Method of producing elastic glove

Abstract

In producing an elastic glove made of rubber or resin and having an interior surface flocked with piles through a step for depositing the piles on a film of a latex composition formed on a surface of a mold conformal to a three-dimensional shape of the elastic glove, a water repellent/hydrophilic pile mixture containing water repellent piles in a proportion of 10 to 80 mass % is used as the piles to uniformize a pile embedded state in a rubber or resin film defining the interior surface over the substantially entire surface of the elastic glove.

Claims

1. A method of producing an elastic glove entirely made of rubber or resin and having an interior surface flocked with a multiplicity of piles, the method comprising the steps of: dipping a mold conformal to a three-dimensional shape of the elastic glove into an aqueous liquid latex composition containing the rubber or the resin, and taking out the mold to form a film of the latex composition defining at least the interior surface of the elastic glove on a surface of the mold; and depositing the piles on the film and then vulcanizing the rubber contained in the latex composition or curing or solidifying the resin contained in the latex composition; wherein hydrophilic piles and water repellent piles are used in combination as the piles, and the water repellent piles are present in a proportion of not less than 10 mass % and not greater than 80 mass % based on a total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles, wherein the water repellent piles are obtained by treating the hydrophilic piles with stearic acid, calcium stearate, wax or a silicone resin.

2. The elastic glove production method according to claim 1, wherein the proportion of the water repellent piles based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles is not less than 20 mass % and not greater than 50 mass %.

3. The elastic glove production method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: dipping the mold in a liquid latex composition containing rubber or resin, and then taking out the mold to form a film of the latex composition defining an exterior surface of the elastic glove on the surface of the mold before the formation of the film defining the interior surface of the elastic glove.

Description

EXAMPLES

Preparation of Inner Layer Latex Composition

(1) After ingredients shown below in Table 1 were blended in a natural rubber latex and the resulting rubber latex was matured for two days, soft water was added to the rubber latex to adjust the solid concentration at 57 mass %. Thus, a latex composition for an inner layer (formulation for an adhesive layer) was prepared. The amounts (parts by mass) of the respective ingredients shown in Table 1 are based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component (solid component) in the natural rubber latex. The inner layer latex composition had a pH of 10.5 and a TSC of 57.

(2) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Ingredients Parts by mass Potassium oleate 0.3 Potassium hydroxide 0.4 Sulfur 1 Zinc diethyldithiocarbamate 1 Zinc oxide 0.5

Preparation of Outer Layer Latex Composition

(3) After ingredients shown below in Table 2 were blended in a natural rubber latex and the resulting rubber latex was matured for two days, soft water was added to the rubber latex to adjust the solid concentration at 54 mass %. Thus, a latex composition for an outer layer (formulation for a color layer) was prepared. The amounts (parts by mass) of the respective ingredients shown in Table 2 are based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component (solid component) in the natural rubber latex. The outer layer latex composition had a pH of 11, a TSC of 54 and a viscosity of 250 Pa.Math.s.

(4) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Ingredients Parts by mass Potassium oleate 0.3 Potassium hydroxide 0.5 Sulfur 1 Zinc diethyldithiocarbamate 1 Zinc oxide 0.5 Hydroxymethylcellulose 0.25

(5) <Piles>

(6) Untreated cotton piles (having an average fiber length of 0.5 mm) were prepared as hydrophilic piles. The pile sedimentation period of the hydrophilic piles was measured by the aforementioned method. As a result, the hydrophilic piles were entirely sedimented in the water in 2 minutes.

(7) Cotton piles having an average fiber length of 0.5 mm and treated with silicone resin were prepared as water repellent piles. The pile sedimentation period was measured by the aforementioned method. As a result, the water repellent piles were entirely continuously floated on a water surface for 24 hours or longer without sedimentation in the water.

Example 1

Piles

(8) The hydrophilic piles H and the water repellent piles O were mixed together in a mass ratio of O/H=10/90, so that the water repellent piles were present in a proportion of 10 mass % based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles. Thus, mixed piles were prepared.

(9) (Production of Glove)

(10) A mold entirely made of ceramic and conformal to the three-dimensional shape of the elastic glove was prepared.

(11) The mold was first dipped in an aqueous solution of 18% calcium nitrate, then taken out, and dried. Thus, the surface of the mold was treated with calcium nitrate (coagulant).

(12) In turn, the mold was dipped, its fingertip side first, at a rate of 3 cm/s into the outer layer latex composition kept at a liquid temperature of 25 C. to a depth of 33 cm measured from a fingertip portion to a cuff portion of the mold, then kept in a dipped state for 12 seconds, and taken out, its cuff side first, at a rate of 2 cm/s, whereby a film of the outer layer latex composition was formed on the surface of the mold. Thereafter, the film was dried at a room temperature for 2 minutes.

(13) Then, the mold was dipped, its fingertip side first, at a rate of 2 cm/s into the inner layer latex composition kept at a liquid temperature of 25 C. to a depth of 32.5 cm measured from the fingertip portion to the cuff portion of the mold, then kept in a dipped state for 10 seconds, and taken out, its cuff side first, at a rate of 2 cm/s, whereby a film of the inner layer latex composition was formed on the surface of the mold.

