Athletic glove with thumb protection

Abstract

An athletic glove includes a glove body to envelop a hand of a wearer of the athletic glove, the glove body defining a thumb portion to receive a thumb of the wearer and a finger portion to receive an index finger of the wearer, and a material layer connected to and extending between the thumb portion and the finger portion. The material layer is flexible and is generally inextensible in tension. The material layer limits movement of the thumb portion into extension relative to the finger portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 753,852 , filed on Feb. 4, 2025, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 757,710 , filed on Feb. 12, 2025, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This disclosure relates to athletic gloves, for example, for use in sports.BACKGROUND

[0003] In several sports, such as baseball, softball, or hockey, a player may wear an athletic glove for the purpose of fielding or catching a ball or puck that is pitched, thrown, batted, hit, or otherwise propelled to the player, or for the purpose of batting or hitting a ball or puck. The player's thumb on the hand wearing the athletic glove can be injured from strain or tearing of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) due to hyper-extension or hyper-abduction of the thumb, such as when attempting to catch a pitched or thrown ball or puck with the gloved hand.SUMMARY

[0004] This disclosure describes athletic gloves, such as athletic gloves with support material or strap system for supporting the thumb of a wearer from hyper-extension or hyper-abduction.

[0005] In some aspects, an athletic glove includes a glove body to envelop a hand of a wearer of the athletic glove, the glove body defining a thumb portion to receive a thumb of the wearer and a finger portion to receive an index finger of the wearer, and a material layer connected to and extending between the thumb portion and the finger portion. The material layer is flexible and is generally inextensible in tension. The material layer limits movement of the thumb portion into extension relative to the finger portion.

[0006] These and other aspects can include one or more of the following features. The athletic glove can be a batting glove, hockey glove, cricket glove, or lacrosse glove. The material layer can include leather or fabric. The material layer can be affixed to the thumb portion and the finger portion along a peripheral portion of the material layer. The material layer can be sewn to the thumb portion and the finger portion along the peripheral portion of the material layer. The athletic glove can include a strap system connected to the glove body, where the strap system includes a strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the strap, and the strap extends from the first longitudinal end substantially across a palmar side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extends around an ulnar side of the glove body, and further extends at least partially across a dorsal side of the glove body. The strap system can include a selectively releasable fastener on the dorsal side of the glove body, the selectively releasable fastener to releasably attach to the strap. The selectively releasable fastener can include a hook and loop connector, the strap can include a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end, and the strap can include a hook and loop element at the second longitudinal end to selectively attach to the hook and loop connector. The selectively releasable fastener can be disposed at a base of the finger portion. The glove body can include a channel formed in the glove body on the palmar side of the glove body, where the strap is disposed at least partially through the channel. The strap can be fixed to the thumb portion at a radial side of the thumb portion. The athletic glove can include a second strap system connected to the glove body, where the second strap system includes a second strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the second strap, and the second strap extends from the first longitudinal end substantially across a dorsal side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extends around an ulnar side of the glove body, further extends across a palmar side of the glove body, further extends around a radial side of the glove body, and further extends at least partially across the dorsal side of the glove body. The second strap system can include a selectively releasable fastener on the dorsal side of the glove body, where the selectively releasable fastener releasably attaches to the second strap. The selectively releasable fastener can include a hook and loop connector, the second strap has a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end, and the second strap can include a hook and loop element at the second longitudinal end to selectively attach to the hook and loop connector. The selectively releasable fastener can be disposed at a base of the finger portion. The glove body can include a first channel formed in the glove body on the dorsal side of the glove body and a second channel formed in the palmar side of the glove body, and the second strap is disposed at least partially through the first channel and the second channel. The second strap can be fixed to the thumb portion at a medial side of the thumb portion.

[0007] In certain aspects, an athletic glove includes a glove body to envelop a hand of a wearer of the athletic glove. The glove body defines a thumb portion to receive a thumb of the wearer and a finger portion to receive an index finger of the wearer. The athletic glove also includes a strap system connected to the glove body, where the strap system includes a strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the strap, and the strap extends from the first longitudinal end substantially across a palmar side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extends around an ulnar side of the glove body, and further extends at least partially across a dorsal side of the glove body. The strap system can further include a selectively releasable fastener on the dorsal side of the glove body, where the selectively releasable fastener releasably attaches to the strap.

[0008] In some aspects, an athletic glove includes a glove body to envelop a hand of a wearer of the athletic glove. The glove body defines a thumb portion to receive a thumb of the wearer and a finger portion to receive an index finger of the wearer. The athletic glove also includes a strap system connected to the glove body, where the strap system includes a strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the strap. The strap extends from the first longitudinal end substantially across a dorsal side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extends around an ulnar side of the glove body, further extends across a palmar side of the glove body, further extends around a radial side of the glove body, and further extends at least partially across the dorsal side of the glove body.

[0009] The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIGS. 1 and 2 are a schematic front view and a schematic side view, respectively, of a human left hand showing anatomical directions relative to the hand.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a rear view of an example athletic glove formed to receive a human hand.

[0012] FIG. 4 is a partial, schematic, magnified view of the example athletic glove of FIG. 3.

[0013] FIG. 5 is a front view of a second example athletic glove including a strap system.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a rear view of a third example athletic glove including a second strap system.

[0015] Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] This disclosure describes an athletic glove equipped with an attached flexible material layer between a thumb and index finger, a strap system, or both, for protection of a wearer's thumb from hyperextension and / or hyper-abduction. The athletic glove is a generally tight-fitting glove that envelops a wearer's hand, providing a layer of protection for the wearer's hand. The athletic glove can be used for sports that utilize an athletic glove on the wearer's hand(s), such as in baseball, softball, hockey, cricket, lacrosse, and / or other sports where an athlete wears a glove for catching and / or gripping objects. The athletic glove can also be used in other applications other than sports where a wearer desires protection for their thumb from hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The flexible material layer can include a fabric webbing or other material attached to (e.g., integrated with, fixed, to, sewn to, or otherwise connected to) and disposed between the thumb portion and index finger portion of the athletic glove. The flexible material is flexible to allow for relative movement between the thumb and index finger closer together where the material can flex, bend, or otherwise move to allow freedom of movement of the thumb and index finger of the wearer, but the flexible material is generally inextensible (e.g., generally unyielding) in tension to prevent over-extension (e.g., hyperextension and / or abduction) of the thumb portion relative to the index finger portion. This generally inextensible characteristic of the flexible material protects the wearer's thumb from hyper-extension and abduction, and / or from tearing of the UCL of the wearer. In the present disclosure, the use of “generally inextensible” or “generally unyielding” refers to the substantial lack of stretchability of a material. For example, a “generally inextensible” material can be described as a material that is configured not to stretch, though a small degree of stretch in the material is possible based on inherent material properties. In some instances, “generally inextensible” material can refer to a material having a stretchability of less than 10%, less than 5% less than 1%, less than 0.5%, or another stretchability less than 10%.

[0017] In use, the athletic glove with the flexible material layer supports the thumb of the wearer from moving beyond a threshold extension position relative to the index finger, such as into hyper-extension, hyper-abduction, or both hyper-extension and hyper-abduction. Hyper-extension and hyper-abduction are the extended movement of the thumb in the respective radial or palmar directions away from the palm of the hand beyond a normal range of motion of the thumb, and the threshold position can include the maximum peripheral range of normal range of motion.

