WO2023283673A1

WO2023283673A1 - Disposable glove donning and doffing apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2023283673A1
Application number: PCT/AU2022/050619
Authority: WO
Inventors: Masoud Jafarzadeh
Original assignee: Cosmoaesthetics Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2021-07-15
Filing date: 2022-06-20
Publication date: 2023-01-19
Also published as: CN117580538A

Abstract

A glove donning device has a body having spaced apart sides defining a hand accommodating void therebetween. The device engages a glove cartridge holder adjacent glove guiding rails along. In use, a glove can be pulled from the glove cartridge onto and along the rails, wherein the rails splay apart to pull fastening tabs thereof apart to open the glove thereof ready for the insertion of the hand therein. A hand can be inserted via an open insertion top of the body into the opening of the glove and the glove can be pulled sideways from the open extraction side wherein the glove pulls an adjacent glove along the rails and wherein the glove disconnects from the adjacent glove.

Description

Disposable glove donning and doffing apparatus

Field of the Invention

[0001] This invention relates generally to apparatus for conveniently and rapidly donning gloves. The apparatus may further comprise apparatus for rapidly doffing gloves.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Disposable gloves are used to protect against transmission of germs and which are frequently discarded and replaced.

[0003] Disposable gloves are normally pulled from a pre-packaged box of gloves and pulled over each hand with an opposite hand. However, such manual handling spreads disease and furthermore is inconvenient especially when one hand is occupied.

[0004] A need exists for a way in which to conveniently and quickly don gloves, preferably with one hand. A need also exist for a way in which to conveniently and quickly doff gloves in a safe and convenient manner.

[0005] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Summary of the Disclosure

[0006] There is provided herein a glove donning device having a body having spaced apart sides defining a hand accommodating void therebetween.

[0007] The sides define an open insertion top and an open extraction side. The device further comprises a glove cartridge holder opposite the extraction side for a glove cartridge comprising a plurality of disposable gloves packed therein. The gloves are releasably joined together at wrists thereof, each glove comprising a pair of fastening tabs either side an opening thereof, the tabs aligning when the gloves are stacked within the cartridge.

[0008] The device comprises glove guiding rails along the open insertion top, the rails having insertion ends towards the glove cartridge holder such that when the glove cartridge is inserted into the glove cartridge holder the insertion ends thereof go through the aligned fastening tabs thereof.

[0009] As such, in use, a glove can be pulled from the glove cartridge onto and along the rails, wherein the rails splay apart to pull the fastening tabs thereof apart to open the opening thereof ready for the insertion of the hand therein.

[0010] A hand can be inserted via the open insertion top into the opening of the glove and pulled sideways from the open extraction side wherein the glove pulls an adjacent glove along the rails and wherein the glove disconnects from the adjacent glove. [0011] There is also provided a glove doffing device comprising a bin comprising a doffing collar. The doffing collar comprises an interior having an annular arrangement of inwardly orientated catches thus orientated to pull a glove from a hand inserted into the bin in use.

[0012] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0014] Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of glove donning and doffing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment;

[0015] Figure 2 shows a rear perspective view of the glove donning a doffing apparatus;

[0016] Figure 3 shows a top perspective view of rails of the glove donning device in accordance with an embodiment;

[0017] Figure 4 shows a glove cartridge holder of the donning device in accordance with an embodiment;

[0018] Figure 5 shows a glove cartridge in accordance with an embodiment;

[0019] Figure 6 illustrates the insertion of a glove cartridge into the cartridge holder of the donning device;

[0020] Figure 7 illustrates the closing of the glove cartridge holder of the donning device; [0021] Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the glove donning device illustrating the opening of gloves along rails therein ready for insertion of a hand therein;

[0022] Figure 9 - 11 illustrates the donning of a glove using the donning apparatus in accordance with an embodiment;

[0023] Figure 12 illustrates a glove doffing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment;

