Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPORTS GLOVE WITH INVERTED FINGER PADS
BACKGROUND
[0001] Sports gloves used in contact sports, such as hockey and lacrosse
gloves, commonly include thick padding that covers the rear of the hand and
fingers
of a wearer to protect the hand and fingers from stick-slashing and other
violent
contact. Multiple blocks of this padding material, which may be made of foam
or
another suitable impact-absorbing material, are typically encased in nylon or
another
fabric material that is stitched together at the base regions of the padding
blocks.
When a wearer closes his or her fingers around a stick or other piece of
equipment,
or otherwise makes a fist, the padding blocks separate from one another,
providing
gaps between the pads that expose the wearer's fingers to potential contact
from a
stick or other piece of equipment. Thus, players may be at risk of finger
injuries
even when wearing a padded sports glove.
SUMMARY
[0002] A sports glove, such as a hockey or lacrosse glove, includes
inverted
finger pads connected such that exterior gaps are not present between some or
all
of the adjacent pads when a wearer grips a stick or otherwise closes his or
her hand.
The inverted pads optionally include stiffening elements attached to or
integral with
their outer surfaces to provide additional protection to the wearer's fingers.
The
finger pads covering the base regions of the fingers optionally are attached
to the
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main body of the glove via an elastic material or similar material that allows
the finger
pads to move away from the main body during closure of a wearer's hand. These
finger pads may further be attached to the main body via an inelastic strap or
similar
feature that prevents the finger pads from being pulled forward beyond the
rear
housing or cover that overlies these finger pads. Other features and
advantages will appear hereinafter. The features described above can be used
separately
or together, or in various combinations of one or more of them.
[0002a] According with one aspect, this disclosure relates to a sports glove.
The sports
glove comprises a main body including a palm region and a rear region opposite
the palm
region; a plurality of finger portions extending from the main body, with each
finger portion
including a plurality of finger pads in a casing material, with the finger
portions and the
finger pads having an inner side toward the palm region of the glove and an
outer side
toward the rear region of the glove; wherein the casing material connects at
least two
adjacent finger pads at their outer sides in at least one of the finger
portions, such that
there is no gap between the outer side of the adjacent finger pads increasing
when the
finger portion changes from a straight position to a curved position.
[0002b] According with another aspect, this disclosure relates to a sports
glove. The
sports glove comprises a main body including a palm region and a rear region
opposite
the palm region; a plurality of finger portions extending from the main body,
with each
finger portion including a plurality of finger pads, with the finger portions
and the finger
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pads having an inner side toward the palm region of the glove and an outer
side toward
the rear region of the glove; wherein adjacent ones of the finger pads in at
least one of
the finger portions are connected such that there is no gap between the outer
sides of the
adjacent ones of the finger pads increasing when the finger portion changes
from a
straight position to a curved position.
[0002c] According with another aspect, this disclosure relates to a sports
glove. The
sports glove comprises a main body including a palm region and a rear region
opposite
the palm region; a plurality of finger portions extending from the main body,
with each
finger portion including a plurality of finger pads, wherein one of the pads
in at least one
of the finger portions comprises a base pad connected to the main body via an
elastic
connector that extends from the finger portion to the main body and is
elastically
deformable such that the base pad is movable relative to the main body to
facilitate closing
of a wearer's fingers.
[0002d]
According with another aspect, this disclosure relates to a sports glove for
protecting a hand of a wearer. The sports glove comprises a main body
including a
palm region configured to face a palm of the wearer's hand and a rear region
opposite
the palm region and configured to face a back of the wearer's hand; and a
plurality of
finger portions extending from the main body and configured to receive
respective ones
of a plurality of fingers of the wearer's hand, each finger portion comprising
an outer side
configured to face away from a given one of the fingers that is received by
the finger
portion, an internal side configured to face and engage a back of the given
one of the
fingers, and a plurality of finger pads disposed between the outer side of the
finger portion
and the internal side of the finger portion and configured such that adjacent
ones of the
finger pads remain closer to one another at a point closer to the outer side
of the finger
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portion than to the internal side of the finger portion when the finger
portion changes from
a straight position to a curved position as the wearer's hand is closed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] In the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates the
same element throughout the views:
[0004] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sports glove, according to one
embodiment.
[0005] Fig. 2 is a side-sectional view of one of the fingers of the sports
glove
shown in Fig. 1 in the straight position.
[0006] Fig. 3 is a side-sectional view of the finger shown in Fig. 2 in
the closed
position.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Various embodiments of the invention will now be described. The
following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding
and
enabling description of these embodiments. One skilled in the art will
understand,
however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details.
Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or
described in detail so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant
description of
the various embodiments.
