Elastomeric flexible article and manufacturing method

Abstract

An anti-microbial elastomeric flexible article is disclosed which includes a thin layer of an anti-microbial preparation disposed on an inside surface of the elastomeric flexible article, such as a glove. For example, the preparation may include an acidic substance. Preferably, the preparation further includes a buffer. Preferably, the preparation is in a substantially deyhdrated form and is activated by exposure to perspiration during use.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An article comprising: 
 a disposable protective glove, the disposable protective glove having an interior surface; and    a preparation disposed on the interior surface of the disposable protective glove, wherein the preparation includes an anti-microbial substance, and wherein the preparation includes a buffer that helps resist change in pH during wearing of the disposable protective glove.    
     
     
         2 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the anti-microbial substance is acidic during a period when the protective glove is worn, and wherein acidity of the anti-microbial substance contributes substantially to anti-microbial properties of the anti-microbial substance.  
     
     
         3 . The article according to  claim 2 , wherein the preparation has pH within a range of 4.5 to 5.8 during a period in which the preparation is moist.  
     
     
         4 . The article according to  claim 2 , wherein the anti-microbial substance includes an acid that exists naturally in a plant.  
     
     
         5 . The article according to  claim 2 , wherein the anti-microbial substance includes an alpha-hydroxy acid.  
     
     
         6 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the preparation has been dehydrated onto the interior surface of the protective glove.  
     
     
         7 . The article according to  claim 6 , wherein the anti-microbial substance is to be activated by moisture from hand perspiration during wearing of the protective glove.  
     
     
         8 . The article according to  claim 7 , wherein the preparation has pH within a range of about 4.5 to about 6.0 during a period of being worn.  
     
     
         9 . The article according to  claim 6 , wherein prior to completion of dehydrating the preparation onto the interior surface of the protective glove, the preparation included an acid in a range of about 0.1 percent to about 20 percent by weight.  
     
     
         10 . The article according to  claim 6 , wherein prior to completion of dehydrating the preparation onto the interior surface of the protective glove, the preparation included an acid in a range of about 0.2 percent to about 5 percent by weight.  
     
     
         11 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the buffer includes a weak organic acid and a conjugate base of the weak organic acid.  
     
     
         12 . The article according to  claim 13 , wherein the buffer includes an amino acid and an amino acid salt.  
     
     
         13 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the anti-microbial substance includes an acid that exists naturally in an edible plant.  
     
     
         14 . The article according to  claim 1 , configured wherein, after the article, in finished form as would be donned by an end user, has been placed in a chamber at over 30 degrees Celsius and 100% humidity and at least standard pressure for at least 30 minutes, the preparation has pH within the range of 3.8 to 6.0.  
     
     
         15 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the disposable protective glove is made from a material selected from the group consisting of a resinous material and a polymer material.  
     
     
         16 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the preparation is evenly distributed on the interior surface of the disposable protective glove.  
     
     
         17 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the preparation does not include antiperspirant.  
     
     
         18 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the disposable protective glove is without any layer of porous material  
     
     
         19 . An article comprising: 
 a disposable protective glove, the disposable protective glove having an interior surface; and    a preparation disposed, during factory production of the article, on the interior surface of the disposable protective glove, wherein the preparation includes an anti-bacterial substance, and wherein the preparation includes a buffer that helps resist change in pH during wearing of the disposable protective glove.    
     
     
         20 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the buffer includes a weak inorganic acid and a conjugate base of the weak inorganic acid.  
     
     
         21 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the buffer includes a quartenized phosphate ester.  
     
     
         22 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the anti-bacterial substance includes acid that exists naturally in an edible plant, and the preparation includes substantially no anti-bacterial substance other than the acid that exists naturally in an edible plant.  
     
     
         23 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the anti-bacterial substance includes an organic acid.  
     
     
         24 . The article according to  claim 23 , wherein the anti-bacterial substance includes a hydroxy acid.  
     
