Reinforced sliding mitt including protection guard with tread for baseball and softball

Abstract

A reinforced baseball sliding mitt that includes a mitt body and an attached protective guard to extend below a finger-receiving area of the mitt body. The protective guard has a bottom surface with a tread facing away from the mitt body. In some embodiments, the protective guard is permanently attached to the mitt body. In some embodiments, the protective guard has a one-piece construction. In some embodiments, the tread is unidirectional, and in some embodiment has a chevron shape. In some embodiments, the tread is designed to not substantially restrict or reduce the wearer's momentum during the approach to a baseball base, and to provide resistance on the base to prevent over sliding past the base. In some embodiments, the protective guard offers protection to the hand in the fingertip area, around the front of the hand, and on the bottom of the hand. Related methods are also provided.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 727,361 filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 3, 2024, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to sports equipment, and in some embodiments to protective and performance-enhancing gear for baseball and softball players.BACKGROUND

[0003] In the sports of baseball and softball, sliding into bases is a common practice. Players often face challenges when attempting to maintain their grip and control during the sliding process. The lack of adequate grip can lead to over-sliding a base, where players unintentionally slide past the base, resulting in potentially being tagged out. Additionally, the high-speed nature of sliding can expose players' hands to injuries, particularly in the fingertip area, around the front of the hand, and on the bottom of the hand.

[0004] Existing solutions in the market have attempted to address these issues through various means. Some products have focused on enhancing overall impact protection for the hands, utilizing different materials and designs to cushion the impact during sliding. However, these solutions often fall short in providing a specialized grip that can effectively prevent over-sliding. The lack of a dedicated gripping component means that players still face the risk of sliding past the base, which can be detrimental in competitive scenarios. Furthermore, the existing solutions do not adequately address the need for a grip that offers minimal resistance in one direction so as not to impede or slow the sliding activity while providing significant resistance in the opposite direction.SUMMARY

[0005] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of representative concepts in a simplified form, which representative concepts are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it or the objects and benefits described herein intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] In some embodiments, the present disclosure introduces a reinforced sliding mitt with a protective guard that addresses the aforementioned challenges.

[0007] In a first aspect, a reinforced baseball sliding mitt is provided comprising a sliding mitt body having finger-receiving and fingertip-receiving areas, and a protective guard attached to the sliding mitt body to extend below the finger-receiving area and the fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area. The protective guard has a bottom surface with a tread facing away from the sliding mitt body.

[0008] According to a second aspect, a method is provided for making a reinforced baseball sliding mitt. A protective guard is attached to a sliding mitt body having finger-receiving and fingertip-receiving areas so that the protective guard extends below the finger-receiving area and the fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area. The protective guard has a bottom surface with a tread facing away from the sliding mitt body.

[0009] According to a third aspect, a method of sliding into a baseball base is provided. A hand is inserted into a reinforced baseball sliding mitt so that the reinforced baseball sliding mitt is worn by the hand of a wearer. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt comprises a sliding mitt body having finger-receiving and fingertip-receiving areas, and a protective guard attached to the sliding mitt body to extend below the finger-receiving area and the fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area. The protective guard has a bottom surface with a tread facing away from the sliding mitt body. According to the method, wearer slides into the baseball (or softball) base with the tread of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt in contact with ground adjacent to the baseball (or softball) base.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is adhered to the sliding mitt body.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is stitched to the sliding mitt body.

[0012] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is permanently attached to the sliding mitt body.

[0013] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is molded and has a one-piece construction.

[0014] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is comprised of molded plastic.

[0015] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is comprised of molded rubber or thermoplastic elastomer.

[0016] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard has a rounded front wall extending in front of and to the sides of the fingertip-receiving area of the sliding mitt body.

[0017] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the tread is shaped as a unidirectional tread.

[0018] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the unidirectional tread comprises one or more ridges.

[0019] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, one or more ridges comprise a plurality of adjacent ridges situated in a side-by-side relationship.

[0020] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, one or more ridges extend lengthwise in a chevron shape, the chevron shape comprising first and second ridge portions extending at an angle relative to one another to converge at an intersection area facing forward towards the fingertip-receiving area of the sliding mitt body.

