Indian Patents. 194539:A HAND HELD CLEANING DEVICE AND A METHOD OF MAKING A CLEANING DEVICE

Title of Invention	A HAND HELD CLEANING DEVICE AND A METHOD OF MAKING A CLEANING DEVICE
Abstract	A hand held cleaning device, comprising: a mitt of latex material for receiving a user's hand, the mitt having opposed front and back major surfaces adapted to cover a user's hand; a pad of cleaning media covering at least a part of the front surface of the mitt; and the pad of cleaning media joined to the mitt by latex-to-latex fusion.

Full Text	The present invention pertains to waterproof manual cleaning devices, such as latex mitts and gloves having cleaning media such as sponges or scour pads bonded thereto, and to methods of manufacturing such devices. 2. Description of the Related Art; Protective hand coverings such as latex rubber gloves have been used in the past for dishwashing and other household cleaning operations. Such hand coverings are particularly desirable when strong detergents or other potentially irritating substances are being used. Gloves and mitts have been provided with a variety of cleaning media, such as sponges or scour pads, or other pads or attachments. See, for example, British application GB 2 113 977; United States Design Patent 268,9 68; British Patent 2 143 720; and United States Patents 4,593,427; 4,621,388; and 5,127,976. This invention relates generally to improved products of this type which are suitable for more economical manufacture than prior mitts and gloves. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide protective hand wear in the form of mitts and gloves which can be fabricated at a lower cost, and with less waste arising from rejected articles. Another object according to the present invention is to provide protective handwear by casting latex rubber around a former, so as to result in protective handwear article having reduced internal stresses. A further object according the present invention is to provide improved methods of manufacturing handwear having a cleaning device carried on the outside of the handwear article. These and other objects according to principles of the present invention, which will become apparent from studying the appended description and drawings, are provided in a hand held cleaning device, comprising: a mitt of latex material for receiving a user's hand and wrist, the mitt having opposed front and back major surfaces adapted to cover a user's hand; a pad of cleaning media covering at least a part of the front surface of the mitt; and the pad of cleaning media integrally fused to the mitt. Other objects are obtained in a method of making a cleaning device, comprising the steps of: providing a former; coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured to receive a user's hand, the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces and an interior surface in contact with the former; and stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior of and between the opposed front and back surfaces. Accordingly, the present invention provides a hand held cleaning device, comprising: a mitt of latex material for receiving a user's hand, the mitt having opposed front and back major surfaces adapted to cover a user's hand; a pad of cleaning media covering at least a part of the front surface of the mitt; and the pad of cleaning media joined to the mitt by latex-to-latex fusion. Accordingly, the present invention also provides a method of making a cleaning device, comprising the steps of: providing a former coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured to receive a user's hand, the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces and an interior surface in contact with the former; and stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior of and between the opposed front and back surfaces. With reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows an initial step of handwear fabrication in which a former is readied for dipping in a vat of latex rubber; FIG. 2 shows the former being dipped in latex rubber; FIG. 3 shows a latex rubber article formed about the former; FIG. 4 shows a cleaning device being prepared for assembly with the latex rubber article; FIG. 5 Shows a cleaning device being applied to the latex rubber article; FIG. 6 shows the cleaning device applied to the latex rubber article; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning article taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 shows the latex rubber article being removed from the former according to the method of the present invention; FIG. 9 shows a prior art step of removing a latex rubber article from a former; FIGS. 10-12 shows a dipping operation for a glove, carried out according to principles of the present invention; FIG. 13 shows the treatment of a cleaning pad in preparation for application to the latex rubber article; FIG. 14 shows the application of the cleaning pad to the latex rubber article; FIG. 15 shows a completed cleaning device being removed from the former; FIG. 16 is a front view of a latex rubber article constructed according to principles of the present invention; FIG. 17 is a side elevational view thereof; FIG. 18 is an elevational view of a cleaning device made with the latex rubber article of FIG. 15; FIG. 19 is a side elevational view thereof; FIG. 2 0 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 20-20 of FIG. 16; FIG. 21 is a view cross-sectional view taken along the line 21-21 of FIG. 16; FIG. 22 is an elevational view of another embodiment of a manual cleaning device according to principles of the present invention; FIG. 2 3 is a side elevational view thereof; FIG. 24 shows a further embodiment of a manual cleaning device according to principles of the present invention; and FIG. 25 is a side elevational view thereof. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-8, fabrication of a first example of a manual cleaning device, according to principles of the present invention, is shown. As will be seen herein, the term "manual cleaning device" is used to refer to a completed item of manufacture, comprising the combination of a hand-covering article (e.g., a mitt or a glove or a variation thereof) and a cleaning implement, preferably in the form of a pad. The cleaning element could comprise, for example, a pad of sponge material, a scouring pad, or a pad carrying abrasive or brush bristles. Preferably, the pad applied has a thickness many times that of the thickness of the latex rubber skin. As will be seen herein, the hand-covering article is preferably formed by dipping a former into a vat of suitable elastomeric material, such as natural latex rubber or a synthetic equivalent thereof as well as related materials such as vinyl, liquid silicone, NITRILE and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). As contemplated herein, a commercially useful hand-covering article is not immediately obtained when the former is extracted from a dip tank. Rather, the intermediate product, namely a latex rubber skin covering the former, must undergo several processes before a commercially useful hand-covering article is obtained. Such processes include, for example, manipulating the former so as to distribute the latex material in a desired manner over the former (e.g., turning the former to prevent unwanted drips) and subsequently curing the latex rubber skin so that it takes on a commercially useful toughness. As will be seen herein, a number of significant manufacturing steps are performed before curing of the latex rubber skin. In FIG. 1, a former 10 is carried on a conveyor 12 in a continuous in-line process, so as to be positioned over a vat 14 filled with a conventional latex rubber composition 16. Former 10 includes a raised border 18, preferably in the form of a closed loop encircling the part of the mitt corresponding to the palm of a user's hand. Border 18 surrounds a bordered area 20. The border 18 need not be continuous and need not be of the size and shape shown in FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the bordered area is not recessed in the sense that it has been depressed compared to similar mitts lacking the border feature. That is, the latex rubber article, which is constructed using such a former, has a full thickness to comfortably receive a user's hand, and the border 18 is raised with respect to the remainder of the mitt. In the preferred embodiment, the border is raised by an amount d ranging between .5 mm to 5 mm and most preferably between 2 mm and 3 mm (see FIG. 7). In FIG. 2, the former 10 is dipped into the latex rubber composition 16 with a coating or "skin" of latex rubber adhering to the outer surface of the former, so as to cling to the former upon its removal from vat 14, as illustrated in FIG. 3. As will be seen, the covering eventually becomes a latex hand-covering article 28 (i.e., either a glove or a mitt or a variation thereof). In the embodiment illustrated, the latex hand-covering article to be formed takes the shape of a mitt, and the bordered portion 2 0 extends over the palm of the hand. The latex rubber composition 16 is of a conven¬tional type, and may be substituted by other liguid compositions suitable for forming a pliable handwear article. In the preferred embodiment, the resulting latex rubber skin closely conforms to the surface features of former 10, and accordingly, a bordered portion 28 is formed in the latex skin, and is surrounded by a raised border 24, which confonns to the raised border 18 of former 10. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the latex skin recovered from vat 14 initially has a slippery outer surface, which remains so until the skin is cured and dried to form a useable latex rubber article. According to one aspect of the present invention, the pad of cleaning media is joined without adhesive to the hand-covering article (i.e., either mitt or glove or a combination thereof), by using the latex material itself to bond the pad to the hand covering article with sufficient strength that the cleaning device may be used repeatedly for vigorous scrubbing and cleaning operation without separation of the pad from the article. With reference to FIG. 4, a cleaning media 34, preferably in the form of a pad, is partly dipped in a vat 36 of latex rubber composition 16. In the pre¬ferred embodiment, only one major face of the cleaning device 34 is coated with the latex rubber composition. As will be seen, this is an optional step which can be omitted in some instances. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the cleaning pad 34 is applied to the bordered portion 28 of the latex rubber skin. In the preferred embodi¬ment, after dipping, the former undergoes a series of turns or undulations before assuming a horizontal position. The fabrication step may be carried out as illustrated in FIG. 6, but is preferably carried out with the former assuming a horizontal position. The former 10 may be manually positioned, but is preferably automatically positioned under control of a scanner or sensor 35 so as to locate the latex rubber skin at a known position with respect to an automated placement arm 37 which automatically places the pad 34 in a desired position, as illustrated in FIG. 6, using a mechanized arrangement (not shown in the drawings). It is contemplated that the pad 34 be obtained from a staging point where a plurality of pads are stacked together, ready for manual or automatic assembly with a succession of latex rubber skins carried by formers 10 along the conveyor line 12. If desired, the coated pad 34 can be exposed to a radiant heater, a stream of hot air provided by manifold 33, or other heat source to induce tackiness to the latex coating on the pad. Similarly, the latex rubber skin carried on former 10 may also be exposed to a hot air stream, if desired, preparatory to mating with the pad 34. As indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7, cleaning device 34 is surrounded by the raised border 24, which provides a number of advantages, including helping to maintain cleaning media 34 in its desired position on the latex rubber skin, resisting the tendency of the cleaning media to slide off of the skin, due to gravitational or vibrational forces, for example. In FIG. 7, the thickness of the latex rubber article is exaggerated so as to be visible in the Figure. In the preferred embodiment, the latex rubber article has a thickness generally comparable to that of commercially available rubber gloves, with the border 24 being raised by an amount d on the order of a few millimeters. In comparison, the thickness of pad 34 is typically many times greater, having a thickness ranging between 1/16 inch and 1/2 inch. In the preferred embodiment, the former is made to undergo a series of turns after dipping, in order to control formation of a latex rubber skin, so as to ensure, for example, a uniformity of thickness in the latex rubber skin, as well as avoiding drips and other blemishes encountered in this type of dipping operation. As will be appreciated, a latex-to-latex interface is achieved between the cleaning media 34 and the latex rubber skin. Thus, the raised border is seen to provide significant advantages, whether the latex rubber skin carried on former 10 is wet and slippery, or alternatively is tacky. In either event, the raised border enhances the placement, whether a manual placement or an automated placement of pad and latex rubber skin. It may be possible, and even preferred in some instances, that the raised border mentioned above be omitted. For example, more costly automated equipment may be available to a manufacturer, which can reliably place pads on a latex rubber article, with a high degree of dimensional accuracy. Alternatively, when the cleaning articles are fabricated using manual techniques, skilled workers may be able to accurately position pads on a latex rubber article with a high degree of precision, in conjunction with manufacturing processes which reduce the probability of a pad, once placed, from becoming misaligned with the latex rubber article. For example, it may be possible to treat the surface of the latex rubber article with heat or a drying atmosphere so as to enhance the ability of the latex rubber article to retain a pad in position until the latex rubber can be fully cured. In addition to providing enhanced positioning of a pad with respect to a latex rubber article, a raised border can provide other significant advantages. For example, a raised border can be relied upon to present a visual target to either human operators or robotic placement and the like automated machinery which employ visual orientation techniques for alignment of the equipment with respect to a latex rubber article. In addition to manufacturing advantages, a raised border can also be employed to provide additional bonding area to a pad (i.e., to the side edges of the pad) and to support the pad in use. For example, a user's rubbing motions will impart a shear stress to the bond between the pad and latex rubber article. A raised border abutting the side edges of