Abstract:
A rubber or latex glove includes monolithically formed pleats incorporated into the knuckles and/or finger joints, and along the length of the sides of the fingers. Whether the glove is in either a relaxed or flexed state, the pleats conform to the contours of the hand, providing a flush but relaxed fit. When the glove is flexed, the pleats become wider to effectively increase the size of the glove without stretching the material from which it is made.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/583,810, filed on Jun. 29, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to rubber or plastic gloves and, more particularly, to such gloves having pleats and/or curved reliefs for the purpose of providing a comfortable fit while maintaining tactile sensitivity. As used herein, the term “pleats” shall include folds, reliefs, and similar structures of any desirable cross-sectional shape, such as V-shaped or parabolic-shaped pleats and U-shaped or curved reliefs.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Rubber gloves are used by workmen, surgeons, and in the home. Surgical and household latex or rubber gloves often fit tightly over the hands. Besides the discomfort associated with using such gloves when flexing them on the hand in the form of a fist, they are difficult to take off, especially when the user&#39;s hand sweats. Unfortunately, loose fitting glove reduces the tactile sensation of the user.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art gloves discussed above by providing them with pleats at their knuckles and/or finger joints, and along the length of the sides of the fingers. In both the relaxed and flexed positions, these pleats conform to the contours of the hand, providing a flush but relaxed fit. In flexed positions, the pleats are not stretched while retaining tactile sensitivity in the areas in front of the finger tips.  
         [0005]     Further features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on a reading of the detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are given below by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a rear view of a right-handed glove constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic cross-sectional view, taken along section lines A-A′ and B-B′ of  FIG. 1 , depicting the shape of two pleats when the glove is in an unflexed condition;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2B  is a schematic cross-sectional view, taken along section lines A-A′ and B-B′ of  FIG. 1 , depicting the shapes of the two pleats when the glove is in a semi-flexed condition;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2C  is a schematic cross-sectional view, taken along section lines A-A′ and B-B′ of  FIG. 1 , depicting the shapes of the two pleats when the glove is in a fully-flexed condition;  
         [0011]      FIGS. 3A-3C  are schematic cross-sectional views which are similar to  FIGS. 2A-2C , respectively, except that they depict an alternate pleat shape;  
         [0012]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are schematic cross-sectional view which are similar to  FIGS. 2A-2C , respectively, except that they depict yet another alternate pleat shape;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of a right-handed glove constructed in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of a right-handed glove constructed in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a rendering of the right-handed glove of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of a right-handed glove constructed in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the middle finger of the right-handed glove of  FIG. 8  and taken along section line C-C′ thereof; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a cross-section view of a middle finger of a right handed glove without a pleat formed therein.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     With reference to  FIG. 1 , glove  10 , which is of the surgical or household type, can be made of natural rubber, nitrile rubber, neoprene rubber, latex, or other type of rubber, plastic, elastomer, etc. The glove  10  can be made from vinyl. Glove  10  has finger portion  12 , knuckle portion  14 , palm portion  16 , and cuff portion  18 . Pleats  20  are formed near one side and along the length of the finger portion  12 , while pleat  22  is formed along the length of the knuckle portion  14 .  
