Metal-Detectable Gloves

Abstract

A metal detectable glove is provided, including a plurality of unaltered fibers, and a plurality of altered synthetic fibers containing a metal, wherein the unaltered fibers and the altered synthetic fibers are knitted together to form the metal-detectable glove. Methods and means of manufacturing such metal detectable gloves are also provided.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of prior U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/318,051, filed Mar. 26, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of protective gloves, and in a specific though non-limiting embodiment, to a metal-detectable string knit glove.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Gloves are one of the most fundamental articles of personal protective equipment used in the manufacturing industry. In most manufacturing and/or processing environments, gloves serve a dual purpose: protection of the worker and protection of the product. The latter purpose is of great importance in environments where contaminants are particularly unacceptable, such as the food processing or pharmaceutical industries. In such industries, contaminants in the final product can result in expensive recalls and subsequent harm to the reputation of the brand and corresponding loss of sales.

[0004] Accordingly, many manufacturing and processing environments incorporate equipment in the process stream configured to detect undesired contaminants in the final product. Such testing equipment may include a variety of equipment and techniques, including filters and filter screens, sieves, image capture and processing, metal detectors, and x-rays. Upon detection of contaminated product, the manufacturer has the option of either attempting to remove the contamination or rejecting the compromised batch of product.

[0005] In certain circumstances, however, gloves themselves (as well as other personal protective equipment) may become a contaminant, should all or part of a glove be introduced into the product stream. Thus, it is often desirable for gloves and other protective gear which may become a contaminant to be manufactured from a material that will be easily detectable by the testing equipment and techniques used in the corresponding manufacturing or processing environment or site. To that end, metal-detectable gloves have found a place in many industrial environments and applications.

[0006] Currently available metal-detectable gloves are typically manufactured from a synthetic rubber material, such as latex or vinyl, to which a metal powder, such as iron, was added at the liquid state prior to it being formed and hardened into a glove. As a result, the glove material is detectable by most conventional electromagnetic detectors, which typically operate within the range of 50 KHz-1 MHz, thereby ensuring that a small torn piece of glove material can be detected in contaminated final product. Additionally, due to the metallic content, the glove material may also be detected with x-ray equipment.

[0007] However, like their non-metal-detectable counterparts, currently available metal-detectable gloves suffer from a number of disadvantages. First, they are not intended for long-term use (i.e. "disposable") and must be replaced frequently, sometimes several times per hour. Accordingly, these gloves are typically purchased in large lots, which may significantly increase costs. Further, the glove material, such as latex, vinyl or other synthetic rubber, is typically thin and offers little protection from cuts or extreme temperatures, such as the near or below freezing temperatures frequently found in food processing environments.

[0008] In contrast, non-disposable string knit gloves offer superior protection from cuts and abrasions, cold temperatures, and are intended for long term use. However, while offering superior protection and potentially lower costs, string knit gloves pose a risk of non-detectable contamination. Therefore, there is a longstanding but unmet need for a glove that overcomes the problems existing in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A metal detectable glove is provided, including at least a plurality of unaltered fibers; a plurality of altered synthetic fibers wherein the altered synthetic fibers contain a metal; and wherein the unaltered fibers and the altered synthetic fibers are knitted together to form the metal-detectable glove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is a detailed view of the knitting pattern of a glove according to an example embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0011] An example embodiment of a non-disposable metal-detectable string knit glove comprises a string knit glove comprising two types of fibers or yarns--an unaltered fiber and an altered synthetic fiber containing a metal. The unaltered fiber may include cotton, polyester, acrylic, aramid, rayon, polypropylene, ramie, polyethylene, wool, or any other known fiber or yarn suitable for fashioning a string knit glove. The altered synthetic fiber or yarn contains a metal, which may be added to the fiber as a powder when the synthetic fiber is in a liquid state (i.e., prior to it being spun into a yarn). The metal powder may be iron, lead, silver, or any other suitable metal. The unaltered fiber and the altered synthetic fiber may then be knitted together to form a glove that, due to the metallic content of the altered synthetic fiber, is metal-detectable.

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a detailed view of a metal-detectable string knit glove 101 according to an embodiment. The altered synthetic fiber containing a metal 102 is knitted together with the unaltered fiber 103 to create the material out of which the glove 101 is formed. Thus, the altered synthetic fiber 102 may be distributed throughout the glove material such that all or part of the glove 101 is metal-detectable. The illustration of FIG. 1 demonstrates but one exemplary knitting pattern 104 that may be used to distribute the metal containing fiber 102 throughout the glove 101.

