Patent Publication Number: US-2021161226-A1

Title: Safety glove including chemical resistance and impact protection and method of manufacturing the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/273,678, filed on Dec. 31, 2015, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to safety gloves and, more particularly, to safety gloves including chemical resistance and impact protection, and methods of manufacturing the same. 
     Background of Related Art 
     Safety gloves are commonly used to protect the wearer from hazardous chemicals, fluids, impact trauma, wounds, abrasions, and the like. In addition to providing these protections, safety glove manufacturers strive to provide safety gloves that are comfortable, durable, and do not inhibit the wearer&#39;s natural dexterity. 
     Certain industries require safety gloves having specific levels of protection suitable for use in the environments typical in that particular industry. To this end, standard rating systems have been implemented to enable a user to readily identify whether a particular safety glove is suitable for use in the intended industry. One such system is the European Norm (EN), which designates whether a particular article is compliant with essential requirements. EN 388, for example, designates whether a glove provides adequate protection from mechanical risks. EN 374-1, as another example, designates whether a glove provides chemical resistance (and to what chemicals the glove is sufficiently resistant) and micro-organism resistance. EN 420, as still another example, designates whether a glove meets the general requirements for protective gloves in terms of construction, fitness, safety, etc. 
     In addition to rating systems such as the EN, markings such as the European Conformity (CE Marking) are utilized by manufacturers to indicate that a particular article complies with the relevant directives for that particular class of articles. With respect to safety gloves, for example, the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Directive 89/686/EEC is the relevant directive for achieving CE Marking status. 
     SUMMARY 
     To the extent consistent, any of the aspects and features detailed herein may be used in conjunction with any or all of the other aspects and features detailed herein. 
     Provided in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is a safety glove including a knitted inner shell, a first coating covering an exterior surface of the knitted inner shell, a plurality of guard members disposed on the first coating, a second coating covering the first coating and the plurality of guard members, and a third coating covering only a portion of the second coating. 
     In aspects of the present disclosure, the knitted inner shell is formed from a combination of aramid fibers, cotton fibers, and glass fibers. 
     In aspects of the present disclosure, the first and/or second coatings are formed from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials. 
     In aspects of the present disclosure, the plurality of guard members is formed from a thermoplastic rubber (TPR) material. 
     In aspects of the present disclosure, the third coating is formed from a mixture of PVC material and sand. 
     In aspects of the present disclosure, the plurality of guard members is sewn onto the first coating and the inner shell via nylon threading. 
     A method of manufacturing a safety glove provided in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes kitting fibers to form an inner shell, dipping the result into a first material to form a first coating, securing a plurality of guard members on the result, dipping the result into a second material to form a second coating, inspecting the second coating, and if the second coating passes inspection, dipping only a portion of the result into a third material to form a third coating. 
     In aspects of the present disclosure, knitting the fibers includes knitting a combination of aramid fibers, cotton fibers, and glass fibers. 
     In aspects of the present disclosure, the first material is a PVC material, the plurality of guard members is formed from a TPR material, the second material is a PVC material, and/or the third material is a mixture of PVC material and sand. 
     In aspects of the present disclosure, securing the plurality of guard members on the first coating includes sewing the plurality of guard members onto the first coating and the inner shell using nylon threading. 
     In aspects of the present disclosure, inspecting the second coating includes determining whether the second coating is uniformly applied. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various aspects and features of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements and: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view from an upper side of a safety glove provided in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view from a lower side of the safety glove of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing the safety glove of  FIG. 1  in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a safety glove provided in accordance with the present disclosure is shown generally identified by reference numeral  100 . Safety glove  100  includes a hand-receiving portion  110  and an elongated wrist portion  120  extending from hand-receiving portion  110 . Hand-receiving portion  110  is shaped to generally conform to a human hand and includes a palm  112 , a thumb pocket  114 , and four (4) finger pockets  116 . Elongated wrist portion  120  is integrally formed with hand-receiving portion  110  and defines a length suitable for covering at least a portion of a wearer&#39;s lower arm. It is envisioned that various lengths of safety glove  100  may be provided, e.g., small (measuring about 35 cm from the tip end of the middle finger pocket  116  to the open end of elongated wrist portion  120 ), medium (measuring about 40 cm), and large (measuring about 50 cm), to ensure adequate fitting for a wide range of users. 
     Safety glove  100  is formed from an inner shell (not shown) that forms the interior surface of safety glove  100  and defines the interior cavity of safety glove  100  so as to contact a wearer&#39;s hand and wrist, a plurality of coatings  130  each of which covers at least a portion of safety glove  100 , and a plurality of strategically positioned and configured guard members  140 . The inner shell (not shown) is knit to form a single construction and is made from a combination of aramid fibers, cotton fibers, and glass fibers. The inner shell (not shown) provides cut resistance, comfort, and sweat absorption. Notably, the inner shell (not shown) extends the entire safety glove  100 , e.g., across both hand-receiving portion  110  and elongated wrist  120 , so as to provide cut-resistance along the entire safety glove  100 . With respect to a percentage, by weight, of safety glove  100 : the aramid fibers may comprise, in embodiments from about 2% to about 60%, in other embodiments from about 5% to about 40%, in yet other embodiments from about 15% to about 25%, and still other embodiments from about 17% to about 23%; the cotton fibers may comprise, in embodiments from about 1% to about 60%, in other embodiments from about 3% to about 25%, in yet other embodiments from about 5% to about 15%; and the glass fibers may comprise, in embodiments less than about 30%, in other embodiments from about 1% to about 20%, in yet other embodiments from about 2% to about 8%. As used herein, the term “about ” is intended to represent plus or minus 10% of the numerical value of the number with which it is being used. 
