Utility glove
A utility glove comprising a three dimensional molded portion formed of an elastomeric material molded onto a fabric material, wherein the molded portion has a thickness of from about 0.8 to about 10.8 mm with the elastomeric material including two or more areas of differing thicknesses within the range of from about 0.4 to about 10.0 mm. The molded portion of the utility glove has a concave palm, with the middle of the palm being set in from the edges to form a concave configuration. The utility glove is manufactured by placing a glove blank comprising a fabric material over a first mold part in the form of at least a portion of a hand and bringing at least one second mold part into molding engagement with the first mold part to create a cavity with the glove blank on the first mold part. The elastomeric material is then injected into the cavity to form a molded portion, wherein the elastomeric material is injected on the side of the fabric material opposite the first mold part.
1. A method of manufacturing a utility glove having a thumb, four fingers and a main body, said glove comprising a three dimensional molded portion, the molded portion comprising an elastomeric material bonded to a fabric material in a three dimensional configuration substantially conforming to three dimensional contours of at least a portion of a hand exclusive of any variations in thickness or features on the surface of the molded portion, comprising the steps of:
a. placing a glove blank comprising a fabric material over a first mold part in the form of at least a portion of a hand;
b. bringing a second mold part into molding engagement with the first mold part to create a cavity with only a portion of the glove blank on the first mold part; and
c. injecting an elastomeric material into the cavity to form a molded portion, said molded portion having a thickness of from about 0.8 mm to about 10.8 mm with the elastomeric material on the fabric of the molded portion having a thickness of from about 0.4 mm to about 10.0 mm, wherein the elastomeric material of the molded portion is integrally formed to continuously extend up to and including 360° about the main body of the glove while leaving a portion of the fabric material of the glove blank without elastomeric material entirely surrounded by the molded portion.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
d. disengaging the second mold part from the first mold part; and
e. removing the fully formed utility glove from the first mold part.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second mold part includes elements for forming a molded portion with two or more adjacent elastomeric areas of differing thicknesses.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second mold part includes elements for forming a molded portion with one or more textured gripping portions taken from the group consisting of gnarled portions, dimples, bumps, w-shaped members, v-shaped members, textured loops, perforations and embossed gripping details.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the elastomeric material of the molded portion is integrally formed to continuously extend 360° about the main body of the glove.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the molded portion covers greater than 50% of the circumference of each finger and the thumb of the glove but not 100% of each finger and the thumb.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the molded portion includes a saddle between the thumb and a first finger that extends continuously from a palm side to a back side of the glove.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second mold part in step (b) comprises a plurality of mold parts which create the cavity with the glove blank on the first mold part.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the utility glove includes at least one area of fabric without elastomeric material entirely surrounded by a molded portion.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one area of fabric without elastomeric material entirely surrounded by a molded portion is on at least one of a thumb and one or more fingers of the glove.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the molded portion covers greater than 50% but less than 100% of the circumference of each finger, the thumb and the main body of the glove.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the ratio of thickness of the fabric material to the thickness of the elastomeric material forming the molded portion is from about 0.4% to about 100%.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein elastomeric material comprises a material is taken from the group consisting of a thermoplastic vulcanite (TPV) and a thermoplastic rubber (TPR) having a shore durometer of from about 10 to about 25.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the elastomeric material is a TPR having a shore durometer of about 15.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the fabric material is a knit hydrophilic material having a thickness of from about 0.4 to about 1.8 mm.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the knit hydrophilic material comprises a nylon material and has a thickness of from about 0.5 to about 0.8 mm.
17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of dipping the glove in a material after the molded portion is formed.
18. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of dipping the glove in a material before the molded portion is formed.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the molded portion covers a palm area on a palm side of the main body of the glove, wherein the molded palm is formed in a pre-curved configuration where the middle of the palm is set in from the edges of the palm to form a concave shape.