Patent Publication Number: US-7904967-B1

Title: Uni boxing glove

Description:
The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/504,329, filed Aug. 15, 2006, now abandoned entitled “Uni Boxing Glove”, which claims benefit of priority of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/721,499, filed on Sep. 29, 2005, entitled “Uni Boxing”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a uni boxing glove and, more particularly, the invention relates to a uni boxing glove that combines regulation boxing gloves and joins them together at the fingertips. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Boxing is a major sport in the United States. Heavyweight boxing matches, in fact, are spectacles rivaling those of any other sport. 
     The sport of boxing in which boxers fight with their fists goes back in history at least as far back as the Olympic games in ancient Greece. In these games the boxers wound heavy straps of leather about their hands and wrists. It was not until the 19th century that boxers began to wear boxing gloves in the form of heavily-padded leather mittens. 
     The conventional boxing glove used in the past consists of a heavily padded leather mitten for confining the fingers of each hand and a separate thumb sheath, equally padded for the thumb, extending from the palm of the glove. The conventional boxing glove used in the past consists of a heavily padded leather mitten for confining the fingers of the hand and a separate thumb sheath, equally padded for the thumb. The boxer, during a match, clenches his fingers in the form of a fist in the glove to the center of the palm and closes the thumb sheath over the index finger. In this position, the thumb guard, which forms a rise in the glove nearest the knuckle of the index finger, the thumb sheath, and the glove body combine to form a continuous, rounded fist. 
     Too often deaths occur to boxers because of the devastating head trauma received in a boxing match or during practice. A glove that would lessen the trauma without diminishing the excitement and skill of the sport, would certainly be a welcome addition to the art. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is a uni boxing glove for use in boxing practice and matches. The uni boxing glove covers the left and right hands, fingers, thumb, and a portion of both wrists of a user. The uni boxing glove comprises a punching portion formed from a padded material and confining the fingers of each hand with the punching end having padding on at least a front end for forward stabs, on an underside for covering, and on the sides for side to side striking. A protrusion is formed in the punching portion for receiving the thumbs only of each hand with the protrusion formed in the padded material opposite the underside and the protrusion protruding above the remaining portions of the punching portion prior to insertion of the hands into punching portion. A first wrist receiving portion is secured to the punching portion for receiving the wrist of the left hand. A second wrist receiving portion secured to the punching portion for receiving the wrist of the right hand. A left hand opening is formed in the first wrist receiving portion for receiving the left hand of the user. A right hand opening is formed in the second wrist receiving portion for receiving the right hand of the user with the right hand opening separate from and connected adjacent to the left hand opening. A first elastic band completely encircles the first wrist receiving portion and extends from the left hand opening to the punching portion. A second elastic band completely encircles the second wrist receiving portion and extends from the right hand opening to the punching portion. A first slit is formed in the first wrist receiving portion with the first slit extending from the left hand opening to the punching portion and a second slit formed in the second wrist receiving portion with the second slit extending from the right hand opening to the punching portion. A first tightening mechanism extends along the first slit from left hand opening to the punching portion for evenly tightening the first wrist portion about the wrist and evenly loosening the left hand opening about the wrist. A second tightening mechanism extends along the second slit from the right hand opening to the punching portion for evenly tightening the second wrist portion about the wrist and evenly loosening the second wrist portion about the wrist. 
     In addition, the present invention includes a method for boxing with a glove with the glove covering the left and right hands, fingers, thumb, and a portion of both wrists of a user. The method comprises forming a punching portion from a padded material, forming a protrusion in the punching portion, protruding the protrusion above the remaining portions of the punching portion prior to insertion of the hands into punching portion, securing a first wrist receiving portion to the punching portion, securing a second wrist receiving secured to the punching portion, forming a left hand opening in the first wrist receiving portion, forming a right hand opening in the second wrist receiving opening, completely encircling the first wrist receiving portion with a first elastic band, extending the first elastic band from the left hand opening to the punching portion, completely encircling the second wrist receiving portion with a second elastic band, extending the second elastic band from the right hand opening to the punching portion, forming a first slit in the first wrist receiving portion, extending the first slit from the left hand opening to the punching portion, forming a second slit in the second wrist receiving portion, extending the second slit from the right hand opening to the punching portion, inserting the left hand into the left hand opening, inserting the right hand in the right hand opening, tightening the left hand opening and the right hand opening about the wrist, and clasping the hands together. 
