LAYERED DISPOSABLE GLOVE

Abstract

An ambidextrous, multi-layered, multi-colored, and disposable glove is disclosed. Each layer of the glove may be color-coded and easily removed revealing a new, clean glove layer of a different color. Each glove may include a removal feature providing the user with a quick and convenient mechanism to remove each layer of the glove. The gloves may include a number of layers that afford a user string tactile perceptiveness throughout each of the layers.

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

Aspects of the present disclosure related to protective hand wear, more particularly to a disposable protective glove.

BACKGROUND

Healthcare workers, food handlers and everyday citizens alike are more health and safety conscious than ever. Protective personal equipment (PPE) is a necessary tool in the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases, germs and other contaminants. Traditional PPE, including gloves, masks, gowns and other garments and accessories must be disposable. Reuse of such equipment furthers the possibility of propagating contaminating materials to other objects, surfaces, and even people. The disposable nature of traditional PPE necessitates that a wearer must dispose of the worn PPE as well as acquire and apply new, clean equipment. Disposal and reapplication of new PPE is time-consuming and tedious. Further, disposable gloves, such as latex or nitrile gloves, can be difficult to put on and assure proper fit, causing further delay and frustration.

Still further, disposable gloves may be frequently used in countless applications from painting, cooking, gardening, or any other activity in which the use of one's hands is prevalent. Often gloves may become soiled, worn, ripped or otherwise unusable for their intended purpose and the user is forced to remove and replace the gloves prior to continuing in the activity.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present disclosure include an ambidextrous, multi-layered, multi-colored glove assembly. Each layer of the glove assembly may be color-coded and easily removed revealing a new, clean glove layer/color. Each glove layer may include a removal feature providing the user with a quick and convenient mechanism to remove each layer of the glove. The gloves may include a number of layers that afford a user strong tactile perceptiveness throughout each of the layers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features, nature, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify correspondingly throughout.

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a palm-side of a glove assembly according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of a back-side of a glove assembly according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of various layers of a glove assembly according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a user removing a layer of the glove assembly of FIGS. 1A-B according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4A is a diagram of a palm-side of second glove assembly according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4B is a diagram of a back-side of a second glove assembly according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a user removing a layer of the glove assembly of FIGS. 4a-4B according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below, in connection with the appended drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for providing a thorough understanding of the various concepts. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, however, that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts.

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a disposable, ambidextrous glove including multiple color-coded and easily removable disposable layers. The ambidextrous aspect of the glove means that a user can flip the glove to fit on either their right-hand or left-hand. That is, the same glove can be put on the opposite hands in different orientations. When a glove is on a user's left hand a portion of the glove is the palm of the glove, and that same glove may be put on the right hand but what was the palm on the left hand becomes a back portion of the glove.

Removal of the outermost layer may be accomplished using a removal feature that allows the user to quickly and conveniently peel the layer off to reveal a new, fresh glove layer underneath. According to one aspect, each layer may be a different color according to a pre-defined and consistent pattern that indicates to the user the particular layer number currently exposed. Gloves according to the disclosure could be any number of layers subject to the nature of material used, color palette, and desired tactile perceptiveness (how well the user needs to be able to “feel” things through the layers of the glove(s) for its intended use.

FIGS. 1A and 1B depict a palm-side and back-side of a glove assembly, respectively, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The glove assembly may include individual overlaid layers made of one or more materials, including, without limitation, latex, nitrile or other rubbers, plastics, silicone, neoprene, textiles or the like. According to one aspect each glove may include five disposable, color-coded layers. Each overlaid layer may be consistently colored according to a predefined palette. The multiple layers may be color coded to indicate to the user not only the specific numbered layer currently exposed, but also how many layers remain before a new glove assembly is required. For example, the five overlaid layers of each glove may be color-coded according to the following palette:

First Layer—GREEN (GO)

Second Layer—BLUE

Third Layer—YELLOW

Fourth Layer—ORANGE

Fifth Layer—RED (STOP)

FIG. 2 depicts the individual color-coded layers of an exemplary glove assembly according to one aspect. The progression of colors (left to right) from Green (Layer-01) to Blue (Layer-02) to Yellow (Layer-03) to Orange (Layer-04) to Red (Layer-05) is commonly known and easily indicates to the user the availability of additional layers or the need to obtain a new set glove assembly. Additionally, the exemplary color scheme may be ubiquitous and eliminate the need to label or otherwise mark the individual glove layers with words or text of different languages.

According to one aspect, each glove may include a removal feature that allows the user to remove the outermost layer quickly and conveniently to reveal the next fresh and clean layer of the glove assembly. Each layer of the glove assembly may include a distinctly disposed tab at or near the cuff of the glove. The tab of each layer may be spaced about the circumference of the glove cuff such that the user may access the tab to any particular layer. For example, if a user desires to remove the entire glove assembly the user may use the tab coded to the innermost layer, here red, to assist in removing the glove assembly without having to remove each layer individually.

FIG. 3 depicts a diagram of a user removing a layer of the glove assembly of FIGS. 1A-B according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. To remove the outermost layer, a user may simply grasp the tab of the particular layer currently exposed and pull upwards to peel the layer off the assembly. The removed layer may then be disposed of accordingly.

