Pulled palm glove

Glove for gripping an object having a palm section that overlies the palm side of the hand, a back section that overlies the back of the hand, stalls for receiving the fingers and thumb, and a tab extending from the lower margin of the palm section which can be pulled in a downward direction to tension the palm section, and means for holding the tab in a pulled position to maintain tension in the palm section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of Invention

This invention pertains generally to gloves and, more particularly, to a glove for use by a person engaging in an activity such as weightlifting and other activities in which an object is gripped by the hand.

Related Art

People engaging in activities such as weightlifting where the grip on an object is important commonly use gloves to protect their hands and to get a better grip on the object. A common problem with such gloves is a bunching or gathering of the material between the hand and the object when the hand is wrapped about an object such as the bar of a barbell or dumbbell. Such bunching or gathering prevents a person from getting a firm, continuous grip on the object.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, in general, an object of the invention to provide a new and improved glove for use by a person engaging in an activity such as weightlifting and other activities in which an object is gripped by the hand.

Another object of the invention is to provide a glove of the above character which overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of gloves heretofore provided for such use.

These and other objects are achieved in accordance with the invention by providing a glove for gripping an object having a palm section that overlies the palm side of the hand of person wearing the glove, a back section that overlies the back of the hand, stalls for receiving the fingers and thumb, and a tab extending from the lower margin of the palm section which can be pulled in a downward direction to tension the palm section, and means for holding the tab in a pulled position to maintain tension in the palm section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the glove has a body11with a palm or front side12and a back side13which are shaped to conform generally to the palm and to the back of the user's hand. Finger stalls14extend from the upper portion of the body, and a thumb stall16extends from the front. The palm section has a lower section18fabricated of a non-stretchable material such as leather and an upper section19fabricated of a relatively thin, highly elastic or stretchable material such as a Lycra® fabric or other suitable polyester. The front portions14aof the finger stalls are fabricated of the same stretchable material as the upper palm section, and the front portion16aof the thumb stall is fabricated of the same non-stretchable material as the lower portion of the palm section. The back of the glove13, the backs of the finger stalls14b, the sides of the finger stalls14c, and the back of the thumb stall16bare fabricated of a stretchable material such as spandex, with leather sections21over the stretchable material on the backs of the finger stalls.

Pads are provided on the fronts of the finger stalls and on the palm section of the glove to further enhance the grip on the object. Thus, pads23and24are attached to finger stalls14in position to overlie the lower and middle sections of the four fingers, and pads26-29are attached to the upper palm section19in position to overlie the fleshier areas of the palm.

In a presently preferred embodiment, the pads on the finger stalls and the upper part of the palm contain a moldable, clay-like substance that is substantially non-compressible and retains its shape without hardening. Being malleable and readily reshapable, the material fills in gaps between the fleshy parts of the fingers and palm and provides a substantially continuous gripping surface for engagement with a cylindrical object about which the hand is curled. The material is preferably one which is also cohesive and non-oozing such that it does not require a liquid-tight bladder to contain it. The two pads on the lower part of the palm contain a resilient foam material, although they can also be filled with the moldable, clay-like material instead of the foam, if desired. Such pads and their use on gloves for gripping objects are described and illustrated in greater detail in copending application Ser. No. 12/842,362, filed of even date, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The pads on the finger stalls and the pads on the palm section are spaced apart along lines that correspond generally to the joint lines of the fingers and palm of the person wearing the glove, with the flexible material between the pads forming living hinges between the pads. The spacing between the pads is such that when the hand is curled about the object such as a bar, the thin, stretchable material connecting the pads flexes, allowing adjacent portions of the pads to come together and form a substantially continuous gripping surface that matches the contour of the bar. At the same time, the moldable material fills the voids between the fleshy parts of the palm and fingers, thereby providing a firm, solid grip between the hand and the bar, with only the leather portions of the glove contacting the bar.

A tab31for tensioning the palm section of the glove extends from the lower edge of the front side of the glove. In the embodiment illustrated, the tab is a separate piece of substantially non-stretchable material such as leather which is attached to the lower edge portion of lower palm section18by stitching32. However, it could just as well be formed integrally with the palm section, if desired. Pulling on the tab stretches the elastic material in upper palm section19, thereby tensioning the palm section and drawing the hand toward a curled position to facilitate gripping of an object and minimizing excess material in the palm when gripping the object.

As can be seen inFIGS. 1-5, tab31hangs freely from the lower edge of the palm section and is generally trapezoidal in shape, with downwardly and inwardly inclined side edges31a,31b, and a lower edge31cwhich is generally parallel to the lower edge of the palm section.

A support strap or wrap33is attached to the body of the glove and wrapped around the hand and wrist of the user to provide support for the hand and wrist as well as keeping the glove in place on the hand. The wrap has a tapered section33athat extends laterally from the thumb side of the glove body and an elongated strap section33bthat extends from the free end of the tapered section. The taper begins at the top of the palm section and continues for a distance sufficient to wrap around the back side and the palm side of the hand, ending at a point just below the base of the thumb, with substantially the entire upper palm section being exposed for gripping an object.

