Glove with dry-adhesive and dry-non-adhesive micro-wedges

Abstract

A glove with gecko-inspired dry adhesives is provided to greatly reduce the required grasp force on heavy, smooth items. The orientation of the gecko adhesives is designed to increase shear forces between the glove and the object when lifting and manipulating. The invention additionally equips the non-gripping surfaces of the glove (e.g. back and sides) with a non-adhesive microstructure that prevents the glove from accidently adhering to surfaces during unintentional contact, even when touching otherwise sticky materials such as adhesive-coated automotive panels.

Claims

1. A glove, comprising on the outer surface of the glove: (a) at least one area patch with distributed thereon dry-adhesive micro wedges, wherein each of the dry-adhesive micro-wedges is a first isosceles triangle having: (i) a leading face and a trailing face both inclined in the same direction with respect to a vertical defined from the base of the dry-adhesive micro-wedge, (ii) a leading direction asymmetric from a trailing direction, (iii) an apex angle between 20 to 35 degrees, (iv) an apex centerline angle of inclination with respect to the vertical between 25 and 45 degrees; and (b) at least one area patch with distributed thereon dry-non-adhesive micro wedges, wherein each of the dry-non-adhesive micro-wedges is a second isosceles triangle having: (j) a leading face and a trailing face both inclined yet in opposite direction from each other and with respect to a vertical defined from the base of the dry-non-adhesive micro-wedge, (jj) a leading direction symmetric from a trailing direction, (jjj) an apex angle between 75 and 110 degrees, (jv) an apex centerline angle of inclination with respect to the vertical of about zero degrees; and wherein the second isosceles triangles are wider than the first isosceles triangles.

2. The glove as set forth in claim 1, wherein the height of each of the dry-adhesive micro-wedges and each of the dry-non-adhesive micro-wedges defined from their respective bases is about 100 micrometers.

3. The glove as set forth in claim 1, wherein in a case of at least two area patches with distributed thereon dry-adhesive micro wedges, the micro wedges of the one area patch points to a different direction than the micro wedges of the other area patch.

4. The glove as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one area patch with distributed thereon dry-adhesive micro wedges are on a palm side of the glove to provide adhesion when grasping an object.

5. The glove as set forth in claim 1, wherein low-friction non-adhesive microstructure is useful on the back of the glove (back of the hand) so that it does not accidentally grab a surface when somebody brushes the back of the hand against it.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a glove according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention with (i) dry non-adhesive micro-wedges and (ii) dry adhesive micro-wedges. On the back-side of the glove (side of the back of hand), in this example, there are dry non-adhesive micro-wedges. On the palm-side of the hand, in this example, there are dry adhesive micro-wedges. The micro-wedges could be in the form of one or more arrays or patches depending on the application.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a pattern for a glove according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention with (i) dry non-adhesive micro-wedges and (ii) dry adhesive micro-wedges. On the back-side and some sides of the glove (not visible in FIG. 2), in this example, there are dry non-adhesive micro-wedges. On the palm side of the hand, i.e. on the palm, some sides, and thumb, in this example, there are dry adhesive micro-wedges. The micro-wedges depending on the area have different directions of the micro-wedges, which could be in the form of one or more arrays or patches depending on the application.

(3) FIG. 3 shows according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention a schematic structural example of a single dry-adhesive micro-wedge which is referred to as an isosceles triangle. The schematic distinguishes a base, a vertical, a leading face, a trailing face both inclined in the same direction with respect to a vertical defined from the base, an apex angle theta (θ), and an apex centerline angle phi of inclination (ϕ).

