AUTOMATED GLOVE REMOVAL SYSTEM

Abstract

An automated glove removal system is disclosed. The system includes a vacuum box defining an internal vacuum chamber, the vacuum box including at least one receptacle defining an opening for receiving a hand therethrough; a vacuum operably connected to the internal vacuum chamber; and a glove assembly adapted to be worn on the hand, wherein when the hand is inserted into the opening, the glove assembly engages the opening and prevents the glove assembly from being sucked into the internal vacuum chamber by the vacuum.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a glove removal system, and more particularly to an automated glove removal system.

Users and/or workers use gloves to protect their hands from dirt, grime, liquids and other contaminants in dirty environments. For example, a user might wear gloves when handling parts with oil or grease thereon. One of the issues with wearing gloves in dirty environments is the removal of the gloves from the user's hands. For example, a user may put gloves on to handle a dirty part and then need to remove the gloves to handle a clean part. In removing the dirty gloves, the user has to manually remove the gloves and risk contaminating their hands or the surrounding environment as they place the glove on a table or other structure.

The same issue occurs when putting the gloves on. If the user needs to handle a dirty part, the user has to manually put the gloves on. In putting the dirty gloves on, the user risks contaminating their hands, clothing, or other structures in their surrounding environment.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, there is a need for an automated glove removal system that reduces or eliminates contamination. As disclosed herein the automated glove removal system includes a vacuum box defining an internal vacuum chamber, the vacuum box including at least one receptacle defining an opening for receiving a hand therethrough; a vacuum operably connected to the internal vacuum chamber; and a glove assembly adapted to be worn on the hand, wherein when the hand is inserted into the opening, the glove assembly engages the opening and prevents the glove assembly from being sucked into the internal vacuum chamber by the vacuum.

Also disclosed herein, the glove assembly includes a ring inserted into a wrist section of a glove.

Also disclosed herein, the glove assembly further includes a clamping device positioned around the glove and ring to clamp the glove to the ring.

Also disclosed herein, the opening of the at least one receptacle is defined by a collar having an inner wall that defines a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening.

Also disclosed herein, the glove assembly engages the inner wall between the first and second openings.

Also disclosed herein, further including a control switch connected to the vacuum box, the control switch operating the vacuum between an on position and an off position.

Also disclosed herein, the control switch is actuated with a non-hand body part.

Also disclosed herein, the vacuum box includes first and second receptacles, each of the first and second receptacles defining an opening for receiving a hand therethrough.

Also disclosed herein, each of the first and second receptacles define a portion of the internal vacuum chamber.

Also disclosed herein, each of the openings is defined by a collar having an inner wall that defines a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening, the openings of the first and second receptacles each being configured to receive a hand therein.

Also disclosed herein, a glove assembly for use with an automated glove removal system, includes a glove; and a support inserted into the glove, wherein the support defines an opening for a hand of a user to be inserted therethrough.

Also disclosed herein, further including a clamping device positioned around the glove, the clamping device securing the glove to the support.

Also disclosed herein, the support is positioned in a wrist section of the glove.

Also disclosed herein, the support is a ring having an upper section and a lower section separated by a groove extending around a circumference of the ring.

Also disclosed herein, the clamping device compresses the glove into a groove of the support to secure the glove to the support.

Also disclosed herein, a method of using the automated glove removal system includes removing the glove assembly from the hand by inserting the hand with the glove assembly thereon through the opening of the at least one receptacle; actuating a control switch to an on position to create a vacuum in the internal vacuum chamber of the vacuum box; and removing the hand from the glove assembly, the vacuum maintaining the glove assembly in the opening.

Also disclosed herein, further including the step of forming the glove assembly by positioning and securing a support in a wrist section of a glove.

Also disclosed herein, when the glove assembly is inserted into the opening, the glove assembly is in mating engagement with the opening.

Also disclosed herein, further including the step of actuating the control switch to an off position while maintaining the glove assembly in the opening.

