Background Art A napkin refers to a towel or a sheet of paper for use in preventing clothes from being stained by covering a chest or knees of a user, or in wiping his/her mouth or hand when he/she eats food. Generally, a paper napkin is used in restaurants as a disposable product.

Particularly, in case of eating food that should be eaten while being held in one's hand, including fried chicken, hamburger, grilled rib (Galbi), pizza, doughnut, Chinese stuffed pancake and Gimbap, a paper napkin is mainly used in holding the food or wiping one's hand. Many napkins are placed on respective tables in restaurants selling hamburger or fried chicken.

However, there are considerable difficulties in eating food such as fried chicken while holding it in a paper napkin. For example, the paper napkin may shield food and thus hinder the food being introduced into the mouth. The paper napkin may be introduced into the mouth together with the food, or partially adhere to the food, causing the user to feel unpleasant. Specifically, in case of persons awkward at eating food, such as children or the disabled, they may be inconvenienced upon eating of food using such a napkin. Clothes may be stained with food that inadvertently falls thereon.

To overcome such problems and facilitate the handling of food, plastic hygiene gloves have been proposed in the prior art. However, since such plastic hygiene gloves have inner and outer surfaces made of a plastic material, a disparate wearing feeling inherent in the plastic material may be produced. Further, there is a problem in that they are not suitable for wiping food stains or contaminants with which peripheral portions of the mouth or clothes are smeared.

Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a glove-type napkin according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a section A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a method of manufacturing the glove-type napkin according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a glove-type napkin according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a glove-type napkin according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a glove-type napkin according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a glove-type napkin according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a first sheet of a glove-type napkin according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a partially enlarged sectional view illustrating a hot-pressed line portion of the glove-type napkin of Fig. 8.

Disclosure of Invention Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a glove-type napkin that can be put on a user's hand so that a user can easily hold food and also easily remove food stains, dregs or the like with which peripheral portions of the mouth or clothes are smeared.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a glove-type napkin capable of obtaining dampproof effects by employing a sheet comprising a paper layer and a resin coating layer.

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving these objects, there is provided a glove-type napkin, wherein first and second sheets each of which comprises a paper layer and a resin coating layer are prepared and cut to include one or more finger receiving sections for receiving a thumb and other fingers therein, and their peripheries are then bonded by means of hot press. At this time, the resin coating

layers of the both sheets are placed to face each other so that the paper layers are directed outward and the resin coating layers are directed inward.

Since an inner surface of the glove-type napkin is coated with a resin such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or oriented polypropylene (OPP), a fat or water component of food and water are prevented from being permeated therethrough from the outside of the napkin, so that the user's hand can be always maintained in a delightful state.

The paper layer of the glove-type napkin is preferably constructed of paper harmless to the human body, such as pulp paper, tea-bag paper, parchment paper or tissue paper. The resin coating layer with a thickness of about 10 to 3011m is formed on the paper layer.

The first and second sheets in the present invention are bonded to each other through hot press at a temperature of about 160 to 280 °C. Since the glove-type napkin according to the present invention does not employ a chemical adhesive, it is harmless to the human body and used safely. Further, contrary to such a chemical adhesive, there is no risk of break of a bonded portion due to melting of the chemical adhesive in water or the like. Therefore, the glove-type napkin can be used as it is for a long time even upon eating of moist food.

Since a conventional napkin is vulnerable to tear due to moisture and its material is weak, a new napkin should be used whenever it is used to eat moist food. Thus, there is a disadvantage in that napkins may be consumed excessively. However, since the glove-type napkin according to the present invention is put on a user's hand, even children or the disabled awkward at eating food can easily and hygienically use the glove-type napkin. Since the strength of the paper layer is reinforced with the resin coating layer formed on the inner surface of the napkin, the napkin cannot be torn easily.

Further, due to the dampproof effects of the resin coating layer, a water component of food can be prevented from being permeated therethrough.

The glove-type napkin may be constructed to have a thumb receiving section for receiving a user's thumb therein and one or more finger receiving sections for receiving other fingers therein.

Specifically, the glove-type napkin according to the present invention may have the configuration of a mitten that has a thumb receiving section and a finger receiving

section for simultaneously receiving other fingers therein except the thumb.

As another example, the glove-type napkin according to the present invention may have a thumb receiving section for receiving a thumb therein, an index finger receiving section for receiving an index finger therein, and a finger receiving section for receiving other fingers (e. g. , middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger) therein. Since the thumb receiving section and the index finger receiving section are separately formed to correspond to a thumb and an index finger that are used for holding food, a user can easily hold food using his/her thumb and index finger. Further, the user can wipe food stains on peripheral portions of his/her mouth using a wide paper layer surface of the finger receiving section for receiving other fingers therein. Therefore, the napkin can perform the substantially same function as a conventional napkin.