[0024] Figure 13 shows a magnified view of a doffing collar of the doffing device in accordance with an embodiment;

[0025] Figure 14 - 16 illustrates doffing of gloves using the doffing device;

[0026] Figure 17 shows a perspective underside view of the donning device comprising a channel for attachment to a fastening rail;

[0027] Figures 18 and 19 illustrate two types of engagements for attachment to the channel of the donning device of Figure 17;

[0028] Figure 20 illustrates a top perspective view of the donning device in accordance with a further embodiment; and

[0029] Figures 21 and 22 illustrate same hand at an opposite handed packing arrangement of gloves in accordance with an embodiment.

Description of Embodiments

[0030] Apparatus 100 may comprise a glove donning device 101 having a body 103 having spaced apart sides 102 defining a hand accommodating void 104 therebetween. The body 103 may comprise a height of approximately 200 mm, a length of approximately 180 mm and a width of approximately 80 mm.

[0031] The sides 102 defining an open insertion top 105 and an open extraction side 106.

[0032] The glove donning device 101 further comprises a glove cartridge holder 107 opposite the extraction side 106.

[0033] The glove cartridge holder 107 holds a glove cartridge 108 comprising a plurality of disposable gloves 109 packed together therein. The gloves 109 may be joined together at wrists 110 thereof. [0034] Each glove 109 further comprises a pair of fastening tabs 111 either side of an opening 112 thereof. When the gloves 109 are packed together, the fastening tabs 110 align.

[0035] With reference to Figure 5, the cartridge 108 may be removed from a box 113 by a glove tab holder 114. The glove tab holder 114 may comprise a clip 115 for engaging an engaging formation 116 within the cartridge holder 107 shown in Figure 4 and may comprise a pair of cylindrical hooks 117 extending through the collocating fastening tabs 111 and the manner shown in Figure 6. The engaging formation 116 may comprise slots 118 accommodating the cylindrical hooks 117.

[0036] The glove cartridge holder 107 may slide sideways from the from the body 103 in the manner shown in Figure 4 to expose the engaging formation 116 for the loading of the gloves 107 therein in the manner shown in Figure 6.

[0037] The cartridge holder 107 may comprise a push release tab 119 engaging within a corresponding aperture 120 of the body 103 which may be pressed in to release the glove cartridge holder 107.

[0038] In the manner shown in Figure 7, once the gloves 109 are loaded within the glove cartridge holder 107, the glove cartridge holder 107 may be shut 107.

[0039] With reference to Figure 3, the glove donning device 101 may comprise a pair of glove guiding rails 121 along the open insertion top 105. The rails 121 may comprise insertion ends 122 which extend into the fastening tabs 111 of the gloves 109.

[0040] Specifically, when the glove cartridge holder 107 is shut in the manner shown in Figure 7, the distal ends 122 of the rails 121 may insert into the cylindrical hooks 112 of the fastening tab holder 114. As is further shown in Figure 3, the rails may widen apart away from the distal ends 122 thereof.

[0041] Each rail 121 may comprise a glove position holding dogleg 150 to hold each glove 109 and position for donning.

[0042] With reference to Figure 6, a first glove 107 may comprise a pull tab 123 which can be used to pull the first glove 109 onto the rails 121. As the glove 109 comes off the cylindrical hooks 117, the fastening tabs 111 thereof slide along each rail 121 and, as the rails splay apart, the fastening tabs 111 move apart to open the opening 122 thereof in the manner shown in Figure 8, ready for the insertion of a hand therein. [0043] As such, the manner shown in Figure 9, a hand may be inserted via the open insertion top 105 into the opening 112 of the glove 109 within the and accommodation void 104 held open by the rails 121.

[0044] In the manner shown in Figure 10, the hand with the glove 109 thereon can be pulled sideways from the open extraction side 106 to extract the glove 109 from the glove donning device 101 in the manner illustrated in Figure 11 .

