Abstract:
Weighted exercise gloves shaped like boxing gloves. The shape and distribution of the weight about the gloves allows the user to have resistance weight at the end of his arms without having to grip the weight. The weight is equally distributed across the hands and lower forearms, and there is no requirement to grip the weight of the gloves, thus stress on the wrists is minimized.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/803,120, filed by Bob Cook on Mar. 9, 2001. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to a weighted exercise glove. Specifically, the invention describes a glove that is shaped, supported and padded like a boxing glove, with integral weight uniformly distributed over the generally dorsal (back) side of the glove and/or the wrist, allowing the palm of the glove to remain flexible to allow hinged motion of the thumb and finger portions of the glove. The glove may extend beyond the fingertips to completely cover the fingers, such as in a traditional boxing glove, or the fingertips may extend beyond the glove, as in a fingerless glove. 
     The invention allows the user to wear resistance weight applied to the upper extremities without having to grasp the weight. Rather than having to grasp resistance weight, such as a dumbbell, the user wears the weighted gloves. This prevents strain on the wrists, since there is no requirement to grasp and hold the weight. Rather, the weight is evenly distributed in a balanced manner across the distal portion of the arm, generally from the fingers to the forearm. 
     The invention is useful for those unable to grasp objects, heavy or light, due to wrist injuries, neurological injury or other diseases or injuries having such a condition. Since the user wears rather than holds the weight on his lower arms, resistance training is still possible for functional muscle groups, such as biceps, deltoids, trapezius, and other upper body and arm structures. 
     Even for exercisers not injured, the invention provides several advantages over conventional free and fixed station weights. Since the weight is not grasped, strain to the wrists is removed, even when a portion of the weight is distributed about the wrist, since tendons, ligaments and muscles in and about the wrist are not being used to affect hand and finger grip of the weight. Thus, the user is able to isolate and focus her strength training on the targeted muscle group, without having to provide energy and support to the wrists for the grip/grasp. This provides a more efficient workout while reducing the potential of acute or repetitive trauma wrist injury from hyperextension or other strain. 
     Other advantageous uses include those when performing shoulder shrugs, lunges, rows and lower body workouts where resistance weight is needed. As the weight is always being applied to the wearer&#39;s arms in a glove (which is preferably padded), there is less likelihood of bumping the body with a weight such as a dumbbell. This allows the user to focus on his form and targeted muscle groups affected by the exercise, rather than concentrating on the position of a free weight held in the hands or keeping the wrist straight. When using traditional free weights (dumbbells or barbells), the user is often directing a major portion of his attention, energy and effort towards maintaining proper wrist position to prevent injury from wrist strain and/or hyperextension. The present invention allows the user to focus instead on the targeted muscle group receiving resistance. 
     Additionally, the invention is useful as a boxing training aid. The shape and feel of the device are very similar to a traditional boxing glove. The extra weight allows the user to improve muscle mass while maintaining flexibility and range of motion during the workout. When the gloves are removed and replaced by traditional boxing gloves, the user is typically able to have greater hand speed since wearing the invention has strengthened the exact muscles used in boxing. In addition, when hitting a heavy bag with the preferred embodiment in which the gloves extend beyond the fingertips, the user feels less impact shock in his arms since the weight about the glove both disperses shock load and minimizes bounce-back from the bag due to inertial forces of the gloves. 
     When used for heavy weight training, the invention takes strain off the lower back because the hands are in a natural position. This is especially true when performing overhead military presses, since the body does not have to be tilted to clear the chin as required when lifting a barbell. With the present invention, the wearer if so desired can simply raise her hands straight up over her head with the palms facing forward to isolate and strengthen the deltoid muscle group. This is not possible with dumbbells, which requires the palms to be facing inward when lifting overhead in order to prevent the ends of the dumbbells from striking the sides of the user&#39;s head. 
     In the alternative embodiment, the gloves are weighted with replaceable water. This embodiment allows some flexibility in determining the weight of the gloves, and is especially useful if the gloves are transported, such as in the suitcase of a business traveler. The weighted gloves allow the traveler to have a full resistance weight workout in his room without carrying heavy weight in his luggage. Since water weighs approximately eight pounds per gallon (1.0 gm/ml) and is readily available, it can be filled into integral chambers of the gloves to provide the needed weight. Preferably, the water chambers are baffled to minimize sloshing and related fluid inertial forces. 
