Patent Application
20090282606
Numerous gloves for outdoor sporting activities, such as fishing and hunting, exist in the marketplace. Such gloves are typically designed to provide the user with warmth while also providing improved grip on objects, such as a fishing pole or a hunting rifle. In order to provide both warmth and improved grip, such gloves typically include a base made of warm material, such as wool or fleece, with sections of synthetic rubber attached to the base at various locations, such as the palm or fingers of the glove. The sections of synthetic rubber may be sewn to the base or attached via an adhesive material. In such a glove, the user's hand does not directly contact the synthetic rubber material since the synthetic rubber material is laid on top of the exterior portion of the wool or fleece glove.
Alternatively, some prior art gloves use different materials to make up different sections of the base of the glove. For example, the fingers and back portion of the glove may be made of a warm material, such as wool or fleece, while the palm of the glove may be made of synthetic rubber material. The wool or fleece portion of the glove may meet the synthetic rubber portion of the glove at seams located at the boundaries of the palm. The two materials may be joined together either be sewing the sections together at the seams, or by using an adhesive material at the seems. In such a glove, the user's hand is in direct contact with both the wool or fleece material (at the fingers and back portion of the glove) and the synthetic rubber material (at the palm of the glove).
In these type of previously known gloves, the user benefits from the warmth and increased grip of the glove, but suffers from the decreased dexterity caused by the glove. When the different materials of the glove are formed over one another, the thickness of the glove is increased, thereby making it more difficult for a user to manipulate his fingers, such as using a trigger finger to fire a hunting rifle. When the different materials of the glove make up different sections of the glove, the thickness of the materials used (i.e., wool, fleece, synthetic rubber) is normally still too thick (e.g., warm materials such as wool or fleece) or too rigid (e.g., synthetic rubber) to provide the user with the type of dexterity desired in many outdoor sporting activities.
The instant disclosure relates generally to multi-material gloves. The multi-material gloves may be capable of providing the user with both warmth and improved grip while not having a significant negative impact on the user's dexterity. In some embodiments, the glove may be suitable for use in outdoor sporting activities, such as hunting and fishing, where warmth, grip and dexterity are all desirable features in a glove.
One aspect of the instant disclosure relates to a multi-material glove. In certain embodiments, the multi-material glove may comprise a hand portion and a thumb tubular portion, an index finger tubular portion, a middle finger tubular portion, a ring finger tubular portion, and a pinky finger tubular portion extending from the hand portion. The hand portion may include a palm side and a back hand side. Each of the tubular portions may also include a palm side and a back hand side. The material of the thumb tubular portion, index tubular portion and section of the hand portion extending between the thumb tubular portion and index finger tubular portion may comprise a first material. The back hand side of the hand portion and the back hand side of the middle finger tubular portion, ring finger tubular portion and pinky finger tubular portion may comprise a second material. The palm side of the hand portion and the palm side of the middle finger tubular portion, ring finger tubular portion and pinky finger tubular portion may comprise a third material. The first material, second material and third material may all be different materials.
Features from any of the above mentioned embodiments may be used in combination with one another, without limitation. In addition, other features and advantages of the instant disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference characters and descriptions indicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While the exemplary embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the instant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.
The instant disclosure relates generally to multi-material gloves including three or more different materials used for different sections of the gloves. In one embodiment, a first material may be used for the whole of the index finger and thumb portions of the glove and the back hand side and palm side of the section of glove located between the index finger and thumb, a second material may be used for the back hand side of the hand portion of the glove and the back hand side of the pinky finger, ring finger and middle finger portions of the glove, and a third material may be used for the palm side of the hand portion of the glove and the palm side portion of the pinky finger, ring finer and middle finger portions of the glove. Such a glove may be capable of providing a user with warmth, improved grip and does not have a significant negative impact on the user's dexterity, making the glove especially suitable for use in outdoor sporting activities.
