Athletic glove compression cuff and extended grip surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional athletic gloves with mechanical fasteners, such as hook and loop, tend to loosen during use, interfere with wrist flexure, and get caught on equipment, while limiting the gripping area to above the wrist, reducing their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
An athletic glove design featuring a compression fastener system using a continuous layer of elastic material around the wrist and forearm to secure the glove without mechanical fasteners, with a grip-enhancing surface extending below the wrist and into the forearm for improved gripping ability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical fastener (hook and loop) is used to secure the glove to the hand, then the glove can be attached to the hand, but the fastener loosens during use requiring continuous adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mechanical fastener system entirely from the glove design. Instead of using hook and loop fasteners that require adjustment, the glove uses an elastic cuff portion that maintains constant securing pressure through its elastic properties, eliminating the need for mechanical fastening components and their associated adjustment issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical fastening system with an elastic material-based securing mechanism. The elastic cuff portion uses elastic deformation and recovery to maintain constant securing pressure on the wrist, substituting mechanical fasteners with a passive elastic system that automatically maintains attachment security without requiring user intervention.
2Reliability
If a mechanical fastener is used to secure the glove, then the glove can be attached to the hand, but the fastener interferes with wrist flexure during play
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mechanical fastener that interferes with wrist movement. The elastic cuff portion without mechanical components allows the wrist to flex naturally while maintaining glove attachment through elastic pressure, eliminating the conflict between securing the glove and allowing wrist motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an elastic cuff portion made of flexible material that can deform with wrist movement. This flexible elastic structure maintains attachment security through continuous elastic pressure while accommodating the full range of wrist flexion without the rigidity or interference of mechanical fastening components.
3Reliability
If a mechanical fastener is used to secure the glove, then the glove can be attached to the hand, but the fastener becomes caught on other players or equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes all protruding mechanical fastening components from the glove surface. The elastic cuff portion provides a smooth, continuous surface that secures the glove through elastic pressure without any hooks, loops, or mechanical elements that could catch on equipment or other players during gameplay.
4Device complexity
If the gripping area is limited to above the wrist, then the glove structure remains simple, but the gripping assistance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gripping function with the cuff portion by extending the grip-enhancing surface onto the elastic cuff and forearm coverage area. This integration combines the securing function of the cuff with the gripping function, creating a continuous grip-enhancing surface that extends from the hand through the wrist onto the forearm, thereby expanding gripping assistance without adding separate complex components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the cuff portion multi-functional by giving it both the securing function (through elastic pressure) and the gripping function (through the extended grip-enhancing surface). The elastic cuff and forearm coverage area serve dual purposes: securing the glove to the wrist and providing additional gripping surface area, thereby eliminating the need for separate components for each function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure fit without mechanical fasteners, enhances gripping capabilities by expanding the grip-enhancing surface area, and prevents interference with wrist flexure and equipment, improving overall athletic performance.
Implementation Method 1
the compression fastener is a continuous layer of elastic/resilient material encircling the wrist, biasing the cuff into contact with the wrist and/or forearm of the wearer
Data Source
AI summary
An athletic glove includes a hand portion and a cuff portion. The hand portion includes a palm area and a plurality of digits. The palmar face of the glove further includes a grip enhancing surface disposed on one or more digits and/or the palm portion. The grip enhancing layer is positioned below the wrist and/or within the lower portion of the forearm to provide an extended contact surface to the wearer during gameplay.