Also disclosed herein, further including the step of putting the glove assembly onto the hand by inserting the hand into the glove assembly positioned in the opening and removing the hand and glove assembly from the opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an automated glove removal system according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a vacuum box of the glove removal system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a collar of the vacuum box of FIG. 2 for receiving a gloved hand therein;

FIG. 4 shows a ring for use with a glove;

FIG. 5 shows a ribbed glove with the ring of FIG. 4 secured therein;

FIG. 6 shows a glove with the ring of FIG. 4 secured therein and a clamping device around the glove and ring;

FIG. 7 shows a hand with the glove of FIG. 6 being inserted into the vacuum box of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 shows two hands with the glove of FIG. 6 inserted into the vacuum box of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 shows the hand of FIG. 7 being removed from the glove of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 10 shows the hand of FIG. 7 completely removed from the glove of FIG. 6 and the glove of FIG. 6 being maintained in the vacuum box of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures, FIGS. 1-6 illustrate an automated glove removal system according to an embodiment of the invention at reference numeral 10. The automated glove removal system 10 includes a vacuum box 12 having an internal vacuum chamber 14, a vacuum 16 connected to the vacuum box 12 and operably connected to the internal vacuum chamber 14 by a conduit and/or hose 18 or any other suitable connector for providing a vacuum to the vacuum chamber 14, and a control switch 19 connected to the vacuum 16 to toggle the vacuum 16 between on and off operational positions without the use of hands (i.e., hands free). The control switch 19 may be positioned on a side 21 of the vacuum box 12 to allow a user to actuate the control switch 19 with the user's hip, leg, forearm, or other non-hand body part. It should be appreciated that the control switch 19 may also be positioned on the floor for foot actuation.

As shown, the vacuum box 12 includes first and second receptacles 20 and 22 interconnected by a bridge 24. It should be appreciated that the first and second receptacles 20 and 22 may be connected directly to each other instead of using the bridge 24. Each of the receptacles 20, 22 and the bridge 24 define a portion of the internal vacuum chamber 14. As illustrated, the vacuum 16 is connected to the bridge 24 by the hose 18 to provide a vacuum in the internal vacuum chamber 14. It should be appreciated that the vacuum 16 may be connected to any portion of the vacuum box 12 to create a vacuum in the internal vacuum chamber 14.

First and second collars 26, 28 are disposed on the first and second receptacles 20, 22 to provide access to the internal vacuum chamber 14. The first collar 26 is disposed on a top portion 30 of the first receptacle 20 and the second collar 28 is disposed on a top portion 32 of the second receptacle 22. The first and second collars 26 and 28 are configured to receive first and second hands of a user therein to allow the hands to be inserted into the internal vacuum chamber 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the first and second collars 26, 28 each define an opening 34 for receiving the user's hands therein. More particularly, each of the first and second collars 26, 28 include an inner wall 36 defining a first opening 38 having a first diameter D1 and a second opening 40 having a second diameter D2—the first diameter D1 being larger than the second diameter D2 (i.e., cone shaped).

The automated glove removal system 10 further includes a glove assembly 42 for use with the vacuum box 12. The glove assembly 42 includes a support such as ring 44 defining an opening 46 for insertion into a cuff and/or wrist section 48 of a glove 50. The ring 44 includes upper and lower sections 52, 54 separated by a groove 56 extending around a circumference of the ring 44. As shown, the upper section 52 has a wall 58 that is cone shaped to match the profile of the inner wall 36. It should be appreciated that the ring 44 or any portion of the ring 44 may be of any suitable shape so long as the shape allows for mating engagement with the inner wall 36. It should be appreciated that glove 50 may be any suitable type of glove for use with the ring 44 and may be provided as part of the glove assembly 42 or may be a glove that a user already has. A clamping device 60 is used to secure the glove 50 to the ring 44 by positioning around the glove 50 and into the groove 56. As shown, the clamping device 60 is an O-ring; however, it should be appreciated that any suitable type of clamp may be used. Further, in some instances, a ribbed glove 62 like that shown in FIG. 5 may not require the clamping device 60 as a rib 64 built into the glove 62 may secure the ring 44 therein.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the ring 44 is inserted into the wrist section 48 of the glove 50. Once inserted into the glove 50, clamping device 60 is positioned around the glove 50 and inserted into the groove 56 of the ring 44, thereby compressing a portion of the glove 50 into the groove 56 and securing the glove 50 to the ring 44.

Referring to FIGS. 7-10, the automated glove removal system 10 allows a user to remove a glove from or put a glove on a user's hand quickly, easily, and without touching anything. For purposes of clarity, only glove 50 will be discussed with respect to the operation of the automated glove removal system 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, ring 44 is placed in the wrist section 48 of the glove 50 and the clamping device 60 is positioned around the glove 50 and inserted into the groove 56. The ring 44 prevents the glove 50 from being sucked through the second opening 40 of the collars 26, 28 and into the internal vacuum chamber 14 of the vacuum box 12 during use. The same steps would be taken with respect to glove 62 except the clamping device 60 would not be used. The ring 44 expands the wrist section 48 of the glove 50 and creates a rigid opening 66, see FIG. 10, for a hand of a user to slide through and allow the glove 50 to be placed on the hand of the user. Once the glove 50 has been placed on one or both hands, the user proceeds to go about the user's project.

