Protective garment material

Abstract

A protective garment for protection of body parts against cuts or puncture wounds comprising an inner layer, a protective layer and an outer layer, the protective layer being composed of a wire mesh of woven metal wires, the thickness of the metal wires being between 0.01 mm and 0.20 mm and the apertures in the wire mesh being between 0.001 mm and 0.45 mm.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS[0001] This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority of Provisional Application No. 60 / 189,591 filed Mar. 15, 2000. Reference is also had to co-pending application Ser. No. 09 / 508,738 filing date Jun. 6, 2000.FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT[0002] There are no federally sponsored or funded research or development projects or undertakings in any way associated with the instant invention.[0003] 1. Field of the Invention[0004] The present invention relates to a protective garment material for protection of body parts against cuts or puncture wounds caused by sharp objects such as, e.g., hypodermic needles, fishhooks, broken glass, nails, awls or knives, where at least a portion of the garment comprises at least one inner layer, at least one protective layer and possibly one or more outer layers.[0005] 2. Background Information[0006] People are exposed to cuts or puncture wounds in many different situations. For clea...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved protective garment material for protection of body parts against cuts or puncture wounds caused by sharp objects, in which the main disadvantages of the prior art are avoided, by providing a flexible, wearable, durable cut and puncture resistive garment, which provides superior protection, mobility and comfort for the wearer of the garment.

Problems solved by technology

For cleaning personnel the presence of used hypodermic syringes in public places as well as sharp objects in the rubbish is a common problem.

Used syringes and broken glass are also used as a threat in situations where people are under attack, and therefore police, watchmen and other security personnel are exposed to injuries of this kind.

Nor is it uncommon to find broken glass at the scene of an accident, and in such places the helpers are in danger of receiving cuts in connection with rescue work.

Firemen are particularly exposed to such injury when they have to enter buildings where there is a fire, and where broken glass or other sharp objects may be lying on the ground.

Another situation where it is relevant to use protective clothing is in the field of medical and laboratory work, where sharp objects are employed while blood and other body fluids are also handled with the risk of infection this involves.

Other cases where there is a need for protective clothing are in the fishing industry, where sharp hooks represent a danger, and in the fish processing or meat production business, e.g. slaughterhouses where cutting instruments such as knives and cleavers are in heavy use thereby increasing the opportunity for workers to suffer lacerations.

A disadvantage of this glove is that it will be unable to offer the combination of flexibility of use and satisfactory protection against puncture wounds.

If flexibility and mobility are to be achieved with such a glove, it has to be manufactured in large mesh sizes, thus reducing the glove's protective power, especially against penetration of sharp objects.

In other words, the more comfortable the glove is to wear, the less protection it offers the wearer.

The publication describes the possibility of using metal composites as an additional component in the outer material, but this is not recommended on account of reduced sensitivity and mobility.

This glove does indeed offer satisfactory protection to medical personnel when dealing with syringes, bone fragments and the like, but is not sufficiently robust to offer adequate protection under critical circumstances such as, e.g. situations involving an attach or handling broken glass.

Reinforcing the glove by addition of metal to the material from which the whole glove is made would again result in reduced flexibility and usefulness, as mentioned in the publication.

This glove is well suited for its application, but unsuitable for protection against penetration of sharp objects, due to the large mesh.

Any reduction in the mesh in order to make this glove puncture-proof would make it rigid and immobile, and unsuitable for use.

However, each metallic part is rigid and the mobility is restricted for this reason.

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