Abstract
A ring-shaped member is arranged for engaging with an opening of a glove to form a circumferential trough around the opening of the glove. A glove and a method of manufacturing a glove comprise a conical collar forming a circumferential trough around the opening of the glove and where the collar comprises such ring-shaped member. The ring-shaped member comprises a first annular portion of a conical shape, a second annular portion of a conical shape, and a central annular portion in between the first and the second annular portions. The ring-shaped member is foldable about the central portion to attain a folded configuration wherein the second annular portion is folded down to lie essentially alongside the first annular portion.
Claims
1. A ring-shaped member for engaging with an opening of a glove to form a circumferential trough around the opening of the glove, wherein the ring-shaped member comprises a first annular portion of a conical shape, a second annular portion of a conical shape, and a central annular portion in between the first and the second annular portions, and wherein a diameter of the ring-shaped member is the smallest at the central portion, and wherein the ring-shaped member is foldable about the central portion to attain a folded configuration wherein the second annular portion is folded down to lie essentially alongside the first annular portion; wherein the central portion comprises a number of holes.
2. The ring-shaped member according to claim 1 wherein a wall thickness of the central portion is smaller than a wall thickness of the first and/or second annular portion.
3. The ring-shaped member according to claim 1 wherein the ring-shaped member further comprises a number of clips compliantly attached to an edge of the first annular portion.
4. The ring-shaped member according to claim 1 wherein the ring-shaped member is molded as a single component.
5. The ring-shaped member according to claim 1 wherein the ring-shaped member is of a plastic material of the group of PPC, PP, PVC, POM, PP-H, or PE.
6. The glove comprising at a first end a hand-shaped portion and at the opposite second end a shaft portion with an opening for the insertion of a hand of a user, wherein the glove comprises a collar of a generally conical shape and positioned around the opening of the glove, the collar extending from the opening with an increasing diameter in a direction towards the first end of the glove, wherein the collar of the glove comprises a ring-shaped member according to claim 1 and wherein the ring-shaped member is folded into its folded configuration when positioned on the glove.
7. The glove according to claim 6 wherein at least the shaft portion of the glove is made of an elastic material and wherein the ring-shaped member is attached to the glove by a portion of the elastic material being stretched over at least the second annular portion of the ring-shaped member.
8. The glove according to claim 7 wherein a portion of the elastic material lies in between the first and the second annular portions when folded.
9. The glove according to claim 6 where the glove further comprising a number of clips clipped around at least a part of the ring-shaped member for securing the folded configuration of the ring-shaped member.
10. A method of manufacturing a glove according to claim 6, the method comprising the steps of providing a glove of an elastic material, providing a ring-shaped member, folding a portion of the glove near the opening over the second annular portion, and folding the ring-shaped member into its folded configuration to thereby form the circumferential trough on the glove; wherein the ring-shaped member comprises a first annular portion of a conical shape, a second annular portion of a conical shape, and a central annular portion in between the first and the second annular portions, and wherein a diameter of the ring-shaped member is the smallest at the central portion, and wherein the ring-shaped member is foldable about the central portion to attain a folded configuration wherein the second annular portion is folded down to lie essentially alongside the first annular portion.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the folded portion of the glove is folded by stretching the elastic material of the glove over the second annular portion.
12. The method according to claim 10 further comprising guiding the glove through the central opening of the ring-shaped member.
13. The method according to claim 10 further comprising clipping one or more clips around at least a part of the ring-shaped member for securing the folded configuration of the ring-shaped member.
14. The method according to claim 10 further comprising securing the folded configuration of the ring-shaped member by the addition of an adhesive.
