Riding Glove Seam Relocation for Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional riding gloves are uncomfortable due to seams on the pinky and ring fingers that rub against the hand, especially when holding reins, causing irritation from pressure.
Innovation Solution
The pinky and ring finger portions are formed as separate pieces from the palm portion, with seams relocated to the backside, and optional reinforcing pads are broken into legs sewn around the periphery, reducing friction and pressure on the inside of the glove.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If seams are placed on the palm side of the glove for construction, then the glove can be made with proper finger flexibility and strength, but the seams cause rubbing and irritation to the rider's fingers
Solution Approach 1:
The seam location is inverted from the conventional palm-side placement to the back-side placement of the fingers. This reverses the position of the harmful seam away from the area that contacts the rider's hand, eliminating the rubbing and irritation while preserving the structural integrity of the glove construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The seam is relocated from the lateral dimension (palm side) to the longitudinal dimension (back side) of the finger. This dimensional change moves the seam to a location that does not interfere with the rider's fingers while still providing the necessary structural support for finger flexibility.
2Ease of operation
If seams are eliminated from the finger portion, then rubbing and irritation are reduced, but finger flexibility and strength are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful seam is extracted from the palm-side location and relocated to the back-side location. This extraction removes the source of irritation while preserving the necessary seams in positions that do not compromise finger flexibility or strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the glove are treated differently regarding seam placement. The palm-side area is designed to be seam-free for comfort, while the back-side area contains necessary seams for structural integrity. This local differentiation allows each region to optimize its specific function.
3Strength
If reinforcing is sewn on the fourth and fifth fingers, then wear resistance is improved, but the glove becomes less comfortable on the hand
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing element is merged with the seam structure itself. Instead of adding separate reinforcing patches that create additional bulk and discomfort, the seam is constructed to provide both the necessary structural strength and the reinforcing function in a unified, streamlined manner.
Solution Approach 2:
Reinforcing is applied locally only where needed for wear resistance (on the back side of the fingers) rather than adding bulk to the palm-side contact areas. This localized approach provides strength where required while maintaining comfort in the rider contact zones.
Data Source
AI summary
A glove has a palm portion, a front ring finger portion unitary therewith, and a first sidewall thereof, a back portion fixed to the palm portion, a back pinky portion, a back ring finger portion, a separate pinky portion formed of a separate material from the palm portion and back portion, and fixed to the palm portion and back pinky portion. The glove also has a thumb portion, a pointer finger portion, and a middle finger portion. This construction enables the first sidewall of the ring finger portion and inner sidewall of the pinky portion to be made unitary. A method of making the glove includes cutting the front of the glove with a palm portion that includes a front ring finger portion and first sidewall as one piece of material, cutting from a separate piece of material the front portion of the pinky finger portion so that it includes an inner sidewall, and sewing the front palm portion, back portion, and front ring finger portion to the palm and back portions.