Reinforced grip gloves

Abstract

A knitted grip-reinforced glove (1) comprising a hand portion (2) having a palmar side (3) and a dorsal side (4), and at least one finger portion (5), wherein the glove is knitted from a stretchable material, at least one artificial tendon (6) is positioned on the outside or inside of the knitted material, and the finger portion is knitted such that at least one fingertip (7) has restricted stretching. The finger portion is knitted to have at least one reinforced area on the dorsal side of the glove in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the finger portion, while the palmar side of the finger portion and the glove have a knitted structure that is flexible in at least two directions, the reinforced area extends downward on each side of the finger portion to form a reinforced side, and at least one artificial tendon is slidably attached to the reinforced side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a knitted grip reinforcement glove made of stretchable material.

Background Art

[0002] Existing grip reinforcement gloves on the market are made by cutting and sewing textiles. In many cases, such grip reinforcement gloves are made to be used over a protective glove. Cut-and-sewn gloves always have seams, which are uncomfortable for the wearer. Since the seams do not stretch, for comfort, the seam allowance needs to be turned away from the wearer's hand and towards the outside. Another problem with cut-and-sewn gloves is the integration of components that transmit force, such as pressure sensors and cables, with electrical components. This is solved, for example, by using textile layering as disclosed in WO2017 / 207507. However, using multiple layers has the disadvantages of not giving the wearer freedom of movement and being warm to wear while working with the gloves. Another disadvantage is that the tactile feedback from objects interacting with the hand is limited, making it difficult to manipulate small objects such as bolts.

[0003] Current glove manufacturing is labor-intensive. The particularity and quality requirements of grip reinforcement gloves require meticulous one-on-one training for sewing-exclusive workers. This training needs to be repeated every time the glove design is changed. Hand-sewing techniques and the knowledge of individual craftsmen influence the result. That is, there are variations in the textiles of the gloves produced within one single batch. The functionality of the gloves allows almost no error. The efficient transmission of force to the fingers depends on tolerances in millimeters. In current cut-and-sewn production, the tolerance for sewing work is 2 millimeters. Even an error of 1 millimeter can cause the fingers of the glove to twist during the operation of the artificial tendon. Finger twisting not only causes discomfort but can also shift the sensor from its predetermined position, causing an uneven force distribution.

[0004] In gloves that use multiple layers, problems can arise such as the layers slipping inside, causing malfunctions or an unstable gripping experience for the wearer.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for gloves with a small number of layers, preferably gloves that integrate sensors, communication, wiring, and power transmission functions with as few layers as possible.

[0006] WO2019010520 and WO2021087557 disclose seamless knitted grip-enhancing gloves with reinforced bands. The reinforced bands wrap around the fingers and hand. These bands add bluntness that allows force from tendons to adhere, thus enhancing grip. This type of glove has the advantage of being quick to produce and therefore having low manufacturing costs. However, gloves manufactured in this way have several drawbacks. One problem with gloves knitted in this way is that because the bands are knitted all around the fingers and parts of the hand, it is difficult to provide a good fit for all variations in hand proportions within a single size. Even when using gloves of the same size, people with wider or narrower fingers may find the fingers of the glove too tight or too loose due to the bands. Fingers of a glove that do not fit tightly enough around the wearer's fingers are at risk of moving relative to the fingers, and proper control of the grip-enhancing glove is not guaranteed. Another problem is the difficulty in properly connecting the fingers and wrist during force transmission. Furthermore, gloves made of knitted bands have limited possibilities for adding layers such as pockets or channels to integrate cables, tendons, and sensors.

[0007] Other examples of gloves made with knitted materials include WO2015134336 and US2021301432. [Disclosure of the Invention] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The present invention solves the above problems and provides a grip-enhancing glove woven from a flexible and largely stretchable material that has enough flexibility to give the wearer a comfortable glove while ensuring a good fit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] This invention provides a glove for enhanced grip during organization.

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a knitted grip-enhanced glove is provided, comprising a hand portion having a palmar side and a dorsal side (back of hand side), and at least one finger portion. The knitted grip-enhanced glove is knitted from a stretchable material to accommodate different proportions of at least one hand size, and possibly up to two sizes. At least one artificial tendon is positioned on the outside of the knitted finger glove, and at least one finger portion is knitted so that the fingertips of the glove have limited elasticity. At least one finger portion is knitted to form at least one area on the dorsal side of the finger portion in which stretching is restricted in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the finger portion, and the palmar side of the glove is made of a flexible material having a knitted structure that is flexible in at least two directions.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the limited stretching is the stretching that is limited by the material itself.