As a further example, the glove-type napkin according to the present invention may include a thumb receiving section, an index finger receiving section, a middle finger receiving section, a ring finger and a pinky finger receiving section that correspond to a thumb, an index finger, a middle finger, a ring finger and a pinky finger of a user, respectively. Since this napkin has the same configuration as a conventional glove, the user can conveniently hold food and easily move his/her thumb and fingers.

Moreover, the user can wipe food stains on peripheral portions of his/her mouth and clothes using the surface of the paper layer of the glove-type napkin. In addition, the glove-type napkin can be used widely for other hygienic uses.

A fragrant substance may be included in the interior of the glove-type napkin.

After eating of food using the napkin, the fragrant substance remains on a user's hand on which the glove-type napkin is put, thereby removing food odors. Further, since fragrance can be maintained in the hand for a certain period of time, the user can obtain olfactory pleasantness and psychological satisfaction after using the napkin.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to or defined by the embodiments.

First embodiment Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a glove-type napkin according to a first

embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a section A of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a glove-type napkin 100 of the first embodiment comprises first and second sheets 110 and 120 that are bonded with each other through hot press. The first sheet 110 includes a first paper layer 112 exposed to the outside and a second inward resin coating layer 114. The second sheet 120 faces the first sheet 110 and also includes a second paper layer 122 and a second resin coating layer 224 (124).

When the first and second sheets 110 and 120 are boned together by means of hot press, the glove-type napkin 100 is formed to include a thumb receiving section 130 for receiving a thumb therein, an index finger receiving section 140 for receiving an index finger therein, and a finger receiving section 150 for receiving the other fingers therein.

The thumb and index finger receiving sections 130 and 140 are used for a user to easily hold food, while a wide upper and or lower surface of the finger receiving section 150 is used for the user to easily wipe food stains or contaminants with which peripheral portions of the mouth or clothes are smeared.

As shown in Fig. 2, each of the first and second sheets 110 and 120 comprises a paper layer and resin coating layer.

Here, the paper layer may include a napkin layer made of paper or material that can absorb water or substitute for a napkin. Preferably, the paper layer is made of a material, which is harmless to the human body, such as general pulp paper, tea-bag paper used in manufacturing a tea-bag, parchment paper, tissue paper, and cotton.

Further, the resin coating layers 114 and 124 prevent an external fat and water component from being permeated into the glove-type napkin 100 and define an inner glove-shaped surface for the purpose of the waterproof or dampproof function. The resin coating layers 114 and 124 may be made of a material such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or oriented polypropylene (OPP). To coat a surface of the paper layer with polyethylene, liquid polyethylene is extruded onto the paper layer through an injection nozzle. To ensure that the coated paper layer has flexibility as much as paper while exhibiting an appropriate dampproof property, the polyethylene can be coated with a thickness of about 10 to 30/im (micrometers).

The resin coating layers 114 and 124 can be used to bond the first and second sheets 110 and 120 with each other through hot press as well as to prevent an external fat and water component from being permeated therethrough.

To bond the first and second sheets 110 and 120 with each other, the following methods may be selectively used. That is, the first and second sheets are first cut in the form of a glove and then hot-pressed along their peripheries. Alternatively, the first and second sheets are first hot-pressed with each other and then cut in the form of a glove.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a method of manufacturing the glove-type napkin 100 according to the first embodiment. The method shown in Fig. 3 is a method of first cutting the first and second sheets 110 and 120 in a specific shape and then hot pressing the cut sheets so as to manufacture the glove-type napkin 100.

Referring to Fig. 3, the first and second sheets 110 and 120 each of which has been previously cut to include the thumb receiving section 130, index finger receiving section 140 and finger receiving section 150 are disposed one above another. At this time, the sheets 110 and 120 are disposed such that their respective resin coating layers 114 and 124 face each other. In this figure, regions 160a that will be bonded through hot press can be represented as an imaginary dotted line. Further, the regions 160a can be sized based on the size of a hand of an average user.

While given pressure is applied to the regions 160a at a temperature of about 160 to 280 °C, hot press is made between the resin coating layers 114 and 124 and the resultant resin coating layer 164 (Fig. 2) is produced accordingly. If the two sheets 110 and 120 are sufficiently bonded with each other, it is preferred that the width of a hot-pressed line 160 be about 2mm or higher.