         [0020]     With reference to  FIGS. 2A, 3A  and  4 A, the pleat  20  along cross-section A-A′ and the pleat  22  along cross-section B-B′ are depicted when the glove  10  is in its unflexed condition. Referring to  FIG. 2A , the cross-sectional shape of the pleats  20  and  22  assimilates a “V”. More particularly, the pleats  20  and  22  have angled sidewalls  24  which extend non-pleated surface  25  and converge in a pointed apex  26 . The angle formed between the converging sidewalls  24  is preferably acute (i.e., less than 90°). The pleats  20  and  22  have a width W 2A  and a depth D 2A , both of which vary with glove type.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 3A , the cross-sectional shape of the pleats  20  and  22  assimilates a “U”. More particularly, the pleats  20  and  22  have substantially straight sidewalls  28  which extend in a generally perpendicular fashion from the non-pleated surface  29 , terminating in a curved base  30 . The pleats  20  and  22  have a width W 3A  and a depth D 3A  both of which vary with glove type.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 4A , the cross-sectional shape of the pleats  20  and  22  assimilates a parabola. More particularly, the pleats  20  and  22  have curved sidewalls  32  which extend from the non-pleated surface  33  and converge in a rounded apex  34 . The pleats  20  and  22  have a width W 4A  and a depth D 4A , both of which vary with glove type. The shape of the pleats  20  and  22  of  FIG. 4A  represents a compromise between the “V” shape of  FIG. 2A  and the “U” shape of  FIG. 3A . The pleat shape depicted in  FIG. 4A  is advantageous in most circumstances because it provides additional surface area without being so large that the glove  10  becomes loose when it is flexed.  
         [0023]     With reference to  FIGS. 2B, 3B , and  4 B, the pleat  20  along cross-section A-A′ and the pleat  22  along cross-section B-B′ are depicted when the glove  10  is in its semi-flexed condition. As the glove  10  is flexed when the user begins to form a fist, the pleat sidewalls  24 ,  28  and  32  move farther apart, thereby increasing the widths W 2B , W 3B , and W 4B  while decreasing the depths D 2B , D 3B , and D 4B .  
         [0024]     With reference to  FIGS. 2C, 3C , and  4 C, the pleat  20  along cross-section A-A′ and the pleat  22  along cross-section B-B′ are depicted when the glove  10  is in its fully-flexed condition. As the glove  10  is fully-flexed when the user has formed a fist, the pleat sidewalls  24 ,  28  and  32  are even farther apart, thereby further increasing the widths W 2C , W 3C , and W 4C  while further decreasing the depths D 2C , D 3C , and D 4C . In the positions illustrated in  FIGS. 2C, 3C , and  4 C, enough of the pleats  20  and  22  is maintained so that the areas in front of the fingertips of the glove  10  retain tactile sensitivity, while the glove  10  as a whole remains comfortable to wear.  
         [0025]     The first step in an exemplary process of manufacturing the glove  10  is to create a former in the shape of a human hand with depressions at the positions of the pleats  20  and  22 . The former is most often made of ceramic, as is known in the art. The second step involves dipping the former one or more times in a rubber latex bath up to the end of the cuff position  18 . The bath can contain natural rubber, nitrile rubber, neoprene rubber, or other latex rubber types. The third step in the manufacturing process is to place the rubber-dipped former in an oven within which heat is applied to dry and cure the rubber. Parameters for how to apply heat with regard to temperature and time, as well as curing time, are known to those skilled in the art. The result is the new and improved glove  10  with integrally or monolithically formed pleats  20  and  22 .  
         [0026]     The pleated glove  10  of  FIG. 1  is beneficial because it is form fitted at the tips and undersides of the finger portion  12 , the portion of the hand where more tactile sensation is needed than at other portions. At the same time, other areas, especially those in proximity to the pleats  20  and  22 , have less tension, thereby providing the user with a comfortable and relaxed fit. Because the glove  10  is not under excessive tension on the side of the fingers or knuckles, less force is required to flex the hand, resulting in reduced user fatigue when the glove  10  has been worn for a long period of time.  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  depicts an alternate embodiment of the glove  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-4C . Elements illustrated in  FIG. 5  which correspond to the elements described above in connection with the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4C  have been identified by corresponding reference numbers increased by one hundred. Unless otherwise indicated, both embodiments have the same construction and operation.  
