Abstract:
A glove is provided to flex as the user clinches his fist. The glove is provided with expandable zones on both sides of the top portion of the glove. Two expandable zones are positioned over the metacarpalphalangeal joints of the one small finger and the index finger. A third expandable zone is positioned to overly the center axis of rotation of the metacarpalphalangeal joints of the long finger and the ring finger. Cooperating relationship between the three expandable zones allow for expansion of the glove, both longitudinally and laterally, over the metacarpalphalangeal joints of the hand.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to gloves for the human hand which are particularly useful in participating in activities which include the clinching of the hand for substantially long periods of time. More particularly, this invention relates to a glove specifically designed to provide expandable zones over the metacarpalphalangeal joints which allows for expansion of the glove at selected locations in both the horizontal and vertical plane. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Glove construction for protection of the human hand is well known. Moreover, gloves have been designed for specific uses and particularly for specific and various athletic activities. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,601, teaches a glove particularly for use as a batting glove in baseball and softball which includes padding over selected pulleys and tendons of the fingers to prevent injury when striking a ball with a bat, particularly an aluminum bat. U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,226, for example, teaches a dress glove construction which completely covers the fingers and includes resiliently expandable materials in selected areas to accommodate hands of different sizes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,609 teaches a glove which includes shock absorbing cells disposed at selected portions along the top of the glove and U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,980 teaches a glove with a foam pad in the palm portion of the glove. Other prior art references attempt to provide sport gloves for supporting and stabilizing the wrist and the hand. 
     In activities which require the clinching of the hand, such as the gripping of handle bars of a bicycle or a motorcycle or ski sticks in cross-country skiing, the hands and particularly the fingers may be clenched for long periods of time. Thus, it is important that the blood circulation in the hands and the fingers function comfortably. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,922, teaches a glove particularly for use in cross-country skiing which is provided with cuts along the knuckles with pieces inserted therein having a larger diameter in the longitudinal direction of the glove than the respective dimension of the cuts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a glove which takes stress off selective parts of the human hand when the hand is in a clinching condition. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a glove that does not restrict the blood circulation in the hand and fingers when the hand, including the fingers, are in a clinched condition for extended periods of time. 
     It is even another object of the present invention to provide a glove for use in clinching handlebars of bicycles or motorcycles or ski sticks as well as clinching garden tools, golf clubs, steering wheels, and the like. 
     Even a further object of the present invention is to provide a glove that expands in both longitudinal and horizontal or lateral directions when the hand is a clinched condition. 
     More particular, the present invention provides a glove which has a first expandable zone disposed on the top portion of the glove for positioning over the metacarpalphalangeal joint center axis of rotation of an index finger and a second expandable zone disposed on the top portion of the glove for positioning over a metacarpalphalangeal joint center axis of rotation of a small finger. Even further, a third expandable zone may be disposed on the top portion of the glove for positioning over the metacarpalphalangeal joints center axis of rotation of the ring finger and the long finger. 