Abstract:
Disclosed is a finger tape for aiding bowling. The thumb, the middle finger and the ring finger are inserted into holes formed in a bowling ball. Upon bowling, a player grips the ball by inserting the thumb, the middle finger and the ring finger into the holes formed in the ball. For releasing and rolling the ball, the thumb is instantly slipped out of the hole, followed by the middle finger and the ring finger while spinning the ball. Accordingly, an elasticized cotton tape with gravure printed acryl resin adhesive having different effects depending on actions of the fingers is attached to the thumb, the middle finger and the ring finger to obtain effective bowling results, wherein the thumb tape slides easily and the finger tape provides better grip, based on differing amounts of hardener in the adhesive.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates, generally, to a finger tape for aiding fingers to grip a bowling ball during bowling and, in particular, to a tape consisting of a base cloth mixed woven with cotton yarns and elastic yarns, on one surface of which a mixture of an acryl resin and 5% by weight of a hardener based on the weight of the acryl resin is applied in a gravure printing manner.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    On the surface of a bowling ball are provided three holes to which the thumb, the middle finger and the ring finger are inserted, respectively, to grip the ball. During a bowling game, a player releases a ball after taking preparatory action for better rolling the ball. At that time, the thumb is instantly slipped out of the hole while the middle and the ring fingers are slipped out from the holes to spin the ball in the direction of the ball. The degree of spin on the ball is partially responsible for knocking down the pins which are hit by the ball. Hence, the fingering technique or the condition of the fingers inserted into the ball greatly affects the bowling game. The player becomes fatigued as the bowling game progresses. Also, as the number of times a player rolls and releases the ball increases, sweat is generated on the fingers, causing the fingers not to suitably grip the ball and not to play technically well, thereby making the player ineffective in exerting his or her ability.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention for alleviating the problems as described above is to provide a finger tape for use in taping fingers of bowlers, which functions to protect the fingers inserted into holes of a bowling ball and prevent the fingers from slipping out of the ball.  
           [0004]    To achieve the object of the present invention, sweat is readily flown out between the tape and skin so that, while the adhesive printed to the tape is flown out the tape, the fingers are prevented from gliding into the holes. In addition, to improve the function of the thumb, and the functions of a middle finger and a ring finger, the adhesive used in the tape attached to the thumb is distinguished from the adhesive used in the tape attached to the middle finger and the ring finger. Such different adhesives are printed to the tape. In order to flow the sweat between the tape and the skin out easily, it is preferred that the adhesive be transferred to the tape from the transfer paper to which the adhesive is printed in a gravure printing manner.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a flow diagram showing a process for preparation of a finger tape of the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing rollers which are operating in producing a finger tape of the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the finger tape of the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is an illustration showing a ball in which fingers taped with the finger tape of the present invention are inserted.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]    The present invention comprises a base cloth woven with a cotton yarn  11  and an elastic yarn  12 , a mixture of an acryl resin and a hardener useful as an adhesive, and a transfer paper  14  for transferring the mixture.  
         [0011]    With reference to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a process comprising weaving with the cotton yarn  11  and the elastic yarn  12 ; producing a hardening adhesive  13  by mixing an acryl resin with 5±0.5% of a hardener, based on the weight of the acryl resin; producing a softening adhesive  13  by mixing an acryl resin with 3.5±0.5% of a hardener, based on the weight of the acryl resin; printing the adhesive  13  to the transfer paper  14  in a gravure printing manner; and pressing the tape  21  woven with the cotton yarn  11  and the elastic yarn  12 , along with the transfer paper  14  to which the adhesive  13  is printed.  
         [0012]    The tape  21  comprises a base cloth woven with the cotton yarn  11  and the elastic yarn  12 , wherein the weaving manner used in the present invention depends on conventional textile manufacturing. To make a resilient tape, the tape has a composition of cotton yarn (93%) and elastic yarn (7%), thereby having an elasticity of 20±10%. This formed tape has similar elasticity to that of the skin so that motions of the fingers are not restricted.  
         [0013]    As one type of adhesive  13 , the hardening adhesive  13  comprising a mixture of 95±0.5% by weight of the acryl resin and 5±0.5% by weight of the hardener, is applied to the transfer paper  14  within 3 hours in a gravure printing manner, and then transferred. As another type, the softening adhesive  13  comprising a mixture of 96.5±0.5% by weight of the acryl resin and 3.5±0.5% by weight of the hardener, is applied to the transfer paper  14  within 6 hours in a gravure printing manner, and then transferred.  
         [0014]    The gravure printing manner is the same as an intaglio printing method. Therefore, the adhesive  13  is continuously printed to the transfer paper  14  while passing through a printing roller  17 , capable of applying any point on the wound paper  14  in the gravure printing manner.  
