Glove Seam Sealing via Inversion and Adhesive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing glove manufacturing techniques fail to effectively prevent liquid, chemical, and viral ingress while allowing moisture vapor egress, particularly in protective gear for firefighters and similar personnel.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a barrier layer stitched to the liner, reversed to place the barrier outside and liner inside, with elongated peripheral depressions receiving a primer base and adhesive sealant to seal seams, preventing ingress while allowing vapor egress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a barrier layer is stitched to the liner to form glove components, then the glove structure is assembled, but the seams create entry paths for liquid, chemical and viral ingress
Solution Approach 1:
A primer base is applied to the seams before final assembly to pre-treat the surface and enhance subsequent adhesive bonding. This preliminary action ensures that when the adhesive sealant is applied, it achieves optimal bonding strength and sealing effectiveness, preventing liquid, chemical and viral ingress through the seams.
Solution Approach 2:
An adhesive sealant is introduced as an intermediary substance between the barrier layer and liner at the seams. This sealant fills the stitching gaps and creates a continuous barrier that prevents penetration by liquids, chemicals and viruses, while maintaining the stitched construction method for ease of manufacture.
2Reliability
If a barrier layer is used to prevent liquid, chemical and viral ingress, then protection is improved, but moisture vapor egress is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier layer is designed with a porous structure that allows selective permeability. The pores are sized to block larger liquid droplets, chemical particles and viral particles while permitting smaller moisture vapor molecules to pass through. This enables the barrier to provide protection against harmful ingress while maintaining breathability and preventing moisture vapor buildup.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier layer exhibits different permeability properties at different scales: it is impermeable to liquids, chemicals and viruses at the macro level, but permeable to moisture vapor at the micro level. This local quality differentiation allows the single barrier layer to simultaneously provide protection against harmful substances while allowing moisture vapor egress.
3Ease of manufacture
If seams are stitched with the inner liner on the outside, then the glove insert system is formed, but the seams remain exposed and vulnerable to ingress
Solution Approach 1:
The glove insert system is reversed after stitching so that the inner liner ends up on the inside and the barrier layer on the outside. This inversion places the vulnerable seams on the interior surface where they are less exposed to external contaminants, while the adhesive sealant can be applied to seal them from the interior, effectively protecting against harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive sealant serves as an intermediary that fills and seals the stitched seams from the interior perspective. By applying the sealant to the reversed seams, it creates a protective barrier that prevents liquid, chemical and viral ingress through the seam areas, while maintaining the stitched construction method for ease of manufacture.
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
Enhances seam integrity to prevent liquid, chemical, and viral ingress while maintaining moisture vapor transmission, thereby improving the durability and protection of gloves for hazardous environments.
Implementation Method 1
applying an adhesive sealant along the peripheral depressions of the seams, and curing the adhesive sealant thereby sealing the seams to prevent liquid, chemical and viral ingress
Implementation Method 2
applying a primer base along the peripheral depressions of the seams, wherein the primer base comprises: a plurality of solvents, tetrapropyl orthosilicate and tetra(2-methoxyethoxy)silane
Implementation Method 3
a barrier layer which prevents liquid, chemical and viral ingress but allows moisture vapor egress
Data Source
AI summary
An improved glove construction wherein the trank, forchette and thumb components are stitched together at the outer periphery with the liner outside and a barrier layer inside to form a glove insert system with exterior seams; the insert system is then reversed to place the barrier layer outside, the liner inside and the seams inverted; a primer base is applied along the inverted seams and dried; an adhesive sealant is then applied along the inverted seams and cured. This reversed glove insert is then placed in side of and secured to an outer shell. A method to prevent liquid, chemical and viral ingress to a seam is also disclosed.