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of the invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a glove of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1A  is a bottom view of the glove of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic anatomical view of the bones of the right-side human hand showing the dorsal-side details; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of a glove of  FIG. 1  showing the dorsal-side details and overlaying the skeletal structure of a right-dorsal side human hand; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3  showing a selected location for one expandable zone in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3  showing a selected location for a second expandable zone of the glove of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3  showing a selected location for a third expandable zone of the glove of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In  FIGS. 1 and 1A , a preferred glove  100  is provided for either a right, left or both human hand(s)  10 , as desired. A glove  100  for a left hand  10  utilizes symmetrical placement of the elements, materials and thicknesses herein described. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1A , the preferred glove  100  is exemplified for the right hand. The glove  100  is provided with a top portion  112  for covering a back side of the hand  10  including a top side of elongated sections to receive a plurality of fingers therein and a lower portion  114  to over a palm side of a hand  10  including a bottom side of elongated sections to receive the plurality of fingers therein. The elongated sections are identified by numeral  102  for an index finger, elongated section  104  for a long finger, elongated section  106  for a ring finger, and elongated section  108  for a small finger. A thumb section identified by numeral  110  is also provided. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 1 , a first expandable zone  128  is positioned vertically or longitudinally along a selected portion of small finger section  108  and a second expandable zone  130  is positioned vertically or longitudinally along a selected portion of the index finger section  102 . A third expandable zone identified by the numeral  132  is horizontally or laterally positioned over selected portions of the knuckle area of the long finger and the ring finger. Expandable zones may also be provided, such as those identified by the numerals  120 ,  122 ,  124 , and  126 , over selected joints of fingers  102 ,  104 ,  106 , and  108 , respectively. The expandable zones are generally prepared by cutting appropriate slits or openings at selected locations of the glove for the expandable zones and sewing in pieces of appropriate materials including elastic materials which yield upon bending of the glove. A preferred material for the expansion zones  128 ,  130  and  132  include elastic materials such as, for example, 2-way SPANDEX® or LYCRA®. Moreover, the top portion  112  and the bottom portion  114  is usually made from a material which provides protection from abrasion and may be made of a cloth, a leather, or a synthetic material or the like. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic anatomical view of the bones of a right human hand  10  looking at a palm  18  side. Shown are the radius  20 , ulna  21 , radiocarpal joint (RC)  23 , distal radio ulna joint (DRUJ)  22 , wrist  12 , thumb  64 , index finger  65 , long finger  66 , ring finger  67 , and small finger  68 . The carpus  69  comprises eight carpal bones, seven of which are shown in  FIG. 2  and includes the hamate bone  71  with its hook-like protrusion, the scaphoid  24 ′ and the lunate  25 . The thumb  64  is comprised of the distal phalanx  51 , the interphalangeal joint (I)  46 , proximal phalanx  41 , diaphysis of proximal phalanx  41 , metacarpalphalangeal joint (MCP)  36 , metacarpal  31 , and carpometacarpal joint (CMC)  26 . The index finger  65  is comprised of the distal phalanx  60 , distal interphalangeal joint (DIP)  56 , middle phalanx  52 , proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP)  47 , proximal phalanx  42 , metacarpal  32 , metacarpalphalangeal joint (MCP)  37 , and carpometacarpal joint (CMC)  27 . The long finger  66  is comprised of the distal phalanx  61 , distal interphalangeal joint (DIP)  57 , middle phalanx  53 , proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP)  48 , proximal phalanx  43 , metacarpalphalangeal joint (MCP)  38 , metacarpal  33 , and carpometacarpal joint (CMC)  23 . The ring finger  67  is comprised of the distal phalanx  62 , distal interphalangeal joint (DIP)  58 , middle phalanx  54 , proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP)  49 , proximal phalanx  44 , metacarpalphalangeal joint (MCP)  39 , metacarpal  34 , and carpometacarpal joint (CMC)  24 . The small finger  68  is comprised of the distal phalanx  63 , distal inter phalangeal joint (DIP)  59 , middle phalanx  55 , proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP)  50 , proximal phalanx  45 , metacarpalphalangeal joint (MCP)  40 , metacarpal  35 , and carpometacarpal joint (CMC)  30 . 
