folding axis of the web is defined by an incision or groove in the web.
  • This may also be V -shaped as viewed in front elevation of the hand utility interface and particularly preferably is in the top surface of the web so that as the web folds together it does so extending into the space between the finger channels.
  • the web may fold about two or more folding axes/ fold lines rather than a single folding axis/ fold line.
  • the body of the hand utility interface is moulded/ formed such that in its rest state when placed on a level surface prior to being worn it is in a configuration where the finger channels are splayed apart so that the user must initially splay their fingers to enter their hand into the hand utility interface.
  • the hand utility interface is preferably fabricated from a self supporting resilient membrane and yet uniquely permits lateral spreading of the fingers and recovery back to a parallel fingers configuration.
  • Each finger channel has a structure which grips a finger of a user when the finger is pressed down into the channel through an open top to retain the interface on the user's hand, and which is resiliently flexible to be retained even when the fingers of the hand are flexed.
  • the structure partially comprises, or is supported/ reinforced by, the web and yet the form of the web with its flexing/ folding allows for the desired independent movement of the finger channels.
  • the structure may also enable the hand utility interface to be discarded single-handed by the fingers.
  • the invention may provide an interface with different utilities such as cleaning media (eg a pad or cloth), abrasive media (eg sandpaper), polishing media and many others to perform work while minimising the labour involved by obviating the need for the user to grip a cleaning, brushing or polishing apparatus and enabling an operator to address a greater surface area with each pass of the hand than could be otherwise addressed.
  • cleaning media eg a pad or cloth
  • abrasive media eg sandpaper
  • polishing media eg.g abrasive media
  • many others to perform work while minimising the labour involved by obviating the need for the user to grip a cleaning, brushing or polishing apparatus and enabling an operator to address a greater surface area with each pass of the hand than could be otherwise addressed.
  • Figure 1 is a frontal perspective view of a first embodiment of the hand utility interface
  • Figure 2 is a front elevation view thereof
  • Figures 2A-2C are schematic sections through interphalangeal joints of a user's two inner/ medial fingers locating or located in a finger channel;
  • Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the first embodiment;
  • Figure 4 is a plan view from above thereof looking down onto the open- topped finger channels, which are in the substantially fully splayed state.
  • Figure 5 is a frontal perspective view of a second embodiment of the hand utility interface
  • Figure 6 is a front elevation view thereof
  • Figure 7 is a side elevation view thereof but also showing, by a thick dark line, the form of the longitudinal cross section (as taken along the line A-A in Figure 8); and Figure 8 is a plan view from above thereof looking down onto the open- topped linger channels, which are in the substantially fully splayed state;
  • Figure 9 is a plan view from above of a third embodiment, which is a variant of the first embodiment that differs in having a stiffening bridge on each web;
  • Figure 10 is a rear perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the hand utility interface;
  • Figure 11 is a schematic transverse section of the fourth embodiment as taken along the line B-B in Figure 10 to show differential lowering of the finger channels with independent finger movement.
  • Figure 12 is a plan view from above of a substrate medium such as a foam pad/ sponge for use with the hand utility interface, the medium being slitted in a matrix configuration to facilitate manipulation around complex, multi-faceted articles.
  • the first illustrated embodiment of the hand utility interface comprises a body 10 that has four finger channels 11a-d.
  • Ttie band utility interface body 1 ⁇ is fabricated from a self-supporting resilient membrane.
  • the membrane is suitably of thermo-formable foam and preferably of a polyolefin.
  • Example suitable materials are as per the examples given in PCT/WO2008/003979.
  • the finger channels 11a-d are open-topped finger channels and each is sized and shaped to receive one finger of the user's hand.
  • the two medial ones 11b, 11c of the finger channels are the longest channels and of equal length so that either may accommodate the user's middle or index fingers and the two flanking lateral finger channels 11a, 11d are shorter and of equal length whereby the body 10 is medially symmetric to fit equally well to a user's right or left hand
  • the sidewalls of at least the medial finger channels 11b, 11c taper trom near their open proximal end toward their distal/ finger tip end from before the expected location of the user's proximal interphalangeal joint up to and including the expected location of the user's distal interphalangeal joint in order for the sidewalls to grip that joint.
  • the channel then widens beyond that location up to and including the tip in order to prevent pinching of the finger tip where the sidewalls join.
  • Flexure is also aided by the provision of transverse grooves 18 (see Figure 4) in the bases of the channels 11a-d and extending part-way up the channels' sidewaHs. These grooves 13 are located fora and aft of the expected location of the user's proximal and distal interphalangeal joints and not only aid flexure but provide lateral strengthening of the sidewalls.
