Hockey glove

A hockey glove for receiving a hand of a player, the hand having a palm, index finger, middle finger, third finger and little finger, each finger having inner, dorsal, lateral and medial surfaces, proximate, middle and distal phalanges, one thumb with palm and dorsal surfaces, and a medial side with a C-shaped edge between the thumb and the index finger, the hockey glove comprising: (a) a side finger web for facing the lateral and medial surfaces of each finger, the side finger web having a lower web periphery; (b) a palm sheet for facing the palm of the hand and the palm surface of the fingers and thumb, the palm sheet having a palm periphery with a portion connected to the lower web periphery for defining first, second, third and fourth finger gussets for respectively receiving the four fingers; (c) a side pad for covering at least partially the medial side of the hand, the side pad having a top portion and a side portion with an edge for overlapping the C-shaped edge of the medial side of the hand; and (d) a layer covering at least partially the palm sheet, the layer comprising a portion extending over the side portion of the side pad.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hockey gloves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A traditional hockey glove for receiving a hand of a player has a hand receiving portion covering the palm and dorsal side of the hand and extending generally to the end of the fingers and a thumb sheath enclosing the thumb. The hand receiving portion comprises four finger sheaths for enclosing the index finger, middle finger, third finger and little finger and a palm sheet for facing the palm of the hand and the palm surface of the fingers and thumb.

The traditional hockey glove further comprises a band of material (braiding) surrounding the periphery of the thumb sheath, extending along a portion between the thumb sheath and the index finger sheath and further along the side of the index finger sheath. This band of material is used to affix the periphery of the palm sheet to the thumb sheath, to the portion between the thumb sheath and the index finger sheath and to the side of the index finger sheath.

As it is well known, in use, for a player who is a right shooter, his right hand moves along the hockey stick, and the presence of the aforesaid band of material may impede the movement of the hand along the hockey stick. There is therefore a need in the industry to provide a hockey glove that increases freedom of movement along the hockey stick.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides a hockey glove for receiving a hand of a player, the hand having a palm, index finger, middle finger, third finger and little finger, each finger having inner, dorsal, lateral and medial surfaces, proximate, middle and distal phalanges, one thumb with palm and dorsal surfaces, and a medial side with a C-shaped edge between the thumb and the index finger, the hockey glove comprising: (a) a side finger web for facing the lateral and medial surfaces of each finger, the side finger web having a lower web periphery; (b) a palm sheet for facing the palm of the hand and the palm surface of the fingers and thumb, the palm sheet having a palm periphery with a portion connected to the lower web periphery for defining first, second, third and fourth finger gussets for respectively receiving the four fingers; (c) a side pad for covering at least partially the medial side of the hand, the side pad having a top portion and a side portion with an edge for overlapping the C-shaped edge of the medial side of the hand; and (d) a layer covering at least partially the palm sheet, the layer comprising a portion extending over the side portion of the side pad.

The invention further provides a hockey glove for receiving a hand of a player, the hand having a palm, index finger, middle finger, third finger and little finger, each finger having inner, dorsal, lateral and medial surfaces, proximate, middle and distal phalanges, one thumb with palm and dorsal surfaces, and a medial side with a C-shaped edge between the thumb and the index finger, the hockey glove comprising: (a) a side finger web for facing the lateral and medial surfaces of each finger, the side finger web having a lower web periphery; (b) a side pad for covering at least partially the medial side of the hand, the side pad having a top portion and a side portion with an edge for overlapping the C-shaped edge of the medial side of the hand; (c) a thumb sheath for enclosing the thumb, the thumb sheath having a thumb sheath periphery; (d) a palm sheet for facing the palm of the hand and the palm surface of the fingers and thumb, the palm sheet having a palm periphery, the palm periphery having a first palm periphery portion connected the thumb sheath periphery via a braiding, a second palm periphery portion connected to the lower web periphery for defining first, second, third and fourth finger gussets for respectively receiving the four fingers, and a third palm periphery portion connected to the edge of the side portion of the side pad; and (e) a layer for covering at least partially the palm sheet, the layer comprising a portion extending over the third palm periphery portion and the side portion of the side pad.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to the persons skilled in the art upon review of the following description of embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

In the drawings, the embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of examples. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and are an aid for understanding. They are not intended to be a definition of the limits of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

To facilitate the description, any reference numerals designating an element in one figure will designate the same element if used in any other figures. In describing the embodiments, specific terminology is resorted to for the sake of clarity but the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is understood that each specific term comprises all equivalents.

As shown inFIGS. 1A,1B,1C,1D a human hand comprises a palm P, a dorsal side DS, four fingers F (index finger, middle finger, third finger and little finger), a thumb T and a medial side MS with a C-shaped edge CE extending between the thumb T and the index finger F. Each finger F has a palm surface PS, a dorsal surface DS, a lateral surface LS, a medial surface MS, a proximate articulation PA, a proximate phalanx PP, a middle articulation MA, a middle phalanx MP, a distal articulation DA and a distal phalanx DP. The thumb T has a palm surface PS and a dorsal surface DS.

FIGS. 2 and 3illustrate a prior art hockey glove10for receiving the hand of a player. The hockey glove10has a hand receiving portion for covering the palm P and dorsal side DS of the hand and extending generally to the end of the fingers F and a thumb sheath12for enclosing the thumb T. The hand receiving portion comprises four finger sheaths14for enclosing the index finger, middle finger, third finger and little finger, a palm sheet for facing the palm P and the palm surfaces PS of the respective fingers F and the palm surface PS of the thumb T and a dorsal sheet for covering the dorsal surface DS of the respective fingers F. The hand receiving portion also comprises a side finger web for facing the lateral surface LS and medial surface MS of each finger F, this side finger web being connected to the palm and dorsal sheets for defining finger gussets for enclosing the fingers F.