[0021] In some embodiments, the ridge or ridges in the tread have a height / depth in a range of 0.25 mm to 20 mm. In some embodiments, the ridges have a height / depth in a range of 3 mm to 5 mm.

[0022] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the tread is constructed to substantially prevent reduction of momentum of a wearer of the baseball sliding apparatus when the wearer slides in a sliding direction into a baseball base leading with the baseball sliding apparatus.

[0023] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the tread is constructed to provide resistance on the baseball base when situated by the wearer into an opposite direction to the sliding direction to prevent over sliding past the baseball base.

[0024] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is comprised of a thermoplastic urethane, a thermoplastic elastomer, polyurethane, polyethylene, or a combination comprising two or more thereof.

[0025] It should be understood that the above-described aspects and embodiments described herein may be combined with one another in any combination and may be modified to include, for example, one or more embodiments described herein, including in the detailed description below and in the accompanying drawings.

[0026] The above and still further aspects, objects, features and advantages of certain aspects and embodiments will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals in the various figures are utilized to designate like components.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The drawings referenced herein form a part of the specification and are incorporated herein by reference. Features shown in the drawings are meant as illustrative of only some embodiments, and not of all embodiments, unless otherwise explicitly indicated.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective bottom view of a reinforced baseball sliding mitt according to an embodiment, showing a protective guard and a sliding mitt body of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a top view of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a top, side perspective view of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a top, side perspective view of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1 taken from a more rearward perspective compared to FIG. 5.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a rendering of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1, wherein the cross section is taken longitudinally along a center of the protective guard.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1, with a front wall and bottom wall of the protective guard being partly transparent.

[0036] FIG. 9 is an overhead perspective view of the protective guard of FIG. 8 with the front wall and bottom wall of the protective guard being partly transparent.

[0037] FIG. 10 is an front perspective view of the protective guard of FIG. 8 with the front wall of the protective guard being partly transparent.

[0038] FIG. 11 is another perspective view of the protective guard of FIG. 8 with the front wall of the protective guard being partly transparent.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0039] It will be readily understood that the components and features of the exemplary embodiments, as generally described herein and illustrated in the Figures, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the methods, devices, assemblies, apparatus, systems, etc. of the exemplary embodiments, as presented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments, as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments.

[0040] The illustrated embodiments will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. References made to particular examples, details, and representative materials, methods, and implementations are for illustrative purposes only. The following description is intended only by way of example, and illustrates certain selected embodiments of methods, devices, assemblies, apparatus, systems, etc. that are consistent with the embodiments as claimed herein.

[0041] The following description with reference to the accompanying figures is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of various embodiments of the present disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding, but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art having reference to the present disclosure will recognize that various changes and modifications of the various embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for brevity.

[0042] It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0043] As used herein, the term “and / or” means either or both (or any combination or all of the terms or expressed referred to. For example, “A, B, and / or C” encompasses A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A, B, and C.).

[0044] The terms “have”, “may have”, “can have,”“include”, “may include”, “can include”, “comprise”, and the like used herein indicate the existence of a corresponding feature (e.g., a number, a function, an operation, or an element) and do not exclude the existence of an additional feature.

[0045] The terms “first”, “second”, and the like used herein may modify various elements regardless of the order and / or priority thereof, and are used only for distinguishing one element from another element, without limiting the elements, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, “a first element” and “a second element” may indicate different elements regardless of the order or priority.

[0046] It will be understood that when a certain element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as being “operatively or communicatively coupled with / to” or “connected to” another element (e.g., a second element), the certain element may be coupled to the other element directly or via another element (e.g., a third element). However, when a certain element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as being “directly coupled” or “directly connected” to another element (e.g., a second element), there may be no intervening element (e.g., a third element) connecting the element and the other element.

[0047] The term “configured to” or “set to” as used herein may be interchangeably used with the terms, for example, “suitable for”, “having the capacity to”, “designed to”, “adapted to”, “made to”, or “capable of”. The term “configured to” or “set to” may not necessarily have the meaning of “specifically designed to”. In some cases, the term “device configured to” may indicate that the device “may perform” together with other devices or components.