     
         25 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the anti-bacterial substance includes an acid selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic acid, an aromatic acid, salicylic acid, aromatic, aliphatic components, alpha-hydroxy acids, glycolic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, hydroxycaprylic acid, mandelic acid, leucic acid, azelaic acid, ethylglycolic acid, beta-hydroxy acids, salicylic acid, beta-hydroxypropionic acid and beta-hydroxybutyric acid, monocarboxylic acid, dicarboxylic acid, polycarboxylic acid, glucuronic acid, glutamic acid, allantoin galacturonic acid, allantoin glycyrrhetinic acid, allantoin polygalacturonic acid, animal collagen amino acids, animal elastin amino acids, animal keratin amino acids, aspartic acid, folic acid, hyaluronic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, orotic acid, palmitoyl animal collagen amino acids, ribonucleic acid, silk amino acid, uric acid, urocanic acid, dilinoleic acid, trilinoleic acid, alanine, 6-aminocaproic acid, arginine, asparagine, carbocysteine, cysteine, cystine, glycine, histidine, hydroxyproline, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, biotin, o-cresotic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, glycyrrihizic acid, lanolin acid, and mixtures thereof and carboxylic acids, amino acids, or an organic acid having an ionizable hydrogenated atom.  
     
     
         26 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the preparation is constituted to have pH within a range of about 3.8 to about 6.0 during a period in which the preparation is moist.  
     
     
         27 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the preparation was disposed onto the disposable examination glove not in powder form.  
     
     
         28 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the preparation is attached to the interior surface of the disposable examination glove due at least in part to a force provided by dehydration.  
     
     
         29 . The article according to  claim 28 , wherein prior to completion of dehydrating the preparation onto the interior surface of the protective glove, the preparation included an acid in a range of about 0.2 percent to about 10 percent by weight.  
     
     
         30 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the preparation does not include any antiperspirant selected from the group consisting of aluminum-zirconium tetraclorohydrex glycine, alcloxa, aluminum cloride, aluminum chlorohydrex, aluminum PCA, zirconium chlorohydrates, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrates, and aluminum chlorohydrates.  
     
     
         31 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the preparation further includes a skin soothing substance.  
     
     
         32 . The article according to  claim 31 , wherein the skin soothing substance includes dehydrated aloe vera.  
     
     
         33 . The article according to  claim 31 , wherein the preparation includes no skin soothing substance other than aloe vera.  
     
     
         34 . The article according to  claim 31 , wherein the skin soothing substance includes a dehydrated lotion.  
     
     
         35 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the preparation includes no aloe vera.  
     
     
         36 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the preparation includes a thickener.  
     
     
         37 . The article according to  claim 36 , wherein the thickener is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylate, polymethacrylic acid, polyacreylamide, sodium alginate, gelatin, xantham gum, acacia, aga carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose salt, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetal, polyvinylpyrrolidone, magnesium aluminum silicate, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate; a water-soluble polymer, like a polyvinylalcohol, a polybutene, a polyethylene glycol, or a polyethylenimine, gum, xanthan gum, hydroxyethylcellulose, karaya gum, carrageenen, hydroxypropyl guar, methylcellulose, tragacanth gum, and hydroxypropylcellulose.  
     
     
         38 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the disposable protective glove is made of a single layer of natural rubber latex, acrylonitrile, vinyl, or polyvinyl chloride.  
     
     
         39 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the preparation forms a layer with thickness of about 0.01 mm.  
     
     
         40 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the preparation forms a layer with thickness that is about {fraction (1/16)} of thickness of the disposable protective glove.  
     
     
         41 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the disposable protective glove is without any absorbent material.  
     
     
         42 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the anti-bacterial substance is constituted to be activated by skin perspiration.  
     
     
         43 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the preparation includes no detectable oil-based substance.  
     
     
         44 . A protective glove comprising: 
 only a single layer of a fluid-impermeable flexible material having an inner surface and forming a cavity to receive a hand; and    an anti-microbial preparation coated on the inner surface, wherein no aloe vera is coated on the inner surface, and wherein the anti-microbial preparation was factory pre-coated onto the inner surface.    
     
     
         45 . The glove according to  claim 44 , wherein the anti-microbial preparation includes an acid.  
     
     
         46 . The glove according to  claim 45 , wherein the glove is a disposable medical glove.