Abstract:
When the improved glove is open, the inner palmer surface of the glove is visible, displaying conspicuous guide lines which help an adult teach a small child how to put on a glove. When provided in a small child&#39;s size, the thumb portion of the improved glove is moved closer to the finger portions than in the design of traditional gloves and is rotated so as to be more in plane with the palm-covering portion of the glove. The fourth finger portion of the glove is moved back closer to the wrist end than in traditional glove designs. An elastic gather is stitched into the palm-covering portion near the wrist end to help in excluding snow. A soft fleece is attached to the back of the first finger portion for use in wiping one&#39;s face.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/057,662, filed May 30, 2008, and of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/081,010, filed Jul. 15, 2008. Both applications are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to gloves, more particularly to gloves for use outdoors, in snow or at work, and especially to a snow glove for a person who has difficulty putting on a glove. Such persons include small children, persons with arthritic hands, and persons whose strength, dexterity or sensation is impaired by cold or by the thickness of a glove worn on another hand. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Snow gloves often fit poorly—a pinky finger portion of a glove, for example, may be too long or not easy to manipulate. A thumb portion may be improperly positioned or oriented, especially for small segments of the glove-using population, such as small children and the aged. In addition to poor fit, snow gloves create a great deal of frustration for small children and for adults helping them put their gloves on. Indeed, putting snow gloves on a small child can be a punishing experience for a small child, who is annoyed when a thumb or finger is bound up by unseen forces inside a cold, wet glove. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for improved snow gloves for adults and children and, especially, for small children. It would be particularly helpful to have a glove that could easily be put on a child&#39;s hand. This has been a daunting challenge, not the least because the child&#39;s cooperation is required. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one embodiment, the invention is a child&#39;s glove that has a palm portion having a first finger at least 5.0 centimeters in length, a first finger opening and a thumb opening separated by about 2 centimeters to 3 centimeters. Optionally, the separation is no more than about 2.5 centimeters. In another embodiment, a child&#39;s glove has a wrist end, a fourth finger portion, a third finger opening, and a fourth finger opening, said fourth finger opening being at least about 1.5 centimeters less distant than said third finger opening from said wrist end. 
         [0006]    In still another embodiment, a child&#39;s glove has a palm-covering portion and a thumb portion, said thumb portion projecting from said palm-covering portion substantially coplanar with said palm-covering portion. Optionally, the glove also has a wrist end, a fourth finger portion, a third finger opening, and a fourth finger opening, said fourth finger opening being at least 1.5 centimeters less distant than said third finger opening from said wrist end. 
         [0007]    In yet another embodiment, a child&#39;s glove has a palm-covering portion having a plurality of finger portions each with a finger opening; a back and an inner palmer surface, said back being openable to expose said inner palmer surface, said back being closingly securable to said palm-covering surface; and visible indicia, displayed on said inner palmer surface, pointing toward said finger openings. Optionally this glove further has a first finger portion, attached to said palm-covering portion, said first finger portion being at least 5.0 centimeters in length and having a first finger opening; and a thumb opening attached to said palm-covering portion, such that said first finger opening and said thumb opening are separated by about 2 centimeters to 3 centimeters. Optionally, the thumb and first finger openings are separated by no more than about 2.5 centimeters. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, an adult&#39;s glove has a palm-covering portion having a plurality of finger portions each with a finger opening; and a back and an inner palmer surface, said back being openable to expose said inner palmer surface, said back being closingly securable to said palm-covering surface; whereby the glove is easier for a person with arthritis hands or other impediment to don. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    For a further understanding of the objects and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which like parts are given like reference numbers and wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a rough top plan view of prior art gloves for adult and child; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a rough perspective sketch of an improved glove in accordance with the present invention shown in an open configuration. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a rough outline of a prior art adult glove  22  and a prior art child&#39;s glove  24  placed side-by-side, empty, on a flat surface. In both gloves, the glove opening  26  is formed to close about the wearer&#39;s wrist and is constricted by an elastic gather  28  sewn about a portion of the glove which would cover the wrist when worn. In both gloves, all four of the finger openings  30  are located substantially the same distance from the glove opening  26 , with only minor variations as illustrated relative to the line segment A-A. In both gloves, the palm-covering portion  32  and finger portions  34  are formed substantially in one plane, while the thumb portion  36  is shaped and sewn so that it projects out-of-plane in the palmer direction, consistent with the natural orientation of the opposed thumb on the human hand. Indeed,  FIG. 1  shows both thumb portions  36  empty and folded against the palm-covering portion. Finally, even though the gloves differ greatly in size, each thumb opening  38  is separated from the corresponding first finger opening by nearly, if not exactly, the same distance, as is discernible from the separation between line segments A-A and B-B along a substantially perpendicular axis represented by line segment C-C. 
