Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a package dispenser for a plurality of elastic expandable garments, such as latex gloves. More particularly, the package relates to a glove shaped package dispenser, wherein a user dons one or more gloves sequentially from a vacuum packed hand-shaped container.

Background of the Invention

Various devices have been made for releasing a single glove from a vacuum chamber. Among these patents are U.S. Patent Nos. 3,695,493 of Karr, disclosing an apparatus for alternately donning and removing a single glove within a vacuum chamber, 4,069,913 of Harrigan for a package- for donning a single surgical glove, and 4,889,266 of Wight for an apparatus which removes a single glove from a disposable single use package.

Applicant's U.S. Patent No. 5,269,405 discloses a container for sequentially dispensing a single glove from a plurality of gloves placed inside each other, wherein a vacuum holds the plurality of gloves intact in an open position for insertion of a hand therein. However, applicant's U.S. Patent No. 5,269,405 does

nqt describe a glove-shaped package, with individual finger portions, so that the five fingers can remain expanded or enlarged to allow the hand of the user to be loosely inserted, thereby obviating the need for powder as a lubricant to aid in sliding the glove on.

Other related patents include U.S. Patent No. 685,574 of Conboie which shows a hand-shaped case, but for an unrelated use in mortuaries.

The patent to Breulis, 1,938,685 shows a somewhat bulb-shaped cavity for applying a surgical glove. The cuff of the glove is stretched over the opening of the cavity.

The patent to Violette, 2,741,410 shows a rack for removing gloves that may be wall mounted.

The patent to Smith, 2,886,8245 shows a rubber glove having a tapered wrist shape.

The patent to Schindler, 3,852,826 shows a surgical glove ' which is sterilized using radiation.

The patent to Stager, 4,186,445 shows a glove having a mylar outer coating and a polymer foam inner coating.

The Patents Nos. 4,310,928 to Joung and 4,851,266 of Momose show talc free surgical gloves.

The patent to Elenteny, 4,696,065 shows a single peel-away multi-layer glove. No powder is used between the layers. This glove has a slight taper at the wrist portion.

The patent to Richardson, 5,224,221 describes a single glove which is two layers, one inside the other, with the space between them evacuated.

However, none of the above patents disclose an apparatus for donning one of a plurality of gloves within a glove-shaped vacuum chamber.

Objects of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a glove package dispenser which has an inner shape which constricts the palm and forces the fingers of the glove to expand and conform to the proper position to allow easy donning.

It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide a package dispenser for dispensing one or more gloves sequentially from a glove-shaped vacuum container.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a glove dispenser that allows powderless gloves to be easily donned.

It is a further object to provide a glove-shaped package with a releasing means including a thin continuous ribbon.

It is a still further object to provide a glove-shaped package with a releasing means including a thin ribbon for each glove.

It is yet another object to provide a glove package with an annular releasing means.

It is yet another object to provide a glove package with a - releasing means including a tubular plastic cover which has a wasted area line cut spiraling around it so when the tab is removed it resembles a spiral shape.

It is yet another object to provide a container with a neck opening of the glove package which is tapered inward so that when the plastic is pulled off, the cuff of the glove easily rolls off the package and onto the hand.

It is a further object to provide a glove package dispenser in the shape of a large hand.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a glove dispenser for powder free gloves.

It is another object to provide a surgical glove package dispenser which provides a fast method of donning surgical gloves.

It is a further object to provide a surgical glove dispenser with a single wall container shaped like a large glove.

It is yet another object to provide a single or double walled glove package container with the inside shaped like a large glove and the outside having a box-like shape.

It is a further object to provide a glove package dispenser with a regular box-like shaped exterior and a flexible non-elastic large glove shape inside.

It is a further object to provide a glove package dispenser which is flattened for convenient storage and has a flexible non- elastic large glove shape inside.

It is yet another object to provide a glove package wherein the gloves in the package are stored in a relaxed shape, so that when the package is opened for use, the vacuum in the hollσ#7 tip causes a plurality of gloves to expand into the proper shape.

It is yet another object to provide a glove dispenser wherein

an inner glove component which has holes in it to release trapped air.

