Lightweight robust thin flexible polymer coated glove

Abstract

Lightweight robust flexible gloves having an 18 gauge knitted liner and a polymeric coating disposed thereon and optionally including knitted reinforcement sections at areas of high stretch and/or movement are provided. Reinforcement sections can be formed by plaiting, using yarns of the same or lighter denier, and/or forming Jacquard or transfer stitches.

Claims

1. A glove, comprising: a knitted liner having a plurality of stitches comprising a yarn having a diameter that fits within at least one 18 gauge needle, the knitted liner comprising a plurality of finger components, a thumb component, and a palm component; and a polymeric coating adhered to at least a portion of the knitted liner, wherein a ratio of a thickness of the polymeric coating to a thickness of the knitted liner is approximately 0.75 to approximately 1.25.

2. The glove of claim 1, wherein the polymeric coating penetrates half way or more through a thickness of the knitted liner, and does not penetrate the entire thickness of the knitted liner and a skin-contacting surface of the knitted liner is approximately 75% or more free of the polymeric coating.

3. The glove of claim 1, wherein the liner has an uncompressed thickness of about 0.83 mm.

4. The glove of claim 1, wherein the knitted liner comprises the yarn having a denier of 221 or less.

5. The glove of claim 1, wherein the polymeric coating is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene, carboxylated or non-carboxylated acrylonitrile-butadiene, polychloroprene, polyacrylic, butyl rubber, a water-based polyester-based polyurethane, a water-based polyether-based polyurethane, or combinations thereof.

6. The glove of claim 1, wherein the polymeric coating is foamed or unfoamed.

7. The glove of claim 1, wherein an overall thickness of the liner and coating is in the range of 0.6 mm to 1.14 mm.

8. The glove of claim 1, wherein an overall thickness of the liner and coating is approximately of 0.7 mm to 0.9 mm.

9. A process for making a thin lightweight flexible glove, the process comprising: knitting a glove-shaped liner using a yarn having a diameter that can fit within and be knitted using at least one 18 gauge needle, wherein the glove-shaped liner includes a plurality of finger components, a thumb component, and a palm component, forming an 18 gauge knitted liner; and adhering a polymeric coating to at least a portion of the knitted liner, wherein a ratio of a thickness of the polymeric coating to a thickness of the knitted liner is approximately 0.75 to approximately 1.25.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the polymeric coating penetrates half way or more through a thickness of the knitted liner and for at least a portion of the knitter liner, the coating not penetrating the entire thickness of the knitted liner.

11. The process of claim 9, wherein an overall thickness of the liner and coating is in the range of 0.6 mm to 1.14 mm.

12. The process of claim 9, wherein the knitted liner comprises a plurality of stitches made from a first yarn having a denier of approximately 221 or less.

13. The process of claim 9, wherein the polymeric coating is foamed or unfoamed.

14. A glove, comprising: a knitted liner having a plurality of stitches comprising a yarn having dimensions that enable the yarn to fit within at least one 18 gauge needle, the knitted liner comprising a plurality of finger components, a thumb component, and a palm component; and a polymeric coating adhered to the knitted liner, wherein the ratio of a thickness of the polymeric coating to a thickness of the knitted liner is approximately 0.75 to approximately 1.25, and an overall thickness of the liner and coating is in the range of 0.6 mm to 1.14 mm.

15. The glove of claim 14, wherein the polymeric coating is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene, carboxylated or non-carboxylated acrylonitrile-butadiene, polychloroprene, polyacrylic, butyl rubber, a water-based polyester-based polyurethane, a water-based polyether-based polyurethane, or combinations thereof.

16. The glove of claim 14, wherein the polymeric coating is foamed or unfoamed.

17. The glove of claim 14, wherein the liner has an uncompressed thickness of about 0.83 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a lightweight thin liner showing different components of the glove and reinforcement sections using plaiting;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a lightweight thin liner showing different components of the glove and reinforcement sections using yarn of a heavier denier than the rest of the glove;

(3) FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a lightweight thin liner showing different components of the glove and reinforcement sections using Jacquard or transfer stitch; and

(4) FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a knitted liner with the polymeric latex layer penetrating halfway or more through the thickness of the knitted liner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) Provided are gloves formed from lightweight yarns having areas of reinforcement at areas of high stretch and/or movement. Methods of making and using the same area also provided.

