GLOVE WITH CLEANING SURFACES

Abstract

A pair of gloves with cleaning surfaces have a thumb cleaning portion located on the thumb tip, a finger cleaning portion on a fingertip portion and a ventral cleaning portion located on the backside of the gloves. The cleaning portions are integrally formed in the same material as the rest of the gloves and are completely sealed to provide sterility. The gloves fit on the left and right hand of a user and have the same cleaning surfaces on each. Indicator portions are integrally formed within the gloves and allow the user to estimate the length of various things without using a separate measuring device. During use, the indicator portions may become contaminated and the cleaning portions are used to clean away the contaminates to restore their usefulness.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/073,789, filed Nov. 6, 2013, which in turn is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/208,369, filed Aug. 12, 2011, which in turn claims priority to Provisional Application No. 61478266, filed on Apr. 22, 2011, the complete disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The human hand has twenty-seven bones and is a miracle of dexterity. Because of the hand, humans have been able to build the modern world. For all its virtue, the hand remains vulnerable to injury. To counter this weakness, gloves have been developed to cover and protect the hand. It is generally believed that the first gloves were mitten-like and made of animal skin and used to protect the hand from cold and injury.

Eventually, gloves became a status symbol and were worn as a symbol of power. Some gloves were made for eating before the days of the spoon and fork because of their virtue of protecting the wearer from hot food. In general, gloves have a long history and have been protecting and adorning human hands for millennia.

While gloves can protect the hand, they also impede some of the dexterity of the hand. It can be difficult to manipulate and use tools such as a measuring device. Additionally, blood and other contaminants like oil or dirt can obscure the visual indicators. There is a need for a glove that allows a user to easily perform comparative measurements without having to remove the glove and to clean any contaminants from the indicator portion. This is especially important in the medical field where surgeons use gloves while performing medical procedures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A pair of gloves with cleaning surfaces have a thumb cleaning portion located on the thumb tip, a finger cleaning portion on a fingertip portion and a ventral cleaning portion located on the backside of the gloves. The cleaning portions are integrally formed in the same material as the rest of the gloves and are completely sealed to provide sterility. The gloves fit on the left and right hand of a user and have the same cleaning surfaces on each. Indicator portions are integrally formed within the gloves and allow the user to estimate the length of various things without using a separate measuring device. During use, the indicator portions may become contaminated and the cleaning portions are used to clean away the contaminates to restore their usefulness.

Other features and advantages of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a ventral view of a left hand glove with cleaning surfaces according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a dorsal view of a left hand glove with cleaning surfaces shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a ventral view of both left and right hand gloves with cleaning surfaces according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a ventral view of both left and right hand gloves with cleaning surfaces shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front view the glove with cleaning surfaces shown in FIG. 1 with a contaminant.

FIG. 6 is a front view of both gloves being used in a contaminated condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the drawings in which reference numerals refer to like elements, and which are intended to show by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a ventral and dorsal view of a left hand of a glove with cleaning surfaces 102 is shown having a thumb cleaning surface 160, finger cleaning portion 170 and ventral cleaning portion 175. The cleaning portions 160, 170 and 175 are an integral part of glove 102 and are manufactured into the glove to reduce the cost of production as well as providing a secure cleaning surface that cannot peel off or otherwise degrade. An indicator section 135 includes a plurality of tactile and visual indicators 140 and 150 that help a user to perform measurements during a medical procedure such as how deep an incision is, the size of a tumor, etc. or other things required during use. This allows the user to estimate the length without the need to use a separate measuring device such as a ruler. In operation, especially in medical applications, blood or other contaminants 180 can obscure indicators 140, 150 which limits their usefulness. Using a separate cleaning cloth or other cleaning device can introduce another possible means of contamination and also requires interruption of the procedure while performing the cleaning. By utilizing the built in cleaning portions 160, 170 and 175, both these disadvantages are eliminated.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 both left hand glove 102 and right hand glove 104 are shown having cleaning portions 160, 170 and 175 as well as indicator portion 135. These gloves mirror each other and allow the user to perform two handed operations and also allow the gloves and cleaning portions and indicator portions to work together. Ventral portion 175 is used to wipe clean contaminant 180 on right hand glove 104 by scraping across ventral cleaning portion 175 on left hand glove 102. This provides an important advantage while performing medical procedures which often require two hands. The gloves work together to keep indicator sections 135 clean.

Cleaning portions 160, 170 and 175 are textured regions that are produced in the manufacturing process and are completely integral and sealed from any contamination since they are part of the glove material itself. This allows the gloves to be used in medical procedures which require sterile conditions. Gloves 102 and 104 are made of latex, nitrile, vinyl, leather, plastic, rubber or other suitable materials as long as the cleaning portions can be an integral part of the glove. The size of the cleaning portions should be large enough to provide an ample cleaning surface but may be located in different places as would be required by particular uses such as medical procedures. Although finger cleaning portion 170 is shown disposed on an index finger, other fingers could have a cleaning portion as well.

Although the instant invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A pair of gloves with cleaning surfaces comprising:

a left and right glove adapted to fit over a left and right hand of a user;

a thumb cleaning portion disposed along a thumb tip portion of a thumb portion of said left and right gloves;

said thumb cleaning portion being integrally formed with said left and right gloves;

a finger cleaning portion disposed along a fingertip portion of a finger portion of said left and right gloves;

said finger cleaning portion being integrally formed with said left and right gloves;

a ventral cleaning portion disposed on a ventral surface of said left and right gloves;

said ventral cleaning portion being integrally formed with said left and right gloves;

an indicator portion disposed along said finger portion; and

said indicator portion comprising a plurality of tactile and visual indicators disposed therein.

2. The pair of gloves with cleaning surfaces according to claim 1 wherein said thumb cleaning portions, finger cleaning portions and dorsal cleaning portions are raised ridges which are molded therein.

3. The pair of gloves with cleaning surfaces according to claim 1 wherein said visual indicators are numbers.

4. The pair of gloves with cleaning surfaces according to claim 1 wherein said tactile indicators are ridges.