Abstract:
An apparatus for removing a glove from a hand and retaining it in position includes a housing and a pair of self-facing arcuate members disposed on the inside thereof of opposite side walls of the housing. A plurality of downward facing bristles are attached to a lower portion of each of the arcuate members that are disposed in close proximity to each other. When a gloved hand is inserted into the device in a downward directions the arcuate members flex in toward the side walls to accommodate the gloved hand and the bristles allow for easy downward passage. When the hand is then withdrawn in an upward direction, the arcuate members force the bristles to bear into the glove preventing the glove from being extracted in an upward direction. Accordingly, the glove is retained in the device as the hand is pulled upward out from the device. Foam spacers provide additional force to urge the arcuate members toward the glove.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention, in general relates to tools and, more particularly, to devices that remove and secure gloves and mittens. 
     There are numerous situations when a person who is wearing gloves (or mittens) has need to remove one or both of them for a period of time. Often, working with a glove or mitten does not afford a sufficient amount of dexterity and the use of the fingers and hands, unencumbered by the glove or mitten, is needed. Sometimes only one of the gloves or mittens must be removed. At other times both of them must be removed. 
     Usually, the glove or mitten is removed and placed on a table, in a coat pocket, or on the ground. Later, when the task is finished, the user may forget to reclaim the glove or mitten or it may become lost among other items. As such, the user finds that he has lost one or both of his gloves. Missing one of a pair of gloves renders the other useless, and so the loss is total. 
     Even when the location of the glove or mitten is known, the need to have it readily accessible for wear and quickly removable when needed is desirable. For example, a house painter may be applying caulking from a caulking gun. He may frequently need to remove a glove from one hand when he wishes to use a finger to smooth the caulk bead, for example, around a window pane. 
     The user, in this instance, does not want to have to store the glove in a coat pocket each time it is not needed and then remove it every time it is required for use. Neither does he want to leave it behind and have to retrace his steps to reclaim it. 
     Furthermore, there are many instances when the user cannot even use one of his hands to assist in removing the glove from the remaining hand. If, for example, the house painter is using one hand to hold himself secure to a ladder, he takes a risk if he releases his secure hold of the ladder to free up both hands, one hand from which the glove is to be removed and the other hand to aid in removing the glove. 
     A device that permits a user to remove a glove from his hand without using the other hand is needed. The glove that is being removed may be soiled, contaminated, covered with wet paint, or have a toxic substance on it. The user may wish to avoid any physical contact with the glove that is being removed. A surgeon, for example, may need to change protective gloves without compromising the sterility of his hands. Therefore, he cannot remove one glove (using the other gloved-hand) and then remove the remaining glove with his ungloved hand. 
     Similarly, a worker involved with toxic substance cleanup may not wish to touch a contaminated glove in order to remove it from his hand. Furthermore, the contaminated glove must be retained for later disposal. It cannot simply be tossed in the trash for disposal at a land fill. Therefore, the glove must be retained by the worker for a later, safe disposal. 
     Furthermore, there is vast range in the sizes of gloves and mittens. The material they are formed from, their intended use, and the size of the hand greatly affect the size, and therefore the thickness, of the glove or mitten. For example, large welding gloves intended to fit a large man&#39;s hand will tend to be heavy, large, and thick whereas a gardening glove designed for use by a woman having small hands will tend to be much lighter and thinner. Accordingly, it is desirable to be able to readily remove and retain gloves or mittens of vastly different sizes. 
     Accordingly, there exists today a need for a glove retaining device that is adapted to secure a glove or mitten and which permits removal of the glove or mitten without using the remaining hand. 
     Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Gloves and mittens are, in general, known. Devices to secure articles of clothing are known, for example, coat hangers. The only known prior art to secure a glove or a mitten is a simulated hand, such as the hand of a mannequin, commonly found at department and clothing stores. While the structural arrangements of the above described devices, at first appearance, may have some distant similarities with the present invention, they differ in profound and material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a glove retaining device that is adapted to retain a glove or a mitten therein. 
     It is also an important object of the invention to provide a glove retaining device that is adapted to retain a plurality of gloves or mittens therein. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a glove retaining device that is adapted to receive a hand that has a glove or mitten covering it. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a glove retaining device that is adapted to receive a hand that has a glove or mitten covering it and to retain the glove or mitten when the hand is removed from the device. 
     Still yet another object of the invention is to provide a glove retaining device that is adapted to receive a hand that has a glove or mitten covering it and to remove the glove or mitten from the hand when the hand is removed from the device. 
     Yet another important object of the invention is to provide a glove retaining device that is adapted to attach to a belt or clip onto a pair of trousers. 
     Still yet another important object of the invention is to provide a glove retaining device that allows easy removal of a glove or a mitten from the device. 
     Still yet one other important object of the invention is to provide a glove retaining device that is adapted to retain gloves or mittens of different size. 
