Flexible rubber article and method of making

• US 5,545,451 A
• Filed: 06/23/1994
• Issued: 08/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medline Industries Incorporated (Medline Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Maxxim Medical, Inc. (UBS Ag)
• Inventors: Muschelewicz, Adana, Chen, Fung-Bor, Haung, Wu-Nan, Manwill, Niles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidleck, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williamson, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US08/264,588
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 428/421, 428/423.1, 428/423.9, 428/493, 428/36.8, 2/159, 2/167, 2/168, 2/DIG. 7, 525/123, 525/125, 525/127
• US Class Current: 428/36.8
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 42/00 Surgical gloves; Finger-stalls specially adapted for surgery; Devices for handling or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/14 Dipping a core B29C41/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/22 Making multilayered or multicoloured articles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 25/04 comprising rubber as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/043; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/044; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/042; next to a metal layer B32B15/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/063; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/043; next to a wood layer B32B21/045; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/046
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1386 Natural or synthetic rubber or rubber-like compound containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31569 Next to natural rubber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3183 Next to second layer of natural rubber

Abstract

A multi-layer flexible article includes a first layer of natural rubber, a second layer of natural rubber, polyurethane, poly(acrylamide/acrylic acid) and polyethylene oxide and a third layer of acrylic copolymer and fluorocarbon telomer resin. The article is preferably a glove formed by the method of dipping a hand shaped mold into baths containing aqueous emulsions of the components used to form the layers. Gloves manufactured according to the method are substantially wet-hand and dry-hand donnable as compared to powdered latex gloves of similar size. The finished gloved is water washed and wet autoclaved to substantially reduce the protein content from the natural rubber and substantially remove other water extractable allergenic moieties. The washing and autoclaving renders the glove substantially hypoallergenic as compared to gloves not so treated.

Claims

1. A multi-layer glove for use in medical procedures comprising:

a patient contacting layer formed as a film from an aqueous natural rubber latex emulsion;

a wearer contacting layer formed as a film from an aqueous emulsion comprising an acrylic copolymer and a fluorocarbon telomer resin; and

a layer, intermediate said patient contacting layer and said wearer contacting layer, formed as a film from an aqueous emulsion comprising natural rubber latex, polyurethane latex, poly(acrylamide/acrylic acid), sodium salt, and polyethylene oxide.

2. The glove of claim 1 having an inner surface of said wearer contacting layer and an outer surface of said patient contacting layer and at least one of said surfaces having a coating of a lubricant.

3. The glove of claim 2 wherein said lubricant is selected from the group consisting of silicone, fluorocarbon telomer, lanolin oil alkoxy ethers and lanolin alkoxy ethers.

4. The glove of claim 1 wherein said patient contacting layer is about 0.05 to 0.45 mm thick, said intermediate layer is about 0.005 to 0.20 mm thick and said wearer contacting layer is about 0.0005 to 0.05 mm thick.

5. A multi-layer glove for use in medical procedures comprising:

a patient contacting layer formed from a material selected from the group consisting of plastisol PVC, natural rubber latex, polyurethane latex, polychloroprene, styrene/butadiene copolymer and nitrile latex;

a wearer contacting layer formed from an acrylic copolymer and fluorocarbon telomer resin; and

a layer, intermediate said patient contacting layer and said wearer contacting layer, comprising natural rubber latex, polyurethane latex, poly(acrylamide/acrylic acid), sodium salt, and polyethylene oxide.

6. A multi-layer glove for use in medical procedures comprising:

a patient contacting layer formed as a ffim from an aqueous natural rubber latex emulsion;

a wearer contacting layer formed as a film from an aqueous emulsion comprising an acrylic copolymer and a fiuorocarbon telomer resin; and

a layer, intermediate said patient contacting layer and said wearer contacting layer, formed as a film from an aqueous emulsion comprising natural rubber latex, polyurethane latex, poly(acrylamide/acrylic acid), sodium salt (10 percent carboxyl) and polyethylene oxide.

7. The glove of claim 6 having an inner surface of said wearer contacting layer and an outer surface of said patient contacting layer and at least one of said surfaces having a coating of a lubricant.

8. The glove of claim 7 wherein said lubricant is selected from the group consisting of silicone, fluorocarbon telomer, lanolin oil alkoxy ethers and lanolin alkoxy ethers.

9. The glove of claim 6 wherein said patient contacting layer is about 0.05 to 0.45 mm thick, said intermediate layer is about 0.005 to 0.20 mm thick and said wearer contacting layer is about 0.0005 to 0.05 mm thick.

10. A multi-layer glove for use in medical procedures comprising:

a patient contacting layer formed from a material selected from the group consisting of plastisol PVC, natural rubber latex, polyurethane latex, polychloroprene latex, styrene/butadiene copolymer and nitrile latex;

a wearer contacting layer formed from an acrylic copolymer and fluorocarbon telomer resin; and

a layer, intermediate said patient contacting layer and said wearer contacting layer, comprising natural rubber latex, polyurethane latex, poly(acrylamide/acrylic acid), sodium salt, (10 percent carboxyl), and polyethylene oxide.