15. The method according to claim 10 further comprising the steps of providing a fixture and positioning the ring shaped member on the fixture prior to the step of folding the portion of the glove about the second annular portion.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) In the following different embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings, wherein:
(2) FIG. 1 illustrates the shaft-part of a glove comprising a collar forming a folded down border extending outwards from the glove shaft, and in a perspective view,
(3) FIGS. 2-4 illustrate different examples of a glove with a reinforcing collar as known in the art,
(4) FIG. 5A illustrates a device for taking gloves on and off with a glove partly inserted as seen in a perspective view,
(5) FIG. 5B illustrates the device of FIG. 5A with a glove partly inserted into the container,
(6) FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate different embodiments of the engagement of a glove with the opening of the container in a larger detail,
(7) FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment according to the invention of a ring-shaped member for the forming of a collar on a glove,
(8) FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate an embodiment of a glove with the ring-shaped member attached in a perspective and cross-sectional view, respectively,
(9) FIG. 11 shows the glove of FIG. 10 with the ring-shaped member in its folded configuration and in a cross-sectional view,
(10) FIGS. 12 and 13 show a fixture for the attachment of a ring-shaped member without and with the ring-shaped member in position,
(11) FIG. 14 shows a further embodiment of a ring-shaped member according to the invention comprising a number of clips,
(12) FIG. 15 illustrates a glove comprising a ring-shaped member secured in its folded configuration by means of a number of clips,
(13) FIG. 16 shows a clip, and
(14) FIGS. 17-18 show two embodiments of a ring-shaped member.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(15) FIG. 1 illustrates a glove 100 of a shape according to the invention. For clarity only the shaft-part or upper part of the glove 100 near the opening 101 of the glove is shown and the lower hand-shaped partoptionally with up to 5 fingersis not shown. This lower hand-shaped part of the glove may be shaped and formed as any conventional glove.
(16) As outlined in FIG. 1, the glove 100 comprises a collar 102 reinforcing the opening 101 of the glove through which the hand is inserted. The collar 102 is of a generally conical shape and positioned around the opening 101 of the glove, extending from the opening 101 with an increasing diameter in a direction towards the first hand-shaped end of the glove. The collar hereby forms a circumferential trough 104 on the glove 100. The trough 104 or channel may act as a fluid collecting deepening or space and prevent fluids from running down the arm of the user when working. The trough is more clearly seen in the cross-sectional view of a glove shown in FIG. 2 or 3.
(17) A glove 100 comprising such advantageous collar 102 may conventionally be manufactured by dip molding by placing a ring 201 of a generally conical shape on the shaft or around the wrist of a hand model on a correspondingly conical surface. The hand model is then dipped and covered with the glove material one or more times. When dried and vulcanized, the glove is pulled off the model, and turned inside out except from the part reinforced by the ring. The border of the glove thereby remains bended down when pulled off the hand model forming a collar 102 and as illustrated in FIG. 2, where the shaft-part of a glove 100 is shown in a cross-sectional view.
(18) FIG. 3 illustrates a glove 100 as known in the art and with a collar 102 which is here formed by an inner ring 301 and an outer ring 302. Both these rings are approximately conical in shape. The glove may be manufactured by stretching the edge 103 of the glove out over the edge of the inner ring 301 and then pressing or clicking the outer ring 302 onto the inner ring as indicated by the arrows. The outer ring 302 may optionally comprise a number of slits 303 to increase its flexibility and ability to be pressed onto the inner ring and the glove edge. The inner and outer rings are shown in FIG. 4 in a perspective view.
(19) FIG. 5 illustrates a device as known in the art, 500, for aiding in taking on and off a glove 100 of an elastic material from a hand of a user according to the invention and as seen in a perspective view. The device 500 comprises a container 501 with an opening 502 through which the glove and the users hand is inserted. The same device is shown in FIG. 5B with a glove 100 halfway inserted into the container. The device in short works by the control of the air pressure inside the container. In the device shown here, the control of the air pressure is established by means of a bellows 505 in combination with a non-return valve 506 and a vent 507. When the users hand is put into or inserted in a glove already hanging in the container, or when a hand wearing a glove is inserted into the container, the bellow part 505 of the container is compressed and the air is pressed out of the container through the non-return valve 506. As the hand is again removed, the bellow is again enlarged and an underpressure created within the container, enlarging the glove and enabling the hand to be removed from the glove. If the glove is to be taken on, a vent 507 in the container is activated and opened preferably simply by the hand from within the container. Hereby the underpressure is removed and the glove stays on the hand when removed and retracted from the container. The change in pressure may in other devices be created for example by means of a pump.
