PARTIAL HAND COVERING APPAREL

Abstract

A glove has a window providing an exposed back of the hand and a fastener positioned about the wrist. Each finger of the glove includes a slot connected to the window, thereby exposing both the back of the hand and the backs of the fingers when worn. A pocket at the end of each finger fully covers the fingertip of a wearer. The sides of the gloves may extend upwardly enough to cover the sides of the hand when the glove is worn. Textures may be provided on the palm of the glove to impart improved grip to the wearer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of apparel of existing art and more specifically relates to protective gloves.

RELATED ART

Whether riding on subways or busses, walking through airports, riding elevators or escalators, pushing shopping carts, opening doors, gripping railings, and any n umber of other activities, people expose themselves to countless germs, viruses, and diseases. Once they touch a contaminated surface, not only are they susceptible to infection, including colds, the flu, conjunctivitis, ebola virus, German measles, and many more, but they can pass those germs along to other people. This can be problematic for everyone, but especially for individuals with compromised immune systems, children, and the elderly. A suitable solution is desired.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,998 to Danny W. Joyner relates to a surgical hand protector system. The described surgical hand protector system includes a protective surgical hand covering having a hardened molded material placed over the hand. The material will cover the meat of the palm, the knuckles, the lower knuckles, and breadth of the palm. Thimble shaped tips are also available for use. Surgical latex gloves may be worn either over or under the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known protective glove art, the present disclosure provides a novel partial hand covering apparel. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a partial hand covering apparel.

A glove has a window providing an exposed back of the hand and a fastener positioned about the wrist. Each finger of the glove includes a slot connected to the window, thereby exposing both the back of the hand and the backs of the fingers when worn. A pocket at the end of each finger fully covers the fingertip of a wearer. The sides of the gloves may extend upwardly enough to cover the sides of the hand when the glove is worn. Textures may be provided on the palm of the glove to impart improved grip to the wearer.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a partial hand covering apparel, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the partial hand covering apparel during an ‘in-use’ condition as worn by a wearer, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the partial hand covering apparel of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 3A-3C are front perspective views view of the partial hand covering apparel of FIG. 1, illustrating alternative embodiments of the grip elements of the partial hand covering apparel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the partial hand covering apparel of FIG. 1, illustrating an embodiment of the partial hand covering having an auxiliary fastener according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the partial hand covering apparel of FIG. 1, illustrating a container housing multiples of the partial hand covering apparel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a protective glove and more particularly to a partial hand covering apparel as used to improve the protection of the palm and sides of a wearer's hand.

Generally, the partial hand covering apparel provides a novel means for protect the hands of a user by covering the bottom of the hand while keeping the top of the hand exposed for a more comfortable feel. It includes gripping material on the bottom for a strong slip-free grip. It allows users to safely touch surfaces contacted by others while also saving time from constantly washing hands. The apparel features a disposable glove body made from flexible and elastic material with a protective exterior the covers the palm, fingertips, and sides of the hands while leaving the tops of the hands exposed. The gloves may include textured grips along various surfaces and a wrist-fastener.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in FIGS. 1-5, various views of a glove 100.

FIG. 1 shows a glove during an ‘in-use’ condition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Here, glove 100 may be beneficial for use by a user to protect the palm and sides of a wearer's hand. As illustrated, glove 100 may be worn over a human hand 44 of user 40, and fastened about wrist 42 as shown.

FIG. 2 shows glove 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Glove 100 may include hand covering 110, five sheathes 120 integrally connected to hand covering 110, aperture 130 opening into hand-covering 110 at a wrist-end, window 140 perforating hand-covering 110, and fastener 150 circumscribing aperture 130. Hand covering 110 may have palm-side 200 (FIG. 3A) and back-side 210. Five sheathes 120 may be able to receive the four fingers and thumb of human hand 44, with each of five sheathes 120 terminating in pocket 122, such that pocket 122 is able to fully circumscribe each corresponding fingertip of human hand 44. Preferably, pocket 122 may be no less than a quarter of an inch in length in order to suitable cover and protect each fingertip. Aperture 130 may enable insertion of the human hand 44 into hand covering 110 such that user 40 may don and doff glove 100. Window 140 may include opening 142 and five slots 144 which are each connected at one end to opening 142. Opening 142 may expose between fifty and ninety-nine percent of back-side 210 of hand covering 110. Five slots 144 may each be connected to opening 142, each of the five slots 144 corresponding to one of five sheathes 120, such that each of the five slots 144 extend from opening 142 to a corresponding pocket 122. Fastener 150 may be able to selectively tension aperture 130 about the wrist of user 40. In the illustrated embodiment, fastener 150 may comprise a hook-and-loop fastener 152. Sidewall 148 may circumscribe hand covering 110 and may be able to surround the edges of human hand 44 when worn by user 40. Further, lip 146 may delineate the edges of the sidewall 148 and extend upwardly over a backside of human hand 44 when worn. Sidewall 148 terminates in lip 146 and may be curved in shape beyond palm-side 200 of hand covering 110, such that lip 146 is smaller in diameter than an extremity of sidewall 148. Such a restricting geometry ensures that sidewall 148 will curve around the edge of human hand 44 when worn by user 40 and aid in retention of glove 100 about human hand 44.

FIGS. 3A-3C are front perspective views view of the partial hand covering apparel of FIG. 1, illustrating alternative embodiments of the grip elements of the partial hand covering apparel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, hand covering 110 and five sheathes 120 each comprise an elastic material.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3A, each of the five sheaths 120 (FIG. 2) and palm-side 200 of hand covering 110 each further comprise a plurality protrusions 160. Protrusions 160 may be conical or globular in shape in varying embodiments. Further, longitudinal protrusions 162 may be disposed on each of five sheathes 120 (FIG. 2), also corresponding to the palm-side 200, whereas the conical or globular protrusions 160 may be restricted to a palm region, as in the illustrated embodiment.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3B, palm-side 200 of the hand-covering may have a laminate having a higher friction coefficient than hand covering 110. The laminate may be divided into grip-pads 164 and finger-pads 166. Each finger-pad 166 may be substantially rectangular in shape, running along the length of each of the five sheathes 120 (FIG. 2). the laminate comprises rubber.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3C, each of five sheathes 120 (FIG. 2) further comprises a sinusoidal or wave-shaped ridge 168 running down each of the five sheathes 120 (FIG. 2). In some embodiments, these may extend to the palm regions as well.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the partial hand covering apparel of FIG. 1, illustrating an embodiment of the partial hand covering having an auxiliary fastener according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, fastener 150 may be an elastic strap. In the illustrated embodiment, glove 100 may further comprise an auxiliary-fastener 156 affixed to hand covering 110, such that a first-end of the auxiliary-fastener 156 is affixed to hand covering 110 between the four fingers and the thumb. Auxiliary-fastener 156 may also be an elastic strap, such as in the illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the partial hand covering apparel of FIG. 1, illustrating a container housing multiples of the partial hand covering apparel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Container 180 may contain multiples of glove 100. The multiples of glove 100 may be connected serially and folded against each other within container 180. Container 180 may have a slit-opening 182 through which the multiples of glove 100 may be withdrawn sequentially. Slit-opening 182 may be a flexible plastic window within container 180 having a bifurcation.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.

Claims

1. A glove comprising: a hand covering having a palm-side and a back-side;an interior volume defined between the palm-side and the back-side;five sheathes affixed to the hand covering able to receive four fingers and a thumb of a human hand, each of the five sheathes being in communication with the interior volume, each of the five sheathes terminating in a pocket able to fully circumscribe a fingertip, the pocket being no less than a quarter of an inch in length;an aperture perforating the hand-covering between the palm-side and the back-side enabling insertion of the human hand into the interior volume;a window perforating the back-side of the hand covering, the window having an opening exposing between fifty and ninety-nine percent of the back-side of the hand covering;fives slots connected to the opening, each of the five slots each corresponding to one of the five sheathes, each of the five slots extending from the opening to a corresponding pocket; anda fastener circumscribing the aperture and able to selectively tension the aperture about a wrist of a wearer.

2. A container containing multiples of the glove of claim 1, the multiples of the glove being connected serially within the container, the container having a slit-opening through which the multiples of the glove may be withdrawn sequentially.

3. The glove of claim 1, wherein the hand covering and the five sheathes each comprise an elastic material.

4. The glove of claim 1, wherein the palm-side of the hand-covering comprises a laminate having a higher friction coefficient than the hand covering.

5. The glove of claim 4, wherein the laminate comprises rubber.

6. The glove of claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises a hook-and-loop fastener.

7. The glove of claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises an elastic strap.

8. The glove of claim 1, wherein the each of the five sheaths and the palm-side of the hand covering each further comprise a plurality of conical protrusions.

9. The glove of claim 1, wherein the each of the five sheaths and the palm-side of the hand covering each further comprise a plurality of globular protrusions.

10. The glove of claim 1, wherein each of the five sheathes further comprises a sinusoidal ridge.

11. The glove of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary-fastener affixed to the hand covering, such that a first-end of the auxiliary-fastener is affixed to the hand covering between the four fingers and the thumb.

12. The glove of claim 4, wherein the laminate comprises conical protrusions.

13. The glove of claim 4, wherein the laminate comprises globular protrusions.

14. The glove of claim 1, wherein each of the five sheathes comprises a sinusoidal ridge.

15. The glove of claim 1, further comprising a sidewall circumscribing the hand covering and able to laterally surround the human hand;a lip delineating the edges of the sidewall and extending upwardly over a backside of the human hand when worn.

16. A glove comprising: a hand covering having a palm-side and a back-side;five sheathes affixed to the hand covering able to receive four fingers and a thumb of a human hand, each of the five sheathes terminating in a pocket able to fully circumscribe a fingertip, the pocket being no less than a quarter of an inch in length;an aperture perforating the hand-covering between the palm-side and the back-side enabling insertion of a hand into the hand covering;a window perforating the back-side of the hand covering, the window having an opening exposing between fifty and ninety-nine percent of the back-side of the hand covering;fives slots connected to the opening, each of the five slots each corresponding to one of the five sheathes, each of the five slots extending from the opening to a corresponding pocket;a sidewall circumscribing the hand covering and able to laterally surround the human hand;a lip delineating the edges of the sidewall and extending upwardly over a backside of the human hand when worn; anda fastener circumscribing the aperture and able to selectively tension the aperture about a wrist of a wearer.