Sports glove with a removable support strap

Abstract

A protective sports glove with a body having a dorsal side and a volar side is provided. The sports glove has a thumb portion, a finger portion, and a wrist portion. The wrist portion comprises a single or a dual-strap system with a primary support strap and a secondary support strap. In a dual strap system, te primary support strap may be securely attached to the volar side of the wrist portion whereas the secondary support strap is removable and is detachably attached to the volar side of the wrist portion, thereby allowing the user to flexibly switch from a dual strap system to a single strap system. The protective sports glove can be worn by athletes during training or for use in a combative event to protect against injury and increase performance (including total force generation, grip strength, striking force and speed, muscular endurance, time to contraction, etc.).

Description

SPORTS GLOVE WITH A REMOVABLE SUPPORT STRAPFIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a combat sports glove designed for improved fit and function. More specifically, the invention relates to a combat sports glove having a removable support strap.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Combat athletes, especially mixed martial arts (MMA) practitioners, use gloves on the hand that, generally, are cumbersome, thick, non form-fitting and lack in adequate wrist and hand support. As well, these gloves, with repetitive use, quickly lose the ability to maintain proper fit and function. This can lead to a decrease in force generation and related hand and fist functioning and can also lead to injury. Another shortcoming of these conventional combat gloves is that, when the glove strikes a target or opponent, the hand can be loose, and the wrist can be unstable. It can therefore be appreciated that force loss and injury can be experienced by the athlete during training and during a competitive event. Maintaining maximal force transmission in relation to striking force and grip strength are key factors to support performance during stand up or ground combat. Injury prevention is also of great importance to these athletes, especially in relation to protection for the hands and fists. In particular, through repeated use and wear, the glove fit may become loose to such an extent that the glove fit is inadequate for the glove to function properly.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to systems and devices relating to a protective sports glove. The glove may be used during training or in combat events that may require striking an opponent with the hand or with parts of the hand. The glove is used to protect against injury and as well as to increase performance.

[0004] According to the present invention there is provided a protective sports glove with a body having a dorsal side and a volar side, comprising: a thumb portion for covering athumb; a finger portion for covering fingers; a wrist portion for covering a wrist; where the volar side of the wrist portion has a gap / opening for adjustably securing the glove to accommodate the user’s hand, and one or more support straps adapted to fasten to the body by means of a fastening mechanism to securely fasten the glove to the user’shand. The protective glove may be provided with a single, dual or multiple straps. The straps may be permanently attached to the glove body or detachable. .

[0005] In one of the proposed designs, the protective sports glove has a removable support strap and thereby provides an adjustable dual strap wrist tie system to allow users the versatility of alternating between either a dual strap or a single strap closure. The dual strap system, in combination with the removable strap, allows for optimized wrist protection and to prevent excessive bending of the wrist. When the secondary strap is removed, the single strap system allows for faster application and removal of the device while still offering sufficient stability in the wrist from the primary overlapping support strap.

[0006] In some embodiments, the protective sports glove may be a single strap system, wherein the support strap wraps around the wrist portion and attaches to the reversible fastener provided on the wrist portion. The reversible fastener may be a hook and loop fastener [e.g. Velcro®], a magnetic fastener, a zipper, a button system, a magnetic band, a magnetic strip, or a fastener with a similar affixing mechanism. In a further embodiment, the reversible fastener may be a button-button system, a button-loop system, a button-button-hole system, a zipper, or any combination of these to secure the strap.

[0007] In some embodiments, the straps are designed to operate differently and instead of a reversible fastener, the straps are equipped with a ratcheting or a similar mechanism to provide the desired fitness. In an alternative embodiment, the straps may be provided with a combination of a ratcheting or a similar buckle mechanism, along with the reversible fasteners. In such embodiment, the user may use the ratchet or other buckle to tighten the strap before affixing the strap by means of a reversible fastener. Alternatively, a series of hook and loop fasteners, or a series of magnetic snaps, or a series of zippers or a series of ratchets or buckles can also be provided for different tightness levels. Alternatively, a strap system that uses tension cords or bungee-like materials can also be used.

[0008] In some embodiments, the support strap in the single strap closure system or the secondary support strap (in the dual closure system) may attach to the reversible fastener provided on the volar or dorsal side of the glove body. Accordingly, in these embodiments, the support strap may directly attach to one or more reversible fasteners provide anywhere on the glove body by wrapping around the glove in a vertical, horizontal or transverse direction. In some embodiments, the support strap (in either single / dual-strap embodiments) may wrap around the wrist portion, at least one turn, before attaching to the one or more reversible fasteners provided on the glove body.

[0009] In some embodiments, the protective sports glove is provided with wrist support features that are directly integrated into the glove's design, thereby eliminating the need for a removable strap. For instance, one or more built-in elastic sections, or built in elastic straps that are hidden, in a slot or a pocket, and can be exposed by the user by simply pulling the strap out and attaching to the attachment point provided (e.g. reversible fastener). Alternatively, or additionally, the glove can be equipped with reinforced padding, or internal support structures that provide the desired stability and protection.

[0010] In an alternative embodiment, a protective sports glove with only a glove body is provided, which the user can custom design depending on their needs or requirements. For instance, the user can pick from a single strap, a dual strap (with one removable strap), a ratcheting mechanism, a combination of single strap and ratcheting / cam buckle mechanism. Furthermore, the user can also choose from a wrist support closure system, or a closure system with one or multiple attachment points provided on the glove body, wherein the strap can be affixed around the wrist portion, or vertically , horizontally or diagonally. A

[0011] This summary of the invention merely provides a brief overview of the invention and does not necessarily describe all features of the invention which are covered in the detailed description of the invention.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings wherein:

[0013] Figure 1 shows a representative drawing of the dorsal-side of a right-hand glove and the volar-side of a left-hand glove with the wrist support strap(s) in a closed / secured position.

[0014] FIGURE 2 to FIGURE 10 shows the various embodiments of the protective sports glove.

[0015] Figure 11 shows a representative drawing of the dorsal-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where one wrist strap is in the closed / secured position and the other wrist strap is in the open / unsecured position.

[0016] Figure 12 shows a representative drawing of the dorsal-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where both wrist straps are in the open / unsecured position.

[0017] Figure 13 shows a representative drawing of the dorsal-side of a left-hand glove with a single wrist support strap, where the wrist strap is in the open / unsecured position.

[0018] Figure 14 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where both wrist straps are in the closed / secured position.

[0019] Figure 15 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where one wrist strap is in the closed / secured position and the other wrist strap is in the open / unsecured position.

[0020] Figure 16 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where both wrist straps are in the open / unsecured position.

[0021] Figure 17 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where one wrist strap is in the closed / secured position and the other wrist strap is in the open / unsecured position.

[0022] Figure 18 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where one wrist strap is detachable and is shown in a partial unsecured position, and the other wrist strap that is permanent is shown in the open / unsecured position.

[0023] Figure 19 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with a single wrist support strap, where the wrist strap is in the open / unsecured position.

[0024] Figure 20 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with a single wrist support strap, where the wrist strap is in the partially closed / partially secured position.

[0025] Figure 21 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with a single wrist support strap, where the wrist strap is in the closed / secured position.

[0026] Figure 22 shows a representative drawing of the front and back side of an exemplary detachable support strap.