(4) FIG. 4 shows according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention a schematic structural example of a single dry-non-adhesive micro-wedge which is also referred to as an isosceles triangle. The schematic distinguishes a base, a vertical, a leading face, a trailing face both inclined in the same direction with respect to a vertical defined from the base, an apex angle theta (θ), and an apex centerline angle phi of inclination (ϕ) which is zero for this micro-wedge or substantially zero.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a photograph image of an array with dry adhesive micro-wedges according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a photograph image of an array with dry non-adhesive micro-wedges according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 7 shows according to the teaching of the invention with Coulomb friction and a coefficient of friction of approximately 1, an internal grasp force of 5N is needed to lift 1 kg (mg=9.81 N).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a glove distinguishing (i) dry non-adhesive micro-wedges and (ii) dry adhesive micro-wedges. On the back-side of the glove (side of the back of hand), in this example, there are dry non-adhesive micro-wedges. On the palm-side of the hand, in this example, there are dry adhesive micro-wedges. The micro-wedges could be in the form of one or more arrays or patches depending on the application. For example, the low-friction dry non-adhesive micro-wedges could be useful on the back of the hand so that it does not accidentally grab a surface when somebody brushes the back of the hand against it. The directional dry adhesive micro-wedges could be useful on the front of the hand so that they provide more adhesion when grasping objects.

(9) FIG. 2 shows a pattern for a glove distinguishing (i) dry non-adhesive micro-wedges and (ii) dry adhesive micro-wedges. On the back-side and some sides of the glove (not visible in FIG. 2), in this example, there are dry non-adhesive micro-wedges. On the palm side of the hand, i.e. on the palm, some sides, and thumb, in this example, there are dry adhesive micro-wedges. The micro-wedges depending on the area have different directions of the micro-wedges, which could be in the form of one or more arrays or patches depending on the application.

(10) FIG. 3 shows a schematic structural example of a single dry-adhesive micro-wedge which is referred to as an isosceles triangle. The schematic distinguishes a base, a vertical, a leading face, a trailing face both inclined in the same direction with respect to a vertical defined from the base, an apex angle theta (θ), and an apex centerline angle phi of inclination (ϕ). FIG. 5 shows a photograph image of an array with dry adhesive micro-wedges. These micro-wedges have a tip height of about 100 micrometers, an apex angle of about 25 degrees and generally between 20 and 35 degrees, and an angle of inclination defined against the vertical of about 35 degrees and generally between 25 and 45 degrees. These micro-wedges are typically spaced about 60 micrometers from tip to top.

(11) FIG. 4 shows a schematic structural example of a single dry-non-adhesive micro-wedge which is also referred to as an isosceles triangle. The schematic distinguishes a base, a vertical, a leading face, a trailing face both inclined in the same direction with respect to a vertical defined from the base, an apex angle theta (θ), and an apex centerline angle phi of inclination (ϕ) defined against vertical, which is zero for this type of micro-wedge or substantially zero. FIG. 6 shows a photograph image of an array with dry non-adhesive micro-wedges. These micro-wedges have a tip height of 100 micrometers, an apex angle of about 90 degrees and generally between 75 and 110 degrees, and an angle of inclination of about 0 degrees or generally speaking substantially zero degrees. These micro-wedges are typically spaced about 140 micrometers from tip to top.

(12) The method of making the micro-wedges or micro-structures is taught in Suresh et al. (Surface and Shape Deposition Manufacturing for the Fabrication of a Curved Surface Gripper. Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, May 2015 V(7) 7 pages). The textbook mentioned infra by Israelachvili (2011) teaches adhesion and non-adhesion surfaces with friction. The dry adhesive micro-wedges are soft enough in bending to adhere to a surface when they are loaded in shear (tangential) direction. The dry non-adhesive micro-wedges are relatively fatter as shown in the figures and cannot bend, so they exhibit no measurable adhesion. Furthermore, they also have low friction relative to the dry adhesive micro-wedges.

(13) When in contact with a smooth surface, the non-adhesive micro-wedges have no adhesion and give a coefficient of friction of approximately 1 (similar to rubber). In contrast, the dry adhesive areas, even at very low or even zero normal pressure, give approximately 40 kPa to 60 kPa of shear stress due to adhesion.

(14) Automotive assembly and other manufacturing operation where people handle heavy smooth panels and especially panels that have some sticky materials applied in certain regions (e.g. caulking materials or pressure-sensitive adhesive strips).