Patent Application
20130191961
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to golf gloves that fit tightly around a person's hand while also providing a comfortable feel. More particularly, the golf glove contains micro-perforations in selected regions that provide tiny conduits for ventilation from the glove interior. These micro-perforations allow the glove to better breathe thus keeping the hand cooler and drier. The glove also contains non-perforated regions that provide good gripping strength.
2. Brief Review of the Related Art
Both professional and amateur golfers are interested in gloves having good durability and flexibility. The durability of the glove is important, because golfers use a variety of grips on their clubs and constantly press the glove against the club grip. Different areas of the glove can become overly worn and even develop tears and rips after continuous use. Typically, the gloves are made from natural leather and synthetic leather. It is also important that the glove has good flexibility. Many conventional gloves contain a thin piece of elastic material that runs across the knuckle region. For example, a band of Lycra® spandex may be wrapped around the knuckle region in the glove construction. This stretchable material helps improve flexibility in the finger and knuckle areas.
In recent years, the comfort level of the glove also has become increasingly important. The glove should fit tightly around the golfer's hand so that he/she can maintain a good grip on the club, but, at the same time, it should be comfortable to wear. For example, the hand inside of the glove should feel comfortable even when the glove is being used in humid conditions. The glove should not feel sticky and wet. In other words, the glove should effectively “breathe” and allow air to pass into and out of the glove so the wearer's hand feels comfortable under all weather conditions. Golf glove manufacturers have looked to adding small ventilation holes or perforations as one way for improving glove breathability.
For example, Smeltzer, U.S. Patent Application Publication U.S. 2009/0313742 discloses a golf glove having sections made of elastic and inelastic material. The glove includes a palmar and dorsal section. There are perforated holes positioned throughout the glove for dissipating heat and moisture out of the glove. Particularly, the perforations are spaced throughout every region (palm, dorsal, wrist, finger, and thumb) of the glove as opposed to being strategically positioned in selected regions of the glove.
Although some golf gloves containing perforations are generally effective in ventilating the interior of the glove, there is a continuing need for improved glove constructions having good durability and flexibility as well as breathability. The present invention provides golf glove constructions having such properties as well as other advantageous features and benefits.
The present invention relates to golf gloves that can fit tightly on a wearer's hand and provide a comfortable feel. The glove contains perforations in designated regions only and this helps the glove breathe. Other areas of the glove do not contain perforations, and this helps enhance the gripping strength of the glove. These non-perforated areas further reduce the risk of tears forming in the leather. Furthermore, the glove has good overall durability and flexibility.
More particularly, in one preferred embodiment, the glove includes a body comprising a front layer and back layer that are joined together to define a cavity for receiving a wearer's hand. The glove body further includes an open end, wherein the wearer can insert his/her hand along with a closed end having multiple finger portions and a thumb portion for receiving the wearer's fingers and thumb, respectively. The front layer has an interior surface and exterior surface so that the front interior surface is in contact with the palm side of the wearer's hand when the hand is placed into the glove. The back layer also has an interior surface and exterior surface so that the back interior surface is in contact with the dorsal side of the wearer's hand when the hand is placed into the glove. The front layer further comprises a wrist portion, palm portion; and index, middle, ring, and little finger portions; and a thumb portion. In one particularly preferred embodiment, the front layer contains multiple perforations solely in the wrist portion, each of the middle, ring, little finger, and thumb portions, and along the medial edge of the glove body extending from the wrist section to the little finger portion. In this embodiment, no other glove regions contain any perforations. Preferably, the perforations have an average diameter size of less than 1 mm.
The novel features that are characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with further objects and attendant advantages, are best understood by reference to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring to
As shown in
Preferably, the front layer (14) is formed primarily of a substantially inelastic material such as, for example, natural leather, synthetic leather, other non-woven materials, natural fabric, and synthetic fabric, among others. Suitable leather materials include, for example, sheepskin, deerskin, doeskin, steer hide, goatskin, and kangaroo skin, among others. In one preferred embodiment, leather produced from the skins of sheep having hair instead of wool (commonly referred to as “cabretta leather”) is used to form the front layer (14). Suitable non-woven materials include, for example, nylon, nylon-acrylic, neoprene, or terrycloth, among others. Polyurethane-coated nylons may be used as the material for making the front layer (14) in one particular embodiment. It also is recognized that other thermoplastic materials can be used to form the front layer (14) in accordance with this invention. As discussed above, in one preferred embodiment, cabretta leather is used to form the front layer (14). This leather material, when used in the glove constructions of this invention, helps provide the glove with good wear-resistance and comfort. Suitable leathers are available from Pittards PLC, Sherborne Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA21 5BA, Great Britain.