     The plurality of coatings  130  include at least a first coating  132 , a second coating  134 , and a third coating,  136 . First coating  132  is disposed on and covers the entire exterior surface of the inner shell (not shown). First coating  132  is formed from a waterproof, chemical resistant PVC material, provides strength and structural support to safety glove  100 , and serves as a substrate to enable attachment of guard members  140  thereto. First coating  132  is of a bright color, e.g., red, to facilitate visualization of safety glove  100  during use. Second and third coatings  134 ,  136  are detailed below. 
     Continuing with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , guard members  140  of safety glove  100 , as noted above, are strategically positioned and configured so as to provide impact protection at the areas most susceptible to impact trauma (fingers, knuckles, and the back of the hand) without compromising a wearer&#39;s natural dexterity of the hand and/or fingers. More specifically, a first set of guard members  140  is arranged to extend along the upper side of thumb pocket  114 ; four (4) second sets of guard members  140  are arranged to extend along the upper sides of finger pockets  116 ; and a third set of guard members  140  is disposed on the upper side of palm  112 . The first and second sets of guard members  140  may be of a bright color, e.g., yellow, different from the color of first coating  132 , so as to enable visualization of thumb pocket  114  and finger pockets  116  of safety glove  100  during use and to distinguish thumb pocket  114  and finger pockets  116  from the rest of safety glove  100 . Guard members  140  are disposed on first coating  132  are are stitched onto to safety glove  100  using nylon threading. As noted above, first coating  132  provides sufficient structural support to the inner shell so as to serve as a substrate upon which guard members  140  are stitched. Guard members  140  are formed from a thermoplastic rubber (TPR) and may define a thickness, in embodiments, of between about 4 mm and about 8 mm, and, in embodiments, of about 6 mm. Guard members  140  may further define a hardness of about 30 Shore A. The TPR material of guard members  140  may form, by weight, in embodiments from about 5% to about 60%, in other embodiments from about 10% to about 50%, in yet other embodiments from about 25% to about 35% of safety glove  100 . Second coating  134  is disposed on and covers first coating  132  and guard members  140 . Second coating  134  is formed from a waterproof, chemical resistant PVC material and is transparent so as allow the red color of first coating  132  and the yellow color of guard members  140  to remain visible. Second coating  134  covers the stitching attaching guard members  140  to first coating  132  so as to seal any opening therebetween. 
     Referring still to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , third coating  136  is disposed on and covers a portion of second coating  134 . More specifically, third coating  136  only covers the portion of second coating  134  disposed about hand-receiving portion  110  of safety glove  100 , leaving elongated wrist portion  120  of second coating  134  exposed. Third coating  136  is formed from a waterproof, chemical resistant PVC material and is transparent except that third coating  136  is mixed with granular material such as fine grain sand or other granular material, for example, ground up PVC and/or ground resin. The PVC material and fine granular mixture provides a textured, matte finish on hand-receiving portion  110  of safety glove  100  to enhance gripping and inhibit slippage. The PVC materials, by weight, may comprise, in embodiments from about 5% to about 70%, in other embodiments from about 20% to about 60%, in yet other embodiments from about 35% to about 45% of safety glove  100 . 
     The above-detailed safety glove  100  is CE rated as meeting the requirements of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Directive 89/686/EEC. More specifically, safety glove  100  meets the requirements of EN 374-1 for micro-organism resistance; EN 374-1 for chemical resistance with respect to chemicals A (methanol), J (n-Heptan), K (sodium hydroxide 40%), and L (sulfuric acid 96%), as well as general chemical resistance; EN 388; and EN 420. Safety glove  100  is also fluid-proof or fluid-tight and passes the EN 374 air and water leak test. As a PPE, safety glove  100  is also suitably cut-resistant, abrasion-resistant, and tear-resistant. 
     Turning to  FIG. 3 , a method of manufacturing safety glove  100  in accordance with the present disclosure is detailed. The method of manufacturing  300  initially includes, as indicated at S 310 , knitting fibers to form the inner shell of the safety glove. As noted above, in embodiments, the inner shell may be formed from a combination of aramid fibers, cotton fibers, and glass fibers. Once the inner shell is formed, the inner shell is dipped in a PVC liquid and allowed to dry to provide the first coating, as indicated at S 320 . To facilitate drying, the inner shell, with the first coating disposed thereon, is passed through a conveyor-like oven and baked, in some embodiments, for between  4  and  7  minutes or, in some embodiments, between 5 and 6 minutes, and subsequently allowed to cool to room temperature. 
     Next, the guard members are positioned on the first coating and sewn onto the safety glove, as indicated at S 330 . As noted above, the guard members may be sewn on using nylon threading. With the guard members sewn on, the method moves to S 340 , where the safety glove is dipped into a PVC liquid and allowed to dry to provide the second coating. Drying of the second coated may be facilitated similarly as detailed above. Once the second coating has dried, the safety glove is inspected to ensure the second coating has been applied uniformly about the safety glove. At S 350 , if it is determined that the second coating has been uniformly applied, the method continues to S 370 . If it is determined at S 350  that the second coating has not be uniformly applied, S 340  may be repeated to re-apply the second coating or, if the non-uniformity is determined to be too significant, the safety glove is discarded as defective at S 360 . 
     At S 370 , the hand-receiving portion of the safety glove is dipped into a PVC liquid and fine grain sand mixture to provide the third coating, which introduces a textured, matte finish to the safety glove. The third coating is allowed to dry, and such drying may be facilitated similarly as detailed above. Lastly, the glove is finalized at S 380 , wherein, for example, the open end of the safety glove is trimmed, labels are sewn into the interior of the safety glove, and additional quality control checks are performed. 
     From the foregoing and with reference to the various drawing figures, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain modifications can also be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the same. While exemplary embodiments of the disclosure have been shown in the drawings, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of particular embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.