[0018] For example, in instances where a projectile or other object applies a force that acts against the wearer's thumb while the wearer wears the athletic glove, the flexible material ensures that the thumb does not extend further from the index finger portion than the dimension of the flexible material. This dimension can be selected to optimize usability of the glove while preventing overextension of the thumb relative to the index finger. In some instances, instead of allowing the thumb to extend into hyperextension, the flexible material acts to apply a pulling force against the thumb to prevent hyperextension, acts as a pulling force against the index finger to pulls the index finger toward the thumb, or both.

[0019] In some implementations, the athletic glove can include a strap system instead of or in addition to the flexible material layer described earlier. An example strap system includes a strap that connects to the thumb portion (e.g., at a lateral, outer side of the thumb portion) of the athletic glove, extends across a palmar side of the athletic glove, then wraps around the hand toward the dorsal side of the athletic glove and selectively attaches to (e.g., with a hook-and-loop fastener) the dorsal side of the athletic glove. The strap can be adjusted, such as selectively loosened or tightened using the hook-and-loop fastener, to provide support for the wearer's thumb from UCL injury due to hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The strap is adjustable on the body of the athletic glove to fit varying hand sizes and / or comfort levels of wearers of the glove. In some examples, the strap assists in preventing the wearer's thumb from movement into hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. In certain implementations, an example strap system includes a second strap that fixedly connects to the thumb portion (e.g., at a laterally inner side of the thumb portion adjacent to the index finger portion), wraps around an outside of the thumb portion and extends across the dorsal side of the athletic glove, wraps around an ulnar side of the athletic glove, further extends across the palmar side of the athletic glove, further wraps around the radial side of the athletic glove (e.g., below the thumb portion), and selectively attaches (e.g., with a hook-and-loop fastener) to the dorsal side of the athletic glove. The second strap can be adjusted, such as selectively loosened or tightened, to provide support for the wearer's thumb from UCL injury due to hyper-extension and / or abduction. In some examples, the second strap cradles the wearer's thumb against movement into hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The second strap is adjustable on the body of the athletic glove to fit varying hand sizes and / or comfort levels of wearers of the glove.

[0020] Conventional athletic gloves exclude the flexible material layer and / or strap system described earlier, and lack features for protecting a wearer's thumb from hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction that can result in tearing or damage to the UCL of the wearer's thumb, such as when a projectile (e.g., ball, puck, or other object), bat, stick, handle, baseball or softball base (e.g., in the event of an runner wearing the glove and sliding into the base with their gloved hand) or other sporting equipment impacts or forces the thumb portion of the athletic glove into hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. These forces can result in injury and tearing of the UCL of the thumb. In the present disclosure, the athletic glove includes a flexible material layer, a strap system, or both, that acts to reduce or prevent excessive movement of the thumb in the radial direction of extension of the thumb. For example, when an object acts against the thumb portion of the athletic glove, the flexible material layer and / or strap system acts against excessive thumb hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction, thereby distributing forces onto other portions of the athletic glove instead of primarily against the thumb of the wearer. In some examples, the athletic glove can be worn inside a baseball mitt, softball mitt, hockey mitt, cricket mitt, or other sporting mitt, where athletic glove can provide support for the thumb when the mitt is impacted and forced toward a hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction position. In certain examples, the athletic glove can be worn without a mitt, where the athletic glove protects a wearer's thumb against hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction.

[0021] Thermoplast-type orthosis is sometimes used in existing baseball and softball activities to support the thumb of the wearer. However, such an orthosis does not prevent hyper-extension or hyper-abduction of the thumb, can cause skin abrasions, and may not be comfortable for many wearers. Players also use athletic tape on their thumbs in an attempt to provide stability or support to limit or restrict hyper-extension and hyper-abduction, but athletic tape can tear, cause skin irritations, can be uncomfortable, and may require multiple re-taping activities during a sporting activity, such as over the course of a game or practice. In the present disclosure, the athletic glove provides support and protection for the wearer's thumb as part of the athletic glove itself, limiting hyper-extension and hyper-abduction of the thumb, and does not require separate tape or thermoplast-type attachment to the wearer's hand.

[0022] FIGS. 1 and 2 are a schematic front view and a schematic side view, respectively, of a human left hand 10 showing anatomical directions relative to a palm 12, a thumb 14, and fingers 16 of the hand 10. The hand 10 includes a palmar side 22 and a dorsal side 24 opposite to the palmar side 22. The palmar side 22 is referred to as the front of the hand 10, and the dorsal side 24 is referred to as the back of the hand 10. In the front view of the hand 10 in FIG. 1, ‘extension’ includes movement of the thumb 14 in the radial direction 18, and ‘flexion’ includes movement of the thumb 14 toward the fingers 16 in an ulnar (or medial) direction 20. In the side view of the hand 10 of FIG. 2, ‘abduction’ includes movement of the thumb 14 away from the palm 12 while still in line or parallel with the Radius bone of the forearm, and ‘adduction’ of the thumb 14 returns it to the palm 12 of the hand 10.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a rear view of an example athletic glove 100 including a glove body 102 formed to receive a human hand, such as the example hand 10 of FIG. 1-2. The example athletic glove 100 is shown as a left-handed glove, though the athletic glove 100 can be formed as a right-handed glove. The glove body 102 mimics the physical shape of a human hand, and envelops (e.g., surrounds and encloses) the hand of a wearer. The glove body 102 is flexible and deformable, for example, to allow the wearer to freely move their hand while wearing the athletic glove 100 glove, and also to allow the wearer to grip an object (e.g., a bat, hockey stick, handle, or other object) or catch an object (e.g., a ball, hockey puck, or other moving object) while wearing the athletic glove 100. In the example athletic glove 100 of FIG. 3, the glove body 102 includes a palmar (front) side 104 (e.g., toward the page) and a dorsal (back) side 106, and the palmar side 104 and dorsal side 106 overlap each other and form a pocket for receiving the hand of the wearer. An opening 108 to the pocket allows for the insertion of the hand of the wearer into the pocket for wearing the glove body 102.

[0024] The glove body 102 defines a thumb portion 110 for receiving a wearer's thumb, a finger portion 112 for receiving a wearer's fingers, and a palm portion 114 for receiving a wearer's palm within the pocket of the glove body 102. The thumb portion 110, finger portion 112, and palm portion 114 correspond to the locations of the thumb, fingers, and palm, respectively, of the hand of the wearer, and mimic the physical characteristics and / or naming conventions of the human hand. The finger portion112 is shown as having four individual pockets for the four fingers of the hand, including an index finger portion 116 corresponding to the index finger of the wearer's hand. However, the finger portion 112 can include fewer finger pockets, for example, such that one or multiple fingers of the wearer are enveloped into a single pocket or multiple pockets of the finger portion 112.

[0025] The example athletic glove 100 can be formed of leather, synthetic materials (e.g., polyester, flexible polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, spandex, or other), a combination of these materials, or other materials.

[0026] The example athletic glove 100 also includes a material layer 118 positioned between, extending between, and connected to the thumb portion 110 and the index finger portion 116 of the glove body 102. The material layer 118 covers all or a portion of the U-shaped or V-shaped gap between the peripheral edges of the thumb portion 110 and the index finger portion 116. The material layer 118 is formed from a generally planar, flexible material shaped to fill a portion of the space between the thumb portion 110 and the index finger portion 116. FIG. 4 is a partial, schematic, magnified view of the example athletic glove 100 of FIG. 3 showing the material layer 118 attached to the glove body 102. For example, the material layer 118 is sewn to the glove body 102 along the peripheral edge of the material layer 118. Although the material layer 118 is shown as sewn to the glove body 102, the material layer 118 can fixedly attach to the glove body 102 in other ways. For example, the material layer 118 can integrally formed with, fused to, adhered to, or otherwise connected to the material of the glove body 102.

