Variable Thickness Glove Former for X-Ray Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing iso-wall thickness lead protective gloves for doctors have poor flexibility, making them reluctant to wear them during operations, as they do not meet the need for flexible operations while providing adequate X-ray protection.

Innovation Solution

A former for manufacturing a wall thickness-variable glove with recessed areas and hydrophilic coatings, allowing for local thickening of the hand back portion while maintaining flexibility, achieved through one-time dipping and using ceramic or metal materials for the former.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If iso-wall thickness lead protective gloves are used to provide effective X-ray protection, then protective effect is improved, but flexibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotective effectVSAvoidflexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The glove former includes a recessed area with depth of 0.3-1.5mm formed on the palm back member, causing the corresponding portion of the dipped latex to be thicker. This local thickening provides enhanced radiation protection for the hand back while maintaining thinner walls in other areas for flexibility, directly resolving the contradiction between protective effect and flexibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If thicker protective gloves are manufactured to improve protection, then protective effect is improved, but hand feeling deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotective effectVSAvoidhand feeling
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The recessed area on the palm back member creates localized thickening only where radiation protection is most needed (hand back), while other areas maintain thinner walls for better tactile sensation and hand feeling, resolving the contradiction between protection and hand feeling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If uniform wall thickness is used to simplify manufacturing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but protective effectiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidprotective effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The recessed area structure provides a simple geometric modification to the glove former that automatically creates variable wall thickness during the dipping process, achieving differentiated protection without complex manufacturing steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The recessed area is pre-formed on the glove former before the dipping process, so that the variable thickness pattern is automatically created during a single dipping operation, combining manufacturing simplicity with differentiated protection effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 wall thickness-variable glove provides effective protection against X-rays with improved flexibility, suitable for interventional and orthopedic operations, ensuring the hand back is protected while allowing for comfortable and practical use.

Implementation Method 1

surfaces of the first recessed area and the second recessed area are respectively provided with a hydrophilic coating... the first recessed area and the second recessed area are capable of holding the latex mixture due to the hydrophilicity of inner surfaces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrophilic coating absorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP3375586B1Former for manufacturing wall thickness-variable glove and glove manufactured using the former
Publication Date: 2021.06.16 MATERIAL INST OF CHINA ACADEMY OF ENG PHYSICS
  • EP3375586B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3375586B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3375586B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A female die for manufacturing a wall thickness-variable glove and a glove manufactured using the female die. The female die for a wall thickness-variable glove comprises a base (1), an arm portion (2), a palm portion (3), and finger portions. The base (1), the arm portion (2), the palm portion (3) and the finger portions are connected in sequence. The palm portion (3) comprises a palm center member (4) and a palm back member (5) connected to the palm center member (4). The die can be adopted for effectively thickening a hand back portion of the manufactured glove, and therefore the flexibility of other portions of the glove is guaranteed on the premise of effectively protecting the hand back of a doctor, the requirement for protection of the hand back of the doctor under an environment such as an interventional operation is met, and the characteristics of protection and use flexibility are both achieved.