When the user finishes the project or takes an intermediate break from the project, the user slides a gloved hand through the opening 34 of a respective one of the collars 26, 28. As shown in FIG. 8, a gloved hand is placed through the opening 34 of each collar 26 and 28 (two gloved hands). Once the ring 44 is in mating engagement with the inner wall 36, the gloved hands are placed in the interior vacuum chamber 14 and the vacuum 16 is turned on by actuating control switch 19.

The vacuum 16 creates a vacuum in the interior vacuum chamber 14 which sucks dirt, grime, and liquids off the gloves 50. The vacuum in the interior vacuum chamber 14 also secures the gloves 50 in the collars 26, 28 to allow the user to remove the user's hands from the gloves 50, see FIGS. 9 and 10, without risk of contamination due to manually trying to remove the gloves.

The gloves 50 may remain in position in the collars 26 and 28 of the vacuum box 12 until used again. When the user wants to put the gloves 50 back on, the user slides the user's hands into the gloves 50 and pulls the gloved hands out of the vacuum box 12. The user may also only use one glove 50. In this scenario, the user pulls one gloved hand out of the vacuum box 12 and leaves the second glove 50 in a respective one of the collars 26 or 28 of the vacuum box 12. The second glove 50 remains engaged with the collar 26 or 28, such that when the user wants to remove the glove 50 from the user's hand, the user follows the same process described above and the second glove maintains a seal for vacuum.

While the glove removal system 10 has been described as having two receptacles 26, 28, it should be appreciated that the vacuum box 12 may include only one receptacle for removing a glove.

The foregoing has described an automated glove removal system. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1: An automated glove removal system comprising:

a vacuum box defining an internal vacuum chamber, the vacuum box including at least one receptacle defining an opening for receiving a hand therethrough, wherein the opening of the at least one receptacle is defined by a collar having an inner wall that defines spaced-apart first and second openings, the first opening being defined at a first end of the inner wall and the second opening being defined at a second end of the inner wall;

a vacuum operably connected to the internal vacuum chamber; and

a glove assembly adapted to be worn on the hand, the glove assembly including a ring inserted into a wrist section of a glove, wherein when the hand is inserted into the opening, the wrist section engages the inner wall of the collar between the first and second openings and prevents the glove assembly from being sucked into the internal vacuum chamber by the vacuum.

2. (canceled)

3: The system of claim 1, wherein the glove assembly further includes a clamping device positioned around the glove and ring to clamp the glove to the ring.

4: The system of claim 1, wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening.

5. (canceled)

6: The system of claim 1, further including a control switch connected to the vacuum box, the control switch operating the vacuum between an on position and an off position.

7: The system of claim 6, wherein the control switch is actuated with a non-hand body part.

8: The system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum box includes first and second receptacles, each of the first and second receptacles defining an opening for receiving a hand therethrough.

9: The system of claim 8, wherein each of the first and second receptacles define a portion of the internal vacuum chamber.

10: The system of claim 8, wherein each of the openings is defined by a collar having an inner wall that defines a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening, the openings of the first and second receptacles each being configured to receive a hand therein.

11: A glove assembly for use with an automated glove removal system, comprising:

a glove having a wrist section; and

a ring inserted into the wrist section of the glove, wherein the ring defines an opening for a hand of a user to be inserted therethrough, the ring having an upper section and a lower section separated by a groove extending around a circumference of the ring; and

a clamping device positioned around the glove and in the groove, the clamping device compressing the glove into the groove to secure the glove to the ring.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16: A method of using the automated glove removal system of claim 1, comprising:

removing the glove assembly from the hand by inserting the hand with the glove assembly thereon through the opening of the at least one receptacle;

actuating a control switch to an on position to create a vacuum in the internal vacuum chamber of the vacuum box; and

removing the hand from the glove assembly, the vacuum maintaining the glove assembly in the opening.

17: The method of claim 16, further including the step of forming the glove assembly by positioning and securing the ring in the wrist section of a glove.

18. (canceled)

19: The method of claim 16, further including the step of actuating the control switch to an off position while maintaining the glove assembly in the opening.

20: The method of claim 19, further including the step of putting the glove assembly onto the hand by inserting the hand into the glove assembly positioned in the opening and removing the hand and glove assembly from the opening.