[0027] In some implementations, the material layer 118 is formed of a flexible material, such as a fabric webbing or other flexible material attached to (e.g., integrated with, fixed, to, sewn to, or otherwise connected to) and disposed between the thumb portion 110 and index finger portion 116 of the athletic glove 100. The flexible material of the material layer 118 is flexible to allow for relative movement between the thumb portion 110 and index finger portion 116 closer together where the material layer 118 can flex, bend, or otherwise be distorted to allow freedom of movement of the thumb and index finger of the wearer wearing the athletic glove 100. For example, since the material layer 118 is flexible, the material layer 118 allows for flexion of the wearer's thumb. In some examples, such as when the athletic glove is being used as a batting glove, the presence of the material layer 118 still allows the wearer to grip a bat, stick, or handle and allows for closure of the wearer's hand. The flexible material layer 118 is also inextensible (i.e., generally unyielding, or generally inextensible) in tension, for example, to prevent over-extension (e.g., hyperextension and / or abduction) of the thumb portion 110 in the extension direction relative to the index finger portion 116. This inextensible characteristic of the flexible material layer 118 protects the wearer's thumb from hyper-extension and hyper-abduction, and / or from tearing of the UCL of the wearer. In use, the example athletic glove 100 incorporating the material layer 118 supports the thumb portion 110 from moving beyond a threshold extension position relative to the index finger portion 116, such as into hyper-extension, hyper-abduction, or both hyper-extension and hyper-abduction beyond the normal range of motion of the wearer's thumb. In some instances, the threshold position can include the maximum peripheral range of normal range of motion of the wearer's thumb.

[0028] In some examples, the material layer 118 supports the thumb of the wearer to ensure the thumb does not extend away from the index finger portion 116 beyond the dimension of the material layer 118, such as instances where a projectile or other object applies a force against the wearer's thumb. This dimension of the material layer 118 can be selected to optimize usability of the example athletic glove 100 while also preventing overextension of the thumb portion 110 relative to the index finger portion 116. For example, instead of allowing a wearer's thumb to extend into hyperextension, the material layer 118 acts to apply a pulling force against the thumb portion 110 (to prevent hyperextension), acts to apply a pulling force against the index finger portion 116 (to pull the index finger toward the thumb), or both.

[0029] In an example operation, a wearer of the athletic glove 100 can close their hand in a fist or around an object, such as a bat, stick, handle, or other object, but the athletic glove 100 prevents the thumb portion 110 from being extended (in the direction of extension or abduction) away from the index finger portion 116 further than the threshold extension defined by the dimensions of the material layer 118.

[0030] In some implementations, a batting glove or other athletic glove can be modified to include the material layer 118. For example, a standard batting glove (e.g., for baseball or softball) can be modified to include the material layer 118 by sewing, adhering, or otherwise attaching the material layer 118 to the glove. The material layer 118 is flexible in nature to allows a wearer to close the glove (e.g., bring the thumb portion closer to the index finger portion), but is firm (e.g., generally inextensible or generally not stretchable) when the thumb portion and index finger portion are forced apart such that the thumb portion cannot be forced further away from the index finger portion more than the dimensions of the material layer 118.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a front view of a second example athletic glove 200 including a strap system 202. The second example athletic glove 200 is the same as the example athletic glove 100 of FIGS. 3-4, except that the second example athletic glove 200 further includes the strap system 202, and the glove body 102′ is adapted to support the strap system 202 on the second example athletic glove 200. The glove body 102′ is shown as partially transparent in FIG. 5, for example, to show the features of the strap system 202 on the dorsal side 106 of the glove body 102′.

[0032] The strap system 202 includes a strap 204 that connects to the thumb portion 110 at a first longitudinal end 206 of the strap 204. For example, the strap 204 can be sewn to, integrated into, or otherwise fixed to the thumb portion 110 of the glove body 102′. In the second example athletic glove 200 of FIG. 5, the first longitudinal end 206 of the strap 204 attaches to the thumb portion 110 at a laterally outermost side of the thumb portion 110, furthest from the finger portion 112. The strap 204 extends from its first longitudinal end 206 in an ulnar direction (e.g., toward an ulnar side of the athletic glove 200) and across the palmar side 104. In some instances, the glove body 102′ forms a channel 208 in the material of the glove body 102′ across the palmar side 104 of the athletic glove 200 to house the strap 204 as it extends across the palmar side 104. For example, the channel 208 can be formed by a second layer of glove body material connected to (e.g., sewn to, adhered to, or otherwise fixed to) the glove body 102′ onto an interior or exterior surface of the glove body 102′. The channel 208 defines a tunnel for the strap 204 to extend across the palmar side 104, for example, without disrupting the outermost palmar surface of the glove body 102′ during athletic play. The channel 208 also acts to position the strap 204 along the palmar side 104. The interior width dimension of the channel 208 is slightly wider than the width of the strap 204 to allow for longitudinal freedom of movement of the strap 204 within the channel 208 but constrained lateral movement of the strap 204. At a longitudinal end 210 of the channel 208 (e.g., at the ulnar side of the athletic glove 200), the strap 204 exits the channel 208, wraps around an end of the glove body 102′, and extends in a radial direction across the dorsal side 106 of the glove body 102′. A hook and loop connector patch 212 is secured to (e.g., sewn to, adhered to, otherwise connected to) the dorsal side 106 of the glove body 102′, for example, adjacent to or near a base of the index finger portion 116. The strap 204 can include one or more hook and loop features to selectively engage with the patch 212.

[0033] The strap 204 is fixedly connected to the thumb portion 110 of the glove body 102′ at its first longitudinal end 206 and selectively connected (e.g., removably connected) at its second, opposite longitudinal end to the patch 212. Between the first longitudinal end 206 and the second longitudinal end of the strap 204, the strap 204 is unconnected. In some instances, a wearer can adjust the strap 204 my pulling or loosening the strap 204 at its second longitudinal end to provide a desired level of support to the wearer, such that the strap 204 can travel freely within the channel 208 to the extent allowed by its fixed connection at the first longitudinal end 206 and selectively adjustable second longitudinal end. The strap 204 is adjustable against the patch 212 using the hook and loop feature. For example, the strap 204 can be loosened or tightened to a desired thumb position in flexion and / or extension for the wearer.

[0034] In use, the strap 204 can be loosened, tightened, and / or secured to the patch 212 on the glove body 102′ to provide support for the wearer's thumb from UCL injury due to hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The strap 204 is adjustable on the body 102′ of the athletic glove 200 to fit varying hand sizes and / or comfort levels of wearers of the second example athletic glove 200. In some examples, the strap system 202 assists in preventing the wearer's thumb from movement into hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction, in addition to or instead of the material layer 118.

[0035] The strap 204 has a thickness and / or density to afford protection for the thumb and to limit potential for the strap 204 to tear or break from forces delivered to it during use by a wearer of the second example athletic glove 200, such as forces delivered by a moving object caught with the athletic glove 200, or forces transmitted from an object gripped by a user wearing the athletic glove 200. For example, the strap 204 can have a material thickness of greater than or equal to 2.0 millimeters (mm).

[0036] In the second example athletic glove 200, both the strap system 202 and the material layer 118 between the thumb portion 110 and the index finger portion 116 are present. In some instances, the second example athletic glove 200 excludes the material layer 118, such that the strap system 202 provides support to a wearer's thumb in place of the material layer 118.

