Abstract:
A pouch for application to an outer surface of an athletic glove and an athletic glove incorporating the same, said pouch being useful to carry at least one sport-related reminder message for the athlete. The pouch includes a back wall and a transparent front wall defining between them an interior cavity which is accessible through one side and into which the reminder message is inserted.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a standard utility application claiming priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/699,255, filed Jul. 14, 2005, the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Technical Field  
         [0003]     This invention generally relates to athletic gear. More particularly, the invention relates to athletic gear which assists the athlete in improving their performance. Specifically, the invention relates to a pouch and to an athletic glove incorporating the same, that is useful for holding sport-related messages which serve as personal performance reminders for the athlete.  
         [0004]     2. Background Information  
         [0005]     Athletes, such as golfers, tennis players and baseball batters, are always striving to improve their game. Consequently, they spend a lot of time attempting to perfect their technique and to correct any bad habits they may have developed. This self-improvement may require them to follow a series of steps or movements in order to achieve the results they desire. Frequently, the athlete will remember most of these steps or movements, but may need a reminder for a step they cannot seem to recall or for a step that they consider crucial. An example of such a crucial-type step is for a golfer to keep their head down as they follow through after striking the golf ball. The natural tendency is for the golfer to look up and follow the flight of the ball to see how successfully the ball was struck. The movement of jerking the head up to follow the flight of the ball can cause the golfer to hook or slice the shot. The golfer may therefore wish to remind himself to keep his head down.  
         [0006]     There is therefore a need in the art for a device which is useful to aid an athlete in their quest for bettering their game.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The device of the present invention comprises a pouch which is applied to an outer surface of an athletic glove. The pouch retains one or more sport-related reminders therein and preferably is positioned in an area of the athletic glove which is frequently seen by the athlete. A suitable placement area for the pouch would be on the strap for securing the glove on the athlete&#39;s hand. Golfers and batters tend to adjust their gloves prior to assuming their hitting pose. The act of releasing and reattaching the securing strap would bring the pouch and its enclosed message to their attention.  
         [0008]     The pouch of the present invention includes a transparent front wall through which the sport-related message may be viewed. The pouch further includes a rear wall which may be formed from an area of the outer surface of the glove. More specifically, the rear wall may be formed from part of the outer surface of the strap of the glove. The front and rear wall are joined along most of the peripheral edge with the exception of a portion of the edge that is left unattached and forms an entryway for access into the pouch. The front and rear walls define an interior cavity therebetween and the entryway in the peripheral edge allows for reminder messages to be inserted into the interior cavity or withdrawn therefrom. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a golfer shown initially addressing the golf ball and wearing an athletic glove with a pouch in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the athletic glove of the present invention showing the pouch and the insertion of a reminder message into the pouch;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the athletic glove with the reminder message inserted into the pouch;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view through line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of a baseball batter in their initial hitting pose and wearing an athletic glove with a pouch in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of an athletic glove in accordance with the present invention and showing the application of a second embodiment of the pouch to the glove; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional end view through line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6  and showing a second embodiment of the pouch. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4  there is shown a golfer  10  standing addressing the golf ball and preparing to hit the same. Golfer  10  is wearing an athletic glove  12  in accordance with the present invention. Glove  12  includes a front  14  and a back (not shown) and separate protuberances  16  to cover the athlete&#39;s fingers and thumb. Glove  12  further includes a strap  18  which may be opened to allow the athlete to insert their hand into the interior cavity of glove  12 . Strap  18  is tightened once the golfer has inserted their hand therein so as to firmly hold the glove  12  in place on the athlete&#39;s hand. Strap  18  may be closed by way of hook and pile fasteners  20 ,  22  ( FIG. 4 ) applied to the front  14  of glove  12  and to the underside  18   a  of strap  18 .  
         [0018]     In accordance with one of the specific features of the present invention, a pouch  24  is formed on glove  12  to hold reminder messages  26  therein. Reminder messages  26  comprise sheets of paper that preferably are complementary sized and shaped to be received within pouch  24 . Pouch  24  preferably is formed in any area of the glove which would be easily visible to golfer  10 , especially a location that would be visible to golfer  10  immediately prior to them striking the golf ball. Pouch  24  preferably is formed on strap  18  as golfers frequently release and adjust the strap before they assume their hitting stance. As shown in  FIG. 2 , pouch  24  preferably has a length X-X′ of between 1½ inches and 1¾ inches; and a width Y-Y′ of between 1½ inches and 1¾ inches. Pouch  24  therefore substantially covers the entire outer part of strap  18 . This size of pouch  24  allows for a decently sized reminder message  26  to be inserted into pouch  24  and therefore enables the message to be written in fairly large text that is more easily read by golfer  10 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , pouch  24  includes a front wall  28  which is joined to an outer surface  30  of strap  18 . Outer surface  30  of strap  18  thereby becomes the rear wall of pouch  24 . Front wall  24  is manufactured from a material that is transparent and therefore allows golfer  10  to see and read a reminder message  26  held within pouch  24 . Front wall  24  preferably is also waterproof to prevent damage to message  26  if glove  12  is exposed to rain or water from a hazard. Front and rear walls  28 ,  30  are joined together along most of their perimeter  28   a ,  30   a  by sewing (not shown) or by an adhesive  32 . However, front and rear walls  28 ,  30  are not joined together along one side  34  ( FIG. 3 ) so as to provide a region of access or an entryway into an interior cavity  42  ( FIG. 4 ) of pouch  24 . The entryway allows messages  26  to be inserted into interior cavity  42  or removed therefrom. A sealing strip (not shown) may be provided along side  34  to lock message  26  within interior cavity  42 .  
