Fully-adjustable glove removal apparatus
A surgical glove removal apparatus in which a crossmember supports one or more flanges that are able to be slipped between the wearer's glove and hand, so that when the hand is withdrawn, the flange peels the glove off away from the wearer. A shield is provided to prevent unwanted splatter, with the shield being adjustable virtually 360 degrees about the crossmember. The crossmember is supported by support legs that are able to be attached to virtually any surface angle, with the flanges able to be utilized with the apparatus attached to a floor surface, a table surface, a wall surface, or even an elevated or ceiling surface, allowing for complete versatility in the placement of this apparatus in a medical setting. The shield and flanges may be adjustable as to position for the user, with the height or extension of the support legs also adjustable so as to accommodate any mounting surface and make it appropriate for the mounting and use of this apparatus.
Two basic concepts exist for surgical glove removal. The first concept uses vacuum pressure chambers to modify the shape and size of the gloves. Recent art has utilized improvements on this first concept. The second basic concept for surgical glove removal uses an external instrument to pull the glove away from the hand. Prior art generally is not intended for attachment to a ceiling or wall, as the present invention does. Further, shields and guards are desirous, since substances on the gloves may contain unwanted contaminants.
Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,276 (Poncy et al.), a method for putting on surgical gloves is shown. This invention typifies an early method for using vacuum chambers to put on gloves, and logically also to remove, surgical gloves.
Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,747 (Coffey et al.), a removal method for a specific type of glove is shown, in which the glove itself is equipped with a loop that is able to be used in conjunction with a hook to facilitate removal. The glove construction is critical to this invention.
Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,272 (Vlock), another vacuum pressure apparatus is shown that is capable of being used to put on as well as remove gloves. This patent shows a complicated method, and requires a cumbersome apparatus.
Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,220 (Andriola), a curious sports glove removal method is shown. This method shows an example of an the application of an external force on a portion of the glove to assist in removing it.
Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,483 (Saandatmanesh et al.), another attempt to define an apparatus that is used to remove surgical gloves is shown. Unlike the present invention, the removal force is applied externally, rather than inside the glove.
Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,117 (Poschelk) an apparatus is shown comprising a means to position the opening of the glove for easy insertion and removal of a person's hand. The glove itself requires a ring assembly in order to be usable.
Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,134 (Dunkel), an apparatus to facilitate removal of gloves is shown. Although there are some similarities to the present invention, this invention does not allow ease of use as the present invention does, and lacks the fully adjustable characteristics.
Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,792 (Neal), an apparatus having a flange that is inserted between the hand and glove is shown. Referring now also to U.S. patent application No. 2002/0158092 (Cattenhead), a latex glove removal and disposal unit combination is shown. The varied mounting positions are not available with either of these patents, as is available with the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis apparatus comprises a useful means to remove close fitting or tight fitting gloves, such as surgical type latex gloves. The removal of these type of gloves is often difficult to do, owing to the manner in which the gloves themselves provide a constricting force on all of the surface area of the wearer's hand. In addition, it is often undesirable to attempt removal of these types of gloves without some external instrument, in situations where caustic and/or biologically threatening substances are present on the gloves themselves. If removal is attempted without using a stationary external instrument, then the undesirable substances on the glove of one hand will likely be transferred to the skin of the other hand during the removal. Removal methods that do not use an external instrument generally will require that the wearer use their thumb or finger portion of one glove to place underneath the glove on the other hand, which will also make contact against the skin to pry the second glove off.
This instrument avoids undesired contact of one hand against the other, and easily and quickly allows glove removal. In addition, this invention allows for placement and orientation of the invention in virtually all possible orientations. Therefore, this invention finds usefulness in situations where a tabletop is provided as the surface to which this invention is attached, as well as a wall or even a ceiling, where the invention hangs down from above.
This apparatus comprises a framework in which to support legs are spaced apart and separated on one end by a crossmember, with the other ends of the support legs having a means by which they may be attached to a stable and suitable surface. Typically, a bracket is provided and attached to the support legs to allow easy mounting.
The crossmember is preferably straight, but they follow any orientation desired, such as a curved arcual shape, or any other shape that the user finds beneficial. Also on the crossmember are one or more flanges, that have side edges and a curved end. These flanges are preferably flattened portions, but also follow a curved or arcual shape.
The adjustable features of this invention are also able to provide wider range of use. The support legs may be adjustable as to overall length, with an inner support leg being slidably disposed within the outer support leg. In this situation, the outer support leg will comprise a tubular member, which is able to receive the inner support leg. The inner support leg may comprise a tubular member, in which the outer circumference of the inner support leg is less than the internal circumference of the outer support leg.
Where the invention is desired to be adjustable as to length of its support legs, a locking means is provided so as to fix the position of the inner and outer support legs in relation to each other. Typically, an adjustment screw, that is threaded through the outer support leg, with the screw end contacting the outer side of the inner support leg is used. When the screw is tightened against the inner support leg, this will cause said leg to be locked into position.
A shielding may also be provided, in which a shield means defines an outer shielding edge, providing a barrier between the mounted flanges and the wearers face. This can be very important, seems undesirable materials on the gloves themselves can easily spatter off of the gloves during the removal. It is foreseeable that some of this undesired material could impact on the person's face if there was no barrier. This invention provides a fully adjustable shield, that is adjustable to numerous positions and able to adjust to any orientation of the framework.
Since this invention contemplates multiple positions, the shield means itself must also be adjustable. In this invention, the shield means is contemplated as having an outer edge with two outer side walls that position the outer edge away from the cross member. The shield itself rotates around the ends of the crossmember, and it is easily removable one from the framework for cleaning. Further adjustment features may be utilized, comprising adjustment screws that tighten against an opposing surface.
The materials used to create this invention may be of any material having rigid properties when formed, and may be metal, plastic or composites. It is the placement of the glove removing flanges and the optional shield that provide the usefulness for this invention.
Accordingly, it is object to this invention to provide a means by which latex gloves are easily removed concurrent with one another in a single removal action.
It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus in which it is capable of presenting flanges from a framework that are able to be attached to any surface orientation.
It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus which is capable of being adjusted as to overall length allowing greater options as to the positioning of the flanges with regard to multiple potential surfaces.
It is a further object of this invention to provide the glove removal apparatus having an adjustable shield means to protect the wearer from undesirable spattering.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
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In circumstances where the framework 10 and flange members 20 are comprised of metal, the flange members 20 may be welded on their attachment edge 21 to the crossmember 14. It is not necessary that the framework 10 and flange members 20 be constructed out of metal, but may be constructed out of any material having rigid qualities. In such instances, the flange members 20 may be glued or attached in any manner commonly known in the art to crossmember 14.
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The outer edge 34 may have a curved or flattened configuration. As it is shown in
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Shield means 30 is provided with an opening on its bottom most end 63, through which the end 15 of crossmember is placed. Preferably, the shield means 30 is comprised of a resilient material that exhibits some flexible characteristics, with its nonstressed orientation comprising a gap between the bottom most end areas 63 that is slightly less than the distance between the outer sides 17 of washer means 16. In this manner, the shield means 30 is able to be removed or placed onto the framework 10 as desired, by simply urging the bottom most and areas 63 apart slightly so as to allow the ends 15 to fit in through the openings in the bottom most end areas 63 of the sidewalls 31 and 32. The side walls inner sides 32′ will contact the outer side 17 of the washer means 16. Frictional involvement will be acquired between them. The position of the shield means 30 may be fixed in any desirable position permanently, or may be positioned where desired, with the frictional contact between the shield means 30 and the washer means 16 being sufficient so as to overcome any gravitational effects on the shield means 30. Thus, the shield means 30 is adjustable for use with one individual's characteristics to the next.
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The adjustable features of this invention are example and shown in
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From the foregoing statements, summary and description in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same are not limited thereto, but are susceptible to various changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications which would be encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. An apparatus for removing surgical gloves, comprising:
- a. a framework, have support legs that are separated by a crossmember, where said support legs are capable of being attached at one end to a fixed surface, and with the other ends supporting the ends of the crossmember;
- b. a shield means that is attached to the crossmember;
- c. one or more flanges that directly protrude outward from the crossmember.
2. An apparatus for removing surgical gloves, as recited in claim 1, in which the support legs are adjustable as to length, in which the support legs further comprise:
- a. a support leg and an inner support leg, where said inner support leg is slidably disposed within the support leg, and where the top ends of the inner support legs are attached to the crossmember;
- b. a means to fix the position of the inner support leg and support leg, with respect to each other, in which the means to fix the position comprises an adjustment screw that is able to be placed into a defined hole through the support leg, and where the adjustment screw is able to be tightened against the inner support leg, to provide a frictional force against the inner support leg.
3. An apparatus for removing surgical gloves, as recited in claim 1, in which the shield means is adjustable with regard to the support legs, where the shield fits around the ends of the crossmember, so that the crossmember protrudes through the shield, and where the shield presses against washers, where said washers are fixed to the crossmember end areas, with the resulting force between the shield and washers providing sufficient frictional force to restrict further movement between them.
4. An apparatus for removing surgical gloves, as recited in claim 1, in which the shield means is adjustable with regard to the support legs, in which the shield and crossmember are fixed in relation to each other, with the crossmember able to rotate while placed through loops defined on the top ends of the support legs, and where a tightening screw is placed through a hole that extends through the loop, with the tightening screw able to be turned until said screw contacts and establishes frictional force between said screw and the crossmember, so that the crossmember resists turning within the loop.
5. An apparatus for removing surgical gloves, as recited in claim 1, in which the shield means is adjustable with regard to the support legs, in which the crossmember is fixed to a support leg at both ends, and where the crossmember has a washer defined on the end area of the crossmember, with the shield rotatably positioned adjacent to said washer, and where a screw is placed through a hole in the shield and tightened against the washer out side, until sufficient frictional force is created between the screw and the washer to prevent movement between said washer outer side and shield.
6. An apparatus for removing surgical gloves, as recited in claim 1, in which the support legs are able to be attached to a ceiling surface, so that the support legs protrude downward and support the shield below the attachment surface.
7. An apparatus for removing surgical gloves, as recited in claim 1, in which the support legs are able to be attached to a vertical surface, so that the support legs protrude sideways to support the shield to the side of the attachment surface.
8. An apparatus for removing surgical gloves, as recited in claim 1, in which the support legs are able to be attached to a horizontal surface, so that the support legs protrude upward.
9. An apparatus for removing surgical gloves, as recited in claim 1, in which the shield is adjustable around the crossmember in relation to the support legs.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 26, 2006
Publication Date: Jul 26, 2007
Inventor: Travis Kelly (Wichita, KS)
Application Number: 11/339,901
International Classification: A47G 25/90 (20060101);