Abstract:
The invention relates to a glove, especially a disposable glove. Said glove comprises at least two plastic films ( 6, 7 ) of substantially the same dimensions that are firmly linked with each other at least in the lateral marginal zones ( 8 ), thereby defining the inner ( 10 ) and the outer ( 9 ) face of the glove and leaving free a glove opening ( 11 ). Said glove is further characterized by an absorbing exterior layer ( 12 ) that is applied on the outer surface that pertains to the back of the hand and/or the inner surface that permits to the palm.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to gloves, especially disposable gloves, as are used for example in fueling or in checking a dipstick. 
     Such disposable gloves are known and consist only of plastic. They are made available for example at filling stations sheet size and dispensed from a roll, in order to enable the customer of the filling station to comfortably carry out simple activities on the vehicle, such as fueling or measuring the oil level. In doing so the paper or the mat is used to clean the hands after fueling or to wipe the dipstick before measuring the oil level. 
     In the known disposable gloves however it is disadvantageous that they are made of plastic. If accordingly oil or gasoline end up on the glove, it is possible to become dirty when handling the gasoline or benzine. Moreover, in addition to the gloves, the used paper or mat must also be disposed of; this is not desirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Proceeding from the above described defects and deficiencies, the object of this invention is to develop these gloves, especially these disposable gloves, simply and in a manner which is economical to manufacture, such that thus dirty activities, for example wiping the dipstick, are also possible without using separate paper. 
     This object is achieved as claimed in the invention according to the teaching of the invention by a glove, especially by a disposable glove, 
     with at least two essentially congruent plastic films which at least on the lateral edge areas are joined to one another securely with the formation of an outside and an inside and leaving a glove opening, and 
     with at least one absorbent outside layer which is applied externally to the outside which can be assigned to the outside surface of the hand and/or to the inside which can be assigned to the inside surface of the hand. 
     Accordingly, as claimed in the invention a glove is made available which is externally provided on its outside, but preferably only on its inside, with an effectively superabsorbent outside layer of paper or (paper) mat. This paper or mat layer can be kept very thin so that considerable material can be saved; according to the prior art this material is necessary in a paper or mat dispenser. 
     In one advantageous development of this invention the absorbent outside layer can be statically charged, especially electrostatically charged and/or magnetostatically charged so that the glove is advantageously also suited for wiping dirt, since by using an outside layer material with high static charging capacity the dirt collects especially easily on the outside layer. This takes place especially efficiently when the outside layer has iron shavings in powdered form. 
     In order to reliably prevent formation of disease-causing germs or the like when this invention is used as a cosmetic glove and/or as a medical glove, the outside layer according to one preferred embodiment of this invention has at least one disinfecting and/or germicidal additive, for example in the form of a disinfectant which can be delivered as an additive to the outside layer. One major advantage in this connection is that these disinfectant and/or germicidal additives can be metered very exactly, and for example ground spices in the (paper) mat material can be imagined. 
     It is a good idea if the absorbent outside layer, as was mentioned above, has paper or mat and if the plastic film is bondable and/or sealable; preferably the plastic film consists of polyethylene (PE), which material offers the advantage that under certain assumptions it can be permeable to air, but not to liquid; in contrast, polypropylene (PP) can be permeable to liquid when certain conditions prevail, but not to air. 
     According to one advantageous development of this invention at least one of the plastic. films is microperforated at least in places. In this way a glove which can to a certain extent breathe is made available since the plastic films do not allow any liquid exchange, but very probably air exchange; this has the positive effect that unpleasant sweating of the hand in the glove can be avoided. 
     The essentially congruent plastic films can preferably be made roughly rectangular in a plan view. The plastic films are easily formed from a plastic web which extends in the lengthwise direction and which is folded in the form of a hose, the fold edge which extends in the lengthwise direction forming the top of the glove in the area of the fingertips of the hand which has been inserted therein and the two edges opposite the fold edge forming the glove opening; the gloves are accordingly transversely next to one another. 
