As an inventor from a town near Houston, Texas, I have always been driven by a desire to solve problems. In March 2020, while watching television, I noticed a recurring issue in healthcare settings—medical professionals repeatedly touching glove boxes, struggling to pull gloves out, and then putting them on.
Given the heightened awareness of surface contamination during the pandemic, I asked myself: Why is this still the standard method? Shouldn’t there be a safer, faster, and more hygienic way? After extensive research, I discovered no such solution existed in the USPTO database.
The Problem
Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals frequently touch cardboard glove boxes or acrylic dispensers before retrieving gloves, inadvertently contaminating these surfaces with germs and viruses. This poses a serious risk of cross-contamination, particularly in environments where infection control is critical.
The Solution
I developed a patented device that eliminates the need to touch a glove box altogether. My UV wall- or stand-mounted nitrile glove dispensing system allows users to insert their hands into pre-hung gloves and, with a gentle downward motion, don them effortlessly.
A built-in UV light source bathes both the approaching hands and the gloves in germ- and virus-killing light before insertion, providing an added layer of protection.
The Need for Innovation
According to Hospital-Acquired Infections, an article published in StatPearl and available on the National Library of Medicine website, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) significantly increase hospital stays, healthcare costs, and mortality rates. The top five HAIs alone cost about $9.8 billion annually. While hospitals have improved best practices for infection control, any innovation that further reduces HAIs is a step in the right direction.
Grandview Research estimates that the global disposable glove market was valued at $6.71 billion in 2019, with a projected annual growth rate of 11.2% from 2020 to 2027. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) skyrocketed by 1000%, according to McKnight.com. These figures underscore the importance of improving PPE application methods.
The Invention
Armed with this knowledge, I developed a working prototype and successfully secured a patent for my invention in October 2022. This system revolutionizes the way medical professionals don gloves, ensuring greater hygiene and efficiency.
The unit’s built-in UV light disinfects both gloves and hands prior to use, reducing the risk of contamination and improving overall safety standards in healthcare environments.
Key Benefits of the UV Glove Dispensing System
The UV Glove Dispensing System offers a groundbreaking approach to infection control by addressing the inefficiencies and contamination risks associated with traditional glove application. By integrating a hands-free mechanism with advanced UV disinfection, this system enhances both safety and efficiency in healthcare environments.
Below are the key advantages of this innovative solution:
– Provides a safer, faster, and more hygienic way for medical professionals to don protective gloves.
– Helps reduce HAIs in healthcare settings.
– Incorporates a safe and effective UV light disinfection system.
Seeking a Strategic Partnership
This patented system represents a significant advancement in infection control and has the potential to become the new industry standard. There is currently nothing like it on the market.
I am looking to partner with a medical device manufacturer, UV technology company, or glove producer to introduce this innovation to the healthcare industry. If you recognize the potential of this technology to enhance infection control and safety, let’s connect and discuss how we can bring this solution to market.
For inquiries, please contact John Anderson at [email protected].