As shown in
Tubular portions 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 may be connected to the hand portion 11 such that the cavity inside each of tubular portions 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 may be in communication with the cavity inside hand portion 11, thereby forming one large, interconnected cavity.
Hand portion 11 has an open end 11a that may be located generally opposite the area of hand portion 11 from which tubular portions 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 extend. In such a configuration, a user may insert his or her hand into open end 11a and pull glove 10 on to the hand until the user's fingers are disposed in tubular portions 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. The portion of glove 10 near open end 11a may include an adjustable strap 17 for tightening open end 11a around the user's wrist when glove 10 is being worn. Adjustable strap 17 may be any type of adjustable strap suitable for use in a glove and which will tighten open end 11a around a user's wrist. For example, adjustable strap 17 may comprise Velcro™, snap buttons, bungee or hooks.
One, several or all of tubular portions 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 may include a slit 18 formed on palm side 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 of tubular portions 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. Slit 18 may be located approximately halfway along the length of tubular portions 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. Slit 18 may allow the user to extend a finger disposed in tubular portion 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 through slit 18 such that the user's finger is exposed to the outside environment while not having to completely remove the glove and expose the entire hand to the elements. In this manner, the user's fingers may have direct contact with an object, such as a fishing line or the trigger of a hunting rifle, without having to remove the glove from the hand entirely.
Any tubular portion 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 including slit 18 on palm side 22, 23, 24, 25 or 26 may also include fasteners 19 for folding back the top half of tubular portion 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 along slit 18 and securing it to the bottom half of tubular portion 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16. In this manner, when the user extends a finger through slit 18, the top half of tubular portion 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 may be folded back and secured to the bottom half of tubular portion 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 so that the top portion does not interfere with the finger extended through slit 18. Fastener 19 may be any type of fastener suitable for use on a glove. For example, the fastener may be Velcro™, snap buttons or hooks.
The overall size of glove 10 and the size of various portions of glove 10 are not limited. The overall size of glove 10 may be scaled up or down to accommodate users with different size hands. For example, glove 10 may be made in a size suitable to be worn by a child, adult woman or adult man. Similarly, the size of the various portions of glove 10, such as tubular portions 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 may also vary in size. For example, tubular portions 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 may be sized larger or smaller to accommodate users with longer or shorter fingers.
As also shown in
First material 40 may constitute the portion of glove 10 including thumb tubular portion 12, index finger tubular portion 13 and the section of hand portion 11 extending between thumb tubular portion 12 and index finger tubular portion 13. In alternate aspects of the instant disclosure, first material 40 may constitute more or less of glove 10. For example, first material 40 may constitute only index finger tubular portion 13 or may constitute thumb tubular portion 12, index finger tubular portion 13 and middle finger tubular portion 14.
The material of first material 40 is not limited, and may be any suitable material for use in a glove. In one aspect of the instant disclosure, first material 40 may be selected from the group comprising plastic (e.g., polyester, polyvinyl chloride), natural rubber (e.g., latex), synthetic rubber (e.g., polychloroprene), natural fiber (e.g., wool, cotton), synthetic fiber (e.g., nylon, rayon, acrylic, polar fleece), natural leather, synthetic leather (e.g., polyurethane) and mixtures thereof.
The phrase “synthetic rubber” may refer to any type of artificially made polymer material which acts as an elastomer. Examples of synthetic rubber include polychloroprene (Neoprene™) and silicone.
The phrase “synthetic fiber” may refer to any man-made textile fiber produced from chemical substances. Examples of synthetic fibers include nylon (Cordura™), fluoropolymer (GoreTex™), rayon, elastane (spandex) and acrylic.
In another aspect of the instant disclosure, first material 40 may be selected from the group comprising polyurethane, latex, and leather. In still another aspect of the instant disclosure, first material 40 may comprise polyurethane. These materials may be useful as first material 40 because they are relatively thin and therefore will not have a significant negative impact on the dexterity of the user's index finger and thumb. In this manner, the user may have the dexterity necessary to be able to accomplish such tasks as tying notes in a fishing line or pulling the trigger on a rifle without having to remove glove 10.
