US20040231029A1

US20040231029A1 - Disposable manual waste collection containment

Info

Publication number: US20040231029A1
Application number: US10/636,592
Authority: US
Inventors: Dany Kouri
Original assignee: Kaboum com Inc
Current assignee: Kaboum com Inc
Priority date: 2003-04-03
Filing date: 2003-08-08
Publication date: 2004-11-25
Also published as: CA2424414A1

Abstract

A disposable manual waste collection containment is in the form of a glove made of an un-tearable and air and moisture tight material. The glove is provided with a sealing assembly in the form of a re-sealable zipper secured to the sleeve portion of the glove near its opening. The zipper is secured to the outside surface of the glove and allows for selectively sealing the opening when the glove is turned inside out. The palm side of the hand portion of the glove is optionally provided with padding means allowing isolating the hand of the user from adverse feeling while manipulating waste material.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to material collection. More specifically, the present invention is concerned, with disposable manual waste collection containment suitable for picking up, for example, animal excrements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Collection of pet waste has always been an unpleasant task. A pet owner will typically use an old plastic bag wore as a rude glove to pick up the pet solid excrements before turning the bag inside out while still handling the excrements, until its in the bag and the hand outside. Then the pet owner typically closes the bag with a knot to prevent spillage and decrease the foul odors.

A first drawback of such conventional method is that the bag used for the operation is often oversized for the task, which restricts movement of the fingers, thumb and hand in collecting the material. Moreover, since conventional plastic bags do not include any closing means, there is no easy and reliable way to seal the bag after collection.

Dedicated devices are of course known to help the pet owner in retrieving the waste material. One of such device is described U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,708 issued to Jacovitz on Aug. 8, 1995 and untitled “Manual Waste Collection Containment, and Disposal Device”. Jacovitz discloses a glove and an oversized collection pad attached by fasteners for collecting and disposing of waste materials. A major drawback of Jacovitz device is that it is complicated and therefore expensive to manufacture. Another drawback of Jacovitz device is that the pad restricts the movement of the hand.

Dooley teaches another glove device dedicated for hand collecting waste material in U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,111 issued on Jan. 28, 2003 and untitled “Pet Waste Collection and Disposal Glove”. Dooley solves the above-mentioned problem of hand movement. Dooley device includes a pair of ties provided at the end of the glove to allow closing of the glove after collection of the waste material. However, the proposed closing means does not allow sealing of the glove after use. This can be seen as a drawback when the glove is used to retrieve waste material that is wet or semi-liquid and that can leak trough the closed opening.

Improved waste collection containment is thus desirable.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved disposable manual waste collection containment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sealable disposable manual waste collection containment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

More specifically, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disposable manual collection containment comprising:

a glove member for enclosing a hand; the glove member having opposite outside and inside surfaces both extending from a free proximate end defining an opening to a closed distal end; and

a sealing assembly secured to the glove member near the proximate end to allow the opening to be sealed when the glove member is turned inside out.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disposable glove for collecting material comprising:

a hand portion for enclosing the hand of a user; the hand portion extending from an open end to at least one finger receiving compartment; the at least one finger receiving compartment generally defining a closed end of the hand portion;

the improvement consisting of a sealing assembly secured to the hand portion near the open end thereof for selectively sealing the open end when the glove member is turned inside out.

The sealing assembly may be in the form of a re-sealable zipper, an adhesive strip, or the like.

The glove may be optionally provided with padding means allowing isolating the hand of the user from adverse feeling while manipulating waste material.

The sealing assembly according to the present invention allows to prevent leakage of odors and/or of waste material collected in the containment.