It is yet another object to provide a glove dispenser which includes a flexible non-elastic glove shape on the inside of the plurality of gloves which is sealed within package in order to provide a leak-proof, air free area for increased shelf-life or storage life of the gloves.

It is yet another object to provide a leak-proof layer in between each glove.

It is yet another object to provide a plurality of gloves wherein there is provided an outermost glove shape which consti¬ tutes a leak-proof layer, for the purpose of shaping all the gloves.

It is yet another object to provide a glove package with an opening which is flared out to prevent unwanted releasing of the gloves.

It is yet another object to provide a glove dispenser package with an opening which is tapered in to aid in the releasing of each glove.

It is yet another object to provide a glove package with a mechanical attachment for pulling a release tab, to allow for hands-free or automatic releasing of the glove(s).

It is also an object of the present invention to improve over the disadvantages of the prior art.

Summary of the Invention

In keeping with these objects and others which will become apparent, the present invention includes a garment-shaped container package dispenser for sequentially dispensing at least one elastic expandable garment, such as a glove of a plurality of gloves. In the preferred embodiment for gloves, such as latex surgical gloves- or the like, the gloves are maintained in an open, expanded state, wherein the user loosely inserts a hand into the innermost glove, breaks the air seal by pulling a tab or similar device, thus allowing air to leak in around the innermost glove, so that the glove snaps over the hand of the user in a tight fitting manner.

The remaining gloves stay in an expanded state, so that if the user desires to wear two or more gloves, the user then releases a tab to break the seal against the next, exposed, innermost glove, whereupon the next innermost glove snaps into place over the previous first innermost glove upon the hand of the user.

The inside of the package dispenser container of the preferred embodiment for dispensing gloves is glove-shaped, so that the gloves may be expanded _, in the proper state and condition. Otherwise, in a non-descript tubular or box-like package, the finger portions will not expand or they will become distorted when forced to expand and will not be held in a useful shape, thus - necessitating the use of powder to lubricate the finger portions.

In comparison, the glove-shaped package dispenser of the present invention permits proper expansion of all surfaces of the

glove, including the fingers, thus obviating the need for powder as a lubricant.

To release a garment, such as a glove, the releasing means may be a thin continuous ribbon made out of latex or plastic, wherein the user pulls a predetermined length of the tab to release the innermost glove from the vacuum. Alternatively, the releasing means may be a tubular plastic cover, with a wasted line cut in an- annular fashion, or spiraling around the cover, so that as it is removed the releasing means resembles a large spring or spiral shape. In this preferred embodiment, the neck of the hand-shaped glove package is tapered inward, so that when the plastic releasing means is pulled off, the cuff end of the innermost glove is separated from the package and onto the hand of the user.

With respect to the glove-shape of the glove package dispens¬ er, several variations are described herein. For example, the inside and/or the outside of the package may be in the shape of a large glove.

Moreover, a conventional tubular or box-like package dispenser container may be used, wherein the inner glove-shape is achieved by having an outermost glove shape layer, made of a non-elastic plastic hand-shaped material, such as Mylar®.

The glove-shaped package dispenser container also allows the user to quickly put on the gloves in exigent circumstances, such as in an ambulance or for police use.

The glove-shaped package dispenser container, or similar modifications, obviates the need for powder to slide the glove on

the hand of the user. The powder, which is presently used on latex gloves, causes problems, such as irritation of the eyes and skin. The powder may also cause allergic respiratory ailments. Moreover, hand perspiration causes the powder to become caked on, making it difficult to wash off. In addition, powder can contaminate surgical incisions, so a surgeon must carefully remove the powder with a sterile towel before surgery, which is a time consuming step.

In order to easily don gloves without powder, the glove-shape of the package dispenser constricts the palm portion of the glove and forces the fingers of the glove to expand and conform to the proper position to allow easy donning.

To release any trapped air, the inner glove shape mentioned in the above designs may have holes in it.

It is anticipated that the gloves are to be dispensed in disposable or refillable cartridges of a number of gloves, such as, for example, two dozen. The cartridges are held in a mounting means, such as upon a wall.