(6) In certain applications, such as high duty industrial applications, lightweight gloves having a thin liner and a thin latex adherent coating are subjected to repeated stretches and movement. Specifically, highly stressed regions on the glove include base areas of the fingers and/or thumb portions, for example, where the fingers and/or thumb portions meet the palm portion of the glove. During use, spacings between the knitted yarns in the knitted liner are increased at these highly stressed regions. This stretch of the yarns is transferred to the thin adherent latex layer that is directly in contact with the liner and as a result, the thin adherent latex film may be weakened, and for example, separate into disconnected squares. Continued use of the lightweight glove results in wear and deterioration of the glove. Selective reinforcement to these highly stressed regions can be provided by three different approaches. These highly stressed regions are generally at the intersections of four fingers with the palm region and at the intersection of the thumb with the palm region.

(7) With regard to the knitted liners, knitted liners can be made using V-bed (flat) knitting machines that use a number of needles in the form of a needle array and one or more yarn to knit the gloves using, for example, eight basic components to form the glove. These eight components include one component for each of the five fingers, two components for the palm including an upper section and a lower section; and one component for the wrist area. All these sections are cylinders or conical sections that join to each other fashioning the general anatomical shape of a hand. Conventional knitting processes use a knitting machine to knit each of these areas in a particular sequence, generally one finger at a time, beginning with the pinky finger and continuing on through the ring finger and middle finger to the forefinger. After each finger is knitted using only selected needles in the needle array, the knitting process for this finger is stopped and yarn is cut and bound. The knitted finger is held by holders, weighted down by sinkers. The next finger is knit sequentially one at a time using a different set of needles in the needle array. When all the four fingers are knitted in this fashion, the knitting machine picks up the stitches of previously knit four fingers that are held by he holders and then knits the upper section of the palm. The method of knitting individual fingers and picking stitches to knit the upper palm selection with better fitting crotches that are well fitted is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,080 by Maeda, et al. After knitting an appropriate length of upper palm, the thumb portion is initiated using a separate set of needles in the needle array and the lower section of the palm is knit using all the needles in the needle array. Finally, the knitting machine knits the wrist component to the desired length.

(8) The knitting stitches used at the fingertips can be generally tighter than the stitches used elsewhere in the glove to improve the strength of the glove in this area where more pressure is likely to be applied. Depending on the size of the needles used and the denier of the yarn to knit the gloves, a certain number of courses are used to create each of the eight components of the glove. The finer the gauge of needle used; the higher the number of courses for each component to create the same size of a finished glove. Changing needles or the denier of a yarn is extremely difficult in a continuous process and generally a continuous yarn of pre-selected denier and a corresponding needle size is commercially used. Thus, use of a V-bed knitting machine with an array of 18 gauge needles together with a 221 denier yarn allows creation of a thin lightweight liner, which has a high level of flexibility.

(9) With regard to the latex coating, the flexibility of an elastic article is strongly determined by the geometry of the object. An elastic beam having a width B with a thickness T and a length L subjected to a central load P has a maximum deflection at the load point given by the equation:

(10) $=\frac{{\mathrm{PL}}^4}{48\mathrm{EI}}$
where E is the elastic modulus and I is the moment of inertia about the neutral axis given by the equation:

(11) $I=\frac{{\mathrm{BT}}^3}{12}$
where B is the width of the beam and T is the thickness of the beam. Similar relationship exists for other loading geometries of P. In all cases, , the deflection is inversely proportional to the third power of the thickness T. Therefore decreasing the thickness of the beam by 30 percent results in an increase in deflection or flexibility by a factor of 2.91 or nearly three.

