In manufacturing or other industries, workers may be required to handle caustic materials or other materials that irritate the skin. Some industries, such as in the manufacture of semiconductors, require that the workers wear complete body suits to prevent contamination of the manufacturing process. These workers also wear gloves made from the appropriate polymeric materials to protect their skin and the manufactured item.
Currently, gloves used in the manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries are made from polymeric materials by several methods. One method is to dip a glove form or mandrel in a dispersion of the polymeric material to form a thin film which is later removed from the form or mandrel. Another method is to sew precut patterns of polymeric material to one another. Still another method is to heat seal sheets of polymeric material to one another.
Although the aforementioned methods of manufacturing gloves achieve their stated purpose, each has limitations which reduce the effectiveness of the glove. It will be appreciated that the dipping method is limited to particular materials that can withstand the process of melting, reforming on the mandrel and removal from the mandrel. It is well known that this process is conducive to forming pinholes which permit the migration of caustic materials to the interior of the glove and contaminants to the exterior of the glove. Likewise, sewing precut patterns of the polymeric material create pinholes which cause the aforementioned problems. It is also well known that heat sealing polymeric sheets of material may produce unacceptably weak joints which are likely to tear during use. One attempt at overcoming these deficiencies is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,791, entitled "Manufacture of Gloves and the Like." This patent describes a thermobonding process which allows the use of micro-porous thermoplastic materials to manufacture gloves. Although this process overcomes some of the aforementioned limitations, there are still particular drawbacks associated therewith. In particular, a glove manufactured by the above process provides an uncomfortable and non-conforming fit. As seen in FIG. 2, a finger received within a glove manufactured by such a process provides large gaps on either side of the finger where the two sheets of material are bonded. This "slop" or loose fit provides an uncomfortable feeling to the person using the glove and contributes to a loss of dexterity and touch sensitivity when using the glove. Additionally, a glove manufactured by such a process presents an inefficient use of material.
Based upon the foregoing, it is evident that there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for manufacturing a full-fashioned glove that matches the contour and shape of a human hand. Furthermore, there is a need for such an apparatus and method that easily manufactures such a full-fashioned glove and that is adaptable for use with any type of polymeric material.