[0037] FIG. 6 is a rear view of a third example athletic glove 300 including a second strap system 302. The third example athletic glove 300 is the same as the example athletic glove 100 of FIGS. 3-4, except that the third example athletic glove 300 excludes the material layer 118 and further includes the second strap system 302. The glove body 102″ is adapted to support the second strap system 302 on the third example athletic glove 300. The glove body 102″ is shown as partially transparent in FIG. 6, for example, to show the features of the second strap system 302 on the palmar side 104 of the glove body 102″.

[0038] The second example strap system 302 includes a second strap 304 that connects to the thumb portion 110 at a first longitudinal end 306 of the second strap 304, extends from the first longitudinal end 306 to encircle the glove body 102″, and selectively connects to the glove body 102″ with a selective fastener (e.g., hook and loop feature). The second strap can be sewn to, integrated into, or otherwise fixed to the thumb portion 110 of the glove body 102″. In the third example athletic glove 300 of FIG. 6, the first longitudinal end 306 of the second strap 304 attaches to the thumb portion 110 at a laterally innermost side of the thumb portion 110 (e.g., medial side of the thumb portion 110), closest to the finger portion 112. The second strap 304 then wraps anteriorly around an outside of the thumb portion 110 (from the palmar side 104 to the dorsal side 106), extends across the dorsal side 106 of the palm portion 114 of the glove body 102″ (e.g., dorsum of the hand) through a dorsal channel 308, wraps around the ulnar side of the glove body 102″, further extends across the palmar side 104 of the palm portion 114 of the glove body 102″ (e.g., through a palmar channel 310), further wraps around the radial side of the glove body 102″ (e.g., below the thumb portion 110), and selectively attaches to the dorsal side 106 of the glove body 102″.

[0039] The glove body 102″ forms the dorsal channel 308 and the palmar channel 310 to house the second strap 304 as it extends across the dorsal side 106 and palmar side 104, respectively. The channels 308, 310 can be formed by a supplemental layer(s) of glove body material connected to (e.g., sewn to, adhered to, or otherwise fixed to) the glove body 102″ onto an interior and / or exterior surface of the glove body 102″. The dorsal channel 308 defines a tunnel for the second strap 304 to extend across the dorsal side 106, and the palmar channel 310 defines a tunnel for the second strap 304 to extend across the palmar side 104, for example, without disrupting the outermost palmar surface and / or outermost surface dorsal surface of the glove body 102″ during athletic play. The channels 308, 310 also acts to position the second strap304 along the palmar side 104 and dorsal side 106. The interior width dimension of the channels 308, 310 is slightly wider than the width of the second strap 304 to allow for longitudinal freedom of movement of the second strap 304 within the channels 308, 310 but constrained lateral movement of the second strap 304. Each of the dorsal channel 308 and palmar channel 310 can have an entry aperture and an exit aperture for the second strap 304 to extend through. For example, the dorsal channel 308 includes an entry aperture 314 and an exit aperture 316, and the palmar channel 310 includes an entry aperture 318 and an exit aperture 320.

[0040] A hook and loop connector patch 322 is secured to (e.g., sewn to, adhered to, otherwise connected to) the dorsal side 106 of the glove body 102″, for example, adjacent to or near a base of the index finger portion 116. The second strap 304 can include one or more hook and loop features to selectively engage with the patch 322. The second strap 304 is adjustable against the patch 322 using the hook and loop feature. For example, the second strap 304 can be loosened or tightened to a desired thumb position in flexion and / or tension for the wearer. In use, the second strap 304 can be loosened, tightened, and / or secured to the patch 322 on the glove body 102″ to provide support for the wearer's thumb from UCL injury due to hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The second strap 304 is adjustable on the body 102″ of the athletic glove 300 to fit varying hand sizes and / or comfort levels of wearers of the third example athletic glove 300. In some examples, the second strap system 302 assists in preventing the wearer's thumb from movement into hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction, in addition to or instead of the material layer 118.

[0041] The second strap 304 has a thickness and / or density to afford protection for the thumb and to limit potential for the second strap 304 to tear or break from forces delivered to it during use by a wearer of the third example athletic glove 300, such as forces delivered by a moving object caught with the athletic glove 300, or forces transmitted from an object gripped by a wearer wearing the athletic glove 300. For example, the second strap 304 can have a material thickness of greater than or equal to 2.0 mm.

[0042] In some implementations, the third example athletic glove 300 can include the material layer 118 of the example athletic glove 100 of FIGS. 3-4. For example, the material layer 118 and the second strap system 302 can work in parallel to support the thumb of a wearer of the third example athletic glove 300.

[0043] While this disclosure contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular implementations. Certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

[0044] Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products.

[0045] Thus, particular implementations of the subject matter have been described. Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. Various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. In some cases, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. In addition, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do not necessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0016]This disclosure describes an athletic glove equipped with an attached flexible material layer between a thumb and index finger, a strap system, or both, for protection of a wearer's thumb from hyperextension and / or hyper-abduction. The athletic glove is a generally tight-fitting glove that envelops a wearer's hand, providing a layer of protection for the wearer's hand. The athletic glove can be used for sports that utilize an athletic glove on the wearer's hand(s), such as in baseball, softball, hockey, cricket, lacrosse, and / or other sports where an athlete wears a glove for catching and / or gripping objects. The athletic glove can also be used in other applications other than sports where a wearer desires protection for their thumb from hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The flexible material layer can include a fabric webbing or other material attached to (e.g., integrated with, fixed, to, sewn to, or otherwise connected to) and disposed between the thumb portion and in...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 753,852 , filed on Feb. 4, 2025, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 757,710 , filed on Feb. 12, 2025, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This disclosure relates to athletic gloves, for example, for use in sports.BACKGROUND

[0003] In several sports, such as baseball, softball, or hockey, a player may wear an athletic glove for the purpose of fielding or catching a ball or puck that is pitched, thrown, batted, hit, or otherwise propelled to the player, or for the purpose of batting or hitting a ball or puck. The player's thumb on the hand wearing the athletic glove can be injured from strain or tearing of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) due to hyper-extension or hyper-abduction of the thumb, such as when attempting to catch a pitched or thrown ball or puck with the gloved hand.SUMMARY

[0004] This disclosure describes athletic gloves, such as athletic gloves with support material or strap system for supporting the thumb of a wearer from hyper-extension or hyper-abduction.

[0005] In some aspects, an athletic glove includes a glove body to envelop a hand of a wearer of the athletic glove, the glove body defining a thumb portion to receive a thumb of the wearer and a finger portion to receive an index finger of the wearer, and a material layer connected to and extending between the thumb portion and the finger portion. The material layer is flexible and is generally inextensible in tension. The material layer limits movement of the thumb portion into extension relative to the finger portion.