[0012] According to one embodiment, at least one finger portion is provided with at least one organizing channel so that a cable can be pulled up along the finger and attached to a sensor provided at the fingertip.

[0013] According to one embodiment, at least one finger portion is equipped with a conductive thread leading to a sensor provided at the fingertip.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the back of the hand portion has a longitudinal region that extends from the wrist portion to at least one finger portion, and this longitudinal region is restricted in its lengthwise expansion and contraction.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the wrist portion is provided with at least one opening so that a force fixing device can be attached to the inside of the wrist portion.

[0016] According to one embodiment, at least one finger portion is provided with at least two regions on the upper side of the finger portion whose expansion and contraction are restricted in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the finger portion.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the glove has threads woven into it that provide cut protection or fire protection.

[0018] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a glove is provided that includes a knitted grip-enhancing glove as a liner according to any of the above embodiments.

[0019] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the following accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1A] Figure 1A shows palmar and dorsal embodiments of a knitted grip-reinforced glove with a restricted stretch portion. [Figure 1B] Figure 1B shows palmar and dorsal embodiments of a knitted grip-enhanced glove with a restricted stretch portion. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the palm side of the reinforced grip glove. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the back side of the reinforced grip glove. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows another embodiment of the palm side of the reinforced grip glove. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows another embodiment of the back of the reinforced grip glove. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the back of the reinforced grip glove. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic assembly of the braided pressure sensor. [Figure 8A] FIG. 8A is a diagram showing front and back embodiments of a braided glove including a braided portion with conductive yarn and a braided pressure sensor. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is a diagram showing front and back embodiments of a braided glove including a braided portion with conductive yarn and a braided pressure sensor. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged detailed view of the embodiment of FIG. 8A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] As used herein, the stretchable material refers to a material that can stretch and contract within its plane and can return to its original shape. A flexible (pliable) material can bend from a plane.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the front side 3 of the braided grip reinforcement glove 1. The glove 1 includes a hand portion 2 and at least one finger portion 5 having a fingertip VII. The finger portion 5 is suitable for any finger of the wearer's hand including the thumb. The grip reinforcement glove includes a region 8 with restricted stretch.

[0023] The grip reinforcement glove according to the present invention is made of a stretchable material. This stretchable material is braided to provide stretchability. Thus, one size of glove 1 fits hands of different sizes in both length and width. For example, one size of glove preferably fits hands of two sizes. In this embodiment, the portion with restricted stretchability is indicated by a dashed line.

[0024] The stretchable material requires different stretchabilities depending on which part of the glove it is used for. This is achievable because the glove 1 is braided to give specific stretchabilities to different regions, as will be further explained below.

[0025] Knitting is a technique that uses two or more needles to loop yarn and connect it into a series of interconnected loops to create clothing or fabric.

[0026] To achieve the desired properties of knitted gloves, there are several options, including but not limited to intarsia knitting, plating knitting, and inlay knitting. It is also possible to knit with heat-activated yarn.

[0027] Intarsia knitting is a knitting technique that uses two or more threads to create variations in their properties. Originally used to create color blocks, in this case it is used to create sections with different elasticity in the middle of a row without creating gaps on the back of the stitches.

[0028] Plating knitting is a technique that involves simultaneously knitting two or more threads with different colors, materials, and properties to create special effects on the surface of a fabric. Plating structures consist of loops made up of two or more threads, often possessing different physical properties. The fabric is formed using different types and colors of threads so that they are not visible from the opposite side. The different properties of multiple fibers are utilized to achieve various surface effects and patterns.

[0029] Inlay knitting is a technique that uses two threads: one thread is used in the stitches, and the second thread is moved between the stitches on the front and back of the fabric, thereby giving the fabric different physical properties. The second thread acts as a passive thread, at least in part of the knitting process, and can give different properties to different parts of the knitted structure.

[0030] Thermoactivated yarn is a synthetic yarn containing thermoactivated binder fibers. The product is knitted with this synthetic yarn containing thermoactivated binder fibers, and then the product (or a part of the product) is heated, which causes the binder fibers to melt sufficiently and flow out onto the surrounding yarn, allowing them to adhere. Subsequently, the yarn is cooled to solidify the melted binder fibers, creating a region with limited elasticity / flexibility.