[0027] Figure 23 shows a representative drawing of the front and back side of an exemplary detachable support strap with exemplary dimensions.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following description is of preferred embodiments by way of example only and without limitation to the combination of features necessary for carrying the invention into effect.

[0029] All terms are intended to be understood as they would be understood by a person skilled in the art. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains. The section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

[0030] Although various features of the present disclosure can be described in the context of a single embodiment, the features can also be provided separately or in any suitable combination. Conversely, although the present disclosure can be described herein in the context of separate embodiments for clarity, the present disclosure can also be implemented in a single embodiment.

[0031] The following definitions supplement those in the art and are directed to the current application. Accordingly, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0032] In this application, the use of the singular includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise. It must be noted that, as used in the specification, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0033] In this application, the use of "or" means "and / or" unless stated otherwise. The terms "and / or" and "any combination thereof and their grammatical equivalents as used herein, can be used interchangeably. These terms can convey that any and all combinations are specifically contemplated. The term "or" can be used conjunctively or disjunctively, unless the context specifically refers to a disjunctive use.

[0034] Furthermore, use of the term "including" as well as other forms, such as "include", "includes," and "included," is not limiting.

[0035] Reference in the specification to "some embodiments," "an embodiment," "one embodiment" “alternate embodiment”, or "other embodiments" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least some embodiments, but not necessarily all embodiments, of the present disclosures.

[0036] As used in this specification and claim(s), the words "comprising" (and any form of comprising, such as "comprise" and "comprises"), "having" (and any form of having, such as "have" and "has"), "including" (and any form of including, such as "includes" and "include") or "containing" (and any form of containing, such as "contains" and "contain") are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. It is contemplated that any embodiment discussed in this specification can be implemented with respect to any method or composition of the present disclosure, and vice versa. Furthermore, compositions of the present disclosure can be used to achieve methods of the present disclosure.

[0037] The term "about" in relation to a reference numerical value and its grammatical equivalents as used herein can include the numerical value itself and a range of values plus or minus 10% from that numerical value. The term "about" or "approximately" means within an acceptable error range for the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, which will depend in part on how the value is measured or determined, i.e., the limitations of the measurement system. For example, "about" can mean within 1 or more than 1 standard deviation, per the practice in the art. Alternatively,"about" can mean a range of up to 20%, up to 10%, up to 5%, or up to 1% of a given value. In another example, the amount "about 10" includes 10 and any amounts from 9 to 11.

[0038] It should be noted that commonly accepted anatomical names are used throughout this document to refer to parts of the hand and corresponding parts of the gloves according to various embodiments of the present invention. The term dorsal refers to the back or top of the hand. The term volar refers to the bottom or palm-side of the hand. The thumb is understood to be considered the first finger but is most commonly herein referred to as the thumb. The remaining fingers, proceeding from the first or index finger, are herein referred to as the second, third, fourth, and fifth fingers.

[0039] The invention describes a protective sports glove that can be worn by athletes during training or for use in a combative event to protect against injury and increase performance which may include but not limited to total force generation, grip strength, striking force and speed, muscular endurance, and time to contraction. These gloves are engineered with an adjustable dual strapping wrist tie system to secure the gloves to the contour of the hands, to ensure they remain tight and fixed, and to support the wrist from excessive bending. The dual strapping system provides increased wrist / hand rigidity mirroring a tightness of hand wrap bandages for maximal bone and tendon support of the hands and wrists, and this novel tie system increases the transfer of force generation to the point of impact. Moreover, one of the support straps is detachable, thus allowing the gloves reversibly switch between a single strap system or a dual strap system.

[0040] The present invention provides systems and devices relating to a protective sports glove. The glove may be used during training or in combat events that may require striking an opponent with the hand or with parts of the hand. The glove is used to protect against injury and as well as to increase performance. The present invention provides for a glove that may optionally use a dorsal splint system, which may be used in combination with an adjustable dual strap wrist securement system to secure the glove to the contour of the hand and of the wrist.

[0041] EMBODIMENTS

[0042] In an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a protective sports glove comprising a body which has a dorsal side and a volar side. The protective sportsglove also has a thumb portion for covering a thumb, a finger portion for covering fingers, and a wrist portion for covering a wrist. The volar side of the wrist portion has a gap / opening for adjustably securing the glove to accommodate the wrist. The volar side of the wrist portion has a gap / opening for adjustably securing the glove to accommodate a user’s hand. The protective sports glove also has one or more support straps that are adapted to fasten to the glove body by means of a fastening mechanism that securely fastens the glove to the user’s hand.

[0043] In a further embodiment, the fastening mechanism of the one or more support straps may be a reversible fastener, a series of reversible fasteners, a ratcheting mechanism, a buckle-strap mechanism, a tension-cord mechanism, or a combination thereof.

[0044] In a further embodiment, the one or more straps may be provided with one or more pull components. The one or more pull components may be a pull tab, a pull string, a pull loop, a pull slot, or a pull hook.

[0045] In some embodiment, the one or more straps may be of identical length and width, or different length and width, or adjustable / variable length and width. Accordingly, the strap dimensions can be varied depending on the glove size, weight and requirements.

[0046] In some embodiments, the one or more straps may be made of an elastic material, a non-elastic material, a combination of an elastic and non-elastic material, a series of elastic materials, or a series of non-elastic materials.

[0047] In some embodiments, the one or more straps may have one or more reversible fasteners on its surface, wherein the one or more reversible fasteners are provided either on the top side, the bottom side or on both sides of the strap.

[0048] In certain embodiments, complementary reversible fasteners that attach to the one or more reversible fasteners on the support straps are provided. The complementary reversible fasteners may be provided anywhere on the glove body, for instance on the wrist portion, or on the volar side of the glove body, or on the dorsal side of the glove body or a combination thereof. Where there are multiple fasteners on the support strap, there are multiple complimentary fasteners on the glove body. The one or more reversiblefasteners on the straps attach to the one or more complementary reversible fasteners provided on the glove body.

[0049] In a further embodiment, the one or more straps are additionally provided with a ratchet buckle or a cam buckle. In a further embodiment, the one or more straps are hidden or built-in the glove body within a sleeve, slot or pocket.

[0050] In a further embodiment, the one or more support straps secure the glove to the user’s hand by wrapping around the body of the glove in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction. The protective sports glove of claim 1 , wherein the protective glove further comprises one or more slots on the wriest portion, or on the body of the glove through which the one ore mor straps passes before fastening to the body.

[0051] Further, the wrist portion comprises a primary support strap and a secondary support strap, wherein the primary support strap is attached to the volar side of the wrist portion on a first side of the gap, and the secondary support strap is removably / detachably attached to the volar side of the wrist portion on a second side of the gap. Moreover, the primary support strap and the secondary support strap are adapted for fastening to the wrist portion.

[0052] In an alternative embodiment, the protective sports glove comprises a single support strap with adjustable tension, for instance, a strap with a ratcheting mechanism, or a strap with an adjustable buckle, or an elastic strap with button and multiple holes across the strap surface, a strap with a belt-buckle mechanism, a cam buckle strap, a sliding buckle strap, a strap equipped with a series of magnetic snaps that allow different tightness levels, a series of elastic bands that provide adjustable support, or any similar adjustable tension mechanism. The proposed alternative strap could be broader than a standard support strap. The proposed alternative strap could be removable / detachable in some embodiments. In an alternative embodiment, a customizable protective glove is envisioned, wherein the strap system is customizable or interchangeable. A user can design a custom glove by choosing to have a single or dual strap system, and the type of strap, e.g. an elastic strap, a ratchet strap, a cam buckle strap, etc. Moreover, enhanced customization features may be available, such as interchangeable strap systems with different shapes and materials, allowing users to select and swap different strap types based on their needs.

