Patent Publication Number: US-2021177077-A1

Title: Garments With Integrated Cuff Frames

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to cuff frames and garments with integrated cuff frames. In particular, cuff frames and garments configured to maintain space for a user&#39;s hand to move relative to material outside the cuff frame are described. 
     Protective suits, which are also known as hazard or hazmat suits, are worn when a person must work or be present in a hazardous environment, such as a chemical spill or where biological agents are present. The protective suit forms a barrier between the external environment and an internal environment within the suit. Ideally, gloves are sealed to the suit at the cuffs to form a more complete barrier. 
     In current practice, sealing gloves to the cuffs with tape has the drawback of restricting or preventing the user from pulling his or her hand out of the glove and into the sleeve or torso areas of the suit. It would be desirable to facilitate a user conveniently and effectively withdrawing his hand into the suit without affecting the seal. Freeing a user to pull his hand into the suit would allow him to wipe off a fogged face shield, operate a radio or other electronic device in the suit, or perform some other task within the suit. 
     Conventional protective suits are somewhat difficult and time consuming to put on and take off, which is also known as gowning and degowning. Constrictions at the sleeve and cuff of the suit restricts a user from easily inserting and withdrawing his or her hand and arm in and from the sleeve. Constrictions occur because the sleeve and cuff tend to collapse when constricted by tape. Supporting the sleeve and cuff would allow one to move his or her arm and hand more readily and make putting on and taking off the protective suit easier. 
     Thus, there exists a need for solutions that allow a user wearing a protective suit or other garment to move his or her hand relative to the protective garment without affecting seals in place on the garment. Examples of new and useful cuff frames and garments incorporating cuff frames addressing these needs are discussed below. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is directed to garments including a sleeve and a cuff frame. The sleeve including a cuff and defining a sleeve opening configured to receive an arm, a wrist, and a hand of a wearer. The cuff frame being secured to the sleeve proximate the cuff and configured to support the sleeve opening from collapsing under compressive forces. The cuff frame defines a wrist opening sized to enable the hand and the wrist of the wearer to pass through the wrist opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a sleeve of a protective suit and a glove taped to the sleeve, the figure depicting in dashed lines a cuff frame supporting the sleeve and the glove around an opening defined by the cuff frame and the user&#39;s hand inside the glove. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1 , but with the user&#39;s hand retracted out of the glove and into the sleeve after passing through the cuff frame. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the cuff frame shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the cuff frame shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an elevation view of a hand portion of the cuff frame shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is an elevation view of an arm portion of the cuff frame shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of a garment including a cuff frame sewn into a sleeve. 
         FIG. 7B  is a close-up perspective view of the garment including a cuff frame sewn into a sleeve shown in  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the cuff frame shown in  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevation view of the cuff frame shown in  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 10  is front elevation view of the cuff frame shown in  FIG. 7A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosed cuff frames and garments with cuff frames will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide merely examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations; however, for the sake of brevity; each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description. 
     Throughout the following detailed description, examples of various cuff frames and garments with cuff frames are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in an example explained previously. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example. 
     Definitions 
     The following definitions apply herein, unless otherwise indicated. 
     “Substantially” means to be more-or-less conforming to the particular dimension, range, shape, concept, or other aspect modified by the term, such that a feature or component need not conform exactly. For example, a “substantially cylindrical” object means that the object resembles a cylinder, but may have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. 
     “Comprising,” “including,” and “having” (and conjugations thereof) are used interchangeably to mean including but not necessarily limited to, and are open-ended terms not intended to exclude additional elements or method steps not expressly recited. 
     Terms such as “first”, “second”, and “third” are used to distinguish or identify various members of a group, or the like, and are not intended to denote a serial, chronological, or numerical limitation. 
     “Coupled” means connected, either permanently or releasably, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components. 
