Abstract:
A multi-function glove, including a hand-receiving portion, scrubbing/scouring portions, and a soap/detergent-dispensing portion. The scrubbing/scouring portions are affixed on the hand-receiving portion. The soap/detergent-dispensing portion is replaceably affixed on the hand-receiving portion. The scrubbing/scouring portions selectively scrub/scour and the soap/detergent-dispensing portion selectively dispenses soap/detergent therefrom so as together allow the multi-function glove to be self-containing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The instant non-provisional patent application claims priority from provisional patent application No. 60/726,281, filed on Oct. 13, 2005, entitled RUBBER GLOVES PROVIDED WITH SCRUBBING/SCOURING AREAS AND MEANS FOR DISPENSING SOAP/DETERGENT, and incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     A. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The embodiments of the present invention relate to gloves, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing gloves.  
         [0004]     B. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Hand coverings, particularly gloves of rubber and plastics materials, are in widespread use today in a wide variety of tasks.  
         [0006]     For example, surgical gloves are used to reduce the risk of infection during surgery and other procedures performed on living bodies. It is important in these applications that manual dexterity of the user not be impeded, and as a result, gloves of this type are of relatively thin construction.  
         [0007]     Gloves have also been proposed to protect a user&#39;s hand from contact with chemicals, such as acids and caustic solutions. Gloves of this type are frequently used when carrying out work assignments, and thus, must be of fairly rugged construction in contrast to surgical gloves. It is important in these applications that the gloves restrict the user&#39;s manual dexterity as little as possible, although it is generally accepted that the range of motion will not be comparable with that possible with more delicate surgical gloves.  
         [0008]     Gloves have also been proposed for more specialized uses.  
         [0009]     Heretofore, waterproofed washing and scrubbing mitts have been used only to protect the user&#39;s hands from harsh detergents and other chemicals that are utilized in most cleaning operations. Typically, the user dons the wash mitts and then grasps a steel wool-like scouring pad to clean an intended item, such as a kitchen implement. This task can often prove cumbersome and daunting in that the scouring pad is difficult to retain within the user&#39;s hand due to the slippery, smooth quality of the rubber wash mitt.  
         [0010]     Numerous other innovations for gloves have been provided in the prior art. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they each differ in structure, and/or operation, and/or purpose from the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     Thus, an object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing gloves that avoid the disadvantages of the prior art.  
         [0012]     Briefly stated, another object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a multi-function glove, including a hand-receiving portion, scrubbing/scouring portions, and a soap/detergent-dispensing portion. The scrubbing/scouring portions are affixed on the hand-receiving portion. The soap/detergent-dispensing portion is replaceably affixed on the hand-receiving portion. The scrubbing/scouring portions selectively scrub/scour and the soap/detergent-dispensing portion selectively dispenses soap/detergent therefrom so as together allow the multi-function glove to be self-containing.  
         [0013]     The novel features which are considered characteristic of the embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The embodiments of the present invention themselves, however, both as to their construction and their method of operation together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The figures of the drawing are briefly described as follows:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic perspective view of the scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing gloves of the embodiments of the present invention in use; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged diagrammatic prospective view of a scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing glove of the embodiments of the present invention identified by ARROW  2  in  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWINGS  
       [0000]     A. General.  
         [0000]    
       
           10  scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing gloves of embodiments of present invention 
 
