A restraining mechanism restraining a pressurized garment so as to limit its ballooning effect is described. A helically wound spring is bonded at its outer periphery to an elongated flat plate which permits the flat plate to bend in a single direction. The flat plate is attached to an inflatable glove to the palm side for restraining the glove from ballooning when inflated

Hardy, J. C.

English

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fAT\:-V/
M.'ih-via! Aeronaulics and
Sparo Ai.lminislrnlion
VV;::.him.Hon. D C.
.?(;.':)••! fi
) AI.IM..I GP
TO: NHB/Scientific & Technical Information Office
FROM: GP-4/Office of Assistant General
Counsel for Patent Matters
SUBJECT: Announcement of NASA-Owned U.S. Patents in STAR
In accordance wil.h l:he procedures aqrr-i>d upon by Code GP-4
and Code NI-IB, the enclosed NASA-owned U.S. Patent is being
forwarded for abstracting and announcement in NASA STAR.
The following information is provided:
U.S. Patent No. : 3,490,074
Government or
Corporate Employee
Supplementary Corporate
Source (if applicable)
NASA Patent Case No'.
United Aircraft Corporation
East Hartford, CT 06108
MSC-13054
NOTl.-', - Is this an invention made by a corporat.e employee''
of a NASA contractor? YES |
 y | " WO j" |'
If "YES" is checked, the following is applicable: Pursuant
to Section 305(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act,
the name of the 7\drninistrator of NASA appears on the first
page of the patent; however, the name of the actual inventor
(author) appears at the heading of column Ho. 1 of the
Specification, following the words "....with respect to an
invert tion of ..."
Elizabeth .A. Carter
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19780009734 2020-03-20T12:50:06+00:00Z
I
Jan. 2Q, 1970 J. C. HARDY
RESTRAINING MECHANISM
Filed Oct. 6. 1966
3,490,074
(HASA-Case-HSC-130514)
Patent ( N A S A ) 3 p
B E S T R A I N I N G . H E C a A H I S R
CSCL 05fl
00/54
N78-17677
Onclas
05414
t •
es Patent Office 3,490,074Patented Jan. 20, 1970
; MKCHANISM
John G. Hardy,' Wealot-ue, Own., a&sisnor le United
' Aircraft Corporation, Kail Hartford, Conn, a corpo-
ration of Dejawar* 5
Filed Oct. 6, 1966, Set. No. 585,217
Int. Cl. A41d 79/00
US. CL 2—161 9 Claims
10ABSTRACT OF THE TMiiGIiOSL'RE
A helically wound spring bonded at its outer periphery
to an elongated flat plate permitting the elongated flat
plate to bend in a single directioa«?nd is attached to
an inflatable glove on the palm side for restraining the 13
glove from ballooning when inflated.
20
Origin of the invention
The invention described herein was made in the per-
formance of work under a NASA Contract and is sub-
ject to the provisions of Section 305 of the Nations!
Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, Public Law 85-568
(72 Slat. 435; 42 U.S.C. 2457).
 u
This invention relates to restraining mechanism and
.particularly to means for restraining a pressurized gar-
ment so as to limit its ballooning effect
The consequence of pressurizing a garment is that the
internal pressure causes the garment to extend in an .go
axial direction and balloon in a normal direction to the
body. In order to design a suitable pressurized suit, there-
fore, it is necessary to provide restraining members to
limit or prevent the garment from extending and balloon-
ing as much as possible while doing so in such a manner 35
as to absorb the load so as not to interfere with the mo-
bility and comfort of the wearer while taking into con-
sideration manufacturing and economic aspects. While
this invention will describe a restraining member for
limiting the ballooning effect for a pressurized glove, it 40
is not however limited thereto but as will be obvious to
those skilled in the art the restraining mechanism to be
described herein could have utility for other applications.
It is common practice in the heretofore known gloves
to restrain ballooning around the palm by incorporating 45
rigid stiff wires across the palm of the hand. This is
inadequate for the reason that when unpressurized the
glove is rigid in the palm and therefore has limited palm
flection, finger apposition, and reduced palm tactile sen-
sitivity. When the glove is pressurised, not only are these 50
disadvantages present but also the glove surface becomes
very hard and is extended away from the palm making it
difficult for the wearer to close the palm.
It is therefore an object of this invention to obviate
the problems enumerated above by providing a small, 65
lightweight, unidirectional; restraint member which is
