EP0409802A2

EP0409802A2 - Disposable cleaning glove for the personal hygiene of patients in general

Info

Publication number: EP0409802A2
Application number: EP90830310A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luigi Emme Medical S.R.L. Meoni
Original assignee: EMME MEDICAL Srl
Current assignee: EMME MEDICAL Srl
Priority date: 1989-07-06
Filing date: 1990-07-06
Publication date: 1991-01-23
Also published as: IT8921376V0; IT216694Z2; EP0409802A3

Abstract

There is disclosed a disposable cleaning glove for the personal hygiene of patients in general, comprising a bag-like body (1) including a hand receiving zone provided, at an opening thereof, with a rubber band (2), the body including an inner waterproof layer (10) and an absorbing material outer layer (12).

Description

The present invention relates to a disposable glove member for the personal hygiene of patients in general.
As is known a very important problem related with patients in general is that of carrying out proper body cleaning operations thereon.
In fact, personal hygiene is very important since, in order to hold a healthy condition, a patient must be properly cleaned so as to prevent pathologic and infectious diseases from occurring.
Moreover, a proper personal hygiene is also important from a psychologic and social standpoint since a dignified physical aspect greatly contributes to holding a good "image" of a patient both in a hospital and at home.
At present these personal hygiene operations on patients are carried out with great difficulties since they require a lot of suitable cleaning articles such as cleaning fabrics, cotton or sponge gloves, soaps or cleaning materials, cleaning vessels, waterproof gloves and so on.
Moreover, these cleaning operations are usually very long, with the great drawback of excessively cooling and tiring the patient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks by providing a disposable glove for the personal hygiene of patients in general, which affords the possibility of greatly simplyfying all of the cleaning operations, while including all of the required cleaning elements.
Within the scope of the above aim a main object of the present invention is to provide such a disposable cleaning glove which is very efficient and comfortable for the patient while properly protecting the cleaning operator.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a disposable cleaning glove which is so designed and arranged as to prevent allergic phenomena from occurring, and is adapted to properly clean a patient in a very reduced time and which, moreover, is very advantageous from a mere economic standpoint.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a disposable cleaning glove for the personal hygiene of patients in general, characterized in that said disposable cleaning glove comprises a bag-like body, including a zone for encompassing at least an operator hand, and provided, at an opening thereof, with a rubber or resilient band, said body including an inner waterproof layer and an absorbing material outer layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed disclosure of a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment of a disposable cleaning glove for the personal hygiene of patients in general, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative but not limitative example, in the accompanying drawing, where:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a disposable cleaning glove according to the invention;
Figure 2 shows a disposable cleaning glove provided with a sponge member;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line III-III of, Figure 1;
and
Figure 4 is another cross-sectional view substantially taken along the section line IV-IV of Figure 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing, the disposable cleaning glove for the personal hygiene of patients in general, according to the invention, comprises a bag-like body, overally indicated at the reference number 1, which, preferably, though not necessarily, has a length of 25 cm and a width of 15 cm.
At the opening of the mentioned bag-like body there is provided a rubber band 2 for tightly clamping the glove on the forearm of an operator.
A main feature of the present invention is that the mentioned bag-like body comprises a waterproof inner layer, indicated overally at the reference number 10, preferably made of a polyethylene material, having a thickness of 20 microns, while, on its outer surface, the bag-like body is provided with a highly absorbing outer layer 12, preferably made of an absorbing paper material, having an absorbency ratio of 700/100.
On at least a portion of the bag-like body 1, moreover, there is arranged a sponge element 20, preferably made of a polyester material, which is imbued with a not allergic soap having an isocutaneous pH.
This feature will prevent any allergic phenomena from occurring while obviating the requirement of rinsing the cleaned patient.
According to a preferred though not exclusive embodiment, the cleaning operator can wear on a hand a glove including a cleaning sponge element and, on the other hand, a glove including exclusively an absorbing layer.
If desired, it will be also possible to use a side of the glove for applying the cleaning material and the other side thereof for drying the patient skin.
In this application, it will be sufficient to wet by few drops of water the sponge element so as to provide a suitable foam for application to the patient body.
Advantageously, though not necessarily, the isocutaneous-pH cleaning material comprises sodium suplhate, water, sodium chloride, coconut diethanolamine, methylbenzoate para-hydroxide, citric acid, dyeing material such as polar green and the like.
From the above disclosure it should be appa rent that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.
In particular, the fact is to be pointed out that the provision of a disposable cleaning glove affords the possibility of properly cleaning a patient while obviating the need of rinsing the cleaned patient since an isocutaneous-pH cleaning material is used.
While the invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the disclosed embodiment is susceptible to many modifications and variations all of which will come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1.- A disposable cleaning glove for the personal hygiene of patients in general, characterized in that said disposable cleaning glove comprises a bag-like body, including a zone for encompassing at least an operator hand, and provided, at an opening thereof, with a rubber or resilient band, said body including an inner waterproof layer and an absorbing outer layer.

2.- A disposable cleaning glove for the personal hygiene of patients in general, according to Claim 1, characterized in that on at least a portion of said absorbing outer layer there is arranged a sponge element imbued with an isocutaneous-pH cleaning material.

3.- A disposable cleaning glove, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said rubber band is adapted to be fitted to the forearm portion of an operator.

4.- A disposable cleaning glove, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said waterproof inner layer comprises a 20 micron thick polyethylene layer.

5.- A disposable cleaning glove, according to one or more of the preceding claims, character ized in that said absorbing outer layer has an absorbency ratio of 700/100.

6.- A disposable cleaning glove, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said isocutaneous-pH cleaning material comprises: sodium suplhate, water, sodium chloride, coconut diethanolamine, methylpara-hydroxidebenzoate, citric acid and dyeing materials.