Abstract
The invention is a compact glove dispenser and gloving device that sanitarily dispenses and dons disposable gloves on hands and is designed for ease of use, low complexity, and low cost. Individual gloves are packaged with glove palm and fingers folded with the open cuff facing the flat surface of the packaging, held open and in place by a frame made of thin material. Multiple glove packets are positioned in cartridges in a storage area, oriented for mechanical transporting to dedicated left and right gloving areas. Once in the gloving area, the glove cuff is held open, presented to the user who pushes hands through the packaging, donning the glove in a single motion.
Claims
1. A device that dispenses and facilitates donning of gloves on hands comprising: a housing that encloses a storage area holding individually packaged gloves, said packaged gloves, wherein each package fully contains a single glove inside the packaging wherein the cuff opening of said glove is facing the flat side of said package and each glove finger has been manipulated by rolling, folding or other ways, one or two gloving areas where gloves are held in a position suitable for gloving, a first mechanism to transport said packaged gloves from said storage area to said gloving area, and a second mechanism to present and hold said individual gloves for gloving, where each said mechanism may be actuated by manual, electrical, or pneumatic means.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising: one or more cartridges that are placed in said storage area, where said cartridges hold said individually packaged gloves, and allow for said first mechanism to dispense said packaged gloves.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein said individually packaged gloves are arranged such that each package is connected to another package in a roll configuration similar to a paper towel roll, or in an accordion folded configuration.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein said first mechanism comprises a lever that engages mechanical linkages to push one or two of said packaged gloves from said storage area out into said one or two gloving areas.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein said mechanism further comprises an electric motor and sensor that senses the motion of said user's hand and activates said electric motor to engage said mechanical linkages.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein said second mechanism comprises one or more clamping devices that secure the edges of the packaging of said packaged gloves.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein said second mechanism further comprises wide, blunt hooks to hold temporarily the glove cuff securely.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein said gloving area further comprises a mechanical or visual guide that assists said user in placing said user's fingers at the correct locations for insertion into the corresponding finger holes of said glove.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein said gloves are prepared for gloving whereby the glove fingers are folded in a concentrically telescoped pattern, rolled, or prepared using other ways.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein, within said packaging, said packaged glove further comprises a frame made of thin material holding the cuff open and providing a sturdy surface for clamping.
11. The device of claim 1, further comprising adhesives which maintain position and orientation of said glove within said packaging.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein said packaging is perforated or treated in other ways to facilitate the opening of said packaging.
13. A method for applying gloves to a user's hands comprising: transporting one or two individually packaged gloves from a storage area within a housing to one or two gloving areas, securing each said package with a clamping mechanism, the user inserting his hand into the opening so created, aligning his fingers with the corresponding fingers of said glove, and pushing forward until his hand is fully gloved, the gloved hand pulling away from the housing and the packaging material, and releasing the packaging held by said clamping mechanism, to allow said packaging to fall into a disposal area.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein securing each said package with a clamping mechanism includes opening further the already open wrist cuff of said glove within said package and simultaneously tearing open said package by a pulling force applied by said clamping mechanism.
15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: the sensing of the presence of said user's hand or hands to activate said transporting of individually packaged gloves, and the sensing of said user's fully gloved hand or hands to trigger said releasing of the packaging.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the present invention, according to one or more examples of the present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a front view of a glove dispenser (100) with glove packets (200) already loaded into gloving position. Large dots visible on the glove packet exterior are finger guides to visually orient the user's fingers into the correct donning position.
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a front view of two glove dispensers (100) for different sized gloves mounted on a wall together. Loaded glove packets are not shown.
[0024] FIG. 4 shows a profile view of a dispenser (100) as it could be mounted on the wall. This view shows a dispenser before glove packets are presented at the gloving area.
[0025] FIG. 5 shows a cutaway view of the right side gloving area with glove packet (200) in gloving position. The C shaped housing (107) conceals a set of clamps that hold the packet stationary during gloving.
[0026] FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a prepared glove (201), showing each glove finger (202) compressed in a concentrically telescoped pattern. This facilitates the donning of the glove by the user. This invention has different embodiments of compressing the gloves for donning, such as folding, etc. All such variants are considered within the scope of the invention. For the purposes of explanation in this drawing, the concentrically telescoped glove variant is depicted.
[0027] FIG. 7 shows a front view of a single packet (200) containing one prepared glove (201). In an embodiment of the invention, each glove finger (202) has been concentrically telescoped and oriented with the thumb (203) at the top. The glove cuff (204) has been stretched open to expose the folded fingers. The entire glove is immobilized in a predetermined position to facilitate reliable donning of the glove when presented at the gloving area.
[0028] FIG. 8 is a general representation of a frame (210) that may be used to maintain position and orientation of a single glove within a packet, as well as to provide a surface for clamping onto.
