METHOD OF FOLDING GLOVES AND DISPENSING THEREAFTER

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of folding disposable gloves and a method of dispensing those gloves. The gloves are folded in a manner in which the gloves are interlocked with each other, forming a glove bundle. As the gloves are individual dispensed rom the glove bundle, a successor glove is positioned to be dispensed next.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCING LISTING

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to disposable gloves and dispensers, more particularly, to a method of folding disposable gloves and a dispenser modified to dispense the gloves.

Description of Prior Art

Disposable gloves are utilized for various reasons in various environments. From restaurants, home kitchens, hospitals, auto repair shops, to ambulances and laboratories, disposable gloves are a vital part of public health and consumer safety for virtually any type of business. Disposable gloves form a protective barrier that protects people from infection, bacteria, communicable diseases, and chemical interactions.

Disposable glove dispensers aids in the efficiency of storing disposable gloves. They allow users to have easy and convenient access to disposable gloves. Glove dispensers can be strategically placed in various places such as on tabletops or mounted to walls. They should be designed to add an additional layer of protection for the disposable gloves by shielding them from outside contamination. A major problem with the prior art of packaging and dispensing disposable gloves is the excessive waste that occurs when more than one glove is unintentionally removed from a box made of paper like material. If disposable gloves are folded or packaged in a manner in which they will be dispensed individually, that would eliminate the excessive waste of gloves and it would further protect the gloves from germs, microorganisms or any other contaminants.

Another limitation of the prior art is the type of material the dispensers are made of. Cardboard or any paper like material may not be the optimal choice in constructing disposable glove dispensers. In the present invention, the dispenser may or may not be made of antibacterial or antimicrobial material.

There are antibacterial and antimicrobial agents designed to provide an additional layer of protection in consumer products. They are useful where the level of sanitation is critical and additional precautions need to be taken to prevent spread of disease, bacteria, infections and other contaminants. Thus, they are important in environments with high concentrations of infectious bacteria. Antimicrobial agents inhibit the growth of microorganisms that can cause odors, discoloration, the formation of mildew, or deterioration in the physical properties of plastics. Antibacterial agents protect against bacteria and fungus. These additives may be incorporated into the material used to make the dispensers, more particularly, plastic, during the manufacturing process.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a method of folding and dispensing disposable gloves. The gloves are folded in a manner in which each glove is interlocked with another glove, forming a glove bundle that, when initiated, dispenses each glove individually. The glove dispensing apparatus has an opening at either one end or both ends of the dispenser, allowing it to release gloves from the user's preferred end or ends. The dispensing opening(s) is adapted to cooperate with tension from the pulling of the preceding glove of the glove bundle so that it dispenses one glove at a time (from each opening) in a cuff first orientation. This works when a glove bundle having a predetermined number of gloves folded in a lapped, superjacent opposing fold format experiences an attractive force or friction between the gloves in the bundle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better comprehended and the aforementioned characteristics will become more apparent after a review of the following detailed descriptions of the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of the embodiment of the disposable glove showing the finger (A), hand (B) and cuff (C) portion of the glove.

FIGS. 2-6 are illustrations of a method of folding gloves, according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a method of folding a glove bundle, according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a method of dispensing a glove bundle, according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of a method of dispensing a glove bundle, according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of a method of dispensing a glove bundle, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

There are numerous innovations that have been developed relating to dispensing articles, specifically disposable gloves. The present invention suggests a method of folding disposable gloves with all of the following combinations: (1) each glove contains a finger, hand and cuff portion that may or may not be folded longitudinal to decrease the width; (2) the finger portion of the second glove is superposed on the finger portion of the first glove adjacently; the second glove finger portion is arranged parallel and oriented directionally opposite of the first glove finger portion; (3) the hand and cuff portion of the first glove is overlapping the finger portion of the second glove; (4) this process is repeated until a specific number of gloves are folded and a glove bundle is formed; (5) the cuff portion of the first or last glove folded is placed on or near the top of the bundle in a cuff first orientation; (6) the glove bundle is then wound or twisted in a gradual, spiral or circular and continuous tightening direction forming a cylindrical or cone shaped glove bundle; (7) the glove bundle is encased in a cylindrical shaped container or dispenser designed to hold the glove bundle; (8) the cuff portion of either the last or first glove, on one or both ends of the dispenser, is placed at the opening of the dispenser; the openings are at one or both ends of the dispenser; (9) the bundle is arranged to dispense one glove at a time in a cuff first orientation.

