Abstract:
A glove to be used during food preparation procedures, configured such that the digital portion, the thumb and at least one finger, is separated out from the palmar portion of the glove, which also contains an edge thereon simulating the function of a spatula. The configuration allows full use of the thumb and at least the index finger, along with the edge portion, facilitating the food preparation process while obtaining the health benefits associated with a glove.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a novel glove apparatus for use in food preparation and the manufacture of the glove, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a novel glove containing a digital portion, a palmar portion and an edge portion. The edge portion of the novel glove apparatus is located on the glove apparatus and is configured to emulate the functions of a spatula or a spoon, i.e., to facilitate scooping of food materials.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    In order to simplify the food preparation process, especially the function of mixing of ingredients, it is easier for the person preparing the food to use his or her hands instead of a spoon or other utensil. However, although using ones hands may facilitate the food preparation process, it also increases the chance of contamination when germs and bacteria, that may not have been properly cleaned off of the hands, are transferred to the food. Those germs and bacteria, when ingested, may cause sickness or, in some cases, even death.  
           [0003]    In order to reduce the chance of contamination, people who prepare food wear gloves. Gloves for use in food preparation have been in existence for many years. In general, gloves allow the person preparing the food to handle the food without actually touching it, thereby decreasing the chance of the food becoming contaminated from the person preparing the food. Since the use of gloves has become more commonplace, the percentage of individuals becoming sick due to this type of contamination has decreased.  
           [0004]    In many places, laws and regulations have been enacted that require anyone preparing food items to wear a glove or gloves during the food preparation. Thus, gloves have become a necessary item used during food preparation.  
           [0005]    Another item that is utilized to facilitate certain procedures in the food preparation industry is the spatula. A spatula is usually made of a hardened plastic or rubber that is somewhat pliable, and is usually attached to a handle or stick. The handle is usually made of wood or metal. Because the plastic or rubber portion of the spatula can bend, the spatula forms to the container and makes more contact with the container then, for example, a spoon. It is thus easier to mix ingredients using a spatula then a spoon.  
           [0006]    In many instances, mixing ingredients during food preparation occurs in a bowl or some other container. A person preparing the food will use a spatula to more thoroughly mix or scoop the food items or ingredients in that bowl or container. For example, it is easier to mix eggs and flour in a bowl using a spatula then it is to mix the same mixture using a spoon. Further, it is easier to scoop the entire mixture out of the bowl once the mixing has been completed.  
           [0007]    However, when a person preparing food wears gloves and uses a spatula, the food preparation time is increased. This is because there are many instances during the food preparation when it is necessary to use a spatula and many times when it is necessary to use one&#39;s hands. Thus, the person preparing the food is continually picking up and putting down the spatula. Although the time for each of these actions is minimal, when a person preparing food does this hundreds or thousands of times each day the total time accumulates.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,467, issued to Hoodes, describes a hand held utensil that contains a blade with an arcuate working edge and radially spaced concave and convex surfaces, in an attempt to create an ergonomically designed grip. The principle behind the Hoodes designed utensil is to allow the user to apply a greater force than can be applied for instance, by a standard ice cream scoop. Hoodes does not address the inefficiency problems inherent with using gloves and a spatula-type device.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,191, issued to Benz, describes a pair of hand held scoops which are provided for gathering loose materials such as leaves, grass cuttings, etc. The Benz device attaches to the hand but does not indicate contamination concerns since the scoops were not intended to be used with food product.  
           [0010]    U.S. Design Patent No. Des. 258,625, issued to Sheridan, discloses a heat-protective arm and hand glove for hot food service. The Sheridan glove is intended for hot food service and does not describe nor show an attached edge portion for preparation of hot and cold food.  
           [0011]    Although there are many gloves and spatulas for use in the food preparation industry in the prior art, none possess all of the advantages of the present invention.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention combines the safety and health benefits associated with utilizing a glove or gloves during the preparation of food items, along with the functional benefits of using a spatula during said food preparation. The present invention greatly simplifies and decreases the time for preparing certain food items, especially the mixing of ingredients and the scooping of food items out of a bowl or container.  
           [0013]    The present invention is a modified glove to be used during food preparation procedures. The glove is configured such that the thumb and at least one finger are separated out from the “mitten” or palmar portion of the glove. This area of the glove, containing the thumb and at least one finger is the finger or digital portion. This configuration allows the person preparing the food items to have full use of his or her thumb and at least the index finger. Having the use of these two digits makes food preparation easier than if the glove was configured similar to a mitten.  