The hockey glove10further comprises finger pads16for protecting the dorsal surface DS of each finger F, a side index finger pad18for protecting the medial side of the index finger F and a side pad20for protecting the medial side MS of the hand.

The hockey glove10also comprises a braiding22surrounding the periphery of the thumb sheath12, extending along a portion between the thumb sheath12and the index finger sheath14and further along the side of the index finger sheath14, just below the index finger pad18. The braiding22is used to affix a portion of the periphery of the palm sheet to the thumb sheath12, to the portion between the thumb sheath12and the index finger sheath14and to the side of the index finger sheath14.

Hence, in the prior art glove10, because of the presence of the braiding22in the region between the thumb sheath12and the index finger sheath14, the movement of the hand of the player along a hockey stick may be impeded and there is therefore a need to eliminate the braiding in this region.

FIGS. 4 and 5illustrate a hockey glove100constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The hockey glove100has a hand receiving portion for covering the palm P and dorsal side DS of the hand and extending generally to the end of the fingers F and a thumb sheath102for enclosing the thumb T. The glove100further comprises a cuff portion104, which extends from the wrist up towards the lower forearm of the player, the cuff portion104being secured to the hand receiving portion of the glove100.

The glove100comprises four finger sheaths106for enclosing the index finger, middle finger, third finger and little finger. The glove100also comprises a palm sheet108for facing the palm P and the palm surfaces PS of the respective fingers F and the palm surface PS of the thumb T, and a side finger web110for facing the lateral surface LS and medial surface MS of each finger F. The side finger web110is connected to the palm sheet108for defining finger gussets112for receiving the fingers F. The palm sheet108may be made of a four way stretch NYLON fabric.

The glove100also comprises finger pads114for protecting the dorsal surface DS of each finger F. While the glove100is shown as having, on each finger, first and second protective pads114and one flexion zone between these two pads114, it will become apparent to a person skilled in the art that a variety of other patterns of protective pads/flexion zones may be used. For example, on each finger, the glove may comprise three finger pads with two flexion zones.

As seen inFIGS. 4 and 4A, the glove100further comprises a side pad116for covering at least partially the medial side MS of the hand. The side pad116has a top portion117and a side portion119with an edge121generally following the C-shaped edge CE of the hand.

Reverting toFIGS. 4 and 5, the glove100also comprises a layer118for covering at least partially the palm sheet108. The layer118is made of a suitable material such as soft leather, leather-like materials, synthetic suede, or Nash fabric. An example of a suitable material is commercialized under the trade-mark CLARINO. The layer118may also be treated with silicone to improve stick control.

The glove100also comprises a first index finger pad128that covers the medial side of the index finger and that is located proximate the proximate phalanx and a second index finger pad130that covers the medial side of the index finger and that is located proximate the middle phalanx.

Referring toFIGS. 4A and 5A, in which the index finger pads128,130and the layer118have been removed, the side finger web110has an upper periphery110UP and a lower periphery110LP and the palm sheet108has a palm periphery108P with a first palm periphery portion affixed to the periphery of the thumb sheath102via a first braiding109, a second palm periphery portion affixed to the lower periphery100LP, via stitches111, for defining the finger gussets112(seeFIG. 5A), and, between the index finger sheath106and the thumb sheath102, a third palm periphery portion affixed to the edge121of the side portion119of the side pad116via stitches113(seeFIG. 4A). Hence, instead of being affixed to the glove via a braiding similar to the braiding22shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the third palm periphery portion of the palm periphery108is directly affixed to the side pad116via stitches113.

Reverting toFIG. 4, the layer118has a first portion120extending over the side portion119of the side pad116such that this portion120covers the connection between the palm sheet108and side pad116. In other words, the portion120of the layer118extends over the third palm periphery portion of the palm periphery108and over the side portion119of the side pad116. The portion120further extends over the top portion117of the side pad116and has a periphery122affixed to this top portion117via stitches124. The periphery122extends along a line that is substantially parallel to a line following the C-shaped edge CE of the hand. The portion120may comprise a V-shaped opening126at the periphery122.

The layer118has a second portion132extending at least partially over the first index finger pad128. The second index finger pad130may also be covered with a layer made of a material similar to the one of the layer118.

As shown inFIG. 5, the glove100further comprises a first little finger pad134that covers the lateral side of the little finger and that is located proximate the proximate phalanx and a second little finger pad136that covers the lateral side of the little finger and that is located proximate the middle phalanx. The layer118has a third portion138extending at least partially over the first little finger pad134. The second little finger pad136may also be covered with a layer made of a material similar to the one of the layer118.

As shown inFIGS. 5 and 5A, the glove100comprises a further pad142for covering the lateral side LS of the little finger F.

It is understood that the layer118may cover an important portion of the palm sheet108as best seen inFIG. 5. Moreover, the layer118may cover an important portion of the portion of the palm portion108that faces the palm surface PS of the thumb T. The glove100may also comprise further rounded layers140each covering a portion of the palm sheet108at the end of each finger F.

Reverting toFIG. 5A, the palm periphery108P is not directly affixed to the glove along the pad142since, as shown inFIG. 5, this portion of the palm periphery108P is rather affixed to the glove via a braiding144made of a portion of the layer118.

The above description of embodiments should not be interpreted in a limiting manner since other variations, modifications and refinements are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.