(12) Flexibility of gloves having an elastomeric coating, such as a glove latex coating, can be increased by decreasing the thickness of the glove. Since the glove has a knitted liner the flexibility may be enhanced by only partially penetrating the knitted liner thereby taking advantage of the knitted liner due to relative movement between the yarns of the knitted liner and the movement between the filaments of an individual yarn. This enhanced flexibility requires use of a thinner knitted liner and applying a thinner polymeric coating. Challenges are encountered in each of these approaches as discussed next.

(13) Conventional knitting machines such as those supplied by Shima Seiki traditionally use a 15-gauge needle for knitting glove liners. This needle can accommodate a total yarn denier of 319 as indicated by p 209 of the book Knitting Technology by D. J. Spencer, published in 1993. A denier is the weight of the yarn in grams for a yarn length of 9000 meters. Considering nylon 66, which has a density of 1.13 g/cm.sup.3, the volume of 319 grams is 282 cm.sup.3. The average cross-sectional area of the 9000 meter yarn, in turn, is 0.031 mm.sup.2, thereby resulting in a yarn having an average yarn diameter of 0.19 mm. This cross-section diameter calculation reflects the result for a single monofilament yarn, but a multifilament yarn of the same denier may have substantially larger cross-section diameter since voids are present between multiple filaments of the yarn. When these yarns are knitted to form a liner, at the crossing points, the cross-section diameter is nominally 0.38 mm. Since these yarns are normally produced by twisting multiple strands of finer filaments, the yarn diameter may be larger and correspondingly, the knitted liner may be thicker. In addition, the knitting process has a certain degree of slackness; the thickness of the knitted liner may be larger due to this slackness. For example, two ends of 2 ply/70 denier/34 filament with each filament having a denier of 2.08 has a total nominal denier of 280, which is suited for knitting with a 15-gauge needle to produce a prior art standard liner that is dipped with latex to produce a standard prior art glove. A liner prepared from such a yarn has a measured uncompressed thickness of 1.34 mm and a compressed thickness under 9 oz (225 grams) load of 1.13 mm using an Ames Logic basic thickness gauge model no. BG1110-1-04 according to ASTM D1777. The knitted liner is measured to have a basis weight of 167.95.3 grams/mm.sup.2. When the knitted liner is coated with the polymeric latex emulsion, the yarns tend to come together providing a knitted liner thickness approximating the compressed thickness. The thickness of the polymeric latex coating approximates the thickness of the knitted liner. A 15-gauge knitted liner prepared from two ends of 2 ply/70 denier/34 filament coated with a polymeric latex coating results in a glove thickness of 1.15 mm to 1.5 mm such as Ansell 11-800. Ansell 11-600 glove which is a 15-gauge knitted glove is coated with solvent-based polyurethane with complete penetration and has a thickness nearly equal to that of the knitted liner which is approximately 1 mm. A Showa product BO-500 also uses a 15-gauge knitted liner which is completely penetrated by solvent-based polyurethane has a thickness nearly equal to that of the knitted liner which is approximately 1 mm.