[0008] The terminology used in the description presented below is intended
to
be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used
in
conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the
invention. Certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any
terminology
intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and
specifically
defined as such in this detailed description section.
[0009] Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include
the plural or singular term, respectively. Moreover, unless the word "or" is
expressly
limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the other items in a list of
two or
more items, then the use of "or" in such a list is to be interpreted as
including (a) any
single item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list, or (c) any
combination of items in
the list.
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[0010] Turning now in detail to the drawings, Figs. 1-3 illustrates a
sports
glove 10, according to one embodiment. The sports glove 10 described herein
may
be used in a variety of sports, including hockey, lacrosse, and other contact
sports.
For ease of description, these gloves will generally be referred to as "sports
gloves"
or "hockey gloves."
[0011] The sports glove 10 includes a main body 12. Multiple finger
sections
16 configured to receive a wearer's fingers extend from a first end of the
main body
12. A thumb section 18 configured to receive a wearer's thumb extends from a
side
region of the main body 12. The side regions 15 of the finger sections 16 may
include durable material (e.g., leather) or a breathable material (e.g.,
mesh). The
palm section of the glove (not shown) opposite the rear section may include a
durable material, and may optionally include openings or breathable material
in one
or more regions to provide ventilation to a wearer's hand.
[0012] A rear cover 19 defining a finger-pad housing is connected to a rear
region of the main body 12. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the rear cover 19
at
least partially overlies base regions of the finger sections 16. A support pad
17
optionally extends behind the finger sections 16 in the finger-pad housing to
provide
structural support, particularly for when the fingers sections 16 are in the
closed or
gripping position, as further described below.
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[0013] A cuff region 20 extends from a second end of the main body 12. The
cuff region 20 is optionally extendable such that the amount of wrist coverage
it
provides may be adjusted. The cuff region 20, for example, may be elastically
attached to an interior of the main body 12 and may include hook and loop
fasteners
or other suitable attachment mechanisms to allow the cuff region 20 to be
attached
at a desired location on the inside of the main body 12.
[0014] The rear regions of the main body 12, the thumb section 18, and the
rear cover 19 include pads 22 made of an open cell, urethane foam (e.g.,
Poron0), a
PVC nitrile foam, or of another suitable impact-absorbing material. The pads
22 are
preferably encased in a fabric material, such as nylon or another suitable
material.
[0015] In the Illustrated embodiment, each finger section 16 includes a
base
pad 24, a first mid-region pad or "knuckle pad" 26, a second mid-region or
"knuckle
pad" 28, and a tip pad 30. A greater or lesser number of pads alternatively
may be
included in each finger section 16. For example, the base pad 24 or the second
knuckle pad 28 could have a greater length in a given finger section 16, such
that
the first knuckle pad 26 may be omitted. Further, different finger sections 16
in a
given glove may include differing numbers of pads. For example, the index
finger
section could include four pads, while the pinkie finger section could include
three
pads. Any other suitable number and combination of pads alternatively may be
used.
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[0016] The multiple finger pads are also preferably encased in a fabric
material, such as nylon or another suitable material. The material encasing at
least
some of the finger pads is stitched together or otherwise connected between
the
rear, upper regions of the finger pads. In the illustrated embodiment, for
example,
the casing material is stitched together between¨or otherwise forms a bridge
between¨the upper regions of the base pad 24 and the first knuckle pad 26, and
between the upper regions of the first and second knuckle pads 26 and 28. (The
casing material between the tip pad 30 and the second knuckle pad 28 in the
illustrated embodiment, conversely, is stitched together or otherwise forms a
bridge
between the base regions or lower regions of the pads¨in an alternative
embodiment, these pads may also be stitched together or otherwise bridged at
their
upper regions.)
[0017] As shown in Fig. 2, as a result of this configuration, when the
finger
sections 16 are oriented in a straight position, gaps 31 are located between
the base
pad 24 and the first knuckle pad 26, and between the first and second knuckle
pads
26 and 28, below the connection points of these pads. These finger pads,
therefore,
effectively are "inverted" relative to finger pads in conventional hockey
gloves, which
include external gaps between the pads. Thus, unlike conventional padding
arrangements, in the sports glove 10, external gaps are not provided between
at
least some of the pads covering the wearer's fingers. The wearer's fingers in
these
regions, therefore, are not exposed to contact from a stick or other
equipment.
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[0018] In one embodiment, the base pad 24 (or its casing) of each finger
section 16 is connected to the main body 12 via an elastic strap 32 or similar
element. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the elastic strap 32 allows the base pad 24
to move
or slide in a longitudinal direction toward the tip end of the finger section
16 when a
wearer closes his or her hand. Each base pad may be connected to the main body
12 via a separate elastic strap 32, or an elastic webbing may be connected to
some
or all of the base-pad casings.