  • the user's hand is releasably gripped by the sidewalls 3a, 3b of the finger channels 1 1a-d when the fingers F of the hand are pressed into the finger channels 1 1a-d.
  • the fingers F of the hand are pressed through the open top of each finger channel 1 1a-d with the fingers F of the hand extended and splayed wide apart.
  • the hand utility interface can then be picked up simply by relaxing the fingers and raising the hand. It should be noted that the user does not need to grip the interface; the hand and fingers may remain completely relaxed while the hand utility interface continues to gently grip the hand.
  • medial finger channels 11b, 1 1c have opposing side walls, 3a, 3b which deform elastically as a finger is pressed in through the open top of each of the channels 2a, 2b.
  • the preferred structure for achieving this is illustrated diagrammatically in Figures 2A to 2C.
  • the structure consists of a bridge part, or web, 4 which is supported at a height "h" above the middle height "m" of the finger F by the side walls 3a, 3b.
  • the values of m and h are established from a careful analysis of the known sizes of adult female and male hands so that a single size of the interface is configured to fit the great majority of adult female and male hands.
  • the bridge part 4 is not a simple thickened short expanse of flat, concave or convex curved material bridging between the tops of the sidewalls 1 1a, 1 1 b but rather has the form of a flexing web 4 that is V-shaped as viewed in front elevation and which folds about a folding axis/ fold line Z.
  • the folding axis/ fold line Z of the flexing web 4 is defined by a score line/ crease or groove 12 in the flexing web 4.
  • the flexing web 4 becomes progressively much broader and more deeply V- shaped from the proximal (palm) end of the hand utility interface to the distal end thereof.
  • this equates to a splay of adjacent finger channels 11 b, 11c that is an angle of the order of 15 to 30 degrees but preferably 20 degrees to correspond to the maximum comfortable finger splay for a user.
  • the fold line/folding axis Z bisects that angle.
  • the finger channels 11 b, 11c are at their full rest state splay, here shown as 20 degrees, and the user must splay the fingers of their hand in a matching configuration.
  • the user relaxes their hand to a more fingers parallel state as shown in Figure 2C and the web 4 flexes/ folds about the folding line Z so that it collapses in a concertina-like manner to be accommodated in a compact folded state between the closed together finger channels 11 b, 11 c.
  • this 'fingers mutually parallel' state the finger channels 11 b, 1 1c are no longer angled apart.
  • the user may adjust the extent of splay of their hand at will to any position between fully splayed or fingers parallel state.
  • this continuously variable user-controlled splaying ability does not compromise the grip of the finger channels 1 1b, 1 1 c onto the fingers F and so the hand utility interface is not liable to accidentally detach from the hand in use.
  • the web 4 continues to hold and bias the top of the sidewalls 3a, 3b to close against the fingers F and grip them in place despite the movements of the web 4 between splayed and un-splayed states.
  • the web 4 is rendered stiff relative to the sidewalls 3a and 3b by any of a number of mechanisms but in the present case is achieved by making the web 4 thick relative to the sidewatts 11b, 11c. This can be readily achieved in a vacuum moulding process used to manufacture the interface.
  • a finger F is pressed through the open top of each of the finger channels 1 1a-d the resiliently deformable web 4 elastically deforms to allow entrance of the finger F and then substantially recovers its rest shape. Accordingly the user feels a small degree of resistance as the fingers are pressed into the finger channels 1 1a-d.
  • the sidewall parts 3a, 3b deform elastically from the rest condition shown in the left hand finger channel of Figure 2A to the strained condition shown in the right hand channel, thus the bridge part 4 overlies the finger F to gently lock it in place.
  • each finger channel is shaped to taper from a wide end proximal the location of the metacarpophalangeal joint of a hand engaged by the interface, to a distal end.
  • a further distinctive feature of the hand utility interface illustrated in that figure is the open-ended front of the webs 4 between the sidewalls 3a, 3b of adjacent finger channels.
  • the front end may be opened out by die cutting.
  • the front end wall may be pressed more or less flat for the instant of the cutting. For this a sprung loaded press element might be added to the cutter head.
  • the press element may have a "V" shaped head, suitably in deformable material, which meets the "V” form of the wall and so takes it down to the base line in a controlled “crunch", so providing that the line of the cut is regular and neatly formed.
  • the membrane forming the finger receiving channels11a-d is cut/trimmed, or otherwise terminated, close about the tips of the finger channels 1 1a-d and at a height approximately equal to the height of the finger-tips. Between the finger-tips the membrane of the form is cut/ trimmed, or otherwise terminated, so that the webs 4 terminate at a point approximately level with the distal/ last interphalangeal joint.
  • the new hand utility interface is ideally suited for driving inherently very flexible/ pliable substrates such as wet wipes. Where the substrate is of a supple form like this when the fingers are brought parallel the substrate will "buckle up", becoming concertina-like in the space between the fingers.