(14) Shima Seiki also has knitting machines that can use 18-gauge needles. Thus, smaller denier yarns may be used to produce knitted liners. According to p 209 of the book Knitting Technology by D. J. Spencer, published in 1993 the 18-gauge needle can use yarn with a total denier of 221. Considering the density of nylon 66 (1.13 g/cm.sup.3), this yarn has a volume of 195 cm.sup.3. The average cross-sectional area of the 9000 meter yarn, in turn, is 0.021 mm.sup.2, thereby resulting in a yarn having an average yarn diameter of 0.16 mm. However, when a 140 denier yarn is used, the cross-sectional area is 0.014 mm.sup.2 or an average yarn diameter is 0.13 mm. Thus, at yarn cross-over points, when using a 221 denier yarn, the knitted liner will have a minimum thickness of 0.32 mm. In practice this thickness is expected to be larger due to use of multiple filaments. In a specific example, a 70 denier yarn made-up of 103 filaments of 0.68 denier can be used. The knitted liner also has a certain degree of slackness. In addition to the use of 2 ends of a 1-ply 70 denier/103 filament yarn, the process may use a 2-ply/70 denier/103 filament yarn with a 140 denier or a 221 denier yarn to knit a liner. The use of a single 2-ply/70 denier/103 filament yarn wherein each filament has 0.68 denier resulted in a knitted liner, which is 0.83 mm in the uncompressed state and 0.67 mm in the compressed state under 9 oz (225 grams) load using Ames Basic Logic thickness gauge model no. BG1110-1-04 according to ASTM D1777. This knitted liner is measured to have a basis weight of 142.91.3 grams/m.sup.2. When this 18-gauge needle knitted liner is coated with polymeric latex coating with a latex layer thickness close to the thickness of the knitted liner, the glove has a final thickness in the range of 0.6 mm to 1.14 mm. In a detailed embodiment, the glove has a thickness of from approximately 0.70 to approximately 0.90 mm. Since the yarn is made from very fine diameter partially oriented fibers, the flexibility of the yarn is very good. Thus the thickness of the glove is reduced by better than 30% providing better than 3 times improvement in the flexibility of the glove compared to a glove having a liner knitted from a 15-gauge needle. The overall weight of the latex glove is, likewise, lighter.

(15) The gauge knitting needle used is generally selected according to the denier of the yarn being used. However, it is possible to use a larger gauge needle for a smaller denier yarn and this combination results in excessive spacing between the yarns in the knitted liner, which is larger than the desired one to three range. This is illustrated by the variations in the spacing between yarns in a knitted liner when 15-gauge and 18-gauge knitting needles are used. The interstices space is typically in the range of one to three times the diameter of the yarn used to knit the liner, when a proper needle gauge is selected. The 15-gauge needle can use a 280 denier yarn, having an average yarn diameter of 0.19 mm. The 18-gauge needle can use a 140 denier yarn, having an average yarn diameter of 0.13 mm. The relationship between the yarn diameter and the interstices changes when the liner is put on a former so that the interstices diameter can be three times larger than the yarn diameter.

(16) Turning to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a lightweight thin liner showing different components of the glove and reinforcement sections using plaiting. In addition to the 221 denier yarn, a second yarn is introduced to provide an improved quantity of yarn in these highly stressed regions. When these regions are stretched, they do not separate the yarns very far and therefore, the adherent thin latex layer is preserved. FIG. 1 illustrates a glove 100, having eight glove components. These components include a pinky finger component 101, a ring finger component 102, a middle finger component 103, a forefinger component 104, an upper palm component 105, a lower palm component 107, a thumb component 106, and a wrist component 108. Reinforcement sections 111, 112, 113 and 114 are located at the bases of the pinky, ring, middle and forefinger components, respectively. An optional reinforcement section in the upper palm portion is shown at 115. Reinforcement sections 116, 117 and 118 are located at the base of the thumb component and across the lower palm component. Plaiting stitching is performed at 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117 and 118 regions. Table 1 shows an exemplary course layout in each of the components and the yarn usage in each of the knitted courses. In one or more embodiments, the denier of yarn 1 is 70 to 221 and the denier of yarn 2 is less than 221, for example in the range of approximately 70 to approximately 221. This plaiting, which is the insertion of the second yarn, can be accomplished with a standard V-bed knitting machine.

(17) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Section in Yarn 1 Yarn 2 Component FIG. 1 Courses Courses 1 101 1-84 111 85-88 85-88 2 102 1-112 112 113-116 113-116 3 103 1-122 113 123-126 123-126 4 104 1-112 114 113-116 113-116 5 115 1-4 1-4 105 5-28 116 29-32 29-32 6 106 1-96 117 97-100 97-100 7 118 1-4 1-4 107 5-70 8 108 1-72

