Gloves with Elastic Wristbands

Abstract

To provide a lightweight, breathable glove for baseball or softball that generally includes a strap that extends over at least a portion of an opening in which a wearer may place his or her hand.SOLUTION: The strap is at least partially made of an elastic material so that the strap can extend and contract. The glove may thus have a reduced weight to provide superior ease of use. Further, the conforming fit of the glove provides for enhanced control of the glove, which provides superior utility and performance for the glove, as well as other advantages. Alternatively, the glove may include a thong which may extend from the glove and may engage an elastic band at one of its ends. Thus, the elastic band may engage both the glove and the thong so that the size of the opening can increase and decrease due to the strap and / or the elastic band.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 809,854, titled "Gloves with Elastic Wristbands," filed on February 25, 2019, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 862,311, titled "Gloves with Elastic Straps," filed on June 17, 2019, both of which are pending, and the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to sports equipment, and more particularly to gloves for baseball or softball. Specifically, the present invention relates to lightweight gloves for baseball or softball with straps that fit snugly on the wearer's hand.

Background Art

[0003] As best shown in FIG. 1, a conventional glove 100 for baseball or softball generally includes a front panel 110 that forms the front portion of the glove 100 and a rear panel 115 that forms the rear portion of the glove 100. The front panel 110 and the rear panel 115 are fixed to each other at the periphery of the glove 100 by various fastening means to form a glove shell 120 having an upper surface 122, a lower surface 124, and two side surfaces 126. The fastening means may include, but are not limited to, stitches, cords, clasps, rivets, adhesives, and other fastening means. The glove shell 120 generally defines a thumb portion 136 and finger portions 138 such that the thumb can be inserted into the thumb portion 136 and the other fingers can be inserted into the finger portions 138 respectively. The finger portions 138 are conventionally joined by cross - braces to form a joined finger region 140. The cross - braces may include, but are not limited to, cords. The web 142 is disposed between the thumb portion 136 and the finger portions 138 and is fixed by fastening means.

[0004] The front panel 110 has a central portion (not shown) that forms a ball-catching pocket located above the lower surface 124 of the glove 100 and below the web 142 and the finger portions 138. The lower surface 124 of the rear panel 115 defines an opening 145 for receiving the wearer's hand, and may further include an adjustable strap or cord 150 that extends across the opening 145. The adjustable strap or cord 150 typically includes a hook and loop type fastener, a pull strap, a hook and loop strap, and the like. In some cases, to prevent the glove 100 from moving during use, the wearer can adjust the strap or cord 150 to selectively secure it to the wearer's wrist for a snug fit. The front panel 110 and the rear panel 115 are preferably composed of a relatively thick, high-density, hard material for purposes of structural integrity and shock absorption.

[0005] The glove 100 constructed in the conventional manner is heavy, lacks suitable means for securing the glove 100 to the wearer's hand during use, has a poor touch, and lacks proper breathability. Generally, the glove 100 constructed as conventionally is composed entirely or mostly of leather and / or leather-like materials which are generally relatively high-density and hard materials. Using such high-density materials in the construction of a baseball or softball glove creates a relatively heavy glove, especially in the case of gloves that include additional padding or lengths of material, such as catcher's or outfielder's gloves. Further, using hard materials to form the rear panel 115 and other elements of the known glove 100 generally inhibits the optimal fit and feel of the glove 100. The leather or leather-like material of the front panel 110 of the known glove 100 may become less hard over time through the process of folding the palm or forming the pocket of the glove 100, but the material of the rear panel 115 of the known glove 100 generally remains relatively hard throughout the life of the glove 100. Further, generally, leather and / or leather-like materials are not sufficiently breathable and restrict the flow of air around the wearer's hand and the glove 100 during use. For example, the rear panel 115 of the known glove 100 includes leather or leather-like material with limited flexibility that does not create sufficient air flow around the wearer's hand.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for a lightweight, breathable glove with a precise fit and a loose feel that optimizes the usefulness of the glove while using less material compared to known gloves. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention relates to a lightweight, breathable glove for baseball or softball that generally includes a strap extending across at least a portion of an opening in which the wearer can place a hand. Since the strap is at least partially made of an elastic material, the strap can stretch and contract and further has a shape memory effect.