       FIG. 3  shows details of a dorsal side of a glove  100  to cover a human hand  10  and is seen overlaying the skeletal structure and skin outline of a right-dorsal-side human hand  10 . The glove  100  has a plurality of finger elements,  102 ,  104 ,  106  and  108 , a thumb element  110 , a top portion  112 , and a lower portion  114  (See  FIG. 1A ), wherein the finger elements  102 ,  104 ,  106 , and  108  cover fingers  65 - 68  respectively. The thumb element  110  covers a thumb  64 , and the top portion  112  covers a back side  16  of the hand  10 . The lower portion  114  (See  FIG. 1A ) covers the palm side (not shown) of the hand  10 . An elastic band  90  is attached to the top portion  112  and to the lower portion  114 . The elastic band  90  includes a securing means in the form of a hook  92  and a loop  94  fastener for retention above a human wrist  12 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first expandable zone  128  is disposed on the top portion  112  of the glove  100  for positioning vertically or longitudinally over the metacarpalphalangeal joint  40  of the small finger  68 . The first expandable zone  128  is preferably of an elastic material, as noted previously, and is sewn into a slit  128   a  in the small finger element  108  and has one terminating end  129   a  below the midpoint of the metacarpal  35  of small finger  68  and a second terminating end  129   b  above the midpoint of a proximal phalanx  45  of the small finger  68 . The first expandable zone  128  is substantially coextensive with said slit  128   a . Preferably, the length of expansion zone  128  is from 1 to 3 inches below and above the center axis of rotation of the metacarpalphalangeal joint  40 . Moreover, the width of the expandable zone  128  is from 1/16 to ½ inches and preferably about ⅛ to ⅜ inches so that the expandable zone extends substantially greater longitudinally than laterally. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , a second expandable zone  130  is disposed on the top portion  112  of the glove  100  for positioning vertically or longitudinally over the metacarpahalphalangeal joint  37  of the index finger  65 . The second expandable zone is also preferably an elastic material and is sewn into a slit  130   a  in the index finger element  102  and has one terminating end  131   a  below the midpoint of the metacarpal  32  and a second terminating end  131   b  above the midpoint of the a proximal phalanx  42  of the index finger  65 . The second expandable zone  130  is substantially coextensive with said slit  130   a . Preferably, the length of expansion zone  130  is from 1 to 3 inches below and above the center axis of rotation of the metacarpalphalangeal joint  37 . Moreover, the width of the expansion zone  130  is from 1/16 to ½ inches, preferably about ⅛ to ⅜ inches so that the expandable zone extends substantially greater longitudinally than laterally. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , a third expandable zone  132  is disposed on the top portion  112  of the glove  100  for positioning horizontally or laterally over the metacarpalphanalgeal joints  38  and  39  of the long finger  66  and the ring finger  67 , respectively. The third expandable zone  132  is also preferably an elastic material and is sewn into a slit  132   a  in the finger elements  104  and  106 . Third expandable zone  132  has one terminating side  133   a  adjacent the distal ends of the metacarpals  33  and  34  of the long finger  66  and the ring finger  67  and a second terminating side  133   b  adjacent to the proximal ends of the proximal phalanx  43  of the long finger  66  and the proximal phalanx  44  of the ring finger  67 . The third expandable zone  132  also has one terminating end adjacent to the metacarpalphalangeal joint  40  of the small finger  33  and a second terminating end adjacent to the metacarpalphalangeal joint  37  of the index finger  65 . The third expandable zone  132  is substantially coextensive with said slit  132   a.    
     Referring back to  FIG. 3 , expandable zones may also be provided at selected portions over other joints of the fingers. As shown in  FIG. 3 , an expandable zone  120  is positioned over the center axis of rotation of the proximal interphalangeal joint  47  of the index finger  65 ; an expandable zone  122  is disposed over the center axis of rotation of the proximal interphalangeal joint  48  of the long finger  66 ; expandable zone  124  is disposed over the proximal interphalangeal joint  49  of the ringer finger  67 ; and, expansion zone  126  is disposed over the proximal interphalangeal joint  50  of the small finger  68 . 
     As noted hereinbefore, the materials of construction of the expandable zones is preferably an elastic material, such as, 2-way SPANDEX® or LYCRA®. Thus, when a hand is inserted into the glove and the hand is clinched around handle bars, ski sticks, or the like, the length of the upper side of the glove is increased due to the expansion of the elastic material covering the metacarpalphalangeal joints  38  and  39  and the width of the glove is also increased due to the expansion of the elastic materials in the expansion zones  128  and  130 . 
     The detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom for modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.