[0029] FIG. 9 is an overhead, cut-away view of a spring-loaded embodiment of the dispenser showing the top of glove packets in a cartridge (300) loaded into the storage area of the dispenser. Near the front left and right sides of the dispenser are openings through which single glove packets are transported from this storage area to the gloving area. This invention has various embodiments with different loading mechanisms such as springs, motor, pneumatics, etc. All such variants are considered within the scope of the invention. For the purposes of explanation in this drawing, the spring-loaded variant is depicted.
[0030] FIG. 10 is a general representation of a method 400 for dispensing and donning gloves.
[0031] In these drawings, representations of the invention are illustrated by way of example, it being expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of illustration, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] The following relates to the general form of the present invention. As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the device (100) consists of a housing (11) that encloses a storage area (12), and one or two gloving areas (13). Within the storage area (12) are cartridges (300), holding multiple packaged glove packets (200a). A first mechanism (16) transports a single glove packet (200a) from the storage area (12) to the gloving area (13). Glove packets that have been thereby transported are labeled 200b. A second mechanism (17) presents and holds a single glove packet (200b) in the gloving area (13) for donning by the user. A linkage between the first and second mechanisms may be utilized to cause the actuation of the second mechanism to immediately follow the actuation of the first mechanism. In the preferred embodiment, a sensor (18a) detects the presence of the user's hand and activates an actuator (19), which may be an electric motor or pneumatic device, to operate said first mechanism (16) and second mechanism (17). In another embodiment, sensor 18a may activate separate actuators (19) to operate said first mechanism followed by said second mechanism. Another sensor (18b) detects the presence of the user's fully gloved hand and causes the second mechanism to release the remaining packaging material.
[0033] In a preferred form of the invention shown schematically in FIGS. 2-4, the glove dispensing and donning device (100) is mounted against a vertical surface, such as a wall or side of a cabinet. In other embodiments, the device may be mounted atop a cart or other mobile support. In another embodiment, the housing may be extended in size to allow for a larger storage area to store a larger number of glove packets. In another embodiment, the housing may be built into a wall of a building or vehicle console or vehicle door panel such that the exterior of the housing is flush with the said wall, console, or door panel.
[0034] FIG. 2 is a front view of the glove dispenser (100) with glove packets (200) already loaded into gloving position. In a preferred form of the invention, the device is of compact size, approximately, but not limited to, the size of a wall-mounted paper towel dispenser. In a preferred form of the invention, each device is the same size while the cartridge can be sized for a particular glove size and the loading space can be sized or adjusted accordingly. The example in FIG. 2 has labeling that shows it holds small sized gloves. FIG. 2 shows a glove packet (200) dispensed and presented to the gloving area with the periphery of the packet held within a C shaped housing (107) of the right hand gloving area. Within the housing are one or more clamps that keep the glove in place for gloving. Five large dots on the presented glove packet exterior indicate the place where the user presses the tips of his fingers to begin the hand gloving action when the gloves are loaded as in FIG. 2.
[0035] FIGS. 2-4 show a preferred form of the invention where there are two gloving areas, one for the left hand and one for the right hand. In another embodiment, there may be only one gloving area, to be used for either hand.
[0036] The user guides his hands forward, approximately aligning fingers with the finger holes of the prepared glove. The user pushes his hands into the glove packet, with finger tips aligned with the glove fingers, and keeps pushing until the packaging material tears away and the fingers are inserted into the corresponding glove fingers. Once the hands are fully gloved, the user pulls them away from the sides of the dispenser and the packaging material is removed from the gloving area into an internal or external disposal area (not shown).
[0037] FIG. 3 shows the front view of two glove dispensers mounted on a wall, containing different sizes of gloves. A third dispenser, holding size Large gloves, could be mounted in the same fashion one step up and to the right of the Medium size. Typical medical glove situations provide for Small, Medium, and Large sized gloves. This invention of gloving dispensers could dispense three sizes of gloves, Small, Medium, and Large, or dispense two sizes, S/M, and M/L utilizing only two gloving dispensers. In such an embodiment, two or three identical dispensers may be utilized, each holding a different size of glove, and a window, label, or other demarcation may be used to indicate the size of the gloves being dispensed. Gloving dispensers are stacked in a staggered formation so as to allow for the cartridge (300 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 9) of glove packets to be loaded at the top and already gloved hands to exit the sides of each dispenser. Each dispenser may be mounted at an approximate hip height appropriate for small, medium, and large height users. For instance, if your hips standing are approximately the height of the Small dispenser, you are probably a size Small glove. This is not a rigid measurement as anyone can access any dispenser, just a guideline for wall mounting. Each dispenser is staggered above the other in a staggered-stacked formation, the lowest one containing the Small gloves. Dispensers could be mounted in different places in a room, as well, but if stacked, the dispenser with Small size gloves should be the lowest mounted.