the pad will support the pad against such stresses. See, for example, FIGS. 22-25 which show pads which are more susceptible to dislodging under the effect of shear stresses particularly when the pads present a relatively high coefficient of friction to a surface being worked (for example, a sanding operation performed on a porous wood substrate). Further, a raised border hides or shields the edges of the pad from forces that would otherwise delaminate the pad from the latex rubber article. In the preferred embodiment, the latex-to-latex fusing is accomplished by using identical latex compositions to coat both the pad and the former. Upon mechanically joining or pressing the two together, the latex coating from one component contacts the latex coating of the other component so as to form a bond which is strengthened when the latex materials on the components are subsequently cured. In the preferred embodiment, latex material on the former is understood to intermingle with latex material carried on the pad, with the latex coating of one intimately and homo¬geneously mixing with the latex rubber coating of the other, coming together to form a single homogeneous mass. It is possible, however, to vary the latex rubber coatings between the former and the pad. However, in 1 the preferred embodiment, the two coatings are capable of fusing together and interblending with one another so that one uniformly disperses into the other. The fusing may rely upon a fluid or a semifluid nature of the coatings on the pad and the former so as to allow a flowing together to form an indivisible blending of the two coatings. The latex coating on the cleaning pad 34 and latex rubber skin on former 10 are allowed to cure, thus effectively bonding the cleaning device to the latex rubber skin. Curing may be facilitated and/or accel¬erated using known techniques, such as drying, heating or contacting the latex rubber with a known solution which treats the surface for toughening, for example. The former illustrated in FIG. 6 is preferably soaked in a vat containing a treating solution. When the latex material is sufficiently cured to take on a useful toughness, the item carried on former 10 is then regarded as a completely formed manual cleaning device 30, referred to herein as a hand-covering article (such as a mitt or glove, for example) of latex rubber which is then presented to a final work station for removal from the former 10. The hand-covering article may alone comprise a commercially viable product by itself. As illustrated in FIG. 9, prior art removal techniques involved everting the latex rubber article 50, i.e., turning it inside-out. In known prior art manufacturing techniques, a cleaning pad, such as the cleaning media 34, was applied to the exposed surface of the latex rubber article after the latex rubber article was removed from former 10 and everted (i.e., turned inside out). If required, the cleaning media would be applied to the exposed outer surface 52 of the everted handwear article, i.e., the surface originally in contact with the former 10. Any flocking or other lining would typically be applied to the surface 54 facing away from the former prior to removal of the article from the former. Internal stress and strain resulting from turning the article inside-out could be present in the article throughout its life. As mentioned above, coating of the pad in preparation for bonding with the latex rubber skin carried on the former can be omitted in some instances. For example, the latex rubber skin on the former may be allowed to penetrate the surface portion of the pad directly so as to provide the basis for a secure mechanical bond when the latex rubber material is allowed to cure or harden. Consider, for example, the former having a raised border, described above. The former may be dipped in a latex rubber or other suitable solution so as to form a puddle or pool of solution in the area surrounded by the raised border. The area thus surrounded will have an increased thickness or depth of solution which can penetrate into a pad applied to the bordered area. As mentioned above, the manufacturing process of forming the latex rubber article involves dipping a former into a vat of latex rubber or other suitable solution. However, the present invention also contemplates pouring or spraying solution onto a former so as to supplement, or even replace, the aforedescribed dipping operation. Further, the production of manual cleaning devices and latex rubber articles incorporated therein are preferably formed in a continuous operation, with a series of formers carried on a suitable conveyor. However, the present invention also applies to the production of latex rubber articles and manual cleaning devices incorporating those articles formed in a batch process. For example, a single former can be dipped, poured upon or sprayed to produce a latex rubber article. Alternatively, a plurality of such formers can be carried on a common backing support for simultaneous dipping in a vat of latex rubber solution. Of course, the simultaneous manipulation of multiple formers would also be useful for a simultaneous spraying or pouring operation performed in addition to or in place of a dipping operation. Referring now to FIG. 8, according to one aspect of the preferred embodiment, the cleaning device 30 is stripped from former 10 in its "natural state" without subjecting the molded article to unnatural forces caused by turning the device inside-out. Accordingly, internal stresses which would otherwise be introduced within the latex rubber article are eliminated, or at least substantially reduced. With the preferred method of construction of the present invention, the inside surface of the finished latex rubber article remains as the surface which originally contacted the former 10. Accordingly, any flocking or lining to be formed on the inside surface of the latex rubber article during its manufacture may be applied to the outer surface cf former 10, preparatory to dipping in the composition 16. A cotton or jersey glove or mitt or a nylon liner or a mitt may be slipped onto the former prior to dipping to facilitate donning and to add a desired body to the manual cleaning device. Several manufacturing advantages are attained with the present invention. For example, very little force is required to apply the media 34 to the incomplete latex rubber skin, and even with minimal placement forces applying the pad to the latex rubber skin, a complete, substantially void-free union between the pad and latex rubber skin may be repeatedly formed without using adhesives. If desired, an oscillatory or jiggling motion can be applied to the pad in the method step indicated in FIG. 6 to further seat the pad against the latex rubber skin, enhancing the void reduction, and encouraging mixing of the latex material carried on the pad with that carried on the former. Such additional steps may offer advantages in extending the "hold" time for the latex rubber skin before the pad is applied, since movement of a pad contacting the latex rubber skin may break through any surface effects formed on the latex rubber skin. The raised border 2 4 in the latex rubber skin allows the former to undergo a range of motion even when the surface of the latex rubber is in a fluid or slippery state without separation of the pad from the skin. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the media 34 is cradled in a recess formed by the raised border 24, and accordingly, the former can be twisted and moved in various directions to reduce drip formation and other imperfections. As mentioned above, it may be desirable in some instances to rotate and move the former 10 in extreme (even inverted) positions to reduce drip formation and to distribute the latex xubber material in a uniform fashion about former 10. Turning now to FIGS. 10-15, a former 70 having a raised border 72 is prepared for a dipping in the vat 14, as illustrated in FIG. 11, so as to form a latex rubber skin when the former is removed, as illustrated in FIG. 12. A pad 76 has a major face thereof dipped in a vat 3 6 of latex rubber solution 16, as indicated in FIG. 13. The pad 76 is then applied to the latex rubber skin, while the skin is still "wet", that is, uncured. The skin at this point may or may not be tacky. The latex rubber skin has a raised border 80 which confoirms to the raised border 72 of the former. The pad 76 is placed within raised border 80, as illustrated in FIG. 15. The latex rubber is then cured in a conven¬tional fashion to produce a latex rubber article of usable toughness. As with the preceding embodiment, the pad 76 is integrally fused to the latex rubber article, with the combination comprising a completed cleaning device 84. As indicated by the arrow in FIG. 15, the cleaning device 84 is removed or stripped from former 70 without turning the latex rubber article inside-out. If desired, cleaning pads may be affixed to the opposed surfaces of a latex rubber article, with raised borders on both sides providing sufficient retention of both pads, an important feature since the former cannot be adjusted to a position where dislodging gravitational forces, acting in shear on the applied pads, can otherwise be simultaneously eliminated for both sides of the latex article. One of the problems that results from the above-described method is that, after the mitt has been removed from the former with the sponge already attached, halogenation of the mitt may result in deterioration of the sponge pad, particularly in the case of synthetic sponge pads. It has been found that halogenation, i.e., dipping of the mitt in a halogen solution, such as a chlorine or bromine solution, improves certain surface characteristics of the finished mitt. In particular, halogenation of the finished mitts aids in preventing the opposite surfaces of the mitt from adhering to each other, and reduces the difficulty encountered by a user when inserting or removing one's hand. Where an integral elastic cotton or nylon liner is provided on the interior of the mitt, the absence of halogenation generally is not problematic with respect to the interior surfaces of the mitt. However, the exterior surface of the mitt may still have undesirable qualities such as, e.g., the surface may be somewhat sticky, or tacky, or have a high coefficient of friction when in contact with certain materials. The quality of the exterior surface may be improved by siliconizing the exterior surface. This may be accomplished by placing the finished mitts, with pads attached, in a tumbler, with a cloth or rag that has been impregnated with silicone. Where the mitt does not have an interior lining, halogenation may be accomplished by spraying a chlorine or bromine solution into the interior of the mitt after it is stripped from the former to halogenate the interior of the mitt without deleterious effects on the pad. Interior surface characteristics may also be improved by application of a silicone spray to the former prior to application of a coagulant to the former before dipping of the former. Where this method is employed, the coagulant and silicone material must be compatible, such that neither will prevent the other from accomplishing its function. In another embodiment, in order to facilitate insertion and removal of the user's hand, the interior surface of the mitt may be provided with an irregular, rather than smooth, surface. The irregular surface may be provided by formation of a pattern of fine grooves and ridges on the former. The pattern may, for example, be a herringbone pattern, a stippled pattern, or the like. It may be desirable to confine the pattern to the cuff portion of the mitt, i.e., the portion of the glove between the opening of the mitt and the hand portion, which covers the user's wrist. The pattern may be applied continuously to entirely cover the interior surface of the cuff portion. When stripping the mitt, the mitt may be partially everted, with the upper edge of the mitt pulled down to strip the cuff portion of the mitt from the cuff portion of the former, and continued downward tensile loads may then be applied to the cuff portion, in some cases partially everting the hand portion and pad, until the entire mitt is removed from the former. After stripping of the mitt or glove from the former, the former is preferably dipped in an acid bath to remove residue and clean the former, then dried, after which the process is repeated. Turning now to FIGS. 16-21, two additional embodiments of the present invention are shown. In a first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, a latex rubber article is formed using a former corresponding generally in size and shape to a user's hand. In the embodiments of FIGS. 16-21, the former has finger portions which are about the same thickness as a user's fingers. The fingers and thumb may have rounded cross sections, but, as can be seen in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 2 0 and 21, the preferred latex rubber article 90 of FIGS. 16 and 17 has finger and thumb portions 92, 94 of generally rectangular or square cross section, with angled outer corners 96, 98, respectively, so as to accommodate a user's finger or thumb, without substantial stretching. The upper and lower surfaces of the finger and thumb portions are flat. For example, the opposed surfaces 102, 104 of finger portion 92 are generally flat, and are arranged parallel to one another. Similarly, the thumb portion 94 has opposed flat surfaces 108, 110. Referring to FIG. 16, the flat surface portions 102, 108 of the fingers and thumb portion are generally coplanar with one another and extend through¬out a flattened coplanar portion 114. In the preferred embodiment, the opposed major surface of latex rubber article 9 0 has a mirror-image flat surface 12 0. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17, the flat surfaces 114, 120 are arranged generally parallel to one another, although this is not required in every instance where the latex rubber article has opposed flattened major surfaces. One advantage to the latex rubber article shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 is that the article may be worn on either hand. Another advantage of the latex rubber article 90 is that the flattened surface(s) conform to articles (to be cleaned or otherwise treated) which have flat surfaces. Another advantage is that in some sculpting and molding operations using fiberglass resin or other plastic-like material, the flattened surface portions may yield superior results when a user cups his or her hand to form an elongated curved surface (with a wiping motion), without building up material between the finger portions of the latex rubber article. As can be seen in FIGS. 20 and 21, the preferred finger portions are generally rectangular in cross section with angled corners, as opposed to the rounded cross sections of conventional gloves. The angled corners maximize the flat, planar surface of the finger portion, and can allow a user to reduce or eliminate the gaps between adjacent finger portions, thus forming a major surface of the glove which is flat and planar. In the preferred embodiment, each finger portion has four angled portions to accommodate two flat, planar major surfaces on opposed sides of the glove, which offers further advantages for manufacture of ambidextrous articles (e.g., gloves or mitts). A further advantage of the latex rubber article 90 is illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, where a pad 124 is bonded to the latex rubber article 90, using either conventional adhesive techniques, or the latex-to-latex integral fusing explained above. Referring to FIG. 18, the pad 124 illustrated has a large, well controlled palm area which is readily positioned about the underlying latex rubber article 90. However, the finger portions may be more difficult to control when placing the pad on the underlying latex rubber article, especially when the underlying latex rubber article is still "wet" or uncured, having a slippery outer surface. Typically, the latex rubber skin at this point in manufacture is easily distorted if excessive force is applied during application of the pad media. Such distortions may result in the resulting manual cleaning device being rejected for either structural or cosmetic reasons. Problems associated with pad placement are aggravated when the pad is difficult to control during a placement operation. For example, the small pads illustrated in FIG. 22 are generally elongated in the direction of length of the finger portions 142 and thumb portion 144, and if the pads 146 become rotated or otherwise dislodged from the desired positions illus¬trated in FIG. 22, the manual cleaning device 140 would suffer cosmetically and, in some instances, would have to be rejected by the manufacturer. The same consider¬ations apply to the thumb pad 148. With the flattened major surfaces 143, 145 the pads 146, 148 can readily be applied in their proper positions. As a result, the reject rates may be significantly reduced, and cosmetic appearance of the resulting manual cleaning device may be greatly improved. Turning now to FIGS. 24 and 25, manual cleaning device 150 employs the same underlying latex rubber article 147 as described above in FIGS. 22 and 23. Further, the same thumb pad 148 is employed. A single pad 152 covering substantial portions of a user's palm and substantially the entire extent of the user's fingers is also employed in this embodiment. Substan¬tial flexing may be experienced in the area 154. By employing a latex rubber article having opposed flattened surfaces 160, 162, the pad 152 can be readily applied to the latex rubber article in its desired position, and will maintain the desired position without subsequent readjustment. If desired, the latex rubber article 147 can be provided with raised borders surrounding the pads, to further aid in aligning the pads to the latex rubber article. For example, raised borders surrounding the elongated finger-portions of pad 152 can help to quickly locate the finger portions on the latex article. As will be appreciated, substantial time and labor savings will result when a simultaneous placement of multiple finger portions is required, as with the manual cleaning device 150. Referring again to FIG. 22, the present invention also contemplates the placement of pads on the edge of a latex rubber article, as shown for example with the placement of an optional pad 153 on the latex rubber article 147. Such pads may be useful, for example, when a user is called upon to scrub, sand or polish a surface with a clenched fist. If desired, a manual cleaning device can be provided with a side pad 153 only attached to the latex rubber article. Other advantages can be obtained with latex rubber articles having flattened major surfaces. For example, it can be seen from FIGS. 2 2-25 that the same underlying latex rubber article can be employed for a variety of different manual cleaning products, differing in the number and shape of the pads applied. Further, the above advantages are obtained, whether an adhesive or a latex-to-latex fusing is relied upon to secure the pads to the latex rubber article. It will be recognized that various features used in the construction of the above-described mitt may be used with the gloves described above and vice-versa. Further, it is possible to employ the principles of the present invention to form a device combining features of a mitt and a glove. For example, the device may have a separate thumb portion but only two finger portions, with multiple fingers being inserted in a particular finger portion. The term "waterproof hand covering" is used herein to encompass not only mitts and gloves, but also hybrid combinations of the two. The drawings and the foregoing descriptions are not intended to represent the only forms of the invention in regard to the details of its construction and manner of operation. Changes in form and in the proportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents, are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient; and although specific terms have been employed, they are intended in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being delineated 1 by the following claims. WE CLAIM; 1. A hand held cleaning device, comprising: a mitt of latex material for receiving a user's hand, the mitt having opposed front and back major surfaces adapted to cover a user's hand; a pad of cleaning media covering at least a part of the front surface of the mitt; and the pad of cleaning media joined to the mitt by latex-to-latex fusion. 2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mitt has a raised border carried on the front surface of the mitt and surrounding the pad of cleaning media. 3. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a second pad of cleaning media is joined to the mitt for covering at least a part of the back surface of the mitt. 4. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the mitt has a raised border carried on the back surface of the mitt and surrounding the second pad of cleaning media. 5. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mitt comprises: a glove of latex material for receiving a user's hand, having a thumb portion and a plurality of independently moveable finger portions, each for receiving at least some portion of the user's fingers; and the finger portions of the glove having generally rectangular cross sections and generally flat, substantially coplanar parts comprising portions of the front surface. 6. The device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the finger portions, in cross section, have angled comers adjacent the front surface so as to maximize the flat surface part of the finger portions. 7. The device as claimed in claim 6 wherein all of the finger portions have angled portions adjacent the front surface, so that the finger portions cooperate to form a substantially continuous flat coplanar surface. 8. The device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the device has a one-piece pad of cleaning media covering at least a part of the front surface of the mitt, which has substantial parts of the finger portions of the glove. 9. The device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the finger portions, in cross section, have angled comers adjacent the front surface so as to maximize the flat surface part of the finger portions. 10. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein all of the finger portions have angled portions adjacent the front surface, so that the finger portions cooperate to form a substantially continuous flat coplanar surface. 11. The device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pad is integrally fused to the glove. 12. The device as claimed in claim 11 wherein the front surface of the glove has at least one raised border portion surrounding at least a part of the pad. 13. A method of making a cleaning device, comprising the steps of: providing a former coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured to receive a user's hand, the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces and an interior surface in contact with the former; and stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior of and between the opposed front and back surfaces. 14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the method additionally comprises the step of covering the front surface of the waterproof hand covering with a pad of cleaning media and bonding the pad of cleaning media to the front surface of the waterproof hand covering. 15. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of bonding the pad of cleaning media to the front surface of the mitt comprises the steps of forming a pool of latex rubber on the former, pressing the pad in the pool of latex rubber layer so that the latex rubber penetrates the pad, and thereafter curing the latex rubber so as to integrally fuse the pad with the waterproof hand covering. 16. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of bonding the pad of cleaning media to the front surface of the mitt comprises the steps of coating at least a portion of the pad with a layer of latex rubber, contacting the latex rubber coating on the pad with the latex rubber layer on the former so as to merge the two together, and thereafter curing the latex rubber so as to integrally fuse the pad with the waterproof hand covering. 17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the method additionally comprises the step of forming a raised border in the layer of latex rubber preparatory to bonding with the pad of cleaning media, so as to orient the pad of cleaning 5 media with respect to the layer of latex rubber on the former. 18. A method of making a cleaning device, comprising the steps of: providing a former; coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured to receive a user's hand and wrist, the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces and an interior surface in contact with the former; providing a pad of cleaning media; coating at least a portion of the pad with a layer of latex rubber; covering at least a portion of the surface of the waterproof hand covering with the pad of cleaning media; contacting the latex rubber coating on the pad with the latex rubber layer on the former so as to merge the two together, and thereafter curing the latex rubber so as to integrally fuse the pad with the waterproof hand covering; and stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior and between the opposed front and back surfaces. 19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the step of stripping the mitt from the former comprises the step of stripping the mitt from the former while maintaining the inside surface interior and between the exposed front and back surfaces of the waterproof hand covering. 20. The method as claimed in claim 18 comprising the step of providing at least one raised border on the front surface of the waterproof hand covering so as to position the pad with respect to the layer of latex rubber. 21. A method of making a cleaning device comprising the steps of: providing a former; coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured for receiving a user's hand and wrist and having at least a thumb portion for receiving the user's thumb and at least two fmger portions for receiving at least some portion of the user's fingers, with the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces, with the finger portions having cross-sections with angled comers adjacent the front surface. 22. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the former has a thumb portion for receiving user's thumb and four finger portions for receiving the fingers of the user's hand. 23. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the angled comers of adjacent finger positions are movable to contact one another. 24. The method as claimed in claim 21 additionally comprising the step of covering the front surface of the glove with a pad of cleaning media so as to cover the finger portions and a portion overlying the user's palm, with a single integral pad of cleaning media. 25. A method of making a cleaning device comprising the steps of: providing a former; coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured for receiving a user's hand and wrist and having at least a thumb portion for receiving the user's thumb and at least two finger portions for receiving at least some portion of the user's fingers, with the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces, with the finger portions having cross-sections with angles comer adjacent the front surface; providing a pad of cleaning media; coating at least a portion of the pad with a layer of latex mbber; covering at least a portion of the surface of the waterproof hand covering with the pad of cleaning media; contacting the latex mbber coating on the pad with the latex mbber layer on the former so as to merge the two together, and thereafter curing the latex mbber so as to integrally fuse the pad with the waterproof hand covering; and - stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior and between the opposed front and back surfaces. 26. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the step of stripping the mitt from the former comprises the step of stripping the mitt from the former while maintaining the inside surface interior and between the exposed front and back surfaces of the waterproof hand covering. 27. The method as claimed in claim 25 comprising the step of providing at least one raised border on the front surface of the waterproof hand covering so as to position the pad with respect to the layer of latex rubber. 28. A method of manufacturing a cleaning device comprising the steps of: coating a former in the shape of a hand covering with a liquid latex material; placing a pad of cleaning media on the liquid latex material on the former; and curing the liquid latex material so that the latex material bonds the pad to said latex material. 29. The method as claimed in claim 28 wherein the method additionally comprises the step of coating the pad with liquid latex material before placing it on the liquid latex material on the former. 30. The method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the method additionally comprises the step of causing the liquid latex material on the pad to become tacky before placing the pad on the liquid latex material on the former. 31. A waterproof cleaning device produced by the method as claimed in claims 13 to 30 comprising the steps of: providing a former; coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to forma waterproof hand covering configured to receive a user's hand, the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces and an interior surface in contact with the former; and stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior of and between the opposed front and back surfaces. 32. A hand held cleaning device, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 33. A method of making a cleaning device, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Full Text

