Abstract:
A golf glove and method of using same wherein the glove has alignment and gripping inserts that provide golf club grip alignment for an improved grip. The inserts define a preferred golf club grip position by illustrating a club position within the user&#39;s hand on the glove. Additional insert markers define grip position attributes visually during use and glove interengagement position. The alignment and gripping inserts are of contrasting color to the glove&#39;s primary material to define a sure grip position system for the golfer assuring proper club hand placement.

Description:
This is a CIP of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/704,886, filed Nov. 2, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,535. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates to sports gloves used in the art of golf aids, more specifically gloves used to enhance and improve the golfer&#39;s performance by assuring the proper grip on the golf club 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Prior art gloves of this type have used a variety of different glove configurations to help achieve the proper grip on the golf club in the golfer&#39;s hands. The grip is a critical aspect of the game to achieve optimum performance. In order to maximize the golfer&#39;s grip on the club and to aid in the grip placement, a number of prior art patents have been cited, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,465,136, 3,278,944, 3,532,344, 3,848,874, 3,997,922, 4,590,625:4,665,565, 4,691,387, 5,028,050, 5,218,719, 5,232,225, 5,542,126, 5,511,246, 5,644,795. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 2,465,136 a golfer&#39;s glove is described illustrating a number of sponge rubber or cellulose sponge inserts on the palm portion for gripping the club. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,944 a means for assisting in the teaching of golf is disclosed wherein a golf glove has three continuous strips secured to the back of the glove, each strip being of a distinct color. By viewing the colored strips, the golfer&#39;s grip position can be analyzed before the club is swung. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,344 discloses a glove having a contact non-slip elements and grip areas on the fingertips and palm portion. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,874 is directed to a golf glove and system having indicia on the glove&#39;s back and thumb portions to present a visual guide and sight line along the thumb as the golf club is gripped which then identifies that a proper grip has been achieved. 
     Referring to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,997,922, 4,590,625, 4,665,565 and 4,691,387, all disclose golf gloves having multiple gripping surfaces on the finger and palm portions in side-by-side transverse aligned relationship. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,050 is directed to a golfer&#39;s grip training device where portions of the gloves have fastening insert areas of corresponding hook and loop material on respective gloves for glove-to-glove inner engagement during the gripping process. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,225 defines a golf glove having gripping tape inserts that form a tenuous bond when engaged on the club. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,126 illustrates an instructional hand glove wherein proper grip guides are indicated on the glove surface. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,248 discloses an anti-slip glove having thermoplastic polyethylene film panels on the key pressure points. 
     Applicant&#39;s own prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,795 defines a golf glove and method of using same having a plurality of aligned inserts of contrasting material extending across the finger and palm portions with an extension portion along the palm. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An improvement on a single golf glove that helps position and maintains a correct grip on the golf club. The glove has tactual surface inserts that define a grip position across the glove fingers and extended palm portion for the golf club correct position. A separate club alignment indicator on the index finger completes the palm side club alignment. A plurality of grip determining markers on the backside of the glove across the knuckle area determine the proper rotational position of the hands in relation to the grip portion. A pair of independent contoured markers on the respective palm portion and adjacent thumb portion combine during the grip to indicate proper visual sight alignment for angular inclination of the grip relative to the user&#39;s body. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the palm portion of the improved golf glove having the club aligned inserts and a club indicated in broken lines positioned thereon; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the improved golf glove shown in FIG. 1 engaged about a golf club defining an improved sure grip position therein; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the back hand side of the glove illustrating visualization grip alignment markers thereon; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the index and thumb portion of the glove gripped around a club shaft indicating the correct position by the visualization markers; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the back hand side of the improved golf glove gripping a club illustrating the hand rotation indicator markers thereon for grip position by visualization; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the palm portion of an alternate form of the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the back hand side of the glove illustrated in FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the index and thumb portion of the alternate glove gripping around a club shaft. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a golf glove  10  can be seen having a palm portion  11 , a plurality of finger portions  12 - 15  and a thumb portion  16  extending therefrom. The glove  10  has a pair of material inserts  17  and  18  that are positioned on the finger portion  12  and respective fingers  13 ,  14 , and  15  and palm  11  respectively. As noted, the insert  18  extends transversely across the fingers  13 ,  14  and  15  in an aligned angular inclination to one another and extends beyond the respective fingers onto the palm portion  11  and progressively below the finger portions as illustrated at  11 A,  11 B and  11 C. The inserts  17  and  18  are preferably made of synthetic material of a contrasting color and non-slip increased frictional co-efficient material in relation to the surrounding glove material which will be well known to those skilled in the art. 