[0006] These and other aspects can include one or more of the following features. The athletic glove can be a batting glove, hockey glove, cricket glove, or lacrosse glove. The material layer can include leather or fabric. The material layer can be affixed to the thumb portion and the finger portion along a peripheral portion of the material layer. The material layer can be sewn to the thumb portion and the finger portion along the peripheral portion of the material layer. The athletic glove can include a strap system connected to the glove body, where the strap system includes a strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the strap, and the strap extends from the first longitudinal end substantially across a palmar side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extends around an ulnar side of the glove body, and further extends at least partially across a dorsal side of the glove body. The strap system can include a selectively releasable fastener on the dorsal side of the glove body, the selectively releasable fastener to releasably attach to the strap. The selectively releasable fastener can include a hook and loop connector, the strap can include a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end, and the strap can include a hook and loop element at the second longitudinal end to selectively attach to the hook and loop connector. The selectively releasable fastener can be disposed at a base of the finger portion. The glove body can include a channel formed in the glove body on the palmar side of the glove body, where the strap is disposed at least partially through the channel. The strap can be fixed to the thumb portion at a radial side of the thumb portion. The athletic glove can include a second strap system connected to the glove body, where the second strap system includes a second strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the second strap, and the second strap extends from the first longitudinal end substantially across a dorsal side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extends around an ulnar side of the glove body, further extends across a palmar side of the glove body, further extends around a radial side of the glove body, and further extends at least partially across the dorsal side of the glove body. The second strap system can include a selectively releasable fastener on the dorsal side of the glove body, where the selectively releasable fastener releasably attaches to the second strap. The selectively releasable fastener can include a hook and loop connector, the second strap has a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end, and the second strap can include a hook and loop element at the second longitudinal end to selectively attach to the hook and loop connector. The selectively releasable fastener can be disposed at a base of the finger portion. The glove body can include a first channel formed in the glove body on the dorsal side of the glove body and a second channel formed in the palmar side of the glove body, and the second strap is disposed at least partially through the first channel and the second channel. The second strap can be fixed to the thumb portion at a medial side of the thumb portion.

[0007] In certain aspects, an athletic glove includes a glove body to envelop a hand of a wearer of the athletic glove. The glove body defines a thumb portion to receive a thumb of the wearer and a finger portion to receive an index finger of the wearer. The athletic glove also includes a strap system connected to the glove body, where the strap system includes a strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the strap, and the strap extends from the first longitudinal end substantially across a palmar side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extends around an ulnar side of the glove body, and further extends at least partially across a dorsal side of the glove body. The strap system can further include a selectively releasable fastener on the dorsal side of the glove body, where the selectively releasable fastener releasably attaches to the strap.

[0008] In some aspects, an athletic glove includes a glove body to envelop a hand of a wearer of the athletic glove. The glove body defines a thumb portion to receive a thumb of the wearer and a finger portion to receive an index finger of the wearer. The athletic glove also includes a strap system connected to the glove body, where the strap system includes a strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the strap. The strap extends from the first longitudinal end substantially across a dorsal side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extends around an ulnar side of the glove body, further extends across a palmar side of the glove body, further extends around a radial side of the glove body, and further extends at least partially across the dorsal side of the glove body.

[0009] The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIGS. 1 and 2 are a schematic front view and a schematic side view, respectively, of a human left hand showing anatomical directions relative to the hand.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a rear view of an example athletic glove formed to receive a human hand.

[0012] FIG. 4 is a partial, schematic, magnified view of the example athletic glove of FIG. 3.

[0013] FIG. 5 is a front view of a second example athletic glove including a strap system.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a rear view of a third example athletic glove including a second strap system.

[0015] Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] This disclosure describes an athletic glove equipped with an attached flexible material layer between a thumb and index finger, a strap system, or both, for protection of a wearer's thumb from hyperextension and / or hyper-abduction. The athletic glove is a generally tight-fitting glove that envelops a wearer's hand, providing a layer of protection for the wearer's hand. The athletic glove can be used for sports that utilize an athletic glove on the wearer's hand(s), such as in baseball, softball, hockey, cricket, lacrosse, and / or other sports where an athlete wears a glove for catching and / or gripping objects. The athletic glove can also be used in other applications other than sports where a wearer desires protection for their thumb from hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The flexible material layer can include a fabric webbing or other material attached to (e.g., integrated with, fixed, to, sewn to, or otherwise connected to) and disposed between the thumb portion and index finger portion of the athletic glove. The flexible material is flexible to allow for relative movement between the thumb and index finger closer together where the material can flex, bend, or otherwise move to allow freedom of movement of the thumb and index finger of the wearer, but the flexible material is generally inextensible (e.g., generally unyielding) in tension to prevent over-extension (e.g., hyperextension and / or abduction) of the thumb portion relative to the index finger portion. This generally inextensible characteristic of the flexible material protects the wearer's thumb from hyper-extension and abduction, and / or from tearing of the UCL of the wearer. In the present disclosure, the use of “generally inextensible” or “generally unyielding” refers to the substantial lack of stretchability of a material. For example, a “generally inextensible” material can be described as a material that is configured not to stretch, though a small degree of stretch in the material is possible based on inherent material properties. In some instances, “generally inextensible” material can refer to a material having a stretchability of less than 10%, less than 5% less than 1%, less than 0.5%, or another stretchability less than 10%.

[0017] In use, the athletic glove with the flexible material layer supports the thumb of the wearer from moving beyond a threshold extension position relative to the index finger, such as into hyper-extension, hyper-abduction, or both hyper-extension and hyper-abduction. Hyper-extension and hyper-abduction are the extended movement of the thumb in the respective radial or palmar directions away from the palm of the hand beyond a normal range of motion of the thumb, and the threshold position can include the maximum peripheral range of normal range of motion.

[0018] For example, in instances where a projectile or other object applies a force that acts against the wearer's thumb while the wearer wears the athletic glove, the flexible material ensures that the thumb does not extend further from the index finger portion than the dimension of the flexible material. This dimension can be selected to optimize usability of the glove while preventing overextension of the thumb relative to the index finger. In some instances, instead of allowing the thumb to extend into hyperextension, the flexible material acts to apply a pulling force against the thumb to prevent hyperextension, acts as a pulling force against the index finger to pulls the index finger toward the thumb, or both.

[0019] In some implementations, the athletic glove can include a strap system instead of or in addition to the flexible material layer described earlier. An example strap system includes a strap that connects to the thumb portion (e.g., at a lateral, outer side of the thumb portion) of the athletic glove, extends across a palmar side of the athletic glove, then wraps around the hand toward the dorsal side of the athletic glove and selectively attaches to (e.g., with a hook-and-loop fastener) the dorsal side of the athletic glove. The strap can be adjusted, such as selectively loosened or tightened using the hook-and-loop fastener, to provide support for the wearer's thumb from UCL injury due to hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The strap is adjustable on the body of the athletic glove to fit varying hand sizes and / or comfort levels of wearers of the glove. In some examples, the strap assists in preventing the wearer's thumb from movement into hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. In certain implementations, an example strap system includes a second strap that fixedly connects to the thumb portion (e.g., at a laterally inner side of the thumb portion adjacent to the index finger portion), wraps around an outside of the thumb portion and extends across the dorsal side of the athletic glove, wraps around an ulnar side of the athletic glove, further extends across the palmar side of the athletic glove, further wraps around the radial side of the athletic glove (e.g., below the thumb portion), and selectively attaches (e.g., with a hook-and-loop fastener) to the dorsal side of the athletic glove. The second strap can be adjusted, such as selectively loosened or tightened, to provide support for the wearer's thumb from UCL injury due to hyper-extension and / or abduction. In some examples, the second strap cradles the wearer's thumb against movement into hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The second strap is adjustable on the body of the athletic glove to fit varying hand sizes and / or comfort levels of wearers of the glove.