     According to one especially inventive development of this glove, the two edges which are opposite the fold edge and which form the glove opening can be arranged offset to one another. In this way especially comfortable insertion of the hand into the glove is enabled, since the user of the glove can optionally compensate for the fact that the two plastic films may adhere to one another by his easily grasping the projecting edge and gently pulling the two plastic films apart. 
     As a result, moreover in the area of the fold edge there need not be a bond seam or seal seam; this simplifies production of the glove. Only on the lateral edge areas are the congruent plastic films feasibly joined to one another by cementing and/or by bonding and/or by sealing. The gloves can however advantageously be turned at a right angle, moreover can be formed in succession from the plastic web. 
     In one feasible embodiment, instead of a roughly rectangular interior or also an interior which is roughly round or at least rounded for the hand, the glove can have at least in areas at least one bond or seal seam which runs at a distance from the side edge areas and/or from the fold edge, in the form of a fingered glove (with up to six receiving areas for the finger, but also with receiving areas in which two or more fingers can be accommodated next to one another at the same time) or in the form of a mitten; in this way the glove is made to have a better grip and to be easier to handle. 
     Advantageously the bond or seal seam in a plan view can have a thumb section for holding the thumb on both sides of the finger area. Thus gloves for the left hand and gloves for the right hand need not be produced separately; rather each glove can be worn on the left and right such that the absorbent outside layer is assigned to the inside of the glove. 
     Furthermore, in one feasible embodiment of this invention it is intended that for the two congruent plastic films there be at least one other congruent plastic film on the side opposite the outside layer, this other plastic film being connected at least to the adjacent plastic film via another bond or seal seam which runs with a distance from the bond or the seal seam in the form of a fingered glove or in the form of a mitten, but essentially parallel thereto. 
     The latter bond or seal seam should take up a larger area than the former bond or seal seam, by which between two adjacent congruent plastic films at a time a glove is formed, but with a different size. Thus the gloves can be easily used for quite large hands and also for quite small hands without adversely affecting the comfort of use. 
     There are preferably two or more disposable gloves in the lengthwise direction of the plastic web depending on the arrangement on the plastic web next to one another or in succession, and the individual gloves can be easily separated by at least one linear perforation which runs transversely to the lengthwise direction. Thus the gloves as claimed in the invention can be unrolled in the lengthwise direction and can be dispensed individually by means of a dispenser. 
     If the glove as claimed in this invention is to be developed especially advantageously, it is recommended that in the area of the glove opening there be at least one locking closure with at least one fixing or closing strip which extends essentially transversely to the insertion direction of the hand. Preferably therefore at least one fixing or closing strip is formed which is located in the area of the so-called “turnback” of the glove and with which the glove opening can be closed after insertion of the hand into the glove. 
     On the one hand, there is no additional material cost associated with the arrangement of the locking closure in the area of the glove opening, i.e. in the turnback area, because the material which is necessary for the locking closure is made available anyway by the plastic film(s) and on the other hand would only be scrap; on the other hand, by providing the locking closure and the resulting closing function in the area of the glove opening, the hand is reliably prevented from slipping out of the glove since the turnback area which may otherwise tend to uncontrolled flapping and under unfavorable conditions in the extreme case to unwanted incipient tearing, i.e. the area of the glove opening, can be fixed and closed by the locking closure. 
     In one special embodiment the fixing or closing strip has two ends, preferably one end being provided on one side of the glove opening and the other end being provided on the other side of the glove opening. An especially good closing action with reference to the glove opening is achieved when one end can be turned down onto the other end and when the ends can be detachably secured to one another. 
     In this connection it is recommended that one end be made as a receiving part which has at least one clear opening area and the other end be made as an-insertion part which is provided for insertion into the opening area and which is matched to the opening area. Feasibly then the insertion part can be turned down onto the receiving part and can be detachably secured to the receiving part by the insertion part being inserted into the receiving part which has the opening area and thus being detachably secured to the receiving part. 
     The above described locking and fixing principle functions for the area of the glove opening to be closed for example in a preferable manner when the receiving part is located on one side of the glove opening and when the insertion part is located on the other side of the glove opening. In this constellation it is reliably guaranteed that the insertion part can be turned down onto the receiving part and can be detachably secured to the receiving part. 