[0008] Accordingly, the strap fits snugly to the wearer's hand and provides a loose feel. The weight reduction of the glove provides excellent usability and other advantages. Further, the snug fit of the glove enhances the controllability of the glove, providing excellent utility and performance of the glove and other advantages. Further, the breathability of the glove improves the comfort of the wearer. Generally, the strap includes an elastic material, a combination of elastic materials, or a combination of an elastic material and a non-elastic material. This strap can be achieved by at least partially replacing a conventional adjustable strap or cord with an elastic material, a combination of elastic materials, or a combination of an elastic material and a non-elastic material.

[0009] Alternatively, the glove can include a cord that may extend from the glove. The cord may be made of a non-elastic material. The cord may engage an elastic band at the other end. Accordingly, the elastic band can engage both the glove and the cord. Accordingly, the size of the opening can be increased or decreased by the strap and / or the elastic band.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to (i) provide a lightweight glove, (ii) provide a glove with improved fit for the wearer, (iii) provide a glove with improved breathability, and (iv) provide a glove that uses less material compared to known gloves. Other advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] To better understand the various embodiments of the present invention, reference can be made to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

[0013] The present disclosure can have various modified and alternative forms, and specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings as examples and are described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the drawings and detailed descriptions presented herein are not intended to limit the present disclosure to the specific embodiments disclosed, but on the contrary, are intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Here, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, and throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts. In order to clarify the features of the present invention, the proportional relationships of the elements are not necessarily maintained in the drawings. It should be understood that the dimensions included in the drawings are provided merely as examples, and dimensions other than those provided therein are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0015] The description of the present invention refers to specific embodiments in which the present invention can be implemented. The embodiments are intended to describe the aspects of the present invention in sufficient detail so that those skilled in the art can implement the present invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is defined by the appended claims, and thus the description should not be construed in a limiting sense, and such claims do not limit the scope of equivalents having the rights.

[0016] One object of the present invention is to provide a glove for baseball or softball that is (i) lightweight, (ii) has an improved fit and feel for the wearer, (iii) has improved breathability, and (iv) uses less material compared to known gloves. Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a glove for baseball or softball that improves upon known gloves for baseball or softball.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the present invention relates to an improved lightweight glove 200 for baseball or softball. The glove 200 includes a front panel 205 and a rear panel 210, with the front panel 205 forming the front face of the glove 200 and the rear panel 210 forming the rear face of the glove 200. The front panel 205 is the side of the glove 200 adjacent to the ball when the ball is caught in the glove 200, and the rear panel 210 is on the opposite side of the front panel 205. The front panel 205 and the rear panel 210 are secured together at the periphery of the glove 200 by at least one fastener (not shown) at the upper portion 220 and both side surfaces 225 of the glove 200, leaving an opening 230 for the user to insert their hand into the glove 200. The at least one fastener (not shown) may be a stitch, cord, clasp, rivet, adhesive, and / or other fastening means known in the art.

[0018] The rear panel 210 may include a notch 235 that may be in a U-shaped configuration extending from the opening 230 towards the upper portion 220. In a first embodiment, the glove 200 may further include a strap 240 located at the lower portion 252 of the glove 200 that may be a band or strip extending from a first notched side surface 245 to a second notched side surface 250. However, in an alternative embodiment, the strap 240 may include multiple pieces of material and may be of different shapes and sizes. Thus, the opening 230 for receiving the wearer's hand may be at least partially defined by the strap 240 and the front panel 205.

[0019] The strap 240 can be made from an elastic material, a combination of elastic materials, or a combination of an elastic material and a non-elastic material. Further, the elastic material, the combination of elastic materials, or the combination of an elastic material and a non-elastic material can be repeatedly elastically deformed and can have a shape memory effect. Thus, the strap 240 can stretch when pressure or force is applied. Then, the strap 240 can contract and return to its original size and length when the force or pressure is no longer applied to the strap 240. Thus, when a user wants to use the glove 200, the user can insert their hand through the opening 230. The opening 230 is preferably narrow enough or small enough such that as force is applied to the strap 240, the strap 240 stretches when a hand is placed through the opening.

