Glove having durable ultra-thin polymeric coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gloves, especially those with rubber coatings, lack flexibility and comfort due to thick liners and coatings, leading to hand fatigue and repetitive motion injuries, and face challenges in adhering thin rubber coatings to fabric liners without strike-through issues.
Innovation Solution
Development of thin, abrasion-resistant supported gloves featuring a knitted liner with a thin polymeric coating that penetrates the yarns, using a low total solids content mixture of nitrile-butadiene and water-based polyurethane materials, and a dipping process to achieve enhanced durability and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If thick rubber coatings and liners are used to provide adequate physical properties, then abrasion resistance is improved, but flexibility and comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a thin polymeric coating (0.5-2 mils) instead of thick rubber coatings, using flexible polymer materials that provide adequate abrasion resistance while maintaining glove flexibility and comfort for extended wear
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction combining a fabric liner with a polymeric coating layer, where each layer contributes specific properties - the fabric provides structure and flexibility while the polymer provides abrasion resistance, achieving optimal balance without excessive thickness
2Ease of operation
If thin rubber coatings are applied to fabric liners, then flexibility is improved, but adhesion and strike-through resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the polymeric coating formulation, including viscosity, solids content, and curing characteristics, to enable thin coatings to adhere properly to fabric liners without striking through, achieving both flexibility and reliable adhesion
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical adhesion methods with chemical adhesion through polymer-fabric bonding mechanisms, where the polymeric coating chemically bonds to the fabric liner, providing strong adhesion without requiring thick mechanical layers
3Duration of action of stationary object
If over-engineered thick liners and coatings are used, then durability is improved, but comfort and flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin film technology to create durable yet flexible gloves, where the thin polymeric coating provides long-term durability through abrasion resistance while the overall thin construction ensures comfort during extended wear periods
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The gloves achieve EN388 level 4 abrasion resistance, withstand over 20,000 revolutions in a Martindale abrasion tester, and exhibit reduced thickness and increased flexibility, minimizing delamination and providing breathability and liquid impermeability while maintaining tactile sensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
a polymeric composition disposed on the liner as a thin polymeric coating that penetrates the yarns providing enhanced durability
Data Source
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AI summary
A thin, abrasion resistant supported glove, including a knitted liner and a polymeric layer disposed on and within individual strands of yarns of the knitted liner, are disclosed. Methods for manufacturing the thin, abrasion resistant supported glove are also disclosed.