Second material 50 may constitute the portion of glove 10 including back hand side 31 of hand portion 11, back hand side 36 of pinky finger tubular portion 16, back hand side 35 of ring finger tubular portion 15 and back hand side 34 of middle finger tubular portion 14. In alternate aspects of the instant disclosure, second material 50 may constitute more or less of glove 10. For example, second material 50 may further constitute palm side 26 of pinky finger tubular portion 16, palm side 25 of ring finger tubular portion 15 and palm side 24 of middle finger tubular portion 14.
The material of second material 50 is not limited, and may be any suitable material for use in a glove. In one aspect of the instant disclosure, second material 50 may be selected from the group comprising natural fiber (e.g., wool, cotton), synthetic fiber (e.g., nylon, rayon, acrylic, polar fleece), natural leather, synthetic leather (e.g., polyurethane) and mixtures thereof. In one aspect of the instant disclosure, second material 50 may be selected from the group comprising polar fleece, wool, cotton, leather, rayon, fluoropolymer and mixtures thereof. In still another aspect of the instant disclosure, second material 50 may comprise polar fleece. These materials may be useful as second material 50 because they may provide warmth to the hand and shield the hand from elements such as wind and rain.
Third material 60 may constitute the portion of glove 10 including palm side 21 of hand portion 11, palm side 26 of pinky finger tubular portion 16, palm side 25 of ring finger tubular portion 15 and palm side 24 of middle finger tubular portion 14. In alternate aspects of the instant disclosure, third material 60 may constitute more or less of glove 10. For example, third material 60 may further constitute palm side 23 of index finger tubular portion 13, or may constitute only palm side 21 of hand portion 11, palm side 26 of pinky finger tubular portion 16 and palm side 25 of ring finger tubular portion 15.
The material of third material 60 is not limited, and may be any suitable material for use in a glove. In one aspect of the instant disclosure, second material 50 may be selected from the group comprising plastic, synthetic rubber, natural rubber, synthetic fiber, natural leather, synthetic leather and mixtures thereof. In one aspect of the instant disclosure, third material 60 may be selected from the group comprising polychloroprene, rayon and leather. In still another aspect of the instant disclosure, third material 60 may comprise polychloroprene. These materials may be useful as third material 60 because they may provide the user with enhanced grip. Enhanced grip provides the user with the ability to keep a better hold on objects such as fishing poles and hunting rifles.
Third material 60 may also have a textured pattern for further enhancement of grip. The textured pattern is not limited and may be any type of pattern which provides additional grip. For example, the textured pattern may be a zigzag pattern or a plurality of protruding bumps. The textured pattern may also be located all over third material 60 or may be localized, for example, only in the palm area.
First material 40, second material 50 and third material 60 may be secured to one another via any suitable securing method. Materials 40, 50 and 60 may be sewn together at seams, or may be adhered together using adhesive.
First material 40, second material 50 and third material 60 may have various colors or patterns. For example, second material 50 may have a camouflage print, making the glove adapted for hunting. First material 40, second material 50 and third material 60 may all have the same color or pattern or may have different colors or patterns.
Although the gloves described above have been discussed in the context of outdoor sporting activities, it should be understood that such gloves are not limited to such use and could be used for varied applications, if desired, without limitation. Thus, such gloves are not limited to use in outdoor sporting activities and may be used for various other activities without limitation.
While certain embodiments and details have been included herein for purposes of illustrating aspects of the instant disclosure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in the gloves disclosed herein may be made without departing from the scope of the instant disclosure, which is defined, in part, in the appended claims. The words “including” and “having,” as used herein including the claims, shall have the same meaning as the word “comprising.”
The present application claims priority to U.S. design patent application filed May 15, 2008 entitled “Multi-Material Glove,” the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
