Abstract:
A golf glove for providing wrist control which consists of a body portion having a palm side, a back side, a plurality of finger portions, a thumb portion, an integral wrist portion and an operative closure mechanism. The golf glove also features an elongated pocket extending along the back side of the body portion and an elongated and rigid insert portion fitted snugly and removably inside the pocket, the insert portion further having a bend in the middle, wherein use of the glove maintains the wrist of a player in a fixed, predetermined position during golf play.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a game improving golf glove and more particularly, to a golf glove with rigid insert that facilitates consistent and accurate club swing by restricting wrist bending angle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A full swing in driving a golf club is a complex rotation of the body aimed at accelerating the club head to a great speed. For a right-handed golfer, it consists of a backswing to the right, a downswing to the left (during which the ball is hit), and a follow through. A right-handed golfer usually holds the club right-hand-below-left and vice versa for left-handed golfer. 
         [0003]    As generally understood among golfers, a golfer&#39;s swing accuracy is generated by combination of body movements relative to club swings. For example, a golfer&#39;s grip is faulty, the golfer may not have control of club when he reaches the top of his backswing, thereby failing to shot the ball to a target point. To further facilitate grip and swing motion, a golf glove is worn on one hand that grips the club handle with the other hand slightly covering finger portions of the glove-clad hand. There is quite abit of prior art intended to enhance a golfer&#39;s grip on the club such as U.S. Pat. No. D414,301, issued to Werner on Sep. 21, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,354, issued to Carothers on May 1, 2001, U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,367, issued to Lappley on Oct. 19, 1993, etc. 
         [0004]    Draws and fades are caused by slight misalignments between the clubface and swing plane, resulting in a slightly “open” or “closed” clubface at contact with the golfball. Swing accuracy is known to substantially improve if the following hand, i.e., right for right-handed players and vice versa for left-handed players, is maintained without backward or forward leaning during the entire swing. Numerous prior art references provide a wrist support and/or restraint as an attachment to a golf glove in order to prevent the unwanted forward or backward leaning of a golfer&#39;s wrist during the swing motion. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,298, issued to Goins on Oct. 27, 1992 teaches a wrist guide that is pivotally attached to the arm guide and positioned on the hand of a golfer. The pivotal attachment of the wrist guide to the arm guide ensures that the golfer&#39;s hand pivots properly relative to the forearm. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,391 discloses a sports glove for primarily for a bowler including a glove body having sleeves, a flexible cover attached to the sleeves to form a pouch, and cushioning pad disposed in the pouch to weight distribution and balance a bowler grabbing a bowling ball. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,220,188, issued to Lee on May 22, 2007 teaches a golf glove comprising outer and inner sections connected to each other by a thumb line and a little finger line to become worn from fingers to substantially above a wrist and toward a player&#39;s arm is disclosed. The invention is supposed to promote club swing accuracy by stabilizing the posture of a golfer&#39;s hand and wrist from address to club swing while providing flexibility in the hand&#39;s sidewise movement. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,302, issued to Albertson Jr. on Jun. 30, 1969 discloses a wrist control device having a hand member for engaging the back of the hand, an independent arm member for engaging the top of the arm above the wrist, a pivot means pivotally connecting the members together for pivotal movement relative to one another. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,854, issued to Albertsson on Jun. 3, 1997 discloses yet another a wrist control device which includes a rigid brace with layers of wrist straps to maintain wrist control. Other wrist control devices disclosed also include U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,788, issued to Manley et al. on April 30. They are however not in a glove format. 
         [0010]    There is a need in the market for a golf glove that combines the traditional function of grip improvement with wrist bending control. The present invention is a golf glove that features a back pouch and a replaceable wrist insert which helps golfers maintain an optimum wrist bending angle. 
       ADVANTAGES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    One advantage and object of the present invention is to provide a cost effective way to acquire one of the most common game improving techniques, i.e., wrist control in golf without expensive gadgets. 
         [0012]    Another advantage and object of the present invention is to provide an easy to use game improvement device, combined with the ease of use of an ordinary glove. 
         [0013]    Another advantage and object of the present invention is that, unlike other wrist control training devices, the present invention can be worn and used at all time during practice and real play. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a representative isometric view of an embodiment of the golf glove with wrist insert  100  of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a representative isometric view of an embodiment of the golf glove with wrist insert  100  of the present invention in an open mode. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a representative method of use of an embodiment of the golf glove with wrist insert  100  of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    The description that follows is presented to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the present invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principals discussed below may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed, but the invention is to be given the largest possible scope which is consistent with the principals and features described herein. 
