Patent Application
20070136927
This invention pertains to a protective glove for a firefighter or for an emergency worker. This invention contemplates that the protective glove has a protrusion, which facilitates pushing a recessed pushbutton, as exemplified by a recessed pushbutton of an emergency device, such as a microphone for a two-radio.
An emergency device, such as a microphone for a two-way radio, may have a pushbutton, which, when pushed, sends an emergency signal. The pushbutton may be called a “panic” button or a “mayday” button. The pushbutton may be recessed, so as to avert its being inadvertently pressed when a firefighter, an emergency worker, or some other user, who is holding the emergency device in one hand of the user or who has the emergency device clipped to an outer garment worn by the user, is crawling or is leaning against someone or against something.
Commonly, a firefighter or an emergency worker wears protective gloves, which may have outer shells and inner liners and which may impede pushing a recessed pushbutton, such as a recessed pushbutton of an emergency device, as discussed above. Consequently, when needing to press a recessed pushbutton, a firefighter or an emergency worker may want to remove one protective glove, so as to free one hand to press the recessed pushbutton. However, a firefighter or an emergency worker may be working in a hazardous environment, in which removal of one protective glove is not advisable.
This invention provides, for a firefighter or for an emergency worker, a protective glove having a front face and a back face and having finger-covering portions, which include a thumb-covering portion. The protective glove has a protrusion, which facilitates pushing a recessed pushbutton, as exemplified by a recessed pushbutton of an emergency device, such as a microphone for a two-radio.
The protrusion may protrude from one of the finger-covering portions, either the thumb-covering portion or another of the finger-covering portions. The protrusion may protrude from the front face, from the back face, or from a side edge, which may be opposite to the thumb-covering portion. Preferably, the protrusion is a separate piece, which is affixed to the protective glove.
As illustrated, a firefighter is wearing an outer coat 10, to which a microphone 20 of a two-way radio is clipped. The microphone 20 has a pushbutton 30, which, when pushed, sends an emergency signal.
In a recess 32 at one end 22 of the microphone 20, the pushbutton 30 is recessed, so as to avert its being inadvertently pressed when the firefighter, while holding the microphone 20 in one hand or while having the microphone 20 clipped to the outer coat 10, is crawling or is leaning against someone or against something. Further details of the microphone 20 and of the pushbutton 30 are outside the scope of this invention.
As illustrated, the firefighter is wearing a protective glove 40 on his right hand and a protective glove 50 on his left hand. The protective gloves 40, 50, which have outer shells and which may have inner liners, are conventional, except as illustrated and described herein. The protective glove 40 has a front face 42 and a back face 44. As contemplated by this invention, the protective glove 40 has a protrusion 60, which facilitates pushing the recessed pushbutton 30.
In one contemplated embodiment, which is illustrated in
In an alternative embodiment, which is illustrated in
Preferably, the protrusion 60 is a separate piece, which may be made from leather, from a rigid or semi-rigid, polymeric material, or from any other, suitable material, and which is affixed to the protective glove 40. As illustrated, the protrusion 60 is sewn to the index finger-covering portion 48 of the protective glove 40, on the front face 42. The protective glove 50 may have a similar protrusion.
