Retractable Hand Cover with Spring Reel

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Solution Overview

Problem

Standard disposable gloves are impractical for frequent use and prolonged exposure, increasing the risk of contamination as they require both hands to put on and remove, and may lead to accidental skin contact with potentially contaminated surfaces, while traditional hand coverings do not facilitate easy, selective, and transient use.

Innovation Solution

A retractable wearable hand cover assembly with a flexible tether and spring-loaded reel system that allows for easy donning and removal with one hand, retracting to a secure location near the waist when not in use, and can be extended for temporary interaction with surfaces, optionally coated with antibacterial and antiviral formulas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If standard disposable gloves are worn for prolonged periods, then protection against contagion is maintained, but the risk of accidental skin contact with contaminated surfaces increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against contagionVSAvoidrisk of accidental skin contact with contaminated surfaces

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs disposable hand coverings that are inexpensive and intended for single-use or limited-use scenarios. These coverings can be quickly donned and doffed without requiring both hands, enabling users to protect themselves during brief interactions with surfaces and then discard the covering, eliminating the risk of prolonged wear leading to contamination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The hand covering is designed to be dynamically deployable - easily put on and taken off with one hand. This dynamic capability allows the user to activate protection only when needed (when touching surfaces) and deactivate it immediately afterward, rather than wearing it continuously, thus maintaining protection while minimizing exposure risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If standard disposable gloves are designed to fit tightly around the hand, then protection coverage is improved, but ease of donning and doffing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection coverageVSAvoidease of donning and doffing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hand covering utilizes a flexible, thin-film structure that can conform to the hand shape for protection while maintaining ease of manipulation. The flexible material allows the covering to be easily stretched over the hand during donning and removed during doffing without requiring complex hand maneuvers, achieving both coverage and operational ease

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The covering design accepts some excess material or loose fit rather than tight containment, which simplifies the donning and doffing process. By not requiring a precise, tight fit, the covering can be quickly deployed and removed with one hand, prioritizing ease of operation while still providing adequate protection coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If both hands are required to put on and remove disposable gloves, then secure fitting is achieved, but productivity and speed of use deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure fittingVSAvoidspeed of donning and doffing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The hand covering design segments the donning and doffing actions to require only one hand, separating the functions of securing the covering and manipulating it. This segmentation enables rapid deployment - the covering can be pulled on with one hand and removed with the same hand, dramatically increasing the speed of operation compared to two-handed glove application

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The covering design enables self-service donning and doffing with a single hand. The structure allows the user to independently put on and remove the covering without requiring assistance from the other hand, which would be necessary for traditional gloves, thereby improving productivity and speed of use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 solution minimizes the risk of contamination by enabling quick, selective, and repetitive use of the hand cover, reducing direct skin contact with potentially contaminated surfaces and promoting cost-effective manufacturing for widespread use.

Implementation Method 1

a spring-loaded reel assembly that may comprise a casing with a clip affixed to one side

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpring mechanism: Spring

Data Source

PatentUS20210289857A1Retractable hand covering

Publication Date: 2021.09.23 LAMANCHE LIZ

AI summary

A retractable and wearable hand cover is disclosed. The hand cover is worn while handing objects and surfaces that are suspected of being contaminated. To encourage the hand cover's use and to avoid unintentional contact with the hand cover's potentially contaminated outer surface, the hand cover is biased towards an open configuration to enable easy one-handed donning and removal. The hand cover is coupled to a tether retractably wound on a spring biased reel assembly that is clipped to a piece of clothing preferably on or near the waistband area. This facilitates very targeted and temporary yet repetitious use when interacting with objects and various surfaces, as opposed to a disposable glove that is designed to fit tightly around the hand and is usually worn for extended periods of time because it must be immediately thrown away upon removal.