(18) FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a lightweight thin liner showing different components of the glove and reinforcement sections using yarn of a heavier denier than the rest of the glove, thereby illustrating a second approach to providing reinforcement sections. FIG. 2 illustrates a glove 200 having eight major glove components. These components include a pinky finger component 201, a ring finger component 202, a middle finger component 203, a forefinger component 204, an upper palm component 205, a lower palm component 207, a thumb component 206, and a wrist component 208. Regions 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217 and 218 are knitted with a yarn having a denier greater than 221, while the rest if the knitted liner is knitted with a 221 denier yarn. Table 2 shows an exemplary course layout in each of the components and the yarn usage in each of the knitted courses. In one or more embodiments, the denier of yarn 1 is 70 to 221 and the denier of yarn 2 is greater than 221. This change in yarn size can be accomplished with a standard V-bed knitting machine.

(19) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Section in Yarn 1 Yarn 2 Component FIG. 2 Courses Courses 1 201 1-84 211 85-88 2 202 1-112 212 113-116 3 203 1-122 213 123-126 4 204 1-112 214 113-116 5 215 1-4 205 5-28 216 29-32 6 206 1-96 217 97-100 7 218 1-4 207 5-70 8 208 1-72

(20) FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a lightweight thin liner showing different components of the glove and reinforcement sections using Jacquard or transfer stitch, thereby illustrating a third approach to providing reinforcement sections. Regions 302 are knitted with a 221 denier yarn using Jacquard knit stitch. This type of knitting requires yarn transfer capability and can be done by a so called whole garment knitting machine. Shima Seiki markets the SWG021/041 and SWG-FIRST machines both of which use a two-component slider knitting needle providing the transfer capability. At the present time, the SWG021/041 machine is only available with 15 gauge needles. However, the SWG-FIRST uses gaugeless needle technology and the width of the course can be set on the fly under computer control. Not all knitting machines can provide a Jacquard stitch, however. It is generally understood that a standard V-bed knitting machine is not usually suitable for this. The region 301 which is the rest of the lightweight knitted liner is knitted with a 221 denier yarn using an 18-gauge needle. Table 3 shows the knitting layout in each of the two sections.

(21) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Section in FIG. 3 Knit Structure 301 18-gauge Jersey Knit 302 Jacquard Knit

(22) Technical problems exist when thin knitted liners are coated with aqueous polymeric latex. Difficulties with adhering the latex layer to the thin knitted liner and irritation to the skin of certain users upon contact with the latex layer have been recognized. As such, 18-gauge needle-knitted liners thus far have not been coated with aqueous polymeric latex emulsions. To address these technical problems, in accordance with aspects of the present invention, the reduced thickness of the knitted liner requires the polymeric latex emulsion to penetrate approximately half way or more to create adhesion between the polymeric latex coating and the knitted liner. For at least a portion of the knitted liner, the latex layer does not penetrate the entire thickness of the knitted liner, thereby substantially reducing contact between the polymeric latex and the user's skin when the glove is worn. In an embodiment, a skin-contacting surface of the knitted liner is substantially free of the polymeric latex coating. In a detailed embodiment, the skin-contacting surface of the knitted liner is approximately 75% or more free of the polymeric latex coating. The overall margin of error is significantly reduced with approaches according to aspects of the present invention.

(23) Attempts to produce thinner gloves such as Ansell 11-600 or Showa BO-500, which use 15-gauge needle knitted liners and have thicknesses which are penetrated by solvent-based polyurethane, result in stiff gloves. The liners of these gloves become completely penetrated by the solvent-based polyurethane, thereby reinforcing the liner and increasing its elastic modulus E, and thereby decreasing the deflection. Also chemicals used in the solvent-based polyurethane do not readily wash off resulting in a stiffer glove. Despite this, in certain embodiments of the present invention, solvent-based polyurethanes are acceptable blocking agents and can be used along with the polymeric latex coatings which penetrate half way or more and for at least a portion of the knitted liner. The gloves of aspects of the present invention accomplish this glove geometry regardless of the yarn size using, for example, an 18-gauge needle.

