Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HOCKEY GLOVE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to hockey gloves.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A traditional hockey glove for receiving a hand of a player has a hand
receiving
portion covering the palm and dorsal side of the hand and extending generally
to the
end of the fingers and a thumb sheath enclosing the thumb. The hand receiving
portion comprises four finger sheaths for enclosing the index finger, middle
finger,
third finger and little finger and a palm sheet for facing the palm of the
hand and the
palm surface of the fingers and thumb.
The traditional hockey glove further comprises a band of material (braiding)
surrounding the periphery of the thumb sheath, extending along a portion
between the
thumb sheath and the index finger sheath and further along the side of the
index finger
sheath. This band of material is used to affix the periphery of the palm sheet
to the
thumb sheath, to the portion between the thumb sheath and the index finger
sheath
and to the side of the index finger sheath.
As it is well known, in use, for a player who is a right shooter, his right
hand moves
along the hockey stick, and the presence of the aforesaid band of material may
impede
the movement of the hand along the hockey stick. There is therefore a need in
the
industry to provide a hockey glove that increases freedom of movement along
the
hockey stick.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides a
hockey
glove for receiving a hand of a player, the hand having a palm, index finger,
middle
finger, third finger and little finger, each finger having palm, dorsal,
lateral and
medial surfaces, proximate, middle and distal phalanges, one thumb with palm
and
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dorsal surfaces, and a medial side with a C-shaped edge between the thumb and
the
index finger, the hockey glove comprising: (a) a side finger web for facing
the lateral
and medial surfaces of each finger, the side finger web having a lower web
periphery;
(b) a palm sheet for facing the palm of the hand and the palm surface of the
fingers
and thumb, the palm sheet having a palm periphery with a portion connected to
the
lower web periphery for defining first, second, third and fourth finger
gussets for
respectively receiving the four fingers; (c) a side pad for covering at least
partially the
medial side of the hand, the side pad having a top portion and a side portion
with an
edge for overlapping the C-shaped edge of the medial side of the hand; and (d)
a layer
covering at least partially the palm sheet, the layer comprising a portion
extending
over the side portion of the side pad and the top portion of the side pad, the
portion of
the layer having a periphery affixed to the top portion of the side pad, the
periphery
extending along a line that is substantially parallel to a line following the
C-shaped
edge of the medial side of the hand.
The invention further provides a hockey glove for receiving a hand of a
player, the
hand having a palm, index finger, middle finger, third finger and little
finger, each
finger having inner, dorsal, lateral and medial surfaces, proximate, middle
and distal
phalanges, one thumb with palm and dorsal surfaces, and a medial side region
between the thumb and the index finger, the hockey glove comprising: (a) a
side
finger web for facing the lateral and medial surfaces of each finger, the side
finger
web having a lower web periphery; (b) a thumb sheath for enclosing the thumb,
the
thumb sheath having a thumb sheath periphery; (c) a palm sheet for facing the
palm of
the hand and the palm surface of the fingers and thumb, the palm sheet having
a palm
periphery with a first palm periphery portion connected the thumb sheath
periphery
via a braiding projecting outwardly from the thumb sheath and a second palm
periphery portion connected to the lower web periphery for defining first,
second,
third and fourth finger gussets for respectively receiving the four fingers;
(d) first,
second, third and fourth finger pads mounted on the respective first, second,
third and
fourth finger gussets for protecting the dorsal surface of the respective four
fingers;
(e) a side pad for covering at least partially the medial side region of the
hand, the side
pad having a top portion and a side portion with an edge for overlapping the
medial
side region of the hand; and (f) a layer for covering at least partially the
palm sheet,
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the layer comprising a portion extending over the side portion of the side pad
such
that the edge of the side portion of the side pad is free of the braiding.