     Contextual Details 
     The features of items used in conjunction with the cuff frames and garments with cuff frames described herein will first be described to provide context and to aid the discussion of the cuff frames. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , cuff frame  100  is a standalone part that may be used in conjunction with a garment  150  and a glove  152 . With reference to  FIGS. 7A-10 , the reader can see that a garment  250  may include an integrated cuff frame  200 . 
     In the example shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , adhesive tape  156  is used to form a spill proof seal between a sleeve  154  of garment  150  and glove  152 . Cuff frame  100  is disposed inside glove  152  and sleeve  154  proximate a cuff  158  of sleeve  154 . 
     In the present example, garment  150  is a hazmat suit configured to isolate a person inside from fluids outside the suit. In some examples, the garment is a space suit, a laboratory shirt, suit, or sleeve, or a shirt, suit, sleeve, or jacket worn by mechanics, firemen, or medical personnel. In certain examples, the garment is a sleeve attached to and disposed inside a laboratory fume hood or containment region allowing a user to manipulate items within the fume hood or containment region. The garment may be any currently known or later developed type of protective garment. 
     The glove may also be any presently known or later developed type of protective glove. In certain examples, the glove does not include portions to cover each finger individually, but instead covers one or more fingers together, such as a mitten or two fingered glove. 
     Any conventional or later developed type of tape may be used to form a seal between the sleeve and the glove. In some examples, a band or other member is used to form a seal instead of adhesive tape. 
     Cuff Frames and Garments with Cuff Frames 
     With reference to the figures, cuff frames and garments incorporating cuff frames will now be described. The cuff frames and cuff frame garments discussed herein function to maintain space for a user&#39;s hand to move relative to material outside the cuff frame. In particular, the cuff frames function to radially support a garment and a glove around a defined passageway through which a user&#39;s hand and arm may pass relative to the cuff frame, garment, and glove. Further, the cuff frames function to provide the user&#39;s hand, wrist, and arm with freedom of movement when the user&#39;s hand, wrist, and arm are disposed within the passageway defined by the cuff frame. 
     The reader will appreciate from the figures and description below that the presently disclosed cuff frames and garments address many of the shortcomings of conventional protective suits. In particular, the cuff frames facilitate a user conveniently and effectively withdrawing his hand into the protective suit without affecting the seal between the suit and a glove sealed to the suit. The cuff frames free a user to pull his hand into the suit to perform a variety of tasks within the suit, such as wiping off a fogged face shield or operating a radio or other electronic device in the suit. 
     In addition, the cuff frames and garments including integrated cuff frames make gowning and degowning faster than is possible with conventional protective suits. Faster gowning and degowning makes wearing a protective suit more convenient for the wearer. Less time needed for gowning and degowning also allows the wearer to be ready faster to perform useful tasks more quickly both before and after wearing the protective suit. 
     Cuff Frame Embodiment One 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-6 , a first example of a cuff frame, cuff frame  100 , will now be described. Cuff frame  100  defines a passageway  111  configured to receive an arm  102 , a wrist  104 , and a hand  106  of a wearer  108  within it. Cuff frame  100  includes a wall  110  extending along a longitudinal axis and radially spaced from the longitudinal axis. 
     Wall 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , wall  110  defines a wrist portion  112 , a hand portion  116 , and an arm portion  118 . In the present example, wall  110  is comprised of a polymer. However, the wall may be comprised of any other currently known or later developed material suitable for cuff frame applications, such as metals, woods, or composite materials. 
     The shape of wall  100  shown in  FIGS. 1-6  is just one example of the various shapes it may adopt. In some examples, the wall is substantially cylindrical instead of including flared portions. In certain examples, the wall includes a single flared portion instead of two flared portions as depicted in  FIGS. 1-6 . In examples where the radial diameter of the wall changes along the longitudinal axis of the wall, the radial diameter changes may be more stepwise than continuous as shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , wall  110  defines longitudinal openings  113  that extend longitudinally along cuff frame  100 . In the present example, longitudinal openings  113  extend from hand portion  116 , through wrist portion  112 , to arm portion  118 . The longitudinal openings are optional features not present in every example. Longitudinal openings  113  function to increase the flexibility of wall  110  proximate the openings. In particular, longitudinal openings  113  are configured to allow wall  110  to flex proximate wrist portion  112  as well as to increase the flexibility of portions of hand portion  116  and arm portion  118 . 