[0031] However, for a grip-enhancing glove to function properly, it needs to have a mixture of areas made of stretchable material and areas with limited stretchability. Both the stretchability and recovery of the fabric are important. The stretchable material of the glove is knitted so that different areas have different stretchability. The stretchable areas of the grip-enhancing glove according to the present invention have a knitted structure that stretches in at least two directions, preferably any direction. This allows for stretching and recovery in both the width and length directions. Other areas of the glove are knitted to have stretchability limited to at least one direction. Some areas of the glove can be knitted so that stretchability is limited to at least two directions.

[0032] Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the palm side 3 of the knitted grip-enhancing glove 1. The glove 1 consists of a hand portion 2 and at least one finger portion 5 having a fingertip 7. A sensor 9 (further described below) is provided at the fingertip, and each finger is provided with two artificial tendons 6 (further described below with reference to Figure 3). The knitted grip-enhancing glove also includes a wrist portion 12.

[0033] Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the back of the knitted glove 1. The hand portion 2 is made of a stretchable material and has at least one reinforcing region 8 knitted to restrict stretching in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the finger portions 5. The fingertips 7 of the finger portions 5 are knitted to restrict stretching in at least two directions. The reinforcing region 8, which has stretching limited to a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the finger portions, is located on the back of the finger portions 5 and does not surround the finger portions 5. Preferably, the reinforcing region 8 reaches at least one side 16, preferably both sides 16, of the finger portions 5 (as shown in Figure 4), forming a reinforcing side 8'. The reinforcing region 8 may be provided in further parts of the knitted glove. The palm side of the finger portions is made of a stretchable material.

[0034] At least one artificial tendon 6 is positioned on the outside or inside of the knitted fabric of the knitted glove, or within a channel described later, running along the length of one side 16 of the finger portion 5 and attached to the fingertip 7. Preferably, there is one artificial tendon on each side 16 of the finger portion. The artificial tendon 6 is preferably slidably attached in the reinforced portion 8, preferably along the side(s) 8'. The artificial tendon 6 may be slidably attached, for example, by loops or tunnels (not shown) formed by seams.

[0035] Alternatively, the artificial tendon may run along the length of one side 16 of the finger portion to the fingertip 7 and down the other side of the finger portion 16. In the latter case, the artificial tendon is preferably slidably attached along the side(s) 8' at the fingertip 7 and the reinforced portion 8. The artificial tendon 6 may be slidably attached, for example, by loops or tunnels (not shown) made of seams.

[0036] The limited stretchability is preferably achieved by knitting, where the stretchability is inherent to the material itself. However, it is also possible to achieve limited stretchability by other means, such as knitting with molten yarn, laminating yarn with adhesive, or heat pressing onto materials that solidify when cooled, such as rubber sheets or silicone sheets, or other suitable materials.

[0037] Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the palm side 3 of the glove 1 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the reinforced area 8 with limited elasticity extends to at least one side 16 of the finger portion, preferably both sides (not shown), as shown in Figure 3. The area 8 with limited elasticity can also be provided in other parts of the glove 1, which will be described later. A wrist portion 12 is provided. The wrist portion may have limited elasticity in at least one direction, preferably toward the fingers. The wrist portion 12 may be provided with a pocket 14 for a wrist brace (bracket). The wrist bracket can be, for example, a rigid but circumferentially, preferably elastically bendable, i.e., a band that bends with respect to and from the central axis of the circumference. In this way, it is possible to widen the circumference to allow the wearer's hand to pass through, and then elastically return to its original shape. If a wrist bracket is not present, it is preferable that stretching is restricted in at least two orthogonal directions.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, it is preferable that at least one sensor 9 is attached to the fingertip 7. Of course, the sensor 9 may be placed in more locations on the knitted grip-reinforced glove, for example, on the palm. For connection between at least one sensor 9 and control means (not shown), for example, at least one electrical cable 11 is attached. The cable 11 can be passed through, for example, a slit provided in the reinforced portion 8. According to another embodiment, a conductive thread is woven into the material connected to the sensor 9.

[0039] Therefore, the reinforced grip glove may sense when the wearer attempts to grip something and consequently initiate a pull of at least one artificial tendon 6 to enhance the grip.

[0040] Figure 5 shows one embodiment of the back of a reinforced grip glove, where the finger portion 5 is provided with a reinforced channel 10 that runs along the length of the finger from the fingertip 7. The reinforced channel 10 is used to pull up a cable 11 along the finger portion 5 and attach the cable to a sensor 9 located on the fingertip 7. Additionally, another reinforced channel 15 may be provided on the palm side 3 of the glove along the side of the finger portion 5, extending from the palm along the finger portion 5. As shown in this embodiment, the reinforced channel 15 is used to pull up a tendon 6 along the finger portion 5 and attach it at the fingertip 7.

[0041] Figure 6 shows a dorsal embodiment of the knitted grip-reinforced glove 1, with arrows indicating the direction of stretch restriction in different parts of the glove. In Figure 6, the fingertips 7 are knitted to restrict stretch in two directions. Two reinforcement areas 8 along each finger are knitted to restrict stretch in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the finger sections 5, and the dorsal section 4 has longitudinal areas 13 that are restricted in the longitudinal direction of the area, and these areas extend from the wrist section 12 to the reinforcement areas 8 of the finger sections 5. The longitudinal areas 13 help to prevent the glove from stretching too much along the back of the hand.

[0042] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, each finger portion 5 extends to the wrist portion 12 in the longitudinal direction. The wrist portion 12 also serves to stabilize the force when tendons are pulled, preventing the glove from slipping on the hand.

[0043] The longitudinal region 13 connects to a V-shaped region 12' on the dorsal side of the wrist portion 12, which has limited elasticity, for example, in the same direction as the longitudinal region 13 or longitudinally along the "branches" of the V. Obviously, it is also possible to limit the elasticity perpendicular to the two previously proposed directions. The tip of the V is directed toward the finger portion 5 of the glove 1. The V-shaped region 12' is provided to allow the wrist portion 12 of the glove to open sufficiently to insert a wider portion of the hand through the wrist portion 12 of the glove 1, by the possibility of stretching in a direction substantially intersecting the direction of limited elasticity, particularly since the "branches" of the V can easily detach and stretch. The wrist portion 12 may further have two openings 17, for example, to attach a device for fixing force inside the wrist portion 12, or a band, ribbon, or string with limited elasticity that closes after the user's hand is placed in the glove. Alternatively, a band, ribbon, or string could be attached to the end of the "branch" to keep it together and prevent the glove from slipping on the wearer's hand.

[0044] The wrist portion 12 may further be provided with a guide portion (not shown) that guides the artificial tendon 6 toward an actuator (not shown) located, for example, on the wrist portion 12 of the knitted grip reinforced glove 1. The actuator can pull the artificial tendon 6 when a signal is applied. The signal can be obtained from at least one sensor 9 located on the knitted grip reinforced glove 1.

[0045] Pressure sensors and force sensors can also be fabricated during the knitting process. Such knitted sensors are fully integrated into the knitted fabric, enabling a seamless and efficient production process. See Figure 7 for an overview of the knitted sensor 20. In one embodiment of such a sensor 20, conductive threads or yarns are knitted to form two layers 18, and the sensor area is constructed, for example, in a meandering or mesh pattern. Between the two conductive layers 18 is a semiconducting material 19 whose electrical properties change when a force is applied. This material 19 can be part of the knitted structure, or it can be an external material that is fitted in during or after the knitting process. Examples of semiconducting materials whose properties change when a force is applied include piezoelectric materials, resistive materials, and capacitive materials.

[0046] Figures 8A and 8B show a grip-enhanced glove that may have the features described above, particularly the reinforcement region 8 and the longitudinal region 13, but for clarity, these features are not shown in Figures 8A and 8B. In this embodiment, a knitted sensor 20 is provided on at least one fingertip 7 of the finger portion 5. Conductive material 18 and semiconductive material 19 are arranged in a desired area of ​​the glove 1 and, referring to Figure 9, may have a physical distribution that coincides with the sensor region 20. When a load or pressure is applied to the sensor 20, a detectable change occurs in its electrical properties. When measured, such a change correlates with a change in the value of pressure or a specific force.

[0047] Other embodiments of woven pressure or force sensors consist solely of conductive threads, each having a resistance that changes with its elongation. The threads can be woven in several patterns, including but not limited to straight or meandering patterns. That is, when a load or pressure is applied to the sensor, the threads elongate, resulting in an increase in electrical resistance. When a load or pressure is applied to the sensor, its electrical resistance undergoes a detectable change. When measured, such a change correlates with a change in pressure or a specific force value.

