DISPOSABLE GLOVE AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A GLOVE TO A USER'S HAND

• US 20110283439A1
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glovematic Pty., Limited
• Original Assignee: Glovematic Pty., Limited
• Inventors: Stanley, Paul, Backhaus, Stephan, Backhaus, Benjamin Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 8,807,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/159
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/0072 made of one layer of material
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/52 Disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 25/904 for gloves glove hooks A47G25/92
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 42/40 Packages or dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 42/50 Devices for putting-on or removing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/00 Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials B65D71/00, B65D83/00 take precedence; hand implements or travelling equipment A45C; cosmetic or toiletry equipment A45D; packages for surgical knives, scalpels or blades therefor A61B17/3215; containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/00; paint cans B44D3/12; oil cans F16N3/04; containers for carrying small arms F41C33/06; packaging of ammunition or explosive charges F42B39/00; containers for record carriers, specially adapted for cooperation with the recording or reproducing apparatus G11B23/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a package of disposable gloves and to a method and an apparatus which can use the package to enable the gloves to be applied to a user'"'"'s hands. The gloves are stored in a roll and are unrolled and opened by the apparatus so that a user can hygienically insert their hand into a glove without touching the glove. The user, with their hand in the glove can then sever the glove from the roll of gloves by moving their hand downwardly and away from the apparatus. The apparatus can then unroll and open another glove for the user to insert their other hand.

Claims

1. A package of disposable gloves, comprising:

a plurality of gloves connected to one another in a line by a frangible connection which is breakable to separate one glove from the line;

a glove edge transverse to the frangible connection to form an open cuff of each glove; and

wherein each glove is formed from two layers which are joined together by a join to define the glove.

2. The package of disposable gloves according to claim 1, wherein the gloves are formed in glove panels with each panel being connected to an adjacent panel by the frangible connection, the join comprising a heat seal in each panel defining the shape of the glove.

3. The package of disposable gloves according to claim 2, wherein each panel is a rectangular panel and has webs outwardly of the join.

4. The package of disposable gloves according to claim 3, wherein each glove has defined fingers and the webs are formed between the fingers and cuts are formed through the webs between the fingers to separate the fingers.

5. The package of disposable gloves according to claim 4, wherein the glove has fingers and the join of the glove which defines the fingers forms the periphery of the panel at the fingers.

6. The package of disposable gloves according to claim 1, that is the form of a roll of gloves.

7. A package of disposable gloves for use with a glove applying apparatus for enabling the gloves to be applied to the user'"'"'s hands, comprising:

a plurality of gloves connected to one another in a line by a frangible connection which is breakable to separate one glove from the line;

each glove being formed from two layers which are joined together by a join to define the glove; and

locating indicia for allowing the gloves to be registered in the apparatus.

8-17. -17. (canceled)

18. An apparatus for enabling hygienic location of a glove on a hand, comprising:

a storage for storing a package of disposable gloves;

an indexing device for moving the gloves from the storage to a hand insertion station; and

a glove opening device for opening a glove so a user can insert his or her hand into the glove at the hand insertion station.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the storage is a compartment for storing a roll of gloves comprising a continuous line of gloves with the gloves being joined to one another by a frangible connection in the line.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the indexing device comprises a movable gripping device for movement between the hand insertion station and a line gripping station so that the device can move relative to the line between the insertion station and the gripping station, and can grip the line at the gripping station so the line is drawn with the device upon return movement from the gripping station to the hand insertion station.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the gloves in the line have a first layer and a second layer and the glove opening device comprises a gripper for gripping at least one of the layers, and a gripper moving element for moving the gripper and the at least one of the layers relative to the other layer to open the glove.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the glove is gripped and opened during movement of the gripper device between the gripping station and the hand insertion station.

23. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the gripper comprises an inflatable assembly and a sealing formation having one or more than one suction points, wherein upon inflation of the inflatable assembly, at least one of the suctions points of the sealing formation is located against at least one of the layers, and upon deflation of the inflatable assembly, the layer is drawn away from the other layer to thereby open the glove.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the inflatable assembly comprises a bellows.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the rate of inflation or deflation of the inflatable assembly is controlled by a piston and cylinder that supplies air into, or draws air from, the inflatable assembly, and suction of the suctions points is controlled by a separate piston and cylinder.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the piston and cylinder assemblies are operable by a linear actuator controlled by a solenoid.

27. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the indexing device further comprises a pair of rollers, a gear attached to each roller the gears meshing together so the rollers are able to rotate in unison but in opposite directions, the rollers having a groove and rib so that when the groove of one roller engages with the rib of the other roller the line is gripped between the rollers, and so that upon movement of the indexing device from the gripping station to the hand insertion station the line is drawn off the package, and upon movement of the indexing device from the hand insertion station to the gripping station the rollers rotate relative to the line during movement of the indexing device until the groove and rib re-engage to thereby grip the line between the rollers.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein a driver is provided to rotate the rollers only during movement of the gripping device from the hand insertion station to the gripping station.

34. The apparatus according to claim 18, further including a sensor for sensing the insertion of a user'"'"'s hand into the glove at the hand insertion station, and then removal of the glove from the line at the hand insertion station, to thereby activate the indexing device to cause the indexing device to move from the hand insertion station, to the gripping station, and back to the hand insertion station so a new glove is open at the hand insertion station ready for insertion of a user'"'"'s hand.

35. The apparatus according to claim 18, further including locating elements for engaging the line when a new package is located in the apparatus to correctly register the line in the apparatus.

36. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the line has holes and the locating elements comprise pins for passing through the holes when the package is loaded into the apparatus, and for withdrawal from the holes after the package is loaded in the apparatus.

37. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the pins are driven between a locating position where they can pass through the holes and a retracted position away from the line, by opening and closing movement of a door of the apparatus to provide access to the storage of the apparatus.

29-33. -33. (canceled)

38. An apparatus for enabling hygienic location of a glove on a hand, comprising:

a housing having a front opening and a bottom opening which provide access to a hand insertion station;

a storage for storing a package of disposable gloves, so the gloves are presented at the hand insertion station in an orientation so that a line between a cuff portion of the gloves and a fingertip portion of the gloves is substantially horizontal, and with the cuff portion of the gloves facing the front opening;

a glove indexing device for moving a glove from the storage to the hand insertion station so a user can insert his or her hand into the glove through the cuff portion; and

wherein to locate the glove on the hand and remove the glove from the apparatus, a user inserts his or hand through the front opening into the glove and then moves his or her hand with the glove on his or her hand downwardly through the bottom opening.

39. An apparatus for enabling hygienic location of the glove on a hand, comprising:

a storage for storing a package of disposable gloves;

an indexing device for moving the gloves from the storage to a hand insertion station; and

a glove opening device comprising at least one inflatable assembly having openings therein through which air can flow, and at least one air supply and vacuum system for supplying air to the inflatable assembly to inflate and thereby locate openings of the assembly in a position adjacent the glove, for drawing a vacuum through the assembly so a portion of the glove is drawn against the assembly, and for deflating the assembly so the assembly moves a portion of the glove away from another portion of the glove to open the glove to enable a user to insert his or her hand into the glove at the hand insertion station.

40. A method of hygienically locating a glove on a user'"'"'s hand, comprising:

mechanically locating the glove at a hand insertion location;

opening the glove; and

inserting a hand in the glove.

45. The method according to claim 40, wherein the glove has a first layer defining the back of the glove and a second layer defining the palm of the glove, and opening the glove involves an apparatus moving the first and second layers apart to enable a person to insert his/her hand through the cuff into the glove.

41-44. -44. (canceled)