[0045] In the manner illustrated in Figure 8, and, as alluded to above, the wrists 110 of the gloves 109 may be joined together such that each glove 109 pulls the next adjacent glove 109 of the glove tab holder 114 onto the rails 121.

[0046] Each glove 109 may comprise wrist tabs 124 joining the gloves 109 together. The wrist tabs 124 may comprise preparations therebetween for tearing apart.

[0047] Alternatively, the wrist tabs 124 may overlap and one of the wrist tabs 124 may comprise a weak sticky surface thereon. As such, the wrist tabs 124 may pull apart to release the gloves 109 from each other and may further be used to secure the wrist 110 of the glove 109 around the wrist of the hand whilst being worn.

[0048] In the manner shown in Figure 21 , the gloves may be packed same-handedly. As such, the glove donning device 101 can be used to don left or right-handed gloves 109. In embodiments, the user may wear a pair of glove donning devices 102, each respectively dispensing left and right-handed gloves 109.

[0049] In the manner shown in Figure 2, the gloves 109 may be packed opposite handedly such that the glove donning device 101 may dispense gloves 109 for the left and right hands alternatively.

[0050] With reference to Figure 20, the glove cartridge holder 107 may comprise a viewing window 125 through which the remaining extent of the gloves 109 may be visually ascertained.

[0051 ] In addition to the push release tab 119, the glove cartridge holder 107 may be further held in place by a security latch 126 operably push under an edge of the open insertion top 105. [0052] With reference to Figure 2, a rear side 102 of the glove donning device 101 may comprise a belt clip 127 for wearing the glove donning device 101 on a belt 128. [0053] Alternatively, the manner shown in Figure 17, the glove donning device 101 may comprise an attachment rail 129 slidably retained within a channel 130 along an undersurface 131 of the body 103. The attachment rail 129 may comprise a plurality of apertures 132 for fastening the attachment rail 127 to a surface.

[0054] Figure 18 shows an engagement 133 having an attachment channel 134 and clamp 135 for fastening the engagement 133 to an edge of a desk or the like. The engagement 133 further supports an attachment rail 136 along an upper surface thereof which may slide into the channel 130. As such, using the engagement 133, the dumb donning device 101 may be fastened to a desk surface.

[0055] Figure 19 shows a further engagement 137 having a backing plate 138 having a plurality of apertures 139 therein for fastening the backing plate 138 to a wall surface. The engagement 137 further comprises an orthogonal lower piece 140 having an attachment rail 141 there along. As such, using the attachment 137, the glove donning device 101 may be mounted to a wall surface.

[0056] The apparatus 100 may further comprise a glove doffing device 142. With reference to Figure 12, the doffing device 142 may comprise a closed-ended cylindrical bin 143 defining an opening 145 therein. The bin 143 may further comprise a belt clip 144 for attachment to a belt 128. The doffing device 142 may be worn adjacent the glove donning device 101 on a belt 128 to collect disposed gloves 109. [0057] The mouth 145 of the bin 143 may further comprise a doffing collar 146 comprising interior annular arrangement of inwardly orientated catches 147 shown in Figure 13. Each catch 147 may be rubberised, orientated inwardly and away from the opening 145.

[0058] With reference to Figure 12, the doffing device 142 may comprise an insertion piece 148 which inserts into the bin 143 and which comprises the doffing collar 146. [0059] As such, the manner shown in Figure 14, a hand having a glove 109 thereon may be inserted into the doffing device 142 wherein the catches 147 of the doffing collar 146 deflected to accommodate the hand in the manner shown in Figure 15. [0060] As the hand is pulled from the doffing device 142, the catches 147 catch against the glove 109 to pull the glove from the hand.