The invention also provides a hockey glove for receiving a hand of a player,
the hand
having a palm; an index finger, a middle finger, a third finger and a little
finger, each
finger having palm, dorsal, lateral and medial surfaces and proximate, middle
and
distal phalanges; a thumb having palm and dorsal surfaces; and a medial side
region
between the thumb and the index finger; the hockey glove comprising: (a) a
side
finger web for facing the lateral and medial surfaces of each finger, the side
finger
web having an upper web periphery and a lower web periphery; (b) a thumb
sheath
for enclosing the thumb; (c) a palm sheet for facing the palm of the hand and
the palm
surface of the fingers and thumb; (d) an index finger sheath, a middle finger
sheath, a
third finger sheath and a little finger sheath, wherein each finger sheath has
a
protective pad connected to the upper web periphery and wherein the palm sheet
is
connected to the lower web periphery for respectively enclosing the index
finger,
middle finger, third finger and little finger; (e) a side pad for protecting
the medial
side region of the hand, the side pad having a top portion and a side portion;
and (f) a
layer for covering at least partially the palm sheet, the layer having a
portion
extending over the side pad and being connected to the side pad such that an
edge of
the hockey glove located between the index finger sheath and the thumb sheath
is free
of any braiding projecting outwardly.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to
the
persons skilled in the art upon review of the following description of
embodiments of
the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention is provided
herein
3o below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in
which:
Figure 1 A is a top view of a human hand with the integument of the hand shown
in
broken lines and the bones shown in full lines;
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Figure 1 B is a bottom perspective view of a human hand;
Figure 1 C is a top perspective view of the human hand of Figure 1 B;
Figure 1 D is a side perspective view of the human hand of Figure 1 B
Figure 2 is a front side perspective view of a prior art hockey glove,
Figure 3 is a side view of the prior art glove of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a front side perspective view of a hockey glove constructed in
accordance
with the invention;
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Figure 4A is a front side perspective view of the hockey glove of Figure 4. in
which
the index finger pads and the layer covering the palm sheet have been removed
for
better illustrating the palm sheet;
Figure 5 is bottom perspective view of the hockey glove of Figure 4; and
Figure 5A is bottom perspective view of the hockey glove of Figure 4A.
In the drawings. the embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of
examples.
It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only
for the
purpose of illustration and are an aid for understanding. They are not
intended to be a
definition of the limits of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
To facilitate the description. any reference numerals designating an elenient
in one
figure will designate the same element if used in any other figures. In
describing the
embodiments, specific terminology is resorted to for the sake of clarity but
the
invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected. and
it is
understood that each specific term comprises all equivalents.
As shown in Figures I A. 1 B. 1 C. 1 D a human hand comprises a palm P, a
dorsal side
DS, four fingers F (index finger, middle finger, third finger and little
finger), a thumb
T and a medial side MS with a C-shaped edge CE extending between the thumb T
and
the index finger F. Each finger F has a palm surface PS. a dorsal surface DS,
a lateral
surface LS. a medial surface MS, a proximate articulation PA. a proximate
phalanx
PP, a middle articulation MA. a middle phalanx MP. a distal articulation DA
and a
distal phalanx DP. The thumb T has a palm surface PS and a dorsal surface DS.
Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a prior art hockey glove 10 for receiving the hand
of a
player. The hockey glove 10 has a hand receiving portion for covering the palm
P and
dorsal side DS of the hand and extending generally to the end of the fingers F
and a
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thumb sheath 12 for enclosing the thumb T. The hand receiving portion
comprises
four finger sheaths 14 for enclosing the index finger, middle finger, third
finger and
little finger, a palm sheet for facing the palm P and the palm surfaces PS of
the
respective fingers F and the palm surface PS of the thumb T and a dorsal sheet
for
covering the dorsal surface DS of the respective fingers F. The hand receiving
portion
also comprises a side finger web for facing the lateral surface LS and medial
surface
MS of each finger F, this side finger web being connected to the palm and
dorsal
sheets for defining finger gussets for enclosing the fingers F.
The hockey glove 10 further comprises finger pads 16 for protecting the dorsal
surface DS of each finger F, a side index finger pad 18 for protecting the
medial side
of the index finger F and a side pad 20 for protecting the medial side MS of
the hand.
The hockey glove 10 also comprises a braiding 22 surrounding the periphery of
the
thumb sheath 12, extending along a portion between the thumb sheath 12 and the
index finger sheath 14 and further along the side of the index finger sheath
14, just
below the index finger pad 18. The braiding 22 is used to affix a portion of
the
periphery of the palm sheet to the thumb sheath 12, to the portion between the
thumb
sheath 12 and the index finger sheath 14 and to the side of the index finger
sheath 14.
Hence, in the prior art glove 10, because of the presence of the braiding 22
in the
region between the thumb sheath 12 and the index finger sheath 14, the
movement of
the hand of the player along a hockey stick may be impeded and there is
therefore a
need to eliminate the braiding in this region.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a hockey glove 100 constructed in accordance with
an
embodiment of the invention. The hockey glove 100 has a hand receiving portion
for
covering the palm P and dorsal side DS of the hand and extending generally to
the end
of the fingers F and a thumb sheath 102 for enclosing the thumb T. The glove
100
further comprises a cuff portion 104, which extends from the wrist up towards
the
lower forearm of the player, the cuff portion 104 being secured to the hand
receiving
portion of the glove 100.
