Polymer bonded fibrous coating on dipped rubber articles skin contacting external surface

Abstract

A latex glove article with a fibrous coating bonded to the skin-contacting surface. Long length soft moisture absorbing fibers are attached to latex layer of a glove with a thin layer of polymeric latex adhesive forming a fibrous lining. The long length fibers have a length ranging from 4 to 100 times the thickness of the polymeric latex adhesive layer and therefore extend or project from the polymeric latex adhesive coating. The fibers penetrate the polymeric latex adhesive layer at one end or both end of the fiber to a depth of about 60% to about 100% of the adhesive thickness, leaving a substantial portion of the fiber available for soft contact with skin and sweat absorption. Due to the substantial thickness of the fibrous lining, an air gap is created between skin and the impervious latex layer establishing continual evaporation of absorbed sweat and evaporative cooling.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An elastomeric glove comprising:
 a first polymeric latex layer comprising a natural polymer, synthetic polymer(s), or both; and   a second polymeric latex adhesive layer bonded to the first layer and adhering a fibrous lining, the lining comprising a plurality of moisture absorbing fibers, the second polymeric latex adhesive layer comprising a natural polymer, synthetic polymer(s), or both,   the plurality of moisture absorbing fibers having two ends, wherein a sufficient number of the moisture absorbing fibers penetrate sufficiently the thickness of the second polymeric latex adhesive layer such that the liner is essentially non-shedding when wet in that the glove sheds less than about 6 mg of fiber when the glove is tested by being placed in a container with about 500 mL water and the glove being filled with about 250 mL water, the container with glove being agitated for about 30 seconds at a rate of about 100 cycles/minute, water containing fibers from the agitated container being filtered through a filter having a pore size of about 2.7 μm, the thereafter filter being dried at about 100° C. for about one hour before cooling and weighing to determine the mass of fibers shed,   wherein the fibers include fibers that have at least one end that penetrates 60% to 100% the thickness of the second polymeric latex adhesive layer, and   wherein the fibrous lining is effective to absorb and aid in evaporation of moisture.   
     
     
         22 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the fibrous lining comprises micronized wax selected from the group consisting of synthetic wax, natural wax, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 22 , wherein the micronized wax is selected from the group consisting of carnauba wax, microcrystalline wax, paraffin wax, polyethylene wax, oxidized polyethylene wax, modified polyethylene wax, high density polyethylene wax, oxidized high density polyethylene wax, modified high density polyethylene wax, polypropylene wax, polyamide wax, polytetrafluoroethylene wax, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 22 , wherein the micronized wax is high-density polyethylene wax. 
     
     
         25 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 22 , wherein the micronized wax has a particle size in the range of about 3 microns to about 12 microns. 
     
     
         26 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the first polymeric latex layer and the second polymeric latex adhesive layer are selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene, carboxylated acrylonitrile-butadiene, non-carboxylated acrylonitrile-butadiene, polychloroprene, polyurethane, polyester-based polyurethane, polyether-based polyurethane, polyacrylic, butyl latex, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the moisture absorbing fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton fiber, wool fiber, jute fiber, rayon fiber, polyester fiber, polyamide fiber, acrylic fiber, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the moisture absorbing fibers comprise a moisture absorbing amount of cotton fiber. 
     
     
         29 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the first polymeric latex layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.2 to about 0.4 mm. 
     
     
         30 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 29 , wherein the second polymeric latex adhesive layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.02 to about 0.06 mm. 
     
     
         31 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 30 , wherein the second polymeric latex adhesive layer is foamed. 
     
     
         32 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 29 , wherein the second polymeric latex adhesive layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.02 to about 0.03 mm. 
     
     
         33 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 32 , wherein the second polymeric latex adhesive layer is foamed. 
     
     
         34 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the moisture absorbing fibers have a denier in the range of about 1.0 to about 2.0. 
     
     
         35 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the fibers comprise fibers where one end of the fiber penetrate the second polymeric latex adhesive layer leaving the other end projecting from the second polymeric latex adhesive layer. 
     
     
         36 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the fibers comprise fibers where both ends of the fibers penetrate the second polymeric latex adhesive layer leaving the central portion of the fiber protruding from the second polymeric latex adhesive layer for sweat absorption. 
     
     
         37 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the glove is an industrial glove with a fibrous lining. 
     
     
         38 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the glove is a surgical glove with a fibrous lining. 
     
     
         39 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the second polymeric latex adhesive layer is foamed. 
     
     
         40 . The elastomeric glove of  claim 21 , wherein the glove sheds less than about 5 mg of fiber when the glove is so tested.