Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02417372 2003-O1-27
TITLE INSULATED WINTER GLOVE WITH AIR-BREATHING
WINDOW IN PAL1VI
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to thermally insulated hand gloves for performing
sporting activities in sub-freezing weather conditions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In subpolar countries such as Canada and Russia where wintertime
weather conditions are harsh and can bring the outdoor temperatures down well
below
water freezing point, it is important during winter season to have proper
thermally
insulated garments if one is to stay outside for any length of time. When it
becomes very
cold, for example -30° Celsius or less, the body extremities (hands and
feet) can in a
matter of minutes begin to sustain ehillblains unless the full of a person's
body is very
well insulated thermally in proper garments. Those active in winter sports,
such as cross-
country skiing, or alternately workers that work outdoors during winter time
such as
forestry workers, have the added problem of having to deal with moisture from
perspiration generated from the skin by the physical exercise they generate
during their
sporting activities. This perspiration borne moisture can become trapped
between the
skin and the layers of insulating garments, if the garment does not allow
selective outflow
escape of moisture. This is usually not a major problem with a person's trunk
or limbs
(arms or legs), because the interior garment layer is usually a moisture
absorbing material
such as cotton. However, there is a problem with hand gloves in this respect.
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It is recognized in the field that more body heat needs to be generated to
warm up a body portion when perspiration borne moisture has been allowed to
condense
into a liquid volume that builds up over the person's skin. This condensate
effectively
introduces a "chill" to the person, affecting not only the thermal balance of
his body but
also his comfort.
Perspiration in hands is greatest at the palm area. Prior art hand gloves for
sports activities in above-freezing temperatures have long ago included
perforations or
apertures at the single layered palm area of the gloves to enable evacuation
of
perspiration moisture from the hand. However, for multiple-layered insulated
gloves for
sports activities in below freezing temperatures, it is an entirely different
matter. Indeed
and unfortunately, most winterized hand gloves on the market comprise a palm
area
which is made from a waterproof material, usually natural leather (expensive
and more
supple and comfortable) or synthetic leather (cheaper and less durable).
Condensation at
a skier's hand palm is a leading cause of hand chill and discomfort, and
eventual
chillblains. Untreated, a chillblain of the hand can lead to amputation of one
or more
fingers, or worse.
OBJECTS ~F THE INVENTI~N
The gist of this invention is therefore to improve thermal efficiency of
winter hand gloves.
A corollary object of this invention is to improve upon user's comfort in
winter hand gloves.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the objects of the invention, there is disclosed a
thermally insulated hand glove for use in sporting activities. The hand glove
has a main
body for enclosing a user's hand, with a palm area having an. exposed wall
surface being
substantially waterproof. A window aperture is made in a fraction of the palm
area. A
moisture permeable stretchable membrane is applied i:o fully close the window
aperture,
so as to provide an air vent system integral to the palm area for promoting
moisture
outflow generated from the user's hand palm perspiration outwardly from said
glove main
body, while controlling accidental moisture inflow seepage from outside
weather
conditions. The stretchable nature of the arcuate membrane pad biases the
thumb forger
part of the glove to a tilted location overhanging spacedly over the window,
thus reducing
the likelihood of accidental access of water or snow to the non waterproof
membrane pad
covering the window.
More specifically, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is
disclosed a winter glove comprising: a) a hand glove main body generally
defining a
palm wall, a back wall opposite said palm wall, a fingers' portion, and a
wrist portion,
said palm wall defining an interior face and an exterior exposed face, at
least said palm
wall exposed face being made from a substantially water-proof material,
wherein a hand
enclosure is formed for snugly receiving within said glove main body a user's
hand, said
fingers' portion including a thumb portion offset intermediately between said
wrist
portion and the remaining fingers of said fingers° portion; b) an open
window, made
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through a fraction of said palm wall in general transverse register with said
thumb
portion; c) a hydrophobic mesh sheet, fixedly applied to said palm wall and
sized to fully
cover said open window, said mesh sheet for enabling free outflow escape of
moisture
from the user's hand palm perspiration; and d) a thermal insulation sheath,
loosely
mounted inside said hand enclosure and freely abutting against at least said
palm wall
interior face, said insulation sheath enabling free moisture-laden air flow to
circulate
from said hand enclosure outwardly therethrough.
Preferably, said mesh sheet consists of an elastic stretchable membrane.
Said stretchable membrane could be made from a knitted material selected
from the group comprising polyester and nylon. Said stretchable membrane could
have a
thickness ranging between about 0,3 and 1,0 millimetre. The peripheral edge
portion of
the stretchable membrane could be fixedly secured against a marginal portion
of said
1 S interior face of said palm wall surrounding said open window, wherein said
stretchable
membrane extends in interiorly offset fashion relative to said palm wall. Said
insulation
sheath may be made from synthetic fabres.
Said open window could form a quarter moon shape having a concave side
generally facing said thumb portion spacedly therefrom. Also, said palm wall
could
define a thickness substantially the same as that of said stretchable
membrane. The
resiliency of said stretchable membrane should preferably be selected to be
such as to
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effectively bias said thumb portion to a tilted position spacedly overhanging
said open
window, to at least partly shield said open window from outside weather
conditions.
The invention also relates to a thermally insulated hand glove for use in
sporting activities, said hand glove having a main body for enclosing a user's
hand, said
main body including a palm area, said palm area defining an exposed wall
surface being
substantially waterproof, and air vent means integral to said palm area, said
air vent
means promoting moisture outflow generated from the user's hand perspiration
outwardly
from said glove main body while controlling accidental water inflow seepage
from
outside weather conditions. Said glove main body could then include a thumb
finger
portion, and said air vent means includes an exposed air flow channel and
integral
resiliency means, wherein the resiliency of said integral resiliency means is
selected to be
such as to effectively bias said thumb finger portion to a tilted position
spacedly
overhanging said air flow channel, to at least partly shield said air flow
channel from
outside weather conditions.
