Gloves with enhanced anti-cuff-slip surface

Abstract

An elastomeric article encompassing an enclosure with an interior surface having at least two regions or zones is described. The first region has a higher coefficient of friction than the second region, in which an average coefficient of friction (COF) ratio between the first and second regions of the wearer-contact surface ranges from about 1:1.2 to about 1:3.8 or 4.0. The first region has either the same or smaller surface area than the second region, and is situated at or near an opening to the enclosure. The second region is coated with a hydrogel-based donning layer. A process of making the elastomeric article is also provided. Examples of elastomeric articles according to the invention include surgeons' gloves that exhibit good lubricity and donning characteristics, and have an improved cuff-slippage control.

1 . A flexible article comprising: a substrate body formed largely from an elastomeric material, said substrate body having a first surface and a second surface; said first surface is differentiated into at least a first and a second zone, each zone having a coefficient of friction, such that the coefficient of friction for said first zone is greater than the coefficient for said second zone, according to an average ratio in a range from about 1.2:1 to about 4.5:1 said first zone is absent a donning layer, and said second zone has said donning layer.  
   
   
       2 . The elastomeric article according to  claim 1 , wherein said average coefficient of friction ratio is about 1.4:1 to about 3.8:1 for said first zone to said second zone.  
   
   
       3 . The elastomeric article according to  claim 2 , wherein said average coefficient of friction ratio is about 1:5 to about 2.8:1 for said first zone to said second zone.  
   
   
       4 . The elastomeric article according to  claim 2 , wherein said average coefficient of friction ratio is about 1.6:1 to about 2.5:1 for said first zone to said second zone.  
   
   
       5 . The elastomeric article according to  claim 1 , wherein said first zone has a surface that is a bare elastomeric material or coated with a tackifying material.  
   
   
       6 . The elastomeric article according to  claim 1 , wherein said first region is part of a surface adapted to prevent slippage of said article when in contact with either human skin, or a fabric material.  
   
   
       7 . The elastomeric article according to  claim 1 , wherein aid article is made from either a natural rubber latex or synthetic polymer latex material.  
   
   
       8 . An glove comprising: an elastomeric substrate body with an inner surface having a first and a second region, said first region having a higher coefficient of friction relative to said second region, according to a ratio in a range from about 1.2:1 to about 3.5:1, and said second region being either substantially larger or about equal in surface area than said first region, and having at least a partially coating of a donning material layer.  
   
   
       9 . The glove according to  claim 8 , wherein said first zone forms part of a glove cuff.  
   
   
       10 . The glove according to  claim 8 , wherein said second zone forms at least part of a hand-donning portion of said glove.  
   
   
       11 . The glove according to  claim 8 , wherein said inner surface is subject to an oxidizing agent.  
   
   
       12 . The glove according to  claim 8 , wherein said inner surface is subject to a partial halogenation, such that said first region is un-chlorinated and said second regions is chlorinated.  
   
   
       13 . The glove according to  claim 8 , wherein said donning material includes at least one of the following polymeric materials: hydrogel-based polymer, polyurethanes, polyacrylates, polyvinyl alcohol condensation product, poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene) (SBS), or poly(styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene) (SEBS).  
   
   
       14 . The glove according to  claim 8 , wherein said first region forms at least part of an inner surface at or about a cuff portion of said glove.  
   
   
       15 . The glove according to  claim 10 , wherein said first region is adapted to exhibit a tendency to retard cuff slippage off of a wearer's wrist or forearm.  
   
   
       16 . The glove according to  claim 10 , wherein said inner surface contacts an article of protective clothing and tends to engage with a material of said protective clothing.  
   
   
       17 . The glove according to  claim 8 , wherein said second region forms at least part of a surface that contacts a wearer's skin.  
   
   
       18 . A method of fabricating an elastomeric article having a surface with at least two regions with differentiated coefficients of friction, the method comprises: providing a natural rubber or synthetic polymer latex substrate on a mould; subjecting said latex substrate to a first water leach; applying an aqueous AlSO 4 -containing solution to a surface of said latex substrate; applying a donning coating over a part of said AlSO 4 -coated surface, leaving a zone of about at least 1 inch (˜2.2 cm) from a terminal edge of said latex substrate uncoated with said donning coating; drying and curing said donning coating; subjecting said latex substrate to a second water leach; applying a second layer of AlSO 4  over said donning coating; and exposing said latex substrate to a dilute solution of an oxidizing agent under alkaline conditions of about pH ≧8.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said pH is about 9-11.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said donning coating includes a hydrogel material.  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said oxidizing agent is a hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution.  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said hypochlorite solution is adapted to impart a sleek finish to said hydrogel material.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprises applying a coating of powdered release agent to reduce self-blocking of said region absent the donning coating.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising stripping said latex substrate from said mould, inverting said latex substrate, and applying a lubricating layer formed from a silicone emulsion.  
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said silicone emulsion imparts either a tackifying effect to said zone absent said donning coating or a slickening effect to said donning coating.  
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising treating said latex substrate to a first and second consecutive rinse with water, and a chlorine-containing water at ˜30-75 ppm vol., and a dilute hydrochloric (HCl) solution of about 0.1-0.85% by volume to remove any remaining powdered release agent after said first and second water rinses.  
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising subjecting said latex substrate to a medium including a combination of HCl+chlorine+silicone emulsion in one process step to achieve tacky a surface on non-donning-material coated surface and a sleek surface on donning material-coated surface.  
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising applying another layer of silicone emulsion treatment.  
   
   
       29 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said elastomeric article has at least a first and a second zone on an inner surface, in which said first zone has a relative higher coefficient of friction, according to an average ratio in the range of about 1.4:1 to about 3.5:1.  
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein said average ratio of coefficient of friction between first and second regions is about 1.8:1 to about 3.0:1.