The present invention pertains to waterproof manual cleaning devices, such as latex mitts and gloves having cleaning media such as sponges or scour pads bonded thereto, and to methods of manufacturing such devices. 2. Description of the Related Art;
Protective hand coverings such as latex rubber gloves have been used in the past for dishwashing and other household cleaning operations. Such hand coverings are particularly desirable when strong detergents or other potentially irritating substances are being used. Gloves and mitts have been provided with a variety of cleaning media, such as sponges or scour pads, or other pads or attachments. See, for example, British application GB 2 113 977; United States Design Patent 268,9 68; British Patent 2 143 720; and United States Patents 4,593,427; 4,621,388; and 5,127,976.
This invention relates generally to improved products of this type which are suitable for more economical manufacture than prior mitts and gloves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide protective hand wear in the form of mitts and gloves which can be fabricated at a lower cost, and with less waste arising from rejected articles.
Another object according to the present invention is to provide protective handwear by casting latex rubber around a former, so as to result in protective handwear article having reduced internal stresses.
A further object according the present invention is to provide improved methods of

manufacturing handwear having a cleaning device carried on the outside of the handwear article.
These and other objects according to principles of the present invention, which will become apparent from studying the appended description and drawings, are provided in a hand held cleaning device, comprising:
a mitt of latex material for receiving a user's hand and wrist, the mitt having opposed front and back major surfaces adapted to cover a user's hand;
a pad of cleaning media covering at least a part of the front surface of the mitt; and
the pad of cleaning media integrally fused to the mitt.
Other objects are obtained in a method of making a cleaning device, comprising the steps of:
providing a former;
coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured to receive a user's hand, the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces and an interior surface in contact with the former; and
stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior of and between the opposed front and back surfaces.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a hand held cleaning device, comprising: a mitt of latex material for receiving a user's hand, the mitt having opposed front and back major surfaces adapted to cover a user's hand; a pad of cleaning media covering at least a part of the front surface of the mitt; and the pad of cleaning media joined to the mitt by latex-to-latex fusion.
Accordingly, the present invention also provides a method of making a cleaning