In order to hold the glove cartridge firmly in the holder the glove cartridge may have one or more female snaps on the top or one side of it which mate with male snaps on the inside of the glove cartridge holder. This allows for the recognition of different glove sizes and prevents the glove cartridges from being installed in a wrong location, thus, in turn, preventing the donning of the wrong sized glove upon the hand of the user.

In another embodiment for dispensing elastic expandable

garments from a package, the package dispenser container of the present invention may also be used for donning condoms from a condom-shaped package which folds flat for storage. In the case of the condom package, where the garments would not be used up as fast as gloves, there may be a special leak-proof layer in between each condom. This would also provide extra cleanliness for the inside of the innermost condom that would otherwise be exposed to the outside air.

For non-surgical, non-eiastic gloves, the gloves may be stacked and packaged without a vacuum if they are designed with a tapered shape so that the innermost glove(s) do not get crushed. These gloves have no air in between the layers . The wrist part of these gloves is the largest part, tapering down to the fingertips, wherein the gloves have an integral release tab which gets exposed only when the innermost glove inside of it has been removed.

In summary, the present invention relates to a package dispenser for a plurality of gloves. More particularly, the present invention relates to a glove-shaped package dispenser, wherein a user dons one or more gloves sequentially from a vacuum packed glove-shaped container. In a preferred embodiment, the shape of the package allows even powder free gloves to be donned quickly and easily, because the inner hand shape constricts the palm of the glove and forces the fingers to expand and conform to the proper position within the package interior.

Description of the Drawings

The invention can best be understood from the specifications and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the glove package dispenser of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a blown-up cross-sectional view of the glove package dispenser as in FIG. 1, taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a blown-up cross-sectional view of the glove package dispenser as in FIG. 1, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a glove package dispenser, wherein the inside surfaces of the package are a mirror image of a glove.

FIG. 5 is a blown-up cross-sectional view of the glove package dispenser as in FIG. 4, taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a third embodiment of a glove package dispenser.

FIG. 7 is a blown-up sectional view of the glove package dispenser as in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7A is a blown-up sectional view of an alternate embodi¬ ment of the glove dispenser package.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a glove package dispenser, shown in a closed position.

FIG. 9 is a blown-up cross-sectional view of the glove package dispenser as in FIG. 8, taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a blown-up cross-sectional side elevational view of

the glove package dispenser as in FIG. 8, shown in an open position.

FIG. 11 is a blown-up sectional view of one embodiment for a release tab portion of the glove package dispenser.

FIG. 12 is a blown-up perspective view of another embodiment for a release tab portion of the glove package dispenser.

FIG. 13 is a blown-up cross-sectional view of the release tab as in FIG. 12, taken along lines 13-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a condom dispenser embodiment of the present invention, shown in a closed position.

FIG. 15 is a blown-up cross-sectional view of the condom dispenser embodiment as in FIG. 14, taken along lines 15-15 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the condom dispenser embodiment as shown in FIG. 14, shown in an open position.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a condom dispenser, shown in a closed position.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a condom within the condom dispenser as in FIG. 17.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, there is provided a package dispenser 1 for a plurality of elastic expandable garments such as gloves 2, for donning upon a hand of a person, wherein package dispenser 1 comprises a glove shaped inner cavity 11 within a housing 13 shown in phantom wherein a user inserts a hand and dons at least one glove 2 of a plurality of gloves 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, ... 2z etc. sequentially from a vacuum packed accumulation of garments 2, which is subject to a vacuum pressure V, within the dispenser such as drawn by a pump 3 in the manufacturing process for loading package dispenser 1 with gloves 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, ...2z etc. The vacuum pressure V within the dispenser unit 1 is sufficient to open fully and expand uniformly each of the gloves in the glove-shaped cavity 11 within the dispenser 1.

In a preferred embodiment, the glove shape of package dispenser 1 eliminates the need for powder on gloves 2, such as, for example, latex surgical gloves. Vacuum V is drawn away from external outermost glove 2z and remaining gloves 2a, 2b, 2c etc., thus expanding gloves 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d...2z in an open position.

Glove package dispenser 1 operates to release innermost single glove 2a from the application of vacuum V within package dispenser 1, which package dispenser 1 functions as an apparatus for sequentially donning one or more glove upon a body part such as a hand 4 from a plurality of gloves 2a, 2b, etc.