[0020] When a hand is inserted into the glove 200, since the size and width of the wrist are smaller compared to the hand, the pressure or force applied to the strap 240 is removed. When the force applied to the strap 240 due to the size of the hand is gone, the length of the strap 240 decreases. Thus, the size of the opening 230 can contract to its previous size, and it is preferable that the strap 240 provides a snug fit to the wearer's hand and / or wrist. Thus, the elastic material (or combination of elastic materials, or combination of an elastic material and a non-elastic material) of the strap 240 allows the opening 230 to be made small enough to improve the fit and feel of the glove 200, but the opening 230 can still stretch enough to comfortably allow a hand to be inserted into the glove 200.

[0021] In an alternative embodiment, the strap 240 may include a tension adjustment mechanism (not shown) to further adjust the fit and feel of the glove 200. Such an alternative to the strap 240 may extend from the first notch side 245 towards the second notch side 250 and may include a connection point (not shown). The connection point enables the strap 240 to engage with the tension adjustment mechanism. The tension adjustment mechanism may be a series of snap buttons, a ratchet system, or interchangeable straps arranged and positioned at various distances from the second notch side 250.

[0022] In an embodiment where the tension adjustment mechanism is a series of interchangeable straps, the strap 240 can include a connection point that engages with the interchangeable strap. The glove 200 can then further include a connection point (not shown) located at the second notch side 250. The interchangeable strap can engage with both the strap 240 and the second notch side 250, thereby increasing or decreasing the tension of the strap 240 depending on the length of the interchangeable strap used. In yet another embodiment, the entire strap 240 can be removed from the glove 200 and replaced with an interchangeable strap. In yet another embodiment, the tension adjustment mechanism may be disposed at the first notch side 245 instead of the second notch side 250.

[0023] In yet another alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the glove 200 can include a cord 255 attached to the first notch side 245 (shown in FIGS. 2 - 4) and extending towards the second notch side 250 of the notch 235 (shown in FIGS. 2 - 4). The first cord end (not shown) of the cord 255 extends from the first notch side 245 towards the second side 250 of the notch 235, while the second strap end 265 is adjacent to and abuts against the elastic band 270. The elastic band 270 is adjacent to and abuts against the second notch side 250. Thus, the cord 255 and the elastic band 270 of the glove 200 can extend across the opening 230 (shown in FIGS. 2 - 4) together.As described above, the strap 240 of FIGS. 2-4 can include a plurality of materials. FIG. 5 shows only a portion of the glove 200 according to an alternative embodiment in detail, and the structure shown in FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the elastic band 270 and the second notched side surface 250, and the relationship between the elastic band 270 and the string 255.

[0024] The cord 255 may be made of a non - elastic material. Accordingly, the cord 255 does not stretch. However, the elastic band 270 may be made of an elastic material or a combination of one or more elastic materials and non - elastic materials. Similar to the first embodiment, the elastic material of the elastic band 270 enables the size of the opening 230 to increase with pressure or force and decrease when the force or pressure is removed. Accordingly, the size of the opening 230 of the glove 200 increases so that the hand can pass through the opening 230 and decreases when the hand passes through the opening 230. The glove 200 may further include a tension adjustment mechanism as described above and may further have adjustability and an improved feel of the glove 200.

[0025] Accordingly, with respect to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 - 5, the wearer inserts his or her hand into the opening 230, and the palm and fingers of his or her hand are received by the glove 200. When the wearer inserts his or her hand into the glove 200, the wearer's wrist and hand selectively displace the strap 240 or cord 255 and the elastic band 270, and both return to their intended positions relative to the glove 200 via the elasticity of the elastic material and the property of the memory shape when at least a majority of the wearer's hand is received within the glove 200. When at least a majority of the wearer's hand is received within the glove 200, the elastic material, by a combination of the strap 240 or cord 255 and the elastic band 270, compressively secures the wearer's wrist and hand, so there is no need to use an adjustable strap or cord 150 to selectively secure the glove 100 to the wearer's hand. It will be understood that the glove 200 may include the strap 240 or cord 255 and the elastic strap 270 for purposes other than compressively securing the wearer's wrist and hand.

