AU2010201191B2 - Protective glove - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is a hygienic glove having a plurality of layers or skins which glove is sufficiently fine to permit the wearer to maintain an appropriate degree of manual dexterity. For applications such as food handling and the like sequential layers of the glove may be removed after use. YSPEC\PATKOV-rap.wpd 18/3/10 z C, ih~ C, 0, to Ca a E- (Tii F-4 4-4

Description

-1 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT APPLICANT: Vasko Patkov NUMBER: FILING DATE: Invention Title: PROTECTIVE GLOVE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -2 PROTECTIVE GLOVE Technical area: This invention relates to the area of hand hygiene and in particular to the use of gloves to promote sterile handling in a range of situations from food preparation to surgical procedures. Background to the invention: Although the invention relates to the use of sterile gloves in a variety of applications for convenience and ease of explanation, and by example only, the invention will be described here in terms of its application to the food preparation industry. It is common at present for people preparing food generally, and in particular for those preparing food in fast food or take away outlets as well as those serving, to wear gloves when touching the food. Unfortunately it appears to also be customary for these same gloves to be worn when handling a purchaser's money and also for preparing food for subsequent purchasers. While this practice is clearly unhygienic it is understandable that a server should do this owing to the time taken to discard an old glove and replace it with a new glove prior to serving another customer. YASPECAPATKOV.capwpd 25/310 -3 Other problems are associated with the use of disposable gloves. For example, where they are used in situations where sensitivity of touch is required, they are generally sufficiently thin skinned that they can be prone to failure and can therefore be associated with the transmission of bacteria and contaminants. This is an especial problem for dentists and medical practitioners and the like. Outline of the invention: It is an object of this invention to ameliorate the problems outlined above and to provide a hygienic glove device, which can be manufactured to be sufficiently fine for a range of applications while maintaining the requisite sensitivity of touch for that application. The invention is a hygienic glove having a plurality of layers or skins which glove is sufficiently fine to permit the wearer to maintain an appropriate degree of manual dexterity. It may be preferred that the glove be manufactured in such a manner as to permit the wearer to readily discard unwanted layers as required. It is preferred that the material from which the glove is manufacture is a latex material which closely moulds to the wearer's hand and flexes with corresponding movements of the hand. Any appropriate material can however be used. Y:SPECPATKOV.cap.wpd 2i//10 -4 It may be preferred that the glove have several layers where it is used for an application such as food handling whereas a glove directed for use in more sensitive applications, such as by dentists, surgeons and other medical health professional, could be a dual skinned latex glove which was unitary in design, In order that the invention may be more readily understood we shall describe by way of non limiting example specific embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Drawing Figures Fig. 1 A schematic diagram of the layered gloves of the invention; Fig. 2 Shows a rear and front view of the gloves of the invention; Fig. 3 Shows two types of tabs, a first set are offset from one and other and the second overlying one and other; Fig. 4 Shows differently shaped tabs; Fig. 5 Shows heavy duty lined gloves; Description of Embodiments of the Invention In the embodiments of the invention a hygienic glove 10 having multiple removable layers is provided of a latex material although any appropriate material may be used. YSPEC\PATKOV-cap.wpd 23/3/10 -5 One embodiment of the invention of the type shown in Figure 1 is directed primarily to the food preparation industry although it can have many other applications. This glove is provided in a plurality of disposable relatively thin layers or skins. The arrangement is that a unitary glove is provided however each outer layer has tab means 20 whereby it can be readily torn off or removed from the remainder of the glove. Although the location of the tab means is not restricted in the invention it is preferred that it be provided at the wrist of each layer and that this could be used to remove that layer. By this means a person could prepare food for one customer, and handle their money and change, and then could simply remove the soiled outer glove layer in order to hygienically serve the next customer. Although there is no limit in the invention concerning the number of layers or skins associated with each glove it is envisaged that it would be preferred for at least four such layers to be provided so that the glove need only be replaced after serving four customers. This is because the glove could become too bulky if an excessive number of skins was used. The invention can also apply to a genuinely unitary glove which is not provided with the multiple layer removal facility. It is envisaged that this application would be very suitable for use in the fields of dentistry and medical treatment where a practitioner would have the benefit of a Y;\SPECrJATKOV.cep.wpd 25/310 -6 double skinned glove to protect against tearing while not losing any significant sensitivity of touch. Figures 2, 3 and 4 show examples of different tabs which can be used in the embodiment of the invention having a plurality of removable layers demonstrating the diversity in shape and location of these tabs on the glove. The precise shape and location of these devices is not restricted in the invention, While we have referred here to one kind of material for use in the invention it is envisage that other materials could be used either alone or in combination. As previously stated the concept of the invention is applicable to many applications and is not confined to use in relation to food preparation alone, although it is particularly suited to this application. Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 5 and is a heavy duty glove which is preferably cotton lined for use when handling frozen materials such as meats and the like but still employs the multiple removable layer concept. In all the applications described it is envisaged that embodiments incorporating features such as gripping pads on palms and fingers can be provided if required and still lie within the invention. It is further envisaged that the completed gloves can be manufactured by several means examples of which follow. VA\SPE'ATXOV-copiwpg .5/3/I0 -7 One manufacturing means is a wet process in which a mould of a hand is dipped into a vat of a liquid material such as latex and then blow dried. During this stage a tab is applied and the glove is then coated with a release agent. This process is repeated until the required number of layers has been achieved. Another manufacturing means is provided by dry spraying the glove material onto a mould, adding the tab and coating the glove with a release agent then repeating this process until the final glove is complete. Alternatively a machine can be used to put layers of individual glove members onto a mould of a hand. Any appropriate method may however be used. Therefore whilst we have described here three specific embodiments of the invention it is envisaged that other embodiments will exhibit any number of and any combination of the features previously described and it is to be understood that variations and modifications in this can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. YASPECPATKOV-cap.wpd 253110

Claims (10)

1. A hygienic glove having a plurality of layers or skins, the plurality of layers including: at least one discardable outer layer having a tab at the wrist area that is pullable to discard the outer layer; and at least one inner layer having a tab at the wrist area, wherein the outer layer tab is positioned over the inner layer tab and the tab of each outer layer extends further down the wearer's wrist than the tab of the adjacent inner glove layer.

2. The hygienic glove according to claim 1, wherein the glove is to be used for medical applications and the two layers form a unitary glove, the outer layer tab protecting the inner layer tab from contamination before it is exposed by the removal of the outer layer.

3. The hygienic glove according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of outer layers wherein the unwanted outer layers of the glove can be sequentially discarded down to a lined inner layer. 8

4. The hygienic glove according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the glove outer layers are manufactured from a latex material which closely moulds to the wearer's hand and flexes with corresponding movements of the hand.

5. The hygienic glove according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the outer layer of the glove includes grip surface features on the fingers.

6. The hygienic glove according to claim 5, wherein the tab of each outer layer extending further down the wearer's wrist than the tab of the adjacent inner glove layer facilitates removal of that outer layer whilst protecting the adjacent inner layer from external exposure.

7. The hygienic glove according to claim 6, wherein the tabs are located at the wrist opening of the glove.

8. The hygienic glove according to claim 6 or 7, wherein sequential tabs of sequential glove layers are positioned along the wearer's wrist so that the inner and outer layers are substantially coextensive in the length they extend along 5 the wearer's wrist.

9. The hygienic glove according to claim 6 or 7, wherein sequential tabs of sequential glove layers are positioned over one and other at the wearer's wrist 9 extending circumferentially around part of the wrist in a sequential overlapping pattern.

10. The hygienic glove substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 10