Elastomeric glove containing a foam donning layer

• US 8,353,883 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: O&M Halyard, Inc. (Owens and Minor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Johnson, David W., Shamis, Martin, Bagwell, Alison Salyer
• Primary Examiner(s): Deak, Leslie
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARCETICH, ADAM M
• Application Number:
  US11/303,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,588 Days
• Field of Search: 604/292, 604/289, 215/9, 216/16, 216/17, 216/8, 223/78, 223/79
• US Class Current: 604/292
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/0058 Three-dimensional gloves
• 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 44/0461 by having different chemical compositions in different places, e.g. having different concentrations of foaming agent, feeding one composition after the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/12 Incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/148 Applying the foaming resin, moulding the lining or the like, with the lining turned inside out
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/4864 Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/10 Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/302 Water
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4833 Polyethers containing oxyethylene units
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2101/00 Manufacture of cellular products

Abstract

Elastomeric articles, such as gloves are disclosed. The gloves include a primary matrix made from one or more elastomeric materials and a foam donning layer. In one embodiment, for instance, the donning layer can be formed from a polyurethane foam. The polyurethane foam can be created from the reaction product of a polyurethane prepolymer and a solution containing water. The resulting foam can be hydrophilic and can absorb moisture for preventing moisture from being trapped between the primary matrix and a user'"'"'s skin.

Claims

1. A glove comprising:

a primary matrix comprising an elastomeric polymer, the primary matrix being in the shape of a glove, the glove having an inside hand-contacting surface and an exterior surface wherein the primary matrix comprising an elastomeric polymer comprises the exterior surface of the glove such that the elastomeric polymer forms an outermost surface of the glove; and

a donning layer located on the inside surface of the glove, the donning layer comprising a foam layer wherein the foam layer is hydrophilic and absorbs liquid moisture and transports it away from the hand-contacting surface such that liquid moisture does not remain in contact with a user'"'"'s skin.

2. A glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the foam layer comprises a polyurethane foam.

3. A glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the foam layer comprises an open cell foam.

4. A glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the primary matrix comprises a nitrile polymer.

5. A glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the primary matrix comprises a natural rubber latex polymer.

6. A glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the primary matrix comprises a polyvinyl chloride polymer.

7. A glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the primary matrix comprises a block copolymer.

8. A glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the primary matrix comprises more than one layer.

9. A glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the foam layer is made from a material comprising a polyether polyurethane.

10. A glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the foam layer contains an additive incorporated into the foam layer, the additive comprising a material selected from the group consisting of anti-microbial agents, bacteriostatic agents, liquid absorption agents, medicaments, therapeutic agents, and mixtures thereof.

11. A glove as defined in claim 10, wherein the additive comprises an anti-microbial agent.

12. A glove as defined in claim 11, wherein the anti-microbial agent comprises a composition comprising silver.

13. A glove as defined in claim 10, wherein the additive comprises aloe.

14. A glove as defined in claim 1, wherein the foam layer comprises a reaction product of a prepolymer with a solution comprising water, the prepolymer comprising an isocyanate-capped polyoxyethylene polyol.

15. A glove as defined in claim 14, wherein the solution comprises water and at least one surfactant.