         [0028]     With reference to  FIG. 5 , pleats can be placed at other positions on the glove  110  and still retain the glove&#39;s comfort and tactile qualities. The criterion for choosing locations for the pleats is that they be away from areas where the greatest tactile sensation is needed; namely, away from the bottom of the fingers, especially the finger tips. Thus, other areas of the glove  110  where pleats can be placed include: the back of the finger joints  136  and  138 ; around the perimeter of the glove from the outside of the hand near the side of the palm adjacent to the thumb down to the wrist  140 ; and the outside of the hand near the side of the palm adjacent to the pinky down to the wrist area  142 .  
         [0029]      FIGS. 6 and 7  depict an alternate embodiment of the glove  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-4C . Elements illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7  which correspond to the elements described above in connection with the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4C  have been identified by corresponding reference numbers increased by two hundred. Unless otherwise indicated, both embodiments have the same construction and operation.  
         [0030]      FIGS. 6 and 7  depict a glove  210  having a finger portion  212 , a knuckle portion  214 , a palm portion  216 , and a cuff portion  218 . Similar to pleats  136  and  138  shown in  FIG. 5 , the glove  210  has the pleats  236  and  238  formed therein along the back of the finger joints. The pleats  236  and  238  are shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  to be longer than the pleats  136  and  138  of  FIG. 5 , extending transversely from the left side of the finger to the right side of the finger. The glove also includes a pleat  222  formed along the length of the knuckle portion  214 . The pleats  236  and  238  are concave as described in connection with  FIGS. 2A-4C ; however the pleats may be convex.  
         [0031]      FIGS. 8 and 9  depict a preferred embodiment of the glove  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-4C . Elements illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9  which correspond to the elements described above in connection with the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4C  have been identified by corresponding reference numbers increased by three hundred. Unless otherwise indicated, both embodiments have the same construction and operation.  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  depicts a glove  310  having finger portion  312 , a knuckle portion  314 , a palm portion  316 , and a cuff portion  318 . The glove  310  has pleats  320  formed in the left side and the right side of each finger and thumb (digits). The pleats extend longitudinally along the left and right sides of the corresponding digit. For example, one of the pleats  320  may extend along the left side of the pinky finger along substantially the entire length of the glove, one of the pleats  320  may extend along the left and right sides of the index finger to within about one-half inch of the crotches formed with the thumb and middle finger, and one of the pleats  320  may extend along the outside of the thumb along substantially the entire length of the glove  310 . The pleats  320  can begin anywhere, but they preferably extend from a point approximately one-half inch from a corresponding fingertip. The measurements discussed above are exemplary, and it is contemplated that any suitable dimensions may be used.  
         [0033]      FIG. 9  depicts a cross-section of the middle finger, for example, of the glove  310  of  FIG. 8 . By way of contrast,  FIG. 10  shows a cross-section of a middle finger not having a pleat formed therein. An arc is notated in  FIG. 10  to have a length of one-quarter of an inch. However, in  FIG. 9 , there is a pleated cross section having a curved pleat. The length of the arc of the curved pleat could be thirty-five hundredths of an inch, which would provide an additional one-tenth of an inch per side or two-tenths of an inch per finger to allow for expansion of the overall circumference of the rubber or plastic covering the finger, while at the same time providing a closed fit at the bottom or working side of the finger as well as the top. This provides a snug fitting glove while at the same time providing a degree of comfort for the user, such as when the fingers are flexed in that the pleat will open, allowing the fingers to be curled into a fist without requiring the rubber or plastic to stretch excessively, thus reducing expended “work” or energy. The measurements discussed above are exemplary, and it is contemplated that any suitable dimensions may be used.  
         [0034]     In the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 9 , the edges of the pleats designated as E and E′ are preferably, though not necessarily, gently convexly radiused edges rather than being straight edges. In this regard, the pleat and the edges thereof form an S-like shape. If not, the glove thickness would be much thinner than the rest of the circumference of the glove. The degree of the radius can control the thickness of the rubber or plastic where it is advantageous to provide a thinner area at this point. The thinner area would provide a greater degree of comfort since the energy required to stretch the rubber in this area may be less than the other areas of the glove.  
         [0035]     It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.