[0048] In any of the embodiments described above, the conductive thread can extend along the conductive region 21 of the finger portion 5 and further across the hand portion 2, providing connections to a printed circuit board or other electronic components (not shown). Connection to the knitting sensor 20 using the cable 11 is also conceivable. The user interface can be provided, for example, on the wrist portion 12 or the back side 4 of the hand portion 2, as one or more electrical components in a pocket, or as knitted from conductive and semiconductive threads that constitute the user interface.

[0049] Any embodiment described herein may further include threads that provide cut protection or threads that provide fire protection, which are knitted into the glove. These threads may also be conductive threads leading to sensors provided at the fingertips.

[0050] In some applications, a knitted grip reinforced glove according to any of the embodiments described above can be used as a glove liner. This glove would function as a protective layer over the knitted grip reinforced glove. This may be advantageous when using the knitted glove in an environment where it may be damaged in some way. Additionally, using a protective glove over the knitted grip reinforced glove can add properties such as cut resistance and fire resistance.

[0051] In this application, embodiments show reinforced grip gloves for all fingers, including the thumb. Although not explicitly shown herein, it is possible to provide reinforced grip gloves having all fingers, and it is possible to reinforce all fingers, reinforce only one finger, reinforce the thumb and index finger, reinforce the thumb and the two middle fingers, or any other combination of reinforcements.

[0052] The knitted gloves according to the present invention require virtually no manual labor in their manufacture. Once the design program is defined, machine parameters are set, and yarn is specified and prepared according to the provisions described herein, running costs depend on yarn consumption and machine time. The finished product is of uniform quality, and fabric waste is minimized. In short, this production method reduces costs associated with manual labor, costs associated with quality defects, and environmental costs associated with textile waste.

[0053] The knitted grip-enhancing gloves described herein offer advantages over sewn grip-enhancing gloves in terms of quality, efficiency, production economy, ecology, flexibility, and user comfort.

Claims

1. A reinforced grip glove (1) comprising a hand portion (2) having a palm side (3) and a dorsal side (4), and at least one finger portion (5), The aforementioned knitted grip-enhancing glove (1) is knitted from a stretchable material, At least one artificial tendon (6) is positioned on the outside or inside of the knitted material of the knitted glove (1), The at least one finger portion (5) is knitted such that at least one fingertip (7) of the glove (1) has limited elasticity. Here, the at least one finger portion (5) is knitted to have at least one reinforcing region (8) on the back side of the glove, which is restricted in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the at least one finger portion (5), while the palm side (3) of the finger portion (5) and the glove (1) have a knitted structure that is flexible in at least two directions, the reinforcing region (8) reaches each side (16) of the finger portion (5) to form a reinforcing side portion (8'), and the at least one artificial tendon (6) is slidably attached to the reinforcing side portion (8'). Herein, the back side (4) of the hand portion (2) has a longitudinal region (13) that extends from the wrist portion (12) to the at least one finger portion (5), and the longitudinal region (13) is restricted in its longitudinal expansion and contraction, thus forming a reinforced grip glove.

2. The at least one finger portion (5) is provided with at least one organizing channel (10) along the finger portion (5) for a cable (11), and the cable is attached to sensors (9, 20) provided on the fingertip (7). The grip-enhancing glove according to claim 1.

3. The at least one finger portion (5) is provided with at least one organizing channel (15) along the side (16) of the finger portion (5) for an artificial tendon (6), the artificial tendon (6) is attached to the fingertip (7) or passed through the fingertip (7), A grip-enhancing glove according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The at least one finger portion (5) is provided with a conductive thread leading to a sensor (9, 20) located at the fingertip (7). A knitted grip-enhancing glove according to any one of claims 1, 2, or 4.

5. The longitudinal region (13) is connected to a V-shaped region (12') on the wrist portion (12) of the back side (4) of the knitted grip reinforced glove (1), and the V-shaped region (12') has limited elasticity. A grip-enhancing glove according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The sensor provided on at least one fingertip (7) of the glove (1) is a knitting sensor (20). A grip-enhancing glove according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The wrist portion (12) is provided with at least one opening (17) so that a force-fixing device or a band, ribbon, or string with restricted elasticity can be attached to the inside of the wrist portion (12). A grip-enhancing glove according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The at least one finger portion (5) is provided with at least two reinforcing regions (8) on the dorsal side of the finger portion, the reinforcing regions being restricted from expanding or contracting in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the finger portion. A grip-enhancing glove according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The aforementioned gloves have threads woven into them that provide cut protection or fire protection. A knitted grip-enhancing glove according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A glove comprising a reinforced grip glove according to any one of claims 1 to 9 as a liner.

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