Mountable glove dispenser

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus for dispensing gloves, which includes a container having front and rear surfaces, with a dispenser opening in the front surface. A stack of glove elements is disposed within the container, with the individual glove elements being attached to each other by perforation lines or other lines of weakness. In some implementations, the stack of glove elements is attached to an insert within the container. Preferably, the apparatus includes a mounting hole or other means for attaching the rear surface of the container to a wall.

Description

[0001] Priority is claimed to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 607,744, filed on Sep. 7, 2004, and titled “Wall Mounted Individual Glove Dispenser”, which application is incorporated by reference herein as though set forth herein in full.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention pertains to a glove dispenser for dispensing disposable gloves that can be mounted on a wall or on a separate stand or other apparatus. BACKGROUND [0003] Disposable gloves are mandatory equipment in many industries that require clean environments, such as the food-service industry. The use of disposable gloves often reduces the spread of viruses and other contaminants among individuals. [0004] Many types of disposable gloves are known to and used by the food-service industry. One type comprises two superimposed layers of thermoplastic film sealed together along their peripheries, leaving an opening for a hand to be inserted therein. A two-layered disposable mitt is shown in Grinberg ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] The present inventor has recognized that contaminants are less likely to be transmitted to food being handled by an employee when that employee regularly wears gloves, and regularly replaces used gloves with fresh ones. The gloves, therefore, should be easily accessible, and should require little handling to be donned.

[0010] In a representative embodiment, a wall-mounted or wall-mountable glove dispenser for facilitating individual glove dispensing is provided. The dispenser has walls that define a cavity and an opening thereof. A plurality of gloves is disposed within the dispenser. The dispenser may be fabricated from a flat sheet of material folded to define the cavity. Provision is made in the design of the flat sheet for a tab extending away from the cavity and having a mounting opening therein to allow the dispenser to be mounted on a wall or other vertical surface. A disposable glove may be donned easily and quickly from the present dispenser, thus encouraging the frequent and regular replacement of used gloves with new ones.

[0011] The present invention, in representative embodiments, uses a wall-mounted or wall-mountable glove dispenser for facilitating individual glove dispensing as opposed to a rack-mounted or free-sitting glove dispenser. The present invention also provides an improved configuration for a disposable glove system whereby a disposable glove may be donned more easily and quickly than heretofore, in order to encourage the frequent and regular replacement of used gloves with new ones. The new and improved system of the present invention is especially valuable in the food-service industry, where efficiencies in the nature of time-saving and in the ease and simplicity of donning the gloves can result in significantly increased productivity and enhanced hygiene.

Problems solved by technology

For example, a disposable glove is often difficult to don after removing it from a box dispenser.

A user may have difficulty first finding and then separating the glove opening into which the hand is inserted.

By providing a free-standing or a rack dispenser, the placement of the dispenser itself may tend to interfere with food preparation, and the chance is increased of contamination of the dispenser itself with the food being prepared.

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