[0038] FIG. 4 shows a profile view of the dispenser as it would be mounted on the wall. This view shows a dispenser before glove packets are mechanically maneuvered into the position ready for gloving. In this example, the dispenser is angled slightly downward from the front (104) to the back (105) so that the user's hands will follow a slightly downward trajectory when pushing forward into the glove packet. This shows how some embodiments could allow for ergonomically efficient comfort of gloving. Other embodiments could have dispensers that are completely horizontal or angled up from front to back if preferred by customer. All such variants are considered within the scope of the invention.
[0039] Also shown in FIG. 4 is a slit (106) near the front of the dispenser, through which a single glove packet is delivered to the gloving area for presentation to the user's hand. In the preferred embodiment, two glove packets are delivered simultaneously to left and right hand gloving areas, one packet for the left hand and one packet for the right hand. The mechanism for handling the packet is internal to the dispenser and is not shown. In the preferred embodiment, a sensor sensing the presence of the user's hand over a sensing region, initiates a motor operated mechanism that engages mechanical linkages to push one glove packet from the storage area out into the gloving area, In another embodiment, a lever can be manually operated to engage said mechanical linkages. Once the glove packet is moved out of the storage area into the gloving area, the packet is secured along the edges via a clamping mechanism (not shown). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, this clamping action may be accomplished by the initial motor operated mechanism. In another embodiment, a separate actuation may be used to activate the clamping mechanism. This actuation may be manually or mechanically operated or accomplished via an electric motor or pneumatic means.
[0040] FIG. 5 shows a cutaway of the housing to show the front view of a dispensed and presented glove packet (200) with the periphery of the packet held within a C shaped housing (107) of the right hand gloving area. In the preferred embodiment, visual finger guides assure that the correct fingers are guided into the correct holes. In one embodiment of the invention, a mechanical or visual guide, may be used to place the fingers at the correct locations for insertion into the corresponding finger holes of the glove.
[0041] FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a prepared glove (201). Each finger (202) is compressed in a concentrically telescoped pattern which flattens each glove finger into its opening. This facilitates the donning of the glove by making the finger openings visible and directly accessible by the user's fingertips without manipulation. Other folding, rolling, or other methods of preparing the glove fingers may be used. The glove's wrist cuff (204) is held open to ensure no obstruction of the finger openings. In one embodiment of the invention, the wrist cuff may be reinforced by a frame made of thin material, such as cardboard, to provide a sturdy substrate for the gloving clamps, as well as to hold the glove in place during gloving. In another embodiment, the packaging material may be sufficiently sturdy that the clamps may press directly onto it, and other methods, such as vacuum sealing or removable adhesives may be used to maintain glove position and orientation. In another embodiment, wide, blunt hooks or other holding mechanisms can be employed to hold temporarily the cuff securely open for donning by the user.
[0042] All variants of glove preparation and glove frames are considered within the scope of the invention. The main requirement is that the rim of the glove remains in place for gloving. Once the user's hands enter the gloves and continue pushing into the gloves, the gloves unroll or unfold to cover fingers and hands as the hands continue forward. The glove frame and packaging material are then released from the clamps and discarded after gloving.
[0043] FIG. 7 is a front view of a single glove packet (200), where the glove has been prepared in the manner shown in FIG. 6. The packaging is made of extremely thin material that tears away easily with little pressure during the gloving process. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, multiple packets would be held vertically in a cartridge (see FIG. 9) ready to load into the glove dispenser, similarly to the way staples load into a stapler. The enclosed glove may be either a fitted glove, which is designed specifically for a left hand or specifically for a right hand, or an ambidextrous glove, which can fit either a left or right hand. The glove may be any disposable glove including but not limited to an examination glove or a surgical glove. In another embodiment of this invention, the glove packets are connected one to another, with perforations in between each packet and rolled up as in a paper towel roll. The roll of glove packets is placed into and held in the storage area. Dispensing of an individual glove into the gloving area is achieved by a mechanism pulling on the outermost glove packet, and separating it from the remaining packets in the roll. In yet another embodiment, the connected glove packets may be accordion-folded into a stack. The front end of the stack sits on a barrier with a slit. The forward-most glove packet is fed through the slit. Dispensing of a single glove is then achieved by a mechanism pulling on the forward-most glove packet and separating it from the remaining packets in the stack. All variants of using various ways of packaging the gloves for dispensing and holding gloves at the ready are considered within the scope of the invention.
[0044] Various elements may be added to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 to facilitate or enable mechanisms for transporting packets from the storage area to the gloving area. As an example, the outer rim may be made of rigid or semi-rigid material. Rings, tabs, or hooks may be attached to facilitate grabbing by the dispensing mechanism. Spacers may be used to provide accurate spacing between adjacent packets that may increase reliability of the transporting mechanism.