[0048] The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.

[0049] Reference throughout this specification to “a select embodiment,”“one embodiment,”“an exemplary embodiment,”“exemplary embodiments,”“an embodiment,”“some embodiments,”“embodiments,” or the like means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment(s) is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in a select embodiment,”“in one embodiment,”“in an exemplary embodiment,”“in exemplary embodiments,”“in an embodiment,”“in embodiments,”“in some embodiments” or the like in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment(s) or only a single embodiment. The embodiments may be, for example, combined with one another in various combinations and modified to include features of one another.

[0050] Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a reinforced baseball sliding mitt is generally designated by reference numeral 20. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt 20 includes a baseball sliding mitt body 22 having a finger-receiving area 24 and a fingertip-receiving area 26.

[0051] The reinforced baseball sliding mitt 20 further includes a protective guard 30. The protective guard 30 is attached to, preferably directly attached to and / or permanently attached to, the baseball sliding mitt body 22 to extend below the finger-receiving area 24 and fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area 26.

[0052] Referring now more particularly to FIG. 3, the protective guard 30 has a bottom wall with a bottom surface equipped with a tread 32 facing away from the finger-receiving area 26 of the mitt body 22. The tread 32 may be molded into the bottom wall of the protective guard 30 when the protective guard 30 is made or in a subsequent processing step, e.g., by imprinting or cutting. The tread 32 is illustrated shaped as a unidirectional tread, all extending forward at an angle towards the center line of the protective guard. The unidirectional tread 32 comprises one or more ridges, and in some embodiments a plurality of ridges situated in a side-by-side or adjacent relationship as shown. In an exemplary embodiment, the ridges extend lengthwise in a chevron shape comprising a first ridge portion 34 and second ridge portion 36 extending at an angle relative to one another to converge at an intersection area or point 38 facing forward towards the front of the fingertip-receiving area 26 of the baseball sliding mitt body 22. In some embodiments, the ridges are unidirectional, all extending in the same direction, as in the case of the chevron shapes of the illustrated embodiment. It should be understood that shapes other than chevron shape, especially those that achieve objects described herein, may be used instead of or in addition to the chevron shape. For example, the tread 32 can be straight, angled, curved such as in a U-shape or wavy design, or offset ridges. The tread 32 can also be best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7-11.

[0053] In some embodiments, the ridges of the tread 32 have a height / depth in a range of 0.25 mm to 20 mm (i.e., from nadir to apex), preferably in a range of 3 mm to 5 mm.

[0054] As best shown in the FIGS. 5-11, in an embodiment the protective guard 30 has a rounded (e.g., curvilinear) front wall 40 extending in front of the fingertip-receiving area 26 and to the sides of the finger-receiving area 24 and the fingertip-receiving area 26 of the baseball sliding mitt body 22. The front wall 40 terminates at a lip 42, that optionally may be inwardly extending. Also, additional ridges 44 may be positioned on the outer surface of the front wall 40.

[0055] In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is a one-piece molded component. In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is attached to the mitt body 22 by permanently adhering and / or stitching the protective guard 30 to a baseball sliding mitt body 22. In some embodiments, the purpose of the protective guard 30 is to provide a reinforced sliding mitt 20 that has a unique gripping ability during sliding / diving into a baseball base by a baserunner during baseball competition. In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is designed to not restrict or slow down the user's momentum during the approach to the base and provide resistance and a specialized grip for the user once on the base to prevent over-sliding and going past the base. In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 also provides significant protection to the hand in the fingertip area, around the front of the hand, and on the bottom of the hand.

[0056] In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is made using an injection molding or compression molding process, such as with a thermoplastic urethane or TPU material.

[0057] In some embodiments, the reinforced sliding mitt 20 can be used commercially to help resolve the issue of “over sliding” when baserunners slide past the base during baseball competition. As the baserunner slides past the base, his or her hand will turn in the opposite direction of sliding, and the tread 32 will slow or impede the baserunner's further progress away from the base. In some embodiments, when the wearer turns or pivots the reinforced sliding mitt 20 about 180 degrees as he or she slides past the base, the tread 32 provides a gripping or “biting” action on the base to help prevent over-sliding. In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is attached to the bottom of the sliding mitt body. In some embodiments, added protection to the hand is also feature provided by the protective guard 30.