Hook and loop fasteners36,37such as those marketed under the Velcro trademark are attached to the strap section of the wrist band for securing the strap about the wrist of the user. In the embodiment illustrated, hook fastener36is on the inner or back side of the strap near the free end, and loop fastener37is on the outer or front side near the tapered section.

A second loop fastener38is mounted on the outer or front side of the strap section for engagement with a hook fastener39on the front side of tensioning tab31. Fastener38is located toward the free end of the strap section in position to overlie the front side of the wrist adjacent to the tab.

In use, a person inserts his hand into the body of the glove with the fingers and thumb being received in the finger and thumb stalls, To tension the palm section, the wearer pulls the tab31, bending the palm and flexing the wrist forward until the desired tension is reached. Once the glove is on the hand and the palm is pretensioned, the wearer wraps the wrist band across the back of his hand, then across the front, as illustrated inFIG. 3. As he continues wrapping the strap about the lower portion of the tapered section and about his wrist, Velcro® pad37aligns with and faces outwardly from the back side of the wrist, and pad38aligns with and faces outwardly from the front side, as seen inFIG. 4. The strap is secured about by wrist by engaging the hook fastener36at the end of the strap with the loop fastener37on the back of the wrist, as shown inFIG. 5.

Once the band33is secured, the user then folds the tab31up and over the wrist band and engages hook fastener39with loop fastener38to secure the tab to the wrist band, as illustrated inFIG. 6, to maintain the desired tension in the palm section.

The embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 7-9is similar to the embodiment ofFIGS. 1-6, and like reference numerals designate corresponding elements in the two. The only difference is in the placement of one of the Velcro® fasteners and the manner in which the tensioning tab is secured to the wrist band.

In this embodiment, the loop fastener38for tensioning tab31is positioned on the tapered section of the wrist band and overlies the front side of the wrist when the band has been partially wrapped about the hand and wrist, as illustrated inFIG. 7. At this point, tab31is pulled to tension the palm section, then folded up and over the wrist band and to engage hook fastener39with loop fastener38to secure the tab to the wrist band, as illustrated inFIG. 8. Thereafter, the rest of the strap is wrapped about the wrist, over the folded up tab, and secured with the Velcro® fastener36,37on the back side of the wrist. In this embodiment, the outermost convolution of the wrist strap overlies the tensioning tab and prevents the Velcro® fastener that secures the tab from working loose.

In the embodiment ofFIGS. 10-12, the glove has an outer panel41which overlies the palm section and carries pads26-29.

As in the previous embodiments, the glove has a body11with a palm or front side12and a back side13which are shaped to conform generally to the palm and to the back of the user's hand. Finger stalls14extend from the upper portion of the body, and a thumb stall16extends from the front. The palm section has a lower section18fabricated of a non-stretchable material such as leather and an upper section19fabricated of a relatively thin, flexible or stretchable material such as a Lycra® fabric or other suitable material which extends to the tips of the finger stalls and forms the front walls or portions14aof the finger stalls. The upper and lower palm sections are joined together by stitching22between the bases of the finger stalls and the transverse fold lines of the palm of a hand wearing the glove.

The sides14bof the finger stalls and the back16bof the thumb stall are fabricated of a stretchable material such as spandex, and the front16aof the thumb stall is fabricated of the same non-stretchable material as the lower portion of the palm section. The back13of the glove body and the backs14cof the finger stalls are fabricated of a continuous piece of elastic or stretchable material such as Lycra® fabric, with leather sections21over the stretchable material on the backs of the finger stalls and areas overlying the back of the hand below the finger stalls.

Outer panel41includes a substantially inelastic leather section42at the base of the palm and a stretchable section43of a material such as Lycra® fabric that overlies the rest of the palm, with the two sections being joined together by stitching44. The lower edge portion of the leather section is attached to the lower edge portion of the lower palm section18of glove body11by stitching32, and the upper edge portion of the stretchable section is attached to the upper palm section19of the glove body by stitching46just below the bases of the finger stalls.

Outer panel41is attached to the body of the glove along the ring finger side of the body, but is detached from the body along the thumb side of lower palm section18, with a free edge41aof the panel extending generally along the base of thumb stall16. Being detached in this manner the outer panel is free to move relative to the palm section of the inner glove, with minimal friction on the surface of the skin on the palm. The outer panel pre-tensions the palm section and expands and contracts as the hand is curled and uncurled, gently drawing the hand toward the curled position to facilitate gripping of the object and minimizing excess slack materials in the palm of a curled glove.

Finger pads23,24are attached to the front sides of finger stalls14, as in the previous embodiments, but palm pads26-29are attached to the outer panel rather than the palm section. The pads are similar to the corresponding pads in the embodiment ofFIG. 1both in construction and in location on the hand.

As in the previous embodiments, a wrap strap33is attached to the body of the glove and extends laterally from the thumb side of the body, and a tab31for tensioning the palm section of the glove extends from the lower edge of the front side of the glove. In this embodiment, the tab is attached to the lower edge portions of both lower palm section18and outer panel41by stitching32. Alternatively, if desired, the tab could be formed as an integral part of either the lower palm section or the lower section of the outer panel.