Glove package dispenser 1 enables the user to sequentially don

gloVes 2a, 2b, ...2z etc. from the plurality of gloves 2 placed inside each other, wherein vacuum V holds the plurality of gloves 2 within the cavity 11 intact in an open position for insertion of the user's hand 4 therein.

Glove-shaped package 1, includes palm portion 10 and individual finger portions 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 to maintain equal expansion of all surfaces of glove 2, so that, for example, five finger portions 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a, 9a of glove 2a are held in the proper expanded open position, thereby obviating the need for powder to lubricate gloves 2a, 2b, 2c etc.

The cuffs of the gloves 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d...2z etc. are stretched over the collar portion 16 of the open end of the inner 11 cavity of the glove package dispenser 1 by virtue of which the open end of the gloves 2a, 2b, 2c ...2z etc. are maintained in an open, expanded state, permitting the user to insert a hand 4 into innermost glove 2a.

As shown in FIG. 11, after insetion of a hand 4, the user breaks a seal by pulling a first portion 17a of seal tab 17 or similar device, such as a thin continuous ribbon made out of latex or plastic. The user pulls first portion 17a of a predetermined length of tab 17 to relieve innermost glove 2a from vacuum V, so that glove 2a is released from the next, subsequent innermost glove 2b, and glove 2a then snaps over the hand 4 of the user in an air tight manner.

Remaining gloves 2b, 2c, 2d...2z etc. stay in an expanded state, so that if the user desires to wear two or more gloves 2 on

one hand, the user then releases a further portion 17b of seal tab 17 from the next, exposed, innermost glove 2b, whereupon the next innermost glove 2b snaps into place over the previous first innermost glove 2a upon the hand 4 of the user. Ultimately, the user dons the remaining outermost glove 2z by pulling the last remaining portion 17z of release pull tab 17, to release outermost glove 2z from its open expanded state under the influence of vacuum V.

In contrast to the release tab embodiment shown in FIG. 11, alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the releasing means may be a tubular plastic cover 18, with a wasted linear area cut spiraling around the cover so that as it is removed, releasing portion 18a of release cover 18 resembles a large spring or spiral shape.

Glove package dispensing container 1 of the present invention is glove-shaped, to maintain equal expansion of all of the surfaces' of gloves 2. Otherwise, in a non-descript tubular or box-like package, equal expansion is not maintained in the crevices and undulating finger portions 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 of glove 2, thus necessi¬ tating the use of powder to lubricate the finger portions and allow donning.

The glove-shaped dispenser package 1 of the present invention, as indicated, permits an equal expansion of all surfaces of glove 2, including palm portion 10 and finger portions 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, thus obviating the need for powder to lubricate the glove 2, to allow the user's hand to be readily inserted within the latex

* glove .

In one embodiment, collar neck 16 of the open end of the glove-shaped package dispenser 1 may be tapered inward, so that when the plastic releasing means 17 or 18 is pulled off, the cuff end of the innermost glove 2a is separated from the package 1 and onto the hand 4 of the user.

With respect to the glove-shape feature of the glove package dispenser, several variations are described herein. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the inside 21 of a package 20 may be solid surrounding the shape of a large glove shaped cavity 11 with adequate means therein for drawing a vacuum.

Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a conventional hollow container 30 may be used, such as a tubular container or a box-like container, wherein the glove-shape cavity 11 is achieved by having an outermost inelastic glove-like layer 31 positioned adjacent to and about outermost glove 2z' of gloves 2a ¹ , 2b' ... 2z', wherein inelastic layer 31 is made of an inelastic gas impermeable plastic hand-shaped material, such as non-elastic Mylar®.

Therefore, gloves 2a', 2b' _Λ ..2z' will expand equally inside of each other in an expanded state against inelastic glove-like layer 31, due to the effect of vacuum V initiated by pump 3 (not shown) when gloves 2a', 2b, 2c'... etc. 2z' are installed in an expanded state against inelastic gas impermeable layer 31 within container 30.

As shown in FIG. 7, if there is a significant time delay before innermost glove 2a ¹ is used, a special preferably gas

^• impermeable protective layer 32 is provided inside of innermost glove 2a' .

