Patent Publication Number: US-2019184264-A1

Title: Apparatus and method for shaping a baseball glove

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of prior application Ser. No. 15/995,628, filed on Jun. 1, 2018, entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SHAPING A BASEBALL GLOVE, which claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/575,004, filed Oct. 20, 2017, entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SHAPING A BASEBALL GLOVE, both of which are hereby incorporated in their entireties by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Baseball and softball gloves often need to be shaped, or broken in, before use to form a pocket and reduce the stiffness thereof. Shaping a glove may include oiling the glove, putting a baseball, softball, or other solid object in the glove, closing the glove on or around the object, and then applying pressure to the glove so that it remains closed or around the object. Pressure may be applied by tying rubber bands, rope, or string around the glove. Pressure may also be applied by placing the glove beneath a heavy object. Current methods may also include using heated material for holding the glove in place. However, these methods may damage the glove or are unnecessarily complicated or difficult to employ. 
     The background discussion is intended to provide information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention solves the above-described problems and other problems by providing a distinct advance in the art of preparing a glove. More particularly, the present invention provides a method and device for shaping a glove. 
     In a first aspect, a glove-shaping device for shaping a glove in preparation for use. The glove-shaping device broadly includes a plurality of axially-extending shaping members. Each shaping member includes an elongated shaping portion and a handle portion. The elongated shaping portion is bendable along the length thereof and includes a deformable material that holds its shape when bent without the use of heat, e.g. at ambient temperature. The handle portion may be connected to the shaping portion and includes at least one of plastic, tape, and rubber. The shaping members are stacked alongside one another so that corresponding elongated shaping portions are at least partly axially, coextensive and configured to engage the at least one movable glove element. 
     In another aspect, a method of shaping a glove to form a pocket therein broadly includes the step of providing a first shaping member and a second shaping member. Each shaping member includes an elongated shaping portion made of a deformable material that holds its shape when bent without the use of heat, and a handle portion connected to the shaping portion made of at least one of plastic, tape, and rubber. The method also broadly includes the steps of inserting the first shaping member into a first slot of the glove where a user&#39;s digit is positioned during use; inserting the second shaping member into a second slot of the glove where a user&#39;s digit is positioned during use; and deforming the glove to a desired shape. The first shaping member and the second shaping member hold the glove in the desired shape. 
     In another aspect, a glove-shaping device for shaping a glove in preparation for use, the glove-shaping device broadly including a plurality of glove-shaping members and an aperture. Each glove-shaping member broadly includes a deformable body and a handle portion. The body holds its shape when bent without the use of heat and that is configured to be inserted into a single slot of the glove where a user&#39;s digit is positioned during use. The handle portion overlies an exterior surface of a portion of the deformable body. The handle portion is made of at least one of plastic, tape, and rubber. The aperture is positioned at an end of the deformable body. 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a glove-shaping device constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, showing multiple shaping members of the device inserted into a glove; 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the shaping members of  FIG. 1 , showing a shaping portion and a handle portion of the shaping member, with the shaping member in a generally unflexed condition; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the shaping member similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing a distal end of the shaping member flexed transversely to an axis of the shaping member so that the shaping portion is bent into a flexed condition; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the shaping member similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing the distal end of the shaping member rotated about the axis of the shaping member so that the shaping portion is bent into another flexed condition; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a stack of shaping members depicted in  FIGS. 1-4 , with the shaping members stacked in series and arranged in registration with one another, and with a fastener configured to removably secure the shaping members together; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the stack of shaping members shown in  FIG. 5 , with the stack being inserted into the glove; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of shaping members shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , with the shaping members being inserted into a glove; 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmentary perspective view of shaping members shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , with a fastener attaching two ends of two shaping members; 
         FIG. 9  is a front perspective view of the glove and shaping members shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , showing the glove with attached shaping members wrapping around the glove; 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom perspective view of the glove-shaping device of  FIG. 1  inserted into a glove; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the glove-shaping device similar to  FIG. 10 , but showing a bottom part of the glove removed to show internal glove slots receiving the shaping members; 
         FIG. 12  is a view of glove-shaping device of  FIG. 1  attached to an exterior surface of the glove; 
         FIG. 13  is a view of a glove having a hard object in a pocket thereof; and 
         FIG. 14  is a front perspective view of the glove and shaping members shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , showing the glove with attached shaping members wrapping around the glove. 