     Briefly, a glove retaining device that is constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention has a housing that includes a pair of parallel planar side walls that are disposed a predetermined distance apart from each other. A pair of arcuate members are attached to each of the side walls on the inside of the device. The arcuate members include a lower planar portion that is disposed in parallel planar alignment with respect to the side walls and is disposed a predetermined distance therefrom. A plurality of downward facing bristles are attached to each of the lower planar portions. The bristles of one arcuate member face the bristles of the remaining arcuate member. A foam spacer is disposed intermediate each arcuate member and each side wall. To use the device, a gloved hand is pushed down into the device, which has an open top and bottom. The bristles allow easy passage of the gloved hand into the device and the arcuate members compress the foam spacers to accommodate the gloved hand. Once the hand is sufficiently far in the device, its downward progress is stopped and the hand is withdrawn from the device in an opposite, upward direction. The foam spacers and the arcuate members urge the bristles into the glove sufficient to retain the glove as the hand is pulled upward, thereby removing the glove from the hand and retaining it in position in the device. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a glove retaining device. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line  2 — 2  in FIG. 1 with a glove inserted therein, the glove shown in dashed lines. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a portion of a modified glove retaining device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to all three figures and especially now to both FIG.  1  and FIG. 2 is shown, a glove retaining device, identified in general by the reference numeral  10 . 
     The device  10  is adapted to secure a glove  12  therein. While use of the glove  12  is described in detail, it is understood that any type of a mitten (not shown) may be substituted for the glove  12  and used in like manner. 
     Also, while the device  10  is described for use with the one glove  12  it is also possible to use the device  10  to secure a pair of the gloves  12  (or mittens), as desired. It is also possible, and in several ways preferable, to use a second device  10 , one on either side of a torso, when securing the pair is required, with each device  10  being used to secure one of the gloves  10 . This is described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     A belt clip  14  (shown in FIG. 1 in dashed lines) is attached to a U-shaped housing. The belt clip  14  used to secure the device  10  to a belt (not shown) or over the rim of a pair of trousers (not shown). The belt clip  14  is disposed on the back side of the device  10 , as shown. The belt clip  14  can of course be modified as desired to provide virtually unlimited options for attaching the device  10  to an article of clothing or to some other object, for example to a ladder (not shown). The belt clip  14  is not shown in the other drawing figures for improved clarity of the elements that are shown. 
     There are many ways possible to construct the device  10  and many materials may be used. While the device  10  is capable of retaining a great variety of types and sizes of the glove  12 , it is also possible to vary the size and construction of the device  10  to better accommodate any of these variations. 
     The U-shaped housing  16  is formed of steel, plastic, or other material, as desired. It includes a back wall  16   a  and two opposing side walls  16   b ,  16   c . The back wall  16   a  and each of the two opposing side walls  16   b ,  16   c  are in perpendicular planar alignment. The two opposing side walls  16   b ,  16   c  are each attached on one edge thereof to the back wall  16   a . The two opposing side walls  16   b ,  16   c  are in parallel planar alignment with each other and are disposed a predetermined distance apart from each other. 
     A door panel  18  is hingedly attached at one end thereof to the side wall  16   c . The door panel  18  is attached to the side wall  16   c  at a wall end  17   a  of the side wall  16   c  and is disposed distally away from the back wall  16   a . A spring  20  is used to supply a force that normally retains the door panel  18  in a closed position where a remaining end of the door panel  18  is disposed adjacent to a second wall end  17   b  of the remaining side wall  16   b.    
     When the door panel  18  is closed, the door panel  18 , back wall  16   a , and the two side walls  16   b ,  16   c  form a substantially rectangular box shape with open ends at the top and the bottom. This is the position the device  10  normally occupies during use. 
     While the back wall  16   a  is shown as including a slight radius, it too can be a planar member, as desired. 
     Attached to one of the side walls  16   c  is a first arcuate planar member  22 . A pair of fasteners  24  are used to secure the first arcuate planar member  22  to the side wall  16   c . The fasteners  24  may include welding, rivets, or bolts and nuts, or even an adhesive may be used, as desired. 
     The first arcuate planar member  22  includes an upper planar area  24  that is adjacent to and in parallel planar alignment with the side wall  16   c . An S-shaped arcuate portion  26  extends away from the side wall  16   c  and terminates at a lower planar area  28 . The lower planar area  28  is disposed away from the side wall  16   c  and is in substantial parallel planar alignment with the side wall  16   c.    
     The first arcuate planar member  22  includes a sufficient spring constant to allow it to flex repeatedly toward the side wall  16   c  and, as needed, to extend therefrom. This is described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     Disposed intermediate the first arcuate planar member  22  and the side wall  16   c  is a first foam spacer  30 . The first foam spacer  30  is held in place by an adhesive or any method as may be desired. The first foam spacer  30  supplies additional force that resists compression and tends to urge the lower planar area  28  of the first arcuate planar member  22  away from the side wall  16   c . A lesser spring constant is therefore required of the first arcuate planar member  22 . 