     2. Related Art 
     Weighted exercise gloves are found in the prior art. Some, such as Walker &#39;433 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,433, issued Mar. 27, 1990) and Fredenhagen &#39;853 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,853, issued Oct. 1, 1974) are for developing finger strength. These patents disclose weights on fingers of a glove, in order to increase finger strength for piano playing (Fredenhagen &#39;853) or grasping a baseball bat (Walker &#39;433). Neither is capable of supported heavy weights, and both create stress on the wrists. 
     Other weighted gloves include Guthrie &#39;706 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,706, issued Apr. 27, 1981) and Schwartz &#39;097 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,097, issued Jan. 27, 1981). These gloves have pockets for inserting weights. The main disadvantage of such designs is that in their disclosed embodiments the weights break out of their pockets, either from the pockets opening or the retaining material tearing, especially in fast exercises such as aerobic dancing and shadow boxing. More significantly, such devices still require, or at least encourage the user to grip palm weights, thus placing strain on the wrist, especially the carpal tunnel. 
     It would therefore be useful improvement of the prior art for a weight resistance glove to not have the limitations of the prior art, including those described above. Specifically, such a glove would conform comfortably and naturally to the neutral position of the hands, without requiring the user to grip the glove and its integrated weight. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the objectives of this invention are to provide, inter alia, a new and improved weighted glove that: 
     provides upper body weight resistance without the need to grip the weight; 
     has weights that are integral, preferably permanently, to the glove to minimize breakage or disengagement of the weight from the glove; 
     has weight uniformly distributed across the hand and forearm to minimize wrist strain; 
     can alternatively be constructed to use water or other similar available fluids as weight; and 
     is cost effective. 
     These objectives are addressed by the structure and use of the inventive device. Other objects of the invention will become apparent from time to time throughout the specification hereinafter disclosed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 depicts the palm side of the weighted glove, showing securement straps and the flexible palm. 
     FIG. 2 depicts the inventive glove with integral molded weights in two sections, on the dorsal side of the glove and along the thumb. 
     FIG. 3 depicts the preferred embodiment of the glove, with a unitary molded weight integral with the glove, preferably under the outer skin of the glove. 
     FIG. 4 depicts an alternative embodiment of the glove, having a chambered fluid container on the dorsal side of the glove and along the thumb. 
     FIG. 5 depicts an alternative embodiment of the glove, having a continuous fluid chamber or weighted material surrounding the glove. 
     FIG. 6 depicts an alternative embodiment of the glove, having additional weight about the wrist. 
     FIG. 7 depicts an alternative embodiment of the glove, having a unitary molded weight, including weight about the wrist area, which is integral with the glove, preferably under the outer skin of the glove. 
     FIG. 8 depicts an alternative embodiment of the glove, wherein the fingers and thumb extend beyond the distal end of the glove. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is described as a weighted glove  10 , depicted in FIGS. 1 through 8. 
     As seen in FIG. 1, the shape of glove  10  is preferably that of a boxing glove, preferably a non-Corbett style of glove, having a mitten type area for the fingers and a separate thumb area. However, any shape glove providing natural support and shape for the hand is appropriate for the invention. The preferred glove  10  shown in FIG. 1 extends from past the wearer&#39;s fingertips (a first position distal the wearer&#39;s fingertips) to the forearm (a second position proximal the wearer&#39;s wrist) typically three or four inches to the proximal side of the wrist. The interior of the glove is preferably shaped and padded to provide a slight natural curve of the fingertips when the had is inserted. The glove preferably attaches to the hand with securements  42 , which are Velcro™ type straps in the preferred embodiment. Alternatively, any securement method known in the art of athletic gloves may be used as securement  42 , including but not limited to lacing, buckles, an elastic sleeve or zippers. Alternatively, no securement  42  may be used, and glove  10  stays on the user&#39;s hand due to the shape of the interior of glove  10  molding to the natural curvature and shape of the user&#39;s hands. Glove palm  40  comprises the portion of the exterior of glove  10  proximate the user&#39;s palm. 
