Abstract:
The inventor discloses a glove having a disc located on a wearer&#39;s wrist, such that the disc may be wrapped along the wearer&#39;s hand and cause the glove to be rolled up the back of the wearer&#39;s hand. The disc may be permanently or detachably secured to the glove. The disc allows people with various hand sizes to wear a one-size-fits-all glove while snugly securing the glove to the wearer&#39;s hand, preventing contamination and increasing finger dexterity.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 61/863,412, filed on Aug. 7, 2013. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention is the field of gloves and protective handwear for people in environments where protection against contaminants, chemicals, or skin irritants is important. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    While “one-size-fits-all” gloves are commonly sold and used in a number of industries to promote sterility, cleanliness, and safety, such gloves are generally a large size to accommodate even the largest hands. However, for people with smaller hands, the uni-sized glove often results in excess fabric that hangs loosely about the wrist, creating the potential for contaminated or dirty substances to accidentally enter the opening of the glove near the wrist. Additionally, the excess material can inhibit the wearer from making fine or sensitive use of his fingers. Such actions are particularly necessary in medical procedures, such as surgery, where a doctor&#39;s or nurse&#39;s hands must be especially careful to prevent complications during the operation. Where such dexterity is required, it is common to use and purchase gloves of different sizes to accommodate variously sized hands. This results in added expense for the employer, such as a hospital or janitorial services company, which must keep a large variety of glove sizes available for its staff. Therefore, a need exists for a single-size, “one-size-fits-all” glove that can be adjusted by the wearer to snugly fit against the hand. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    It should be noted that identical features in different drawings are shown with the same reference numeral. 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  depicts a medical glove worn by a user, palm-side up. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  depicts a medical glove with the circular apparatus over the wrist, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  depicts a view of the medical glove with the circular apparatus rolled up over a user&#39;s hand, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]      FIG. 1  depicts a sterile, “one-size-fits-all” medical glove  5  as worn by a doctor, nurse, or other medical staff Medical gloves are typically made of latex, though any impermeable, flexible, and stretchable material may suffice to form a glove  5 . For simplicity, the glove  5  as further described herein is referred to as a “latex” glove, but the glove may be made of many other materials. The glove  5  has a hand section  15  with a wrist section  30  extending a short distance over the wearer&#39;s wrist. An opening  20  at the end of the wrist section  30  allows the wearer to insert his hand Five fingers  10  are located across from the opening  20  to enclose the wearer&#39;s fingers. In  FIG. 1 , the glove is shown as loose-fitting, because “one-size-fits-all” gloves are generally created large enough to fit a hand of any size. However, for users with smaller hands, the glove fingers  10  do not snugly enclose the wearer&#39;s fingers, and there is substantial leftover latex material. 
         [0009]      FIG. 2  depicts the top side of a medical glove according to an embodiment as further described herein. The glove has a top  25  for covering the back of the wearer&#39;s hand. Located in the wrist section  30  is a disc  35 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 , the disc is secured to the latex glove. For example, the glove  5  may have two or more layers of material and the disc may be inserted between the layers and secured therein. Alternatively, the disc may be glued, taped, or otherwise fastened to the latex. The disc  35  may be constructed of any solid, rigid, or semi-rigid material. Where the glove  5  is used in medically sterile environments, chemically inert substances such as hard plastics would be most suitable. However, in non-sterile environments, any firm, solid material to form the disc  35  is sufficient. 
         [0010]    In other embodiments, the disc  35  may be separate from the latex glove  5 . To secure the disc  35  to the glove  5 , the wearer places the disc  35  over the top of the wrist section  30  near the opening  20  and rolls the latex over the disc  35 , as further described below. A separate disc  35  may be desired if the discs  35  are to be sold separately from the gloves  5 , allowing the method described herein to be used with any latex glove available to the wearer. 
         [0011]    The wearer may roll the disc  35  up the back of the hand in order to collect excess latex material and pull the fingers  10  of the glove snugly against the wearer&#39;s fingers. First, if the glove  5  does not have a disc  35  secured to it, the wearer places the disc  35  over the wrist section  30  near the opening  20  and wraps the edge  40  over one end of the disc  35 . If the disc  35  is already secured to the latex, this first step is not necessary. Next, the wearer wraps the disc  35  end-over-end up the back of the hand. The wrist section  30  and excess latex material is rolled up the back of the hand as the disc  35  is wrapped end-over-end. The remaining latex is pulled snug against the wearer&#39;s hands and fingers. 
         [0012]      FIG. 3  shows the disc  35  rolled up the back of the wearer&#39;s hand. As depicted, excess latex  45  is rolled up the back of the wearer&#39;s hand and kept in place by the disk  35 . This gently pulls the remaining latex snugly against the wearer&#39;s hand, thereby providing the wearer with a fitted glove  5  appropriate for fine hand and finger movements as needed in medical examinations, surgeries, procedures, and the like. 
         [0013]    The disc  35  is of a size and shape to both prevent puncturing or tearing the latex and prevent the disc  35  from coming inadvertently unrolled during use. The disc  35  should also be small enough to allow for several wraps along the back of the hand, in order to accommodate variously sized hands. It has been determined that a circular disc  35  roughly 1.25 inches in diameter is both large enough to prevent inadvertent unrolling, small enough to be sensitive for use with a number of hands, and unlikely to tear or puncture the latex. However, any size disc  35  that can fit on the back of the wearer&#39;s hand or wrist would be acceptable, and discs  35  ranging from 0.25-2 inches are sufficient. Additionally, while the disc  35  depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 3  is circular, other shapes (such as ovals, ellipses, or other shapes having rounded edges) may be used. 
         [0014]    After use, if the disc  35  is separate from the glove  5 , it may be saved for future use. Otherwise, the disc  35  may be disposed along with the rest of the glove  5 . While the glove  5  has been described particularly with reference to medical personnel, the advantages of the glove  5  may be used for any job where snug gloves are necessary or desirable, such as janitorial services, garbage collection, or laboratories. 
         [0015]    The advantages of the glove  5  and disc  35  described herein include providing a “one-size-fits-all” glove that can be individually sized to a wearer&#39;s hand, regardless of the size of the glove itself. Additionally the “one-size-fits-all” glove allows the wearer to snugly pull the material against the fingers, increasing dexterity for fine or careful motor movements needed for sensitive operations. Furthermore, the glove may be used in environments that required closed off protection of the hand to prevent contamination of the hand, while not unduly exposing the wearer&#39;s skin. For example the glove may be used in environments where harmful chemicals or fumes are present, or potentially in sterile environments, in order to prevent contact with contaminants (e.g., bodily fluids, chemicals, blood, etc.). 
         [0016]    While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed here.