Stitchless dorsal padding for protective sports gloves and other protective gear

a technology of protective gloves and dorsal padding, which is applied in the direction of racket sports, protective garments, garments, etc., can solve the problems of compromising flexibility and tactile feel of protection, affecting the handling ability of sticks, and players losing their tactile feel of sticks

Inactive Publication Date: 2019-12-19
WM T BURNETT IP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The solution enhances flexibility and tactile feel for better stick handling while maintaining protection, and simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating stitching, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective sports glove design.

Problems solved by technology

However, the hand also needs protection and so players typically wear padded gloves to protect their hands and wrists.
However, this conventional construct is relatively thick and fairly rigid in design and compromises flexibility and tactile feel for protection.
In straining against these forces to maintain a grip on the lacrosse stick, a player tends to lose their tactile feel for the stick, and consequently their stick handling capability.
Flexibility can be increased by larger spacing between adjacent pads, but larger spacing compromises protection of the player.
Moreover, conventional stitched dorsal padding unduly complicates the overall glove construction.
The individual pads for the dorsal panel are typically sewn together, and the overlapping sewn-layers restrict flexibility.
This lack of flexibility makes it very difficult to invert the glove when stitching on the palmar section (the glove is inverted when stitched interior seams are desired).
The additional stitching and difficulty in manipulating the glove during manufacturing adds significant time and expense.

Method used

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  • Stitchless dorsal padding for protective sports gloves and other protective gear
  • Stitchless dorsal padding for protective sports gloves and other protective gear
  • Stitchless dorsal padding for protective sports gloves and other protective gear

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

Sonic-Welded Dorsal Panel

[0053]FIG. 5 is a process drawing illustrating an exemplary process for making a dorsal section of glove 2 for the embodiment of FIG. 1. Initially, at Step 1 the entire array of protective pads 52 can be produced by either cold or heat compression in a tool, for example, cast-in-place by pour-casting into a two-part mold. At step 2, the protective pads 52 can be die-cut either post compression or during compression to attain their finished form. As seen at Step 3 the protective elements can be placed back into the tool / mold and pressed onto a substrate using an adhesive film laid overtop pads 52 to keep them registered. As seen at Step 4, the combined film, substrate and protective pads 52 can be placed into a flatbed high frequency welding station 100 as seen at B. To perform HF welding, two opposing die platens 150, 160 can act as capacitor plates. An oscillating electrical current can be applied to the mold 72 / fabric blank 62 combination between the die p...

example 2

Textile Reinforced Compression Molded Foam Rubber Dorsal Panel

[0055]FIG. 6 is a process drawing illustrating an exemplary process for making a dorsal section of glove 2 for the embodiment of FIG. 2. Initially, at Step 1a mold fabricated with protective element cavities can be pre-heated. At Step 2 an optional thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film can be laid on the bottom portion of the mold. One skilled in the art should understand that the TPU film may be omitted to reduce manufacturing cost. At Step 3 the mold can be closed and dorsal section of glove 2 can be vacuum formed by releasing the air out of the bottom portion of the tool / mold so that the TPU film lines the bottom of the tool. At step 4 polyurethane can be poured into the tool / mold using multiple gates, to allow the polyurethane to completely fill the tool cavities. At Step 5 the tool can be put on a conveyer through an oven. The polyurethane can thermally expand to fill the tool / mold cavities. At Step 6 the tool can be...

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PUM

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Abstract

A protective glove can include a unitary dorsal panel formed from an inner scrim material and a plurality of protective elements molded directly to an exterior surface of the inner scrim. Two or more protective elements can be formed as an array of discrete islands each separated by substantially zero-elevation interstitial spaces. The unitary dorsal panel can be sewn or otherwise attached circumferentially to the palmer sections of the glove. This array of protective elements can provide increased protection to the user's fingers, hands, wrists, and lower forearms while maintaining flexibility and tactile feel on both palmar and dorsal sides of the glove, increasing flexibility where needed without compromising protection.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)[0001]The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 14 / 602,915 filed Jan. 22, 2015, which in turn derives priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 61 / 930,311 filed Jan. 22, 2014.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates generally to padding for lacrosse gloves and other athletic apparel and accessories, and more particularly, to a protective sports glove and stitchless dorsal padding for the same that provides improved flexibility, increased protection, finer tactile feel and economy of manufacture.2. Description of the Background[0003]Protective sports gloves are commonly used and, indeed, are required to be used in many organized sports such as lacrosse, hockey, and other contact sports. Such gloves protect the wearer from impact of lacrosse sticks, hockey sticks, balls, pucks, skates, and other players.[0004]Protective sports gloves include padding to protect th...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A63B71/14A41D13/015A41D19/015
CPCA41D2600/10A63B71/141A41D13/0156A63B2102/24A63B2102/14A41D19/01523
InventorABDELMALEK, ANTHONYKUCHARSKY, DAVIDMCKERNAN, PATRICK M.
OwnerWM T BURNETT IP