[0058] In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 can be produced using 3D printing, injection molding, or compression molding. The materials used have a very large range, but in some embodiments are plastic or rubber in nature. Thermoplastic urethane (TPU), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), polyurerethane (PU), polyethylene (PE) are all examples of materials that can be used as the protective guard 30. A wide array of materials can be used in the mold that can be ridged or semi-ridged in nature. This can be a wide array of material flexibilities as well. In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is semi-ridged TPE material.

[0059] In some embodiments, the reinforced baseball sliding mitt 20 provides a unique grip that does not restrict a player while sliding directly into a base and greatly helps prevent over sliding or slip past a base which has become a major issue in all levels of baseball competition. To applicant's knowledge, this problem has not been solved in the manner addressed by embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, the unique design where grip component offers no resistance when moving in one direction, but offers friction and restriction (e.g., extreme friction and restriction) in the other direction.

[0060] In some embodiments, the reinforced baseball sliding mitt 20 of some embodiments provides advantages. One advantage of some embodiments is the that protective guard or molded component 30 offers a very unique and specialized grip that acts as “teeth” and has a very similar concept as utilized by a zip-tie where there is no resistance when used in one direction and offering a strong resistance when used on the other direction. When the protective guard or component 30 is slid in one direction it will easily slide with no friction or resistance. When the protective guard or component 30 is slid in the other direction it goes “against the grain” (for example when the base runner slides past the base and turns or pivots his or her hand approximately 180 degrees) and offers a tremendous amount of resistance to provide excellent grip to prevent sliding past a base on a baseball field. Another advantage of some embodiments is additional protection of the hand beyond that provided by known baseball sliding mitts. In some embodiments, the protective guard or component 30 offers a great added protection of the hand and fingers by having a solid material that will cover a majority of the bottom of the hand and the tips of the fingers to act as a bumper against the tip of the fingers and around the edge of the fingers for more protection.

[0061] In the following claims and in the above description, in the interest of brevity, the word baseball represents baseball and / or softball.

[0062] It will be understood by those with skill in the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim element is intended, such intent will be explicitly recited in the claims, and in the absence of such recitation no such limitation is present. For a non-limiting example, as an aid to understanding, the appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim elements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim element by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim element to the embodiments containing only one such element, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an”; the same holds true for the use in the claims of definite articles.

[0063] While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of the embodiments.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0039]It will be readily understood that the components and features of the exemplary embodiments, as generally described herein and illustrated in the Figures, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the methods, devices, assemblies, apparatus, systems, etc. of the exemplary embodiments, as presented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments, as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments.

[0040]The illustrated embodiments will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. References made to particular examples, details, and representative materials, methods, and implementations are for illustrative purposes only. The following description is intended only by way...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 727,361 filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 3, 2024, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to sports equipment, and in some embodiments to protective and performance-enhancing gear for baseball and softball players.BACKGROUND

[0003] In the sports of baseball and softball, sliding into bases is a common practice. Players often face challenges when attempting to maintain their grip and control during the sliding process. The lack of adequate grip can lead to over-sliding a base, where players unintentionally slide past the base, resulting in potentially being tagged out. Additionally, the high-speed nature of sliding can expose players' hands to injuries, particularly in the fingertip area, around the front of the hand, and on the bottom of the hand.

[0004] Existing solutions in the market have attempted to address these issues through various means. Some products have focused on enhancing overall impact protection for the hands, utilizing different materials and designs to cushion the impact during sliding. However, these solutions often fall short in providing a specialized grip that can effectively prevent over-sliding. The lack of a dedicated gripping component means that players still face the risk of sliding past the base, which can be detrimental in competitive scenarios. Furthermore, the existing solutions do not adequately address the need for a grip that offers minimal resistance in one direction so as not to impede or slow the sliding activity while providing significant resistance in the opposite direction.SUMMARY

[0005] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of representative concepts in a simplified form, which representative concepts are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it or the objects and benefits described herein intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] In some embodiments, the present disclosure introduces a reinforced sliding mitt with a protective guard that addresses the aforementioned challenges.