         [0013]    The invention will now be described.  FIG. 2  illustrates the result of an inventive process that began when the inventor observed that children were challenged and frustrated when asked put on snow gloves. The seemingly easy task of inserting one&#39;s fingers appropriately into a glove was anything but easy for a small child. Often, parents struggled in an ordeal that could last up to 20 minutes putting gloves on their small children&#39;s hands. Carefully observing the behavior of children putting on gloves and parents helping them, the inventor noted that children often had trouble correctly placing both their thumbs and their fingers when putting on snow gloves. More generally, small children seemed perplexed and overwhelmed, as if some aspect of this apparently simple task was beyond their comprehension. 
         [0014]    In one of its aspects, the present invention helps small children successfully negotiate cognitive and emotional challenges in learning to put on gloves. In another of its aspects, the present invention improves the fit of a child&#39;s snow glove. In yet other aspects, it improves the comfort and convenience of gloves for children and adults. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an improved glove in accordance with the present invention, shown generally at  40 , having a palm-covering portion  42 , a wrist end  44 , a thumb portion  46  having a thumb opening  48 , a first finger portion  50  having a first finger opening  52 , second finger portion  54  with second finger opening  56 , third finger portion  58  with third finger opening  60 , and fourth finger portion  62  with fourth finger opening  64 , all formed using materials and technologies conventional in the art such as the cutting and stitching of cured animal skin, textiles and the like. The first finger portion  50  is about 5.0 cm long. Preferably the first finger portion  50  is between about 3 cm and about 6 cm. 
         [0016]    A glove opening  66  extends longitudinally from the wrist end  44  behind the first finger portion  50 , to a turning point  68  proximal to the first finger opening  52 , and then, turning approximately 90 degrees, transversely to an endpoint  70  proximal to the fourth finger opening  64 . The glove opening  66  enables the back  72  of the palm-covering portion  42  to open wide, exposing the inner palmer surface  74  of the palm-covering portion  42 . 
         [0017]    A first half-zipper  76  is attached to the back  72  along the entire extent of the glove opening  66 . A second half-zipper  78  is attached to the palm-covering portion  42  along the entire extend of the glove opening  66 . An oversized spherical or ring-shaped pull  80  is installed on the first half-zipper  76  and the second half-zipper  78 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the pull  80  is positioned at the endpoint  70  and the back  72  is open wide. A plurality of visual guide lines  82  are stitched, embroidered, printed, painted, or quilted into or onto the inner palmer surface  74 . 
         [0018]    A reinforcement  84  is sewn into the edge portion  86  of the palm-covering portion  42  close to the endpoint  70 . The reinforcement  84  extends into the back  72 . The reinforcement  84  is biased to gently urge the first one or two centimeters of the first half-zipper  76  into alignment with the corresponding portion of the second half-zipper  78 , so that the pull  80  does not bind when the wearer draws it transversely to begin closing the glove opening  66 . 
         [0019]    In a small child&#39;s glove in accordance with the present invention, the distance from the seam  88  of the thumb opening  48  to the first finger opening  52  is 2.5 centimeters, indicated by line segment D-D. 
         [0020]    Also in a small child&#39;s glove in accordance with the present invention, the thumb portion  46  is cut and sewn so as to project nearly in plane with the palm-covering portion  42 . 
         [0021]    An elastic gather  90  is sewn into the palm-covering portion  42  near the wrist end  44 . 
         [0022]    A soft fleece patch  92  is stitched the back of the first finger portion  50 . 
