Method and apparatus for manufacturing a full-fashioned glove

摘要

An apparatus and related method for manufacturing a full-fashioned glove from similar or dissimilar polymeric material includes a controller that actuates various components in the apparatus, a thumb mold that forms a thumb portion from two layers of a first material and a hand mold which forms a plurality of fingers and a cuff from the first material and a second material. Both the thumb mold and hand mold have appropriate cavities with apertures therethrough wherein a vacuum source, actuated by the controller, draws the appropriate material toward the surface of the mold prior to closure thereof. Upon closure of the molds, a fusing element is energized by the controller and the materials are fused to one another to form the appropriate portion of the full-fashioned glove. After the glove is removed from the remaining materials, it can be employed in various types of manufacturing industries. By employing a vacuum within the molds a full fashioned glove is manufactured which presents improved sensitivity in the finger areas and which enhances the productivity of persons using the full-fashioned glove. In another embodiment, both the thumb mold and hand mold employ a male-female configuration wherein a male form pushes the appropriate materials into a female cavity so that a fully contoured shape is attained for the full-fashioned glove. The molds may include a cooling tube and the thermal form elements, which are both connected to the controller, to further assist the seam fusing process.