Patent Application
20070192930
This invention pertains to a protective glove for a firefighter or for an emergency worker. This invention contemplates that an outer shell of the protective glove has an inspection port, which when opened enables a liner of the protective glove to be visually inspected through the inspection port.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,222, it is known for a firefighter's garment to have an inspection port, which when opened enables a liner of the firefighter's garment to be visually inspected. This patent teaches in column 2, lines 28 through 30, that “[w]hile the invention is discussed with reference to the coat of
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,210 discloses a protective coat of related interest. U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,058 discloses a jacket of related interest. U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,332 discloses a garment, either a jacket or trousers, of related interest.
This invention provides, for a firefighter or for an emergency worker, a protective glove having an outer shell and a liner, which is an intermediate liner if the protective glove also has an inner liner. The outer shell has an inspection port, which is openable and closeable. When opened, the inspection port enables portions of the liner to be visually inspected through the inspection port.
Preferably, the outer shell has a flap, which is positionable between a position wherein the inspection port is closed by the flap and positions wherein the inspection port is opened, and the outer shell has means for releasably fastening the flap in the position wherein the inspection port is closed by the flap. Preferably, the fastening means comprise hook-and-loop fastening means, although other fastening means, such as a series of snap fasteners or a zipper, can be alternatively used.
As illustrated, a protective glove 10 for a firefighter or for an emergency worker is similar to protective gloves known heretofore in having an outer shell 20, an intermediate liner 30 providing a moisture barrier, and an inner liner 40 providing a thermal barrier. As illustrated, the outer shell 20 is made from leather, such as elkhide. Alternatively, the outer shell 20 is made from a suitable fabric, such as Kevlar™ fabric or Nomex™ fabric. As illustrated, the intermediate liner 30 is a separate liner made from a suitable material, such as neoprene. Alternatively, the intermediate liner 30 is bonded to the inner liner 40. As illustrated, the inner liner 40 comprises an outer, fabric layer 42, an inner, fabric later 44, and insulative material 46, such as felt, between the fabric layers 42, 44, which are quilted.
As contemplated by this invention, the outer shell 20 has an inspection port 50, which is openable and closeable and which when opened enables the intermediate liner 30 to be visually inspected through the inspection port 50, and a flap 60, which is positionable between a position (see
Furthermore, the protective glove 10 has means for releasably fastening the flap 60 in the position wherein the inspection port 50 is closed by the flap 60. As illustrated, the fastening means comprise complementary hook-and-loop fasteners 70 comprising a hook-faced tape 72, which is sewn along and to the margin of the flap 60, and comprising a loop-faced tape 74, which is sewn along and to the margin of the inspection port 50. The respective tapes 72, 74, can be alternatively glued along and to the respective margins. Rather than complementary hook-and-loop fasteners, other releasable fastening means, such as a series of snap fasteners or a zipper, can be alternatively used.