[0061] The doffing device 147 may comprise a germicidal light source 147 which may take the form of an annular light underneath the doffing collar 146 which illuminates an interior of the bin 143 to sterilise the contents therein. The insertion piece 148 may comprise a stem 149 comprising a battery power supply and control circuitry for the germicidal light source 147. The control circuitry may be configured for detecting the insertion of a hand into the bin 143 (such as by comprising a light beam interrupt) to subsequently operate the germicidal light source 147 for a period.

[0062] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practise the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.

[0063] The term “approximately” or similar as used herein should be construed as being within 10% of the value stated unless otherwise indicated.

Claims

1. A glove donning device having: a body having spaced apart sides defining a hand accommodating void therebetween the sides defining an open insertion top and an open extraction side, a glove cartridge holder opposite the extraction side, a glove cartridge comprising a plurality of disposable gloves packed therein, the gloves releasably joined together at wrists thereof, each glove comprising a pair of fastening tabs either side an opening thereof, the tabs aligning when the gloves are stacked within the cartridge, glove guiding rails along the open insertion top, the rails having insertion ends towards the glove cartridge holder such that when the glove cartridge is inserted into the glove cartridge holder the insertion ends thereof go through the aligned fastening tabs thereof, such that, in use, a glove can be pulled from the glove cartridge onto and along the rails, wherein the rails splay apart to pull the fastening tabs thereof apart to open the opening thereof ready for the insertion of the hand therein; a hand can be inserted via the open insertion top into the opening of the glove; and the glove can be pulled sideways from the open extraction side wherein the glove pulls an adjacent glove along the rails and wherein the glove disconnects from the adjacent glove.

2. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the glove cartridge comprises a glove tab holder comprising a pair of cylindrical hooks extending from a side thereof and wherein the insertion ends of the rails insert respectively into the cylindrical hooks.

3. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the glove tab holder comprises a clip which clips onto an engagement formation within the cartridge holder.

4. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cartridge holder is slidable from the body to expose the engagement formation for the glove tab holder and when the cartridge holder slides into the body, the insertion ends of the rails line with the cylindrical hooks of the glove tab holder.

5. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each rail comprises a glove position holding dogleg.

6. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first glove comprises a pull tab for pulling the first glove onto the rails.

7. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein adjacent gloves are joined together by wrist tabs which pull apart.

8. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 7, wherein a wrist tab comprises a sticky surface for adhering to an adjacent wrist tab and which can be used to tighten the wrist of the glove when being worn.

9. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the disposable gloves are adjacently packed same-handedly.

10. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the disposable gloves are adjacently packed opposite-handedly.

11. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the glove cartridge comprises a viewing window through which the remaining extent of gloves may be visually ascertained.

12. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the glove cartridge holder is slidably disengageable from the body by opposing push tabs.

13. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the glove cartridge holder further comprises a security latch cooperating with the opposing push tabs to secure the glove cartridge holder.

14. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glove donning device comprises a belt clip.

15. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the glove donning device further comprises an attachment channel for slidably engaging an attachment rail.

16. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising an engagement having a channel and a clamp therefor and wherein the engagement comprises the attachment rail long and upper surface thereof.

17. A glove donning device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising an engagement comprising a backing plate for fastening to a wall surface and comprising an orthogonal lower piece having the attachment rail therealong.

18. A glove doffing device comprising a bin comprising a doffing collar comprising an interior annular arrangement of inwardly orientated catches thus orientated to pull a glove from a hand inserted into the bin in use.

19. A glove doffing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the catches are rubberised.

20. A glove doffing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the doffing device comprises an insertion piece insertable into the bin, the insertion piece comprising the doffing collar.

20. A glove doffing device as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a germicidal light within the bin.

21. A glove doffing device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the germicidal light is an annular light located beneath the doffing collar.

22. A glove doffing device as claimed in claim 20, further comprising control circuitry which operates the germicidal light for a period when detecting the insertion of a hand into the bin.

23. A glove doffing device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the control circuitry interfaces a light beam interrupt to detect the insertion of a hand into the bin.