Protective overglove for glove-box gloves

Abstract

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a protective overglove configured to be worn over a glove-box glove, the protective overglove having a hand portion and a gauntlet portion extending from the hand portion to a cuff portion, the cuff portion having a locking device to attach the cuff portion to the overglove at an upper-arm region of a user. In an illustrative example, the overglove may have a protective material to protect a user's arm from a hazard presented within a glove-box. In some embodiments, the protective material may include non-woven fibers of high-tenacity. In an exemplary embodiment, the non-woven fibers may include Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Poly-Ethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. In some embodiments, the locking device may include a hook and loop fastener. In an exemplary embodiment, the protective overglove may advantageously protect the integrity of the glove-box glove from a hazard presented within a glove-box.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective overglove configured to fit over a glove-box glove worn by a user when the user inserts the user's arm into the glove box glove to access an interior of a glove box, the protective overglove comprising:
 a hand portion configured to fit over a hand portion of the glove-box glove when worn by the user, the hand portion of the protective overglove comprising a protective material configured to provide protection against a hazard presented within a glove-box;   a gauntlet portion extending from the hand portion of the protective overglove to a cuff portion of the protective overglove, the gauntlet portion configured to provide continuous protective coverage from the hand portion to the cuff portion over the glove-box glove; and   a securing device configured to removably secure the cuff portion of the protective overglove to the glove-box glove at an upper-arm region of the user when worn, wherein the securing device is configured to be hand operated by the user wearing the glove-box glove,   wherein the protective material comprises a non-woven fabric of high-tenacity fibers, the fibers being bonded together first mechanically by needle punch and then thermally by calendaring, the fabric weighing between 200 g/m 2  and 400 g/m 2 .   
     
     
         2 . The protective overglove of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device comprises a hook and loop fastener. 
     
     
         3 . The protective overglove of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Poly-Ethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The protective overglove of  claim 1 , wherein the non-woven fabric has a thickness between 1.4 mm and 2.4 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The protective overglove of  claim 1 , further comprising a coating. 
     
     
         6 . A protective overglove configured to fit over a glove-box glove worn by a user when the user inserts the user's arm into the glove box glove to access an interior of a glove box, the protective overglove comprising:
 a hand portion configured to fit over a hand portion of a glove-box glove when worn by a user, the hand portion of the protective overglove comprising a protective material configured to provide protection against a hazard presented within a glove-box;   a gauntlet portion extending from the hand portion of the protective overglove to a cuff portion of the protective overglove, the gauntlet portion configured to provide continuous protective coverage from the hand portion to the cuff portion over the glove-box glove; and   a securing device configured to removably secure the cuff portion of the protective overglove to the glove-box glove at an upper-arm region of the user when worn, wherein the securing device is configured to be hand operated by the user wearing the glove-box glove.   
     
     
         7 . The protective overglove of  claim 6 , wherein the protective material comprises a nitrile rubber. 
     
     
         8 . The protective overglove of  claim 6 , wherein the protective material comprises a metal mesh. 
     
     
         9 . The protective overglove of  claim 6 , wherein the protective material comprises a nonwoven fabric. 
     
     
         10 . The protective overglove of  claim 6 , wherein the protective material has a weight between 200 g/m 2  and 400 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         11 . The protective overglove of  claim 6 , wherein the protective material has a weight between 280 g/m 2  and 350 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         12 . The protective overglove of  claim 6 , wherein the protective material has a thickness between 1 mm and 3 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The protective overglove of  claim 6 , wherein the protective material has a thickness between 1.4 mm and 2.4 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The protective overglove of  claim 6 , further comprising a coating. 
     
     
         15 . The protective overglove of  claim 14 , wherein the coating comprises nitrile rubber. 
     
     
         16 . A protective overglove configured to fit over a glove-box glove worn by a user when the user inserts the user's arm into the glove box glove to access an interior of a glove box, the protective overglove comprising:
 a hand portion configured to fit over a hand portion of the glove-box glove when worn by the user, the hand portion of the protective overglove comprising a protective material configured to provide protection against a hazard presented within a glove-box;   a gauntlet portion extending from the hand portion of the protective overglove to a cuff portion of the protective overglove, the gauntlet portion configured to provide continuous protective coverage from the hand portion to the cuff portion over the glove-box glove; and   means for removably securing the cuff portion of the protective overglove to the glove-box glove at an upper-arm region of the user.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the protective material comprises a nitrile rubber. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the protective material comprises a metal mesh. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the protective material comprises a nonwoven fabric. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the means for removably securing the cuff portion comprises a hook and loop fastener.