[0053] In an alternative embodiment, a protective glove is provided without the removable strap. The protective glove is designed with specific wrist support features that are integrated directly into the glove's design, for instance, a built-in elastic strap, or a built-in elastic section, or a built-in section with a hidden secondary strap, an elastic reinforced padding, or other internal support structures that provide the desired stability and protection.

[0054] In some embodiments, the primary support strap may be on a thumb-side edge of the gap and the secondary strap is on an opposite side edge of the gap. In an alternative embodiment, the primary support strap is on the opposing-side edge of the gap and the secondary support strap is of the thumb-side edge of the gap.

[0055] In a further embodiment of the above protective sports glove, the primary support strap has at least one strap notch / strap slot along its surface. The strap notch could also be provided on the wrist portion on the side of the gap where the primary support strap is provided. For instance, if the primary support strap is provided on the thumb-side edge of the gap, then the strap notch could be provided on the thumb-side edge of the wrist portion. For instance, if the primary support strap is provided on the opposing-side edge of the gap, then the strap notch could be provided on the opposing-side edge of the wrist portion. In an alternative embodiment, the above protective glove does not have a strap slot / strap notch, and the secondary support strap directly wraps around the wrist portion without passing through the strap slot / notch.

[0056] In a further embodiment of the above protective sports glove, the secondary support strap is arranged to pass towards the first side of the gap and through the strap notch / strap slot before fastening to the wrist portion. This secondary support strap may be arranged to be pulled to narrow the gap and to tightly conform the wrist portion to the wrist. In another embodiment, where the strap notch / strap slot is absent, the secondary support strap does not pass through a slot but instead attaches directly to the glove body in a unique way. For instance, the support strap directly attaches to the wrist portion or passes through the glove body diagonally or vertically, and attaches to a reversible fastener provided at the attachment point. In an alternative embodiment, the secondary support strap does not wrap around the wrist, and instead is arranged to pass through the glove body diagonally and attach by means of a reversible fastener to an attachment point. Alternatively, the support strap is arranged to pass through the glove bodyvertically and attach by means of a reversible fastener to an attachment point. In an alternative embodiment, the secondary support strap is flexible, and is designed to move across the glove body in any direction e.g. horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, and attach by means of a reversible fastener to an attachment point. In an alternative embodiment, one or more attachment points are provided on the glove body, and the support strap is wrapped around the glove body in any direction preferred by the user to attach to any of the one or more attachment points. In an alternative embodiment, the glove body is provided with a strap notch / strap slot on the dorsal side or the volar side of the glove body, and the secondary support strap passes through the strap notch before attaching to an attachment point by means of a reversible fastener. In an alternative embodiment, multiple strap notches / slots are provided along the wrist portion or on the dorsal or volar side of the glove body, or any combination thereof, and the user can pass the secondary strap through one or more of the strap notches / slots and before affixing to an attachment point that’s proximal to the chosen strap notches / slots.

[0057] In an alternative embodiment, a protective sports glove is envisioned with an anchorage system, for instance one or more straps that anchor to multiple points on the glove's body and uses tension cords or bungee-like materials to provide support and the desired tightness.

[0058] In a further embodiment of the above protective sports glove, the primary support strap is arranged to pass towards the second side of the gap before fastening to the wrist portion. This primary support strap may be arranged to be pulled to narrow the gap and to tightly conform the wrist portion to the wrist.

[0059] In a further embodiment of the above protective sports glove, the primary support strap has a reversible fastener on its bottom surface. In an alternative embodiment, the primary support strap may have a reversible fastener on both bottom as well as on the top surface, or on both sides of the primary support strap. A reversible or permanent fastener may also be provided on the wrist portion which may be complementary to the fasteners provided on the support straps. For instance, the reversible fastener provided on one of the sides or bottom side of the secondary support strap may be complementary to the reversible fastener provided on the wrist portion.

[0060] In a further embodiment of the above protective sports glove, the secondary support strap has a reversible fastener on its bottom surface and / or on its top surface. In an alternative embodiment, the secondary support strap may have a reversible fastener on both bottom as well as on the top surface, or on both sides of the secondary support strap. In some embodiments, a single two-component fastener is provided on the primary support strap / secondary support strap, where a first component is affixed on one side and the second component is affixed on the other side of the support strap. For instance, a hook and loop fastener, where the hook component is provided on one side and loop component is provided on the other side of the support strap.

[0061] In a further embodiment of the above protective sports glove, the secondary support strap detachably attaches to the wrist portion by means of the reversible fastener on its bottom surface or by means of the reversible fastener provided on one of the sides of the secondary support strap.

[0062] In a further embodiment of the above protective sports glove, the secondary support strap has an elastic component that allows the secondary support strap to stretch from the volar side to the dorsal side to securely accommodate the wrist. The elastic component may form a small portion of the secondary support strap, or the entire secondary support strap could be made of an elastic material on which the reversible fasteners are affixed.

[0063] In a further embodiment of the above protective sports glove, the reversible fastener on the bottom surface of the primary support strap fastens to the reversible fastener on the top surface of the secondary support strap. In an alternative embodiment, the reversible fastener on one of the sides of the primary support strap fastens to the reversible fastener provided on one of the sides of the secondary support strap.

[0064] In a further embodiment of the above protective sports glove, the reversible fastener on the top surface of the secondary support strap is complimentary to the reversible fastener on the bottom surface of the primary support strap. For instance, A hook and loop fastener such as Velcro®, where the hook component of the fastener is on the top surface of the secondary support strap which is complimentary to the loop component of the fastener on the bottom surface of the primary support strap. In an alternative embodiment, the reversible fastener on the bottom surface of the secondarysupport strap is complimentary to the reversible fastener on the top surface of the primary support strap.

[0065] In a further embodiment of the above protective sports glove, the primary support strap wraps around the wrist portion in a first direction and the secondary support strap wraps around the wrist portion in a second direction, with the second direction being opposite to the first direction. In this embodiment, at least one of the primary support strap and the secondary support strap at least partially encircles the wrist portion.

[0066] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, at least one of the primary support strap and the secondary support strap at least fully encircles the wrist portion. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the finger portion covers second, third, fourth and fifth fingers together. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the finger portion covers second, third, fourth and fifth fingers separately. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the finger portion covers second, third, fourth and fifth fingers partially, wherein tips of each of the fingers are uncovered / free.

[0067] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the removable / detachable secondary support strap and / or the primary support strap comprises an elastic component or a combination of an elastic component and a non-elastic component. In a further embodiment, the non-elastic component may be a reversible fastener.

[0068] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the removable / detachable secondary support strap and / or the primary support strap is completely made of an elastic component. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, one or more reversible fasteners are affixed to one or both sides of the secondary support strap and / or the primary support strap.