[0013] Other embodiments may include a string knit glove to which a synthetic coating containing a metal is applied to the interior surface of the glove. The synthetic coating contains a metal, which may be added to the coating as a powder when the coating is in a liquid state prior to its application to the interior surface of the glove. The metal powder may be iron, lead, silver, or any other suitable metal. The coating, which is configured to act as a carrier for the metal, may include a variety of media, such as an ink, a plastic solution, a plastic resin, a plastic film, a paint, and a dye solution. The coating may be applied to the interior surface of the glove by a number of known methods, including painting, spraying, and lamination.

[0014] The metallic content of certain embodiments may be configured such that all or a portion of a glove is detectable by metal detection equipment common to the industry, or may be configured to meet the detection needs of a specific set of detection equipment and/or the detection techniques of a given site. For example, the metallic content of certain embodiments may be configured such that all or a portion of a glove is detectable in the electromagnetic range of at least 50 Khz-1 Mhz. The metallic content of certain embodiments may also be configured such that all or a portion of a glove is detectable by x-ray.

[0015] Certain embodiments may be configured to meet the needs of the user(s) beyond the need for metal detection. For example, the thickness of certain embodiments may be configured to offer more or less protection from one or more given hazards, such as cold, heat, cuts, and the like. Other embodiments may include features configured to enhance the comfort of the user, including, but not limited to, an elastic wrist band, a non-slip coating on the exterior surface of the glove, and availability in various sizes.

[0016] While the embodiments are described with reference to various implementations and exploitations, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the inventions is not limited to them. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. Further still, any steps described herein may be carried out in any desired order, and any desired steps may be added or deleted.

Claims

1. A glove, comprising: a plurality of unaltered fibers; a plurality of altered synthetic fibers, said altered synthetic fibers comprising a sufficient amount of a metal; wherein the unaltered fibers and the altered synthetic fibers are knitted together to form a metal-detectable glove.

2. The glove of claim 1, wherein the unaltered fibers are at least one member of the group consisting of cotton, polyester, acrylic, aramid, rayon, polypropylene, ramie, polyethylene, and wool.

3. The glove of claim 1, wherein the metal is at least one member of the group consisting of iron, steel, lead and silver.

4. The glove of claim 1, wherein the sufficient amount of the metal is such that at least a portion of the glove is detectable in the electromagnetic range of between around 50 KHz and around 1 MHz.

5. The glove of claim 1, wherein the sufficient amount of the metal is such that at least a portion of the glove is detectable using an x-ray examination test.

6. A metal-detectable string knit glove, comprising: a string knit glove, wherein the glove has an interior surface and an exterior surface; a synthetic coating on the interior surface of the string knit glove, said synthetic coating comprising a metal carrier and a sufficient amount of a metal.

7. The glove of claim 7, wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of an ink, a plastic solution, a plastic resin, a plastic film, a paint, and a dye solution.

8. The glove of claim 7, wherein the metal is at least one member of the group consisting of iron, steel, lead and silver.

9. The glove of claim 7, wherein the sufficient amount of the metal is such that at least a portion of the glove is detectable in the electromagnetic range of between around 50 KHz and around 1 MHz.

10. The glove of claim 7, wherein the sufficient amount of the metal is such that at least a portion of the glove is detectable using an x-ray examination test.

11. A method of manufacturing metal-detectable gloves, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of unaltered fibers and a plurality of synthetic fibers, adding a sufficient amount of metal to the synthetic fibers to form a plurality of altered synthetic fibers, and knitting the unaltered fibers and the altered synthetic fibers together to form a metal-detectable glove.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said adding a sufficient amount of metal further comprises adding a metallic powder to the synthetic fibers when the synthetic fibers are in a liquid state.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said providing a plurality of unaltered fibers further comprises providing unaltered fibers containing at least one member of the group consisting of cotton, polyester, acrylic, aramid, rayon, polypropylene, ramie, polyethylene, and wool.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said adding a sufficient amount of metal further comprises adding metal containing at least one member of the group consisting of iron, steel, lead and silver.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said adding a sufficient amount of metal further comprises adding a metal in a quantity sufficient to ensure that at least a portion of the glove is detectable in the electromagnetic range of between around 50 KHz and around 1 MHz.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said adding a sufficient amount of metal further comprises adding a metal in a quantity sufficient to ensure that at least a portion of the glove is detectable using an x-ray examination test.

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