Ambidextrous glove having widened glove body and method of producing the same

Abstract

A reusable glove for meat processing plants that is able to be easily donned and doffed, and worn over a liner. A thumb crotch is defined between first sides of the glove's index finger region and thumb region. An imaginary first plane extends generally along the index finger region's first side, beyond the thumb crotch, and through the thumb region. An imaginary second plane oriented at right angles to the first plane extends along a narrowest width of the glove's wrist region and intersects the first plane at an intersection region. An imaginary third plane oriented parallel to the first plane and at right angles to the second plane, passes through narrowest width of the wrist region, and intersects the side of the wrist region at a transition region. The transition region is located outwardly beyond the intersection region and vertically below the thumb crotch.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . In combination:
 a liner adapted to closely conform to a person's hand; and   a glove selectively placeable over the liner and removable from over the liner; wherein the glove comprises:
 a body defining an interior cavity adapted to receive a person's hand therein, wherein the body is fabricated from one or more of nitrile and natural rubber; wherein the body includes:
 a thumb region adapted to receive the person's thumb therein; 
 an index finger region adapted to receive the person's index finger therein, wherein the index finger region has a first side that together with a first side of the thumb region defines a thumb crotch therebetween; 
 a wrist region adapted to receive the person's wrist therein; 
 an interior surface bounding and defining the interior cavity, and wherein the interior surface is one of smooth and flocked; 
 an imaginary first plane extending generally along the first side of the index finger region, downwardly beyond the thumb crotch, and through the thumb region; 
 an imaginary second plane oriented at right angles to the imaginary first plane and extending along a narrowest width of the wrist region, wherein the imaginary first plane and imaginary second plane intersect one another at an intersection region; and 
 an imaginary third plane oriented parallel to the imaginary first plane and at right angles to the imaginary second plane, said imaginary third plane passing through narrowest width of the wrist region; 
 wherein the imaginary second plane intersects a first side of the wrist region at a transition region; and wherein the transition region is located outwardly from the intersection region in a direction moving away from the imaginary third plane and towards the imaginary first plane. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the glove is of a different shape and size relative to the liner. 
     
     
         3 . The combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the liner is fabricated from cotton. 
     
     
         4 . The combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the body of the glove has a thickness of from about 4 mils up to about 15 mils, wherein the thickness is measured between the interior surface and an exterior surface of the body of the glove. 
     
     
         5 . The combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the wrist region terminates at a bottom end and the body, and the wrist region has a first length measured from the bottom end to the intersection region and wherein when the glove is laid on a flat surface, the first length is between 79 mm and 97 mm, wherein the first length is adapted to cause the wrist region to extend over a long sleeve shirt worn by the person in a cooled meat processing environment. 
     
     
         6 . The combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the wrist region terminates at a bottom end and the body, and the wrist region has a second length measured from the intersection region to the thumb crotch and wherein when the glove is laid on a flat surface, and wherein the second length is between 80 mm and 94 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the interior cavity of the glove is in contact with an exterior surface of the liner. 
     
     
         8 . The combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the wrist region is adapted to be spaced a distance away from the person's wrist. 
     
     
         9 . The combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the liner and the glove are integrally connected. 
     
     
         10 . The combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the body of the glove includes a finger region comprising the index finger region, a middle finger region, a ring finger region, and a little finger region; and wherein the glove is an ambidextrous glove where the thumb region, the index finger region, the middle finger region, the ring finger region, and the little finger region are aligned along an imaginary common plane; and wherein the imaginary second plane is oriented at right angles to the imaginary common plane. 
     
     
         11 . A method of using a liner and a glove in combination comprising:
 pulling a liner over each hand;   pulling a glove over each hand, wherein an interior cavity of the glove is direct contact with an exterior surface of the liner;   performing work functions with the liner and the glove on each hand;   removing the glove from each hand, wherein removing the glove is accomplished by pulling a finger tip region of the glove;   maintaining a right side out position of the glove during the removal process, wherein the glove is not inverted during the removal process;   maintaining the liner on each hand after removal of the glove; and   repeating the process during a work day as many times as necessary.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising removing the liner from each hand after removing the glove from each hand. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising rolling a cuff of the glove outwardly from a wrist region to expose the liner. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising pulling the glove over each hand, wherein the liner is attached to the glove. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising pulling the liner over a long sleeve shirt. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the liner is contacting a persons wrist and wherein a wrist region of the glove is spaced a distance from the liner at the wrist region. 
     
     
         17 . In combination:
 a liner adapted to closely conform to a person's hand; and   a glove selectively placeable over the liner and removable from over the liner; wherein the glove comprises:
 a body defining an interior cavity adapted to receive a person's hand and wrist therein, wherein the body is fabricated from one or more of nitrile and natural rubber having a thickness in a range of from about 4 mils up to about 15 mils, wherein the thickness is measured from an exterior surface of the body to an interior surface thereof, and wherein the glove is reusable; 
   wherein the body includes:
 a palm region and a back region opposed to the palm region; 
 a thumb region and a finger region extending outwardly from the palm region and the back region, wherein the finger region includes an index finger region having a first side that together with a first side of the thumb region defines a thumb crotch therebetween; 
 a wrist region extending downwardly from the palm region and the back region, said wrist region having a narrowest width that extends between a first side of the wrist region and a second side of the wrist region; 
 an interior surface bounding and defining the interior cavity, and wherein the interior surface is flocked; 
 an imaginary first plane extending generally along the first side of the index finger region, downwardly beyond the thumb crotch, and through the thumb region; and 
 an imaginary second plane oriented at right angles to the imaginary first plane and extending along the narrowest width of the wrist region; wherein the imaginary second plane intersects the imaginary first plane at an intersection region; 
 an imaginary third plane is oriented parallel to the imaginary first plane and at right angles to the imaginary second plane, said imaginary third plane passing through the narrowest width of the wrist region; 
 wherein the imaginary second plane intersects the wrist region's first side at a transition region; and wherein the transition region is located on an opposite side of the imaginary first plane from the imaginary third plane; 
 an exterior surface including a front and a back of the glove; wherein texture is provided on gripping surfaces of each of the front and the back, and wherein the pattern of texture on the front is identical to the pattern of texture on the back; 
 wherein the exterior surface of the body is of a first color and the interior surface of the body is of a second color that is different from the first color; 
 a rolled cuff extends outwardly from the wrist region in a direction opposite to the palm region; and 
 wherein the wrist region terminates at a bottom end and the body has a first length measured from the bottom end to the intersection region and a second length measured from the intersection region to the thumb crutch, wherein the first length is adapted to cause the wrist region to extend over a long sleeve shirt worn by the person in a cooled meat processing environment. 
   
     
     
         18 . The combination according to  claim 17 , wherein when the glove is laid on a flat surface, a bottom end of the wrist region is of a width between 127 mm and 150 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The combination according to  claim 17 , wherein the width of the liner at the wrist region is smaller than that of the width of the glove at the wrist region. 
     
     
         20 . The combination according to  claim 17 , wherein the rolled cuff displays a second color of the interior surface and wherein the rolled cuff displays the liner that is under the glove.