[0007] In a first aspect, a reinforced baseball sliding mitt is provided comprising a sliding mitt body having finger-receiving and fingertip-receiving areas, and a protective guard attached to the sliding mitt body to extend below the finger-receiving area and the fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area. The protective guard has a bottom surface with a tread facing away from the sliding mitt body.

[0008] According to a second aspect, a method is provided for making a reinforced baseball sliding mitt. A protective guard is attached to a sliding mitt body having finger-receiving and fingertip-receiving areas so that the protective guard extends below the finger-receiving area and the fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area. The protective guard has a bottom surface with a tread facing away from the sliding mitt body.

[0009] According to a third aspect, a method of sliding into a baseball base is provided. A hand is inserted into a reinforced baseball sliding mitt so that the reinforced baseball sliding mitt is worn by the hand of a wearer. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt comprises a sliding mitt body having finger-receiving and fingertip-receiving areas, and a protective guard attached to the sliding mitt body to extend below the finger-receiving area and the fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area. The protective guard has a bottom surface with a tread facing away from the sliding mitt body. According to the method, wearer slides into the baseball (or softball) base with the tread of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt in contact with ground adjacent to the baseball (or softball) base.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is adhered to the sliding mitt body.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is stitched to the sliding mitt body.

[0012] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is permanently attached to the sliding mitt body.

[0013] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is molded and has a one-piece construction.

[0014] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is comprised of molded plastic.

[0015] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is comprised of molded rubber or thermoplastic elastomer.

[0016] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard has a rounded front wall extending in front of and to the sides of the fingertip-receiving area of the sliding mitt body.

[0017] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the tread is shaped as a unidirectional tread.

[0018] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the unidirectional tread comprises one or more ridges.

[0019] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, one or more ridges comprise a plurality of adjacent ridges situated in a side-by-side relationship.

[0020] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, one or more ridges extend lengthwise in a chevron shape, the chevron shape comprising first and second ridge portions extending at an angle relative to one another to converge at an intersection area facing forward towards the fingertip-receiving area of the sliding mitt body.

[0021] In some embodiments, the ridge or ridges in the tread have a height / depth in a range of 0.25 mm to 20 mm. In some embodiments, the ridges have a height / depth in a range of 3 mm to 5 mm.

[0022] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the tread is constructed to substantially prevent reduction of momentum of a wearer of the baseball sliding apparatus when the wearer slides in a sliding direction into a baseball base leading with the baseball sliding apparatus.

[0023] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the tread is constructed to provide resistance on the baseball base when situated by the wearer into an opposite direction to the sliding direction to prevent over sliding past the baseball base.

[0024] In some embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects, the protective guard is comprised of a thermoplastic urethane, a thermoplastic elastomer, polyurethane, polyethylene, or a combination comprising two or more thereof.

[0025] It should be understood that the above-described aspects and embodiments described herein may be combined with one another in any combination and may be modified to include, for example, one or more embodiments described herein, including in the detailed description below and in the accompanying drawings.

[0026] The above and still further aspects, objects, features and advantages of certain aspects and embodiments will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals in the various figures are utilized to designate like components.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The drawings referenced herein form a part of the specification and are incorporated herein by reference. Features shown in the drawings are meant as illustrative of only some embodiments, and not of all embodiments, unless otherwise explicitly indicated.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective bottom view of a reinforced baseball sliding mitt according to an embodiment, showing a protective guard and a sliding mitt body of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a top view of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a top, side perspective view of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a top, side perspective view of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1 taken from a more rearward perspective compared to FIG. 5.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a rendering of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1, wherein the cross section is taken longitudinally along a center of the protective guard.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of the protective guard of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt of FIG. 1, with a front wall and bottom wall of the protective guard being partly transparent.

[0036] FIG. 9 is an overhead perspective view of the protective guard of FIG. 8 with the front wall and bottom wall of the protective guard being partly transparent.

[0037] FIG. 10 is an front perspective view of the protective guard of FIG. 8 with the front wall of the protective guard being partly transparent.