The disposable glove dispensing apparatus has the following combinations or variations of desirable characteristics: (1) composed of recyclable, natural, synthetic, antimicrobial, antibacterial, non-antimicrobial or non-antibacterial material, including, without limitation, paper and plastics; (2) a cylindrical shaped dispenser that forms the container the glove bundle is encased in; (3) contains at least one, two or all of the following elements: (a) end caps, (b) end plugs or (c) core objects; (4) end caps are placed over the openings of the dispenser and are removable from the bottom, top or both ends of the dispenser; or the end caps can be permanently affixed on either the top or bottom portion of the dispenser; (5) either or both ends have a cylindrical, circular, square, or rectangular shaped opening in which gloves are individually dispensed from; (6) each opening has a diameter between 0 to 3 inches and is centered and positioned between 0 to 3 inches down from the rim or edge of each dispenser, not including the end caps when positioned over the openings; (7) each opening may or may not be constructed from an end plug or other core object composed of recyclable, natural, synthetic, antimicrobial, antibacterial, non-antimicrobial or non-antibacterial material, including, without limitation, paper and plastics; (8) each end plug or other type of core object that houses the opening from where the gloves are dispensed is permanently affixed to the inside of the dispenser 0 to 3 inches from the top, bottom or both rims or edges of the dispenser, this measurement does not include the end caps when positioned over the openings 9) may or may not be wall mountable; (10) dispenses one glove at a time with the cuff portion of the glove dispensing first; (11) dispenser dispenses gloves individually from either top, bottom or both ends of the dispenser. Dispensing can occur from one end at a time or both ends simultaneously and (12) dispenser has a cylindrical shape.

Claims

1. A glove dispensing system comprising of: a) a cylindrical-shaped, disposable container made of recyclable, natural, synthetic, antimicrobial, antibacterial, non-antimicrobial or non-antibacterial material, including, without limitation, paper and plastics;b) a cylindrical-shaped container that has one opening in both ends of the dispenser where said disposable gloves from glove bundle are dispensed individually and each opening may be covered with an end cap when said disposable gloves from glove bundle at the opposing end are being dispensed which adds additional protection for the disposable gloves housed inside of the dispenser;c) end caps are cylindrical-shaped and are not permanently affixed to the container, which will allow for dispensing from both ends;d) a cylindrical-shaped container that has a length between 0.50 to 18 inches and a circumference between 0.50 to 24 inches.

2. The glove dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said end caps are cylindrical-shaped and are not permanently affixed to the container, which will allow for dispensing from both ends; dispensing may occur one end at a time or both ends simultaneously; the glove dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said openings have the following characteristics:a) cylindrical, circular, square, triangular or rectangular shaped from which gloves are individually dispensed;b) has a diameter between 0.25 to 3 inches;c) is centered and positioned between 0.25 to 3 inches down from the rim or edge of said glove dispenser, excluding said end caps from the measurements;d) may be constructed from an end plug or other core object composed of recyclable, natural, synthetic, antimicrobial, antibacterial, non-antimicrobial or non-antibacterial material, including, without limitation, paper and plastics.

3. The glove dispensing system of claim 1, providing a method of folding said gloves comprising of: a) a glove bundle, when formed, it is then wound or twisted in a gradual, spiral or circular and continuous tightening direction forming a cylindrical or cone shaped glove bundle;b) said glove bundle is encased in said glove dispensing system which is a cylindrical shaped container or dispenser designed to hold the glove bundle;c) said glove bundle with the cuff portion of either the last or first glove, is placed at each opening of the dispenser; the openings at both ends of said glove dispenser;d) said glove bundle is arranged to dispense one glove at a time in a cuff first orientation.