[0045] In addition, various elements may be utilized to ensure a reliable gloving process. As an example, the orientation and position of the prepared gloves (201) within their packets may be maintained by the use of weak, temporary, or removable adhesives that immobilize the glove cuff or other areas of the glove. Perforations may be made in the packet material to facilitate penetration by the user's fingers. The glove cuff (204) may be mounted onto a frame that may serve as the surface engaged by the gloving clamp as well as provide rigidity for transportation from storage area to gloving area.
[0046] FIG. 8 is an example of such a frame (210) that may be used to maintain position and orientation of a single glove within a packet, as well as to provide a surface for clamping onto. This frame is contained within a glove packet. An oval ridge (211) on the underside of the frame (210) holds open the glove cuff within the packet as well as during donning of the glove by the user. Perforations (212a and 212b) in the frame allow the frame to break apart during the donning process. Holes in the frame (213) guide the user's fingers to the glove fingers. Section AA of FIG. 8 shows a cross section of the frame when viewed from the long edge and Section BB of FIG. 8 shows a similar cross section when viewed from the short edge of the frame.
[0047] Once the glove packet is in the gloving area, the user begins pushing his or her fingers and hands into the packet (200). The packaging material tears away exposing the glove held in place. Once the user has pushed his hands all the way into the glove, the user pulls his hands sideways out of the dispenser, fully gloved.
[0048] In one embodiment of the invention, the sensing of the fully gloved hand may trigger a release of the clamps holding the glove packet, allowing the residual packaging material to fall into or be removed into an internal or external disposal area.
[0049] FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of the invention in an overhead, cut-away view of the storage area of the dispenser. A spring-loaded mechanism (108) at the back of the dispenser pushes against the glove packets (200) in a cartridge (300) that has been loaded into the storage area. This mechanism moves the glove packets (200) forward as each packet is transported to the gloving area. In other embodiments of this invention, different loading mechanisms such as, but not limited to, spring, motor, or pneumatic, etc. can be utilized. All such variants are considered within the scope of the invention. For the purposes of just this drawing, the spring-loaded variant is depicted. In another embodiment of the invention, the storage area may be in a separate housing from that of the gloving area. In that embodiment, the user may manually take one glove packet from the storage area, place it into the gloving area, clamp it, and then proceed with gloving.
[0050] Each cartridge holds multiple glove packets. The cartridge of glove packets is loaded into the storage area of the dispenser. The spring-load (or motor or pneumatic trigger considered within the scope of the invention) pushes the packets toward the front section (109) of the dispenser where the glove packets are staged for transporting to the gloving area. One packet from the left cartridge is transported to the left gloving area and one packet from the right cartridge is transported to the right gloving area.
[0051] The user engages a mechanism that transports the front-most glove packets into their respective positions in the gloving area, either individually or synchronously. One of many different methods can be used to achieve this action. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a sensor triggers the motor-driven mechanism that transports the glove packet from cartridge to gloving area. In another embodiment of the invention, the user may operate a lever to transmit mechanical force, or press a button or other device to operate an electrical motor or pneumatic device. The mechanism may involve components such as linkages, frames, hooks, or pinchers that push or pull a glove packet from the front of the storage area into the gloving area.
[0052] Once in the gloving area, the glove packet is held in place by a set of clamps pressing against the rim of the glove packet or against a frame around the glove, or the glove cuff itself, keeping the glove steady. The user pushes his hands fully into the gloves to complete the gloving process. Once gloves have been donned, the user pulls his hands away from the housing, freeing the gloves from the packaging materials. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a sensor detects the presence of the user's fully gloved hands near the back of the dispenser or other area of the dispenser, indicating that gloving has completed, and initiates the clamping force to be removed which allows the packaging materials to be discarded. Any of a number of methods can be used to remove the clamping force. One embodiment is for the user to push a lever with his forearm or elbow while exiting the gloving area. In yet another embodiment, one or more additional sanitary or disinfection steps may be added to the gloving process whereby UV light or blue light, or chemical compounds or vapors may be deployed to increase the level of sanitation of the gloved hand, during the gloving process or upon exiting the device.
[0053] FIG. 10 is a general representation of a method 400 for dispensing and donning gloves. In step 410, a packaged glove is transported from the storage area to the gloving area. In the preferred embodiment, this step is initiated by step 411, whereby a sensor senses the presence of the user's hand. In step 420, the package that has been transported to the gloving area is secured by means of a clamping mechanism. In one embodiment of the invention, step 430, movement of the clamping mechanism causes the package to tear open and the wrist cuff to open further. In step 440, the user inserts his hand into the glove opening, pushing forward until the hand is fully gloved. In step 450, the packaging is released from the clamping mechanism. In the preferred embodiment, this release is initiated by a sensor sensing the presence of the gloved hand, step 451. In step 460, the gloved hand pulls away from the housing and the packaging.