  • the substrate may suitably be pre cut, i.e. cut in advance of being bonded to the hand utility interface, such that the substrate is only present directly under the finger channels and under the palm, i.e. that there are "V" shaped cut outs of the substrate suitably approximately equivalent to, and directly below, the plan view image of the finger dividing walls.
  • the substrates may have a significant shrinkage factor when they dry out completely. This can lead to the hand utility interface becoming distorted and unattractive. To deal with this problem the substrate may again be pre-cut, i.e. cut before it is applied to the interface, such that it has slits right through its depth. On drying out, these slits will represent lines of weakness, and so will open up to become an ellipse form, so that the shrinkage factor is taken up within the body of the substrate rather than becoming pronounced at the perimeter.
  • slits might be in the form of "dash and stop" Wnes in parallel from one direction and more of the same from the diametrically opposite direction, spaced so to form a matrix checker grid of slits, none of which meet. Such an arrangement is shown in Figure 12.
  • a second embodiment is illustrated in Figures 5 to 8 and differs from the first in that the web 4 between the finger channels 11a-d extends further forwards and is arched downwards at the front so that it's distal/front end 13 is lowered substantially to the base level/ base line of the hand utility interface body 10 to lie substantially flat at that level spanning the width of the gap between the finger tips of the finger channels 1 1 a-d.
  • the V-shaped form of the web 4 is substantially maintained along the full length of the web 4 right to the distal/front end 13 and distal/front end 13 is not joined to the sidewalls 3a, 3b of the finger channels 1 a-d.
  • both ends of the space between adjacent finger channels 1 a-d are closed off by the membrane, i.e. the membrane descends to the base tine at the distal/front end 13 and to the palm element at the proximal/ back end 14.
  • This form permits lateral closing of the fingers, i.e. bringing them towards the parallel, but will act to resist the fingers becoming fully parallel.
  • the interface body 10 may need stiffening. Accordingly it may be modified to have one or more stiffening bridges as illustrated by way of example in Figure 9.
  • the "V" form/ fold line 12 is intermittent, i.e. the "V” may start, proceed, stop then start again along the length of the top of the web 4 so that there will be a "bridge” 15 of regular top height membrane between two or more lengths that have the "V" form.
  • Figures 0 and 1 1 show a yet further embodiment of the invention that differs from the previous embodiments in that neither end of the space between adjacent finger channels 11a-d is closed off by the membrane, i.e.
  • the membrane does not descend to the base line at the distal/front end 13 or to the palm element at the proximal/ back end 14. This may, however, be varied so that a distal front end wall is provided as in the Figures 5 to 8 embodiment or the like.
  • the important feature here is the absence of closure at the proximal/ back end 14 where the finger channels 1 1a-d meet the palm portion 16 of the interface body 10.
  • This opening at the proximal/ back end 14 greatly increases the flexibility of the interface body 10. This in turn significantly increases the hands' freedom and may permit the fingers to be moved independently of each other so that they are in different planes.
  • the index finger might be raised above the height of the second finger and so on as shown in Figure 11 .
  • the hand utility interface body 10 may be provided in forms where ttie user's finger-tips are not surrounded by the membrane, i.e. where the membrane is only present under the finger-tip and is there only to support the bonded substrate -eg cloth or pad.
  • Alternative heights of finger tip cups might be provided - for example "half cups.
  • the finger tip cups or half cups for the index and little fingers may have an element of wall returning back outside the finger, i.e. left of the index finger tip and right of the little finger tip.
  • the index and little finger tips also may be configured to have no material returning back outside the finger tips and where the skin is present at the base level only so as to support the bonded substrate.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
  • Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)
  • Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne, entre autres, une interface utilitaire pour main comprenant un corps doté d'une pluralité de canaux découverts sur le haut pour doigts, dont chacun est dimensionné et formé de façon à recevoir un doigt de la main de l'utilisateur. La main de l'utilisateur est saisie de manière libérable par l'interface utilitaire pour main lorsque les doigts de la main sont disposés dans les ouvertures sur le haut des canaux pour doigts. Les régions supérieures attenantes des canaux pour doigts adjacents du corps de l'interface sont reliées entre elles par une bande respective du corps. Ladite bande est conçue pour fléchir pour permettre aux canaux pour doigts de se déplacer entre une position dans laquelle lesdits canaux pour doigts sont sensiblement parallèles/non écartés, et une position dans laquelle les canaux pour doigts sont écartés/séparés les uns des autres latéralement.
PCT/GB2010/002301 2009-12-23 2010-12-21 Interface utilitaire pour main WO2011077077A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0922524A GB2476491A (en) 2009-12-23 2009-12-23 Hand utility interface
GB0922524.4 2009-12-23

