Patent Publication Number: US-9421449-B2

Title: Performance enhancing glove

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/875,297, filed Sep. 9, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a performance enhancing glove, and in particular to a glove for improving the efficiency of athletes engaged in batting and other sports such as golf, tennis, racquetball, hockey, etc. using hand-held equipment. 
     2. Background and Description of the Related Art 
     Gloves are extensively used in various activities, such as sports, manual work and other physical activities. Specifically, gloves are used in various sports for enhancing performance when gripping sports tools, such as baseball bats or tennis rackets. 
     Baseball gloves, for example, typically employ padding to protect the player&#39;s hand from errant pitches, bad swings, or other injuries. These gloves also employ typical elements such as gripping surfaces for increasing the grip on the bat, as well as padding intended to increase comfort while swinging. However, existing gloves fail to increase performance, such as swing velocity, in any meaningful way. 
     Heretofore there has not been available a performance enhancing glove with the advantages and features of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a performance enhancing glove with varying-thickness padding. The result is improved contact with the sporting tool, such as a baseball bat, resulting in increased swing velocity of the tool. 
     A performance enhancing glove has a tapered pad located across the palm, specifically across the second through fifth metacarpal-phalangeal (MCP) joints of the hand. The pad is thinnest at the first palmar crease below the second MCP joint, and is the thickest below the fifth MCP joint. This creates a cone effect when a baseball bat or other sporting tool is gripped in the hand. The cone effect increases the effective grip on the bat or other tool, and results in increased control over the tool and increased swing speed, thereby resulting in increased velocity of the ball speed when struck by the tool. 
     A second pad is located along the side of the hand next to the fifth MCP joint, and terminates near the wrist. This pad provides separation between the hands when both hands are gripping the tool, increasing control. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrating various objects and features thereof. 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a human hand, indicating the areas of intended focus for an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of a performance enhancing glove comprising a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view thereof. 
         FIG. 3A  is a top plan view thereof, showing an alternative arrangement of a padding element of the embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention in a typical environment. 
         FIG. 5  is a rear elevational view thereof. 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view thereof. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     I. Introduction and Environment 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
     Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as oriented in the view being referred to. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the embodiment being described and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning. 
     II. Preferred Embodiment Performance Enhancing Glove  2   
     Referring to the figures in more detail,  FIG. 1  shows a typical human hand  4  including a thumb  14 , index finger  13 , middle finger  11 , ring finger  9 , and pinky finger  7 . A target area  16  is indicated overlaying the second through fifth metacarpal-phalangeal (MCP) joints  12 ,  10 ,  8 ,  6 . These joints are covered with padding of varying thicknesses in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A second side target area  18  is also indicated, which will be provided with a side pad for maintaining spacing between hands when a preferred embodiment of the present invention is in use. 
       FIG. 2  shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention performance enhancing glove  2 .  FIG. 2  displays a right-handed glove, but a preferred embodiment would include a separate glove for each hand, wherein the two gloves will mirror image each other. The glove contains a thumb  14 , index  13 , middle  11 , ring  9 , and pinky  7  receiver. A preferred embodiment will include a high-friction gripping surface  24  overlaying the palm and the insides of the fingers, as shown. An optional adjustable strap  28  and hook and loop receiver  30  may be included to secure the glove  2  around the wrist. 
     A primary pad  20  is placed over the palm portion of the hand. The pad  20  starts at its maximum thickness just under the fifth MCP joint  6  and tapering down to a minimal thickness just under the second MCP joint  12 . This is shown in more detail in  FIG. 3 . The pad is also tapered from the palm starting at the first palmar crease  15 , also called the distal palmar crease, with maximum thickness and tapering to minimum thickness at the top of the MCP joints. The max thickness point  32  and minimum thickness point  34  are indicated on  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3A  shows a tiered pad  40  instead of the gently sloping pad  20  shown in  FIG. 3 . This alternative arrangement features a specific thickness  40 . 1 ,  40 . 2 ,  40 . 3 , and  40 . 4 . at each level for each respective MCP joint. The results are similar. 
     This tapering creates a tapered cone effect when the hand grips a handle of a sports tool, such as a baseball bat  26 , demonstrated in  FIGS. 4-6 . The ideal thickness measurement is calculated by taking the measurement of the athlete&#39;s dominant hand starting at the tip of the 4th finger down to the second palmar crease  17 , also called the proximal palmar crease, illustrated by the distance d in  FIG. 3 . The diameter D of the club, racquet, or bat is then subtracted from the distance d, into a resultant value R. The R value is then divided by 2, for a final measurement m. This final value is the maximum thickness of the pad  20  at the point of maximum thickness  32 . The pad  20  is extended to the side of the glove and down to the wrist, resulting in the side pad portion  22 . This pad is ideally 3 mm in thickness greater than the maximum thickness m calculated above. This second pad  22  provides spacing between two hands when both hands are gripping a bat, racquet, or club as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The pad  20  promotes proper technique in gripping the handle of a sporting tool, such as a club, a racquet, or a bat. It forces the user to maintain the handle within the region of the fingers, provides mild separation from the handle, and thereby increase swing velocity due to increased negative couple force by the third, fourth, and fifth fingers (middle, ring, and pinky). All of these factors result in improved control and results out of the sporting tool. 
     When tested, the results of the present invention create an improved bat swing velocity no matter the athlete&#39;s performance and athleticism. An increase of bat velocity results in a 1:1 increase of the batted ball speed when the ball is struck by the bat. Typical thickness may be as little as 3 mm at the thinnest portion and as little as 7 mm or more at the fifth MCP joint, thereby creating the cone effect discussed above. 
     A preferred embodiment includes at least a right handed glove or a left handed glove, but could include both gloves together, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     It is to be understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been shown and described, the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects.