Grip-enhancing glove

[0002] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/169,707, filed Oct. 9, 1998, U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,669, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/061,435, filed Oct. 9, 1997. Each of the above-identified patent applications or patents is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully disclosed herein.

[0003] This invention relates to gloves worn on the hands, and more particularly to gloves used in activities that are benefited by a grip-enhancing surface covering at least a portion of the palm and/or finger regions.

[0004] Various types of work and athletic gloves are used to assist in maximizing a person's use of their hands. Generally gloves tend to improve the control that a user has over objects as well as help the user avoid blisters and other physical damage to the hands. Several examples of when gloves can be used to increase a person's control over an object include: a bowling ball glove, a baseball batting glove, a golf glove, driving gloves, and work gloves.

[0005] Numerous available gloves are made of materials that help protect the user's hands from injury but have minimal or even deleterious effects on the user's grip. These gloves tend to be of a thicker more durable material, but have little or no control-enhancing material to increase the user's control over gripped objects.

[0006] Other available gloves have a frictional material at locations where the user's hand engages objects. The frictional material helps create a controlling effect on the object, but is ineffective if the user shifts his or her hand and the frictional material is disengaged from the surface of the object.

[0007] An excellent example of these shortcomings is seen in bowling ball gloves. Several available bowling ball gloves assist the user in maintaining the proper hand position, but do not improve the contact performance where the bowler's hand engages the bowling ball.

[0008] Further, other available bowling ball gloves have a frictional material at locations where the user's hand engages the bowling ball. The frictional material is typically a smooth rubber surface or a rough sand-paper like surface. The frictional material helps create a controlling effect on the item gripped, but is ineffective if the user slightly shifts his or her hand and the frictional material is disengaged from surface of the item.

[0009] It is with these shortcomings in mind that the instant invention was developed.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows a bowling glove incorporating the suction cups of a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 2 shows a bowling glove incorporating the suction cups of a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 3 shows a bowling glove incorporating the suction cups of a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4—4 of FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a section taken along line 5—5 of FIG. 2.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a section taken along line 6—6 of FIG. 3.

[0016] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the first, second and third embodiments of the present embodiment in engagement with the outer surface of a bowling ball.

[0017] FIG. 8 shows a glove incorporating the suction cups of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 9 shows a glove incorporating the custom-positioning of the suction cups of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 10 is a section taken along line 10—10 of FIG. 9.

[0020] FIG. 11 shows the present invention engaged to the surface of a baseball bat.

[0021] FIG. 12 shows the present invention engaged to the surface of a golf club.

[0022] The control-enhancing material of the present invention includes a plurality of recesses, such as suction cups, positioned on the palm portion of the a glove. The areas covered by the control-enhancing material include the palm area, the underside of the index finger, the underside of the thumb, the underside of the little finger, and the underside of the middle and ring fingers. Basically, the control-enhancing material is positioned at all or some of the areas on the glove that contact objects when the glove is worn on the hand of the user and the user is holding an object. The control-enhancing material works to grip the surface of an object by a suction force and a friction force to engage the material with the object. The additional grip is maintained even though the user moves his or her hand slightly either away from, towards, or laterally with respect to an object. The control-enhancing material also helps cushion the user's hand from objects.

[0023] In more detail, the glove of the present invention engages an outer surface of an object, the glove including a palm portion, a control-enhancing material attached to the palm portion, and the control enhancing material engaging the object upon contact through suction and frictional forces.

[0024] Further, the glove includes control-enhancing material that has a plurality of suction cups. The glove could also include suction cups each having a flexible stem and an engagement end attached to the stem, the engagement end spaced away from the glove. The engagement end could be concave. The suction cups can be attached to a base material, with the base material being attached to the glove.

[0025] Other aspects, features and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings, and from the appended claims.

[0026] An example of a grip-enhancing glove can be envisioned with reference to a bowling ball glove. FIGS. 1-7 show a bowling glove 20 with controlling surfaces attached to the palm side 22 of the glove to enhance the user's control of the bowling ball 23 (see FIG. 7). The glove is typically made of a leather, vinyl, or other suitable material, and has an adjustable closure around the base rim 24, such as a hook-and-loop material clasp. A good example of such a hook and loop material clasp is sold under the trademark Velcro®. Typical bowling gloves have a palm portion 26 including an index finger 28, a little finger 30, a truncated middle 32 and ring 34 fingers, and truncated thumb 36 portions. On the middle and ring finger portions the glove extends up to the first knuckle of the finger, and on the thumb portion the glove typically extends only over the base knuckle of the thumb. The glove also has a back side portion, which extends across the back of the hand and attaches on either side to the palm portion.

[0027] The control-enhancing 38 material of the present invention includes a plurality of recesses 40, such as suction cups 44, positioned on the glove 20 on the palm portion 26, including the underside of the index finger portion 28, the underside of the little finger portion 30, and the underside of the middle 32 and ring 34 fingers. Basically, the control-enhancing material is positioned at all or some of the areas on the glove 20 that contact the bowling ball when the glove is worn on the hand of the user and the user is holding a bowling ball.

[0028] The control-enhancing material 38 works to grip the surface of the bowling ball 23 by a suction force and a friction force. The additional grip is maintained even though the user moves his or her hand slightly either away from, towards, or laterally with respect to the bowling ball 23, as is explained in more detail below. The control-enhancing material 38 also helps cushion the user's hand from the bowling ball. The control-enhancing material 38 allows the user to have more control during the entire delivery of the bowling ball.

[0029] FIGS. 1 and 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of relatively small suction cups 44 are mounted on the palm portion 26, including under the index 28, little 30, thumb 36 and portions of the middle 32 and ring 34 fingers. The diameter of the suction cups is preferably {fraction (1/16)}^thof an inch to ¼^thof an inch in diameter at their engagement ends 42. The suction cups 44 are positioned at a relatively high density, such as preferably between 14 and 18 per square inch. This size and density of suction cups provides for a relatively smooth release when the bowling ball disengages from the control-enhancing material because the suction cups are relatively small.

[0030] The suction cups 44 each have an engagement end 42 shaped with a concave side 46 facing outwardly and a convex side 48 facing toward the palm portion 26. A preferably flexible pedestal 50 extends from the convex side of the engagement end to a base material 52. The base material 52 is preferably the same material as the suction cups, and is flexible. The base material helps support the suction cup 44 and maintains their spacing relative to one another. The base material is fixedly or releasably attached to the glove 20 in the appropriate desired locations. The base material 52 and the suction cups 44 are preferably formed of a flexible resilient material, such as urethane or plastic.

[0031] While the suction cups are preferably located as described above, they can be positioned only on the desired location, for instance on the fingers and not on the palm. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 a hook and loop fastener 45, such as the fastener sold under the trademark Velcro®, can be used to attach the base material 52, and as such the suction cups 44, to the desired location on the glove 20. This allows the user to custom-position the suction cups 44 for the most effect. The area of the glove 20 covered by the control-enhancing material 38, whether over the entire surface of the palm portion 26 or only under one finger, is hereinafter referred to as the “control area” 54 (see FIG. 1).

[0032] When the control area 54 is engaged with the outer surface of a bowling ball, the suction cups 44 engage and attach to the continuously curving bowling ball surface 56 (see FIG. 7). Since the engagement end 42 of the suction cups 44 are positioned on flexible pedestals, they extend away from the glove 20. The suction cups 44 thus can stay connected to the surface 54 of the bowling ball even though the hand or finger is pulled away slightly from, pushed towards, or moved laterally with respect to the bowling ball. The pedestal 50 for each suction cup 44 flexes to allow the hand to move relatively independently from the engagement end 42 of each of the suction cups 44. Each suction cup 44 attaches independently at discrete locations to the surface 54 of the bowling ball 23.

[0033] This is advantageous over existing sticky surface gloves where a slight movement of the finger or hand away from the bowling ball disengages the sticky surface from the outer surface of the bowling ball. For instance, the tip of the index finger is often not in direct engagement with the outer surface of the bowling ball, but is instead slightly raised off the outer surface of the bowling ball. With the present invention, the suction cups near the tip of the index finger will remain intact with the bowling ball since they each extend away from the surface of the glove and allow the finger to be lifted slightly off the surface of the bowling ball without disengaging the suction cups.

[0034] In FIG. 1, the relatively small sized suction cups extend along the under surface of the index finger 28, the little finger 30, below the thumb 36, across the palm, and extend up the middle 32 and ring 34 fingers. The extension of the suction cups 44 away from the surface of the base material 38 allows for lateral adjustment as well as vertical adjustment and movement of the suction cups 44 once applied to the outer surface of the bowling ball to facilitate a more complete connection of the suction cups 44 to the bowling ball with respect to the position of the finger or hand.

[0035] When the bowling ball 23 is released from the hand of the user, the suction cups 44 each individually disconnect from the surface 54 of the bowling ball 23. During the delivery movement (back swing, down swing and release), the suction cups keep the user in closer control of the bowling ball, and assist in increasing rotation, accurate handling and positioning of the bowling ball during the delivery movement.

[0036] FIGS. 2 and 5 show a second embodiment of the present invention where the suction cups 60 are relatively larger than in the first embodiment and are preferably directly attached to the material of the glove 62. The general construction and operating of the glove and the suction cups is similar to that described in the first embodiment. The suction cups 60 (new reference numerals are used for clarity) have the same construction as those previously described, and can be individually attached by adhesive, sewing or the like to the glove as desired. The suction cups 60 still extend along the palm 64, along the underside of the index 66 and little 68 fingers, as well as on the portions of the glove covering the middle 70 and ring 72 fingers. The suction cups 60 together form the control-enhancing material, and the area covered by the suction cups is considered the control area. These relatively larger suction cups 60 are preferably approximately ¼ of an inch to ½ of an inch in diameter. The larger suction cups are spaced further apart than in the first embodiment, such as preferably approximately 4-7 suction cups per square inch. This size and density of suction cups 60 provides for a relatively less smooth release when the bowling ball 23 disengages from the control-enhancing material 74 because the suction cups 60 are relatively larger.

[0037] The suction cups 60 each have a flexible stem 76, and an engagement end 78 defining a concave surface 80 and a convex surface 82. As with the first embodiment, these suction cups 60 still allow relative movement of the finger or hand away from or toward the ball, or laterally with respect to the ball without disengaging the attachment of the suction cup to the outer surface of the bowling ball. The suction cups are individually formed of a plastic or urethane material, or other suitable material. The suction cups can also be attached on a unitary base material if desired, as in the first embodiment. In addition, the larger suction cups can be positioned only in particular locations as desired, as described above with regard to the first embodiment.

[0038] FIGS. 3 and 6 show another embodiment of the present invention where the suction cups are each formed by an individual recesses 88 in a base material. The general operation of the glove and the suction cups is similar to that described in the first embodiment. The base material 90 can be of uniform thickness or varying thickness. The base material 90 is applied and attached, either fixedly or removably, to the glove 92 below the thumb 94, along the palm 96, along the underside of the index 98 and little 100 fingers, and along the underside of the middle 102 and ring 104 finger where covered by the glove. The recesses 88 together form the control-enhancing material 89, and the area covered by the recesses is considered the control area 91. The recesses 88 formed in the base material 90 act as suction cups and are smaller than the suction cups of the first and second embodiments. They also provide a suction and frictional attachment to the outer surface 54 of the bowling ball 23 to provide additional control during delivery. The base material 90 is a plastic or polyurethane material, or other suitable material that is flexible and compressible. The base material 90, being flexible, allows slight movement of the glove with respect to the bowling ball without affecting the contact of the base material to the outer surface 54 of the bowling ball 23.

[0039] The recesses 88 are preferably circular and approximately {fraction (1/64)} of an inch to ⅛ of an inch in diameter. The recesses are formed at a density level of between 180 and 300 recesses per square inch, preferably 250. The portion 102 of the base material 90 between the recesses 88 acts to enhance the frictional engagement between the glove 92 and the outer surface 54 of the bowling ball 23.

[0040] FIG. 6 shows the recesses 88 in section. The recesses 88 are concave having a generally semicircular shape. The recesses 88 are preferably approximately {fraction (1/64)} to {fraction (1/32)} of an inch deep. This size and density of recesses provides for a smooth release when the bowling ball disengages from the control-enhancing material because the suction cups are smaller,

[0041] FIG. 7 shows a representative cross-section of the first, second, and third embodiment. The suction cups of the respective embodiments are applied to the outer surface 54 of the bowling ball 23 and follow the curvature of the outer surface of the bowling ball continuously. As can be seen, the suction cups position themselves in a generally curved orientation to exactly match the outer surface of the bowling ball and provide excellent engagement with the bowling ball. In addition, since the suction cups extend from the finger and hand of the user, and are flexible, the user's slight movement of the finger toward and away from the surface of the bowling ball or laterally with respect to the surface of the bowling ball does not necessarily disengage the suction cups from the surface of the bowling ball.

[0042] With respect to the first and second embodiments, the suction cup engagement end extends from the glove on a pedestal, which spaces the engagement ends away from the finger and allows for the flexibility in hand and finger positioning. As the ball is released, the force of the ball leaving the hand overcomes the attachment and controlling force created by the suction cups. While engaging the bowling ball, the control-enhancing material imparts additional force to the bowling ball to improve the user's control and revolution generation. The suction cups can be of a circular shape, oval shape, or other suitable shape, with the circular or oval shapes being preferred.

[0043] In addition to a bowling ball glove, FIG. 8 shows a grip-enhancing glove where the glove encloses the entirety of the user's hand. The glove has a palm portion including an index, little, middle, and ring fingers, and thumb portions. The glove also contains a back side portion, which extends across the back of the hand.

[0044] Attached to the palm portion of the grip-enhancing glove is a control-enhancing surface. The surface material includes a plurality of recesses, such as suction cups, positioned on the glove on the palm portion, including the underside of the index, little, middle, and ring fingers, and the underside of the thumb as was described more fully above for the bowling ball glove. Note, as was discussed above for the bowling ball, the control-enhancing material may be removably attached to a desired location on the glove. This allows the user to custom-position the control-enhancing material at the appropriate desired locations on the glove.

[0045] FIG. 9 shows a bowling glove that has discrete patches or sections of control-enhancing material positioned at selected locations on the palm portion of the glove. The patches can be attached with a removable attachment material, such as a removable attachment material sold under the trademark Velcro®, appropriately affixed to the palm and patch. The attachment material should be secure enough to keep the control-enhancing material from being removed from the glove when an object is released from the hand. The patches can have a variety of shapes, including squares, rectangles, circles, ovals, or irregular shapes, as desired, for more or less effect, as desired. Patches of differing shape can be used for different applications, or patches of similar shape can be reconfigured on the palm portion.

[0046] The control-enhancing material works to grip the surface of a plurality of objects by suction force and friction force. The control-enhancing material allows the user to have greater control over the gripped object and help cushion the user's hand from impacts sustained through the object.

[0047] It is envisioned that the glove will enhance gripping of a plurality of objects including cylindrically-shaped objects as well as to other irregularly shaped objects. As long as the shape of the object and the surface of an object allows at least a suction force or a friction force to be developed between the glove and the surface of the object, the control-enhancing material will improve grip and control. The control enhancing surface works best when used to enhance the control via both friction and suction on a relatively smooth surface, such as plastic, polished leather, metals, or the like.

[0048] The control-enhancing material of the grip-enhancing glove is envisioned to have the same three embodiments as described above for the bowling ball glove.

[0049] With reference to FIGS. 11-14, several further examples will help illustrate possible uses of the grip-enhancing glove. FIG. 11 shows the control-enhancing surface attached to the palm side of a baseball batting glove to enhance the user's control over a baseball bat. The control-enhancing surface engages the surface of the handle of the bat with both a friction and suction force. FIG. 12 shows the control-enhancing surface attached to the palm side of a golf glove to enhance the user's grip when holding a golf club. The control-enhancing surface attached to the palm side of many styles of gloves can enhance gripping and control of a gripped object. For instance, such technology can be used on a glove for a fishing pole, and a variety of common tools, including a shovel, rake, hoe, ax and the like.

[0050] Presently preferred embodiments of the present invention and many of its improvements have been described with a degree of particularity. It should be understood that this description has been made by way of example, and that the invention is defined by the scope of the following claims.