[0026] Thus, in the above-described embodiments, the glove 200 provides a snug fit and a comfortable feel on the wearer's hand using either the strap 240 or cord 255 and the elastic band 270. The strap 240 and the elastic band 270 generally consist of at least partially lightweight elastic materials, combinations of elastic materials, or combinations of elastic and non-elastic materials, which may be breathable and may generally consist of a flexible knit or mesh-like material. Further, the elastic material, the combination of elastic materials, or the combination of elastic and non-elastic materials can be repeatedly stretched and may have a shape memory effect. The strap 240, cord 255, and elastic band 270 can further include breathable materials for the purpose of facilitating the flow of air around the wearer's hand and / or the hand during use of the glove 200.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the elastic material, the combination of elastic materials, or the combination of elastic and non-elastic materials of the strap 240 and the elastic band 270 can serve the general purpose of the adjustable strap or cord 150 of the prior art while simultaneously providing improved desirable material properties therefor. Further, the combination of the strap 240, and the cord 255 and the elastic band 270 is suitable for accommodating hands and wrists of various sizes. Thus, the combination of the strap 240, and the cord 255 and the elastic band 270 provides an excellent, conformable fit and a comfortable feel as compared to the known glove 100 for baseball or softball. The combination of the strap 240 or cord 255 and the elastic band 270 can replace (or be used in combination with) other fastening means traditionally used to attach such non-elastic materials to the conventional glove 100.

[0028] In these embodiments of the present invention, the present invention provides for (i) substituting lightweight materials in place of the high-density leather or leather-like materials of conventional gloves, (ii) an improved snug fit and a loose feel for the wearer's hand, and (iii) being at least as suitable as the existing materials of known baseball or softball gloves that include adjustable straps, cords, or rear panels, while improving the breathability of the wearer's hand and around the hand during glove use.

[0029] Although the present invention is described and illustrated herein as specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the present invention can be applied to all baseball or softball gloves, including but not limited to gloves or mitts for pitchers, catchers, first basemen, infielders, outfielders, etc.

[0030] From the above, it can be seen that the various embodiments of the present invention well meet all of the above objects and advantages, and it is clear that further other advantages inherent in this structure can be obtained. It will be understood that the specific features and sub-combinations of this embodiment are useful and can be used without reference to other features and sub-combinations. Since many possible embodiments of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, all the disclosures in this specification described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings should be construed as merely illustrative and not limiting. The various configurations described above and shown in the drawings are presented only by way of example and are not intended to limit the concepts, principles, and scope of the present invention.

[0031] However, many changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention are considered to be covered by the present invention, which is limited only by the following claims.

Description of the Reference Numerals

[0032] 100 Conventional glove 110 Front panel 115 Rear panel 120 Glove shell 122 Upper surface 124 Lower surface 126 Side surfaces 136 Thumb part 138 Finger part 140 Finger region 142 Web 145 Opening 150 Strap or string 200 Lightweight glove 205 Front panel 210 Rear panel 220 Upper part 225 Side surfaces 230 Opening 235 Notch 240 Strap 245 First notched side surface 250 Second notched side surface 252 Lower part 255 String 265 Second strap end 270 Elastic band, elastic strap

Claims

Claim 1 A glove for baseball or softball, comprising a front panel, a rear panel having a notch portion with a first notched side surface and a second notched side surface, a web disposed and attached between the thumb portion and the finger portions of the glove, a string, and an extensible elastic band, each of the front panel and the rear panel has an upper portion and first and second side portions, and the upper portions, the first side portions, and the second side portions of the front panel and the rear panel are fixed to each other, the front panel and the rear panel are not connected at their respective lower portions, and an opening for receiving a user's hand is formed therebetween, the notch portion extends from the opening toward the upper portion of the rear panel, the string and the elastic band both extend across at least a part of the notch portion, the string is located between the elastic band and the first notched side surface, a glove for baseball or softball. Claim 2 The glove according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the elastic band and the string contains a breathable material. Claim 3 The glove according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the elastic band and the string contains a knit material. Claim 4 The glove according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the elastic band and the string contains a mesh material. Claim 5 The glove according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the elastic band and the string further contains a non-elastic material. Claim 6 The glove according to claim 1, wherein the elastic band has a shape memory effect. Claim 7 The glove according to claim 1, including a tension adjustment mechanism for adjusting the size of the opening.

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