     Alternatively or in addition, the fixing or the closing strip can be knotted and/or tied and/or can be detachably secured by means of cement or by means of at least one adhesive spot or by means of at least one adhesive strip or by means of a tape. 
     According to one especially inventive development of this invention, on the outside there is at least one carrier strip. This carrier strip on the one hand has a stabilizing function, especially when the gloves as claimed in the invention are unrolled in the lengthwise direction and are delivered individually by means of a dispensing device; on the other hand, the carrier strip can also be used as a holder for the glove, especially when there is carrier strip in a material-saving manner instead of the plastic film which forms the outside. 
     In the latter case the hand of the user is inserted between the carrier strip and the plastic film which forms the inside, i.e. the carrier strip then acts to a certain extent as a holding strip or a holding device which is pulled over the back of the hand. In this connection an especially advantageous function is ensured when there are two carrier strips which are located roughly parallel to one another. 
     Other embodiments, features and advantages of this invention are described below in the drawings using FIGS. 1 to  5  which illustrate two embodiments of these gloves in sample form. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows a host of disposable gloves which are located next to one another transversely in the lengthwise direction according to a first embodiment, in a perspective schematic; 
     FIG. 2 shows a representation along the section line II—II from FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 shows a representation along the section line III—III from FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 shows a host of disposable gloves which are located next to one another transversely in the lengthwise direction according to a second embodiment, in a perspective schematic; and 
     FIG. 5 shows a representation along the section line V—V from FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 shows a cros-sectional view of another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 labels the disposable gloves according to a first embodiment of this invention with reference number  5 . They have two congruent plastic films  6 ,  7  which are rectangular in a plan view and which are joined to one another securely by cementing or by bonding or by sealing in the edge areas  8  with the formation of an outside (back side)  9  and an inside (palm side)  10 , leaving a glove opening  11 . 
     Furthermore, the glove  5  as claimed in the invention is provided on the inside  10  externally with an absorbent outside layer  12  which consists of paper (mat). The plastic films  6 ,  7  are conversely made of polyethylene (PE) and are microperforated so that a glove  5  which can to a certain extent breathe is made available which allows air exchange; this has the positive consequence that unpleasant sweating of the hand in the glove  5  can be prevented. 
     The congruent plastic films  6 ,  7  are formed from a plastic web which extends in the lengthwise direction  13  and which is folded in the form of a hose, the folded edge  14  which extends in the lengthwise direction  13  forming the top of the glove  5  in the area of the fingertips and the two edges  15 ,  16  which lie opposite the fold edge  14  forming the glove opening  11 . 
     As can be taken from FIG. 2 (=representation along the section line II—II from FIG. 1) the two edges  15 ,  16  which form the glove opening  11  and which lie opposite the fold edge  14  are arranged offset to one another. In this way especially comfortable insertion of the hand into the glove  5  is enabled, since the user of the glove  5  can optionally compensate for the fact that the two plastic films  6 ,  7  may adhere to one another by his grasping the projecting edge  16  and gently pulling the two plastic films  6 ,  7  apart. 
     The congruent plastic films  6 ,  7  which are joined to one another on the lateral edge areas  8  by bonding or by sealing furthermore have in areas a seal seam  17  which runs at a distance from the edge areas  8  and/or from the fold edge  14 , in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to  3  in the form of a mitten. 
     As FIG. 1 shows, there is a host of disposable gloves  5  next to one another in the lengthwise direction  13  of the plastic web, which can be easily separated by one linear perforation  18  at a time which runs essengially at a right angle to the lengthwise direction  13 , but are still joined to one another. 
     As FIGS. 1 to  3  further show, on the outside  9  of the glove  5  there are two carrier strips  23   a ,  23   b  which are located parallel to one another. These carrier strips  23   a ,  23   b  on the one hand have a stabilizing function, especially when the gloves  5  are unrolled in the lengthwise direction  13  (compare FIGS. 1 and 2) and are delivered individually by means of a dispensing device; on the other hand, the carrier strips  23   a ,  23   b  can also be used as a holder for the glove  5 , and in an inventive manner also such that there is or are a carrier strip  23  or carrier strips  23   a ,  23   b  instead of the plastic film  6  which forms the outside  9  (see FIG.  6 ). 