As shown in FIG. 7A an innermost protective layer 33 is provided inside innermost glove 2a'. Thereafter internal protec¬ tive layers 33 preferably gas impermeable are provided between each glove of gloves 2a', 2b' ... 2z' until outermost glove shield layer 31 such as Mylar®.

In order to easily don gloves without powder, the glove-shape of the package 1 constricts palm portion 10 of each glove 2 and forces fingers 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of glove 2 to expand and conform to the proper position to allow easy donning upon the hand 4 of the user.

To release any trapped air, the inner glove shape mentioned in the above designs may have holes in it.

The gloves 2 are dispensed in disposable or refillable glove- shaped cartridges 1 including therein a plurality of gloves 2, such as two dozen. In use package dispenser cartridges 1 are held in a mounting means, such as upon a wall.

In order to hold glove cartridge package dispenser 1 firmly in a holder the glove dispenser cartridge 1 may have one or more female snaps located on the top or one side of the package dispenser which mate with male snaps on the inside of the glove cartridge holder. This allows for the recognition of different glove sizes and prevents the glove dispenser cartridges from being installed incorrectly.

As shown in FIGS. 8-10, in an alternate embodiment of a

'package dispenser 40 for gloves 2a", 2b", 2c", 2d", etc., the gloves may be stacked and packaged within the dispenser package without a vacuum if they are designed with a tapered shape so that innermost gloves 2a", 2b", etc. do not get crushed. These gloves 2a", 2b", etc. have no air in between the layers. The wrist part 41 of ^' these gloves 2a", 2b", etc. is the largest part, tapering down to the fingertips 42, wherein the gloves 2a", 2b", etc. have an integral release tab which is exposed only when the innermost glove inside of it has been removed.

Therefore, glove shaped package dispenser 1 allows a user to don one or more gloves sequentially from a vacuum packed hand- shaped container. In a preferred embodiment, the shape of the container will obviate the need for powder on latex gloves.

As shown in FIGS. 14-16, in another embodiment of the package dispenser for elastic, expandable garments, the container of the present invention may also be used for donning elastic, expandable condoms from a condom-shaped package 50, which folds flat for storage. In the case of condom package 50, where condoms 52a, 52b ... 52z etc. would not be used up as fast as gloves, there may be provided a special protective leak-proof layer 53a, 53b ... 53z inside of innermost condom 53a, and subsequent protective layers 53b ... 53z in between each of the condoms 52b ... 52z etc. This feature provides extra cleanliness for the inside of each condom 52a, 52b ... 52z etc.

For added convenience, as shown in FIGS. 17-18, condom package 50 may be short. In this case it would be used to dispense a

" rolled or folded condom 52a which would be unrolled or unfolded needed.

In other respects, this further embodiment of the presen invention for condoms differs only in that condom shaped packag dispenser 50 is used, with or without a partially elongate receptacle tip end 55, depending upon the shape of each of condom 52a, 52b ... 52z etc. Therefore, when condom package dispenser 5 is opened as shown in FIG. 16, condom package dispenser 5 maintains equal expansion of all surfaces of each of condoms 52a 52b ... 52z etc, including partially elongated receptacle tips 56a 56b ... 56z etc, so that innermost condom 52a can be held in th proper position for placement. The proximal open end portions 5 of the plurality of condoms 52a, 52b ... 52z are stretched over collar portion 57 of condom package dispenser 50, and condoms 52a 52b ... 52z etc. are maintained in an expanded state, wherein th user first removes innermost protective leak-proof layer 53a thereby exposing innermost condom 52a, and inserts the penis int innermost condom 52a, and a release tab is pulled, so that condo 52a deflates over the skin in a tight fitting manner, leaving nex a leak-proof layer 53b .inside next innermost condom 52b.

Moreover, the inside shape of condom dispensing package 50 ma be condom shaped, or the plurality of condoms may be inserted in a outermost condom shaped layer made of a non-elastic material, suc as Mylar®, similar to the glove embodiment described in FIGS.6 an 7.

It is further noted that other modifications may be made t

'the present invention, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as noted in the appended claims: