Puncture And/Or Cut Resistant Glove Having Maximized Dexterity, Tactility, And Comfort

Abstract

A glove or partial glove comprising a palmar portion and a dorsal portion comprising one or more finger/thumb extensions, the portions joined together at a sealed seam, the seam positioned such that the seam on each of the finger/thumb extensions is positioned adjacent the dorsal aspect of the user's finger/thumb with the palmar aspect extending over the fingertip in a hood-like configuration. The glove portions may comprise a shear-thickening-fluid (STF) treated textile base, including a multi-ply construction in which each ply comprises an STF-treated textile base. The glove may comprise an integral pathogen barrier, such as a coating that is impervious to blood and bloodborne pathogens, and may have one or more features that aids donning and/or provides an adjustable fit. The glove or partial glove may be a first glove in a glove system including at least a second, latex glove to be worn over the first glove.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A glove or partial glove configured to be worn by a wearer having a hand with a palmar aspect, a dorsal aspect, and a plurality of fingers including a thumb, each of which has a fingertip, the glove or partial glove comprising: a palmar portion configured to be worn adjacent the palmar aspect of the wearer's hand and a dorsal portion configured to be worn adjacent the dorsal aspect of the wearer's hand, each of the palmar portion and the dorsal portion comprising one or more finger/thumb extensions, the palmar portion and dorsal portion joined together at a sealed seam, the seam positioned such that when worn by the user, the seam on each of the finger/thumb extensions is positioned adjacent the dorsal aspect of the user's finger/thumb with the palmar aspect extending over the fingertip in a hood-like configuration. 
     
     
         2 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the user's hand has a plurality of nails on the back side of the fingers, each nail having a base, a tip, and a middle, and the palmar portion of the glove extends over the fingertips such that a portion of the seam closest to the fingertip is aligned with the middle of each nail. 
     
     
         3 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the palmar portion and the dorsal portion each comprise a shear-thickening-fluid-treated textile base. 
     
     
         4 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the palmar portion and the dorsal portion each have a multi-ply construction, wherein each ply comprises a shear-thickening-fluid-treated textile base. 
     
     
         5 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the back portion further comprises one or more features for aiding donning, providing an adjustable fit, or both. 
     
     
         6 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the glove comprises a stretchable donning panel, in which the glove, including the seams and the donning panel, is water resistant or water proof. 
     
     
         7 . The glove of  claim 6 , wherein the donning panel comprises an elastomeric film. 
     
     
         8 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the textile base comprises a knit fabric. 
     
     
         9 . The glove of  claim 8 , wherein the textile base comprises a warp knit or an interlock knit. 
     
     
         10 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the textile base is calendered. 
     
     
         11 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the textile base comprises a woven textile. 
     
     
         12 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the textile base comprises a non-woven textile. 
     
     
         13 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the seams further comprise a tape seal. 
     
     
         14 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the seams comprise seams stitched with a meltable or fusable thread. 
     
     
         15 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein seams are produced by a process comprising stacking sections to be seamed on top of each other with raw edges even and then joining the sections near the edges. 
     
     
         16 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the joined seams are produced by a process comprising overlapping seam allowances in the sections to be seamed to create an overlap region, and then joining at least a portion of the overlap regions to one another. 
     
     
         17 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the joined seams are produced by a process comprising abutting or slightly overlapping raw edges of sections to be seamed to each other, and then joining together the abutting or slightly overlapping edges. 
     
     
         18 . The glove of  claim 3 , further comprising a pathogen barrier. 
     
     
         19 . The glove of  claim 18 , wherein pathogen barrier comprises a coating that is impervious to blood and bloodborne pathogens. 
     
     
         20 . The glove of  claim 5 , further comprising a placket in the dorsal portion. 
     
     
         21 . The glove of  claim 20 , wherein the glove further comprises mating members on opposite sides of the placket to form a closure for the linear opening. 
     
     
         22 . The glove of  claim 5  further comprising a drawstring or an elastic band inserted within a casing at or near a lower opening edge of the glove. 
     
     
         23 . The glove of  claim 4 , wherein the multi-ply glove comprises at least two plies of calendered, knit textile intercalated with the shear-thickening fluid, with the plies oriented such that warp directions of the two plies are oriented at 90 degrees relative to one another. 
     
     
         24 . The partial glove of  claim 1 , the partial glove comprising a calendered, knit textile intercalated with shear-thickening fluid configured to provide puncture protection to an portion of the hand selected from the group consisting of: the thumb, an index finger, a middle finger, all or a portion of the palmar aspect of the hand, all or a portion of the dorsal aspect of the hand, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the glove comprises a plurality of panels intercalated with shear-thickening fluid, wherein the shear-thickening-fluid-intercalated panels covers one or more selected sections of the wearer's hand consisting of less than all of the wearer's hand. 
     
     
         26 . A glove system configured to be worn by a wearer having a hand with a palm aspect, a dorsal aspect, and a plurality of fingers including a thumb, each of which has a fingertip, the glove system comprising:
 a first glove or partial glove component having a palmar portion configured to be worn adjacent the palmar aspect of the wearer's hand and a dorsal portion configured to be worn adjacent the dorsal aspect of the wearer's hand, each of the palmar portion and the dorsal portion comprising one or more finger/thumb extensions, the palmar portion and dorsal portion joined together at a sealed seam, the seam positioned such that when worn by the user, the seam on each of the finger/thumb extensions is positioned adjacent the dorsal aspect of the user's finger/thumb with the palmar aspect extending over the fingertip in a hood-like configuration, the first glove or partial glove component comprising a textile base treated with a shear-thickening fluid.   
     
     
         27 . The glove system of  claim 26 , further comprising a second latex or synthetic surgical glove component worn on top of the first glove component. 
     
     
         28 . The glove system of  claim 27 , further comprising a third latex or synthetic surgical glove worn underneath the first glove component. 
     
     
         29 . The glove system of  claim 27 , wherein the second glove is sized and materials of construction are selected to apply a compressive force over substantially all of the first glove or partial glove component when the second glove is donned over the first glove or partial glove component. 
     
     
         30 . The glove system of  claim 26 , wherein the first glove or partial glove component comprises a two-ply palmar portion, a two-ply dorsal portion, and a discrete outer layer configured to serve as a pathogen layer.