           [0014]    The glove of the present invention is also modified such that the remaining fingers, usually the remaining three fingers referred to as the middle finger, the ring finger and the pinkie, are all placed into the mitten or palmar portion of the glove. Using two or three fingers for the palmar portion of the glove increases the scooping ability of the person preparing the food items. Although two or three fingers are contemplated herein, one finger, the pinkie, can be used in the present invention and still effect the functions of the invention.  
           [0015]    Further, a material that is usually harder than the rest of the glove material, is located at the bottom of the palmar portion, near the pinkie, running approximately parallel to the pinkie. This material is configured to act as an edge or spatula at the end of the glove. By placing a spatula onto the modified glove, the person preparing the food item can utilize the spatula on the glove for mixing and scooping without the constant need to put down or pick up a separate spatula.  
           [0016]    As described above, the finger or digit portion can contain the thumb and at least one finger. The palmar portion can contain the remaining fingers. And the spatula or edge portion is located at the bottom or the pinkie area of the glove. The person preparing the food can have the same or similar safety and health benefits of a glove, along with the same or similar benefits of the spatula function, all in one. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a front view of a glove apparatus for use in food preparation embodying the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a side view of a glove apparatus for use in food preparation embodying the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a view of a glove apparatus for use in food preparation embodying the present invention as the invention is used to mix or scoop food items;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a side view of a glove apparatus for use in food preparation embodying the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a front view of a glove apparatus for use in food preparation embodying the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    [0022]FIGS. 1 and 2 show the front view of a glove apparatus  10  for use in the food preparation industry. The glove can be manufactured using many different materials, such as a polyvinyl elastomer, thermoplastic elastomer, a natural rubber, or silicone. Each of these materials has been approved by the National Safety Foundation (NSF). Each has certain advantages over the other materials, for instance, silicone can be used in situations where heat up to 500 degrees (or higher) is to be used, such as the preparation of sauces and the like. However, other materials, which are known in the art, may be used in the manufacturing process of the present invention.  
         [0023]    The glove  10  contains a finger or digital portion  12 , a palmar portion  14 , and a spatula or edge portion  16 . The glove  10  is the approximate size of a standard glove that is intended to cover the human hand. Since human hands are different sizes, the glove may be manufactured in different sizes. The gloves can also be color coded such that the size will be known by merely looking at the glove  10 .  
         [0024]    The glove  10  may also contain a wrist portion  18 . Depending on the usage of the glove  10 , a wrist portion  18  may be manufactured at the time that the rest of the glove  10  is manufactured. The wrist portion  18  would act to protect the wrist, and some of the arm above the wrist, from making contact with the food item.  
         [0025]    When the glove  10  is manufactured, the digital portion  12 , palmar portion  14 , and if used, the wrist portion  18 , should form a seamless construction as found on many gloves used in the food industry. However, depending on the manufacturing method, certain portions of the glove  10  may be manufactured at different times, and in some cases there may be seems located on the gloves. Further, to the extent that different materials are used for different portions of the glove  10 , there may be a seem where the different materials meet. These seems do not affect the overall function of the glove  10  of the present invention.  
         [0026]    The finger or digital portion  12  of the glove  10  is manufactured such that the thumb, and at least one other finger can be placed into the digital portion  12 . In the preferred embodiment, the digital portion  12  is manufactured and configured to accept the thumb and the index finger of the human hand. This configuration allows the person wearing the glove to be able to use the thumb in conjunction with the index finger to access food items and utensils. In configurations where the index finger is not available, such as a mitten type arrangement, it can be difficult for the person wearing the glove to pick up food items or utensils.  
         [0027]    The palmar portion  14  of the glove  10  is manufactured and configured such that any fingers not inserted into the digital portion  12  are inserted into the palmar portion  14 . It is easy to understand that, since there is no where else for the fingers to be placed besides the digital portion  12  or the palmar portion  14 , depending on how many fingers (along with the thumb) are placed into the digital portion  12 , the remaining fingers will be inserted into the palmar portion  14 .  
         [0028]    The glove apparatus  10  may contain an insert or lining  20  (shown in cutaway in FIG. 1), which is either manufactured inside the digital portion  12  and the palmar portion  14 , or assembled after the digital portion  12  and palmar portion  14  are manufactured. In either event, the insert  20  acts to insulate or protect the person wearing the glove  10  from the food items that the glove  10  comes in contact with. The insert  20  also increases the safety of the wearer and makes the glove  10  more comfortable to wear.  
         [0029]    The insert or liner  20  is manufactured from a textile, such as fabric, cotton, nylon, polyester or a textile flock. One having ordinary skill in the art would be able to find other materials that could be used as the insert or lining  20  with the same resulting benefits. In most instances, the insert  20  should be made from materials that are fire resistant or retardant.  
