Abstract:
An athletic glove for racquet sports which includes a support strap fixed at one end extending between the thumb and index finger. The free end of strap is wrapped around the top of handle to give support to reduce the head weight of racquet felt on the wrist of wearer. The glove helps support the racquet, which is useful both as a training device and a performance enhancement device in competition.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention is designed for racquet sports such as tennis. Tennis is a demanding game and requires a lot of wrist strength. The wrist has to be strong enough to withstand the force of the ball as well as the force of gravity working on the racquet during the duration of the activity. Thus it is desirable to provide an athletic glove, which allows the wearer to withstand the forces effecting the wrist and allowing the freedom to make the same swings without being inhibited by the glove.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention is a athletic glove for racquet sports which is designed to provide support for the wrist by redistributing the vertical forces felt by the head of the racquet by a elongated support strap permanently secured at one end of glove. The free end of support strap wraps around the top of handle or at the bottom face of racquet. Once the support strap is securely wrapped around the top of handle, the head weight of racquet is reduced on the wrist. The support strap does not inhibit the natural forehand and backhand strokes in anyway it only enhances playability.  
           [0003]    The support strap wrapped around the back hand side of handle, in an untwisted position is supporting the vertical head weight of the racquet and is best suited for volleys and return serves. For a right-handed player, when the hand is rotated in the counter clockwise direction the support strap twists and supports the single handed backhand, re-enforcing the single handed backhand stroke and also reducing the vertical force felt by the head of racquet. For a forehand stroke the wearer has to rotate the hand in a clockwise direction to free up the support strap and swing normally. During a game, the player normally rotates his or her hand over the handle of the tennis racquet for a forehand stroke or a single-handed backhand stroke. The support straps does not change or inhibit the natural strokes but only re-enforces the natural strokes and reduces the vertical force of racquet on wrist.  
           [0004]    The athletic glove of the present invention includes a glove having a palm portion joined with a back portion, a rear wrist cuff, and an elongated support strap permanently secured on one end to the rear wrist cuff between the thumb and index finger. The placement of the permanently secured strap can be thought of as a natural extension of the muscle, which is responsible in moving the hand up and down in a handshake movement. The glove preferably has a vent extending lengthwise from the wrist cuff, part way through the length of the glove. A fastener, such as a tab secured to the glove on one side of the vent having a Velcro element that can engage a second Velcro element on the other side of the vent, permitting the fit of the glove to be adjusted.  
           [0005]    Therefore, in accordance with present invention the athletic glove for racquet sports reduces the vertical force produced by the head of the racquet and in direct relation improves the backhand and forehand strokes, volleys, backhand returns and backhand slices. The player with the glove is less likely to make an error due to a weak or fatigue wrist due to a long duration of the game, which may compromise the correct form of the strokes.  
           [0006]    These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustrations only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and are not limitative of the present invention, wherein:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the glove according to the invention with the strap shown fully extended;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is plan view of the palm side of the glove;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is an elevated view of glove in FIG. 1 with wrist in the vertical handshake position;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of glove in FIG. 1 of a right-handed tennis player&#39;s hand gripping the handle portion of a tennis racquet while wearing the glove and securing the strap to the top of handle to obtain support for a backhand stroke;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4-A is a diagrammatic view of glove in FIG. 1 of a right-handed tennis player&#39;s hand gripping the handle portion of a tennis racquet while wearing the glove and securing the strap to the top of handle to obtain support for a forehand stroke;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4-B is a diagrammatic view of glove in FIG. 1 of a right handed tennis player&#39;s hand gripping the handle portion of a tennis racquet while wearing the glove and securing the strap to the face of racquet to obtain increased head weight support;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4-C is a diagrammatic view of glove in FIG. 1 of a right handed tennis player&#39;s hand gripping the handle portion of a tennis racquet while wearing the glove and depicting multiple support straps secured to the top of handle to obtain support for a forehand and backhand stroke;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4-D is a plan view of the palm side of glove with adjustable support strap fully extended;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4-E is a top plan view of the glove in FIG. 4-D with adjustable support strap fully extended;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4-F is a diagrammatic view of FIG. 4-D of a right handed tennis player&#39;s hand gripping the handle portion of a tennis racquet while wearing the glove and depicting the adjustable support strap secured to the top of handle;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention, showing the outside surface of wrist cuff;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the inside surface of wrist cuff;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of wrist cuff;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of wrist cuff on wrist;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the inside surface of wrist cuff depicting a adjustable support strap;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9-A is a diagrammatic view of wrist cuff on wrist and depicting the adjustable support strap. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0024]    Referring now to the drawings wherein the depictions are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the same. FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a glove  10  of the present invention. Glove  10  is generally comprised of a back piece  11 , a palm piece  12 , a elongated support strap  30  and a wrist cuff  42 . Glove  10  is adapted to snugly fit the human hand such that palm piece  12  in FIG. 2 lies tightly against the palm of the hand while back piece  11  lies tightly against the back of the hand. Palm piece  12  and back piece  11  are preferably joined by at least one seam, a seam  16 , in a conventional substantially continuous manner around the glove as depicted in FIG. 3. When palm piece  12  and back piece  11  are joined, a wrist edge  38  and a four half-fingers portions  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24  and a half-thumb portion  26  are provided in a conventional manner. It will be understood that although the half-finger portions are illustrated, the half-finger portions could be replaced with full-finger portions or no finger-coverings at all.  