[0038] FIG. 11 is another perspective view of the protective guard of FIG. 8 with the front wall of the protective guard being partly transparent.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0039] It will be readily understood that the components and features of the exemplary embodiments, as generally described herein and illustrated in the Figures, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the methods, devices, assemblies, apparatus, systems, etc. of the exemplary embodiments, as presented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments, as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments.

[0040] The illustrated embodiments will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. References made to particular examples, details, and representative materials, methods, and implementations are for illustrative purposes only. The following description is intended only by way of example, and illustrates certain selected embodiments of methods, devices, assemblies, apparatus, systems, etc. that are consistent with the embodiments as claimed herein.

[0041] The following description with reference to the accompanying figures is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of various embodiments of the present disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding, but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art having reference to the present disclosure will recognize that various changes and modifications of the various embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for brevity.

[0042] It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0043] As used herein, the term “and / or” means either or both (or any combination or all of the terms or expressed referred to. For example, “A, B, and / or C” encompasses A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A, B, and C.).

[0044] The terms “have”, “may have”, “can have,”“include”, “may include”, “can include”, “comprise”, and the like used herein indicate the existence of a corresponding feature (e.g., a number, a function, an operation, or an element) and do not exclude the existence of an additional feature.

[0045] The terms “first”, “second”, and the like used herein may modify various elements regardless of the order and / or priority thereof, and are used only for distinguishing one element from another element, without limiting the elements, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, “a first element” and “a second element” may indicate different elements regardless of the order or priority.

[0046] It will be understood that when a certain element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as being “operatively or communicatively coupled with / to” or “connected to” another element (e.g., a second element), the certain element may be coupled to the other element directly or via another element (e.g., a third element). However, when a certain element (e.g., a first element) is referred to as being “directly coupled” or “directly connected” to another element (e.g., a second element), there may be no intervening element (e.g., a third element) connecting the element and the other element.

[0047] The term “configured to” or “set to” as used herein may be interchangeably used with the terms, for example, “suitable for”, “having the capacity to”, “designed to”, “adapted to”, “made to”, or “capable of”. The term “configured to” or “set to” may not necessarily have the meaning of “specifically designed to”. In some cases, the term “device configured to” may indicate that the device “may perform” together with other devices or components.

[0048] The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.

[0049] Reference throughout this specification to “a select embodiment,”“one embodiment,”“an exemplary embodiment,”“exemplary embodiments,”“an embodiment,”“some embodiments,”“embodiments,” or the like means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment(s) is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in a select embodiment,”“in one embodiment,”“in an exemplary embodiment,”“in exemplary embodiments,”“in an embodiment,”“in embodiments,”“in some embodiments” or the like in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment(s) or only a single embodiment. The embodiments may be, for example, combined with one another in various combinations and modified to include features of one another.

[0050] Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a reinforced baseball sliding mitt is generally designated by reference numeral 20. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt 20 includes a baseball sliding mitt body 22 having a finger-receiving area 24 and a fingertip-receiving area 26.

[0051] The reinforced baseball sliding mitt 20 further includes a protective guard 30. The protective guard 30 is attached to, preferably directly attached to and / or permanently attached to, the baseball sliding mitt body 22 to extend below the finger-receiving area 24 and fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area 26.

[0052] Referring now more particularly to FIG. 3, the protective guard 30 has a bottom wall with a bottom surface equipped with a tread 32 facing away from the finger-receiving area 26 of the mitt body 22. The tread 32 may be molded into the bottom wall of the protective guard 30 when the protective guard 30 is made or in a subsequent processing step, e.g., by imprinting or cutting. The tread 32 is illustrated shaped as a unidirectional tread, all extending forward at an angle towards the center line of the protective guard. The unidirectional tread 32 comprises one or more ridges, and in some embodiments a plurality of ridges situated in a side-by-side or adjacent relationship as shown. In an exemplary embodiment, the ridges extend lengthwise in a chevron shape comprising a first ridge portion 34 and second ridge portion 36 extending at an angle relative to one another to converge at an intersection area or point 38 facing forward towards the front of the fingertip-receiving area 26 of the baseball sliding mitt body 22. In some embodiments, the ridges are unidirectional, all extending in the same direction, as in the case of the chevron shapes of the illustrated embodiment. It should be understood that shapes other than chevron shape, especially those that achieve objects described herein, may be used instead of or in addition to the chevron shape. For example, the tread 32 can be straight, angled, curved such as in a U-shape or wavy design, or offset ridges. The tread 32 can also be best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7-11.