In this embodiment, the glove is placed on the hand in the same manner as the glove in the embodiment ofFIG. 1. Thus, as illustrated inFIGS. 3-6, the wrist band is wrapped about the lower portion of the hand and about the wrist and secured with Velcro® fastener36,37. The tensioning tab is then pulled in a downward direction to tension both the palm section of the glove body and the outer panel, then folded up and over the wrist strap and secured with Velcro® fastener38,39.

The embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 13-15is similar to the embodiment ofFIGS. 10-12in that it has an outer panel which overlies the palm side of the glove. In this embodiment, however, the stretchable upper section19on the palm side of the glove body terminates part way up the finger stalls, and the front walls14aof the finger stalls are formed by the outer panel rather than being part of the body of the glove. Upper section19is attached to the upper edge portion of the substantially inelastic lower section18by stitching22, and it is also attached to the lower portions of the side panels or fourchettes14bof the finger stalls.

The back side of the glove in this embodiment consists primarily of a continuous piece of spandex13which extends from the lower edge of the glove to the tips of the finger stalls, with leather reinforcing strips21extending diagonally across the back of the hand and up the back walls14cof the finger stalls. The back section16aof the thumb stall is also spandex, and the front section16bis the same substantially inelastic leather material as the lower section18of the palm side.

In this embodiment, outer panel48has a lower section49of substantially non-stretchable material such as leather, a middle section51of stretchable material such as Lycra fabric, and upper section52of substantially inelastic material such as leather, with the stretchable material of section51extending from the lower edge of the glove to the upper leather section52. The lower leather section is attached to the stretchable material by stitching32,53, and by the seam54which extends along the little finger side of the glove. The upper leather section52is attached to the stretchable material by stitching56.

The side edges49a,51aof lower leather section49and stretchable material51extend freely around the base of thumb stall16. The upper section of substantially inelastic material52extends from the upper edge portion of the stretchable material to the tips of the finger stalls and forms the front walls14aof the stalls. It also overlies the upper part of the palm and extends down into the lower section of the palm where it is spaced from the upper edge49aof lower section49and side edge51aof the stretchable section by a distance on the order of one-half inch. The upper section is attached to side panels14bof the finger stalls and to the thumb and little finger sides of body11down to about the transverse fold lines of the palm. The relatively wide edge portion of the stretchable section that extends around the base of the thumb tends to ride higher on the thumb, rather than rolling over or under itself and interfering with movement of the thumb.

A pad58of grip enhancing and/or protective material such as leather is attached and overlies the palm portion of the upper section52of outer panel48. This pad is attached to the upper section by peripheral stitching59and by interior stitching61which generally follows the fold lines of the palm.

As in the embodiment ofFIGS. 10-12, the outer panel is free to move relative to the palm section of the glove body, to minimize friction on the surface of the skin on the palm. Here, also, the outer panel pre-tensions the palm section and expands and contracts as the hand is curled and uncurled, gently drawing the hand toward the curled position to facilitate gripping of the object.

In this embodiment, the glove is placed on the hand in the same manner as the glove in the embodiments ofFIGS. 1 and 10. Thus, as illustrated inFIGS. 3-6, the wrist band is wrapped about the lower portion of the hand and about the wrist and secured with Velcro® fasteners36,37. The tensioning tab is then pulled in a downward direction to tension both the palm section of the glove body and the outer panel, then folded up and over the wrist strap and secured with Velcro® fastener38,39.

The embodiment shown inFIGS. 16-19is similar to the embodiment ofFIGS. 1-6except it does not have Velcro® fasteners for securing the tensioning tab to the wrist band to maintain the desired tension in the palm section. Instead, it utilizes the curvature of the tab about the wrist and an over-center effect to retain the tab in position when it is folded over the wrist band.

When the glove is placed on the hand and wrist band33is secured about the wrist, tensioning tab31extends part of the way around the wrist with an arcuate curvature about the longitudinal axis of the wrist and the glove, as best seen inFIG. 17. When the tab is folded back over the wrist band, as shown inFIGS. 18 and 19, the curvature in the portion of the tab over the wrist band is opposite to what it was when the tab was extending straight out from the body of the gloved, as shown inFIG. 16.

Initially, the stresses produced by folding the tab about the curved edge of the wrist band resist the folding. However, as the folding continues, the stresses are overcome, and once the tab passes the center point, the effect of the stresses is reversed and thereafter they urge the tab toward the folded position over the wrist band. If the tab is wide enough, the curvature will keep it in the folded position so that the tension is maintained in the palm even without a fastener.

The invention has a number of important features and advantages. It protects the hand of a wearer and provides a better grip with minimal bunching up or gathering of material between the palm and the object, and the tensioning tab allows the individual user to tension the palm section of the glove to suit his particular needs.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to gloves having wrist supporting bands or straps, its use is not limited to such supports, and it can be employed with other types of gloves as well.

It is apparent from the foregoing that a new and improved glove for use in weightlifting and other activities involving the gripping of an object has been provided. While only certain presently preferred embodiments have been described in detail, as will be apparent to those familiar with the art, certain changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.