         [0015]    Referring to FIG. 2, the tape  21 , along with the transfer paper  14  to which the adhesive  13  is printed, is passed through a pressing roller  18 , whereby the adhesive  13  is transferred to the tape  21 . Since the adhesive  13  transferred to the tape  21  is printed in a gravure printing manner, if not generating large amounts of sweat while using the tape  21 , the sweat is discharged between the tape  21  and skin not flowing out of the tape  21 . From the thumb using the tape  21  to which the hardening adhesive  13  is applied, the least amount of sweat is flown out of the tape  21  because the adhesive  13  is a hardening type, and also the adhesive  13  is flown out of the tape  21  at a minimum amount, whereby the thumb can be easily moved. On the other hand, from the middle finger and the ring finger using the tape  21  to which the softening adhesive  13  is applied, the least amount of sweat is flown out of the tape  21  because the adhesive  13  is a softening type, whereas the adhesive  13  is flown out the tape  21  at maximum amounts, whereby the middle finger and the ring finger do not glide in holes  15 . Additionally, a period of time in which the middle finger and the ring finger slip out of the holes  15  is delayed so that a period of time suitable for using the middle finger and the ring finger can be obtained.  
         [0016]    As best seen in FIG. 3, the tape  21  comprises a base cloth woven with the cotton yarn  11  and the elastic yarn  12 , on one surface of which an adhesive  13  printed to the transfer paper  14  is applied.  
         [0017]    A better understanding of the present invention may be obtained in light of the following examples which are set forth to illustrate, but are not to be construed to limit the present invention.  
       EXAMPLE 1  
       [0018]    Bowling ball  19  is formed in certain spherical sizes, and comprised mostly of synthetic resins. Three holes  15  are formed in the ball so as to insert three fingers (for both males and females).  
         [0019]    Upon bowling, a player grips the ball  19  by inserting the thumb, the middle finger and the ring finger into the holes  15  formed in the ball  19 . After taking preparatory action in which the ball  19  is swung back and then forth with the arm, the player releases and rolls the ball  19  onto a floor lane. For releasing and rolling the ball  19 , the thumb is first slipped out of the hole, followed by the middle finger and the ring finger spinning the ball.  
         [0020]    The result of the bowling game can be greatly affected by the moment the fingers are slipped out from the holes  15  of the ball  19  and creating a spin. Through sweat and fatigue of the fingers, the fingers are glided in the holes or the strength of the fingers is reduced, and thus the ball is not released at the proper moment, whereby optimal results cannot be obtained. For preventing this, the thumb is allowed to be instantly slipped out from the hole  15 , and the middle finger and the ring finger allow to be slipped out from the holes  15  and apply sufficient spin to the ball, with no gliding of the fingers in the holes.  
         [0021]    The tape  21  comprising a cotton yarn (93%) and an elastic yarn (7%) has an elasticity of 20±10%. The tape of 120-130 cm in width and certain lengths is wound onto a roller  16   a  as illustrated in FIG. 2.  
         [0022]    The transfer paper  14  having the same width as the tape  21  is coated with resins, and then wound onto a roller  16   b  as illustrated in FIG. 2.  
         [0023]    95±0.5% by weight of the acryl resin is mixed with 5±0.5% by weight of the hardener to comprise a hardening adhesive, while 96.5±0.5% by weight of the acryl resin is mixed with 3.5±0.5% by weight of the hardener to comprise a softening adhesive.  
       EXAMPLE 2  
       [0024]    With rotating the tape  21  wound onto the roller  16   a  and the transfer paper  14  wound onto the roller  16   b  at the same speeds, the transfer paper  14  is passed through a printing roller  17  and then through a pressing roller  18 , together with the tape  21 , followed by winding the tape on one surface of which the adhesive is applied onto a roller  16   c.    
         [0025]    The hardening adhesive  13  within  3  hours, and the softening adhesive  13  within  6  hours, are applied to the transfer paper  14  with passing the printing roller  17  as shown in the FIG. 2 in a gravure printing manner, and then transferred, wherein the gravure printing manner is a kind of intaglio printing method.  
         [0026]    After the transfer paper  14  to which the adhesive  13  is printed, together with the tape  21 , is passed through the pressing roller  18 , the adhesive  13  on the transfer paper  14  is transferred to the tape  21 .  
         [0027]    The tape  21  to which the adhesive  13  is transferred is wound onto the roller  16   c.    
         [0028]    Such tape  21  is cut to certain sizes depending on practical uses, and then the paper  14  is peeled off for use. The tape  21  to which the hardening adhesive  13  is transferred is attached to the thumb, while the tape  21  to which the softening adhesive  13  is transferred is utilized to the middle finger and the ring finger.  
         [0029]    The tape in use is illustrated in FIG. 4. As seen, the tape  21  of the present invention is applied to the thumb, the middle and the ring fingers, the latter two being inserted in the holes  15  of the ball  19 .  
         [0030]    In using the finger tape of the present invention, when the tape printed with the hardening adhesive is attached to the thumb, the sweat occurring on the fingers is flown out from the tape at minimum amounts even if playing the game for a long period of time so that the thumb can function freely and its state can be maintained as is. When the tape applied with the softening adhesive is attached to the middle finger and the ring finger, the adhesive is flown out from the tape little by little so as to prevent the middle finger and the ring finger from gliding in the holes. Additionally, the middle finger and the ring finger in the holes can grip the ball for the time after the thumb has slipped out from the hole, whereby a sufficient period of time for acting the middle finger and the ring finger can be ensured. Accordingly, the game can be continuously played with obtaining good results.  
         [0031]    The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.