Patent Application
20140259284
The field of this invention relates to film made plastic hand coverings in the shape of mittens or gloves.
Plastic film hand coverings in the form of mittens and gloves are widely used for food handling, patient handling, clean up, fun or for promotions. Typically, these plastic hand coverings are meant for single or short term use and thus, preferably, are made inexpensively from film based plastics.
Often, a pair of hand coverings i.e. a left and right hand covering are attached together at their respective wrist sections with separation facilitated by a laterally extending perforation line at a midsection.
What is needed is a pair of hand coverings that have features that keep the interest of the wearer made for promotions and for fun that may include graphics depicted on the front and rear faces of the hand coverings, so that the hand covering is retained on the hands for longer periods of time and any separated midsection is also retained. Such features may include structural features besides graphic printing.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a pair of disposable hand coverings has a body formed of a front film layer and back film layer sealed together about a periphery to form a pair of opposing hand coverings. Each hand covering has a finger section at opposite closed ends and a wrist section joined together by a midsection. Preferably, the shape is in the form of a mitten.
The midsection is defined by two longitudinally spaced apart laterally extended lines of weakening, preferably, in the form of perforations for separation from the respective wrist sections of the pair of hand coverings. The midsection may have one of promotional and informative material printed thereon as an incentive to retain the midsection after separation from the pair of disposable hand coverings.
Preferably, the midsection has holes located centrally along a longitudinal axis and equally spaced about a center line that laterally extends across the body such that when the body is folded in half along the center line, the holes align for receiving a mounting rack for hanging and display purposes. The midsection has weakening lines to separate into multiple different pieces for separate promotional or informative messages. Preferably, at least one of the lines of weakening is a perforation is along the center line.
In one embodiment, the finger section has longitudinally extending seams connecting of the front and back layers together forming individual finger pockets. Each seam has a line of weakening preferably, in the form of a perforation extending therealong to be tearable to form glove finger sections separated with closed edges. Each of the glove finger sections has lateral extending perforation lines of weakening to allow the glove finger sections to be torn and provide base portions. Preferably, a plurality of vent holes extend through at least one of the back and front film layers of the hand coverings for ventilation. At least one section of one of the front film layer and back film layer may have an autograph receptive coating.
Reference now is made to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to
Each wrist section 24 is attached to a midsection 26. The midsection 24 is separated from each wrist section 24 through a pair of weakening lines 28 extending laterally across the assembly 10. As used herein, the term “weakening” may include perforation, trimmings or any other suitable weakening. Also the transverse center line 30 may be weakened. The midsection may also have additional weakening lines 29 to allow the midsection to be separated into smaller pieces 31. Each piece 31 may have graphics 33 printed thereon in the form or coupons, promotions, advertisements, riddles and answers or other information. The graphics 33 may also be printed on the inside surface. Such graphics 33 are to peak a user's interest so that the user retains possession of the midsection and is an incentive against immediate discarding of the midsection.
Apertures 32 extend through the front film layer 12 and apertures 34 extend back film layer 14 and are aligned with the respective aperture 32. The apertures 32 and 34 are equally spaced from the center line 30 along a longitudinal axis 27 of the assembly 10. When the assembly 10 is folded in half along center line 30, all four holes 32 and 34 align to allow the assembly 10 to be mounted on a rack prong 35 for hanging and display purposes as shown in
As illustrated in
In addition, the finger pockets 38 may have cross weakenings 42 such that when cross weakenings 42 are torn, the user may expose portions of fingers 41 for more dexterity as illustrated in
In this manner, the hand covering is convertible from a mitten type covering to a glove type covering that allows fingers to be exposed or covered. Furthermore, the hand coverings can also be converted to a cut-off glove type covering.
At least one face of one hand covering 18 may have a transparent autograph receptive coating thereon. This coating allows autographs 50 or other writings by ink pen or pencil thereon as illustrated in
The hand coverings 18 as well as the midsection 26 may be printed with graphics 23 and 33 that may include promotional material as well as entertaining or informational material. Sport team logos, venue maps, game boards, the map of the State of Michigan as illustrated are various examples of graphics that may be printed on the hand coverings.
It should be understood that all the perforations may be replaced by other lines of weakening. For example, thinner seams of plastic or weaker seams of plastic of different material may also provide for the appropriate tearing.
Variations and modifications are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