     In the latter case the hand of the user is inserted between the carrier strips  23   a ,  23   b  and the plastic film  7  which forms the inside  10 , i.e. the carrier strips  23   a ,  23   b  then act as holding strips which are pulled over the back of the hand. 
     In the second embodiment which is alternative to FIGS. 1 to  3 , in contrast to the first embodiment in which the gloves  5  are arranged horizontally crosswise next to one another, the gloves  50  are arranged in succession horizontally in the lengthwise direction  13 . Here the top of the glove  50  which is adjacent to the fingertips is provided with a seal seam  8  which runs transversely to the lengthwise direction  13 . Parallel to this seal seam  8 , but on the side facing away from the top of the glove  50  there is a linear perforation  18  which forms the glove opening  11  upon separation. 
     As follows from FIG. 4, the seal seam  17  of the glove  50  in a plan view on both sides of the finger area (defined by the little finger, ring finger, middle finger and index finger) has a thumb section  51  which is used to accommodate the thumb and moreover a glove  50  which is to a certain extent mirror-symmetrical with respect to the lengthwise direction  13 . 
     It furthermore follows from FIG. 4 that in the area of the glove opening  11  there is a locking closure with a fixing or closing strip  19  which extends transversely to the insertion direction of the hand. This fixing or closing strip  19  has two ends  19   a ,  19   b , one end  19   a  being on the side of the glove opening  11  which is the left side in FIG.  4  and the other end  19   b  being on the side of the glove opening  11  which is the right side in FIG.  4 . 
     On the one hand, there is no additional material cost associated with providing this fixing or closing strip  19  which is located in the area of the so-called “turnback” of the glove  50  and with which the glove opening  11  can be closed after insertion of the hand into the glove  50 , because the material which is necessary for the fixing or closing strip  19  is made available anyway by the plastic films  6  and  7  and otherwise would only be scrap; on the other hand, by providing the fixing or closing strip  19  and the resulting closing function in the area of the glove opening  11  the hand is reliably prevented from slipping out of the glove  50  since the turnback area which may otherwise tend to uncontrolled flapping and under unfavorable conditions in the extreme case to unwanted incipient tearing, i.e. the area of the glove opening  11 , can be fixed and closed by the fixing or closing strip  19 . 
     In the special embodiment of FIG. 4 one end  19   a  is on the side of the glove opening  11  which is the left side in FIG.  4  and the other end  19   b  is on the side of the glove opening  11  which is the right side in FIG.  4 . An especially good closing action with reference to the glove opening  11  can be achieved here by the fact that one end  19   a  can be turned down onto the other end  19   b  and that the two ends  19   a ,  19   b  can be detachably secured to one another by means of two adhesive strips which are protected against fouling first of all by silicone-treated coverings. 
     In addition, FIG. 5 shows in cross section that on the side of the glove  50  which is opposite the electrostatically chargeable outer layer  12  which is provided with a disinfecting additive, another congruent plastic film  20  with another seal seam  21  which encloses a larger area than the seal seam  17 , but which runs at a distance to the latter to a certain extent parallel, is applied to the two congruent plastic films  6 ,  7 . This yields another glove which is produced in one process with a glove opening  52 , this glove being made larger than the glove formed by the two congruent plastic films  6 ,  7 . 
     To impart stability of shape to the glove  50 , outside the area of the seal seam  17  (compare the first embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 to  3 ) or outside the other seal seam  21  (compare the second embodiment as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) there are stabilization connections  22  which are made as seal seams in the second embodiment shown. 
     FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment in which the outside layer  12  is applied externally only to the inside or palm side  10 . 
     Thus, the area of the parts which are rectangular in a plan view, and which can be separated along the perforation  18 , i.e. the area which remains outside the actual glove  5  or  50 , is stable and is not disruptive when the globe  5  or  50  is being used.