device, comprising the steps of: providing a former coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured to receive a user's hand, the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces and an interior surface in contact with the former; and stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior of and between the opposed front and back surfaces.
With reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows an initial step of handwear fabrication in which a former is readied for dipping in a vat of latex rubber;
FIG. 2 shows the former being dipped in latex rubber;
FIG. 3 shows a latex rubber article formed about the former;
FIG. 4 shows a cleaning device being prepared for assembly with the latex rubber article;

FIG. 5 Shows a cleaning device being applied to the latex rubber article;
FIG. 6 shows the cleaning device applied to the latex rubber article;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning article taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 shows the latex rubber article being removed from the former according to the method of the present invention;
FIG. 9 shows a prior art step of removing a latex rubber article from a former;
FIGS. 10-12 shows a dipping operation for a glove, carried out according to principles of the present invention;
FIG. 13 shows the treatment of a cleaning pad in preparation for application to the latex rubber article;
FIG. 14 shows the application of the cleaning pad to the latex rubber article;
FIG. 15 shows a completed cleaning device being removed from the former;
FIG. 16 is a front view of a latex rubber article constructed according to principles of the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a side elevational view thereof;
FIG. 18 is an elevational view of a cleaning device made with the latex rubber article of FIG. 15;
FIG. 19 is a side elevational view thereof;
FIG. 2 0 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 20-20 of FIG. 16;
FIG. 21 is a view cross-sectional view taken along the line 21-21 of FIG. 16;
FIG. 22 is an elevational view of another embodiment of a manual cleaning device according to principles of the present invention;
FIG. 2 3 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 24 shows a further embodiment of a manual cleaning device according to principles of the present invention; and
FIG. 25 is a side elevational view thereof. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-8, fabrication of a first example of a manual cleaning device, according to principles of the present invention, is shown. As will be seen herein, the term "manual cleaning device" is used to refer to a completed item of manufacture, comprising the combination of a hand-covering article (e.g., a mitt or a glove or a variation thereof) and a cleaning implement, preferably in the form of a pad. The cleaning element could comprise, for example, a pad of sponge material, a scouring pad, or a pad carrying abrasive or brush bristles. Preferably, the pad applied has a thickness many times that of the thickness of the latex rubber skin. As will be seen herein, the hand-covering article is preferably formed by dipping a former into a vat of suitable elastomeric material, such as natural latex rubber or a synthetic equivalent thereof as well as related materials such as vinyl, liquid silicone, NITRILE and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). As contemplated herein, a commercially useful hand-covering article is not immediately obtained when the former is extracted from a dip tank. Rather, the intermediate product, namely a latex rubber skin covering the former, must undergo several processes before a commercially useful hand-covering article is obtained. Such processes include, for example, manipulating the former so as to distribute the latex material in a desired manner over the former (e.g., turning the former to prevent unwanted drips) and subsequently curing the latex rubber skin so that it takes on a commercially useful toughness. As will be seen herein, a number of significant

manufacturing steps are performed before curing of the latex rubber skin.
In FIG. 1, a former 10 is carried on a conveyor 12 in a continuous in-line process, so as to be positioned over a vat 14 filled with a conventional latex rubber composition 16. Former 10 includes a raised border 18, preferably in the form of a closed loop encircling the part of the mitt corresponding to the palm of a user's hand. Border 18 surrounds a bordered area 20. The border 18 need not be continuous and need not be of the size and shape shown in FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the bordered area is not recessed in the sense that it has been depressed compared to similar mitts lacking the border feature. That is, the latex rubber article, which is constructed using such a former, has a full thickness to comfortably receive a user's hand, and the border 18 is raised with respect to the remainder of the mitt. In the preferred embodiment, the border is raised by an amount d ranging between .5 mm to 5 mm and most preferably between 2 mm and 3 mm (see FIG. 7).
In FIG. 2, the former 10 is dipped into the latex rubber composition 16 with a coating or "skin" of latex rubber adhering to the outer surface of the former, so as to cling to the former upon its removal from vat 14, as illustrated in FIG. 3. As will be seen, the covering eventually becomes a latex hand-covering article 28 (i.e., either a glove or a mitt or a variation thereof).
In the embodiment illustrated, the latex hand-covering article to be formed takes the shape of a mitt, and the bordered portion 2 0 extends over the palm of the hand. The latex rubber composition 16 is of a conven¬tional type, and may be substituted by other liguid compositions suitable for forming a pliable handwear article. In the preferred embodiment, the resulting latex rubber skin closely conforms to the surface

features of former 10, and accordingly, a bordered portion 28 is formed in the latex skin, and is surrounded by a raised border 24, which confonns to the raised border 18 of former 10. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the latex skin recovered from vat 14 initially has a slippery outer surface, which remains so until the skin is cured and dried to form a useable latex rubber article.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the pad of cleaning media is joined without adhesive to the hand-covering article (i.e., either mitt or glove or a combination thereof), by using the latex material itself to bond the pad to the hand covering article with sufficient strength that the cleaning device may be used repeatedly for vigorous scrubbing and cleaning operation without separation of the pad from the article. With reference to FIG. 4, a cleaning media 34, preferably in the form of a pad, is partly dipped in a vat 36 of latex rubber composition 16. In the pre¬ferred embodiment, only one major face of the cleaning device 34 is coated with the latex rubber composition. As will be seen, this is an optional step which can be omitted in some instances. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the cleaning pad 34 is applied to the bordered portion 28 of the latex rubber skin. In the preferred embodi¬ment, after dipping, the former undergoes a series of turns or undulations before assuming a horizontal position. The fabrication step may be carried out as illustrated in FIG. 6, but is preferably carried out with the former assuming a horizontal position. The former 10 may be manually positioned, but is preferably automatically positioned under control of a scanner or sensor 35 so as to locate the latex rubber skin at a known position with respect to an automated placement arm 37 which automatically places the pad 34 in a desired position, as illustrated in FIG. 6, using a mechanized arrangement (not shown in the drawings).