[0069] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the removable / detachable secondary support strap has a first surface with a first reversible fastener, a second reversible fastener and an elastic component between the first and the second reversible fasteners. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the secondary support strap has a second surface with a third reversible fastener.

[0070] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the third reversible fastener only covers the second surface of the secondary support strap partially. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the third reversible fastener covers the second surface of the secondary support strap entirely.

[0071] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the secondary support strap detachably attaches to the volar side of the wrist portion by means of the first fastener and extends through the strap notch of the primary support strap to the dorsal side by means of the elastic component and fastens to the dorsal side by means of the second reversible fastener.

[0072] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the reversible fastener on the bottom surface of the primary support strap fastens to the third reversible fastener on the second surface of the secondary support strap. In this embodiment, the third reversible fastener may be complimentary to the reversible fastener of the primary support strap.

[0073] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the secondary support strap has a first end and a second end. Starting from the first end to the second end, the secondary support strap has a first reversible fastener, an elastic component and a second reversible fastener on one side, and a third reversible fastener on the other side.

[0074] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the third reversible fastener only covers the other side of the secondary support strap partially. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the third reversible fastener covers the other side of the secondary support strap entirely.

[0075] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the secondary support strap detachably attaches to the volar side of the wrist portion by means of the first fastener and extends through the strap notch of the primary support strap to the dorsal side by means of the elastic component and fastens to the dorsal side by means of the second reversible fastener.

[0076] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the reversible fastener on the bottom surface of the primary support strap fastens to the third reversible fastener on the other side of secondary support strap. In this embodiment, the thirdreversible fastener may be complimentary to the reversible fastener of the primary support strap.

[0077] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the length of the secondary support strap is variable. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the length of the secondary support strap is such that the strap can be wound around the wrist portion one or more times before fastening to the dorsal side.

[0078] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the length of the primary support strap is variable. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the length of the primary support strap is such that the strap can be wound around the wrist portion one or more times before fastening to the dorsal side.

[0079] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the reversible fastener is a hook and loop fastener [e.g. Velcro®], a magnetic fastener, a zipper, a button system, a magnetic band, a magnetic strip, or a fastener with a similar affixing mechanism. In a further embodiment, the reversible fastener is a button-button system, a button-loop system, a button-button-hole system, a zipper, or any combination of these to secure the strap

[0080] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the reversible fastener is specifically a hook and loop fastener, such as Velcro®. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the reversible fastener is a magnetic fastener such as a magnetic strip or magnetic snaps.

[0081] In a further embodiment, the protective sports glove is equipped with a ratcheting buckle or a similar buckle mechanism in combination with the reversible fasteners described hereinbefore.

[0082] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the thumb portion and the finger portions on the dorsal side of the wrist portion has a layer of padding.

[0083] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the gap has a thumb-side edge and an opposing-side edge. The opposing-side edge is adjacent to the fifth finger of the finger portion, and the gap extends distally in a horizontal direction from a middle region of the volar side of the wrist portion to the opposing-side edge onthe volar side of the wrist portion. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the gap starts from the dorsal side of the wrist portion and terminates in a vertical direction prior to the finger portion.

[0084] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the primary support strap is attached to the opposing-side edge of the gap. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the secondary support strap detachably is attached to the thumb-side edge of the gap, and the secondary support strap is constructed and arranged to pass across the gap in a direction opposite that of the primary support strap.

[0085] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the primary support strap has a fastening means that attaches to a fastened secondary support strap. In a further embodiment, the primary support strap is constructed and arranged to fasten to a complimentary fastening means on top of the fastened secondary support strap on the dorsal side of the wrist portion.

[0086] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the primary support strap and the secondary support strap fastens to the volar side of the wrist portion. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the primary support strap and the secondary support strap fastens to the dorsal side of the wrist portion. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the primary support strap fastens to the volar side of the wrist portion and the secondary support strap fastens to the dorsal side of the wrist portion. In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the primary support strap fastens to the dorsal side of the wrist portion and the secondary support strap fastens to the volar side of the wrist portion.

[0087] In an alternative embodiment, the secondary support strap may fasten on top of the primary support strap on either the dorsal or volar side, or the primary and secondary support straps are fastened in proximity to each other on the dorsal or volar side of the glove body but not overlapping each other. In an alternative embodiment, the primary and secondary support straps are constructed to be fastened in the same direction across the volar or dorsal sides. In an alternative embodiment, the secondary support strap passes through a notch / slot provided on the volar side of the glove, then secures laterally alongside either above or below the primary strap on the volar or dorsal side of the glove body. In an alternative embodiment, the secondary strap does not pass through anotch / slot in the volar side of the glove, but passes laterally alongside either above or below the primary strap to fasten on the volar or dorsal side of the glove body In an alternative embodiment, the secondary strap does not pass through a notch / slot in the volar side of the glove, but crosses over the primary strap at an angle / diagonally to fasten to the dorsal or volar side of the glove body in an “X” or crisscross pattern. In some embodiments, an additional third support strap is provided that adds extra security to the wrist. In an alternative embodiment, the secondary support strap may pass through the notch / slot on the volar side of the glove and is then pulled backwards across the volar side to be secured using the fastener on the volar side or dorsal side of the glove body.

[0088] In any of the above embodiments, the secondary support strap may be fully designed without the use of any elastic material and may only comprise the reversible fastener.

[0089] In a further embodiment of the above protective support glove, the sports glove is convertible to a single strap glove by detaching the secondary support strap.

[0090] In an alternate embodiment, a protective sports glove comprising: a body having a dorsal side and a volar side that comprises a thumb portion for covering a thumb; a finger portion for covering fingers; and a wrist portion for covering a wrist. The volar side of the wrist portion has a gap / opening for adjustably securing the glove to accommodate the wrist, and the wrist portion has one or more support straps adapted to fasten to the glove body.

[0091] In a further embodiment, the one or more support straps are removable or detachable. The support strap may removably / detachably primarily attach to the volar side of the wrist portion or to the dorsal side of the wrist portion. The support strap(s) wraps around the body of the glove in a horizontal, a vertical or diagonal direction before attaching to one or more attachment points provided anywhere on the glove body, e.g. on the wrist portion, or on the dorsal side or volar side of the glove body, by means of a reversible fastener.

[0092] In a further alternate embodiment, the one or more straps may be equipped with a ratcheting mechanism, an adjustable buckle, a button and multiple holes across the strap surface, a belt-buckle mechanism, a cam buckle mechanism, a sliding buckle mechanism, a series of magnetic snaps, a series of elastic bands, a series of buckles, a series ofbungee-cords or any similar mechanism with adjustable tension. In some embodiments, the protective glove may be provided with the above mechanisms in combination with the reversible fasteners defined above.

[0093] In a further embodiment, the one or more straps are built-in the glove body or hidden in the glove body within a slot, sleeve or pocket, wherein the one or more straps are made up of an elastic or non-elastic material, and the one or more straps are exposed by pulling the one or more straps out of the slot, sleeve or pocket, and affixed at one or more attachment points by means of a reversible fastener to achieve the desired tightness level.

[0094] In any of the above embodiments, the one or more straps can be made up of an elastic, non-elastic or a combination of an elastic and non-elastic material. Moreover, the length and width of the support strap can be customized to obtain the desired fit and tightness.

