Patent Application
20210068481
Traditional football gloves merely cover a hand of a user. Typical gloves, however, lack features configured to specific surfaces of the ball. They also lack features configured to specific surfaces of a hand of the player. Traditional gloves cover a palm of a user, lack appropriate ventilation and moisture dissipation, and disrupt direct contact between the hand and the ball.
There is a need for gloves and methods as disclosed herein that solve the above problems. There is a need for a glove configured to optimize engagement with the ball and the hand of the player, ventilation and moisture management, and direct tactile feel on the ball. This disclosure provides advantages and solutions over prior attempts.
The present disclosure relates to a glove structured to enhance griping, throwing, catching, and carrying of objects such as a ball or other sporting equipment, e.g., a football. The glove may be adapted to optimize the performance of any user or player such as a wide receiver, tight end, quarterback, or any other position. The glove may be adapted to enhance grip in all types of weather, temperatures, and humidity levels. The glove may be configured to optimize grip relative to the object while providing direct contact for optimized tactile feel of the object by a hand of the user.
Embodiments may include right-hand and left-hand gloves configured for multi-layer engagement. Each glove may include an intermediary support layer, an object engagement layer and an anatomic engagement layer. The object engagement layer may include an outwardly facing structure as part of or secured to an outer surface of the support layer. The anatomic engagement may include an inwardly facing structure as part of or secured to an inner surface of the support layer. The object engagement layer may have a pre-formed or object-customized structure, e.g., protrusions and/or recesses configured to interdigitate with corresponding structures of the object. The anatomic engagement layer may have a pre-formed or user-customized structure, e.g., protrusions and/or recesses configured to interdigitate with corresponding anatomic surfaces of a hand of the user.
One or more layers of the glove may include materials and textures to optimize grip relative to the object and the user. The glove may include interior, support and/or exterior surfaces including leather, elastic, polyurethane, nylon, rubber, latex, neoprene, or a combination thereof. The glove may include one or more water-resistant, non-slip, and/or tacky layers. Merely as an example, one or more layers may include a thickness in a range of about 0.008 to 0.024 inches.
The glove may be custom molded to human hands of the user, e.g., providing the feeling that the player is one with the glove. The glove may include a window forming an opening across a palm region of the glove, e.g., providing direct exposure between the object and to the hand of the user. This may allow the user to maintain an actual feel of an object such as a football. The glove may include ventilation areas and channels to increase circulation and airflow throughout the hand.
The glove may include one or more exterior surfaces adapted to enhance grip relative to an object. The thumb, finger and/or fingertip areas may be covered by leather, elastic, polyurethane, nylon, rubber, latex, neoprene, or a combination thereof. The glove may include one or more tortuous surface structures in an object-specific arrangement, e.g., alternating protrusions and recesses that interdigitate with an outer surface of the object such as a football. The glove may also include tacky surfaces configured to provide friction with minimal surface contact, e.g., increasing the chances of catching an over-thrown football.
The glove may include one or more interior surfaces adapted to increase engagement with a hand of a user. The glove may include smooth and/or water-resistant surfaces. The glove may include leather, elastic, polyurethane, nylon, rubber, latex, neoprene, or a combination thereof. The glove may include one or more tortuous surface structures in a user-specific arrangement, e.g., alternating protrusions and recesses that interdigitate with an outer surface of the hand of the user. The glove may include a wristband with hook and loop fasteners to provide a snug fit around a wrist of a user.
The glove may be adapted to provide increased grip or friction to resist an object (e.g., a ball such as a football) from slipping upon contact with the glove and/or user. The glove may include structures adapted to improve grip in throwing, catching, holding, and carrying the object, e.g., reducing the chances of a running back fumbling a football.
The glove may include visual indicators for improved visibility and appeal. The glove may be packaged individually or in pairs of varying sizes, colors, and insulation levels. The glove may include insulated and uninsulated regions adapted for cold, moderate, and warm weather. The glove may include interior, support and/or exterior surfaces including leather, elastic, polyurethane, nylon, rubber, latex, neoprene, or a combination thereof. The glove may include expandable portions adapted to stretch to a hand of a user. The glove may include ventilation structures adapted for optimal ventilation and to resist perspiration of a hand of a user. The glove may include one or more windows or holes providing an opening to a palm, fingers, thumb, and/or fingertips. The glove may be configured to seal against a hand of a user and/or or include water-resistant structures.
Embodiments may include a glove for multi-layer engagement and associated methods. The glove may include an object engagement layer, an intermediary support layer, and an anatomic engagement layer. The object engagement layer may include an outer distal portion, an outer middle portion, an outer proximal portion, and an outer palm portion. The anatomic engagement layer may include an inner distal portion, an inner middle portion, an inner proximal portion, and an inner palm portion. The support layer may be interposed and secured between the object engagement layer and the anatomic engagement layer. The outer distal portion, outer middle portion, outer proximal portion, and outer palm portion may extend outwardly from the support layer. The inner distal portion, inner middle portion, inner proximal portion, and inner palm portion may extend inwardly from the support layer.