[0053] In some embodiments, the ridges of the tread 32 have a height / depth in a range of 0.25 mm to 20 mm (i.e., from nadir to apex), preferably in a range of 3 mm to 5 mm.

[0054] As best shown in the FIGS. 5-11, in an embodiment the protective guard 30 has a rounded (e.g., curvilinear) front wall 40 extending in front of the fingertip-receiving area 26 and to the sides of the finger-receiving area 24 and the fingertip-receiving area 26 of the baseball sliding mitt body 22. The front wall 40 terminates at a lip 42, that optionally may be inwardly extending. Also, additional ridges 44 may be positioned on the outer surface of the front wall 40.

[0055] In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is a one-piece molded component. In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is attached to the mitt body 22 by permanently adhering and / or stitching the protective guard 30 to a baseball sliding mitt body 22. In some embodiments, the purpose of the protective guard 30 is to provide a reinforced sliding mitt 20 that has a unique gripping ability during sliding / diving into a baseball base by a baserunner during baseball competition. In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is designed to not restrict or slow down the user's momentum during the approach to the base and provide resistance and a specialized grip for the user once on the base to prevent over-sliding and going past the base. In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 also provides significant protection to the hand in the fingertip area, around the front of the hand, and on the bottom of the hand.

[0056] In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is made using an injection molding or compression molding process, such as with a thermoplastic urethane or TPU material.

[0057] In some embodiments, the reinforced sliding mitt 20 can be used commercially to help resolve the issue of “over sliding” when baserunners slide past the base during baseball competition. As the baserunner slides past the base, his or her hand will turn in the opposite direction of sliding, and the tread 32 will slow or impede the baserunner's further progress away from the base. In some embodiments, when the wearer turns or pivots the reinforced sliding mitt 20 about 180 degrees as he or she slides past the base, the tread 32 provides a gripping or “biting” action on the base to help prevent over-sliding. In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is attached to the bottom of the sliding mitt body. In some embodiments, added protection to the hand is also feature provided by the protective guard 30.

[0058] In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 can be produced using 3D printing, injection molding, or compression molding. The materials used have a very large range, but in some embodiments are plastic or rubber in nature. Thermoplastic urethane (TPU), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), polyurerethane (PU), polyethylene (PE) are all examples of materials that can be used as the protective guard 30. A wide array of materials can be used in the mold that can be ridged or semi-ridged in nature. This can be a wide array of material flexibilities as well. In some embodiments, the protective guard 30 is semi-ridged TPE material.

[0059] In some embodiments, the reinforced baseball sliding mitt 20 provides a unique grip that does not restrict a player while sliding directly into a base and greatly helps prevent over sliding or slip past a base which has become a major issue in all levels of baseball competition. To applicant's knowledge, this problem has not been solved in the manner addressed by embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, the unique design where grip component offers no resistance when moving in one direction, but offers friction and restriction (e.g., extreme friction and restriction) in the other direction.

[0060] In some embodiments, the reinforced baseball sliding mitt 20 of some embodiments provides advantages. One advantage of some embodiments is the that protective guard or molded component 30 offers a very unique and specialized grip that acts as “teeth” and has a very similar concept as utilized by a zip-tie where there is no resistance when used in one direction and offering a strong resistance when used on the other direction. When the protective guard or component 30 is slid in one direction it will easily slide with no friction or resistance. When the protective guard or component 30 is slid in the other direction it goes “against the grain” (for example when the base runner slides past the base and turns or pivots his or her hand approximately 180 degrees) and offers a tremendous amount of resistance to provide excellent grip to prevent sliding past a base on a baseball field. Another advantage of some embodiments is additional protection of the hand beyond that provided by known baseball sliding mitts. In some embodiments, the protective guard or component 30 offers a great added protection of the hand and fingers by having a solid material that will cover a majority of the bottom of the hand and the tips of the fingers to act as a bumper against the tip of the fingers and around the edge of the fingers for more protection.