[0095] In an alternate embodiment, a custom protective sports glove is provided. The custom sports glove generally comprises a body having a dorsal side and a volar side, with a thumb portion for covering a thumb; a finger portion for covering fingers; and a wrist portion for covering a wrist. The volar side of the wrist portion has a gap / opening for adjustably securing the glove to accommodate the wrist.

[0096] The custom protective sports glove may be provided with one or more customizable elements or features. For instance, a user can be provided with multiple selection options ranging from a) number of support straps (one, two or multiple), b) material of support straps (elastic, non-elastic or a combination of materials, including colour of straps), c) closure / attachment mechanism of support straps (reversible fasteners, ratcheting mechanism, cam-buckle mechanism, a series of fasteners such as a series of magnetic snaps, a series of bungee cords, or a series of sippers etc. or a combination of these), d) vertical, horizontal or diagonal direction of attachment of support straps, e) exposed, hidden or detachable support straps (e.g. hidden within a pocket, sleeve or clot), I) with or without splint system and the type of splint system and f) the finger portion with partial coverage or full coverage. Other customizable features commonly known in the art could also be provided.

[0097] TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE

[0098] It should be noted that commonly accepted anatomical names are used throughout this document to refer to parts of the hand and corresponding parts of the gloves according to various embodiments of the present invention. The term dorsal refers to the back or top of the hand. The term volar refers to the bottom or palm-side of the hand. The thumb is understood to be considered the first finger but is most commonly herein referred to as the thumb. The remaining fingers, proceeding from the first or index finger, are herein referred to as the second, third, fourth, and fifth fingers.

[0099] It should be noted that the figures illustrate a right-handed glove and a person skilled in the art would understand that a left-handed glove with similar features is encompassed within the scope of the invention. Referring to Figure 1, a sports glove is shown in dorsal view i.e. viewed from the dorsal side, and volar / palm view, i.e. viewed from the side of the palm. Glove has a dorsal portion, a volar portion, a thumb portion, a finger portion, and a wrist portion. Wrist portion, in the embodiment shown, is formed with a gap, having two opposing edges, a thumb-side edge and an opposing-side edge, and an elastic portion connecting the two sides of the gap. A primary support strap is attached to the opposing-side edge (not visible in this figure) and a secondary support strap that is detachably attached to the thumb-side edge (not visible in this figure). The opposing-side edge or the primary support strap has a slot through which the detachable secondary support strap passes through. The secondary support strap may have one or more pull flaps affixed on its edges that allows the user to hold and detach the secondary strap.

[0100] In use, an individual or user places their hand inside the sports glove. When the primary support strap and the secondary support strap are unsecured, the gap allows for the wrist portion and the volar portion to open and accommodate the hand, the hand being larger in circumference in some regions than the wrist. The individual's thumb passes into the thumb portion and their second, third, fourth, and fifth fingers pass into finger portion. If the secondary support strap is being used it is passed through the slot on the opposing side-edge or the primary support strap. If the secondary support strap is detached, the primary support strap is wound around the user’s wrist to secure the glove to the user’s hand.

[0101] For instance, the secondary support strap is detachably affixed to the thumb-side edge of the wrist portion by means of a reversible fastener on its bottomsurface. The secondary strap is then passed through the slot provided on the primary support strap that’s on the opposing-side edge of the wrist portion. The slot may optionally be provided on the opposing-side edge of the wrist portion. After passing through the slot, the secondary support strap is wound around the wrist and affixed on the dorsal side of the wrist portion. If a shorter secondary strap is provided it may be affixed on the volar side of the wrist portion after passing through the slot. If a longer secondary strap is provided, it may be wound around the wrist and affixed either to the dorsal or the volar side of the wrist. Once the secondary support strap is affixed, the primary support strap is pulled in the opposite direction i.e. towards the thumb-side edge of the gap and wound around the wrist and affixed on top of the secondary support strap. Depending on the length of the primary support strap, it may be wound around the wrist at least one or more times and affixed either on the secondary support strap or on the dorsal or volar side of the wrist portion. If being affixed on the secondary support strap, the primary support strap may be affixed by means of a fastener that is complementary to the fastener on the secondary support strap.

[0102] The opposite side (dorsal) of the glove and the volar side are also shown in Figure 2. In Figure 1 and 2, the primary support strap and the secondary support strap are both secured and shown in a closed or engaged position.

[0103] The dorsal portion may optionally contain two individual support elements that make up the optional splint portion. In the optional embodiment, the support elements together form the splint portion that extend from the finger portion down to the wrist portion such that the support straps overlay a portion of the splint portion.

[0104] The optional splint portion may be included to provide additional support to the wrist to provide additional resistance to wrist bending. In some embodiments, the glove may be completely devoid of the splint portion. When a user strikes an opponent or an object, a more solid strike is achieved if the wrist is less liable to bend. While completely preventing wrist bending is not preferable as this may constrain the user's options when it comes to fighting moves (e.g., some grappling holds and heel of palm strikes are difficult if not impossible if the wrist is completely prevented from bending), wrist support by wearing a glove that is resistant to wrist bending helps deliver a more powerful blow as more of the force is directed at the target and less force is diverted by the bending of the wrist. In addition to this, the tight fit between the glove and the user'shand (and especially to the user's wrist) provided by the gap closure system provides advantages as well. By providing a tight compressive fit to the user's wrist, the dual-strap system and the gap closure system gives advantages similar to that provided by the user taping his or her wrist. Wrist support due to the dual strap, optional splint portion and the gap closure system allows for improvements in total force transference, striking force and speed, muscular endurance, grip strength and time to contraction.

[0105] In an alternative embodiment, the protective glove may be designed without the secondary support strap, and instead, alternative support structures may be provided, such as rigid or semi-rigid splints are built into the glove that provide wrist support without the need for removable straps.

[0106] Figure 3 A shows the primary support strap in an open or disengaged position and the secondary support strap in a closed or engaged position. Figure 3B shows both the primary and the secondary support straps in an open or disengaged position.

[0107] Figure 4A shows the passing of the secondary support strap through the notch / slot provided on the primary support strap or the opposing-side edge of the wrist portion. Figure 4B shows the detachable secondary support strap that is removably affixed to the fastener provided on the thumb-side edge of the wrist portion.

[0108] Figure 5 shows the detachable secondary support strap that is partially attached to the fastener on the thumb-side edge of the wrist portion. As can be seen from the figure, the strap is partially affixed by means of a reversible Velcro® fastener.

[0109] Figure 6A shows the front side, first surface or top surface view of the secondary support strap. Figure 6B shows the back side, second surface or bottom surface view of the secondary support strap, As can be seen from the figure, the support strap comprises of an elastic component, a non-elastic component and / or a reversible fastener. The top surface has an elastic component, a non-elastic component and a reversible fastener. The bottom surface has an elastic component and a first reversible fastener and a second reversible fastener. The strap also has a pull component at one of the edges (right side edge) to remove, apply and hold the support strap. As one can appreciate the order of the fasteners, elastic and non-elastic components could vary. As mentioned hereinbefore,the reversible fastener could be any known reversible fasteners in the art, e.g. hook and look fastener such as Velcro®.

[0110] Figure 7A and 7B shows the application ofthe secondary support strap i.e. how the secondary support strap is affixed to the wrist portion of the sports glove. As can be seen in Figure 7A and 7B, the secondary support strap is passed through the slot provided on the primary support strap or the opposing side edge of the gap / wrist portion, and then the secondary support strap is pulled to wound around the wrist portion and affixed on the dorsal side of the glove.