     One embodiment of glove  10  is shown in FIG. 2, having a dorsal weight  30  covering dorsal side  36  and a separate thumb weight  32  covering thumb dorsal area  31 . Each weight is preferably a solid weight, preferably a singular flexible rubberized weight, preferably permanently secured under outer skin  38  of glove  10 . Alternatively, dorsal weight  30  and thumb weight  32  may each comprise a plurality of smaller weights, secured in separate closed compartments (not shown) of skin  38 . Alternatively, dorsal weight  30  and thumb weight  32  may be removable, by being secured in a pocket or other similar restraint (not shown) of glove  10 . These removable weights may be a singular flexible rubberized weight or its equivalent, or the removable weights may be a plurality of smaller weights. 
     The preferred embodiment of glove  10  is shown in FIG. 3. A single unitary weight  50  is molded about dorsal side  36  of glove  10 , also covering thumb dorsal area  31 . Analogous to the weight described in FIG. 2, unitary weight  50  is preferably a singular flexible rubberized weight, secured under outer skin  38  of glove  10 . Unitary weight  50  is preferably permanently secured under outer skin  38 , but may be removable in an alternate embodiment. Alternatively, unitary weight  50 , while still unitary in that it contiguously molds about dorsal side  36  of glove  10 , may comprise a plurality of smaller weights secured in closed compartments (not shown) of skin  38 . These closed compartments are typically sewn pockets that are stitched closed, to prevent the release of unitary weight  50 , whether a single piece of weight or a plurality of smaller weights. Alternatively, these closed compartments may be pockets or similar compartments that can be accessed to remove and replace different amounts of weights in glove  10 . Unitary weight  50  is shown covering only a portion of dorsal side  36  and thumb dorsal area  31 . However, it is understood that weight  50  can cover all of the area of dorsal side  36  and thumb dorsal area  31  in this preferred embodiment. 
     An alternative embodiment of glove  10  is shown in FIG. 4, where dorsal weight  30  and thumb weight  32  are replaced with dorsal fluid chamber  60  and thumb fluid chamber  62  respectively. These chambers are capable of being filled with fluid, such as water, through at least one fill tab  64 . Fill tabs  64  are any type of valve known in the art for allowing fluid to be selectively filled into or drained out of the fluid chambers. The chambers preferably have internal baffles  65 , to prevent the fluid from sloshing and creating fluid inertial forces when the gloves are moved quickly. The chambers are depicted in FIG. 4 as segregated units. However, dorsal fluid chamber  60  and thumb fluid chamber  62  may combine and join to form a unitary fluid chamber (not shown) that covers all or part of dorsal side  36  and thumb dorsal area  31 . Typically, the interior of this unitary fluid chamber is all in fluid communication within itself. 
     Another preferred embodiment of glove  10  is shown in FIG.  5 . In this embodiment, unibody fluid chamber  66  is the full weight  68 , which covers the entire glove  10  under skin  38 , including dorsal side  38 , thumb dorsal area  31  and glove palm  40 . The hand of the user fits into the interior of glove  10 , which is surrounded by unibody fluid chamber  66 . This embodiment allows an additional fluid capacity of glove  10 , but limits its flexibility. The interior of glove  10  is still shaped to fit the natural contour of the user&#39;s hand. Alternatively, full weight  68  of glove  10  can be provided by a single flexible solid weight (not shown) that surrounds dorsal side  36 , thumb dorsal area  31  and glove palm  40  and is secured, permanently or removably, under skin  38 . While such an embodiment further limits the flexibility of the glove, this additional weight is uniformly supported about the glove. 