         [0018]    It will be understood that in the event parts of different embodiments have similar functions or uses, they may have been given similar or identical reference numerals and descriptions. It will be understood that such duplication of reference numerals is intended solely for efficiency and ease of understanding the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting in any way, or as implying that the various embodiments themselves are identical. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a representative isometric view of an embodiment of the golf glove with wrist insert  100  of the present invention. Swing accuracy of golfers is substantially improved due to the following hand (right hand for right-handed player and vice versa for left-handed players) maintained without backward or forward leaning during the entire swing. The present invention provides golfers control and maintenance with a firm and rigid wrist bending angle during the entire swing. As discussed earlier, the main advantage of the present invention  100  is to avoid draws and fades, caused by slight misalignments between the club face and swing plane, by restricting wrist bending movement of the following arm. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  shows the right-hand version of the golf glove with wrist insert  100  of the present invention for right-handed golfers. Understandably, the invention concept can be adapted to create a left-hand version of the golf glove with wrist insert  100  of the present invention. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , golf glove with wrist insert  100  of the present invention, resembles a conventional golf glove, and consists of finger sheaths  102  and body portion  101 . In one embodiment, body portion  101  has a palm side  200  and a back side  202 . Unlike conventional golf gloves, in one embodiment, body portion  101  of the glove  100  extends to cover the entire wrist of users and ends approximately one-third up of the forearm  90 . As best shown in  FIG. 2 , there is an insert pocket  109  which is an elongated space created to accommodate wrist insert  120  (not shown) on the back side  202  of body portion  101 . In one embodiment, insert pocket  109  extends almost the entire length of body portion  101  and ends near the base  204  of finger sheaths  102 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the glove  100  further includes an upper securing flap  104  and a lower securing flap  106  on the body portion  101 . 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, upper securing flap  104  and lower securing flap  106  is positioned on either side of the user&#39;s wrist. The upper securing flap  104  and the lower securing flap  106  are positioned on the back side  202  of the body portion  101  and cross over insert pocket  109 . A function of securing flaps  104  and  106  is to maintain the position of the insert  120  within the pocket  109 , and enclose the entire golf glove with wrist insert  100 . The glove  100  secure and maintains the optimum position of insert  120  and pocket  109 . As best shown in  FIG. 1 , an optimum position of insert pocket  109  and wrist insert  120  is the middle of user&#39;s wrist and palm in order to maintain a constant wrist bending angle θ in the peripheral plane (for flexion and extension). 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a representative isometric view of an embodiment of the golf glove with wrist insert  100  of the present invention in an open, unsecured mode. As shown in  FIG. 2 , upper securing flap  104  and lower securing flap  106  are positioned in the middle of the back side  202  of body portion  101  of the glove  100 . In one embodiment, upper securing flap  104  and lower securing flap  106  each has a matching base  108  and  110  respectively. The undersides  206  of securing flaps  104  and  106  and their matching bases  108  and  110  are made with Velcro™ or other similar hook and loop material fabric providing a firm but detachable closure. 
         [0024]    As best shown in  FIG. 2 , insert pocket  109  is an elongated, tubular space in the middle of body portion  101  running from the arm opening  200  to the base of finger sheaths  102 . In one embodiment, insert pocket has an insert opening  105  situated close to or otherwise adjacent the arm opening  200  which is the opening for wrist insert  120 . 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , wrist insert  120  is an elongated roughly L-shaped plate providing rigid structure which is bent to attain a certain optimum angle θ. Since it will be placed in close proximity to user&#39;s wrist, it should be contoured along its width in order to provide a close, ergonomic fit. In one embodiment, wrist insert  120  is made of inelastic, resilient, water proof and light material or materials, such as plastic, plaster, polymer etc. the insert  120  can be formed utilizing mono-construction or multiple components. The main purpose of wrist insert  120  when it is secured inside the insert pocket  109  of the golf glove with wrist insert  100  is to provide wrist restrain to players to prevent wrist flex or extension of the wrist during golf swing. Consequently, the wrist bending angle of the glove  100  will conform to the bending angle θ of wrist insert  120 . 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, wrist insert  120  should be slid inside insert pocket  109  through insert opening  105  until it reaches the sealed end  204  of insert pocket  109 . After wrist insert  120  is in place, player can put on the golf glove with wrist insert  100  of the present invention through arm opening  208  like any gloves. After all fingers are inside their corresponding finger sheaths  102 , the user&#39;s wrist can be bent to an angle essentially corresponding to or conforming with the bending angle θ of the wrist insert  120 . Player can close upper securing flap  104  and lower securing flap  106  by adhering to their matching base  108  and  110  respectively. The fit should be tight enough to avoid the glove  100  from sliding off the player&#39;s hand and shifting of position of insert pocket  109 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  shows a representative method of use of an embodiment of the golf glove with wrist insert  100  of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 3 , player  80 , who is a right-handed golfer, is wearing the glove  100  on his or her right hand. During the swing motion, golf glove  100  is worn on the right hand that grips over the club handle, with the left hand slightly covering finger portions of the glove  100 -clad hand. As discussed earlier, left handed players will wear golf glove  100  on their left hand. As shown in  FIG. 3 , due to the constraint provided by golf glove  100 , a player is able to hold and sustain a firm wrist at an optimum wrist bending angle during the entire swing through contact and follow through. 
         [0028]    To avoid draws and fades which are caused by slight misalignments between the clubface and swing plane, some golf experts advocate the optimum wrist bending angle θ should be approximately 45°. However, players can adjust the optimum bending angle θ by selecting wrist insert  120  with slightly different bending angles θ′. Players can wear golf glove with wrist insert  100  at all time and treat it as a game improvement tool. Alternatively, the golf glove  100  can be used as a training tool to get players accustomed to sustaining a firm wrist during golf swings until they can do it without the help of golf glove  100 . 
         [0029]    Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described. All publications and patent documents referenced in the present invention are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0030]    While the principles of the invention have been made clear in illustrative embodiments, there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, the elements, materials, and components used in the practice of the invention, and otherwise, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from those principles. The appended claims are intended to cover and embrace any and all such modifications, with the limits only of the true purview, spirit and scope of the invention.