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2011077077A1 true WO2011077077A1 (fr) 2011-06-30

Family

ID=41716875

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2010/002301 WO2011077077A1 (fr) 2009-12-23 2010-12-21 Interface utilitaire pour main

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2476491A (fr)
WO (1) WO2011077077A1 (fr)

Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2304010A (en) * 1941-03-04 1942-12-01 James F Myers Swimming mitt
FR1514778A (fr) * 1967-03-16 1968-02-23 Gants nageoires
FR2628331A1 (fr) * 1988-03-09 1989-09-15 Blazun Georges Article s'adaptant a la main d'un nageur
US5564154A (en) * 1995-04-27 1996-10-15 Cohn, Iii; Harold S. Bathing mitt with shampoo face shield
GB2324459A (en) * 1997-04-25 1998-10-28 Champion De Crespigny Philip Finger protection device and tool
WO2002087406A1 (fr) 2001-05-01 2002-11-07 Switchkey Property Limited Gant de travail
WO2004098365A2 (fr) 2003-04-22 2004-11-18 Switchkey Intellectual Property Limited Interface main-utilitaire
WO2006100076A2 (fr) 2005-03-23 2006-09-28 Asml Netherlands B.V. Appareil de lithographie et procede de fabrication de dispositif
WO2008003979A1 (fr) 2006-07-06 2008-01-10 Switchkey (Iom) Limited Interface pour accessoire à main
WO2008100397A1 (fr) 2007-02-13 2008-08-21 Biofilm, Ip, Llc Compositions personnelles lubrifiantes exemptes de glycérine et de parabens

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1788920B1 (fr) * 2004-06-23 2011-01-19 Switchkey Intellectual Property Limited Interface main-utilitaire

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2304010A (en) * 1941-03-04 1942-12-01 James F Myers Swimming mitt
FR1514778A (fr) * 1967-03-16 1968-02-23 Gants nageoires
FR2628331A1 (fr) * 1988-03-09 1989-09-15 Blazun Georges Article s'adaptant a la main d'un nageur
US5564154A (en) * 1995-04-27 1996-10-15 Cohn, Iii; Harold S. Bathing mitt with shampoo face shield
GB2324459A (en) * 1997-04-25 1998-10-28 Champion De Crespigny Philip Finger protection device and tool
WO2002087406A1 (fr) 2001-05-01 2002-11-07 Switchkey Property Limited Gant de travail
WO2004098365A2 (fr) 2003-04-22 2004-11-18 Switchkey Intellectual Property Limited Interface main-utilitaire
WO2006100076A2 (fr) 2005-03-23 2006-09-28 Asml Netherlands B.V. Appareil de lithographie et procede de fabrication de dispositif
WO2008003979A1 (fr) 2006-07-06 2008-01-10 Switchkey (Iom) Limited Interface pour accessoire à main
WO2008100397A1 (fr) 2007-02-13 2008-08-21 Biofilm, Ip, Llc Compositions personnelles lubrifiantes exemptes de glycérine et de parabens

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0922524D0 (en) 2010-02-10
GB2476491A (en) 2011-06-29

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