     An additional benefit is also provided in that it is possible to vary the “feel” of the device  10  by varying the density of the first foam spacer  30 . For lighter duty applications a lighter, more easily compressible material is used than for heavier duty applications. A lady who is gardening may not want to experience either a strong resistance in order to displace the first arcuate planar member  22  and compress the first foam spacer  30  nor have to overcome a substantial force to insert her hand (as is described hereinafter) generally into the device  10 . Conversely, a welder wearing heavy thick gloves may not mind doing so. 
     A second arcuate planar member  32  is included on the remaining side wall  16   b  as is a second foam spacer  34 . The second arcuate planar member  32  and the second foam spacer  34  are identical to these elements as previously described above and are attached in like manner to the remaining side wall  16   b  so that the lower planar area  28  of each are disposed proximate to each other. 
     Attached to each of the lower planar areas  28  are a plurality of downward facing bristles  36 . The bristles  36  face each other and, because they face downward, allow easy insertion of the glove  12  that is worn over a hand  38  in a downward direction into the device  10 . The downward facing bristles  36  do not substantially oppose motion in this direction. 
     As the gloved hand  38  is pushed downward into the device  10 , the belt clip  14  retains the device  10  at the proper elevation. Accordingly, as the gloved hand  38  is pushed further downward, the bristles  36  fold flat against the lower planar areas  28  and the lower planar areas  28  and portions of each of the S-shaped arcuate portions  26  are urged in toward the respective side walls  16   b ,  16   c  an amount that is sufficient to accommodate the thickness of the gloved hand  38 . 
     When the gloved hand  38  has been inserted sufficiently far down into the device, the downward motion of the hand  38  is stopped and the hand is withdrawn from the device in an opposite or upward direction. The bristles  36  “bite” into the glove  12  retaining the glove  12  in the device  10  as the hand is withdrawn from the device  10 . The bristles  36  are selected of a firmness, type, and length that is well suited for the intended application and, as such, they do not penetrate through the glove  12  nor do they cause discomfort to the user. 
     Accordingly, the user merely pushes his hand  38  down into the device  10  and then withdraws his hand  38  back up again. This motion results in the glove  12  being automatically removed from the hand  38 . Furthermore, the glove  12  is continually held in position in the device  10  by the force that is applied to the glove  12  by the arcuate planar members  22 ,  32  and by the foam spacers  30 ,  34 . 
     To remove the glove  12 , the user has two choices. He can reach under the device  10 , grab a portion of the glove  12  that extends therefrom (i.e., the fingers), and continue to pull the glove  12  in a downward direction until it is removed from the device  10 . 
     Alternatively, the user may pivot the door panel  18  into an opened position (as shown), grasp the glove  12  and pull it out sideways. It may help to also apply a downward force as well. 
     Accordingly, the device  10  provides for easy, effortless removal of the glove  12  from the hand  38  and for safe secure storage of the glove  12  until it is again needed. Furthermore, the glove  12  may be easily removed apart from the device  10  for use when needed. 
     A third option also exists when the glove  12  becomes contaminated and must be disposed of. The device  10  and all component parts thereof are formed of inexpensive flexible plastic and the device(s)  10  is/are discarded after use along with the contaminated glove(s). 
     Referring now to FIG. 3 is shown a portion of a modified glove retaining device  50  to illustrate some of the variations possible in constructing the modified device  50 . 
     The housing  16  has been eliminated from this view. A pair of planar levers  52  are disposed on opposite sides of the housing  16  and are spring loaded to each pivot about an axis  54  so that the levers  52  are urged toward each other, as shown. 
     The bristles  36  are attached as desired to a lower portion of each of the levers  52  that are proximate each other. The modified device  50  is used in identical manner, only the bristles attached to the levers  52  are used to retain the glove  12  in position. 
     If desired, the bristles  36  can be eliminated and any type of a friction increasing abrasive  56  may be used for either the modified device  50  or with the device  10 . 
     The modified device  50  is not as comfortable or effective to use as the device  10  because the levers  52  will tend to continue moving toward each other as the hand  38  is withdrawn from the modified device  50 . This squeezes the hand  38  and is not comfortable. If desired, a limit stop (not shown) can be included to limit the amount of inward motion by the levers  52 . 
     It is possible to insert a second glove (not shown) into the device  10  or modified device  50 , however this is not preferred because the act of doing so may displace the first glove  12  downward and out of the device. If a second glove is to be inserted, the first glove  12  may need to be held by the opposite hand. Otherwise the procedure is as previously described. It is preferably to use two of the devices  10 , one on each side of a torso (not shown) of the user. This allows the user to insert each hand downward instead of having to stretch across his abdomen and then downward. 
     The invention has been shown, described, and illustrated in substantial detail with reference to the presently preferred embodiment. It will be understood by those skilled in this art that other and further changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which is defined by the claims appended hereto.