The outer distal portion, outer middle portion, outer proximal portion, and outer palm portion may include alternating protrusions and recesses configured to interdigitate with corresponding object structures of an object. The inner distal portion, inner middle portion, inner proximal portion, and inner palm portion may include alternating protrusions and recesses configured to interdigitate with corresponding anatomical structures of a hand of a user. The outer palm portion may be adapted to form a unitary or distributed perimeter defined by an outer distal palmar structure, an outer proximal palmar structure, an outer hypothenar structure, an outer thenar structure, and an outer web structure. The inner palm portion may be adapted to form a unitary or distributed perimeter defined by an inner distal palmar structure, an inner proximal palmar structure, an inner hypothenar structure, an inner thenar structure, and an inner web structure.
Embodiments may include a method of a glove for multi-layer engagement. The method may include providing an object engagement layer, an intermediary support layer, and an anatomic engagement layer. The anatomic engagement layer may include an inner distal portion, an inner middle portion, an inner proximal portion, and an inner palm portion. The method may include positioning the support layer between the object engagement layer and the anatomic engagement layer. The method may include securing the object engagement layer to an outer surface of the support layer and the anatomic engagement layer to an inner surface of the support layer
Referring to
Distal portion 104, middle portion 106, proximal portion 108 and/or palm portion 112 may include a substantially or entirely tortuous surface structure configured to grip or increase friction relative to an object, may include a substantially or entirely smooth structure configured to slide or reduce friction relative to the object, or a combination thereof. For example, distal portion 104 may include a tortuous surface structure while middle portion 106, proximal portion 108 and/or palm portion 112 may include a smooth structure, or vice versa.
Finger portion 102 and/or palm portion 112 may be configured to optimize engagement between an object and a hand of a user. Finger portion 102 and/or palm portion 112 include a tortuous outer surface configured to engage and interdigitate with an outer surface of the object. Finger portion 102 and/or palm portion 112 may include one or more curve, texture, stubble pattern, and/or alternating protrusions and recesses. Finger portion 102 and/or palm portion 112 may include or be made of any material configured to optimize engagement with the object such as leather, elastic, polyurethane, nylon, rubber, latex, neoprene, or a combination thereof.
Palm portion 112 may be configured to enhance friction or grip relative to an object while providing direct contact and tactile feel by a palm of a user. Palm portion 112 may form a perimeter structure 109 along the outer palm area while defining tactile window 110 providing opening 113 along and around a palm of a user. Palm portion 112 may be adapted to form the perimeter structure 109 as defined by a distal palmar structure 110a, a proximal palmar structure 110b, a hypothenar structure 110c, a thenar structure 110d, and/or a web structure 110e. Palm portion 112 may be configured to increase grip along the perimeter structure while providing direct contact between an object and a palm via opening 113 formed by tactile window 110. Tactile window 113 may be configured to optimize direct engagement between the object and the palm of the user.
Wrist portion 114 may be configured to secure glove 100 relative to a hand of a user. Wrist portion 114 may be configured to conformingly engage a wrist of the user. Wrist portion 114 may include an elastic material or band. Wrist portion 114 may include a hook and loop fastener to reduce slack in the wrist portion 114.
Palm portion 212 may be configured to directly engage anatomic features of a hand of a user and enhance grip or friction between anatomic engagement structure 200 and the hand. Palm portion 212 may include a perimeter structure 209 along the outer palm area while defining tactile window 210 around a palm of a user. Palm portion 212 may be adapted to form the perimeter structure 209 as defined by a distal palmar structure 210a, a proximal palmar structure 210b, a hypothenar structure 210c, a thenar structure 210d, and/or a web structure 210e. Palm portion 212 may be configured to increase grip along the perimeter structure 209 while providing direct contact between an object and a palm via the opening 213 formed by tactile window 210. Tactile window 213 may be configured to optimize direct engagement between the object and the palm of the user.
Object engagement layer 301 may include object engagement structures adapted to engage and interdigitate with one or more object surfaces of an object, anatomic engagement layer 305 may include anatomic engagement structures adapted to engage and interdigitate with one or more anatomic surfaces of a hand of a user, or a combination thereof. Object engagement layer 301 may include distal portion 104, middle portion 106, proximal portion 108 and/or palm portion 112 having outwardly extending structures configured to engage an object, anatomic engagement layer 305 may include distal portion 204, middle portion 206, proximal portion 208 and/or palm portion 212 having inwardly extending structures configured to engage a hand of a user, or a combination thereof. Object engagement layer 301 may include an outwardly facing structure secured to and extending from an outer surface of intermediary support layer 303, anatomic engagement layer 305 may include an inwardly facing structure secured to and extending from an inner surface of intermediary support layer 303, or a combination thereof. Object engagement layer 301 may include a pre-formed or object-customized structure, e.g., protrusions and/or recesses configured to interdigitate with corresponding structures of the object. Anatomic engagement layer 305 may have a pre-formed or user-customized structure, e.g., protrusions and/or recesses configured to interdigitate with corresponding anatomic surfaces of a hand of the user. Object engagement layer 301 and/or anatomic engagement layer 305 may be integral to, releasably secured, or permanently adhered to intermediary support layer 303.
The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the technologies discussed herein, and that the disclosed gloves and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. Modification and variation to the embodiments herein are contemplated.
For example, the components and steps herein may occur in any arrangement or order. Any of the components herein may form integral, distributed, or separated structures. Any of the steps can be performed simultaneously, sequentially, or intermittently. Components and/or steps can be added or omitted. The descriptions herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating certain embodiments and not to limit the claims.
All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest reasonable constructions and their ordinary meanings as understood by those knowledgeable in the technologies described herein unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc. should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.
The Abstract of the disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure, but with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.