It is contemplated that the pad 34 be obtained from a staging point where a plurality of pads are stacked together, ready for manual or automatic assembly with a succession of latex rubber skins carried by formers 10 along the conveyor line 12.
If desired, the coated pad 34 can be exposed to a radiant heater, a stream of hot air provided by manifold 33, or other heat source to induce tackiness to the latex coating on the pad. Similarly, the latex rubber skin carried on former 10 may also be exposed to a hot air stream, if desired, preparatory to mating with the pad 34. As indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7, cleaning device 34 is surrounded by the raised border 24, which provides a number of advantages, including helping to maintain cleaning media 34 in its desired position on the latex rubber skin, resisting the tendency of the cleaning media to slide off of the skin, due to gravitational or vibrational forces, for example.
In FIG. 7, the thickness of the latex rubber article is exaggerated so as to be visible in the Figure. In the preferred embodiment, the latex rubber article has a thickness generally comparable to that of commercially available rubber gloves, with the border 24 being raised by an amount d on the order of a few millimeters. In comparison, the thickness of pad 34 is typically many times greater, having a thickness ranging between 1/16 inch and 1/2 inch. In the preferred embodiment, the former is made to undergo a series of turns after dipping, in order to control formation of a latex rubber skin, so as to ensure, for example, a uniformity of thickness in the latex rubber skin, as well as avoiding drips and other blemishes encountered in this type of dipping operation.
As will be appreciated, a latex-to-latex interface is achieved between the cleaning media 34 and the latex rubber skin. Thus, the raised border is seen to provide significant advantages, whether the latex

rubber skin carried on former 10 is wet and slippery, or alternatively is tacky. In either event, the raised border enhances the placement, whether a manual placement or an automated placement of pad and latex rubber skin.
It may be possible, and even preferred in some instances, that the raised border mentioned above be omitted. For example, more costly automated equipment may be available to a manufacturer, which can reliably place pads on a latex rubber article, with a high degree of dimensional accuracy. Alternatively, when the cleaning articles are fabricated using manual techniques, skilled workers may be able to accurately position pads on a latex rubber article with a high degree of precision, in conjunction with manufacturing processes which reduce the probability of a pad, once placed, from becoming misaligned with the latex rubber article. For example, it may be possible to treat the surface of the latex rubber article with heat or a drying atmosphere so as to enhance the ability of the latex rubber article to retain a pad in position until the latex rubber can be fully cured.
In addition to providing enhanced positioning of a pad with respect to a latex rubber article, a raised border can provide other significant advantages. For example, a raised border can be relied upon to present a visual target to either human operators or robotic placement and the like automated machinery which employ visual orientation techniques for alignment of the equipment with respect to a latex rubber article. In addition to manufacturing advantages, a raised border can also be employed to provide additional bonding area to a pad (i.e., to the side edges of the pad) and to support the pad in use. For example, a user's rubbing motions will impart a shear stress to the bond between the pad and latex rubber article. A raised border abutting the side edges of the pad will support the pad

against such stresses. See, for example, FIGS. 22-25 which show pads which are more susceptible to dislodging under the effect of shear stresses particularly when the pads present a relatively high coefficient of friction to a surface being worked (for example, a sanding operation performed on a porous wood substrate). Further, a raised border hides or shields the edges of the pad from forces that would otherwise delaminate the pad from the latex rubber article.
In the preferred embodiment, the latex-to-latex fusing is accomplished by using identical latex compositions to coat both the pad and the former. Upon mechanically joining or pressing the two together, the latex coating from one component contacts the latex coating of the other component so as to form a bond which is strengthened when the latex materials on the components are subsequently cured. In the preferred embodiment, latex material on the former is understood to intermingle with latex material carried on the pad, with the latex coating of one intimately and homo¬geneously mixing with the latex rubber coating of the other, coming together to form a single homogeneous mass. It is possible, however, to vary the latex rubber coatings between the former and the pad. However, in 1 the preferred embodiment, the two coatings are capable of fusing together and interblending with one another so that one uniformly disperses into the other. The fusing may rely upon a fluid or a semifluid nature of the coatings on the pad and the former so as to allow a flowing together to form an indivisible blending of the two coatings.
The latex coating on the cleaning pad 34 and latex rubber skin on former 10 are allowed to cure, thus effectively bonding the cleaning device to the latex rubber skin. Curing may be facilitated and/or accel¬erated using known techniques, such as drying, heating or contacting the latex rubber with a known solution

which treats the surface for toughening, for example. The former illustrated in FIG. 6 is preferably soaked in a vat containing a treating solution.
When the latex material is sufficiently cured to take on a useful toughness, the item carried on former 10 is then regarded as a completely formed manual cleaning device 30, referred to herein as a hand-covering article (such as a mitt or glove, for example) of latex rubber which is then presented to a final work station for removal from the former 10. The hand-covering article may alone comprise a commercially viable product by itself.
As illustrated in FIG. 9, prior art removal techniques involved everting the latex rubber article 50, i.e., turning it inside-out. In known prior art manufacturing techniques, a cleaning pad, such as the cleaning media 34, was applied to the exposed surface of the latex rubber article after the latex rubber article was removed from former 10 and everted (i.e., turned inside out). If required, the cleaning media would be applied to the exposed outer surface 52 of the everted handwear article, i.e., the surface originally in contact with the former 10. Any flocking or other lining would typically be applied to the surface 54 facing away from the former prior to removal of the article from the former. Internal stress and strain resulting from turning the article inside-out could be present in the article throughout its life.
As mentioned above, coating of the pad in preparation for bonding with the latex rubber skin carried on the former can be omitted in some instances. For example, the latex rubber skin on the former may be allowed to penetrate the surface portion of the pad directly so as to provide the basis for a secure mechanical bond when the latex rubber material is allowed to cure or harden. Consider, for example, the former having a raised border, described above. The

former may be dipped in a latex rubber or other suitable solution so as to form a puddle or pool of solution in the area surrounded by the raised border. The area thus surrounded will have an increased thickness or depth of solution which can penetrate into a pad applied to the bordered area.
As mentioned above, the manufacturing process of forming the latex rubber article involves dipping a former into a vat of latex rubber or other suitable solution. However, the present invention also contemplates pouring or spraying solution onto a former so as to supplement, or even replace, the aforedescribed dipping operation. Further, the production of manual cleaning devices and latex rubber articles incorporated therein are preferably formed in a continuous operation, with a series of formers carried on a suitable conveyor. However, the present invention also applies to the production of latex rubber articles and manual cleaning devices incorporating those articles formed in a batch process. For example, a single former can be dipped, poured upon or sprayed to produce a latex rubber article. Alternatively, a plurality of such formers can be carried on a common backing support for simultaneous dipping in a vat of latex rubber solution. Of course, the simultaneous manipulation of multiple formers would also be useful for a simultaneous spraying or pouring operation performed in addition to or in place of a dipping operation.
Referring now to FIG. 8, according to one aspect of the preferred embodiment, the cleaning device 30 is stripped from former 10 in its "natural state" without subjecting the molded article to unnatural forces caused by turning the device inside-out. Accordingly, internal stresses which would otherwise be introduced within the latex rubber article are eliminated, or at least substantially reduced. With the preferred method of construction of the present

invention, the inside surface of the finished latex rubber article remains as the surface which originally contacted the former 10. Accordingly, any flocking or lining to be formed on the inside surface of the latex rubber article during its manufacture may be applied to the outer surface cf former 10, preparatory to dipping in the composition 16. A cotton or jersey glove or mitt or a nylon liner or a mitt may be slipped onto the former prior to dipping to facilitate donning and to add a desired body to the manual cleaning device.
Several manufacturing advantages are attained with the present invention. For example, very little force is required to apply the media 34 to the incomplete latex rubber skin, and even with minimal placement forces applying the pad to the latex rubber skin, a complete, substantially void-free union between the pad and latex rubber skin may be repeatedly formed without using adhesives.
If desired, an oscillatory or jiggling motion can be applied to the pad in the method step indicated in FIG. 6 to further seat the pad against the latex rubber skin, enhancing the void reduction, and encouraging mixing of the latex material carried on the pad with that carried on the former. Such additional steps may offer advantages in extending the "hold" time for the latex rubber skin before the pad is applied, since movement of a pad contacting the latex rubber skin may break through any surface effects formed on the latex rubber skin. The raised border 2 4 in the latex rubber skin allows the former to undergo a range of motion even when the surface of the latex rubber is in a fluid or slippery state without separation of the pad from the skin. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the media 34 is cradled in a recess formed by the raised border 24, and accordingly, the former can be twisted and moved in various directions to reduce drip formation and other imperfections. As mentioned above, it may be desirable