[0020] Conventional athletic gloves exclude the flexible material layer and / or strap system described earlier, and lack features for protecting a wearer's thumb from hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction that can result in tearing or damage to the UCL of the wearer's thumb, such as when a projectile (e.g., ball, puck, or other object), bat, stick, handle, baseball or softball base (e.g., in the event of an runner wearing the glove and sliding into the base with their gloved hand) or other sporting equipment impacts or forces the thumb portion of the athletic glove into hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. These forces can result in injury and tearing of the UCL of the thumb. In the present disclosure, the athletic glove includes a flexible material layer, a strap system, or both, that acts to reduce or prevent excessive movement of the thumb in the radial direction of extension of the thumb. For example, when an object acts against the thumb portion of the athletic glove, the flexible material layer and / or strap system acts against excessive thumb hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction, thereby distributing forces onto other portions of the athletic glove instead of primarily against the thumb of the wearer. In some examples, the athletic glove can be worn inside a baseball mitt, softball mitt, hockey mitt, cricket mitt, or other sporting mitt, where athletic glove can provide support for the thumb when the mitt is impacted and forced toward a hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction position. In certain examples, the athletic glove can be worn without a mitt, where the athletic glove protects a wearer's thumb against hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction.

[0021] Thermoplast-type orthosis is sometimes used in existing baseball and softball activities to support the thumb of the wearer. However, such an orthosis does not prevent hyper-extension or hyper-abduction of the thumb, can cause skin abrasions, and may not be comfortable for many wearers. Players also use athletic tape on their thumbs in an attempt to provide stability or support to limit or restrict hyper-extension and hyper-abduction, but athletic tape can tear, cause skin irritations, can be uncomfortable, and may require multiple re-taping activities during a sporting activity, such as over the course of a game or practice. In the present disclosure, the athletic glove provides support and protection for the wearer's thumb as part of the athletic glove itself, limiting hyper-extension and hyper-abduction of the thumb, and does not require separate tape or thermoplast-type attachment to the wearer's hand.

[0022] FIGS. 1 and 2 are a schematic front view and a schematic side view, respectively, of a human left hand 10 showing anatomical directions relative to a palm 12, a thumb 14, and fingers 16 of the hand 10. The hand 10 includes a palmar side 22 and a dorsal side 24 opposite to the palmar side 22. The palmar side 22 is referred to as the front of the hand 10, and the dorsal side 24 is referred to as the back of the hand 10. In the front view of the hand 10 in FIG. 1, ‘extension’ includes movement of the thumb 14 in the radial direction 18, and ‘flexion’ includes movement of the thumb 14 toward the fingers 16 in an ulnar (or medial) direction 20. In the side view of the hand 10 of FIG. 2, ‘abduction’ includes movement of the thumb 14 away from the palm 12 while still in line or parallel with the Radius bone of the forearm, and ‘adduction’ of the thumb 14 returns it to the palm 12 of the hand 10.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a rear view of an example athletic glove 100 including a glove body 102 formed to receive a human hand, such as the example hand 10 of FIG. 1-2. The example athletic glove 100 is shown as a left-handed glove, though the athletic glove 100 can be formed as a right-handed glove. The glove body 102 mimics the physical shape of a human hand, and envelops (e.g., surrounds and encloses) the hand of a wearer. The glove body 102 is flexible and deformable, for example, to allow the wearer to freely move their hand while wearing the athletic glove 100 glove, and also to allow the wearer to grip an object (e.g., a bat, hockey stick, handle, or other object) or catch an object (e.g., a ball, hockey puck, or other moving object) while wearing the athletic glove 100. In the example athletic glove 100 of FIG. 3, the glove body 102 includes a palmar (front) side 104 (e.g., toward the page) and a dorsal (back) side 106, and the palmar side 104 and dorsal side 106 overlap each other and form a pocket for receiving the hand of the wearer. An opening 108 to the pocket allows for the insertion of the hand of the wearer into the pocket for wearing the glove body 102.

[0024] The glove body 102 defines a thumb portion 110 for receiving a wearer's thumb, a finger portion 112 for receiving a wearer's fingers, and a palm portion 114 for receiving a wearer's palm within the pocket of the glove body 102. The thumb portion 110, finger portion 112, and palm portion 114 correspond to the locations of the thumb, fingers, and palm, respectively, of the hand of the wearer, and mimic the physical characteristics and / or naming conventions of the human hand. The finger portion112 is shown as having four individual pockets for the four fingers of the hand, including an index finger portion 116 corresponding to the index finger of the wearer's hand. However, the finger portion 112 can include fewer finger pockets, for example, such that one or multiple fingers of the wearer are enveloped into a single pocket or multiple pockets of the finger portion 112.

[0025] The example athletic glove 100 can be formed of leather, synthetic materials (e.g., polyester, flexible polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, spandex, or other), a combination of these materials, or other materials.

[0026] The example athletic glove 100 also includes a material layer 118 positioned between, extending between, and connected to the thumb portion 110 and the index finger portion 116 of the glove body 102. The material layer 118 covers all or a portion of the U-shaped or V-shaped gap between the peripheral edges of the thumb portion 110 and the index finger portion 116. The material layer 118 is formed from a generally planar, flexible material shaped to fill a portion of the space between the thumb portion 110 and the index finger portion 116. FIG. 4 is a partial, schematic, magnified view of the example athletic glove 100 of FIG. 3 showing the material layer 118 attached to the glove body 102. For example, the material layer 118 is sewn to the glove body 102 along the peripheral edge of the material layer 118. Although the material layer 118 is shown as sewn to the glove body 102, the material layer 118 can fixedly attach to the glove body 102 in other ways. For example, the material layer 118 can integrally formed with, fused to, adhered to, or otherwise connected to the material of the glove body 102.

[0027] In some implementations, the material layer 118 is formed of a flexible material, such as a fabric webbing or other flexible material attached to (e.g., integrated with, fixed, to, sewn to, or otherwise connected to) and disposed between the thumb portion 110 and index finger portion 116 of the athletic glove 100. The flexible material of the material layer 118 is flexible to allow for relative movement between the thumb portion 110 and index finger portion 116 closer together where the material layer 118 can flex, bend, or otherwise be distorted to allow freedom of movement of the thumb and index finger of the wearer wearing the athletic glove 100. For example, since the material layer 118 is flexible, the material layer 118 allows for flexion of the wearer's thumb. In some examples, such as when the athletic glove is being used as a batting glove, the presence of the material layer 118 still allows the wearer to grip a bat, stick, or handle and allows for closure of the wearer's hand. The flexible material layer 118 is also inextensible (i.e., generally unyielding, or generally inextensible) in tension, for example, to prevent over-extension (e.g., hyperextension and / or abduction) of the thumb portion 110 in the extension direction relative to the index finger portion 116. This inextensible characteristic of the flexible material layer 118 protects the wearer's thumb from hyper-extension and hyper-abduction, and / or from tearing of the UCL of the wearer. In use, the example athletic glove 100 incorporating the material layer 118 supports the thumb portion 110 from moving beyond a threshold extension position relative to the index finger portion 116, such as into hyper-extension, hyper-abduction, or both hyper-extension and hyper-abduction beyond the normal range of motion of the wearer's thumb. In some instances, the threshold position can include the maximum peripheral range of normal range of motion of the wearer's thumb.

[0028] In some examples, the material layer 118 supports the thumb of the wearer to ensure the thumb does not extend away from the index finger portion 116 beyond the dimension of the material layer 118, such as instances where a projectile or other object applies a force against the wearer's thumb. This dimension of the material layer 118 can be selected to optimize usability of the example athletic glove 100 while also preventing overextension of the thumb portion 110 relative to the index finger portion 116. For example, instead of allowing a wearer's thumb to extend into hyperextension, the material layer 118 acts to apply a pulling force against the thumb portion 110 (to prevent hyperextension), acts to apply a pulling force against the index finger portion 116 (to pull the index finger toward the thumb), or both.

[0029] In an example operation, a wearer of the athletic glove 100 can close their hand in a fist or around an object, such as a bat, stick, handle, or other object, but the athletic glove 100 prevents the thumb portion 110 from being extended (in the direction of extension or abduction) away from the index finger portion 116 further than the threshold extension defined by the dimensions of the material layer 118.

[0030] In some implementations, a batting glove or other athletic glove can be modified to include the material layer 118. For example, a standard batting glove (e.g., for baseball or softball) can be modified to include the material layer 118 by sewing, adhering, or otherwise attaching the material layer 118 to the glove. The material layer 118 is flexible in nature to allows a wearer to close the glove (e.g., bring the thumb portion closer to the index finger portion), but is firm (e.g., generally inextensible or generally not stretchable) when the thumb portion and index finger portion are forced apart such that the thumb portion cannot be forced further away from the index finger portion more than the dimensions of the material layer 118.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a front view of a second example athletic glove 200 including a strap system 202. The second example athletic glove 200 is the same as the example athletic glove 100 of FIGS. 3-4, except that the second example athletic glove 200 further includes the strap system 202, and the glove body 102′ is adapted to support the strap system 202 on the second example athletic glove 200. The glove body 102′ is shown as partially transparent in FIG. 5, for example, to show the features of the strap system 202 on the dorsal side 106 of the glove body 102′.

[0032] The strap system 202 includes a strap 204 that connects to the thumb portion 110 at a first longitudinal end 206 of the strap 204. For example, the strap 204 can be sewn to, integrated into, or otherwise fixed to the thumb portion 110 of the glove body 102′. In the second example athletic glove 200 of FIG. 5, the first longitudinal end 206 of the strap 204 attaches to the thumb portion 110 at a laterally outermost side of the thumb portion 110, furthest from the finger portion 112. The strap 204 extends from its first longitudinal end 206 in an ulnar direction (e.g., toward an ulnar side of the athletic glove 200) and across the palmar side 104. In some instances, the glove body 102′ forms a channel 208 in the material of the glove body 102′ across the palmar side 104 of the athletic glove 200 to house the strap 204 as it extends across the palmar side 104. For example, the channel 208 can be formed by a second layer of glove body material connected to (e.g., sewn to, adhered to, or otherwise fixed to) the glove body 102′ onto an interior or exterior surface of the glove body 102′. The channel 208 defines a tunnel for the strap 204 to extend across the palmar side 104, for example, without disrupting the outermost palmar surface of the glove body 102′ during athletic play. The channel 208 also acts to position the strap 204 along the palmar side 104. The interior width dimension of the channel 208 is slightly wider than the width of the strap 204 to allow for longitudinal freedom of movement of the strap 204 within the channel 208 but constrained lateral movement of the strap 204. At a longitudinal end 210 of the channel 208 (e.g., at the ulnar side of the athletic glove 200), the strap 204 exits the channel 208, wraps around an end of the glove body 102′, and extends in a radial direction across the dorsal side 106 of the glove body 102′. A hook and loop connector patch 212 is secured to (e.g., sewn to, adhered to, otherwise connected to) the dorsal side 106 of the glove body 102′, for example, adjacent to or near a base of the index finger portion 116. The strap 204 can include one or more hook and loop features to selectively engage with the patch 212.

[0033] The strap 204 is fixedly connected to the thumb portion 110 of the glove body 102′ at its first longitudinal end 206 and selectively connected (e.g., removably connected) at its second, opposite longitudinal end to the patch 212. Between the first longitudinal end 206 and the second longitudinal end of the strap 204, the strap 204 is unconnected. In some instances, a wearer can adjust the strap 204 my pulling or loosening the strap 204 at its second longitudinal end to provide a desired level of support to the wearer, such that the strap 204 can travel freely within the channel 208 to the extent allowed by its fixed connection at the first longitudinal end 206 and selectively adjustable second longitudinal end. The strap 204 is adjustable against the patch 212 using the hook and loop feature. For example, the strap 204 can be loosened or tightened to a desired thumb position in flexion and / or extension for the wearer.

[0034] In use, the strap 204 can be loosened, tightened, and / or secured to the patch 212 on the glove body 102′ to provide support for the wearer's thumb from UCL injury due to hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The strap 204 is adjustable on the body 102′ of the athletic glove 200 to fit varying hand sizes and / or comfort levels of wearers of the second example athletic glove 200. In some examples, the strap system 202 assists in preventing the wearer's thumb from movement into hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction, in addition to or instead of the material layer 118.

[0035] The strap 204 has a thickness and / or density to afford protection for the thumb and to limit potential for the strap 204 to tear or break from forces delivered to it during use by a wearer of the second example athletic glove 200, such as forces delivered by a moving object caught with the athletic glove 200, or forces transmitted from an object gripped by a user wearing the athletic glove 200. For example, the strap 204 can have a material thickness of greater than or equal to 2.0 millimeters (mm).

[0036] In the second example athletic glove 200, both the strap system 202 and the material layer 118 between the thumb portion 110 and the index finger portion 116 are present. In some instances, the second example athletic glove 200 excludes the material layer 118, such that the strap system 202 provides support to a wearer's thumb in place of the material layer 118.

[0037] FIG. 6 is a rear view of a third example athletic glove 300 including a second strap system 302. The third example athletic glove 300 is the same as the example athletic glove 100 of FIGS. 3-4, except that the third example athletic glove 300 excludes the material layer 118 and further includes the second strap system 302. The glove body 102″ is adapted to support the second strap system 302 on the third example athletic glove 300. The glove body 102″ is shown as partially transparent in FIG. 6, for example, to show the features of the second strap system 302 on the palmar side 104 of the glove body 102″.

[0038] The second example strap system 302 includes a second strap 304 that connects to the thumb portion 110 at a first longitudinal end 306 of the second strap 304, extends from the first longitudinal end 306 to encircle the glove body 102″, and selectively connects to the glove body 102″ with a selective fastener (e.g., hook and loop feature). The second strap can be sewn to, integrated into, or otherwise fixed to the thumb portion 110 of the glove body 102″. In the third example athletic glove 300 of FIG. 6, the first longitudinal end 306 of the second strap 304 attaches to the thumb portion 110 at a laterally innermost side of the thumb portion 110 (e.g., medial side of the thumb portion 110), closest to the finger portion 112. The second strap 304 then wraps anteriorly around an outside of the thumb portion 110 (from the palmar side 104 to the dorsal side 106), extends across the dorsal side 106 of the palm portion 114 of the glove body 102″ (e.g., dorsum of the hand) through a dorsal channel 308, wraps around the ulnar side of the glove body 102″, further extends across the palmar side 104 of the palm portion 114 of the glove body 102″ (e.g., through a palmar channel 310), further wraps around the radial side of the glove body 102″ (e.g., below the thumb portion 110), and selectively attaches to the dorsal side 106 of the glove body 102″.

[0039] The glove body 102″ forms the dorsal channel 308 and the palmar channel 310 to house the second strap 304 as it extends across the dorsal side 106 and palmar side 104, respectively. The channels 308, 310 can be formed by a supplemental layer(s) of glove body material connected to (e.g., sewn to, adhered to, or otherwise fixed to) the glove body 102″ onto an interior and / or exterior surface of the glove body 102″. The dorsal channel 308 defines a tunnel for the second strap 304 to extend across the dorsal side 106, and the palmar channel 310 defines a tunnel for the second strap 304 to extend across the palmar side 104, for example, without disrupting the outermost palmar surface and / or outermost surface dorsal surface of the glove body 102″ during athletic play. The channels 308, 310 also acts to position the second strap304 along the palmar side 104 and dorsal side 106. The interior width dimension of the channels 308, 310 is slightly wider than the width of the second strap 304 to allow for longitudinal freedom of movement of the second strap 304 within the channels 308, 310 but constrained lateral movement of the second strap 304. Each of the dorsal channel 308 and palmar channel 310 can have an entry aperture and an exit aperture for the second strap 304 to extend through. For example, the dorsal channel 308 includes an entry aperture 314 and an exit aperture 316, and the palmar channel 310 includes an entry aperture 318 and an exit aperture 320.

[0040] A hook and loop connector patch 322 is secured to (e.g., sewn to, adhered to, otherwise connected to) the dorsal side 106 of the glove body 102″, for example, adjacent to or near a base of the index finger portion 116. The second strap 304 can include one or more hook and loop features to selectively engage with the patch 322. The second strap 304 is adjustable against the patch 322 using the hook and loop feature. For example, the second strap 304 can be loosened or tightened to a desired thumb position in flexion and / or tension for the wearer. In use, the second strap 304 can be loosened, tightened, and / or secured to the patch 322 on the glove body 102″ to provide support for the wearer's thumb from UCL injury due to hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The second strap 304 is adjustable on the body 102″ of the athletic glove 300 to fit varying hand sizes and / or comfort levels of wearers of the third example athletic glove 300. In some examples, the second strap system 302 assists in preventing the wearer's thumb from movement into hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction, in addition to or instead of the material layer 118.

[0041] The second strap 304 has a thickness and / or density to afford protection for the thumb and to limit potential for the second strap 304 to tear or break from forces delivered to it during use by a wearer of the third example athletic glove 300, such as forces delivered by a moving object caught with the athletic glove 300, or forces transmitted from an object gripped by a wearer wearing the athletic glove 300. For example, the second strap 304 can have a material thickness of greater than or equal to 2.0 mm.

[0042] In some implementations, the third example athletic glove 300 can include the material layer 118 of the example athletic glove 100 of FIGS. 3-4. For example, the material layer 118 and the second strap system 302 can work in parallel to support the thumb of a wearer of the third example athletic glove 300.

[0043] While this disclosure contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular implementations. Certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

[0044] Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products.

[0045] Thus, particular implementations of the subject matter have been described. Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. Various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. In some cases, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. In addition, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do not necessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0016]This disclosure describes an athletic glove equipped with an attached flexible material layer between a thumb and index finger, a strap system, or both, for protection of a wearer's thumb from hyperextension and / or hyper-abduction. The athletic glove is a generally tight-fitting glove that envelops a wearer's hand, providing a layer of protection for the wearer's hand. The athletic glove can be used for sports that utilize an athletic glove on the wearer's hand(s), such as in baseball, softball, hockey, cricket, lacrosse, and / or other sports where an athlete wears a glove for catching and / or gripping objects. The athletic glove can also be used in other applications other than sports where a wearer desires protection for their thumb from hyper-extension and / or hyper-abduction. The flexible material layer can include a fabric webbing or other material attached to (e.g., integrated with, fixed, to, sewn to, or otherwise connected to) and disposed between the thumb portion and in...

Claims

1. An athletic glove, comprising:a glove body configured to envelop a hand of a wearer of the athletic glove, the glove body defining a thumb portion to receive a thumb of the wearer and a finger portion to receive an index finger of the wearer; anda material layer connected to and extending between the thumb portion and the finger portion, the material layer being flexible and being generally inextensible in tension, the material layer configured to limit movement of the thumb portion into extension relative to the finger portion.

2. The athletic glove of claim 1, wherein the athletic glove is a batting glove, hockey glove, cricket glove, or lacrosse glove.

3. The athletic glove of claim 1, wherein the material layer comprises leather or fabric.

4. The athletic glove of claim 1, wherein the material layer is affixed to the thumb portion and the finger portion along a peripheral portion of the material layer.

5. The athletic glove of claim 4, wherein the material layer is sewn to the thumb portion and the finger portion along the peripheral portion of the material layer.

6. The athletic glove of claim 1, further comprising a strap system connected to the glove body, the strap system comprising:a strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the strap,the strap extending from the first longitudinal end substantially across a palmar side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extending around an ulnar side of the glove body, and further extending at least partially across a dorsal side of the glove body.

7. The athletic glove of claim 6, wherein the strap system further comprises a selectively releasable fastener on the dorsal side of the glove body, the selectively releasable fastener configured to releasably attach to the strap.

8. The athletic glove of claim 7, wherein the selectively releasable fastener comprises a hook and loop connector, the strap comprises a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end, and the strap comprises a hook and loop element at the second longitudinal end to selectively attach to the hook and loop connector.

9. The athletic glove of claim 7, wherein the selectively releasable fastener is disposed at a base of the finger portion.

10. The athletic glove of claim 6, wherein the glove body comprises a channel formed in the glove body on the palmar side of the glove body, the strap being disposed at least partially through the channel.

11. The athletic glove of claim 6, wherein the strap is fixed to the thumb portion at a radial side of the thumb portion.

12. The athletic glove of claim 1, further comprising a second strap system connected to the glove body, the second strap system comprising:a second strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the second strap,the second strap extending from the first longitudinal end substantially across a dorsal side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extending around an ulnar side of the glove body, further extending across a palmar side of the glove body, further extending around a radial side of the glove body, and further extending at least partially across the dorsal side of the glove body.

13. The athletic glove of claim 12, wherein the second strap system further comprises a selectively releasable fastener on the dorsal side of the glove body, the selectively releasable fastener configured to releasably attach to the second strap.

14. The athletic glove of claim 13, wherein the selectively releasable fastener comprises a hook and loop connector, the second strap comprises a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end, and the second strap comprises a hook and loop element at the second longitudinal end to selectively attach to the hook and loop connector.

15. The athletic glove of claim 13, wherein the selectively releasable fastener is disposed at a base of the finger portion.

16. The athletic glove of claim 12, wherein the glove body comprises a first channel formed in the glove body on the dorsal side of the glove body and a second channel formed in the palmar side of the glove body, the second strap being disposed at least partially through the first channel and the second channel.

17. The athletic glove of claim 12, wherein the second strap is fixed to the thumb portion at a medial side of the thumb portion.

18. An athletic glove, comprising:a glove body configured to envelop a hand of a wearer of the athletic glove, the glove body defining a thumb portion to receive a thumb of the wearer and a finger portion to receive an index finger of the wearer; anda strap system connected to the glove body, the strap system comprising a strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the strap,the strap extending from the first longitudinal end substantially across a palmar side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extending around an ulnar side of the glove body, and further extending at least partially across a dorsal side of the glove body.

19. The athletic glove of claim 18, wherein the strap system further comprises a selectively releasable fastener on the dorsal side of the glove body, the selectively releasable fastener configured to releasably attach to the strap.

20. An athletic glove, comprising:a glove body configured to envelop a hand of a wearer of the athletic glove, the glove body defining a thumb portion to receive a thumb of the wearer and a finger portion to receive an index finger of the wearer; anda strap system connected to the glove body, the strap system comprising a strap fixed to the thumb portion of the glove body at a first longitudinal end of the strap,the strap extending from the first longitudinal end substantially across a dorsal side of the glove body in an ulnar direction, further extending around an ulnar side of the glove body, further extending across a palmar side of the glove body, further extending around a radial side of the glove body, and further extending at least partially across the dorsal side of the glove body.

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