     
    
    
     The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The following detailed description of the invention references the accompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
     In this description, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” mean that the feature or features being referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separate references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “embodiments” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are also not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. For example, a feature, structure, act, etc. described in one embodiment may also be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included. Thus, the present technology can include a variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein. 
     The devices and methods described herein generally comprise a rigid, shapeable or otherwise deformable, device for shaping a glove as shown in  FIG. 1 . The glove-shaping device  10  engages a glove  12  having movable glove elements  14  for shaping the glove  12 . In various embodiments, the glove  12  may be a baseball glove, softball glove, mitt, catcher&#39;s mitt, fielding glove, first baseman&#39;s glove, or the like. The movable glove element  14  may be a portion of the glove that receives the digits of the user and that is movable by the digits of the user, such as the finger of a glove, the portion of a mitt that receives the user&#39;s digits, etc. The glove elements  14  are each preferably configured to receive a single finger of a user. However, the principles of the present invention are equally applicable where one or more alternative glove elements are configured to receive multiples fingers of a user. For instance, the glove could comprise a conventional catcher&#39;s mitt having a pair of glove elements, with one of the glove elements operable to receive four (4) fingers therein. 
     The glove-shaping device  10  may be comprised of a plurality of axially-extending shaping members  16 . The shaping members  16  may be made of any deformable material including metal, such as, for instance, aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, other metallic alloys, and the like. The shaping members  16  may also be made of deformable plastic, polymer material, or the like. The shaping members  16  may have any shape including an elongated strip, a wire, or the like. The shaping members  16  may have many sizes depending on a size of the glove  12  sought to be shaped and the strength needed to hold the glove&#39;s  12  shape. It is also within the scope of the present invention where the glove-shaping device includes an alternative number of shaping members positioned in a respective glove element. For example, the glove-shaping device could be configured so that at least one of the glove elements receives only a single shaping member therein. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , each shaping member  16  generally includes a shaping portion  18  and a handle portion  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, the shaping portion  18  and handle portion  20  present a distal end and a proximal end, respectively, of the shaping member  16 . Both the shaping portion  18  and handle portion  20  of each shaping member  16  may include a common substrate layer  21   a  (see  FIGS. 2-4 ). In other words, each shaping member  16  may be a “full tang” construction. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate layer  21   a  preferably comprises a deformable metallic material, such as, for instance, aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, other metallic alloys, and the like. However, the substrate layer could additionally or alternatively include a synthetic resin material without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     The depicted shaping portion  18  is preferably devoid of any layers other than the substrate layer  21   a,  so that the substrate layer  21   a  presents the faces  22  of the shaping portion  18 . The faces  22  of the shaping portion  18  preferably have a relatively low coefficient of friction. In the illustrated embodiment, this configuration is provided by forming the substrate layer  21   a  to have smooth opposite surfaces (e.g., by polishing) that define the faces  22 . 
     However, it is within the scope of the present invention where the shaping portion has one or more additional layers. For instance, one or more coating layers could be applied to a substrate layer in a covering relationship relative thereto. Such coating layers could include one or more synthetic resin materials. In one such alternative embodiment, a low-friction material (e.g., a polytetrafluoroethylene material) could be coated onto the substrate layer (e.g., as a covering layer). 
     The handle portion  20  preferably also includes a coating layer  21   b  applied to the substrate layer  21   a,  with the coating layer  21   b  substantially covering the substrate layer  21   a  of the handle portion  20  (see  FIGS. 2-4 ). In this manner, the coating layer  21   b  preferably presents the faces  22  of the handle portion  20 . However, it is also within the scope of the present invention where the coating layer does not entirely cover the substrate layer of the handle portion. In the depicted embodiment, the faces  22  of the handle portion preferably have a relatively high coefficient of friction. The frictional coefficient of the faces  22  presented by the handle portion  20  is preferably greater than the frictional coefficient of the faces  22  presented by the shaping portion  18 . 
     While the illustrated configuration of layers in the handle portion is preferred, it is also within the ambit of the present invention where the handle portion includes an alternative layer arrangement. For instance, the handle portion could include multiple coating layers. For some aspects of the present invention, the handle portion could be devoid of a coating layer (e.g., where high-friction faces are provided by knurling or otherwise texturing the surfaces of the substrate layer associated with the handle portion). 