placed in a preformed bladder glove beneath the axial
restraint layer of the glove and along the natural fold of
the hand. Instead of being a rigid restraint, this member
is rigid only in the outward direction of the pressure loads 00
and completely flexible in the direction of palm closure.
From test results conducted to dwle this invention has
afforded the following advantages over the heretofore
known ptior glove restraint members:
(1) It' is ligh;, bulkless and comfortable both in the °3
pressurized and unpressurized conditions,
(2) The restraint is so pivoted within the glove palm
adjacent ihe wrist that it can be positioned to the natural
fold of IK-) palm skin.
(3) It affords continuous inward bending Across (he
palm without localized body contact points.
...
(4) Ballooning is minimized during pressurization
since outward bending is limited.
(5) The restraint is circumferentially adjustable across
the palm and around the wrist for comfort and conform-
ity while being independent of the axial glove restraint
layer.
(6) It affords natural palm flection and little finger
apposition both pressurized and unpressurized by having
breaking lines in the glove coincident to the natural
skin folds of the palm and thumb.
Other features and advantages will be apparent from
the specification and claims and from the accompanying
drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the inven-
tion.
FIGURE 1 is an elevation view showing the palm of
of the left hand.
FIGURE 2 shows the backside of the left hand in
elevation. - • •
FIGURE 3 is a view in elevation showing the restraint
mechanism.
FIGURE 4 is a side view taken along line 4—4 of
FIG. 3, and
FIGURE 5 is a side view taken along line 5—5 of
FIG. 3, and
FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line
6—6 of FIG. 1.
As can be seen by referring to FIG. 1, the glove com-
prises a bladder generally illustrated by numeral 10
completely encapsulating the wearer's, hand and an axial
restraint glove portion 12 extending from the wrist, and
terminating adjacent to the roots of the fingers and thumb
and the restraint mechanism generally illustrated by nu-
meral 14. Restraint mechanism 14 is disposed between the.
bladder 10 and the restraint portion. 12. The outer re-
straint layer 12 serves to take up the plug load which
tends to extend the bladder in an axial direction. The
restraint mechanism 14 serves to take up the balloon-
ing load which tends to cause the glove to separate from
the hand when pressurized. As noted, the members 16 and
18 of the restraining mechanism are disposed in the hand
in such a manner so as to coincide with the natural
folds of the skin of the wearer's palm.
From the sectional view shown in FIG. 6, it there-
fore can be seen that the glove is made up of bladder
10, restraining mechanism 14 consisting to spring 22
and flat band-like member 20, and the outer restraint
layer 12. Ths bladder may be made from a suitable im-
pervious material such as nylon fabric coated with a
neoprene rubber. The spring 22 and band 20 may be
made from highly flexible and resilient stainless steel. The
outer restaint portion 12 may be made from a non-
stretchable type of material such.as nylon fabric, having
either the fill or warp yarns oriented to take up the
plug loads.
Looking at the details of the restraining member as
can be seen from FIGS. 3-5, members 16 and 18 are
identically constructed from a relatively thin, highly
resilient and flexible band 20 welded to the outer periph-
ery of the coils of spring 22. Preferably the two are
welded along seam 24 by an electron beam welder. In
fabricating this unit the band is slightly bent to be convex
as shown in FIG. S so that there is a slight spacing be-
tween the coils of the helical wound spring 22. Thi«.
when the preformed unit.is inserted in the molded recess
in the bladder, the spring lies adjacent to Ihe bladder.
Thus it is apparent that when the bladder h pressurized,
the restraint member lends to straighten and Ihe adjacent
coil* of spring 22 tihiii against each other preventing fur-
ther bending. This then serves to prevent the bladder
from wpurming further awuy from the palm and hence,
prevents Imllooning. Since the bend i* !n the direction of
\
V
3,490,074
the palm closure, the restraint member is flexible in this
direction. • . . . ' • ' , .
Band receiving eyelcis are suitably attached to cither
end of restraint member 16 for receiving a suitable strap
28 which extends through openings or slots 30 on the
back-side of the hand in the outer restraint member. A
T connection 32 suitably supports bands 18 and 16 and