         [0030]    The spatula or edge portion  16  of the glove  10  is attached to the bottom of the palmar portion  14 , near the area where the pinkie finger would normally be found. The length of the edge portion  16  can vary depending on the intended use and the size of the user&#39;s hand, preferably the edge portion  16  will run from the wrist portion  18 , along the bottom of the palmar portion  14 , and curve up along where the palmar portion covers the other fingers. Shorter and longer edge portions  16  are contemplated. The edge portion  16 , which is located on the outside of the palmar portion  14 , can be curved to enhance the mixing and scooping capabilities inherent therein. It can be understood that the edge portion  16  is configured to approximate the edge of a spatula. This configuration allows the person wearing the glove  10  to use the edge portion  16  as a spatula when mixing or scooping is to be accomplished.  
         [0031]    The edge portion  16  is manufactured from material that is usually more rigid than the material used for the digital portion  12  and the palmar portion  14 . Such materials used in the manufacturing process of the edge or spatula portion  16  include silicone, expanded plastic foam or white neoprene, although other materials as described above are contemplated. Alternatively, a metal edge portion  16  can be utilized for food preparation or for other applications.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 shows the gloves  10  of the present invention as used in the food industry. The gloves  10  contain the digital portion  12 , palmar portion  14 , and an edge portion  16 . When a food item  22  is placed in a bowl  24 , the person wearing the gloves  10  will have an easier time picking up the food item  22  by using the edge portion  16  of the glove  10 . The edge portion  16  will make more contact with the bowl  24  than a standard glove (not shown), or a hand without a glove.  
         [0033]    The glove  10  acts as a spatula or scraper would work in conjunction with a bowl  24 , while allowing the user to pick up utensils and other food products using the digital portion  12  of the glove  10 . Meanwhile, the user is wearing a glove  10  thereby reducing the risk of contamination to the food item  22 , as described above.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 4 shows a side view of the glove  10 , and includes some preferred dimensions of the glove  10 , including preferred radii and degrees, pertaining to the edge portion  16  and the flexibility pf the glove  10 . The wrist portion  18  is preferably 8″, to protect the wrist of the user. Other dimensions can be incorporated with similar results.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 5 shows the glove  10  of the present invention from a front view along with certain preferred dimensions including various angles. Again, those angles pertain to the flexibility of the glove, and can be varied and still obtain the benefits of the invention described herein.  
         [0036]    There are many different ways to manufacture the glove  10  of the present invention. These methods include one-step processes such as rotational molding, injection molding utilizing an injection press and blow molding. One having ordinary skill in the art would understand how to apply these processes to manufacture the present invention.  
         [0037]    Under the preferred method of manufacturing the glove  10  of the present invention, a nylon glove liner (if used) is placed over a mold core. The mold core may be the shape of a human hand, thus each finger of the glove will fit over a mold finger on the mold core. As described above, the liner can be a myriad of materials including cotton, nylon or textile flock. The liner serves many purposes. Initially, the liner facilitates the efficiency of the manufacturing process by allowing the simplified removal of the molded glove from the mold core after the initial molding process. The liner also acts as a protective coating between the hand and the glove material itself, such as silicone, etc. The liner adds to the user&#39;s comfort level while providing additional protection for the user&#39;s hand. Of course, the use of a liner is not necessary to the present invention and thus can be eliminated from the manufacturing process.  
         [0038]    Once placed on the mold core, an injection press is cycled to close the mold with the glove on the core. The injection press then injects silicone rubber (or one of the other materials as described above) into the mold area covering the glove liner outer surface taking on the shape of the mold, which as described above is the shape of the human hand with a spatula edge. The press is then opened and the finished glove containing the liner and the finished molded silicone rubber is removed from the mold core and cured.  
         [0039]    In a two-step molding process where a second color is intended for the spatula edge, once the molded glove is cured, the glove is placed onto a second mold core. The injection press is closed and the colored silicone is injected into the press such that the colored silicone will adhere to the molded glove only in certain designated areas. The preferred area to be color-coded is the edge portion of the molded glove. The color-coding can be for a multitude of reasons, however, in the preferred embodiment, the edge portion is color coded to indicate the different sizes of the particular gloves. For example, a blue edge portion may indicate a large-size glove, while a red edge portion may indicate a small-size glove and a green edge portion may indicate a medium-size glove. Of course there are many colors that can be used for the edge portion, and the entire glove can be color coded such that only a one-step manufacturing process need be used to obtain the same results.  
         [0040]    It can be seen that the present invention provides a glove for use in food preparation, which is capable providing the health, and safety benefits of a glove, along with the functional benefits of a spatula. Various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of parts: equivalent means may be substituted for those illustrated and described; and certain features may be used independently from others without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.