Patent Application
20090089915
The present invention relates to a multi-layer, heavy duty work glove. More specifically, the work glove includes seams stitched with a high strength synthetic thread and a laminated jersey fabric that enhances its durability and comfort.
Work gloves, such as the type used for carpentry, gardening, or farm work are typically formed from a knitted fabric made of cotton or polyester material. They may be reinforced across the palm and knuckle regions with a leather or suede material. Such gloves are not necessarily heavy duty: they are typically susceptible to damage from abrasions, cuts, pinches, or tears. Additionally, they can fail at important seams, such as where the leather material and the fabric are seamed together and where the cuff is attached to the glove body. Also, they do not protect the wearer from liquid contamination, such as an oil spill or the like. Other work gloves may become uncomfortable after any extended wear time.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a work glove is provided having an outer glove layer with a seam stitched with a high strength thread, an inner fabric layer and an intermediate liquid resistant layer therebetween. The liquid resistant layer and the fabric layer present a glove lining secured within the outer glove layer, with the fabric layer adapted to receive a wearer's hand. The glove may also include a cuff portion secured to an open end of the outer glove layer by another seam stitched with the high strength thread.
Other advantages of this work glove will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example an embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to
The glove shell 12 is preferably formed from a combination of a split leather material 24 and a natural color cotton fabric 26. Other materials may be used, such as other leathers, suedes or polyesters. The split leather 24 extends over the palm 30, thumb 32, first finger 34, gripping surface side 20 of the other fingers 36, finger tips 38 and knuckle 40 areas. The cotton fabric 26 extends from the safety cuff 16 to the leather material 24 of the first finger 34 and finger tips 38.
The leather material 24 and the cotton fabric 26 are stitched together with a high strength synthetic thread, such as Kevlar® thread developed by the DuPont Company, to present high strength seams 50. Kevlar® fibers consist of long molecular chains produced from poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide. The chains are highly oriented with strong inter-chain bonding, which results in a unique combination of properties. Some of these properties include high tensile strength at low weight, high chemical resistance, high toughness, high cut resistance and flame resistance.
The cotton fabric 26 can be and is preferably cinched along stitched line 52 preferably using the high strength thread. The cinched line 52 helps provide for a proper fit of the glove 10 over a wearer's hand at the wrist area.
The lining 14, as best seen in
The safety cuff 16 is preferably formed of yellow color cotton fabric and is preferably laminated with polyethylene rubber. Other appropriate fabrics and rubbers may be used. The rubberized safety cuff 16 is stitched using the high strength thread to the open end 18 of the glove shell 12 at seam 70. Both the stitching and the rubberized cuff 16 further enhance the glove's durability.
The multi-layer lining 14 is inserted into the glove shell 12. It is stitched at the open end 22 to the cuff 16, preferably using a cotton binding 80 and polyester thread.
As can be appreciated from the above description, the work glove 10 is exceptionally durable. The high strength thread provides increased strength at the major seams, helping to prevent any tearing or splitting between the leather 24 and the fabric 26. The laminated jersey lining 14 and the leather 24 help protect the wearer from abrasions, cuts, punches or tears. The water-resistant layer 60 of the lining 14 also protects the wearer from spills or other liquid contamination, such as oil spills. Despite its durability, the work glove 10 is comfortable to wear over long periods of time, especially due to the fleeced surface 62 of the lining 14 into which a wearer's hand is inserted.