[0061] In the following claims and in the above description, in the interest of brevity, the word baseball represents baseball and / or softball.

[0062] It will be understood by those with skill in the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim element is intended, such intent will be explicitly recited in the claims, and in the absence of such recitation no such limitation is present. For a non-limiting example, as an aid to understanding, the appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim elements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim element by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim element to the embodiments containing only one such element, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an”; the same holds true for the use in the claims of definite articles.

[0063] While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of the embodiments.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0039]It will be readily understood that the components and features of the exemplary embodiments, as generally described herein and illustrated in the Figures, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the methods, devices, assemblies, apparatus, systems, etc. of the exemplary embodiments, as presented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments, as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments.

[0040]The illustrated embodiments will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. References made to particular examples, details, and representative materials, methods, and implementations are for illustrative purposes only. The following description is intended only by way...

Claims

1. A reinforced baseball sliding mitt, comprising:a sliding mitt body having a finger-receiving area and a fingertip-receiving area; anda protective guard attached to the sliding mitt body to extend below the finger-receiving area and the fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area, the protective guard having a bottom surface with a tread facing away from the sliding mitt body.

2. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 1, wherein the protective guard is adhered to the sliding mitt body.

3. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 1, wherein the protective guard is stitched to the sliding mitt body.

4. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 1, wherein the protective guard is permanently attached to the sliding mitt body.

5. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 1, wherein the protective guard is molded and has a one-piece construction.

6. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 1, wherein the protective guard has a rounded front wall extending in front of and to the sides of the fingertip-receiving area of the sliding mitt body.

7. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 6, wherein front wall includes an inwardly extending lip.

8. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 6, wherein the front wall has an exterior surface with ridges.

9. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 1, wherein the tread is shaped as a unidirectional tread.

10. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 1, wherein the tread comprises one or more ridges.

11. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 10, wherein the one or more ridges comprise a plurality of adjacent ridges situated in a side-by-side relationship all facing in the same direction.

12. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 10, wherein the one or more ridges extend lengthwise to collectively form a chevron shape, the chevron shape comprising first and second ridge portions extending at an angle relative to one another to converge at an intersection area facing forward towards the fingertip-receiving area of the sliding mitt body.

13. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 10, wherein the one or more ridges have a height or depth in a range of 0.25 mm to 20 mm.

14. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 10, wherein the one or more ridges have a height or depth in a range of 3 mm to 5 mm.

15. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 1, wherein the tread is constructed and arranged to substantially prevent reduction of momentum of a wearer of the baseball sliding apparatus when the wearer slides in a sliding direction into a baseball base leading with the baseball sliding apparatus.

16. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 15, wherein the tread is further constructed and arranged to provide resistance on the baseball base when situated by the wearer into an opposite direction to the sliding direction to prevent over sliding past the baseball base.

17. The reinforced baseball sliding mitt of claim 1, wherein the protective guard is comprised of a thermoplastic urethane, a thermoplastic elastomer, polyurethane, polyethylene, or a combination comprising two or more thereof.

18. A method of making a reinforced baseball sliding mitt, comprising:attaching a protective guard to a sliding mitt body having a finger-receiving area and a fingertip-receiving area so that the protective guard extends below the finger-receiving area and the fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area, the protective guard having a bottom surface with a tread facing away from the sliding mitt body.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising molding the protective guard from a plastic, thermoplastic elastomer, a rubber, or a combination comprising two or more thereof.

20. A method of sliding into a baseball base, comprising:inserting a hand into a reinforced baseball sliding mitt so that the reinforced baseball sliding mitt is worn by the hand of a wearer, the reinforced baseball sliding mitt comprising:a sliding mitt body having a finger-receiving area and a fingertip-receiving area; anda protective guard attached to the sliding mitt body to extend below the finger-receiving area and the fingertip-receiving area and in front of the fingertip-receiving area, the protective guard having a bottom surface with a tread facing away from the sliding mitt body;sliding into the baseball base with the tread of the reinforced baseball sliding mitt in contact with ground adjacent to the baseball base.

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