     The coating layer  21   b  of the handle portion  20  preferably comprises a synthetic resin material and, more preferably, includes an elastomeric material. In the depicted embodiment, the handle portion  20  is coated in a layer of liquid rubber that is cured so as to provide a protective surface on the handle portion  20 . So coated, the handle portion  20  provides a buffer for protecting a user and/or the glove  12  from injury or damage due to a sharp edge that may be found on the handle portion  20  of the glove-shaping device  10 . However, the coating layer of the handle portion  20  could alternatively or additional include other materials such as plastic, tape, or any other material that is suitable for gripping. 
     It will also be appreciated that the handle portion  20  could be made of, or coated with, any material having any color so as to match school or athletic club colors. Again, in some embodiments, the shaping portion  18  could also be coated with a material so as to protect the glove  12  and having any color so as to match the colors of a school, athletic club, or the handle portion  20 . 
     Various other embodiments may be constructed in which the shaping portion  18  and the handle portion  20  are constructed of different materials having different rigidity and deformability to aid in the use of the glove-shaping device  10 . The shaping portion  18  and handle portion  20  may be of the same length or different lengths depending on the size and/or shape of the glove  12 . 
     Each shaping member  16  preferably presents opposite axially-extending faces  22  and opposite axially-extending edges  24 . The edges  24  may generally be parallel to one another. In some embodiments, the edges  24  may be rounded to prevent damage to the user and/or glove. The faces  22  cooperatively define a thickness of the shaping member  16 , with the shaping portion  18  having a thickness that is substantially constant along the length thereof. Similarly, the illustrated handle portion  20  preferably has a thickness that is substantially constant along the length thereof. However, it is also within the ambit of the present invention where one or more features of the shaping member have an alternative shape. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the shaping members  16  are configured to be stacked alongside one another so that they are substantially axially, coextensive, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . In particular, adjacent pairs of shaping members  16  are arranged so that corresponding faces  22  are generally in face-to-face engagement with one another (see  FIG. 6 ). Furthermore, the engaged pairs of faces  22  are preferably in substantial registration with one another so that faces  22  of the shaping portions  18  engage one another and faces  22  of the handle portions engage one another. 
     Engagement between the pairs of faces  22  of adjacent handle portions  20  provides frictional engagement between the corresponding adjacent pairs of shaping members  16  and thereby serves to restrict relative sliding movement between the engaged shaping members  16 . This is particularly so when the shaping members  16  are secured to one another by the fastener  28 . However, the frictional engagement between adjacent handle portions  20  does permit at least some bending of the stack  16   a  along the handle portions (e.g., to promote bending of the stack  16   a  along the shaping portions  18 ). 
     Frictional engagement between the pairs of faces  22  of adjacent shaping portions  18  preferably permits some relative lateral sliding movement between the engage shaping portion  18 , particularly along the axial direction (e.g., during bending of the stack  16   a ). This low-friction engagement particularly enables bending of the stack  16   a  of shaping portions  18  to conveniently curve and form the stack  16   a,  especially along the shaping portions  18 . More preferably, the frictional engagement between faces  22  of shaping portions  18  is relatively less than the frictional engagement between faces  22  of handle portions  20 . 
     However, the principles of the present invention are equally applicable whether the stack of shaping members is alternatively configured. For instance, the shaping members  16  could be stacked so that they are only partly axially coextensive with one another. The stack  16   a  of shaping members  16  are preferably removably received within one of the movable glove elements  14  and cooperatively engage the movable glove element  14  of the glove  12 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     In alternative embodiments, the shaping members  16  may be partially axially coextensive with one another when stacked and positioned in a single glove element. It will also be appreciated that the shaping members may be partially axially coextensive with each other at various times while shaping members  16  are serially installed in a single movable glove element  14 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     Each shaping member  16  preferably presents proximal and distal apertures  26  located adjacent to corresponding proximal and distal ends of the shaping member  16 . However, one or more shaping members could include an alternative number of apertures (e.g., where the shaping member has only a single aperture adjacent the proximal end). It will also be appreciated that one or more apertures  26  may be positioned anywhere on the glove-shaping device  10 . In some embodiments, the apertures  26  are on each end of the shaping members  16 . 
     The depicted apertures  26  are preferably configured to receive a fastener  28  that enables multiple shaping members  16  to be stacked on top of each other. Preferably, when the shaping members  16  are stacked in registration with one another, the proximal apertures  26  of the shaping members  16  are located in substantial registration with each other and the distal apertures  26  are located in substantial registration with each other. This arrangement enables securement of the fastener  28  through the corresponding apertures  26  (see  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). 