         [0023]    Wide-Opening Zipper Closure: 
         [0024]    The inventor observed parents having repeated episodes of frustration in putting snow gloves on their small children. Focusing on the interactions between parents and small children, the inventor suspected that small children do not learn quickly how to put their gloves on and that adults sometimes mistakenly assume that children experience the challenge of putting on a glove the same way adults do. To the inventor, it seemed possible that, unlike adults, small children were not rapidly organizing their behavior in response to tactile cues they were feeling while putting on a glove. Perhaps, the inventor thought, a small child might learn the complex task of putting on a glove more easily if (1) the task were separated into a sequence of simpler steps, and (2) visual cues were substituted for some of the tactile cues, so that the child had a greater range of potential strategies for making the behavioral choices necessary to successfully put on a snow glove. 
         [0025]    Because in putting on a glove, one must first correctly approximate one&#39;s thumb and fingers before advancing them into the their respective glove portions, the inventor sought to provide a simplified step in which a small child would concentrate only on correctly approximating thumb and fingers to the corresponding openings of the glove. To facilitate and encourage a small child&#39;s attempts at this behavior, the inventor experimented with opening the glove wide to invite the child to place a hand in it. This the inventor accomplished by providing the above-described zip-closable glove opening  66 , which allows the back  72  of the palm-covering portion  42  easily to be urged to a full-open position. 
         [0026]    Of course, in order to learn a step, one must be able to validate it, i.e., must have an easy way of knowing one has correctly accomplished it. Toward this object, the inventor chose to give the child a visual cue in the form of the above-described conspicuous, contrasting visual guide lines  82  displayed on the inner palmer surface  74  of the glove. The visual guide lines  82  may, for example, be bright white dotted lines printed on a bright red inner palmer surface  74  which itself contrasts sharply with an otherwise black, brown or gray glove. Each visual guide line  82  leads to one of the four finger openings or the thumb opening. Because the glove is open, these visual guide lines  82  are readily visible to the child. Because the visual guide lines  82  are also visible to a parent who is helping or teaching the child, the parent can encourage the child by pointing to them while telling and showing the child how to follow them with a finger or thumb to place each digit at the appropriate opening. With this accomplished, the parent need only give the child&#39;s hand a gentle push into the glove (or, better, encourage the child to do the pushing) in order to completely and correctly insert the child&#39;s hand in the glove. 
         [0027]    Thus, by opening the back  72  wide and providing visual cues on the inner palmer surface  74 , the inventor (1) isolated a portion of the complex behavior of putting on a glove in a single step which a small child is more willing and able to learn, and (2) presented to the child a previously unavailable visual cue which the child may use to guide his or her behavior in completing the step. Incidentally, the inventor found that the glove in its wide-open configuration is easy to wash and dry. 
         [0028]    Oversized Zipper Pull: 
         [0029]    The inventor observed that a small child who has successfully negotiated the steps of correctly placing fingers and thumb and fully advancing into the glove is often very pleased with the accomplishment and is therefore in a mood to learn more. The next and final step, closing the glove by pulling the zipper with the other hand, can be challenging for a small child. To make this step more exciting and rewarding, the inventor equipped the zipper with the above-described oversized pull  80  in the form of—for example—a conspicuous or brightly colored ring or ball which captures the child&#39;s attention and motivates the child to grasp it and draw it closed, especially if the parent offers the child a little encouragement. Incidentally, the inventor found that the oversized pull  80  can be helpful to a person whose dexterity in the other hand is limited by a thick snow glove, by arthritic changes in the hand, or by numbness due to cold or wet conditions. 
         [0030]    Reinforcement of Zipper at Edge of Hand Portion: 
         [0031]    To increase the likelihood that a small child would complete the behavior of closing the glove, the inventor wished to eliminate any frustration or distraction arising during that behavior. A zipper closure binding or breaking when pulled is an example of one such frustration or distraction. When the back  72  is fully open, the zipper pull  80  is located at the endpoint  70  near the fourth finger opening  64 . The back  72  extends beyond the edge portion  86 . Thus, the first half-zipper  76  extends away from the endpoint  70  in a direction opposite the path of the second half-zipper  78 . Occasionally, as the child begins to close the glove, the zipper pull  80  may bind and stop. The inventor observed that this problem resulted primarily from the wide-open position of the back of the hand portion of the glove. To more closely align the first half-zipper  76  with the second half-zipper  78 , the inventor added the above-described reinforcement  84 . The reinforcement  80  need not be so stiff that it interferes with opening the glove; it need only be sufficient to align the first one or two centimeters of the first half-zipper  76  and second half-zipper  78  so that it is easy to get started closing the glove. 
