Patent Number: 055481256
Section: claims

1. A radiation protective glove for surgical and medical use comprising a layer of flexible polymer containing at least 25-90% by volume of particulate tungsten material and having a radiation absorbing capacity equivalent to that of at least 0.13 mm thickness of lead said layer of the glove being of a thickness of 0.1 to 1.3 mm and being sufficiently flexible to enable the wearer to bend finger portions of the glove without undue force, to hold instruments, and to obtain a sense of touch and feel through the walls of the glove. 2. A radiation protective glove according to claim 1 having radiation absorbing capacity equivalent to that of 0.13 mm thickness of lead. 3. A glove as claimed in claim 1 in which the polymer is an elastomeric polymer. 4. A glove as claimed in claims 3 in which the elastomeric polymer comprises an ethylene propylene or ethylene propylene diene copolymer. 5. A glove as claimed in claim 4 in which the elastomeric polymer contains up to 50% by weight of hydrocarbon plasticiser. 6. A glove as claimed in claim 1 which has a radiation capacity equivalent to that of at least 0.25 mm thickness of lead. 7. A glove as claimed in claim 1 which has a radiation capacity equivalent to that of at least 0.35 mm thickness of lead. 8. A glove as claimed in claim 1 in which the polymer layer has a thickness of 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm. 9. A glove as claimed in claim 1 which in the polymer layer contains 30% to 60% by volume of particulate tungsten material. 10. A glove as claimed in claim 1 which is capable of absorbing at least 85% of the incident radiation generated at voltages of 60 to 100 kVp. 11. A glove as claimed in claim 1 which is capable of absorbing at least 90% of the incident radiation generated at voltages of 60 to 100 kVp. 12. A glove as claimed in claim 1 which is capable of absorbing at least 95% of the incident radiation generated at voltages of 60 to 100 kVp. 13. A process for forming a flexible radiation protective glove for surgical and medical use having a radiation absorbing capacity equivalent to that of at least 0.13 mm thickness of lead which comprises forming the glove from a polymer composition comprising a flexible polymer and containing at least 25-90% by volume of a particulate tungsten material, said glove being sufficiently flexible to enable the wearer to bend finger portions of the glove without undue force, to hold instruments, and to obtain a sense of touch and feel through the walls of the glove, and wherein said wall of the glove has a thickness of 0.1 to 1.3 mm. 14. A process as claimed in claim 11 in which the forming step comprises a moulding step.