US 9,315,353 B2 · Stacking of gloves

Abstract

A glove stacking apparatus for preparing a stack of gloves prior to packing into a box, and a method of stacking gloves, particularly ambidextrous disposable hygienic gloves, preferably with the thumbs of each glove in a desired orientation with respect to each other are disclosed. A glove stacking apparatus for forming a stack of gloves comprises a packing recess for receiving the gloves to be stacked, and adjacent the recess at least one movable flap for folding towards the recess a portion of a glove overlapping said edge of the recess. The movable flap has a surface that is permeable to gaseous flow through the surface, and the glove stacking apparatus including a source of vacuum pressure and means to apply the vacuum air pressure through the permeable surface of the movable flap in order to pull the overlapping portion of the glove to the flap prior to folding of the overlapping portion. The source of vacuum pressure is separate from the flap so that as the flap folds towards the recess, the application of the vacuum air pressure through the permeable surface is automatically released.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A glove stacking apparatus for forming a stack of gloves, comprising:

a packing recess for receiving said gloves to be stacked;
at least one movable flap disposed adjacent said recess and configured for folding towards the recess a portion of a glove overlapping an edge of the recess, the movable flap having a surface that is permeable to gaseous flow through said surface;
and
the glove stacking apparatus further including a source of steady vacuum pressure and means to apply said steady vacuum pressure through said permeable surface of the movable flap in order to pull said overlapping portion of said glove to the movable flap prior to folding of said overlapping portion, wherein the source of steady vacuum pressure is separate from the movable flap such that as the movable flap folds towards the recess, the application of said vacuum pressure through said permeable surface of said movable flap is automatically released based upon an amount of separation between the movable flap and the means to apply said steady vacuum pressure through said permeable surface of the movable flap.

1 more element

A method of stacking gloves using a glove stacking apparatus, said apparatus comprising a glove placement means, a source of vacuum pressure, a packing recess for receiving said gloves to be stacked, and adjacent said recess at least one movable flap, the movable flap having a surface that is permeable to gaseous flow through said surface, the method comprising the steps of:

using the glove placement means to deposit a glove at said recess such that a portion of the glove is contained by said recess and another portion of said glove overlaps an edge of said recess and lies on said at least one movable flap;
applying the source of vacuum pressure through said permeable surface of said flap to pull said portion of the deposited glove overlapping the edge of the recess onto said flap;
moving said at least one movable flap to fold towards the recess said portion of said glove overlapping said edge of the recess so that said glove is contained by said recess;
repeating the preceding steps to form a stack of gloves within the bounds of said recess
wherein the process of moving said flap to fold said portion of said glove causes said permeable surface to move away from the source of vacuum pressure so that said portion of the deposited glove overlapping the edge of the recess is no longer pulled onto said flap.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Stacking of gloves

Life of this patent

Stacking of gloves

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13