Such bonding through hot press is performed on the resin coating layers 114 and 124 that define an inner surface of the glove-type napkin 100. That is, a material such as polyethylene coated on the inner surface of the glove-type napkin can prevent a fat or water component from being permeated therethrough from the outside and cause the first and second sheets 110 and 120 of the glove-type napkin to be firmly bonded with each other by means of hot press. Further, the resin coating layer coated on the inner surface provides the paper layer with additional strength such that the glove-type napkin can be used for a long time without any rupture or tear.

Second embodiment Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a glove-type napkin according to a second embodiment of the present invention. To explain the glove-type napkin according to the second embodiment, this figure illustrates a state where the glove-type napkin is completed.

As compared with the glove-type napkin 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, sheets 210 and 220 of a glove-type napkin 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention also comprise the paper layers and resin coating layers. These layers are the substantially same as the paper layers 112 and 122 and resin coating layers 114 and 124 of the first and second sheets 110 and 120 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, descriptions on the paper layers, resin coating layers, hot press made between the sheets and the like can referred to from those of the first embodiment and omitted herein accordingly.

Referring to Fig. 4, the glove-type napkin 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention comprises a single sheet including first and second sheet portions 210 and 220 which in turn are formed symmetrically with respect to an end of a finger receiving section 250 for receiving the middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger.

Since the first and second sheet portions 210 and 220 are made of a single sheet, they can be simultaneously cut. Thus, it is advantageous in view of a manufacturing process.

The glove-type napkin 200 according to this embodiment of present invention also comprises a thumb receiving section 230, an index finger receiving section 240 and the finger receiving section 250. Furthermore, a region 260a on which a hot-pressed line will be formed can be defined along the peripheries except a reference fold line and a mouth of the glove-type napkin 200.

Third embodiment Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a glove-type napkin according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 5, a glove-type napkin 300 according to the third embodiment

of the present invention comprises a thumb receiving section 330, an index finger receiving section 340, a finger receiving section 350 and a hot-pressed region 360 which in turn are completed by bonding first and second sheets 310 and 320, each of which composes the paper layer and resin coating layer, with one another through hot press.

As compared with the glove-type napkin 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the sheets 310 and 320 of the glove-type napkin 300 according to the third embodiment of the present invention also comprise the paper layers and resin coating layers. These layers are the substantially same as the paper layers 112 and 122 and resin coating layers 114 and 124 of the first and second sheets 110 and 120 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, descriptions on the paper layers, resin coating layers, hot press made between the sheets and the like can be referred to those of the first embodiment and will be omitted herein accordingly.

Referring to Fig. 5, the glove-type napkin 300 according to this embodiment further comprises holes 370 that are partially cut out from joints between the thumb receiving section 330 and the index finger receiving section 340 and between the index finger receiving section 340 and the other finger receiving section 350. The holes 370 serve to allow the glove-type napkin 300 and the hand on which the glove-type napkin 300 is put to move freely. Accordingly, the joints between the first and second sheets 310 and 320 can be smoothly bent or curved due to the holes 370.

Regions where the holes 370 are formed are hardly contaminated with food when the user eats the food. Therefore, it is not likely that the food would be introduced into the glove-type napkin 300 through the holes 370. Further, the finger receiving sections 340 and 350 as well as the thumb receiving section 330 can be smoothly moved due to the presence of the holes 370.

Fourth embodiment Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a glove-type napkin according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 6, a glove-type napkin 400 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention comprises a thumb receiving section 430, an index finger receiving section 440, a middle finger receiving section 442, a finger receiving section 450 and a hot-pressed region 460 which in turn are completed by bonding first and

second sheets 410 and 420, each of which comprises the paper layer and resin coating layer, with one another through hot press.

As compared with the glove-type napkin 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the sheets 410 and 420 of the glove-type napkin 400 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention also comprise the paper layers and resin coating layers. These layers are the substantially same as the paper layers 112 and 122 and resin coating layers 114 and 124 of the first and second sheets 110 and 120 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 6, the glove-type napkin 400 according to this embodiment of the present invention further comprises the middle finger receiving section 442 for receiving the middle finger. The finger receiving section 450 receives the ring finger and pinky finger.

According to the glove-type napkin 400, articles such as food can be easily held using the thumb receiving section 430, index finger receiving section 440 and middle finger receiving section 442 while the food stains with which peripheral portions of the mouth or clothes are smeared can be easily wiped using a wide upper or lower surface of the finger receiving section 450.

The glove-type napkin of this embodiment includes the finger receiving section 450 of which surface area is relatively smaller as compared with the glove-type napkin of the previous embodiments. However, since the middle finger receiving section 442 is further provided, the food or other articles can be more easily held and handled with separate fingers.

