Glove with anti-roll down/anti-rucking cuff

Abstract

A glove comprises a hand portion and a wrist portion extending from the hand portion and terminates in a hand insertion opening. The wrist portion includes anti-roll down/anti-rucking means in the form of a band of friction enhancing material provided on a surface which, in use, will form the inside of the glove, whereby, in use, the friction enhancing portion contacts the sleeve of a garment worn by the user so as to increase friction against the wrist portion of the glove, thereby preventing roll-down/rucking of the glove. The friction enhancing material is applied prior to any finishing operation(s) which reduce(s) the residual tack of the glove material and is selected from a group of materials whose tack is substantially unaffected by the finishing operation.

1 . A glove comprising a hand portion and a wrist portion extending from the hand portion and terminating in a hand insertion opening, the wrist portion including a region of friction enhancing material applied to a surface of the wrist portion which, in use, will form the inside of the glove, the friction enhancing material having a degree of tack such that, in use, it will stick to the sleeve of a gown to prevent roll-down/rucking of the glove, the degree of tack of the friction enhancing material being substantially unaffected by exposure to a finishing operation performed on the glove in order to reduce its tackiness, whereby, in use, the friction enhancing portion may contact the sleeve of a garment worn by the user so as to adhere the wrist portion of the glove thereto, thereby preventing roll-down/rucking of the glove. 
   
   
       2 . A glove according to  claim 1  which is a surgical glove. 
   
   
       3 . A glove according to  claim 1 , wherein the region of friction enhancing material is applied in a band having a width of 25-45 mm which is 0-10 mm from the cuff opening of the glove. 
   
   
       4 . A glove according to  claim 1 , wherein the region of friction enhancing material extends entirely around the inner circumference of the wrist portion of the glove. 
   
   
       5 . A glove according to  claim 1 , wherein the friction enhancing material is a pressure sensitive material which is activated, in use, by application of pressure to the surface thereof. 
   
   
       6 . A glove according to  claim 1 , wherein a strip of material, in particular release material, overlies the region of friction enhancing material so as to protect it from being polluted after manufacturing but prior to use. 
   
   
       7 . A glove according to  claim 6 , wherein the strip of overlay material has elastomeric properties which are substantially the same as the elastomeric properties of the materials of the glove such that the strip of material stretches and contracts with the underlying glove materials. 
   
   
       8 . A glove according to  claim 1 , wherein a polymer coating is applied over a majority of the surface of the glove which facilitates easy donning of the glove, the polymer coating extending up to the friction enhancing material, at least part of the friction enhancing material being uncoated by the polymer coating. 
   
   
       9 . A glove according to  claim 8 , wherein the polymer coating partially overlaps the friction enhancing material, by in particular the first 1-10% of the width of the friction enhancing material. 
   
   
       10 . A glove according to  claim 8 , wherein none of the friction enhancing material is coated by the polymer coating. 
   
   
       11 . A glove and gown assembly comprising a gown having an arm portion terminating in a cuff and a glove according to  claim 1 , whereby, in use, the friction enhancing portion may contact the sleeve of the gown so as to adhere the wrist portion of the glove thereto, thereby preventing preventing roll-down/rucking of the glove. 
   
   
       12 . A method of manufacture of a surgical glove according to  claim 1  comprising the steps of coating a former with material to form the glove, applying a friction enhancing material to the surface of the glove in the region of a wrist portion thereof, and carrying out a finishing operation to the whole of the glove to reduce its tackiness, the friction enhancing characteristic of the friction enhancing material being unaffected by exposure to the finishing operation. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the finishing operation is a chemical treatment process used to control and modify the surface grip of the glove. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the finishing operation comprises applying a non-powdered coating to the surface of the glove. 
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 12 , including the further step of partially coating the glove in a polymer that enables easy-donning prior to carrying out the finishing operation. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the partial coating is carried out after application of the friction enhancing material, at least part of the friction enhancing material not being coated by the polymer. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the partial coating is carried out prior to application of the friction material, the polymer material extending all the way to the friction enhancing material. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 12 , comprising the further step of applying a removable piece of liner material over the friction enhancing material to protect the friction enhancing material from pollution until ready for use.