(24) FIG. 4 illustrates schematically the arrangement of yarns in the knitted liner and its relationship to the polymeric latex coating, which may be foamed or unfoamed. The yarns having an average diameter D are knitted in the liner producing a liner with a thickness T1. The polymeric latex coating of thickness T2 penetrates the knitted liner producing an overall glove thickness. For at least a portion of the knitted liner, the distance defined by T-T2 is not penetrated by the polymeric latex coating and the degree of penetration is defined by the ratio (T-T2)/T1. If the coating penetrates the entire thickness of the liner, the unpenetrated region is zero regardless of the thickness T1 of the knitted liner. The polymeric latex coating that is present outside the liner is given by T-T1. Therefore, T2, the thickness of the polymeric latex coating, is generally in the range 0.75 to 1.25 of the thickness of the knitted liner T1. When the ratio is 0.75, the polymeric latex coating penetrates three quarters of the way into the liner when the top of the coating is flush with the fibers. The penetration may be smaller, but still greater than half way results in polymeric latex coating extending above the top of the fibers. At the ratio of 1.25, a polymeric latex coating penetrating three quarter way still has half the thickness of the polymeric latex coating outside the knitted liner. In this range, the geometry of FIG. 4 is accomplished with the polymeric latex coating covering the knitted liner, but not penetrating the entire thickness of the knitted liner.

(25) A comparison is provided in Table 4 of typical properties as measured for an Ansell 11-800 glove with a 15-gauge knitted liner with a latex coating produced from an aqueous polymeric latex Ansell 11-600 with a 15-gauge knitted liner fully penetrated by solvent-based polyurethane coating, a Showa product BO-500 with a 15-gauge liner fully penetrated with solvent-based polyurethane. An exemplary glove according the present invention, referred to as Example I, was prepared using an 18-gauge knitted liner partially penetrated with carboxylated acrylonitrile-butadiene latex and is also shown in Table 4. These examples were chosen since they directly compare a 15-gauge needle conventional product with an 18-gauge product that is manufactured by methodology of the present invention. The Ansell 11-800 glove typically has a thickness of 1.15 to 1.5 mm while the thickness of a glove according to the present invention is 0.60 mm to 1.14 mm. In a detailed embodiment, the glove has a thickness of approximately 0.70 to approximately 0.90 mm. Accordingly the glove according to Example I is more flexible and provides better tactile sensitivity. The exemplary size 8 glove of Example I weighs 14.8 grams on average, while a similar size 8, 11-800 glove weighs 19.2 to 20.7 grams. Table 4 also shows the effectiveness of aqueous fluorochemical (FC) coating on the oil permeability on the product of Example I.

(26) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Knitting Thickness Palm wt Clark Product Needle Gauge mm oz/sq. yard Stiffness cm Ansell 11-800 15 1.17 14 5.25 Ansell 11-600 15 0.89 10 7.75 BO-500 15 0.86 7 NA Example I 18 0.84 10 4.2

(27) A higher Clark stiffness number corresponds to a higher stiffness glove. The polyurethane coated Ansell 11-600 glove is rather stiff with a Clark stiffness of 7.75 cm in spite of its reduced thickness since polyurethane penetrates the entire thickness of the 15-gauge knitted liner reinforcing the liner creating a higher elastic modulus E, thereby decreasing deflection and flexibility. The 11-800 glove has a Clark stiffness of 5.25 cm, while the glove according to Example I has a Clark stiffness of 4.2 cm.