Fifth embodiment Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a glove-type napkin according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 7, a glove-type napkin 500 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention comprises a thumb receiving section 530, an index finger receiving section 540, a middle finger receiving section 542, a ring finger receiving section 544, a pinky finger receiving section 546 and a hot-pressed region 560 which in turn are completed by bonding first and second sheets 510 and 520, each of which comprises the paper layer and resin coating layer, with one another through hot press.

As compared with the glove-type napkin 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the sheets 510 and 520 of the glove-type napkin 500 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention also comprise the paper layers and resin coating layers. These layers are the substantially same as the paper layers 112 and 122 and resin coating layers 114 and 124 of the first and second sheets 110 and 120 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 7, the glove-type napkin 500 according to this embodiment of the present invention separately comprises the thumb receiving section 530, the index finger receiving section 540, the middle finger receiving section 542, the ring finger receiving section 544, and the pinky finger receiving section 546. The glove-type napkin 500 takes the same configuration as that of a general glove, and thus, the user can utilize the glove-type napkin 500 without awkwardness.

In the previous embodiments of the present invention, the finger receiving section 150,250, 350 or 450 has been used to food stains with which the peripheral portions of the mouth or clothes are smeared. On the other hand, according to this embodiment, the glove-type napkin 500 does not include a finger receiving section in which at least two fingers are received together, and the finger receiving section 150, 250,350 or 450 of the previous embodiment can be substituted for the middle finger receiving section 542, ring finger receiving section 544, pinky finger receiving section 546 or the combination thereof in view of their use. The user can wipe the food stains by selectively using the middle finger receiving section 542, ring finger receiving section 544, pinky finger receiving section 546 or the combination thereof, which can also be used to hold the food.

Further, the glove-type napkin 500 of this embodiment also comprises holes 570 for allowing the fingers to move freely. The holes 570 are formed between the finger receiving sections by partially cutting out from the first and second sheets 510 and 520 at joints between the finger receiving sections. More specifically, the holes are formed at the joints between the thumb receiving section 530 and the index finger receiving section 540, between the index finger receiving section 540 and the middle finger receiving section 542, between the middle finger receiving section 542 and the ring finger receiving section 544 and between the ring finger receiving section 544 and the pinlcy finger receiving section 546.

Although the cut-out portions between the finger receiving sections are formed as the holes 570, their shapes may be changed in various manners. For example, even though straight cutting lines are used instead of the holes, the same purpose as the holes 570 can be achieved.

That is, the holes 570 serve to allow the glove-type napkin 500 and the hand on which the glove-type napkin 500 is put to move freely. Accordingly, the joints between the first and second sheets 510 and 520 can be smoothly bent or curved due to the holes 570.

Regions where the holes 570 are formed are hardly contaminated with food when the user eats the food. Therefore, it is not likely that the food would be introduced into the glove-type napkin 500 through the holes 570. Further, the finger receiving sections 540,542, 544 and 546 as well as the thumb receiving section 530 can be smoothly moved due to the presence of the holes 570.

Sixth embodiment Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a first sheet of a glove-type napkin according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 9 is a partially enlarged sectional view illustrating a hot-pressed line portion of the glove-type napkin of Fig. 8.

The glove-type napkin according to the sixth embodiment comprises first and second sheets 610 and 620 that are hot-pressed to each other, and includes a thumb receiving section, an index finger receiving section and a finger receiving section that are defined by a periphery formed by a hot-pressed line 660. As for details of the thumb receiving section, the index finger receiving section and the finger receiving section, reference can be made to the description of the first embodiment.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, the first sheet 610 is constructed by sequentially laminating a first paper layer 612, a first resin coating layer 614, and a first inner paper layer 616. The first paper layer 612 is exposed outward to come into direct contact with food or to be used for wiping food stains. The first resin coating layer 614 is formed on an inner surface of the first paper layer 612, and the first inner paper layer 616 is disposed opposite to the first paper layer 612 with the first resin coating layer 614 interposed therebetween.

The second sheet 620 is also constructed by sequentially laminating a second paper layer 622, a second resin coating layer 624, and a second inner paper layer 626 in the same manner as the first sheet 610. Since the second sheet 620 is disposed opposite to the first sheet 610, the first inner paper layer 616 of the first sheet 610 and the second inner paper layer 626 are arranged to face each other.

As shown in Fig. 8, the first inner paper layer 616 includes a plurality of bonding holes 618 formed along the periphery formed by the hot-pressed line 660. The bonding holes 618 allow a resin material melted by means of heating to pass therethrough. The resin material constructing the resin coating layer 614 is partially melted and passes through the plurality of bonding holes 618. The resin materials from the first and second resin coating layers 614 and 624 form a resin coating layer 664 bonded between the first and second inner paper layers 616 and 626.