         [0020]     Strap  18  is adjustably secured to front  14  of glove  12  by way of cooperating hook and pile fastener layers  20 ,  22 . One of the hook and pile layers  20 ,  22  is secured by an adhesive layer  36  to the inner surface of rear wall  30  of strap  18 . The other of the hook and pile layers  20 ,  22  is secured to an exterior surface  14   a  of front  14  of glove  12  by an adhesive layer  38 .  
         [0021]     Reminder messages  26  may be produced by golfer  10  writing on small pieces of paper or may alternatively be professionally prepared and printed tips, advice or reminders that may be purchased separately or with glove  12 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates an athletic glove  112  in accordance with the present invention being used by a baseball batter  150 . The reminder message  126  placed within pouch  124  will, of course, relate to steps or procedures specifically for striking baseballs. These can be professionally prepared and printed or can be reminders that the batter has prepared himself to help him ensure that he is hitting in accordance with the strategies he wishes to follow.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 6&amp;7 , there is shown a second embodiment of an athletic glove  212  in accordance with the present invention and having a pouch  224  for retaining a reminder message  226  therein. In this instance, the rear wall  250  of pouch  224  is not formed by the outer surface  230  of strap  218  but is, instead, a separate piece of fabric. Pouch  224  therefore has a front wall  228  and a rear wall  250  joined together along most of the perimeters  228   a ,  250   a , by a suitable means such as heat sealing, sewing, hook and pile fasteners, or an adhesive layer. Front and rear walls  228 ,  250  are, however, free from each other along one side  234  so as to provide a region of access or entryway into the interior cavity  242  of pouch  224 . Entryway  234  allows messages  226  to be inserted into cavity  242  or removed therefrom. A layer  252  of adhesive is applied to an exterior surface of rear wall  250  and a removable paper cover  254  is initially applied thereover to prevent the adhesive of layer  252  from sticking pouch  224  to an unintended surface. Pouch  224  may be sold as part of a kit which the athlete can apply to any athletic glove of their choice. The kit would include the pouch  224  having the adhesive layer  252  on the rear wall  250  and a plurality of reminder messages  226  complementary sized and shaped to be received within the interior cavity  242 . Reminder messages  226  preferably will be sized to fit tightly within cavity  242  so that the sheets  226  do not drop out of pouch  224  during play. Alternatively, some sort of sealing mechanism (not shown) may be provided to seal pouch  224  shut so that messages  226  cannot drop out of cavity  242 . The reminder messages  226  could be blank so that the athlete may inscribe their own reminders thereon, or the reminder messages  226  could be preprinted with appropriate sport-specific messages which the athlete could select from and then insert into pouch  224 . The kit could, alternatively, include a combination of blank and preprinted sheets. Cavity  242  of pouch  224  preferably is of a sufficient depth to allow for the insertion of a plurality of messages  226  stacked one upon the other. Then as the athlete progresses in their sport, they can change the message  226  that is visible through the transparent material of front wall  228 . The athlete can apply the pouch  224  to a strap  218  of an athletic glove, or may apply the pouch  224  in any other highly visible location on glove  212 .  
         [0024]     In order to apply pouch  224  to glove  212 , cover  254  is pulled out of contact with adhesive layer  252  ( FIG. 7 ), pouch  224  is positioned on the outer surface of strap  218 , for example, with open side  234  preferably oriented in the manner shown in  FIG. 6 . Pressure is then applied to front wall  228  to cause adhesive layer  252  to bond to the outer surface of glove  218 . An appropriate reminder message  226  can then be selected by the athlete and the same is inserted through open side  234  and into cavity  242 .  
         [0025]     It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while pouch  224  is shown as having an adhesive layer  252  applied to the rear wall  250  thereof, a separate adhesive, such as a tube of adhesive (not shown) could be provided as part of a kit for the athlete to apply the pouch  224  to an athletic glove  212 . Alternatively, pouch  224  may be applied to glove  212  by another means such as sewing or hook and pile fasteners, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0026]     In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.  
         [0027]     Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention are an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.