PATTERNED GLOVES FOR ENHANCED GRIP

Abstract

A textured glove with wave pattern embossed on its surface is provided. The glove surface may be partially or wholly embossed with the wave pattern to enhance grip.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to glove with enhanced grip, and particularly relates to gloves and glove formers thereof, with wave or fishnet pattern texture for enhanced grip.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Gloves are typically used as a primary barrier for protection against the spread of diseases or dirt or grease while handling multiple equipment across various fields of application such as from surgery to food handling purposes.

Conventionally and also popularly, gloves are manufactured with smooth surfaces and thus lack good tactile sense and non-slip qualities, making them slippery when in use, especially when being used with water or fluid. This requires extra effort, on part of the user, to maintain a sturdy grip of their equipment while wearing gloves.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,356,852 discloses an ambidextrous, latex glove with a textured surface on the areas of the glove corresponding with the touch parts of fingers and a palm. That is, the areas on a hand that are used for gripping and holding are covered with a textured latex surface, providing increased friction for improved gripping.

However, it has been observed that the gripping may still be enhanced and made better if the kind of texture is altered, and applied accordingly, partially or wholly, on the glove. The state of the art also discloses patterns such as honeycomb and fish-scale.

However, the gripping of each of the patterns disclosed in the state of the art, has been found less than satisfactory. Accordingly, there is a need for gloves with enhanced gripping, especially for use across different fields of applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary embodiment of the present invention is to provide a textured gloved with wave pattern or fishnet pattern for an industrial glove or a household glove or an examination glove.

Another embodiment of the present invention is to provide a wave pattern layer be applied selectively (partly or wholly) on a glove having utility in both wet and dry surfaces.

The various embodiments of the present invention provide a textured glove with wave pattern to enhance gripping strength of the glove. The wave pattern may be selectively applied over the pressure zones of a palm.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wave pattern is applied at a thumb zone or finger tips. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wave pattern is applied at one or more finger areas of the glove surface to improve pinch grip.

These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1a illustrates a glove former textured with wave pattern, according to an embodiment herein;

FIGS. 1b and 1c illustrate an exploded view of the wave pattern, according to an embodiment herein; and

FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate tackiness gauge to test tackiness of the gloves, according to an embodiment herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1a illustrates a glove former textured with wave pattern, according to an embodiment herein. With respect to FIG. 1a, the wave pattern layer (101) may be applied over a glove with smooth surface to enhance a gripping strength of the glove. In an embodiment, the glove has rough surface, while the former is glazed or unglazed. However, it is preferred that a glove surface is textured or embossed with wave pattern. The embossed wave pattern may on the glove be obtained by directly manufacturing it from a former having a wave pattern. The wave pattern referred to herein may also be called as fishnet pattern. The wave pattern is applied, embossed or textured on the glove surface either partially or wholly. The glove surface may include internal and external glove surfaces corresponding to palm, cuff and finger areas/zones of the glove surface.

The wave pattern may be selectively applied, embossed or textured over the pressure zones of a palm. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wave pattern is embossed partially or wholly on a thumb zone. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wave pattern is embossed on one or more finger areas such as finger tips to improve pinch grip. According to one embodiment herein, the wave pattern is selectively embossed on the glove or the glove former surface from fingers to cuff.

FIGS. 1b and 1c illustrate an exploded view of the wave pattern, according to an embodiment herein. The wave pattern is embossed on the former or the glove in a criss-cross manner, thus forming an impression of a fishnet.

In an embodiment, a composition for making the glove includes nitrile, elastomer or latex. The composition for making the glove may also include any other suitable polymer such as natural rubber latex or other synthetic rubber latex, and combinations thereof. In yet another embodiment, the glove is ambidextrous. In some embodiment, the glove is a single-dip glove as well as double dip glove. In another embodiment, the glove is chlorinated or chlorine free.

Examples

A gripping ability of the glove with wave pattern former is tested through a tackiness gauge. The tackiness gauge is an equipment for measuring grip properties at highest angle at which a wearer is able to lift a load.

The gripness test includes following steps:

• • 1) Wearer lifts the first metal block fixed at 30° in the tackiness gauge (as shown in FIG. 2a). On the successful lifting user moves to next block.
  • 2) Wearer lifts the second metal block fixed at 60° in the tackiness gauge (as shown in FIG. 2b). On the successful lifting user moves to next block.
  • 3) Continue the procedure till the wearer is unable to lift the block.

TABLE 1
Description of tackiness angle of the tackiness gauge
Reading Description
30°     non-tacky
60°     tacky
70°     tacky
80°     tacky
90°     super tacky
100°    super tacky
110°    hyper tacky
120°    hyper tacky

TABLE 2
Gripness test conducted on female candidates
	Tackiness test reading (°)
				Ratio
Sample	Max	Min	Mode	(30:60:70:80:90)	Ranking
Honeycomb	80	30	30	4:3:2:1:0	4
pattern
Diamond	90	30	60	4:4:1:0:1	2
pattern
Fish scale	80	30	30	5:4:0:1:0	3
pattern
Fishnet	90	70	90	0:0:1:0:9	1
pattern

TABLE 3
Gripness test conducted on male candidates
	Tackiness test reading (°)
				Ratio
Sample	Max	Min	Mode	(30:60:70:80:90:100)	Ranking
Honeycomb	80	60	70	0:3:5:2:0:0	2
pattern
Diamond	70	30	60	1:6:3:0:0:0	3
pattern
Fish scale	70	30	30	5:3:2:0:0:0	4
pattern
Fishnet	100	70	90	0:0:2:1:6:1	1
pattern

From the results obtained, the fishnet pattern glove has the best grip properties at dry condition compared to honeycomb, diamond and fish scale pattern.

Grip Test Results at Dry and Wet Conditions by Using COF

TABLE 4
Grip test results at dry and wet condition by
using coefficient of friction method (COF)
	COF (kinetic energy, J)
	Condition
	Samples	Dry	Wet
	Diamond	1.301	0.524
	pattern
	Fish scale	1.366	0.623
	pattern
	Fishnet	1.459	0.970
	pattern
	Honeycomb	1.371	0.469
	pattern

From COF test results, fishnet pattern glove has better grip properties at both dry and wet condition compared to diamond, fish scale and honeycomb pattern.

Although the embodiments herein are described with various specific embodiments, it will be obvious for a person skilled in the art to practice the invention with modifications. However, all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the claims.

As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention may easily be produced in other specific forms without departing from its essential characteristics. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered as merely illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. A glove comprising a wave or fishnet pattern on a surface of the glove.

2. The glove as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wave pattern is embossed or textured on the surface of the glove.

3. The glove as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glove is wholly or partially textured or embossed with the wave pattern.

4. The glove as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wave pattern is textured or embossed partially or wholly at a thumb zone of the glove.

5. The glove as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wave pattern is textured or embossed at one or more finger areas of the glove to enhance pinch grip.

6. The glove as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glove is produced from an ambidextrous former.

7. Use of a wave pattern or fishnet pattern to enhance a gripping strength of the glove.

8. The use of claim 7, wherein the wave pattern is textured on the glove wholly or partially.

9. The use of claim 7, wherein the wave pattern texture is present selectively over the pressure zones of palm.