A containment according to the present invention is particularly suitable for collecting material that can stain and/or that also needs a containment for storage and carrying.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following non restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the appended drawings: [0020]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disposable manual waste collection containment glove according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention; [0021]
FIGS. 2A-2C are perspective view of the containment glove of FIG. 1, illustrating the operation thereof; [0022]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a disposable manual waste collection containment glove according to a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention; [0023]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a disposable manual waste collection containment glove according to a third illustrative embodiment of the present invention; [0024]
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the disposable manual waste collection containment from FIG. 4; [0025]
FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along line [0026] 6-6 of FIG. 5; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a disposable manual waste collection containment glove according to a fourth illustrative embodiment of the present invention.[0027]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to FIG. 1 of the appended drawings, a disposable manual [0028] waste collection containment 10 according to a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.
The [0029] containment 10 is in the form of a glove member made of a lightweight inexpensive material and configured and sized so as to allow enclosing of a hand. The material is chosen so as to be un-tearable and air and moisture tight. Suitable materials include, for example, polymerized materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride.
The glove member may be made sufficiently oversized so as to allow a hand wearing a first layer of conventional glove to be accommodated therein. The first layer of glove may be made, for example, of cotton or from another material so as to allow isolating the [0030] hand 31 of a user from the fierce sensation of the hand closing onto excrement or onto other waste materials.
Even though it may be advantageous in some applications to use a translucent material for the [0031] glove member 10, so as to allow inspection of waste materials carried by the glove member 10 as will be explained hereinbelow, an opaque material can also be used.
The [0032] glove member 10 includes integral hand and sleeve portions 12-14. The proximate end of the glove member 10 consists in the free end 16 of the sleeve portion 14, which defines an opening 18 of the glove member 10. The hand portion 12 includes finger-receiving compartments 22, defining a closed end of the glove member 10. Of course the length of the sleeve portion may vary.
Even though the [0033] glove member 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises five (5) finger-receiving compartments 22, one for each finger of the hand, it can include any number of finger receiving compartments; a glove member including for example a single finger-receiving compartment defining a mitt.
The [0034] glove member 10 has opposite outside and inside surfaces 24-26.
The [0035] glove member 10 further comprises a re-sealable zipper 28 secured to sleeve portion 14 near the proximate end 16 of the glove member 10 and defining a sealing assembly.
More specifically, the [0036] re-sealable zipper 28 includes opposite cooperating female and male strip members 30-32 secured to the outside surface 24 of the glove member 10, and allowing for selectively sealing the opening 18 when the glove member 10 is turned inside out as will be explained furthering. An example of zipper 28 is commercialized under the “ziplock” trademark.
Alternatively, the re-sealable zipper may be of the type that cannot be opened after sealing. [0037]
Turning now to FIGS. 1, and [0038] 2A to 2D, the operation of the disposable manual waste collection containment 10 will now be described. As can be seen in FIG. 1, a user first inserts a hand 31 into the glove 10 so that the sealing assembly 28 is located outside the sleeve portion 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1.
As can be seen in FIG. 2A, the user can then pick up [0039] excrements 33 or any waste material by closing the hand, protected by the glove member 10, onto the excrement 33.
The user, still closing a [0040] hand 31 onto the waste material 33 then uses the other hand 34 to remove the glove 10 while reversing it upside down as illustrated in FIG. 2B.
Once the [0041] glove 10 is removed (FIG. 2C), the waste material is enclosed in the glove member 10 then acting as a bag. The user then uses the sealing assembly 28, which is at this step located on the inside surface 18 of the glove 10, to seal the opening and prevent leakage of odors and/or of waste material.
The male and female members [0042] 30-32 of the zipper 28 may be of different colors, allowing to better verify the seal after closing the zipper 28 as it is commonly known in the art.
A disposable manual [0043] waste collection containment 100 according to a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 3. Since the containment 100 is very similar to the containment 10 described hereinabove, and for concision purposes, only the difference between these two embodiments will be described.
According to the second illustrative embodiment, the sealing assembly of the [0044] containment 100 is in the form of a reusable or non-reusable adhesive strip assembly 102, including a strip of adhesive 104 secured to the outside surface 24 of the glove member 100 and a peelable strip 106 removably adhered to the adhesive strip 104. The strip assembly 102 allows for selectively sealing the opening 18 when the glove member 100 is turned inside out. Indeed, the user simply has to remove a peelable strip 105 to expose the adhesive strip once the waste material is picked-up and the glove member 100 is turned inside out. Since such adhesive strip assemblies are believed to be well known in the art, they will not be described herein in more detail.
Even though the [0045] adhesive strip assembly 102 is illustrated in FIG. 3 as a peripheral strip located near the opening 18, it can have other configuration and position without departing from the spirit and nature of the present invention. For example, the adhesive strip may be provided on only half the periphery of the inside surface 26 and an additional foldable tab (not shown) of material may be provided on the opposite side of the inside surface 26 so as to allow sealing of the opening 18 by folding the tab onto the adhesive strip after the glove member 100 is turned inside out, similarly to securing the flap of an envelope.
A disposable manual [0046] waste collection containment 200 according to a third illustrative embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. Since the containment 200 is very similar to the containment 10 described hereinabove, and for concision purposes, only the difference between these two embodiments will be described.
The [0047] containment 200 is still in the general shape of a glove but is further provided with padding means 202 on the palm side of the hand portion 12. As can be better seen in FIG. 6, the padding means 20 is in the form of a padding layer of a polymeric material that includes air bubbles 204. An example of such material is commercialized under the Bubble Wrap™ trademarks. The padding layer is advantageously secured onto the outside surface 24 of the glove member 200, but can also be secured onto the inner surface 26. Alternatively, the air bubbles 24 can be incorporated directly in the glove material.
The padding means [0048] 202 allows isolating the hand 31 of a user from the fierce sensation of the hand 31 closing onto excrement or onto other waste materials. The padding means 202 also allow to isolate the hand 31 of the user from feeling the difference of temperature caused by the waste material and that contributes to the adverse sensation.
Optionally, padding means may be provided on other portions of the [0049] glove 200.
The padding means [0050] 202 may also take the form of an additional layer of material of sufficient thickness to allow isolating the hand 31 of a user from adverse sensation.
Also, even though this third embodiment is illustrated as a right hand glove, the padding means may be positioned on the other side of the [0051] opening 18 so as to be suitable for a left hand.
Alternatively, padding means may be provided on both sides of the [0052] opening 18 so that the glove 200 is adapted for both right and left-handed users.
A disposable manual waste [0053] collection containment glove 300 according to a fourth illustrative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 7. Since the glove 300 is very similar to the glove 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, and for concision purposes, only the difference between the glove 300 and the glove 10 will be described herein.
The [0054] glove 300 further includes means 302 for securing the containment to the wrist of the user, his clothes, to an animal leash or the like (not shown).
The securing means is in the form of a loop made-of glove material attached to the [0055] containment 300 or integral thereto. The securing means 302 may also be used as a handle helping removing the glove 300.
To ease the removal and the handling of the [0056] glove 300 using the loop 302, the loop 302 is secured to the inside surface 26 of the glove 300.
Even though the [0057] loop 302 is illustrated in FIG. 7 positioned between the sealing means 28 and the hand portion 12, it can be secured to other portions of the glove 300 on the inside surface 26 thereof. When the loop 302 is only intended to be used as a means to ease the removal of the glove 300, it can be secured to glove 300 so as to extend from the outside surface thereof.
Even though a glove according to the present invention has been described as a disposable manual waste collection containment, it can also be used in other applications where a person has to collect material that can stain and/or that also needs a containment for the material for storage and carrying. An example of such an application is in food markets where a glove according to the present invention can be used for handling and choosing in bulk food such as fruits. [0058]
Disposable manual waste collection containments according to the present invention may be manufacture in different size to accommodate users having different size of hands. [0059]
Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of preferred embodiments thereof, it can be modified without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject invention, as defined in the appended claims. [0060]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable manual collection containment comprising:

