Touchscreen-Compatible Glove Insert Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Protective gloves with multiple layers compromise touch sensitivity, making it difficult for users to operate touch screens and identify controls, especially in low-light conditions or when controls are out of sight.
Innovation Solution
A glove design featuring a touch screen-compatible insert made of elastomer material with a U-shaped cross-section, attached to the main material by stitching, which extends over 50% to 90% of the digit circumference, providing improved sensitivity and compatibility with touch screens while maintaining chemical and biological protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If protective gloves include many layers to provide protection, then protection against chemicals and biological agents is improved, but touch sensitivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The glove is divided into multiple functional layers: an inner glove made of protective material (nitrile or neoprene) for chemical and biological protection, and an outer glove made of touchscreen-compatible material (spandex or polyester) for touch sensitivity. This segmentation allows each layer to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between protection and tactile sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer glove material is specifically selected to have different properties than the inner glove - the outer layer uses spandex or polyester which allows finger movement and touchscreen interaction, while the inner layer uses nitrile or neoprene for protection. This local differentiation of material properties enables both protection and touch sensitivity to coexist.
2Reliability
If protective gloves are made with multiple layers, then protection is improved, but the ability to operate touch screens is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The glove structure separates protective function (inner glove) from touchscreen interaction function (outer glove), allowing the outer layer to be optimized for capacitive touchscreen operation while the inner layer provides protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The glove combines two different material systems: protective elastomeric material (nitrile/neoprene) and conductive synthetic material (spandex/polyester). This composite construction enables simultaneous achievement of chemical resistance and touchscreen compatibility.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
A glove (1) made of a first material (10), wherein a portion of the first material (10) is absent in a region of at least one digit (5,6) of the glove (1) to define an aperture (11) and at least a part of the aperture (11) is disposed towards a tip (29) of the at least one digit of the glove (1); and a portion of a second material (12) is attached to the first material (10) to cover the aperture (11); wherein the second material (12) is compatible for use with a touch screen.