     It will also be understood that the apertures  26  accommodate other configurations for connecting multiple shaping members  16  together. For instance, the apertures  26  also preferably enable a user to attach a ring (such as a key ring) through the apertures  26  of multiple shaping members  16  (e.g., for storing multiple glove-shaping devices  10  thereon). The apertures  26  may also be used for hanging the glove-shaping device  10  on a wall with a nail or hook. This provides more versatility when using the glove-shaping device  10 , for gloves may vary in stiffness and therefore require a different number of shaping members  16  to hold a desired shape. It also enables a user to prepare a glove  12  using a shape that may be relatively more difficult to hold and therefore requires multiple shaping members  16  to hold that exact shape. Further, the aperture  26  may be used for attaching multiple shaping members  16  together end-to-end (see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ). Attaching multiple shaping members  16  together end-to-end forms a longer deformable object, which may be used for wrapping around a glove  12  and applying external pressure to the glove  12 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 14 . The multiple shaping members  16  may be horizontally wrapped around the glove  12 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , which shapes the glove  12  so that horizontal squeezing of the glove  12  is less difficult for the user. Alternatively or additionally, the multiple shaping members  16  may be vertically wrapped around the glove  12 , as shown in  FIG. 14 , applying pressure to a top portion of the glove  12 , thereby developing a deeper pocket. It is foreseen that any number of multiple shaping members  16  attached end-to-end may be wrapped around the glove  12  in any number of orientations without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     The shaping portion  18  and handle portion  20  of the shaping member  16  are configured to engage one or more movable glove elements  14  of the glove  12 . However, in some applications, the shaping portion  18  could be primarily used to engage and shape the glove elements such that the handle portion  20  is not engaged with a glove element or any other part of the glove. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the shaping portion  18  is configured to be inserted in a slot  14   a  of the glove  12  where the user&#39;s digit occupies during use, as shown  FIGS. 10 and 11 . However, in some alternative embodiments, the shaping portion  18  of the glove-shaping device  10  may be removably attached to an exterior surface  30  or interior surface  32  of the glove  12 . The glove-shaping device  10  may be attached using any method, such as strings, bands, rubber bands, straps, or the like. For example, the user may utilize any straps, bands, or strings of the glove  12  to act as ties for securing the glove-shaping device  10  to the exterior surface  30  of the glove  12 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . The shaping portion  18  of the glove-shaping device  10  preferably presents a rounded distal end to facilitate insertion of the shaping portion  18  into the slots  14   a  of the glove  12 . In this manner, the device  10  is shaped to restrict the distal ends from catching on the material of the glove  12  and facilitate deeper insertion of the device  10  within the slots. 
     In use, the glove-shaping device  10  is engaged with the movable glove elements  14  of the glove  12 . In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of shaping members  16  are inserted into the slots  14   a  of the glove  12  with the shaping portions  18  entering the slots  14   a  first and the handle portion  20  being used to grip the glove-shaping device  10 . The user may select which slot  14   a  of the cavity  18  to insert the one or more shaping members  16 . The user may insert the glove-shaping device  10  into one or more slots  14   a.  For example, the user may insert one or more shaping members  16  into the slot  14   a  intended for the thumb and/or the slot  14   a  intended for the middle finger. In one embodiment, the user puts one or more shaping members  16  in each slot  14   a  of the glove  12 . 
     A hard object  34 , such as a baseball, softball, or the like may be placed in the glove  12 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . Pressure is applied to the glove  12  so that the glove  12  closes around the object  34 . When the glove  12  is closed around the object  34 , the shaping portion  18  of the one or more shaping members  16  inside the glove  12  deforms or bends on or around the object  34  in a manner suitable to the user to obtain the desired shape of the glove  12 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , where the shaping members  16  are bent inside the glove  12 . When the pressure is no longer applied to the glove  12 , the shaping portion  18  maintains its shape on or around the object  34 . The shaping portion  18  maintaining its shape causes the glove  12  to maintain its shape enclosed around the object  34 , thereby forming a pocket where the object  34  is positioned. Thus, the glove-shaping device  10  is able to hold its shape and the shape of the glove  12  without the use of heat. Without the use of heat, the shaping process is simplified and reduces the chance of injury or damage. This is advantageous because children, who often struggle to appreciate the dangers of heating things, often shape their gloves on their own. Once the glove  12  has been shaped, the one or more shaping members  16  are removed by pulling on the handle portion  20 . In some embodiments of the method, the glove  12  may be oiled prior to, during, or after applying force to the glove  12 . In some embodiments, the glove-shaping device  10  may be re-inserted or applied to the glove  12  after use of the glove  12  during storage so that the glove  12  maintains the desired shape. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims.