Multipurpose Composite Extended-Sleeve Protective Glove

Abstract

A composite extended-sleeve protective glove is disclosed for multipurpose use in healthcare, industry, academic institutions, veterinary care, farm, and home for applications in which to protect the user's hand and arm from a variety of liquid exposures during washing, cleaning, material application, and other hand-arm exposure situations that may contain biological, chemical, or radiological agents. A glove of similar or dissimilar material to that of the sleeve is sealed to a fabricated, tapered tubular constructed sleeve with an elastic (or cinched) turndown cuff on the distal end from glove to protect the wearer from fluid exposure to the hand and from fugitive exposure to the upper arm. The protective glove is sealed fluid-tight to the sleeve by a hot-melt adhesive.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article for protecting the hand, wrist, and lower and upper arm from inadvertent liquid immersion and run-off from fluids containing water, chemicals, biological agents, and radiological agents, the article comprising:
 a glove portion, the glove made of a fluid impermeable and/or chemical impermeable material that provides a barrier for preventing the fluid on the outside surface of the glove from contacting the skin of the wearer's hand inside the glove;   an extended sleeve portion, the extended sleeve portion is a cylindrically- shaped tapered tube formed by using sheet goods that are woven, knitted, spunbond nonwoven, calendered, or extruded from natural or synthetic sources and is affixed to the glove portion by an adhesive; and   an adhesive portion, the adhesive portion made of an adhesive that is fluid proof and chemical resistant to the intended application.   
     
     
         2 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the glove material comprises a material selected from a group consisting of nitrile, neoprene, vinyl compounds, polyolefin, rubber and latex. 
     
     
         3 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the extended sleeve portion is comprised of a fluid impermeable and/or chemical impermeable material that provides a barrier for preventing the fluid on the outside surface of the extended sleeve from contacting the skin of the wear's wrist and lower and upper arm. 
     
     
         4 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the extended sleeve portion is comprised of a non-porous laminated or co-extruded polyolefin. 
     
     
         5 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the extended sleeve portion is of a size and shape to maintain continuity with the glove size and to provide arm and elbow comfort and flexibility without the use of cinches, straps or other fastening devices required to minimize or eliminate slack. 
     
     
         6 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the extended sleeve portion contains an elastic band at the distal open end of the sleeve to prevent sleeve slippage down the arm. 
     
     
         7 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the extended sleeve portion contains a liquid retention cuff located above or below the distal elastic band to provide a retentive barrier to any fugitive liquids running down the protective glove and sleeve during use. 
     
     
         8 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the extended sleeve portion contains a hanging loop located at the open end of the glove to provide a mechanism for hanging the sleeved glove for drying after use and washing. 
     
     
         9 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the extended sleeve portion contains a small diameter circular opening at the distal end of the sleeve glove close to the elastic band so as to vent air and allow accumulated body heat to escape. 
     
     
         10 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the extended sleeve portion contains an elasticized cuff band at or near the glove cuff-sleeve interface to prevent the glove portion from slipping or being pulled down on the hand. 
     
     
         11 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the glove-sleeve adhesive interface is protected by an applied adhesive tape seal to provide an initial fluid barrier to the interface and to prevent or minimize peel-back separation of the glove cuff edge from the sleeve at the interface. 
     
     
         12 . An article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the article has the ability to be sterilized by thermal, chemical, or irradiation means. 
     
     
         13 . A process as defined in  claim 1  wherein the glove portion is affixed to the sleeve portion by an adhesive using a pressure sensitive hot melt application.