Referring to
The back layer (16) also is preferably formed of a substantially inelastic material such as, for example, natural leather, synthetic leather, other non-woven materials, natural fabric, and synthetic fabric, among others as discussed above. Suitable leather materials include, for example, sheepskin, deerskin, doeskin, steer hide, goatskin, and kangaroo skin, among others. In one preferred embodiment, cabretta leather is used to form the back layer (16). Suitable non-woven materials include nylon, nylon-acrylic, neoprene, or terrycloth, among others. The back layer (16) can further contain sections made of elastic material to provide stretch in various directions. For example, an elastic material may be disposed along the length of each finger portion (22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d) to provide flexibility to these areas. An elastic material also may be disposed over the knuckle region (30a, 30b, 30c, and 30d) of each finger portion. The elastic material stretches across each knuckle to provide flexibility. One example of a suitable elastic material that can be used in the glove is Lycra® spandex, available from DuPont.
Referring back to
In
In
In conventional manufacturing methods used for producing glove perforations, sheet material is fed between rollers and long, pointed needles puncture all of the material. Then, the perforated material is cut into various sections for assembling the glove. For example, a Pecarry/Pigtex machine, operated by Häuser and Renner e.k., (Ichenhausen, Germany) may be used to process the glove material before the glove is assembled. In the present invention, the micro-perforations are preferably formed in the designated areas of the sheet material (for example, natural leather, synthetic leather, or other fabric as discussed above) prior to assembly of the glove. A relatively thin sheet(s) of material is placed in a die having a shape corresponding to the contour of the glove that ultimately will be produced. The die contains relatively small durable pins in selected regions of the glove area. It is important that the pins are sized properly and have the required diameters. As discussed further below, the pins preferably have a diameter size of less than about 1 mm so they may form “micro-perforations.” Furthermore, the pins must have sufficient mechanical strength and durability so they can be used repeatedly in the die-cutting operation. The spacing and alignment of the pins can vary to provide the desired perforation pattern in the glove. In one preferred embodiment, the pins are spaced apart so the distance between neighboring pins is about 3 mm to about 7 mm, and more preferably about 5 to 6 mm. During the die-cutting operation, the pins are pressed against the sheet material in the selected regions, thereby puncturing the material. The resulting perforations provide the glove with ventilation spots and make the glove more comfortable to wear as discussed further below.
The front layer (14) of the glove (10) of this invention preferably contains micro-perforations, which have an average diameter size smaller than conventional perforations in golf gloves. By the term, “micro-perforations” as used herein, it is meant perforations having an average diameter size of less than about 1 mm. The micro-perforations may have an average diameter size of less than about 0.8 mm and even less than 0.5 mm in some instances. By the term, “standard-perforations” as used herein, it is meant perforations having an average diameter size of about 1 mm or greater. In one embodiment, both the front and back layers (14, 16) are made of leather and each layer contains micro-perforations. In another embodiment, the front and back layers (14, 16) are made of different materials and the front layer (14) contains micro-perforations while the back layer (16) contains standard-perforations. The micro-perforations (70) allow air to pass into and out of the glove and reduce heat build-up. The interior of the glove is cooled naturally in this manner. These micro-perforations (70) provide micro-channels for sweat and moisture to escape from the hand. Sweat and moisture can be removed efficiently from the hand, thus keeping the hand drier and more comfortable. Because the gloves effectively breathe and circulate air throughout the glove, they are comfortable to wear. As shown in
More particularly, in one embodiment, as shown in
The glove of the present invention is designed to fit snugly on a wearer's hand without sacrificing a nice feel. The glove is skintight and yet it remains comfortable. As discussed above, the glove contains micro-perforations in selected areas and this helps the glove breathe. Other areas of the glove (for example, the central palm portion) do not contain perforations, and these non-perforated areas help enhance the gripping strength of the glove. That is, the glove contains specially designated perforated and non-perforated regions. More particularly, in one preferred embodiment, about 55% of the surface area of the glove's front layer contains micro-perforations. More preferably, the front layer contains micro-perforations, wherein the lower limit of the perforated surface area is about 55% or 65% or 70% or 75% and the upper limit of perforated surface area is about 80% or 85% or 90% or 95%. This perforated and non-perforated glove structure helps the glove breathe and improve gripping strength. The wearer is better able to grip the golf club while their hands inside of the glove remain comfortable. Furthermore, the glove is durable and has good wear-resistance. The wearer can press the golf club firmly against the non-perforated palm region of their glove hand and maintain a good grip as he/she swings and the club face makes impact with the ball. Meanwhile, the perforated regions provide tiny conduits for circulating air throughout the glove and this helps provide a more comfortable feel to the wearer.
It should be understood the golf gloves shown in
When numerical lower limits and numerical upper limits are set forth herein, it is contemplated that any combination of these values may be used. Other than in the operating examples, or unless otherwise expressly specified, all of the numerical ranges, amounts, values and percentages such as those for amounts of materials and others in the specification may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” even though the term “about” may not expressly appear with the value, amount or range. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention.
It is understood that the golf gloves described and illustrated herein represent only some embodiments of the invention. It is appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and additions can be made to compositions and products without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. It is intended that all such embodiments be covered by the appended claims.
