Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D19/00—Gloves
  • A41D19/015—Protective gloves
  • A41D19/01547—Protective gloves with grip improving means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D19/00—Gloves
  • A41D19/0055—Plastic or rubber gloves
  • A41D19/0058—Three-dimensional gloves

Definitions

• Gloves are utilized in many fields for protecting workers, such as medical, industrial, and chemical industries as well as for household uses.
• gloves include features to impart grip-ability and flexibility properties.
• gloves are subjected to extensive wear from cuts, punctures, and abrasions.
• Some polymeric gloves are formed from dipping a former into a polymeric composition, e.g., natural rubber latex, synthetic rubber latex, or the like, to form a coating in the shape of the former.
• a polymeric composition e.g., natural rubber latex, synthetic rubber latex, or the like
• Such gloves are typically smooth and, therefore, do not offer adequate grip properties.
• Past attempts to impart grip properties to gloves have involved the use of caustic chemicals, salts, and require additional processes.
• Figure 1A depicts an exemplary flow diagram of a method for making a glove according to embodiments of the present invention
• Figure 1B depicts an exemplary flow diagram of a method for making a two-layer glove according to embodiments of the present invention
• Figure 2 depicts the palmside of a glove having features disposed thereon according to embodiments of the present invention
• Figure 3 depicts the palmside of an exemplary glove having features disposed thereon according to embodiments of the present invention.
• Figures 4A-4F depict various alternative embodiments of additional raised features disposed on the gloves of FIGS. 2-3, according to embodiments of the invention.
• the process according to embodiments of the invention comprise the step of applying a coagulant onto a glove-shaped former and dipping the former into a first polymeric composition to form a polymeric layer, i.e., an unsupported glove, as discussed below. Subsequently, raised features, such as dots, mounds, bullets, straight or curved rails, circles, toroids, grains, and the like, optionally disposed in patterns, comprising a second polymeric composition, are disposed on the unsupported glove.
• FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary flow diagram of a method 100 for making a glove according to embodiments of the present invention.
• the method 100 starts at step 102 and proceeds to step 104, at which point a former is heated, for example, from between 40-80°C.
• the former is, for example, a metallic or ceramic former in the shape of a glove and may be in an arcuate shape, such as a partially closed hand or, alternatively, a flat shape.
• a decision is made whether to apply a coagulant to the former, such as an aqueous coagulant or a powdered coagulant as are known to those in the art.
• a coagulant is applied to the former, which, for e.g., may be a dipping or spraying step. If the answer is no, ihe method 100 proceeds directly to step 110, at which point the former is dipped into a polymeric composition, forming a polymeric coating on the former.
• the coating comprises one or more polymeric materials or blends thereof, including thermoplastic and thermoset materials. At least one exemplary embodiment is shown in Table 1.
• Thermosetting materials may include, for example, phenolics, silicones, polyesters, and sulfur-filled (or other vulcanizing agents), vulcanizabie natural and synthetic rubber materials.
• thickening agents i.e., rheo!ogicat modifiers, as known to those in the art to control the viscosity of the thermosetting and/or polymeric and/or thermoplastic materials, are contemplated herein.
• the application of the additional raised features is a screen-printing step.
• At least one exemplary embodiment includes wherein the silkscreen is a stainless steel screen.
• the temperature of the polymeric composition during the screen-printing step is between 10-30°C and, in at least one embodiment according to the invention, the temperature is approximately 23-25°C.
• the additional raised features are applied via an air-jetting deposition and/or 3D printing processes.
• the method 100 next proceeds to step 118, at which point the coating and the features are cured, for example, in an oven.
• the method 100 then proceeds to step 120 at which point the method 100 ends.
• the curing step(s) comprise, in some embodiments, curing in an oven at, for example, 50°C to 150°C for approximately 10 to 60 minutes.
• gloves having the additional raised features disposed thereon are placed into an oven, for example, an infrared oven and heated to approximately 1O5 C to 130°C for approximately 5 to 30 minutes, forming a cured glove, in at least one embodiment according to the invention, curing is for approximately 7-8 minutes at 130°C or, for example, 20 minutes at approximately 115°C.
• the heating or curing occurs twice, once before the additional raised features are disposed on the polymeric coating and once after the additional raised features are disposed thereon.
• any of the additional raised features may comprise bullets, circles, toroids, dots, rings, waves, grains, or other additional raised features in varying sizes, shapes, or patterns, as discussed beiow.