     Alternatively, glove  10  may include wrist weight  52 , which forms around the wrist area of the user, as depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7. In these embodiments, either with segregated weights (FIG. 6) or a unitary weight  50  (FIG.  7 ), there is still minimal strain on the wrist, since the wrist is not being required to support the biomechanics required for grasping/gripping a weight. However, in these embodiments, it is still preferred that glove palm  40  (shown in other figures) remain flexible, to allow glove thumb  25  and glove fingers area  27  to hinge in conformance to the natural curvature and movement of the user&#39;s hand, especially his fingers and thumb. This natural hinging position keeps the glove on the hand without extra gripping/grasping by the user. Therefore, although wrist weight  52  may obstruct and even prevent securement  42 , glove  10  stays on the user&#39;s hands due to the natural curvature of the hands mating with the hinged curvature of glove  10 . 
     Alternatively, glove  10  can have user fingers  70  and user thumb  72  extend beyond glove distal end  75 , to allow the user to flex his digits and keep them cooler, such that glove  10  is oriented between a first position anatomically proximal to user&#39;s fingertips  71  and/or user thumb end  73 , and a second position anatomically proximal the wearer&#39;s wrist (not shown). Weight is distributed across the user&#39;s hand as in other embodiments, and the user still does not have to grip or grasp the weight of glove  10 , since glove  10  conforms to the natural shape of the user&#39;s hand as above. Glove  10  in this embodiment may also incorporate wrist weight  52  (not shown in this figure), and/or may utilize the unitary weight  52  and/or unibody fluid chamber  66  described above. 
     In all embodiments, glove  10  is preferably padded both inside glove  10  as well as under skin  38 . The interior padding aids in shaping the hand of the wearer to a natural position, preferably with the fingers slightly bent. The exterior padding under skin  38  provides additional safety if the gloves  10  should be dropped on the user when removed, or if they should be bumped against the wearer during the workout routine. 
     OPERATION 
     While all gloves  10  depicted are a single left-handed glove, it is understood that it is the intention of the inventor that gloves typically come in and are used in matching right and left handed pairs, assuming the wearer is capable and so desires such bilateral use. 
     The user places one or both hands in a corresponding glove  10 . The gloves are secured to the hands and lower forearms of the user by engaging securement  42 . Additional securement is afforded by the curved and slightly padded shape of glove palm  40 . Alternatively, the user does not use or glove  10  does not have securement  42 , but glove  10  remains on the user&#39;s hands due to the natural mating together of the user&#39;s hand and the interior of glove  10 . As the user slips her hands into the glove, the interior cavity of glove  10  forms around the hands to hold gloves  10  on even when the hands are held in the downward position. If the user chooses to flex glove palm  40 , she may do so, but this is typically not necessary to hold gloves  10  on. 
     The user then exercises in the same way she would exercise with dumbbells or barbells. For example, bicep curls are performed by lifting the arms upward as if holding a barbell or dumbbells. However, the hands do not have to grip gloves  10 , since they are strapped onto the hands and lower forearms. The hands should remain in an ergonomically neutral position, with the fingers slightly curled. The wrist is held straight by the shape of and support provided by glove  10 . 
     Lunges are likewise performed as if holding dumbbells. The gloves  10  do not pose striking hazards to the user, unlike dumbbells, which may hit the user when exercising. Likewise, exercises that traditionally use barbells, such as overhead military presses or bench presses, can be performed with gloves  10  on and simply pushing the weighted gloves  10  away. This provides a safer exercise, since the weights can not be dropped. 
     Boxer training is also improved with gloves  10 . The user can shadow box or even hit a speed bag with gloves  10  on. These routines use the same muscles and range of motion of boxing, thus targeting the specific muscles that need to be strengthened for the sport. By increasing the muscle strength while maintaining the muscle flexibility offered by the range of motion of the shadow boxing routine, the boxer&#39;s speed will be increased as muscle strength increases without loss of flexibility. In the preferred embodiment, the weights are integral to gloves  10  and are not in pockets that may open, thus the weights remain firmly secured to gloves  10 . Thus there is minimal danger of the weights flying out of gloves  10  during rapid movement, such as in shadow boxing or aerobic dancing. In addition, when hitting a heavy bag, the user feels less impact shock in his arms since the weight about glove  10  both disperses shock load and minimizes bounce-back from the bag due to inertial forces of the gloves. If the weights are replaceable in pockets (not shown) about gloves  10 , the pockets preferably are secured firmly to prevent inadvertent release of the weights. 
     The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.