Abstract:
A combination golf glove and container, with a hinged lid, that allows a golfer to carry and access agents such as lip balm, lotion, or grip enhancing material while playing a round of golf In one embodiment, the hinged lid of the container has a ball marker holder for detachably securing a ball marker of ferromagnetic material to a magnet embedded within a holder.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to golf gloves, and more specifically, to golf gloves with a compartment. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Golfers have long been faced with the difficulties of transporting small personal items containing lip balm, lotions, sun screens, grip enhancing material, etc., hereinafter called “agents,” around the links and keeping them conveniently at hand while leaving their hands free to play the game. Although the golf bag generally used to transport the clubs includes pockets in which small personal items may be stored and transported, such pockets are not well suited for providing easy access to small personal items. Use of pockets in the golfer&#39;s clothing is similarly unsatisfactory. Small personal items stored in the shirt pockets may fall out and be lost when the player bends to tee up or place a marker. Quite often, small personal items are carried in a player&#39;s trouser pocket, and the player is thus forced to dig and fumble through the contents of the pocket in order to retrieve it. Additionally, women&#39;s golf attires typically do not include pockets. Thus, the retrieval of small personal items for use thereby creates a source of annoyance and distraction to the golfer. 
         [0003]    Systems for enhancing the convenience of access to small personal items have been devised. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,530 discloses a device to be worn on a golfer&#39;s waist for organizing and holding golf accessories. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,305,999, 5,898,946, and 6,163,889 disclose metal ball markers held in place by virtue of magnetic attraction. 
         [0004]    Commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,513,165 and 6,820,282, which are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein, disclose a golf glove with a magnet holding a ball marker. The magnet is held in place by a retaining wall that is partially cut-out to allow the ball marker to be able to easily slide out of the holder. However, these patents do not disclose a golf glove that has a compartment to hold items such as agents. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, there is a need for a device that holds agents and ball markers that would be simple to use, inexpensive, and which would not necessarily constitute an item of apparel in addition to that normally worn by golfers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention is directed to a glove comprising a container with a hinged lid. The container is used to carry agents such as lip balm, skin lotion, sun screen, and grip enhancing material. 
         [0007]    The present invention is further directed to a ball marker holder comprised within the hinged lid of the container. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    These and other aspects of the present invention may be more fully understood with reference to, but not limited by, the following drawings. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a back view of a golf glove and container mounted on the glove. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a back view of the hook and loop fastening system on the glove. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of an agent container attached to the glove. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of the agent container with a ball marker holder attached to the glove. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    As shown generally in  FIGS. 1-2  where like numbers designate like parts, reference numeral  10  designates a golf glove of the type often worn by golfers to ensure a firm grip on a club handle. Like conventional golf gloves, the glove  10  includes fingers  12 , a thumb  14 , a body  16 , and closure assembly  18 . Glove  10  can also be a ½ and ¾ fingered glove. For the present invention container  20  is attached to closure assembly  18 . Preferably, container  20  carries agents, such as grip enhancing materials as well as lip balm, skin lotion, and sun screen to remedy dry lips and skin caused by exposure to the sun and wind at the golf courses. Container  20  may have a logo, either custom or stock, affixed to its top, as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0014]    In more detail, glove  10  is of flexible construction, preferably comprising leather, or synthetic leather including but not limited to polyurethane leather (e.g., polyurethane coated nylon), or nonwoven material, and is perforated with ventilation holes  22  on the back surface of fingers  12 . Glove body  16  includes a front surface (not shown), and a dorsal, back surface  24  which is divided by an opening  26  into a lateral portion  28  adjacent the thumb  14  and a medial portion  30 . 
         [0015]    Glove closure assembly  18  includes a generally rectangular or oval area of fabric loop fastener material  32 , attached to lateral back surface  28  by a row of marginal stitching. A generally rectangular or oval flap  34  is coupled with medial portion  30  so as to overlie fastener material  32  in mating engagement when in the closed position. Flap  34  includes an inner surface  36  of fabric loop fastener material and an outer surface  38  joined by stitching. The fabric hook and loop closure system is conventional, and need not be described in great detail. In one embodiment, the hook and loop material is reversed. In other embodiments, snaps, buttons, or any other suitable closure devices may be substituted for fabric loop fastener material or hook and loop fasteners in closure assembly  18 . 
         [0016]    Container  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 3-4 , can hold agents. Container  20  includes a first retaining wall  40 , closed at a bottom end  42 , and a hinged lid  44 . A hinge  46  connects the hinged lid  44  to the first retaining wall  40 . The hinged lid  44  has a grip edge  48 . Container  20  can have any shape, including circular, polygonal, elliptical, etc. Grip edge  48  is provided to assist with opening and closing of container  20 . Optionally lid  44  is biased to the closed position, e.g., adding a torsional spring at hinge  46 . 
         [0017]    In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 4 , hinged lid  44  may comprise a ball maker holder  50 . A generally flat magnet  52  is located within the ball marker holder  50 . The ball marker holder  50  includes a second retaining wall  54  with a base portion  56 , while having an opening at the second top end  58 . The base portion  56  has a first aperture  60  defined therein for placement of magnet  52 . The magnet  52  is designed with a size and configuration to be received within the first aperture  60 . Magnet  52 , upon being seated in the first aperture  60 , may be held in place by press-fitting, glue, tape, adhesive etc. 
         [0018]    A ball marker  62  can be made from a multitude of materials, but at least one surface is of a ferrous metal having a magnetic attraction. Ball marker  62  is of a size and shape that it may be placed within second retaining wall  54 , with one surface juxtaposed against the magnet  52  and firmly held by the embedded magnet  52  until dislodged by the golfer. A part of the base portion  56  is removed to create a second aperture  64 . The user only has to depress the rim of ball marker  62 , i.e. the section above the second aperture  66 , into second aperture  66 . This action urges ball marker  62  to flip up and slide out of the ball marker holder  20 , where it may easily be removed with the use of only one hand. It is preferred that the ball marker  62  is positioned flush with the top of second retaining wall  54 . 
         [0019]    The outer surface of hinged lid  44  or ball marker  62  may display a logo, insignia, or other personalized embellishments. 
         [0020]    It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown. An example may be wherein the materials of the ball marker  64  and the magnet  52  are reversed, i.e. the ball marker  62  is made of magnetic material and the magnet  52  is of a ferrous type material. This invention is also not to be limited to the specifically preferred embodiments depicted therein.