• the coating on the former may be stripped, washed, and dried following step 11 . Washing can be carried out at a temperature between approximately 25°C and 80°C, for approximately 15 to 90 minutes. The gloves may then be dried in a tumble dryer for approximately 20 to 60 minutes at 50°C to 70°C. These ranges allow different moisture contents, which may be important for the subsequent steps, for example, re-dressing the gloves on former and adding the additional raised features at step 110. Also, other finishing processes may be applied at this stage. For example, the coating and/or additional raised features may be cured by th application of heat.
• a base coating of a glove may comprise, a h ighl y-ca rboxylated nitrile-butadiene composition, additional raised features comprising an acrylic composition, and yet other additional raised features comprising a polyurethane composition.
• a highly— carboxylated acrylonitriie-butadiene in this context indicates approximately 35-40% acrylonitriSe, and is particularly oi!-resistant.
• At least one exemplary embodiment according to the invention comprises a second polymeric layer.
• the method for making a glove may further comprise a step for disposing a foamed polymeric layer on the former described above.
• the foamed polymeric layer may optionally have a coagulant disposed thereon and, subsequently, a second unfoamed polymeric composition disposed thereon and then a plurality of raised features may be disposed thereon, as described above.
• an unfoamed polymeric layer may be disposed on a former, a foamed layer may be disposed on the unfoamed polymeric layer (again, with or without a coagulant disposed on the foamed layer before the disposition of the unfoamed polymeric layer), the foamed layer and the unfoamed layer disposed thereon is inverted, so that the unfoamed layer is now an outer layer and the foamed layer is an inner layer, and additional raised features disposed thereon as described herein.
• Figure 1 B depicts an exemplary flow diagram of a method 150 for making a two-layer glove according to embodiments of the present invention.
• the method 150 starts at step 152 and proceeds to step 154, at which point a former is heated, for example, from between 40-60*0.
• the former is, for example, a metallic or ceramic former in the shape of a glove and may be in an arcuate shape, such as a partially closed hand or, alternatively, a flat shape, as discussed above.
• a decision is made whether to apply a coagulant to the former, such as an aqueous coagulant or a powdered coagulant as are known to those in the art.
• a coagulant is applied to the former, which, for e.g., may be a dipping or spraying step. If the answer is no, the method 150 proceeds directly to step 160, at which point the former is dipped into an unfoamed polymeric composition, forming an unfoamed polymeric coating on the former.
• the unfoamed polymeric coating comprises one or more polymeric materials or blends thereof, including thermoplastic and thermoset materials. At least one exemplary embodiment is shown in Table 1 as discussed above.
• Thermosetting materials may include, for example, pheno!ics, silicones, polyesters, and sulfur-filled (or other vulcanizing agents), vulcanizable natural and synthetic rubber materials.
• thickening agents i.e., rheological modifiers, as known to those in the art to control the viscosity of the thermosetting and/o polymeric and/or thermoplastic materials, are contemplated herein.
• step 170 additional raised features, such as a plurality of polymeric features (as discussed below) are applied to the coating formed on the former, which may be the same or a different thermoplastic or thermoset composition as discussed above regarding the composition of which the coating is comprised.
• Table 2 depicts at least one exemplary formulation for a po!yurethane composition.
• the application of the additional raised features is a screen-printing step.
• the temperature of the polymeric composition during the screen -printing step is between 10-30°C and, in at least one embodiment according to the invention, the temperature is approximately 23-25°C.
• the additional raised features are applied via an air-jetting deposition and/or 3D printing processes.
• the method 150 next proceeds to step 172, at which point the first polymeric layer and the second polymeric Iayers and the raised features are cured, for example, in an oven.
• the method 150 then proceeds to step 174 at which point the method 150 ends.
• the curing step(s) comprise, in some embodiments, curing in an oven at, for example, 50°C to 150°C for approximately 10 to 60 minutes.
• gloves having the additional raised features disposed thereon are placed into an oven, for example, an infrared oven and heated to approximately 105°C to 130°C for approximately 5 to 30 minutes, forming a cured glove.
• curing is for approximately 7-8 minutes at 130°C or, for example, 20 minutes at approximately 11 °C.
• the heating or curing occurs twice, once before the additional raised features are disposed on the polymeric coating and once after the additional raised features are disposed thereon.
• any of the additional raised features may comprise bullets, circles, toroids, dots, rings, waves, grains, or other additional raised features in varying sizes, shapes, or patterns, as discussed below.
• At least one acrylic composition is shown in Table 3.
• one exemplary composition comprises acrylic grade PoSidisp 7730, manufactured by the Resiquimica Co.
• Embodiments according to the invention further comprise pressure sensitive acrylic formulations.
• FIG. 2 depicts the paimside of a glove 200 having raised features 224 disposed thereon according to embodiments of the present invention.
• a glove 200 comprises seven components, including a pinky finger 206, a ring finger 210, a middle finger 212, an index finger 204, a thumb 202, a palm component 214, and an optional cuff 208.
• the glove 200 is comprised of a polymeric coating 222 disposed on a former as discussed above. Disposed on the polymeric coating 222 is a plurality of polymeric features 224, which may be of any practical shape or size. Also, the glove 200 further comprises wherein the polymeric features 224 are arranged in patterns.
• the diamond-shaped features 224 are disposed on areas where grip is most important, such as where the knuckles bend on the paimside. Furthermore, the glove 200 comprises features 224 along bend lines 226, which is where a hand bends when gripping objects. Disposing polymeric features 224 along such areas concentrates the stress of the gripping action where it is needed most and provides greater grip.
• the polymeric coating 222 comprises one or more polymeric material or blends, as described above in Tables 1 and 2 or in other polymeric compositions.
• the polymeric coating in accordance with the present invention may comprise natural or synthetic polymeric coatings or mixtures or biends thereof.
• the polymeric composition may comprise a natural latex, such as guayu!e or natural po!yisoprene, synthetic latexes, such as synthetic polyisoprene, carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene, non-carboxy!ated acrylonitrile butadiene, acrylics, butyl latex, polychforoprene, nitriles, aqueous- and non-aqueous- poiyurethanes, styrene-butadiene, acrylonitrile-butadiene, and the like, or mixtures or biends thereof.
• synthetic latexes such as synthetic polyisoprene, carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene, non-carboxy!ated acrylonitrile butadiene, acrylics, butyl latex, polychforoprene, nitriles, aqueous- and non-aqueous- poiyurethanes, styren
• the plurality of features 224 disposed on the polymeric coating 222 comprise polymeric compositions, which may be different than the composition comprising the polymeric coating 222.
• the polymeric coating 222 comprises an aqueous polyurethane material and, as discussed below, the additional raised features disposed thereon further comprise an aqueous polyurethane material or a nitrile- butadiene composition, or vice versa.
• a glove comprising a layer or coating of, for example, polyurethane and having additional raised features comprising nitrile, disposed on a surface of the unsupported glove, or vice-versa, can be used in both dry and wet/oily environments. Therefore, a user need not re-glove or have two different types of gloves because one glove, according to embodiments of the invention, will exhibit enhanced gripping properties for wet, dry, and oily environments.
• the temperature of the polymeric composition may be controlled, as is known in the art, and may include additives, such as surfactants, to control or modify the physical properties of the composition and/or resulting article formed thereby.
• the composition may also comprise various accelerators, stabilizers, pigments, and the like.
• the composition comprises additives, such as bentonite and other clays, minerals, silica, and like thickeners, to control the Theological properties of the composition.
• the composition of one or more embodiments may also include a cure package or vulcanization agents to promote cross-linking during the curing process, such as suifur and/or other suitable crossiinking agents known to those in the art and activators, such as zinc oxide.
• Embodiments according to the invention comprise polymeric compositions generally having a viscosity in the range of 250-5000 centipotse and further comprise commonly used stabilizers including but not limited to potassium hydroxide, ammonia, sulfonates, and the like.
• the composition may contain other commonly used ingredients such as surfactants, anti-mtcrobial agents, fillers/additives, and the like.
• the viscosity of the formulation for the additional raised features ranges from approximately 1000 cP to 40000 cP.
• a typical coagulant comprises a 2-15 wt% calcium nitrate aqueous solution.
• the coagulant solution dries on the former.
• the composition is destabilized and gels.
• suitable coagulants include, but are not limited to, strong coagulants, such as calcium chloride or calcium citrate, and weak acids, such as tricarboxylic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, and other weak acid salts known to those in the art.
• compositions are foamed, which is retained in the dipped article.
• the air content is typically in the 5 to 50% range on a volume basis.
• the composition may contain additional surfactants such as TWEEN 20 to stabilize the foamed composition.
• refinement of the foam is undertaken by stirring the emulsion with an impeller driven at a fast speed and using a different impeller run at a reduced speed to refine the bubble size as is known to those of skill in the art.
• An air content in the range of 5-15 volumetric percent results in foams that have closed cells, creating a foamed coating that is liquid impervious and has a spongy, soft feel. Some air cells, whether an open-celled or close-celled foam are disposed on the external surface of the coating, providing increased roughness and have the ability to remove boundar layer of oil and water from a gripping surface, providing increased grip properties. If the volumetric air content is in the range of 15- 50% in a foamed coating, the air cells are adjacent to each other and expand during a vulcanization heating step and touch each other, merge, and burst. This process creates a foam having an open-celled structure comprising an intra-foam network of cells in fluid communication with each other.