a glove member for enclosing a hand; said glove member having opposite outside and inside surfaces both extending from a free proximate end defining an opening to a closed distal end; and

a sealing assembly secured to said glove member near said proximate end to allow said opening to be sealed when said glove member is turned inside out.

2. A containment as recited in claim 1, wherein said sealing assembly is in the form of a re-sealable zipper secured to said outside surface of said glove member.

3. A containment as recited in claim 1, wherein said sealing assembly includes opposite cooperating female and male strip members.

4. A containment as recited in claim 3, wherein said male and female members are from different colors.

5. A containment as recited in claim 1, wherein said sealing assembly is in the form of an adhesive strip assembly.

6. A containment as recited in claim 5, wherein said adhesive strip assembly includes a strip of adhesive secured to said outside surface, and a peelable strip removably adhered to said adhesive strip.

7. A containment as recited in claim 1, wherein said glove member is made from a moisture tight material.

8. A containment as recited in claim 7, wherein said moisture tight material is also air tight.

9. A containment as recited in claim 1, wherein said glove member is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride.

10. A containment as recited in claim 1, further comprising padding means secured to said glove member.

11. A containment as recited in claim 10, wherein said padding means is in the form of a layer of polymeric material.

12. A containment as recited in claim 10, wherein said padding means includes air bubbles.

13. A containment as recited in claim 1, further comprising a loop secured to the glove for handling the glove.

14. A disposable glove for collecting material comprising:

a hand portion for enclosing the hand of a user; said hand portion extending from an open end to at least one finger receiving compartment; said at least one finger receiving compartment generally defining a closed end of said hand portion;

the improvement consisting of a sealing assembly secured to said hand portion near said open end thereof for selectively sealing said open end when said glove member is turned inside out.

15. A glove as recited in claim 14, wherein said sealing assembly is in the form of a re-sealable zipper secured onto an outside surface of said hand portion.

16. A glove as recited in claim 14, wherein said sealing assembly includes opposite cooperating female and male strip members.

17. A glove as recited in claim 16, wherein said male and female strip members are from different colors.

18. A glove as recited in claim 14, wherein said sealing assembly is in the form of an adhesive strip assembly.

19. A glove as recited in claim 18, wherein said adhesive strip assembly includes a strip of adhesive secured to said outside surface, and a peelable strip removably adhered to said adhesive strip.

20. A glove as recited in claim 18, wherein said adhesive strip assembly is provided on the inside periphery of said hand portion.

21. A glove as recited in claim 14, wherein said glove is made from a moisture tight material.

22. A glove as recited in claim 22, wherein said moisture tight material is also air tight.

23. A glove as recited in claim 14, wherein said glove member is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride.

24. A glove as recited in claim 14, including five finger-receiving compartments.

25. A glove as recited in claim 14, further comprising padding means secured to said hand portion.

26. A glove as recited in claim 25, wherein said padding means is in the form of a layer of polymeric material.

27. A glove as recited in claim 25, wherein said padding means includes air bubbles.

28. A glove as recited in claim 14, further comprising a loop secured to the glove for handling the glove.

29. The use of a glove as recited in claim 14 for collecting waste material.

30. The use of a glove as recited in claim 14 for collecting food material.