[0111] Figure 8A, 8B and 8C shows the removal and application ofthe secondary support strap. The removable and detachable secondary support strap can be removed by disengaging the support strap by means of the pull tab or pull component provided on the edge of the strap. The support strap is disengaged by detaching the reversible fastener on the secondary support strap from the complementary / counterpart fastener on the wrist portion of the glove. The support strap is engaged, as shown in Figure 8B and 8C, by attaching the reversible fastener on the secondary support strap to the complementary / counterpart fastener on the wrist portion of the glove. As can be seen in Figure 8C, the reversible fastener on the secondary support strap is engaged with the reversible fastener on the wrist portion, and the secondary strap is passed through the notch / slot on the primary support strap or the opposing side edge of the wrist portion and wound around the wrist portion (not shown) and affixed on the dorsal side of the wrist portion (not shown). The secondary strap is affixed on the dorsal side by means of the same fastener on the bottom surface that runs throughout the strap bottom surface, or by means of a second reversible fastener. The second reversible fastener affixes to the complementary reversible fastener provided on the dorsal side ofthe wrist portion. In some embodiments, the reversible fastener provided on the volar side (specifically on the thumb-die edge of the wrist portion, runs throughout the wrist surface and extends to the dorsal side. In this embodiment, secondary strap attaches to the same complementary fastener on the volar and dorsal side on the wrist portion.

[0112] Figure 9A and 9B shows the use of the glove as a single-strap closure system. As can be seen from Figure 9 A, the secondary support strap is detached / disengaged from the wrist portion and the glove is used with primary support strap only. The primary support strap that’s on the opposing-side edge of the gap iswound around the wrist portion and engaged with the complementary reversible fastener on the dorsal side of the wrist portion. The reversible fastener provided on the bottom surface of the primary support strap engages / affixes with the complementary fastener on the wrist portion. The primary support strap can be pulled to tighten the fit of the glove. Figure 9B shows the primary support strap in a closed or engaged position and Figure 9A shows the primary strap in an open or disengaged position.

[0113] Figure 10 shows a perspective side view of the glove with the primary support strap completely detached from the glove and the primary support strap in an open or disengaged position.

[0114] Figure 11 shows a representative drawing of the dorsal-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where one wrist strap is in the closed / secured position and the other wrist strap is in the open / unsecured position.

[0115] Figure 12 shows a representative drawing ofthe dorsal-side of aleft-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where both wrist straps are in the open / unsecured position.

[0116] Figure 13 shows a representative drawing ofthe dorsal-side of aleft-hand glove with a single wrist support strap, where the wrist strap is in the open / unsecured position.

[0117] Figure 14 shows a representative drawing ofthe volar-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where both wrist straps are in the closed / secured position.

[0118] Figure 15 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where one wrist strap is in the closed / secured position and the other wrist strap is in the open / unsecured position.

[0119] Figure 16 shows a representative drawing ofthe volar-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where both wrist straps are in the open / unsecured position.

[0120] Figure 17 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where one wrist strap is in the closed / secured position and the other wrist strap is in the open / unsecured position.

[0121] Figure 18 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with two wrist support straps, where one wrist strap is detachable and is shown in a partial unsecured position, and the other wrist strap that is permanent is shown in the open / unsecured position.

[0122] Figure 19 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with a single wrist support strap, where the wrist strap is in the open / unsecured position.

[0123] Figure 20 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with a single wrist support strap, where the wrist strap is in the partially closed / partially secured position.

[0124] Figure 21 shows a representative drawing of the volar-side of a left-hand glove with a single wrist support strap, where the wrist strap is in the closed / secured position.

[0125] Figure 22 shows a representative drawing of the front and back side of an exemplary detachable support strap.

[0126] Figure 23 shows one of the exemplary embodiments of the secondary support strap. As can be seen from the figure, exemplary top and bottom surfaces of the secondary support strap for a 10-12oz glove and for a 14-18oz glove are shown. The top surface of the secondary strap from left to right has a first edge of the strap, followed by the third reversible fastener, an elastic component and a non-elastic component, and finally a pull tab / pull component on the second edge of the strap. The bottom surface of the secondary strap from left to right has the first edge of the strap, followed by a first reversible fastener, an elastic component and a second reversible fastener, and then the pull tab or pull component. A person skilled in the art would understand that the naming convention of first fastener, second fastener and third fastener is relative, and its order is interchangeable. The dimensions provided are mere embodiments and are for exemplarypurposes only. The placement of the components on the support strap could vary as well as these figures are merely provided as an example of a secondary support strap.

[0127] In the above figures, the dorsal side of the protective glove is represented by reference number 102, the volar side of the protective glove is represented by reference number 104, the thumb portion is represented by reference number 106, the finger portion is represented by reference number 108, the gap on the dorsal-side of the glove is represented by reference number 110, the elastic portion between the gap is represented by reference number 112, the wrist support strap / straps (i.e. the primary, secondary, or multiple support straps are represented by reference number 114), the one or more reversible fasteners are represented by reference number 116, the optional splint portion is represented by reference number 118, the strap notch / slot is represented by reference number 120, the pull tab / pull hook is represented by reference number 122, and the elastic / non-elastic portions of the support straps are represented by reference number 124. These reference numbers are merely exemplary and the various terms used in the description as alternatives to the ones referred above are also encompassed herein.

[0128] As noted hereinbefore, the reversible fastener on the secondary support strap could be provided throughout the bottom surface of the strap, in which case the strap could be made up of a fully elastic material, a fully non-elastic material, or a partial elastic and partial non-elastic material. Alternatively, the strap could be made of an elastic component, a non-elastic component and a reversible fastener.

[0129] In any of the above embodiments, the elastic component could be any elastic or stretchy material known in the art, for instance an elastic cloth material, an elastic band, an elastic fabric, Lycra®, spandex, elastane, or a band made up of synthetic fiber material such as polyurethane rubber. In any of the above embodiments, the non- elastic component could be made up of any non-elastic material known in the art for example any cloth material, a non-elastic band, or a non-elastic cloth portion.

[0130] In any of the above embodiments, the primary or secondary support strap can be designed with slight modifications and those design iterations are incorporated within the scope of the present disclosure. For instance, the primary and secondary support straps could be designed with one or more fasteners (and may not need the first, second or third fasteners descried above), or the fasteners may be placed at differentpositions than described. Moreover, the straps can be provided with more than one pull tabs / component. Instead of a pull tab. the straps may be provided with a pull hook, or a pull loop, or a pull slot, or a pull button, or any other similar pull mechanism.

[0131] As can be seen in the appended figures, the removable secondary wrist strap or support strap is secured to the palm side of the device along the wrist through a reversible fastener (e.g. Velcro®) adherence parallel to the direction of the primary overlapping support strap. The removable support strap is then threaded through the palm notch / slot underneath the primary support strap on the volar ulnar side of the wrist. The secondary removable wrist strap can then be extended through the use of elastic material to extend over top of the dorsal wrist side to securely fasten using reversible fastener (such as Velcro®) adherence to the complementary fastener (Velcro®) on the dorsal side of the glove.

[0132] The removable secondary support strap / wrist strap can be extended using the elastic portion of the strap to be secured over the dorsal side of the hand depending on the wrist circumference of different users to ensure maximum stability of wrist movement during usage of the device.

[0133] When removing the glove from user’s hand, the removable wrist strap can be gripped using the edge of the device along the fingertips and thumb using the opposite hand and pulled back from the reversible faster adherence along the dorsal side of the wrist. This in turn loosens the dual strap system so that the user can remove their hand.

[0134] The other adherence point is when the secondary support strap being affixed to the reversible fastener on the dorsal side. The strap can be pulled and its placement on the dorsal side can be adjusted, alternatively the placement of strap can be adjusted on the first adherence point on the volar side to ensure tightness is optimized for each user, depending on wrist circumference.

[0135] As described hereinbefore, the glove can be used with a dual or single strapping wrist tie system. When the glove is used in combination with the primary support strap and the removable wrist strap, the removable wrist strap acts as an additional aid in wrist protection, protecting against unnecessary bending at the wrist during impact.

[0136] When the glove is used without the removable wrist strap, the dual wrist strap system allows for a wider aperture for hand entry and removal during usage. The single strap system i.e. when the glove is used without the removable support strap, it increases the ease with which users are able to wear the glove onto their hands and begin training. Thus, the glove offers the flexibility to users to alternate between the dual strap and single strap system, where one provides additional protection and other provides ease of wearing / removing.

[0137] The secondary support strap can be designed on one size for all the different glove weights or can be custom designed for each glove weight. For instance, the removable strap may be constructed with different lengths, widths, materials for different glove weights.

[0138] The gloves according to various embodiments may be constructed of material commonly used to manufacture combat sport gloves. Such materials include leather, cotton, vinyl, polyester, lace and combinations of different materials. Synthetic leather such as poly urethane may be used. Materials such as, acrylic and poly vinyl chloride, and microfiber, cellulose, including rayon, modal, lyocell, polyamide nylon, petroleum (PET) or polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) polyester, phenol-formaldehyde (PF), polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PVOH), polyvinyl chloride fiber (PVC), polyolefins (PP and PE), or acrylic polymers, acrylic fiber, carbon fibers and PF fibers, aromatic nylons, such as Kevlar™ and Nomex™. Fibers that have strong bonding between polymer chains (e.g., aramids), or extremely long chains (e.g., Dyneema™ or Spectra™). Elastomers may also be used, e.g., spandex. The padding, including the pads of the optional splint portion may be constructed of commonly known material such as nylon, cotton, foam, rubber, plastic, silicone, polyurethane, polyethylene, polyborosiloxine, ethylvinylacetate and polyvinylchloride. The padding may also be constructed as composites or layers of different materials. The specific material and thickness will depend on the amount of impact protection and the desired rigidity to resist unwanted bending of the wrist. Semirigid materials may be used as backing for the optional splint portion support elements to provide resistance to wrist bending. In some embodiments, the gloves may be constructed of a lace material with the removable strap, reversible fastener and attachment system described above. Alternatively, the glove may comprise a portion that’ s design using lace material.

[0139] The specific features herein described may be used in a variety of specific glove types. For example, the features may be incorporated into gloves commonly worn in specific combat sports such as boxing, kick-boxing, and mixed martial arts. The protective sports glove may also be designed as a hybrid-glove or open-thumb gloves, or convertible gloves with a detachable thumb / finger portion, or partially detachable to allow for an open thumb, open fingers, or an open finger-tips glove system. Such gloves may be of different weights including, but not limited to, 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz, 16 oz, 18 oz, and 20 oz. Alternatively, the protective gloves with the single / dual strap (with removable strap) system may be used with gloves marked as Small, Medium, Lage or Extra Large.

[0140] A person understanding this invention may now conceive of alternative structures and embodiments or variations of the above all of which are intended to fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims that follow.

[0141] All citations are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0142] The present invention has been described with regard to one or more embodiments. However, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A protective sports glove comprising: a body having a dorsal side and a volar side, comprising: a thumb portion for covering a thumb; a finger portion for covering fingers; a wrist portion for covering a wrist; wherein the volar side of the wrist portion has a gap / opening for adjustably securing the glove to accommodate a user’s hand, and one or more support straps adapted to fasten to the body by means of a fastening mechanism to securely fasten the glove to the user’s hand.

2. The protective sports glove of claim 1 , wherein the fastening mechanism of the one or more support straps is a reversible fastener, a series of reversible fasteners, a ratcheting mechanism, a buckle-strap mechanism, a tension-cord mechanism, or a combination thereof.

3. The protective sports glove of claim 1, wherein the one or more straps are provided with one or more pull components.

4. The protective sports glove of claim 3, wherein the one or more pull components is a pull tab, a pull string, a pull loop, a pull slot, or a pull hook.

5. The protective sports glove of claim 1 , wherein the one or more straps are of identical length and width, different length and width, or adjustable / variable length and width.

6. The protective sports glove of claim 1 , wherein the one or more straps are made of an elastic material, a non-elastic material, a combination of an elastic and non-elastic material, a series of elastic materials, or a series of non-elastic materials.

7. The protective sports glove of claim 1, wherein the one or more straps have one or more reversible fasteners on its surface, wherein the one or more reversible fasteners are provided on the top side, the bottom side or on both sides of the strap.

8. The protective sports glove of claim 7, wherein the one or more reversible fasteners attach to a complementary reversible fastener provided on the glove body.

9. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the one or more straps are additionally provided with a ratchet buckle or a cam buckle.

10. The protective sports glove of claim 1 , wherein the one or more straps are hidden or built-in the glove body within a sleeve, slot or pocket.

11. The protective sports glove of claim 1 , wherein the one or more support straps secure the glove to the user’s hand by wrapping around the body of the glove in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction.

12. The protective sports glove of claim 1 , wherein the protective glove further comprises one or more slots on the wriest portion, or on the body of the glove through which the one or more straps passes before fastening to the body.

13. The protective sports glove of claim 1, wherein the wrist portion comprises two straps, a primary support strap and a secondary support strap.

14. The protective sports glove of claim 13, wherein the primary support strap is on the volar side of the wrist portion on a first side of the gap, wherein the secondary support strap is removably / detachably attached to the volar side of the wrist portion on a secondside of the gap; and wherein the primary support strap and the secondary support strap are adapted for fastening to the wrist portion.

15. The protective sports glove of claim 13 or 14, wherein the primary support strap has a strap notch / strap slot along its surface.

16. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-15, wherein the secondary support strap is arranged to pass towards the first side of the gap through the strap notch / strap slot before fastening to the wrist portion, optionally wherein the secondary support strap is arranged to be pulled to narrow the gap and to tightly conform the wrist portion to the wrist.

17. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-16, wherein the primary support strap is arranged to pass towards the second side of the gap before fastening to the wrist portion, optionally wherein the primary support strap is arranged to be pulled to narrow the gap and to tightly conform the wrist portion to the wrist.

18. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-17, wherein the primary support strap has a reversible fastener on its bottom surface.

19. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-18, wherein the secondary support strap has a reversible fastener on its bottom surface and / or on its top surface.

20. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-19, wherein the secondary support strap detachably attaches to the wrist portion by means of the reversible fastener on its bottom surface.

21. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-20, wherein the secondary support strap has an elastic component that allows the secondary support strap to stretch from the volar side to the dorsal side to securely accommodate the wrist.

22. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-21, wherein the reversible fastener on the bottom surface of the primary support strap fastens to the reversible fastener on the top surface of the secondary support strap.

23. The protective sports glove of claim 22, wherein the reversible fastener on the top surface of the secondary support strap is complimentary to the reversible fastener on the bottom surface of the primary support strap.

24. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-23, wherein the primary support strap wraps around the wrist portion in a first direction and wherein the secondary support strap wraps around the wrist portion in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction, wherein at least one of: the primary support strap and the secondary support strap at least partially encircles the wrist portion.

25. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-24, wherein at least one of: the primary support strap and the secondary support strap at least fully encircles the wrist portion.

26. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-25, wherein the finger portion covers second, third, fourth and fifth fingers together.

27. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-26, wherein the finger portion covers second, third, fourth and fifth fingers separately.

28. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-27, wherein the finger portion covers second, third, fourth and fifth fingers partially, wherein tips of each of the fingers are uncovered / free.

29. The protective sports glove of claim 13-29, wherein the removable / detachable secondary support strap comprises an elastic component or a combination of an elastic component and a non-elastic component.

30. The protective sports glove of claim 13-30, wherein the removable / detachable secondary support strap is completely made of an elastic component.

31. The protective sports glove of claim 29 or 30, wherein one or more reversible fasteners are affixed to one or both sides of the secondary support strap.

32. The protective sports glove of claim 13-18, wherein the removable / detachable secondary support strap has a first surface with a first reversible fastener, a second reversible fastener and an elastic component between the first and the second reversible fasteners.

33. The protective sports glove of claim 32, wherein the secondary support strap has a second surface with a third reversible fastener.

34. The protective sports glove of claim 33, wherein the third reversible fastener only covers the second surface of the secondary support strap partially.

35. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 32-34, wherein the secondary support strap detachably attaches to the volar side of the wrist portion by means of the first fastener and extends through the strap notch of the primary support strap to the dorsal side by means of the elastic component and fastens to the dorsal side by means of the second reversible fastener.

36. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 32-35, wherein the reversible fastener on the bottom surface of the primary support strap fastens to the third reversible fastener on the second surface of secondary support strap; optionally wherein the third reversible fastener is complimentary to the reversible fastener of the primary support strap.

37. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-18, wherein the secondary support strap has a first end and a second end and starting from the first end to the secondend, a first reversible fastener, an elastic component and a second reversible fastener on one side, and a third reversible fastener on the other side.

38. The protective sports glove of claim 37, wherein the third reversible fastener only covers the other side of the secondary support strap partially.

39. The protective sports glove of claim 37 or 38, wherein the secondary support strap detachably attaches to the volar side of the wrist portion by means of the first fastener and extends through the strap notch of the primary support strap to the dorsal side by means of the elastic component and fastens to the dorsal side by means of the second reversible fastener.

40. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 37-39, wherein the reversible fastener on the bottom surface of the primary support strap fastens to the third reversible fastener on the other side of secondary support strap; optionally wherein the third reversible fastener is complimentary to the reversible fastener of the primary support strap.

41. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-40, wherein the length of the secondary support strap is variable.

42. The protective sports glove of claim 41 , wherein the length of the secondary support strap is such that the strap can be wound around the wrist portion one or more times before fastening to the dorsal side.

43. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 19-42, wherein the reversible fastener is a hook and loop fastener, a magnetic fastener, a magnetic band, a magnetic strip, a zipper, a pull-tie, a button-button system, a button-loop system, a button-button- hole system, a zipper, a series of magnetic snaps, a series of hook and loop fasteners, a series of zippers, or any combination thereof.

44. The protective sports glove of claim 43, wherein the reversible fastener is a hook and loop fastener.

45. The protective sports glove of claim 43, wherein the reversible fastener is a magnetic fastener such as a magnetic strip or magnetic snaps.

46. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-45, wherein the thumb portion and the finger portions on the dorsal side of the wrist portion has a layer of padding.

47. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-46, wherein the gap has a thumbside edge and an opposing-side edge, wherein the opposing-side edge is adjacent to the fifth finger of the finger portion, and wherein the gap extends distally in a horizontal direction from a middle region of the volar side of the wrist portion to the opposing-side edge on the volar side of the wrist portion.

48. The protective sports glove of claim 47, wherein the gap starts from the dorsal side of the wrist portion and terminates in a vertical direction prior to the finger portion.

49. The protective sports glove of claim 47 or 48, wherein the primary support strap is attached to the opposing-side edge of the gap50. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 47-49, wherein the secondary support strap detachably is attached to the thumb-side edge of the gap; and the secondary support strap is constructed and arranged to pass across the gap in a direction opposite that of the primary support strap.

51. The protective sports glove of claim 13, wherein the primary support strap has a fastening means that attaches to a fastened secondary support strap, wherein the primary support strap is constructed and arranged to fasten to a complimentary fastening means on top of the fastened secondary support strap on the dorsal side of the wrist portion.

52. The protective sports glove of claim 13, wherein the primary support strap and the secondary support strap fastens to the volar side of the wrist portion.

53. The protective sports glove of any one of claims 13-52, wherein the sports glove is convertible to a single strap glove by detaching the secondary strap glove.

54. A protective sports glove comprising: a body having a dorsal side and a volar side, comprising: a thumb portion for covering a thumb; a finger portion for covering fingers; a wrist portion for covering a wrist; wherein the volar side of the wrist portion has a gap / opening for adjustably securing the glove to accommodate the wrist, wherein the wrist portion comprises one or more support straps adapted to fasten to the glove body.

55. The protective sports glove of claim 54, wherein the one or more support straps are removably / detachably attached to the volar side of the wrist portion; optionally wherein the one or more support straps wrap around the body of the glove in a horizontal, a vertical or diagonal direction and attach to one or more attachment points by means of a reversible fastener.

56. The protective sports glove of claim 54, wherein the one or more straps may be equipped with a ratcheting mechanism, an adjustable buckle, a button and multiple holes across the strap surface, a belt-buckle mechanism, a cam buckle mechanism, a sliding buckle mechanism, a series of magnetic snaps, a series of elastic bands, a series of buckles, a series of bungee-cords or any similar mechanism with adjustable tension.

57. The protective sports glove of claim 54, wherein the one or more straps are built-in the glove body or hidden in the glove body within a slot, sleeve or pocket, wherein the one or more straps are made up of an elastic or non-elastic material, and the one or more straps are exposed by pulling the strap out of the slot, sleeve or pocket, and affixed at one or more attachment points by means of a reversible fastener to achieve the desired tightness level.

58. A custom protective sports glove comprising: a body having a dorsal side and a volar side, comprising: a thumb portion for covering a thumb; a finger portion for covering fingers; and a wrist portion for covering a wrist; wherein the volar side of the wrist portion has a gap / opening for adjustably securing the glove to accommodate the wrist.

59. The custom protective sports glove of claim 58, further comprising one or more customizable elements from: a) number of support straps, b) material of support straps, c) closure / attachment mechanism of support straps, d) vertical, horizontal or diagonal direction of attachment of support straps, e) exposed, hidden or detachable support straps, f) with or without splint system and the type of splint system and f) the finger portion with partial coverage or full coverage.

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