Hand manipulation and comfort for rubber gloves by incorporating bellows

Abstract

A flexible and stretchable glove made of elastomeric material, the glove having palm, back, and sleeve elements with thumb and finger portions. A plurality of corrugations at high flex points substantially parallel to the direction of the axis of flexure reduce the stress on the hand induced by tension in the elastomeric material when stretched by the bending motions of the hand, thumb and fingers. This allows the hand to assume its natural curvature and partially compensate for flexing during use. The glove is preferably resistant and impermeable to chemical and biological products. The glove provides protection for the hands and may form part of a chemical and biological protective ensemble worn by armed forces personnel when working in hazardous chemical and biological environments.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A glove made of elastomeric materials comprising a palm and a back element with extending thumb and finger portions for receiving a hand, said glove having a plurality of corrugations at locations where normal hand flexures occur, said corrugations extending generally parallel to the direction of the axis of flexure and are operational in use to reduce the stress on the hand induced by tension in the elastomeric material when it is stretched by the bending motions of the hand.  
     
     
         2 . The glove as defined in  claim 1  wherein the corrugations are on the back element of the glove and on the finger portions, said corrugations tapering off at sides of the glove and the finger portions.  
     
     
         3 . The glove as defined in  claim 1  wherein the corrugations extend continuously around the palm and back element and around the finger portions.  
     
     
         4 . The glove as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the glove is precurved so as to match the natural curvature of the hand.  
     
     
         5 . The glove as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the glove is precurved so as to match the natural curvature of the hand.  
     
     
         6 . The glove as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the glove is precurved so as to match the natural curvature of the hand.  
     
     
         7 . The glove as defined in  claim 1  wherein said glove has a flat shape with corrugations extending continuously around the metacarpal portion of the hand and around the finger portions.  
     
     
         8 . The glove as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said glove has two or more thumb crotch corrugations with said crotch corrugations configured to extend substantially parallel to the direction of the thumb's axis of flexure, the said crotch corrugations allowing ease of movement of the thumb at the crotch.  
     
     
         9 . The glove as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said glove is made of materials resistant and impermeable to hazardous chemical products.  
     
     
         10 . The glove as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said glove is made of material which is resistant to deformation and deterioration due to aging in storage, exposure to ultraviolet light and changes in temperature ranging from −30 to +60° C.  
     
     
         11 . The glove as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said glove has two or more thumb crotch corrugations with said crotch corrugations configured to extend substantially parallel to the direction of the thumb's axis of flexure, the said crotch corrugations allowing ease of movement of the thumb at the crotch.  
     
     
         12 . The glove as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said glove is made of materials resistant and impermeable to hazardous chemical products.  
     
     
         13 . The glove as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said glove is made of material which is resistant to deformation and deterioration due to aging in storage, exposure to ultraviolet light and changes in temperature ranging from −30 to +60° C.  
     
     
         14 . The glove as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said glove has two or more thumb crotch corrugations with said corrugations configured to extend substantially parallel to the direction of the thumb's axis of flexure, the said crotch corrugations allowing ease of movement of the thumb at the crotch.  
     
     
         15 . The glove as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said glove is made of materials resistant and impermeable to hazardous chemical products.  
     
     
         16 . The glove as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said glove is made of material which is resistant to deformation and deterioration due to aging in storage, exposure to ultraviolet light and changes in temperature ranging from −30 to +60° C.  
     
     
         17 . The glove as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said glove has two or more thumb crotch corrugations with said corrugations configured to extend substantially parallel to the direction of the thumb's axis of flexure, the said crotch corrugations allowing ease of movement of the thumb at the crotch.  
     
     
         18 . The glove as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said glove is made of materials resistant and impermeable to hazardous chemical products.  
     
     
         19 . The glove as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said glove is made of material which is resistant to deformation and deterioration due to aging in storage, exposure to ultraviolet light and changes in temperature ranging from −30 to +60° C.  
     
     
         20 . The glove as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said palm and back elements are made of elastomeric materials having different formulation, the palm element being made of material formulated to be highly durable with the back element being made of a material formulated for higher flexibility than the palm element.