(20) In order to create the desired underpressure within the container 501, the glove 100 preferably needs to seal against the opening 502 of the container. The glove according to the invention comprising a conical collar 102 is particularly advantageous in this respect because of the collar 102 both in providing a seating for the collar against the opening of the container and in preventing the glove in being unintentionally pressed down into the compartment by the user.
(21) This functioning can be seen in more detail in FIGS. 6 and 7. The container 501 of the device 500 preferably comprises a rim 503 around the circumference of the opening 502 acting to support the collar 101 of the glove, such that the glove when placed in the container rests or lies against the rim 503. Furthermore, the rim here comprises an edge 504 protruding outward from the container (upwards in the figure) such as to engage with the conical collar 102 on the glove 110 as may be seen in more detail in FIG. 7. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the edge surface 504 is approximately perpendicular to the rim 503 and the longitudinal direction of the container. In FIG. 7, the edge surface 504 is approximately conical narrowing in towards the opening of the container. The edge surface may be angled differently 602 than the collar 101 of the glove 100. The edge surface may be angled around 5-15 degrees to the glove collar. Hereby the glove is guided onto the rim of the container and improves the sealing of the glove to the container. This makes the device more effective for the removal and taking on of gloves. Further the difference in angle ensures that the gloves can be more easily released from the rim of the container again.
(22) The conical collar 102 or folded down border of the glove acts to reinforce the glove opening. The collar furthermore act to maintain the overall shape of the glove opening such that is easier inserted onto the rim 503 of the container opening and such that the collar acts as a seating against the opening of the container effectively sealing the compartment for the underpressure to be effectively created. As mentioned previously, the collar of the glove may also be advantageous in preventing fluid from running from the gloved hands and down the arms when working.
(23) In order to realize these advantages, the collar of the glove needs to have a certain stiffness On the other hand a too rigid collar decreases the comfort of the user and may even be in the way or get caught in corners or the like when the user is working. Further, the collar should advantageously have as small a weight as possible in order to work effectively on gloves with a thinner material thickness.
(24) These advantages are all obtained by a glove with a collar comprising a ring-shaped member 800 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8. In this embodiment, the ring-shaped member 800 comprises a first annular portion 801 of a conical shape, a second annular portion of a conical shape 802, and a central annular portion 803 in between the first and the second annular portions. The diameter of the ring-shaped member is the smallest at the central portion with each of the first and second annular portions extending outwards and away from the central portion. The ring-shaped member is foldable about the central portion 803 as illustrated by the arrows 900, folding into a folded configuration where the second annular portion 802 is folded down to lie essentially alongside the first annular portion 801. This is illustrated in FIG. 10, where the ring-shaped member is folded to hold onto the rim of the glove. The ring-shaped member in that sense is a bi-stable structure with an open configuration as illustrated in FIG. 8 and a folded configuration as shown in FIG. 10.
(25) The foldability of the ring-shaped member 800 may be facilitated by for example a curved or semi-circular cross-sectional shape of the central portion 803 as can be seen more clearly in FIG. 10 or 11, optionally in addition to a reduced stiffness of the central portion obtained for example by a smaller wall thickness of the central portion and/or by a number of holes 804 or perforations in the central portions. As the first and second annular portions are both essentially conical, the overall shape of the ring-shaped member in its folded configuration is likewise essentially conical.
(26) In an embodiment, the ring-shaped member 800 is molded in one piece as a single component. The ring-shaped member may be molded by injection molding of a plastic material such as a PPC, PP, PVC, POM, PP-H, or PE.
(27) FIG. 9 shows a ring-shaped member 800 as attached to the opening 101 of a glove, which is also shown in FIG. 10 in a larger detail and a cross-sectional view. Here, the rim 901 of a conventional glove of an elastic material is stretched out over the second annular portion 802. In an embodiment the rim comprises a rolled edge 902 and the central annular portion 803 comprises a curved shape corresponding to the rolled rim edge such as to receive the rolled rim edge 902. The second annular portion 802 of the ring-shaped member 800 is then folded down as indicated by the arrows 900 to lie adjacent or flush to the first annular portion 801 as shown in FIG. 11. In the folded configuration in this embodiment, a portion of the elastic material of the glove lies in between the first 801 and the second 802 annular portions.