Preferably, said air vent means includes an open window made into a
fraction of said palm area, and a moisture outflow enabling membrane, fixedly
secured to
said palm area and fully closing said open window, wherein said membrane is
interiorly
offset relative to said open window.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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Figure 1 is a plan view of a glove according to a preferred embodiment of the
invention, showing in particular the palm area thereof;
Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the glove, at the palm area
thereof;
and
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the inside face of sheet assembly of the palm
window area of figure 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE
INVENTION
The hand glove is illustrated in figures l and 2 as 10. Glove 10 includes
an outer flexible shell having exposed surfaces including a palm wall 12, a
back wall 14
opposite the palm wall 12, a wrist area 16, a four fingers area 18 opposite
the wrist area
16, and a thumb finger area 20 mounted on the palm area and located
intermediate the
wrist area 16 and the four fingers area 18. The palm wall 12 and back wall 14
merge
with one another for example by lateral stitch lines 19. A thermal insulation
sheath 22 is
provided inside the glove 10, fitting loosely therein, to provide thermal
insulation for the
hand of a user, and preferably also for the fingers thereof. The insulating
sheath 22 may
be loosely attached by stitch lines 21 to the stitched portion 19 of the palm
wall 12 with
back wall 14, to prevent accidental release of the sheath 22 from the glove 10
outwardly
through wrist area 16. The thermal insulation sheath 22 may be made from a
synthetic
fibre filler, for example from polyester fibres, provided the nature and
density of this
filler material are such as to enable free outflow of moisture from the inside
of the glove
10 through the filler material.
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The wrist area 16 preferably includes an elastic band 24, to seal the glove
around a user's wrist, so as to prevent accidental escape of warm air
generated by the
user's hand inside the air pocket enclosure formed inside the glove 10. The
interior face
5 of insulation sheath 22 may be covered by a soft cloth sheet 26, for example
made from
cotton, so that it is the cotton layer 26 and not the insulation sheath 22
that comes into
contact with the user's skin, for user's best comfort.
At least the palm face 12, and possibly the coextensive surface areas 18A,
10 20A, of fingers portion 18, 20, of glove 10 should be made from a
substantially
waterproof flexible yet sturdy material, for example a leather skin with
silicone layered
waterproofing treatment. The back face 14 and coextensive surface areas of the
fingers
portion 18A, 20A, may also be made from the same treated leather skin, or for
reduced
cost, they could be made from a waterproof nylon sheet.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is provided
an aperture or window 30 in palm area 12. Window 30 is positioned to come in
direct
register with the user's palm when the glove is inserted fully over his hand.
Window 30
is of a shape and size that allows free air outflow across palm wall 12, from
the inside of
glove 10 toward the outside. Window 30 represents only a fraction of the total
surface
area of palm area 12, and may have a variety of shapes, for example circular,
quadrangular, or the like. However, a preferred shape for window 30 - for a
reason
outlined below - will be arcuate, and preferably quarter moon shaped, as
illustrated in
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figure 1, with the concave edge thereof 30A spacedly facing the thumb portion
20 of the
glove 10.
As best illustrated in figure 3, a flexible membrane 32 is applied against a
fraction of the interior face 12A of palm wall, opposite the exposed face 12B
of the palm
wall 12. Membrane 32 is sized to to fully close the 'window opening 30, and is
fixedly
mounted - for example by stitch lines 34 - to the palm wall interior face 12A
at the
marginal edge portion of window opening 30. That is to say, the plane of
membrane 32
is interiorly offset (toward the inside of glove 10) relative to the plane of
marginal edge
portions of palm wall 12. Membrane 32 forms an air breathing membrane of such
a type
as to enable free outflow escape of body generated moisture from the user's
hand inside
the glove, toward the outside thereof. Membrane 32 facilitates egress of body
moisture
from the user's palm, while controlling accidental ingress of water, snow, and
the like
inside the glove 10. The thermal insulation sheath 22 and the window membrane
32 must
be able to cooperate with one another in allowing moisture-laden air flow to
freely escape
from the user's hand palm, through sheath 22 and membrane 32, and outwardly
toward
ambient air.
Preferably, membrane 32 will be made from an elastically stretchable
material. This stretchable membrane should be porous and made from hydrophobic
material, preferably polyester or nylon. The thickness of the membrane 32 may
range for
example between 0,3 to 1,0 mm.
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The elasticity of the stretchable membrane 32 brings about at least two
important advantages. The first advantage is that membrane 32 provides better
comfort
for the user, in that the user can open wider his glove covered hand, i.e. the
user will be
able to tilt more fully his thumb portion 20 laterally outwardly, partly as a
function of
relative nature and thickness of wall 12 and membrane 32. The second, and more
important advantage of membrane 32, is that it does provide an inherent inward
bias for
the thumb 20 to tilt toward and remain (at rest pre-tensioned condition) in
spaced
overhanging fashion relative to the window 30; this in turn unexpectedly
provides at least
a partial shield for the window 30 that at least partially blocks snow,
melting ice and the
like outdoor element from direct access to the membrane 32 closing the window
30. In
any event, there will be a tendency for any ice or water flowing along the
waterproof
palm area exposed face 12B to simply flow over membrane 32, without engaging
the
latter (since the membrane 32 is interiorly offset relative to the marginal
palm wall
portion 12). Membrane 32 may be for example of the same thickness as palm wall
12.
This insulated glove will be of use in subfreezing temperatures for cross-
country skiers, downhill skiing, trekkers, and other similar outdoor sporting
activities;
and for workers in forestry, in building construction sites, or the like work
activities.
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