         [0025]    Wrist cuff  42  forms the lower portion of the glove adjacent to the hand opening on both the palm side and the back side, and is constructed of elastic and non-elastic material to provide stability to the wrist. Glove  10  has a split  32  therein which extends from wrist cuff  42  thereof not more than about one forth way through the length of glove on the opposite side of half-thumb portion  26  and between palm portion  12  and back portion  11 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 depicts the palm side of glove, which comprises wrist cuff  42  which includes a lateral tab  44  sewn directly to the palm portion of the wrist cuff along a lengthwise seam of the split. Tab  44  comprises a loop element  46  of a hook and loop fastener, such as a Velcro fastener, sewn to the inside thereof. Loop element  46  is for adjustable engagement with a hook element  48  sewn to the outside back portion of wrist cuff  42 .  
         [0027]    In FIG. 3 support strap  30  is sewn at a fixed end support strap  50  directly to wrist cuff  42  between half-thumb portion  26  and finger  24 . Sewn into the palm side of support strap  30  comprise a loop element  52  of a hook and loop fastener as depicted in FIG. 2. Loop element  52  is for adjustment engagement with the backside of a hook element  54 , sewn onto the backside of support strap  30  depicted in FIG. 1, and a hook element  56 , sewn onto the palm side of support strap  30  as depicted in FIG. 2.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4 depicts a diagram after putting on glove  10 , the wearer holds the handle of racquet in a standard handshake position and wraps support strap  30  around the top portion of handle by extending it over the backhand side of handle and engaging loop element  52  to hook element  54 . This type of engagement of support strap  30  is used to support the backhand stroke, when twisting the hand in a counter clockwise direction (X) the strap supports the backhand swing. FIG. 4-A shows support strap  30  wrapped around the top portion of handle by extending it over the finger side of handle being held in the handshake position of the right hand and engaging loop element  52  to hook element  54  to secure the wrap around the handle. This type of engagement of support strap  30  is used to support the forehand stroke, when twisting the hand in a clockwise direction (Y) the strap supports the forehand swing. FIG. 4-B shows a different support strap position, at the lower center face of racquet by engaging loop element  52  to hook element  56  to obtain increased support to reduce the head weight of racquet and to obtain the standard form of holding a racquet. FIG. 4-C depicts multiple support straps. A support strap  58  and support strap  30  to support the head weight of racquet and to support both the forehand and backhand strokes respectively.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4-D depicts a adjustable support strap  59  to allow the wearer to adjust the support level while in play. Adjustable support strap  59  is attached to support strap  30  approximately at the wrist end at a fixed adjustable point  61 , depicted in FIG. 4-E. The wearer can increase the support by pulling adjustable support strap  59  around the handle of racquet and attach loop element  63  located at the unattached end of adjustable support strap  59  to hook element  53  already wrapped around the top portion of handle of racquet on support strap  30 . FIG. 4-F depicts a diagram of the racquet in a standard handshake position while wearing the glove with adjustable support strap  59 . Adjustable support strap  59  is attached to support strap  30 . The wearer of glove can adjust the level of support by pulling adjustable support strap  59  and engaging hook element  53 , located on support strap  30 , already wrapped around the top portion of racquet. When the wearer pulls on adjustable support strap  59  to increase the support, support strap  30  is also pulled indirectly at fixed end support strap  50  attached to wrist cuff  42 , to obtain the desired support. The wearer can rapidly adjust the support level during play to obtain the desired support by releasing and engaging hook element  53  to loop element  63 , without releasing support strap  30  engaged at top portion of handle with hook element  54  to loop element  52 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 depicts another embodiment of the present invention with a wrist strap  60 . A outside surface  62  of wrist strap  60  has permanently attached to it a support strap  72  at a fixed end  73 , a hook element  64  and a loop element  66 . Loop element  66  is joined to a link  68  by looping through center of link  68  and permanently attached to outside surface  62  at a point to have outside surface  62  overlap loop element  66  and link  68  to produce a overlap flap  70 . Hook element  64  is attached to one end of wrist strap  60  on the outside surface  62 , which is on the opposite end of loop element  66 . FIG. 5 also depicts the top side of support strap  72 , which comprises of a hook element  74  used when wrapped around handle of racquet and attaches to a loop element  78  on the bottom side of support strap  72 . FIG. 6 depicts a inside surface  80  of wrist strap  60 . This inside surface will be in contact with the wearer&#39;s wrist. FIG. 6 also depicts the bottom side of support strap  72 , which comprises of a hook element  76  and loop element  78 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 7 depicts inside surface  80 , which will be in contact with the wrist of wearer. Loop element  78  is used to wrap support strap  72  to racquet and attaches to hook element  74  or hook element  76 . FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic view of wrist strap  60  where hook element  64  is inserted through link  68  and pulled back over outside surface  62  of wrist strap  60  and joined together by hook element  64  and loop element  66  with inside surface  80  exposed on top of wrist. FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the location of support strap  72 , which is in between thumb  82  and index finger  84 . Fixed end  73  of support strap  72  is pressed between outside surface  62 . FIG. 8 also depicts the top side of support strap  72  with hook element  74  ready for engagement with the handle of racquet.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 9 depicts a support strap  60  with a adjustable support strap  71  to allow the wearer to adjust the support level while in play. Adjustable support strap  71  is attached to support strap  72  approximately at the wrist end at a fixed adjustable point  77 , depicted in FIG. 9A. The wearer can increase the support by pulling adjustable support strap  71  around the handle of racquet and attach a loop element  79  located at the unattached end of adjustable support strap  71  to hook element  75  already wrapped around the top portion of handle of racquet on support strap  72 .  
         [0033]    Additional support straps can also be added to reduce the vertical force and aid in the strokes and volleys of the racquet. While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. Such as different types of fasteners can be used, the permanently fixed support strap can be placed in different areas and more than one support strap and adjustable support strap can be used to aid in the strokes to obtain the desired effect in the spirit of the invention.