(28) By the stretching of the elastic material over at least a part of the ring-shaped member 800, the ring-shaped member is attached to the opening 101 of the glove to form a circumferential trough 104 around the opening of the glove.
(29) Two embodiments of a ring-shaped member 800 are shown in greater details in FIGS. 17 and 18. In FIG. 17, the ring-shaped member is shown in a side view, a top view, and in a cross-sectional view, respectively. In FIG. 18 is shown a further embodiment of a ring-shaped member in a cross-sectional view. The most notable difference between the two embodiments is the different size and curvature of the central annular portion 803 which attains a greater height 1601 and a larger radius in the embodiment of FIG. 18. The ring-shaped members 800 of FIGS. 17 and 18 are hereby dimensioned to be used on a glove of a relatively thinner and thicker glove material and/or to a glove with a relatively small or large rolled edge 902 of the glove, respectively and most notably by the dimensioning of the central annular portion 803. The height 1601 of the central annular portion is in the range of 5-7 mm and of approximately 6 mm for the embodiment of FIG. 17 suitable to be fitted to conventional gloves of a relatively thin glove material. The height 1601 of the central annular portion is in the range of 8-10 mm and of approximately 9 mm for the embodiment of FIG. 18 suitable to be fitted to conventional gloves of a relatively thicker glove material. Any heights, such as in the range of 3-15 mm, may be adequate for gloves of different thickness and/or with rolled edges 903 of different sizes.
(30) The wall thickness 1602 of the central annular portion 803 may be thinner near the center and may thicken out towards the first and second annular portions 801, 802. The wall thickness 1602 may be in the range of 0.05-0.50 mm, such as in the range of 0.12-0.37 mm. The wall thickness 1603 of the first and second annular portions 801, 802, may be in the range of 0.7-2.0 mm such as in the range of 0.9-1.2 mm (as on the embodiments of FIGS. 17 and 18). The first and second annular portions 801, 802 may have the same wall thickness or may be of different wall thickness, preferably with the second annular portion 802 having a larger wall thickness than the first annular portion 801.
(31) FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of a fixture 1200 which can be used in mounting a ring-shaped member 800 on a glove 100 to form a circumferential trough 104 on the glove. The fixture 1200 comprises a base portion 1201 which can advantageously be attached to a table or the like. The fixture further comprises a cylindrical portion 1202 extending from the base. During assembly, a ring-shaped member 800 is positioned on the cylindrical portion 1202 of the fixture as illustrated in FIG. 13. Then the edge or rim of the glove of the elastic material is stretched out over the second annular portion of the ring-shaped member and the ring-shaped member is folded and the assembled glove with a collar is drawn off the fixture. In an embodiment, the flexibility of the cylindrical portion 1202 of the fixture is increased by the cylindrical portion being split into a number of protruding members 1203 making it easier to position the ring-shaped member on the fixture and remove the glove when assembled.
(32) FIG. 14 shows an embodiment of a ring-shaped member 800 comprising a number of clips 1400 which are compliantly attached to the first annular portion 801. When the ring-shaped member 800 has been attached to the glove and folded, the clips 1400 can be bent up and clipped around the upper edge of the collar 102 of the glove as shown in FIG. 15. The clips in this way act to further secure the folded configuration of the ring-shaped member. He collar of the glove in this way can be prevented from opening up even when worn or if otherwise unintentionally deformed. Alternatively or additionally, the clips 1400 may be formed as separate members as illustrated in FIG. 15 and clipped around the edges of the collar of the glove to ensure the folded configuration of the ring-shaped member.
(33) Additionally or alternatively, an adhesive may be used to secure the ring-shaped member in its folded configuration.
(34) While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, it should be understood that the invention is not so limited and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, and all devices that come within the meaning of the claims, either literally or by equivalence, are intended to be embraced therein.