in some instances to rotate and move the former 10 in extreme (even inverted) positions to reduce drip formation and to distribute the latex xubber material in a uniform fashion about former 10.
Turning now to FIGS. 10-15, a former 70 having a raised border 72 is prepared for a dipping in the vat 14, as illustrated in FIG. 11, so as to form a latex rubber skin when the former is removed, as illustrated in FIG. 12. A pad 76 has a major face thereof dipped in a vat 3 6 of latex rubber solution 16, as indicated in FIG. 13. The pad 76 is then applied to the latex rubber skin, while the skin is still "wet", that is, uncured. The skin at this point may or may not be tacky. The latex rubber skin has a raised border 80 which confoirms to the raised border 72 of the former. The pad 76 is placed within raised border 80, as illustrated in FIG. 15. The latex rubber is then cured in a conven¬tional fashion to produce a latex rubber article of usable toughness. As with the preceding embodiment, the pad 76 is integrally fused to the latex rubber article, with the combination comprising a completed cleaning device 84. As indicated by the arrow in FIG. 15, the cleaning device 84 is removed or stripped from former 70 without turning the latex rubber article inside-out.
If desired, cleaning pads may be affixed to the opposed surfaces of a latex rubber article, with raised borders on both sides providing sufficient retention of both pads, an important feature since the former cannot be adjusted to a position where dislodging gravitational forces, acting in shear on the applied pads, can otherwise be simultaneously eliminated for both sides of the latex article.
One of the problems that results from the above-described method is that, after the mitt has been removed from the former with the sponge already attached, halogenation of the mitt may result in deterioration of the sponge pad, particularly in the

case of synthetic sponge pads. It has been found that halogenation, i.e., dipping of the mitt in a halogen solution, such as a chlorine or bromine solution, improves certain surface characteristics of the finished mitt. In particular, halogenation of the finished mitts aids in preventing the opposite surfaces of the mitt from adhering to each other, and reduces the difficulty encountered by a user when inserting or removing one's hand.
Where an integral elastic cotton or nylon liner is provided on the interior of the mitt, the absence of halogenation generally is not problematic with respect to the interior surfaces of the mitt. However, the exterior surface of the mitt may still have undesirable qualities such as, e.g., the surface may be somewhat sticky, or tacky, or have a high coefficient of friction when in contact with certain materials. The quality of the exterior surface may be improved by siliconizing the exterior surface. This may be accomplished by placing the finished mitts, with pads attached, in a tumbler, with a cloth or rag that has been impregnated with silicone.
Where the mitt does not have an interior lining, halogenation may be accomplished by spraying a chlorine or bromine solution into the interior of the mitt after it is stripped from the former to halogenate the interior of the mitt without deleterious effects on the pad. Interior surface characteristics may also be improved by application of a silicone spray to the former prior to application of a coagulant to the former before dipping of the former. Where this method is employed, the coagulant and silicone material must be compatible, such that neither will prevent the other from accomplishing its function.
In another embodiment, in order to facilitate insertion and removal of the user's hand, the interior surface of the mitt may be provided with an irregular,

rather than smooth, surface. The irregular surface may be provided by formation of a pattern of fine grooves and ridges on the former. The pattern may, for example, be a herringbone pattern, a stippled pattern, or the like. It may be desirable to confine the pattern to the cuff portion of the mitt, i.e., the portion of the glove between the opening of the mitt and the hand portion, which covers the user's wrist. The pattern may be applied continuously to entirely cover the interior surface of the cuff portion.
When stripping the mitt, the mitt may be partially everted, with the upper edge of the mitt pulled down to strip the cuff portion of the mitt from the cuff portion of the former, and continued downward tensile loads may then be applied to the cuff portion, in some cases partially everting the hand portion and pad, until the entire mitt is removed from the former.
After stripping of the mitt or glove from the former, the former is preferably dipped in an acid bath to remove residue and clean the former, then dried, after which the process is repeated.
Turning now to FIGS. 16-21, two additional embodiments of the present invention are shown. In a first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17, a latex rubber article is formed using a former corresponding generally in size and shape to a user's hand. In the embodiments of FIGS. 16-21, the former has finger portions which are about the same thickness as a user's fingers. The fingers and thumb may have rounded cross sections, but, as can be seen in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 2 0 and 21, the preferred latex rubber article 90 of FIGS. 16 and 17 has finger and thumb portions 92, 94 of generally rectangular or square cross section, with angled outer corners 96, 98, respectively, so as to accommodate a user's finger or thumb, without substantial stretching. The upper and lower surfaces of the finger and thumb portions are flat. For example,

the opposed surfaces 102, 104 of finger portion 92 are generally flat, and are arranged parallel to one another. Similarly, the thumb portion 94 has opposed flat surfaces 108, 110.
Referring to FIG. 16, the flat surface portions 102, 108 of the fingers and thumb portion are generally coplanar with one another and extend through¬out a flattened coplanar portion 114. In the preferred embodiment, the opposed major surface of latex rubber article 9 0 has a mirror-image flat surface 12 0. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17, the flat surfaces 114, 120 are arranged generally parallel to one another, although this is not required in every instance where the latex rubber article has opposed flattened major surfaces.
One advantage to the latex rubber article shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 is that the article may be worn on either hand. Another advantage of the latex rubber article 90 is that the flattened surface(s) conform to articles (to be cleaned or otherwise treated) which have flat surfaces. Another advantage is that in some sculpting and molding operations using fiberglass resin or other plastic-like material, the flattened surface portions may yield superior results when a user cups his or her hand to form an elongated curved surface (with a wiping motion), without building up material between the finger portions of the latex rubber article.
As can be seen in FIGS. 20 and 21, the preferred finger portions are generally rectangular in cross section with angled corners, as opposed to the rounded cross sections of conventional gloves. The angled corners maximize the flat, planar surface of the finger portion, and can allow a user to reduce or eliminate the gaps between adjacent finger portions, thus forming a major surface of the glove which is flat and planar. In the preferred embodiment, each finger portion has four angled portions to accommodate two

flat, planar major surfaces on opposed sides of the glove, which offers further advantages for manufacture of ambidextrous articles (e.g., gloves or mitts).
A further advantage of the latex rubber article 90 is illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, where a pad 124 is bonded to the latex rubber article 90, using either conventional adhesive techniques, or the latex-to-latex integral fusing explained above.
Referring to FIG. 18, the pad 124 illustrated has a large, well controlled palm area which is readily positioned about the underlying latex rubber article 90. However, the finger portions may be more difficult to control when placing the pad on the underlying latex rubber article, especially when the underlying latex rubber article is still "wet" or uncured, having a slippery outer surface. Typically, the latex rubber skin at this point in manufacture is easily distorted if excessive force is applied during application of the pad media. Such distortions may result in the resulting manual cleaning device being rejected for either structural or cosmetic reasons.
Problems associated with pad placement are aggravated when the pad is difficult to control during a placement operation. For example, the small pads illustrated in FIG. 22 are generally elongated in the direction of length of the finger portions 142 and thumb portion 144, and if the pads 146 become rotated or otherwise dislodged from the desired positions illus¬trated in FIG. 22, the manual cleaning device 140 would suffer cosmetically and, in some instances, would have to be rejected by the manufacturer. The same consider¬ations apply to the thumb pad 148. With the flattened major surfaces 143, 145 the pads 146, 148 can readily be applied in their proper positions. As a result, the reject rates may be significantly reduced, and cosmetic appearance of the resulting manual cleaning device may be greatly improved.

Turning now to FIGS. 24 and 25, manual cleaning device 150 employs the same underlying latex rubber article 147 as described above in FIGS. 22 and 23. Further, the same thumb pad 148 is employed. A single pad 152 covering substantial portions of a user's palm and substantially the entire extent of the user's fingers is also employed in this embodiment. Substan¬tial flexing may be experienced in the area 154.
By employing a latex rubber article having opposed flattened surfaces 160, 162, the pad 152 can be readily applied to the latex rubber article in its desired position, and will maintain the desired position without subsequent readjustment. If desired, the latex rubber article 147 can be provided with raised borders surrounding the pads, to further aid in aligning the pads to the latex rubber article. For example, raised borders surrounding the elongated finger-portions of pad
152 can help to quickly locate the finger portions on
the latex article. As will be appreciated, substantial
time and labor savings will result when a simultaneous
placement of multiple finger portions is required, as
with the manual cleaning device 150.
Referring again to FIG. 22, the present invention also contemplates the placement of pads on the edge of a latex rubber article, as shown for example with the placement of an optional pad 153 on the latex rubber article 147. Such pads may be useful, for example, when a user is called upon to scrub, sand or polish a surface with a clenched fist. If desired, a manual cleaning device can be provided with a side pad
153 only attached to the latex rubber article.
Other advantages can be obtained with latex rubber articles having flattened major surfaces. For example, it can be seen from FIGS. 2 2-25 that the same underlying latex rubber article can be employed for a variety of different manual cleaning products, differing in the number and shape of the pads applied. Further,

the above advantages are obtained, whether an adhesive or a latex-to-latex fusing is relied upon to secure the pads to the latex rubber article.
It will be recognized that various features used in the construction of the above-described mitt may be used with the gloves described above and vice-versa. Further, it is possible to employ the principles of the present invention to form a device combining features of a mitt and a glove. For example, the device may have a separate thumb portion but only two finger portions, with multiple fingers being inserted in a particular finger portion. The term "waterproof hand covering" is used herein to encompass not only mitts and gloves, but also hybrid combinations of the two.
The drawings and the foregoing descriptions are not intended to represent the only forms of the invention in regard to the details of its construction and manner of operation. Changes in form and in the proportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents, are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient; and although specific terms have been employed, they are intended in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being delineated 1 by the following claims.

WE CLAIM;
1. A hand held cleaning device, comprising: a mitt of latex material for receiving a user's hand, the mitt having opposed front and back major surfaces adapted to cover a user's hand; a pad of cleaning media covering at least a part of the front surface of the mitt; and the pad of cleaning media joined to the mitt by latex-to-latex fusion.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mitt has a raised border carried on the front surface of the mitt and surrounding the pad of cleaning media.
3. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a second pad of cleaning media is joined to the mitt for covering at least a part of the back surface of the mitt.
4. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the mitt has a raised border carried on the back surface of the mitt and surrounding the second pad of cleaning media.
5. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mitt comprises: a glove of latex material for receiving a user's hand, having a thumb portion and a plurality of independently moveable finger portions, each for receiving at least some portion of the user's fingers; and the finger portions of the glove having generally rectangular cross sections and generally flat, substantially coplanar parts comprising portions of the front surface.
6. The device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the finger portions, in cross section, have angled comers adjacent the front surface so as to maximize the flat surface part of the finger portions.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6 wherein all of the finger portions have angled portions adjacent the front surface, so that the finger portions cooperate to form a substantially continuous flat coplanar surface.
8. The device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the device has a one-piece pad of cleaning media covering at least a part of the front surface of the mitt, which has substantial parts of the finger portions of the glove.
9. The device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the finger portions, in cross section, have angled comers adjacent the front surface so as to maximize the flat surface part of the finger portions.
10. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein all of the finger portions have angled portions adjacent the front surface, so that the finger portions cooperate to form a substantially continuous flat coplanar surface.
11. The device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pad is integrally fused to the glove.
12. The device as claimed in claim 11 wherein the front surface of the glove has at least one raised border portion surrounding at least a part of the pad.
13. A method of making a cleaning device, comprising the steps of: providing a former coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured to receive a user's hand, the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces and an interior surface in contact with the former; and stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior of and between the opposed front and back surfaces.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the method additionally comprises the step of covering the front surface of the waterproof hand covering with a pad of cleaning media and bonding the pad of cleaning media to the front surface of the waterproof hand covering.
15. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of bonding the pad of cleaning media to the front surface of the mitt comprises the steps of forming a pool of latex rubber on the former, pressing the pad in the pool of latex rubber layer so that the latex rubber penetrates the pad, and thereafter curing the latex rubber so as to integrally fuse the pad with the waterproof hand covering.
16. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the step of bonding the pad of cleaning media to the front surface of the mitt comprises the steps of coating at least a portion of the pad with a layer of latex rubber, contacting the latex rubber coating on the pad with the latex rubber layer on the former so as to merge the two together, and thereafter curing the latex rubber so as to integrally fuse the pad with the waterproof hand covering.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the method additionally comprises the step of forming a raised border in the layer of latex rubber preparatory to bonding with the pad of cleaning media, so as to orient the pad of cleaning 5 media with respect to the layer of latex rubber on the former.
18. A method of making a cleaning device, comprising the steps of: providing a former; coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured to receive a user's hand and wrist, the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces and an interior surface in contact with the

former; providing a pad of cleaning media; coating at least a portion of the pad with a layer of latex rubber; covering at least a portion of the surface of the waterproof hand covering with the pad of cleaning media; contacting the latex rubber coating on the pad with the latex rubber layer on the former so as to merge the two together, and thereafter curing the latex rubber so as to integrally fuse the pad with the waterproof hand covering; and stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior and between the opposed front and back surfaces.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the step of stripping the mitt from
the former comprises the step of stripping the mitt from the former while maintaining
the inside surface interior and between the exposed front and back surfaces of the
waterproof hand covering.
20. The method as claimed in claim 18 comprising the step of providing at least one
raised border on the front surface of the waterproof hand covering so as to position the
pad with respect to the layer of latex rubber.
21. A method of making a cleaning device comprising the steps of: providing a
former; coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand
covering configured for receiving a user's hand and wrist and having at least a thumb
portion for receiving the user's thumb and at least two fmger portions for receiving at
least some portion of the user's fingers, with the waterproof hand covering having
opposed front and back surfaces, with the finger portions having cross-sections with
angled comers adjacent the front surface.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the former has a thumb portion for receiving user's thumb and four finger portions for receiving the fingers of the user's hand.
23. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the angled comers of adjacent finger positions are movable to contact one another.
24. The method as claimed in claim 21 additionally comprising the step of covering the front surface of the glove with a pad of cleaning media so as to cover the finger portions and a portion overlying the user's palm, with a single integral pad of cleaning media.
25. A method of making a cleaning device comprising the steps of: providing a former; coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to form a waterproof hand covering configured for receiving a user's hand and wrist and having at least a thumb portion for receiving the user's thumb and at least two finger portions for receiving at least some portion of the user's fingers, with the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces, with the finger portions having cross-sections with angles comer adjacent the front surface; providing a pad of cleaning media; coating at least a portion of the pad with a layer of latex mbber; covering at least a portion of the surface of the waterproof hand covering with the pad of cleaning media; contacting the latex mbber coating on the pad with the latex mbber layer on the former so as to merge the two together, and thereafter curing the latex mbber so as to integrally fuse the pad with the waterproof hand covering; and - stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior and between the opposed front and back surfaces.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the step of stripping the mitt from the former comprises the step of stripping the mitt from the former while maintaining the inside surface interior and between the exposed front and back surfaces of the waterproof hand covering.
27. The method as claimed in claim 25 comprising the step of providing at least one raised border on the front surface of the waterproof hand covering so as to position the pad with respect to the layer of latex rubber.
28. A method of manufacturing a cleaning device comprising the steps of: coating a former in the shape of a hand covering with a liquid latex material; placing a pad of cleaning media on the liquid latex material on the former; and curing the liquid latex material so that the latex material bonds the pad to said latex material.
29. The method as claimed in claim 28 wherein the method additionally comprises the step of coating the pad with liquid latex material before placing it on the liquid latex material on the former.
30. The method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the method additionally comprises the step of causing the liquid latex material on the pad to become tacky before placing the pad on the liquid latex material on the former.
31. A waterproof cleaning device produced by the method as claimed in claims 13 to 30 comprising the steps of: providing a former; coating the former with a layer of latex rubber to forma waterproof hand covering configured to receive a user's hand,

the waterproof hand covering having opposed front and back surfaces and an interior surface in contact with the former; and stripping the waterproof hand covering from the former while maintaining the interior surface interior of and between the opposed front and back surfaces.
32. A hand held cleaning device, substantially as herein described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
33. A method of making a cleaning device, substantially as herein described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

906-mas-1996 claims.pdf

906-mas-1996 correspondence-others.pdf

906-mas-1996 correspondence-po.pdf

906-mas-1996 description (complete).pdf

906-mas-1996 drawings.pdf

906-mas-1996 form-2.pdf

906-mas-1996 form-26.pdf

906-mas-1996 form-4.pdf

906-mas-1996 form-6.pdf

906-mas-1996 petition.pdf

« Previous Patent

Next Patent »

Patent Number

194539

Indian Patent Application Number

906/MAS/1996

PG Journal Number

30/2009

Publication Date

24-Jul-2009

Grant Date

Date of Filing

28-May-1996

Name of Patentee

MEGLADON INDUSTRIES

Applicant Address

P O BOX 1034, ONE CAPITAL PLACE, SHEDDEN ROAD, GEORGE TOWN,

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	BARRETT H. MOORE	550 WASHINGTON STREET, GLENCOE, ILLINOIS 60022
2	HERMANUS JOHANNES BEENTJES	7 JALAN SCUDAI, TAMAN TENGKU MOLEK, 80200 JOHOR BAHRU, JOHOR

PCT International Classification Number

A47C17/00

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	08/457,976	1995-06-01	U.S.A.