may >;e welded or secured by any other well-known
means to rigidly secure each in the desired:position.
a restraining fabric member fitted Over said sheath and
terminating adjacent the roots of the fingers defining
openings through which said sheath extends over the
fingers, for restraining the sheath in an axial direction,
balloon restraining means for preventing the sheath from
extending in r. radial direction, said restraining means
including flexible means flexible in a unidirection which
direction is toward the fold of the wearer's band, and
said balloon restraining means mounted between said
wound spring bonded to the face of said band.
7. In combination, a flexible glove encircling the hand
.of the wearer and adapted to be pressurized, said glove
The free end of member 18 is pivotally connected 10 a 10 sheath and said restraining fabric,
flat plate-like member 36 sewn to strap 38 and as can be 5. The combination as claimed in claim 4 wherein
seen from FIG. 1 terminates just prior to the wrist of said balloon restraining means are mounted so as to be
the wearer. The strap passing through slots in the re- coincident with the natural skin folds of the wearer's
straining portion 12 is likewise secured on the backside . hand.
of the hand as shown in Fl<"!. 2 by a suitable buckle 40 15 6. The combination as claimed in claim 5 wherein said
l':>r supporting the restraint mechanism in the proper restraining means includes a flexible band and a helical
position. By virtue of the pivot between members 18 and
36 the restraint member can be adjusted to coincide with
the natural folds of the skin of the palm. As can be seen
form FIG. 4, the restraint member 16 is bent outwardly 20 including an impervious sheath conforming to the wearer's
to conform to the curvature at the extremity of the hand, a restraining member mounted adjacent said sheath.
palm for affording comfort to the wearer of the glove. said restraining member including first and second urn-
It should be understood that the invention is not limited directional flexible elements, said first element mounted
to the particular embodiments shown and described in coincidence with one of the natural skin folds of the
herein, but the various changes and modifications may be 25 palm, the end of said second element rigidly connected
made without departing from the spirit or scope of- this to said-first element and extending toward the vrist of
novel concept as defined by the following claims. the wearer but terminating adjacent thereto, a support
I claim: element pivotally attached to the other of said second
1. Restraining means comprising an elongated, rela- member permitting adjustment thereof to align the re-
tively thin flexible band-like element and a plurality of 30 straining member so that both first and second elements
resilient, flexible spaced annular members all of said coincide with the natural skin folds of the palm,
flexible spaced members being bonded along the face 8. The combination as claimed in claim 7 wherein
of said flexible band-like element and being susbtantially said first and second unidirectional flexible elements
coextensive therewith whereby said restraining means is comprise a relatively thin, narrow band and a helically
flexible in one direction transverse to the axis of said 35 wound spring bonded to a face of said band,
flexible spaced annular members and restrained in the 9. The combination as claimed in claim 7 wherein
opposite direction by the abutting action of adjacent
40
spaced annular members.
2. Restraining means as claimed in claim 1 wherein
said flexible band-like element is metallic.
3. Restraining means comprising an elongated, rela-
tively thin and narrow flexible band-like element and a
helical wound spring, all of the coils of said spring being
bonded to the face of said band-like element wherein said
restraining means is flexible in one direction transverse
to said spring axis and restrained in the opposite direc-
tion by the abutting action of adjacent coils.
4. In combination, a flexible glove encircling the hand
of (he wearer and adapted to be pressurized, an itn- go
pervious sheath enclosing the wearer's hand and fingers,
said bond includes an electron- beam weldmem.
References CHed
UNITED STATES PATENTS
1,865,457 7/1932 Cruz _. - 167—1
1,867,723 7/1932 Adams 167—1
2,587,490 2/1952 Kricger 2—339
2,954,562 10/1960 Krupp 2—2.1
3.140,494 7/1964 Magidson 2—264
VERLIN R. PENDEGRASS, Primary Examiner
US, CL X.R.
^—^.\


Restraining mechanism

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