     A handle portion  20  of a golf club is shown in broken lines, as noted above, in the glove  10  overlying the finger insert  17  and the finger portions of the insert  18  so as to be in abutting overlapping position with the handle portion  20 . It will be evident from the above description that a true preferred golf grip is achieved by the distinctive angular alignment over the hereinbefore described inserts  17  and  18  as seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, the glove  10  of the invention is shown on its back hand portion  21 . The glove  10  has an adjustable closing flap  22  and integral elastic band insert  23  inwardly of its open end at  24 . A plurality of indicator markers  26  and  27  are positioned below the respective finger portions  12  and  13  in spaced relation to one another overlying a knuckle engagement area generally indicated at  28  of the glove  10 . An indicator marker  25  shown in broken lines is a visual indicator for use with some golfers. The indicator markers  25 ,  26  and  27  are preferably of a rectangular configuration of a similar dimensional size. It will be seen that the markers  25 ,  26  and  27  form a transverse longitudinal alignment band in which portions of same are viewable dependent on the axial rotation of the glove by the golfer during the grip positioning process. Thus it will be seen that once the proper grip on the golf club is achieved, as seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings, that the visualization of the markers  26  and  27  will indicate the relative “strength” i.e. nature of the grip from the user&#39;s perspective. Specifically, if all of the markers are visible, the user has achieved a strong grip by effectively rotating of the hand. Conversely, if only the marker  27  is visible as seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings, then you have what is characterized as a “weak” grip. 
     A pair of alignment angle markers  30  and  31  are positioned respectively on the base of the thumb portion  16 , as best seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings, and on the side of the palm portion  11  below the finger portion  12  as best seen in FIG. 1 of the drawings. An arrow indicator  19  extends from the junction of the markers  30  and  31 . Each of the respective markers  30  and  31  are shaped as a portion of a triangular arrow so that when brought together as when gripping the club  32  define a visual alignment arrow indicator  33  that with the indicator arrow  19  ideally should point towards the right eye of a right handed user and to the left eye on a left handed glove user (not shown), as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings in which the user&#39;s hand  29  is illustrated in broken lines within the glove  10 . 
     The inserts  17  and  18  are preferably secured to the glove&#39;s perspective finger and palm portions by replacing selective glove material in the defined areas by sewing or similar fabric adjoining techniques common to glove construction. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  2  and  4  of the drawings, an inter-grip glove interengagement line marker  34  can be seen extending along the seam line of the thumb portion  16  so as to provide an inter-glove positional relationship wherein the glove&#39;s position to the user&#39;s non-gloved hand (not shown) is indicated by alignment with an anatomical palm fold “life line” well known to those skilled in the art. 
     Alternately, the defined areas  17 , 18  and hereinbefore described markers  25 ,  26 ,  27 , 30 ,  31 ,  34  and  19  can be imprinted on the surface of the glove in a contrasting color to that of the glove using conventional fabric printing techniques as are well known and understood by those skilled in the art. Additionally, the fabric printing can impart a different textured surface which will define an increased frictional grip surfaces. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6 of the drawings, an alternate golf glove  40  can be seen having a palm portion  41 , a plurality of finger portions  42 - 45  and a thumb portion  46  extending therefrom. The glove  41  has a pair of material inserts  47  and  48  that are positioned on the finger portion  42  and respective fingers  43 ,  44 , and  45  and the palm  41  respectively. As noted, the insert  48  extends transversely across the fingers  43 ,  44 , and  45  in an aligned angular inclination to one another and extends beyond the respective fingers onto the palm portion  41  and progressively below the finger portions as illustrated at  43 A,  44 B and  45 A which extend substantially onto the palm portion  41  at  49  along the glove seams  50 . The inserts  47  and  48  are preferably made of synthetic material of a contrasting color in relation to the surrounding glove material. 
     A handle portion  51  of a golf club  52  is shown in broken lines overlying the finger insert  47  and the finger portion of the insert  48  so as to be in abutting overlapped position with the handle portion  51 . It will be evident from the above description that a true preferred golf grip is achieved by the distinctive angular alignment over the hereinbefore-described inserts  47  and  48 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 7 &amp; 8 of the drawings, the alternate glove  40  is shown on its backhand portion  52 . The alternate glove  40  has a pair of indicator markers  53  and  54  that are positioned below the respective finger portions  42  and  43  in spaced relation to one another overlying a knuckle engagement area generally indicated at  55 . 
     The indicator markers  53  and  54  are preferably of a rectangular configuration of similar dimensional size. 
     A pair of alignment angle markers  55  and  56  are positioned respectively on the base of the thumb portion  46  as best seen in FIG. 7 of the drawings and on one size of the palm portion  11  extending from the base of the thumb portion  46  at  57  to the base of the finger portion at  58 . Each of the respective markers  55  and  56  are shaped as a portion of a triangular arrow and are of dissimilar dimensions so that when brought together as when gripping the club  52  will define an enlarged visual alignment arrow indicator which ideally should point towards the right eye of a right handed user and to the left eye of a left handed user, (not shown) as best seen in FIG. 8 of the drawings. 
     It will thus be seen that an improved version of a golf glove has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.