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The glove 100 comprises four finger sheaths 106 for enclosing the index
finger.
middle finger, third finger and little finger. The glove 100 also comprises a
palm sheet
108 for facing the palm P and the palm surfaces PS of the respective fingers F
and the
palm surface PS of the thumb T. and a side finger web I10 for facing the
lateral
surface LS and medial surface MS of each finger F. The side finger web l10 is
connected to the palm sheet 108 for defining finger gussets 112 for receiving
the
fingers F. The palm sheet 108 may be made of a four way stretch NYLON fabric.
The glove 100 also comprises finger pads 114 for protecting the dorsal surface
DS of
each finger F. While the glove 100 is shown as having. on each finger, first
and
second protective pads 114 and one flexion zone between these two pads 114. it
will
become apparent to a person skilled in the art that a variety of other
patterns of
protective pads/flexion zones may be used. For example. on each finger, the
glove
may comprise three finger pads with two flexion zones.
As seen in Figures 4 and 4A. the glove 100 further comprises a side pad 116
for
covering at least partially the medial side MS of the hand. The side pad 116
has a top
portion 117 and a side portion l l9 with an edge 121 generally following the C-
shaped
edge CE of the hand.
Reverting to Figures 4 and 5. the glove 100 also comprises a laver 118 for
covering at
least partially the palm sheet 108. The layer 1 18 is made of a suitable
material such as
soft leather, leather-like materials. synthetic suede. or Nash fabric. An
example of a
suitable material is commercialized under the trade-mark CLARINO. The layer
118
may also be treated with silicone to improve stick control.
The glove 100 also comprises a first index finger pad 128 that covers the
medial side
of the index finger and that is located proximate the proximate phalanx and a
second
index finger pad 130 that covers the medial side of the index finger and that
is located
proximate the middle phalanx.
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Referring to Figures 4A and 5A, in which the index finger pads 128. 130 and
the layer
l 18 have been removed, the side finger web l 10 has an upper periphery l l
OUP and a
lower periphery l l OLP and the palm sheet 108 has a palm periphery 108P with
a first
palm periphery portion affixed to the periphery of the thumb sheath 102 via a
first
braiding 109, a second palm periphery portion affixed to the lower periphery 1
IOLP.
via stitches l 1 l, for defining the finger gussets I 12 (see Figure 5A). and,
between the
index finger sheath 106 and the thumb sheath 102, a third palm periphery
portion
affixed to the edge 121 of the side portion 1 19 of the side pad 116 via
stitches 1 l3
(see Figure 4A). Hence, instead of being affixed to the glove via a braiding
similar to
lo the braiding 22 shown in Figures 2 and 3, the third palm periphery portion
of the palm
periphery 108 is directly affixed to the side pad 116 via stitches 113.
Reverting to Figure 4, the layer I 18 has a first portion 120 extending over
the side
portion 119 of the side pad 116 such that this portion 120 covers the
connection
between the palm sheet 108 and side pad 1 l 6. In other words, the portion 120
of the
layer 118 extends over the third palm periphery portion of the palm periphery
108 and
over the side portion 119 of the side pad 116. The portion 120 further extends
over the
top portion 117 of the side pad 116 and has a peripherv 122 affixed to this
top portion
117 via stitches 124. The periphery 122 extends along a line that is
substantially
parallel to a line following the C-shaped edge CE of the hand. The portion 120
may
comprise a V-shaped opening 126 at the periphery 122.
The layer 118 has a second portion 132 extending at least partially over the
first index
finger pad 128. The second index finger pad 130 may also be covered with a
layer
made of a material similar to the one of the layer 118.
As shown in Figure 5, the glove 100 further comprises a first little finger
pad 134 that
covers the lateral side of the little finger and that is located proximate the
proximate
phalanx and a second little finger pad 136 that covers the lateral side of the
little
finger and that is located proximate the middle phalanx. The layer 118 has a
third
portion 138 extending at least partially over the first little finger pad 134.
The second
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little finger pad 136 may also be covered with a laver made of a material
similar to the
one of the layer 118.
As shown in Figures 5 and 5A. the glove 100 comprises a further pad 142 for
covering the lateral side LS of the little finger F.
It is understood that the layer l 18 may cover an important portion of the
palm sheet
108 as best seen in Figure 5. Moreover, the laver 1 l8 may cover an important
portion
of the portion of the palm portion 108 that faces the palm surface PS of the
thumb T.
The glove 100 may also comprise further rounded layers 140 each covering a
portion
of the palm sheet 108 at the end of each finger F.
Reverting to Figure 5A. the palm periphery 108P is not directly affixed to the
glove
along the pad 142 since. as shown in Figure 5. this portion of the palni
periphery 108P
is rather affixed to the glove via a braiding 144 made of a portion of the
layer 1 l 8.
The above description of embodiments should not be interpreted in a limiting
manner
since other variations, modifications and refinements are possible within the
spirit and
scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the
appended
claims and their equivalents.
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