         [0032]    Thumb Position: 
         [0033]    Turning her attention to how gloves fit human hands, the inventor observed that among adults, the distance along the palm side of the hand from the web of the thumb to the base of the forefinger is about 3.8 centimeters and rarely varies by more than 0.63 centimeters. Among children between 2 and 5 years of age, the inventor observed that the same measurement is about 2.5 centimeters, varying by less than 0.32 centimeters. 
         [0034]    The inventor observed that among snow gloves made for adults, the distance from the seam of the thumb portion to the entrance hole of the forefinger portion is 3.8 centimeters. To her surprise, the inventor observed the same distance, about 3.8 centimeters, in children&#39;s gloves and even in extra-small gloves made for toddlers. 
         [0035]    The inventor experimented and reduced this distance to 2.5 centimeters and determined that as a result a child&#39;s snow glove in accordance with the present invention fit a child&#39;s hand better and was easier for a child to put on. 
         [0036]    Thumb Angle: 
         [0037]    The inventor observed that children attempting to put on snow gloves were frustrated while trying to place their thumbs correctly. In particular, they seemed to be having difficulty opposing their thumbs to the palmer surfaces of their hands and fingers—something adults can do easily. As a result, the children were failing to place their thumbs correctly before attempting to advance their hands into the gloves. 
         [0038]    The inventor observed that in gloves made for children, as in those made for adults, the thumb portion of the glove is cut and sewn so that it points out-of-plane relative to the palm portion and the finger portions of the glove. 
         [0039]    The inventor experimented and determined that a child&#39;s snow glove in accordance with the present invention is easier for a child to put on and fits the child&#39;s hand more naturally when the thumb portion  46  is more closely aligned with the plane of the palm-covering portion  42 . 
         [0040]    Fourth Finger Placement: 
         [0041]    The inventor observed that snow gloves made for adults and those made for children often fit poorly on the fourth finger, usually leaving empty space beyond the wearer&#39;s fingertip after the glove is put on. 
         [0042]    Investigating glove design, the inventor observed that in most snow gloves, all four finger portions begin at nearly the same distance from the wrist opening of the glove. The inventor experimented and determined that the empty space in the tip of the fourth finger portion  62  could be reduced by shortening the distance from the fourth finger opening  64  to the wrist end  44 . 
         [0043]    Gather in Palmer Aspect of Wrist Portion: 
         [0044]    The inventor observed that when the snow glove in accordance with the present invention is worn, both when the back  72  is open and when it is closed, it is preferable to hold the end  44  of the inner palmer surface  74  against the wearer&#39;s wrist. This helps to prevent snow from being scooped into the glove while the wearer is manipulating the pull  80 . 
         [0045]    The inventor experimented and found that when an elastic gather was sewn into the palm-covering portion  42  near the wrist end  44 , the glove hugs the wearer&#39;s wrist and snow is less likely to enter the wrist end  44 . 
         [0046]    Fleece Patch: 
         [0047]    The inventor observed that children often wipe their noses with their hands—a behavior which, although not necessarily approved of by adults, is very common and is not eliminated by wearing gloves. To comfortably accommodate this behavior, the inventor applied a soft fleece patch to a portion of the first finger portion of the glove. In the interest of sanitation, the inventor prefers to locate this patch on a surface not most frequently used to grasp utensils and door knobs. Accordingly, the patch is preferably located on the back of the finger portion, rather than on its palmer surface. 
         [0048]    With reference to the embodiments generally, the reinforcement  84  may be sewn, stitched, or glued onto, or otherwise entrained within, the material of which the back  72 , edge portion  86 , and more generally the palm-covering portion  42  are made. 
         [0049]    Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any arrangement calculated to achieve same purposes can be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that the above description has been made in an illustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of various embodiments of the invention includes any other applications in which the above structures and methods are used. Therefore, the scope of various embodiments of the invention should be determined with reference to such claims as are ultimately examined in connection with the invention, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
         [0050]    In the foregoing description, if various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure, this method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments of the invention require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as any claims directed to the invention will reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, such claims as are ultimately examined in connection with the invention are hereby incorporated into the description of the embodiments of the invention, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment.