Utility Glove Molded Elastomeric Palm Seamless Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Utility gloves with elastomeric reinforcements face issues of seam-related weaknesses, moisture absorption, and difficulty in cleaning, while existing designs lack adjustable thickness and varied grip surfaces for enhanced protection and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A seamless utility glove with strategically placed, molded elastomeric reinforcements of varying thickness and texture, integrated with a pre-curved palm and breathable design, allowing for improved abrasion resistance, grip, and ease of cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If elastomeric material is applied to knit nylon glove by dipping, then gripping surface is improved, but moisture absorption and dirt accumulation increase making cleaning difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric gripping material is extracted from the knit fabric substrate and applied as a separate coating layer. This allows the elastomeric material to provide grip while the knit fabric provides breathability and flexibility, and the separation enables easier cleaning of the elastomeric surface without soaking the entire glove.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric material is applied selectively to specific areas of the glove where grip is needed (palm, fingers, thumb) rather than covering the entire glove. This localized application provides grip enhancement while leaving other areas breathable and easy to clean.
2Reliability
If elastomeric material is applied to increase density, then protection is improved, but uniform thickness cannot be achieved in strategic areas
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric material is applied in a pre-cured sheet form with predetermined thickness variations before being attached to the glove. This allows precise control over thickness distribution in strategic areas (thicker at palm and fingers for protection, thinner at wrist for flexibility) without relying on dip-coating uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness parameter of the elastomeric material is varied strategically across different areas of the glove. Thicker sections (0.5-2mm) are placed at high-wear areas like palm and fingers for enhanced protection, while thinner sections are used at the wrist and back of hand for flexibility and comfort.
3Strength
If seams are added for reinforcement, then strength is improved, but seam-related weaknesses and comfort are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric reinforcement material is merged with the knit fabric substrate through bonding or adhesive attachment, creating a unified structure that eliminates separate seams. The reinforcement becomes an integrated part of the glove rather than an attached component requiring stitching.
Solution Approach 2:
The glove combines knit fabric and elastomeric material into a composite structure where each material contributes its strengths. The knit fabric provides breathability and flexibility while the elastomeric layer provides abrasion and impact resistance, creating a synergistic combination without requiring seams between components.
4Ease of operation
If fabric portion absorbs moisture, then comfort is improved, but cleaning difficulty and dirt accumulation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture-absorbing function is extracted and assigned to the knit fabric portion, while the elastomeric coating is kept separate and non-absorbent. This allows the fabric to wick moisture away from the hand for comfort while the elastomeric surface remains smooth and easy to wipe clean.
Solution Approach 2:
Different areas of the glove have different properties: the knit fabric areas (back of hand, wrist) provide breathability and moisture absorption for comfort, while the elastomeric-coated areas (palm, fingers) provide grip and are easy to clean. Each zone is optimized for its specific function.
Data Source
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AI summary
A utility glove (2) having a palm side including a three dimensional molded palm portion (4) formed of an elastomeric material with a thumb portion and at least one finger portion and a back side of the glove (2) comprising a fabric material (12), with the molded palm portion (4) formed in a pre-curved configuration to create a concave shape. The molded palm has one or more of thickened areas (10) for abrasion resistance, padded areas for comfort, flex grooves (8) for improved movement, textured grip areas (6) for improved grip and/or perforations for breathability. The molded palm portion (4) may be formed of different elastomeric materials to take advantage of the different characteristics of the particular materials. A molded portion of the utility glove (2) may be formed by placing a piece of fabric against a mold part formed in the shape of at least a portion of a hand, bringing a corresponding mold part having varying thicknesses into molding relation with the mold part in the shape of at least a portion of the hand and injecting an elastomeric material into the mold to form the molded portion.