(14) Subsequently, the mixed piles previously prepared were deposited in an amount of 1.6 mg/cm.sup.2 on the film of the inner layer latex composition by the spraying process and the electrostatic deposition process, and then a gel-leaching treatment was carried out at 50 C. for 1 minute. In turn, the resulting mold was put in an oven heated to 125 C. for 30 minutes. Thus, the latex compositions were dried, and the natural rubber was vulcanized.

(15) After the resulting mold was taken out of the oven and cooled to a room temperature, the resulting elastic glove was turned inside out and demolded so that a surface of the film flocked with the piles defined an interior surface of the elastic glove. Thus, the elastic glove was produced as having a double layer structure including an inner layer and an outer layer each made of the natural rubber with its interior surface flocked with the piles.

(16) The inner layer had a thickness of 0.2 mm, and the outer layer had a thickness of 0.25 mm.

Example 2

(17) An elastic glove was produced in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, except that mixed piles prepared so as to contain the water repellent piles in a proportion of 20 mass % based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles by blending and mixing the hydrophilic piles H and the water repellent piles O together in a mass ratio of O/H=20/80 were used.

Example 3

(18) An elastic glove was produced in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, except that mixed piles prepared so as to contain the water repellent piles in a proportion of 40 mass % based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles by blending and mixing the hydrophilic piles H and the water repellent piles O together in a mass ratio of O/H=40/60 were used.

Example 4

(19) An elastic glove was produced in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, except that mixed piles prepared so as to contain the water repellent piles in a proportion of 50 mass % based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles by blending and mixing the hydrophilic piles H and the water repellent piles O together in a mass ratio of O/H=50/50 were used.

Example 5

(20) An elastic glove was produced in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, except that mixed piles prepared so as to contain the water repellent piles in a proportion of 60 mass % based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles by blending and mixing the hydrophilic piles H and the water repellent piles O together in a mass ratio of O/H=60/40 were used.

Example 6

(21) An elastic glove was produced in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, except that mixed piles prepared so as to contain the water repellent piles in a proportion of 80 mass % based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles by blending and mixing the hydrophilic piles H and the water repellent piles O together in a mass ratio of O/H=80/20 were used.

Comparative Example 1

(22) An elastic glove was produced in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, except that the hydrophilic piles were used alone instead of the mixed piles. The proportion of the water repellent piles was 0 mass % based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles.

Comparative Example 2

(23) An elastic glove was produced in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, except that mixed piles prepared so as to contain the water repellent piles in a proportion of 90 mass % based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles by blending and mixing the hydrophilic piles H and the water repellent piles O together in a mass ratio of O/H=90/10 were used.

Comparative Example 3

(24) An elastic glove was produced in substantially the same manner as in Example 1, except that the water repellent piles were used alone instead of the mixed piles. The proportion of the water repellent piles was 100 mass % based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles.

Evaluation

(25) The interior surfaces of the gloves produced in Examples and Comparative Examples were each visually observed, and the gloves were each evaluated based on the following criteria for the uniformity of the pile embedded state in a fingertip portion, a palm portion and a cuff portion of the glove and in the entire glove. Gloves rated as 3 to 5 are acceptable, and gloves rated as 1 and 2 are unacceptable.

(26) 1: Bad

(27) 2: Poor

(28) 3: Standard level

(29) 4: Good

(30) 5: Excellent

(31) Further, the gloves produced in Examples and Comparative Examples were each evaluated based on the following criteria for the texture of the fingertip portion, the palm portion and the cuff portion of the glove observed when the glove was worn. Gloves rated as 3 to 5 are acceptable, and gloves rated as 1 and 2 are unacceptable.

(32) 1: Bad

(33) 2: Poor

(34) 3: Standard level

(35) 4: Good

(36) 5: Excellent

(37) The results are shown in Tables 3 and 4. In these tables, for example, an expression 4-5 means that the glove was rated as an intermediate between 4 and 5.

(38) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Comparative Example 1 Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Water repellent piles (mass %) 0 10 20 40 50 Pile embedded state Fingertip portion 1 3 4 4-5 5 Palm portion 3 4 4-5 5 5 Cuff portion 5 4-5 4-5 4-5 4 Overall 3 4 4-5 4-5 4-5 Texture Fingertip portion 1 3 4 4-5 4-5 Palm portion 2 4 4-5 5 4-5 Cuff portion 4 4 4 4 3-4

(39) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Comparative Comparative Example 5 Example 6 Example 2 Example 3 Water repellent piles 60 80 90 100 (mass %) Pile embedded state Fingertip portion 5 5 5 5 Palm portion 4-5 3-4 3 2 Cuff portion 3 3 2 Overall 4 4 3-4 2-3 Texture Fingertip portion 4-5 4-5 5 5 Palm portion 4 3-4 3 2 Cuff portion 3 3 2 1

(40) The results of the evaluation of Examples 1 to 6 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 in Tables 3 and 4 indicate that the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles should be used in combination as the piles to be flocked on the interior surface of the elastic glove and the proportion of the water repellent piles based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles should be set within the range of not less than 10 mass % and not greater than 80 mass % in order to uniformize the pile embedded state over the substantially entire interior surface of the elastic glove and improve the texture.

(41) The results of the evaluation of Examples 1 to 6 indicate that the proportion of the water repellent piles based on the total amount of the hydrophilic piles and the water repellent piles is preferably not less than 20 mass % and not greater than 50 mass % in the aforementioned range in order to further improve the aforementioned effects.