     In some examples, the wall additionally or alternatively defines openings that do not extend longitudinally along the wall. For example, the wall may define a plurality of circular, square, or triangular openings throughout the length of the wall instead of continuously extending openings like the longitudinal openings depicted in  FIGS. 1-6 . 
     With further reference to  FIGS. 1-6 , wall  110  defines flared openings  115  in hand portion  116  and flared openings  117  in arm portion  118 . Flared openings  115  are defined where hand portion  116  radially flares from the first distance to the second distance. Flared openings  117  are defined where arm portion  118  radially flares from the first distance to the third distance. As can be seen in  FIGS. 1-6 , flared openings  115  and  117  have a teardrop shape, but other shapes are envisioned, such as oval, triangular, rectangular, or irregular. Flared openings  115  and  117  are configured to stiffen wall  110  in hand portion  116  distal wrist portion  112  and in arm portion  118  distal wrist portion  112 . 
     Wrist Portion 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-6 , the reader can see that wrist portion  112  is radially spaced from the longitudinal axis at a first distance to define a wrist opening  114 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the first distance is selected to enable hand  106  and wrist  104  of wearer  108  to pass through wrist opening  114 . In the present example, the first distance and wrist portion  112  is the narrowest portion of wall  110 . 
     Hand Portion 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1-6 , hand portion  116  is longitudinally adjacent to wrist portion  112 . Hand portion  116  flares outwards from wrist portion  112  to accommodate hand  106 . The outward flaring also functions to provide hand  106  with freedom of movement, such as bending or tilting relative to wrist  104  or rotating relative to cuff frame  100 . 
     In particular, the reader can see in  FIGS. 1-6  that hand portion  116  is radially spaced from the longitudinal axis a second distance greater than the first distance. The radially spacing of hand portion  116  defines a hand opening  120 . The second distance is selected to enable hand  106  of wearer  108  to bend or tilt relative to wrist  104  of wearer  108  within hand opening  120 . 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1-5 , hand portion  116  includes a lip  128  distal wrist portion  112 . Lip  128  is configured to be less flexible than wrist portion  112 . In particular, longitudinal openings  113  terminate short of lip  128 . Longitudinal openings  113  terminating short of lip  128  serves to make lip  128  relatively stiff. The relative stiffness of lip  128  makes it better able to support compressive forces, such as forces of glove  152  pressing inwards on cuff frame  100 . 
     Arm Portion 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , arm portion  118  is longitudinally adjacent to wrist portion  112  opposite hand portion  116 . Arm portion  118  flares outwards from wrist portion  112  to accommodate arm  102  and to allow arm  102  to tilt or bend relative to wrist  104 . In the particular example shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , arm portion  118  is radially spaced from the longitudinal axis a third distance greater than the first distance to define an arm opening  122 . The third distance is selected to accommodate arm  102  of wearer  108  within arm opening  122 . 
     Arm portion  118  flaring outwards from the first distance at wrist portion  112  to the third distance at arm opening  122  defines a transition portion  124 . As can be seen in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 , arm portion  118  includes a sleeve portion  126  extending from transition portion  124  along the longitudinal axis. Sleeve portion  126  is radially spaced from the longitudinal axis by the third distance. 
     Sleeve portion  126  is less flexible than wrist portion  112  and resists compressive forces. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , sleeve portion  126  functions to provide a surface against which tape  156  may be applied to seal sleeve  154  to glove  152 . 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1-6 , sleeve portion  126  defines notches  127 . Notches  127  function to make sleeve portion  126  more flexible distal transition portion  124 . Being more flexible distal transition portion  124  allows sleeve portion  126  to flex in response to arm  102  pressing against it while leaving a relatively rigid portion of sleeve portion  126  proximate transition portion  124  where tape  156  can be applied. 
     Additional Embodiments 
     With reference to the figures not yet discussed, the discussion will now focus on additional embodiments of cuff frames and garments incorporating cuff frames. The additional cuff frame embodiments include many similar or identical features to cuff frame  100 . Thus, for the sake of brevity, each feature of the additional embodiments below will not be redundantly explained. Rather, key distinctions between the additional embodiments and cuff frame  100  will be described in detail and the reader should reference the discussion above for features substantially similar between the different cuff frame examples. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Turning attention to  FIGS. 7A-10 , an example of a garment  250  including a cuff frame  200  integrated into a cuff  258  of sleeve  254  will now be described. As can be seen in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , garment  250  includes a torso portion  253 , a hood  255 , legs  257 , sleeves  254 , cuffs  258 , and cuff frames  200  integrated into cuffs  258 . In certain examples, the garment does not include one or more of the hood, legs, or torso portion. In some examples, the garment includes a single sleeve instead of two sleeves as shown in  FIG. 7A . 
     In the present example, garment  250  is a protective suit, also known as a hazmat suit, configured to isolate a person inside the suit from fluids outside the suit. In some examples, the garment is a space suit, a laboratory shirt, suit, or sleeve, or a shirt, suit, sleeve, or jacket worn by mechanics, firemen, or medical personnel. In certain examples, the garment is a sleeve attached to and disposed inside a laboratory fume hood or containment region allowing a user to manipulate items within the fume hood or containment region. The garment may be any currently known or later developed type of protective garment. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 7B , sleeve  254  defines a sleeve opening  259 . Sleeve opening  259  is configured to receive an arm, a wrist, and a hand of a wearer, that is, a user may readily pass his arm, wrist, and hand through sleeve opening  259 . In typical use, the user&#39;s hand will be disposed beyond cuff  258  of sleeve  254 . 
     In the example shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , cuff frame  200  is integrated into garment  250  by sewing cuff frame  200  to sleeve opening  259  at cuff  258 . In other examples, the cuff frame is integrated into the garment by affixing the cuff frame to the cuff with an adhesive or taping the frame to the garment with a suitable adhesive tape. In certain examples, the cuff frame is selectively coupled to the garment with a hook-and-loop fastener. In some examples, a pocket is formed in the cuff of the garment and the cuff frame is selectively inserted into the pocket. In other examples, the garment includes loops complementarily configured with the cuff frame to receive and secure the cuff frame. 
     Comparing  FIGS. 1-6  and  FIGS. 7A-10 , the reader can see that cuff frame  200  is configured differently than cuff frame  100 . In certain examples, however, the cuff frame integrated into a garment is identical or substantially similar to cuff frame  100 . In the present example, cuff frame  200  includes a wall  210  with a more simple shape and configuration than wall  110  in cuff frame  100 . Cuff frame  200  does not include multiple portions, flared transitions, or openings like cuff frame  100 . However, the cuff frame integrated into a garment could include one or more of distinct portions, flared transitions, and openings as suitable for a given application. The size and shape of the cuff frame integrated into a garment may vary to suit a given user&#39;s anatomy, the application involved, or user preferences. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10 , cuff frame  200  defines a wrist opening  214 . Wrist opening  214  is sized to enable the hand and the wrist of the wearer to pass through wrist opening  214 . In the present example, cuff frame  200  and wrist opening  214  are complementarily configured with sleeve opening  259 . 
     The disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” element, “a first” element, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claims should be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. 
     Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed to combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed inventions that are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in the present application or in a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to the same invention or a different invention and whether they are different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventions described herein.