(28) The manufacturing process for the lightweight thin flexible polymer coated glove involves several steps. In a detailed embodiment, an 18-gauge knitted liner with nominally 140 denier nylon 66 yarn is dressed on a hand shaped ceramic or metallic former and is immersed in a 2-15 wt % calcium nitrate aqueous solution. The calcium nitrate coagulant solution penetrates the entire thickness of the knitted liner. When this coagulant coated liner contacts aqueous polymeric latex emulsion, it destabilizes the emulsion and gels the latex. The coagulant coated knitted liner dressed on the former is next dipped in the aqueous polymeric latex emulsion. The polymeric aqueous latex has a viscosity in the range of 250-5000 centipoise and has commonly used stabilizers including but not limited to potassium hydroxide, ammonia, sulfonates and others. The latex may contain other commonly used ingredients such as surfactants, anti-microbial agents, fillers/additives and the like. Due to the smaller diameter of the yarn, the distance between the fibers decrease rapidly forming a pinch region in the knitted liner and when the polymeric latex emulsion enters this region, the gelling action essentially chokes the ingress of the polymeric latex emulsion, thereby substantially preventing the entire penetration of the polymeric latex emulsion into the thickness of the knitted liner. This penetration and gelling action is sensitive to the viscosity of the polymeric latex emulsion and the depth to which the former with the coagulant coated liner is depressed into the polymeric latex emulsion tank. The higher the hydrostatic pressure, the polymeric latex emulsion penetrates more into the knitted liner. When the immersion depth is small and the viscosity of the polymeric latex emulsion is high the polymeric latex coating minimally penetrates the knitted liner resulting in poor adhesion of the coating. Therefore two controllable process variables are available for precisely and reliably controlling the penetration of the polymeric latex coating into the knitted liner, even when the knitted liner is relatively thin. These process variables are 1) the control of polymeric latex emulsion viscosity and 2) depth of immersion of the knitted liner dressed former. Typical depth of immersion needed to achieve this aqueous polymeric latex emulsion to a depth greater than half the thickness of the knitted liner to a penetration that is less than the entire thickness is 0.2 to 5 cm, based on the viscosity of the latex emulsion. Since a latex coating of the glove is generally provided on the palm and finger areas of the glove, the former is articulated using a complex mechanism that moves the form in and out of the latex emulsion, immersing various portions of the knitted liner dressed on the former to progressively varying depths. As a result, some portions of the glove may have some degree of latex penetration, however, more than 75% of the knitted liner is penetrated at least half way or more than halfway without showing latex stain on the skin-contacting surface of the glove. The first embodiment of the process produces a thin continuous latex gelled layer on a thin knitted liner is washed first and is subsequently heated to vulcanize the latex composition and is washed to remove coagulant salts and other processing chemicals used to stabilize and control viscosity and wetting characteristics of the latex emulsion. The glove thus produced is better than 30% less in weight and thickness compared to a 15-gauge glove, and has better than three times the flexibility.

(29) In a second embodiment of the invention, the polymeric latex emulsion used is foamed. The air content is typically in the 5 to 50% range on a volume basis. The polymeric latex emulsion may contain additional surfactants such as TWEEN 20 to stabilize the latex foam. Once the latex is foamed with the right air content and the viscosity is adjusted, refinement of the foam is undertaken by using the right whipping impeller stirrer driven at an optimal speed first and the air bubble size is refined using a different impeller run at a reduced speed. This foamed polymeric latex emulsion generally has a higher viscosity and therefore is more difficult to penetrate the interstices between the yarns in the knitted liner and may require a higher depth of immersion of the former with dressed knitted liner. The penetrated foamed latex emulsion instantly gels due to the action of the coagulant resident of the surfaces of the yarns forming chocking regions between the fibers preventing further entry of the foamed latex emulsion into the thickness of the knitted liner. The air cells reduce the modulus of elasticity of the polymeric latex coating increasing the flexibility of the glove. The air content in the range of 5-15 volumetric percentile results in foams that have closed cells and the polymeric latex coating is liquid impervious. This coating has a spongy soft feel. Some of the air cells adjacent to the external surface open out providing increased roughness and have the ability to remove boundary layer of oil and water from a gripping surface, providing increased grip. When the volumetric air content is in the range of 15-50%, the air cells are adjacent to each other and during vulcanization heating step, they expand, touch each other creating an open celled foam. The polymeric latex coating of the glove is breathable and the glove does not become clammy.

(30) Having thus described various aspects of the invention in rather full detail, it will be understood that such detail need not be strictly adhered to, but that additional changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.