[0019] The base pad 24 (or its casing) of each finger section 16 may also
be
connected to the main body 12 via an inelastic strap 34 or similar element.
The
inelastic strap 34 optionally has a length suitable to prevent the base pad 24
from
sliding or moving completely out of the finger-pad housing, such that a rear
region of
the hand does not become exposed to contact from a stick or other piece of
equipment when the wearer's hand is in a closed position. In an alternative
embodiment, the elastic straps 32 may be omitted such that only the inelastic
straps
34 are used. It is preferred to include the elastic straps 32, however,
because they
aid in pulling the base pads 24 fully into the finger-pad housing when the
wearer
straightens his or her fingers.
[0020] In one embodiment, one of the elastic and inelastic straps 32, 34
is
attached to an upper region of the base-pad casing, while the other of the
elastic
and inelastic straps 32, 34 is attached to a lower region of the base-pad
casing.
Alternatively, both straps may be attached to the upper or lower region of the
base-
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pad casing, or one or both straps may be attached to a mid-region of the base-
pad
casing.
[0021] As illustrated in Fig. 3, because the gaps 31 are located beneath
the
connection points of neighboring pads, the gaps 31 become partially or
completely
closed when a wearer closes his or her hand. Thus, unlike in conventional
hockey
gloves¨where the gaps are on the exterior of the glove and therefore expose
the
wearer's hand to contact from a stick or other equipment when the wearer's
hand is
closed¨in the glove described herein, the wearer's fingers are not exposed to
contact when the wearer's fingers are in the closed, or stick-gripping
position (with
the exception of the gap 33 formed between the tip pad 30 and the second
knuckle
pad 28, which is a region not commonly subjected to contact¨as mentioned
above,
however, these pads alternatively may be stitched or otherwise connected at
their
upper regions such that no exterior gap would be present between them, as
well).
[0022] In one embodiment, stiffening elements 40 are attached to or
integral
with the rear, outer surfaces of the finger sections 16 to provide additional
protection
to the wearer's fingers. One or more stiffening elements may be attached to or
integral with the rear, outer surface of the thumb section 18, as well. The
stiffening
elements 40 are preferably made of a higher density material than the encased
foam
pads, while still being flexible enough to bend when the wearer's fingers are
curved
in the closed position. Each stiffening element 40, for example, may be made
of
thermoplastic polyurethane ("TPU"), polypropylene, polyethylene, a plastic, or
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another suitable high-density material. Ribs 42, raised ridges, or other
protective
features may be included on or integral with an outer surface of the
stiffening
elements to provide additional protection.
[0023] The stiffening elements 40 may be radio-frequency welded directly to
the finger-casing material, or may be stitched to the finger casing material,
or may
be molded onto the finger casing material, or may be attached to the finger
casing
material in any other suitable manner. Because they are located on rear
regions of
the finger sections 16, the stiffening elements 40 also help to inhibit
rearward flexion,
or hyperextens ion, of a wearer's fingers.
[0024] In one embodiment, the encased foam pads in the finger sections 16
may be molded or assembled into a pre-curved orientation to better follow the
path
of the wearer's fingers in a stick-grasping position. In this embodiment, as
few as
one finger pad could be included over the length of the finger section 16.
Alternatively, a pre-curved pad could be used in combination with a separate
tip pad
(such as tip pad 30 shown in Figs. 2 and 3), or in combination with one or
more
additional finger pads (such as the second knuckle pad 28 shown in Figs. 2 and
3).
The pre-curved pad optionally is molded or assembled with a partial break or
undercut, such that the pad is better able to curve as the fingers are
progressively
closed.
[0025] The sports glove 10 described herein provides several advantages.
For example, because the gaps 31 between the inverted finger pads close, or
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substantially close, when a wearer grasps a stick or otherwise closes his or
her
hand, the wearer's fingers are protected better than a wearer's fingers in a
conventional hockey glove that has multiple external gaps on each finger
section
when the wearer's hand is in the closed position. Further, because the base
pads
24 of the finger sections 16 are able to move forward during closing of a
wearer's
hand, there is significantly less resistance to natural motion of the fingers
than what
is exhibited in conventional hockey gloves. An additional layer of protection
may
also be provided by including stiffening elements 40 on the rear, outer
regions of the
finger sections 16 or the thumb section 18.
[0026] Any of the above-described embodiments may be used alone or in
combination with one another. Further, the sports glove may include additional
features not described herein. While several embodiments have been shown and
described, various changes and substitutions may of course be made, without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention,
therefore, should
not be limited, except by the following claims and their equivalents.
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