 B. Configuration. 
 
           12  hand-receiving portion for receiving hand (not shown) of user (not shown)  
           14  scrubbing/scouring portions for selectively scrubbing/scouring and disposing over pads (not shown) of digits (not shown) of hand (not shown) of user (not shown) so as not to interfere with bending of joints (not shown) of digits (not shown) of hand (not shown) of user (not shown)  
           16  soap/detergent-dispensing portion for selectively dispensing soap/detergent therefrom  
           18  digit-receiving portions of hand-receiving portion  12  for receiving digits (not shown) of hand (not shown) of user (not shown)  
           20  palm-engaging portion of hand-receiving portion  12  for engaging palm (not shown) of hand (not shown) of user (not shown)  
           22  inner-hand-facing surfaces of digit-receiving portions  18  of hand-receiving portion  12   
           24  inner-hand-facing surface of palm-engaging portion  20  of hand-receiving portion  12   
           26  pieces of hook portions of hook and loop fasteners of scrubbing/scouring portions  14   
           28  spongy pocket of soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16   
           30  one side of spongy pocket  28  of soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16   
           32  piece of loop portions of hook and loop fasteners forming one side  30  of spongy pocket  28  of soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16   
           34  other side of spongy pocket  28  of soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16   
           36  another piece of hook portions of hook and loop fasteners forming other side  34  of spongy pocket  28  of soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16   
           38  still another piece of hook portions of hook and loop fasteners of soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16   
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0000]     A. General.  
         [0032]     Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to  FIG. 1 , which is a diagrammatic perspective view of the scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing gloves of the embodiments of the present invention in use, the scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing gloves of the embodiments of the present invention are shown generally at  10 .  
         [0000]     B. The configuration.  
         [0033]     The configuration of a typical one of the scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing gloves  10  can best be seen in  FIG. 2 , which is an enlarged diagrammatic prospective view of a scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing glove of the embodiments of the present invention identified by ARROW  2  in  FIG. 1 , and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto.  
         [0034]     The scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing glove  10  comprises a hand-receiving portion  12 , scrubbing/scouring portions  14 , and a soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16 . The scrubbing/scouring portions  14  are affixed on the hand-receiving portion  12  and are for selectively scrubbing/scouring and the soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16  is replaceably affixed on the hand-receiving portion  12  and is for selectively dispensing soap/detergent therefrom so as together allow the scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing glove  10  to be self-containing.  
         [0035]     The hand-receiving portion  12  is for receiving a hand (not shown) of a user (not shown) and comprises digit-receiving portions  18  and a palm-engaging portion  20 . The digit-receiving portions  18  of the hand-receiving portion  12  are for receiving the digits (not shown) of the hand (not shown) of the user (not shown), and have inner-hand-facing surfaces  22 . The palm-engaging portion  20  of the hand-receiving portion  12  is for engaging the palm (not shown) of the hand (not shown) of the user (not shown), and has an inner-hand-facing surface  24 .  
         [0036]     The hand-receiving portion  12  is made of latex-free rubber.  
         [0037]     The scrubbing/scouring portions  14  are oval-shaped for fitting into small openings, affixed on the inner-hand-facing surfaces  22  of the digit-receiving portions  18  of the hand-receiving portion  12 , and are for disposing over the pads (not shown) of the digits (not shown) of the hand (not shown) of the user (not shown) so as not to interfere with bending of the joints (not shown) of the digits (not shown) of the hand (not shown) of the user (not shown).  
         [0038]     The soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16  is replaceably affixed on the inner-hand-facing surface  24  of the palm-engaging portion  20  of the hand-receiving portion  12 .  
         [0039]     The scrubbing/scouring portions  14  are pieces of hook portions  26  of hook and loop fasteners affixed to the inner-hand-facing surfaces  22  of the digit-receiving portions  18  of the hand-receiving portion  12 .  
         [0040]     The soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16  is a spongy pocket  28  for selectively dispensing the soap/detergent and is formed on one side  30  thereof by a piece of loop portions  32  of the hook and loop fasteners and on the other side  34  thereof by another piece of hook portions  36  of the hook and loop fasteners that is perforated.  
         [0041]     The spongy pocket  28  of the soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16  is replaceably affixed to the inner-hand-facing surface  24  of the palm-engaging portion  20  of the hand-receiving portion  12  by still another piece of hook portions  38  of the hook and loop fasteners that is affixed on the inner-hand-facing surface  24  of the palm-engaging portion  20  of the hand-receiving portion  12  and that selectively engage with the piece of loop portions  32  of the hook and loop fasteners of the one side  30  of the spongy pocket  28  of the soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16 .  
         [0042]     The still another piece of hook portions  38  of the hook and loop fasteners affixed on the inner-hand-facing surface  24  of the palm-engaging portion  20  of the hand-receiving portion  12  assists the scrubbing/scouring portions  14  when the spongy pocket  28  of the soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16  is removed from the inner-hand-facing surface  24  of the palm-engaging portion  20  of the hand-receiving portion  12 , with the soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16  providing separate scrubbing/scouring.  
         [0043]     The another piece of hook portions  36  of the hook and loop fasteners of the other side  34  of the spongy pocket  28  of the soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16  also assists the scrubbing/scouring portions  14  when the spongy pocket  28  of the soap/detergent-dispensing portion  16  is on the inner-hand-facing surface  24  of the palm-engaging portion  20  of the hand-receiving portion  12 .  
         [0000]     C. Conclusions.  
         [0044]     It will be understood that each of the elements described above or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.  
         [0045]     While the embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described as embodied in scrubbing/scouring-providing and soap/detergent-dispensing gloves, however, they are not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions, and changes in the forms and details of the embodiments of the present invention illustrated and their operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0046]     Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the embodiments of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of the embodiments of the present invention.