FIGS. 4A-B depict the palm-side and back-side, respectively, of a second glove assembly according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. According to one aspect, the glove assembly of FIGS. 4A-B includes five layers, each with a color-coded removal feature. The color-coded removal feature may include a hook portion defining a void through which a user may insert a finger or other tool to assist in removing the layer. The removal feature may further include a perforation in the glove layer material that further aides in removing the layer.

In operation, as depicted in the diagram of FIG. 5 a user may grasp the hook portion through the void and pull upward or outward. The upward or outward force may cause the perforation to tear loosening the layer from the under-layers and making for easy removal.

According to one aspect, the layers of the glove assembly may be a uniform color, however each removal feature hook portion may be color-coded as described above. Each hook portion may be spaced about the circumference of the cuff portion of the glove assembly to allow the user easy access to any layer of the glove assembly.

While the glove assemblies described herein include a color-coded scheme according to a certain palette, one skilled in the art will recognize that any color-scheme or one or more colors may be implemented without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.

Further, while the exemplary glove assemblies described herein include five layers, one skilled in the art will recognize that other layered combinations may be implemented without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. Depending on the material of the individual layers, any number of layers may be implemented so long as tactile sensitivity and perceptiveness remains uncompromised.

Based on the teachings, one skilled in the art should appreciate that the scope of the present disclosure is intended to cover any aspect of the present disclosure, whether implemented independently of or combined with any other aspect of the present disclosure.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects.

Although particular aspects are described herein, many variations and permutations of these aspects fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Although some benefits and advantages of the preferred aspects are mentioned, the scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to particular benefits, uses or objectives. Rather, aspects of the present disclosure are intended to be broadly applicable to different technologies, system configurations, networks and protocols, some of which are illustrated by way of example in the figures and in the following description of the preferred aspects. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the present disclosure rather than limiting, the scope of the present disclosure being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

As used herein, the term “determining” encompasses a wide variety of actions. For example, “determining” may include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, a database or another data structure), ascertaining and the like. Additionally, “determining” may include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory) and the like. Furthermore, “determining” may include resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, and the like.

As used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, “at least one of: a, b, or c” is intended to cover: a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c.

Claims

1. A glove assembly comprising: a plurality of overlaid glove layers, each overlaid glove layer including a layer indicator and a removal feature;in which the removal feature is configured to remove the overlaid glove layer of the glove assembly exposing a next overlaid glove layer.

2. The glove assembly of claim 1 in which the layer indicator comprises a unique color for each layer.

3. The glove assembly of claim 1 in which the plurality of overlaid glove layers comprises five overlaid layers

4. The glove assembly of claim 3 in which the five overlaid layers are color coded according to a palette.

5. The glove assembly of claim 4 in which the palette provides a first green layer, a second blue layer, a third yellow layer, a fourth orange layer, and a fifth red layer.

6. The glove assembly of claim 1 in which the removal feature comprises a tab disposed about a circumference of a cuff portion of the overlaid layer.

7. The glove assembly of claim 6 in which the tab is disposed about the cuff portion providing a user access to the tab corresponding to any of the overlaid glove layers.

8. The glove assembly of claim 1 in which the removal feature comprises a perforation in the overlaid glove layer and a hook portion defining a void.

9. The glove assembly of claim 8 in which the perforation in the overlaid glove layer and the hook portion defining a void is disposed about the cuff portion providing a user access to the perforation in the overlaid glove layer and the hook portion defining a void to remove a respective overlaid glove layer.

10. The glove assembly of claim 1 in which only the removal feature comprises a unique color for each layer.

11. The glove assembly of claim 1 in which each of the plurality of overlaid glove layers is an ambidextrous glove.

12. The glove assembly of claim 1 in which the plurality of overlaid glove layers include individual layers of one material selected from the group consisting of latex, nitrile rubber, plastic, silicon, neoprene, and a textile.

13. The glove assembly of claim 1 in which the plurality of overlaid glove layers include individual overlaid layers of multiple materials selected from the group consisting of latex, nitrile rubber, plastic, silicone, neoprene, and a textile.

14. The glove assembly of claim 4 in which the palette indicates how many overlaid layers remain.

15. A method of removing an overlaid layer of a glove assembly, comprising: grasping at least one removal feature; andpulling at least one overlaid layer of the glove assembly off the glove assembly.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising selecting a layer for removal based on a unique color of the layer.

17. The method of claim 15 in which the removal feature is a tab that allows peeling off of an overlaid layer.

18. The method of claim 15 in which the removal feature comprises a perforation in the overlaid layer and a hook defining a void that allows peeling or tearing off of an overlaid layer.

19. A layered glove assembly, comprising: means for identifying at least one overlaid glove layer of the glove assembly; andmeans for removing the at least one overlaid glove layer of the glove assembly.

20. The apparatus of claim 20, in which the means for removing at least one layer of the glove assembly comprises a tab or a perforation and a hook defining a void in the at least one overlaid glove layer.