The bonding holes 618 formed in the first inner paper layer 616 may be provided in various forms including a broken line, a dotted line and the like along the periphery of the first inner paper layer 616.

As the first and second sheets 610 and 620 are bonded through hot press, the glove-type napkin 600 includes the thumb receiving section 630 for receiving a thumb therein, the index finger receiving section 640-for receiving an index finger therein, and the finger receiving section 650 for receiving other fingers therein.

A user can conveniently hold food using the thumb receiving section 630 and the index finger receiving section 640, and easily wipe food stains on peripheral portions of his/her mouth or clothes using a wide upper or lower surface of the finger receiving section 650.

Here, the paper layer may further include a layer made of a material capable of absorbing moisture or substituting for the napkin, in addition to paper. Preferably, it is constructed of a material harmless to the human body such as conventional pulp paper, tea-bag paper for use in manufacturing tea-bags, parchment paper, tissue paper, and cotton.

Further, the resin coating layers 614 and 624 are to prevent an external fat or water component from being permeating into the glove-type napkin 600, and form intermediate layers of the sheets 610 and 620 to obtain waterproof or dampproof effects.

Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or oriented polypropylene (OPP) can be

used as a material for constructing the resin coating layers 614 and 624. To coat one surface of the paper layer with polyethylene, liquid polyethylene is extruded through a spray nozzle. The polyethylene can be coated with a thickness of about 10 to 30um such that the coated paper layer has flexibility as much as paper while maintaining an appropriate dampproof property.

The resin coating layers 614 and 624 can be used not only to prevent the external fat or water component from being permeating therethrough but also to intervene in the bonding of the first and second sheets 610 and 620 through hot press.

Accordingly, the inner paper layers 616 and 626 form an inner surface of the glove-type napkin 600 to provide a user with natural tactility offered by paper.

Therefore, it is possible to remarkably improve user's satisfaction in view of tactility within the glove-type napkin.

The inner paper layers 616 and 626 may also include a layer made of a material with superior tactility, in addition to paper, and can be constructed of a material harmless to the human body such as conventional pulp paper, tea-bag paper for use in manufacturing tea-bags, parchment paper, tissue paper, and cotton in the same manner as the outer paper layers 612 and 622.

To manufacture the glove-type napkin according to this embodiment, the first and second sheets 610 and 620 that have been cut in advance to define the thumb receiving section 630, the index finger receiving section 640 and the finger receiving section 650 are placed one above another. At this time, the inner paper layers 616 and 626 of the both sheets 610 and 620 are arranged to face each other.

Hot press is performed under pressure at a temperature of about 160 to 280 °C along the peripheries of the superimposed sheets 610 and 620. Through the hot press, the resin coating layer 664 bonding the both sheets 610 and 620 to each other is formed between the first and second inner paper layers 616 and 626. To provide a sufficient bonding strength between the both sheets 610 and 620, the width of the hot-pressed line 660 formed through the hot press is preferably about 2mm or higher.

The bonding through the hot press is achieved by the resin coating layers 614 and 624 defining the inner surface of the glove-type napkin 600. That is, the polyethylene or the like coated on the inner surface of the glove-type napkin can prevent a fat or water component from being permeated into the glove-type napkin from the outside, and

firmly bond the first and second sheets 610 and 620 of the glove-type napkin to each other through the hot press. Further, the resin coating layers reinforce the strength of the paper layers so that the glove-type napkin can be used for a long time without any rupture or tear.

Industrial Applicability With the use of the glove-type napkin according to the present invention, a user can easily hold food. Since the user can hold food by utilizing the napkin itself, a superior hygienic state can be maintained. Particularly, the glove-type napkin can be usefully used for preventing children or the disabled awkward at eating food from making the surroundings messy or inadvertently falling food while eating the food.

Further, the use of the outer paper layers facilitates removal of food stains with which peripheral portions of the mouth or clothes are smeared. Thus, the glove-type napkin can be used conveniently.

Moreover, the resin coating layer coated on the inner surface or formed as the intermediate layer in the glove-type napkin can prevent a fat or water component from being permeated from the outside of the napkin.

Furthermore, the resin coating layers ensure the firm bonding of the first and second sheets of the glove-type napkin through hot press. Since the resin coating layers are not solved in water, a bonded portion of the napkin is not solved or broken even though a user holds fatty or moist food for a long time.

In addition, the resin coating layers reinforce the strength of the paper layers so that the glove-type napkin can be used for a long time without any rupture or tear.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention defined by the appended claims.