• open-celled foams absorb liquids into an internal matrix, enhancing the wet and oily grip properties of the glove. For example, if a drop of liquid is placed on a glove in the palm portion, the liquid penetrates the polymeric coating cells, as opposed to a closed-cell foam, which is impervious to liquids.
• a polymeric open-celled foam disposed as a coating on a liner allows the additional raised features disposed on the coating, as discussed below, to penetrate the interna! cell matrix of the coating, forming a glove comprising more abrasion- resistant additional raised features that do not peel from the coating as readily.
• the surface tension of the composition comprising the additional raised features can be varied to promote adherence to the foamed coating.
• Figure 3 depicts the palmside of an exemplary glove 300 having features disposed thereon according to embodiments of the present invention.
• the glov 300 comprises a polymeric coating 222, including a pinky finger 206, a ring finger 210, a middle finger 212, an index finger 204, a thumb 202, a palm component 214.
• the glove 300 may be, for example, a surgical or examination glove.
• Disposed on the polymeric coating 222 is a plurality of polymeric features 302, 304, 306.
• the additional raised features comprise half-circles 302, round dots 304, and rectangular rails 306.
• the round, raised dots have a thickness between 1.0 to 2.0 mm.
• At least one exemplary embodiment according to the invention comprises a foamed inner layer (not shown) disposed on an inner surface of the coating.
• the foamed inner layer may be an open-celled foam, comprising a network of inter-connected cells as is known to those in the art. Open-celled foam, when disposed on an inner layer of a glove, for example, a skin-contacting layer, absorb moisture and/or perspiration, promoting a hygienic condition and/or comfort.
• FIG. 4A shows two separate embodiments of patterns of additional raised features comprising a polymeric composition and disposed on, for example, a coating or layer(s) of the polymeric composition.
• the raised dots 402, as shown, are small but may be as large as is practical.
• a feature 405 is the underlying coating layer described above.
• the raised dots 402 are disposed in single file laterally and longitudinally, in a pattern 406, the raised dots 402 are disposed in a staggered pattern.
• FIG. 4A shows two separate embodiments of patterns of additional raised features comprising a polymeric composition and disposed on, for example, a coating or layer(s) of the polymeric composition.
• the raised dots 402, as shown, are small but may be as large as is practical.
• a feature 405 is the underlying coating layer described above.
• the raised dots 402 are disposed in single file laterally and longitudinally, in a pattern 406, the raised dots 402 are disposed in a staggered pattern.
• the additional raised features comprise a wave-like raised feature 408.
• the wave-like raised feature 408 may be in a staggered pattern 410 or in a single file (not shown). Also, as shown in a pattern 412, ends 414 and 416 of adjacent wave-like raised feature 408 may form an interlocked structure. In some embodiments, the wave-like feature assumes a a C" structure,
• FIG, 4C shows patterns of additional raised features 420 and 422,
• a ring 420 is a raised circular rail that surrounds a raised dot 422.
• a feature 421 is the coating layer applied as above and, therefore, it is recessed from the raised ring 420 and the raised dot 422.
• the additional raised features may be disposed in a single file pattern 424 or in a staggered pattern 426.
• FIG. 4D depicts the additional raised features as rectangular raised rails 430 in a staggered pattern 432, Embodiments according to the invention also comprise where rectangular raised rails 430 are disposed in a grain pattern 434, i.e., where several straight or curved patterns of rectangular raised rails 430 intersect, like wood grain.
• FiG. 4E depicts small thicker rings 450 arranged in a staggered pattern 452.
• FiG. 4F depicts large thinner rings 460 arranged in a staggered pattern 462.
• Abrasion resistance and grip properties such as dynamic and static coefficient of friction in different environments, such as wet, dry, and oily tests of various gloves according to embodiments of the invention exhibit surprisingly increased performance over prior art gloves. This phenomenon is true irrespective of whether the additional raised features are disposed on the coating as bullets, small rings, big rings, toroids, dots, waves, or grains. Without intending to be bound by theory, it is believed that one explanation for the increased grip performance is that when pulling forces reach a certain threshold, dragging is overcome and a sample is moved easier. This causes a drop in pulling and, consequently, the sample starts a new increase of resistance to movement. I other words, there is a build-up and drop of the drag.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Gloves (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=53178718

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (14)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (17)

• 2014
  • 2014-11-24 US US14/551,972 patent/US20150143610A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2014-11-25 WO PCT/AU2014/001070 patent/WO2015074107A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2014-11-25 AU AU2014353877A patent/AU2014353877A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2014-11-25 CN CN201490001190.2U patent/CN206273153U/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2014-11-25 EP EP14864429.7A patent/EP3073850B1/en not_active Not-in-force

Patent Citations (5)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events