     The present invention further includes a uni boxing glove for use in boxing practice and matches with the uni boxing glove covering the left and right hands, fingers, thumb, and a portion of both wrists of a user. The uni boxing glove comprises a punching portion formed from a padded material and confining the fingers of each hand with the punching end having padding on at least a front end for forward stabs, on an underside for covering, and on the sides for side to side striking. A protrusion is formed in the punching portion for receiving the thumbs only of each hand with the protrusion formed in the padded material opposite the underside with the protrusion protruding above the remaining portions of the punching portion prior to insertion of the hands into punching portion. A first wrist receiving portion is secured to the punching portion for receiving the wrist of the left hand. A second wrist receiving portion is secured to the punching portion for receiving the wrist of the right hand. A left hand opening is formed in the first wrist receiving portion for receiving the left hand of the user. A right hand opening formed in the second wrist receiving portion for receiving the right hand of the user with the right hand opening separate from and connected adjacent to the left hand opening. First dual tightening means extend along the first slit from left hand opening to the punching portion for evenly tightening the first wrist portion about the wrist and evenly loosening the left hand opening about the wrist. Second dual tightening means extend along the second slit from the right hand opening to the punching portion for evenly tightening the second wrist portion about the wrist and evenly loosening the second wrist portion about the wrist. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a uni boxing glove, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an elevational side view illustrating the uni boxing glove, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view illustrating the uni boxing glove, constructed in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 4-6  illustrate the clasping of hands subsequent to insertion into the uni boxing glove. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the present invention is a uni boxing glove, indicated generally at  10 , for use by professionals and amateurs. The uni boxing glove  10  of the present invention provides a clever enhancement to the popular sport of boxing. The uni boxing glove is a specially designed pair of boxing gloves joined at the fingertips thereby combining two gloves into one uni boxing glove unit. 
     The uni boxing glove  10  of the present invention includes a punching end  12  and a hand-receiving end  14 . The punching end  12  is manufactured from a padded leather material similar to standard regulation boxing gloves. The padded leather material of the punching end  12  confines the fingers and thumb of each hand within the padded leather material. As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , at least one thumb receiving protrusion  15  is formed in the padded leather material to accommodate the thumb of each hand when inserted into the uni boxing glove  10 . The protrusion is formed in the punching end  12  for receiving the thumbs only of each hand with the protrusion  15  formed in the padded material opposite the underside and the protrusion  15  protruding above the remaining portions of the punching portion prior to insertion of the hands into punching portion. The protrusion  15  allows a person to don the uni boxing glove  12  in a comfortable manner and to maintain the thumbs away from any of the punching areas of the uni boxing glove  10 . 
     In addition, the uni boxing glove  10  of the present invention includes a first wrist receiving portion  17  secured to the punching end  12  for receiving the wrist of the left hand. A second wrist receiving portion  19  secured to the punching portion for receiving the wrist of the right hand. A left hand opening  16  and a right hand opening  18  are formed at the hand-receiving end  14  of the uni boxing glove  10 . The left hand opening  16  and the right hand opening  18  are nearingly adjacent each other. The left hand opening  16  is sized and shaped for receiving the left hand of a user. The right hand opening  18  is sized and shaped for receiving the right hand of a user. Once inserted, the users hands rest within the punching end  12  and the first and second wrist receiving portions  17 ,  19  cover the left wrist and the right wrist, respectively of the user. 
     The uni boxing glove  10  of the present invention further includes a slit  20  formed in both the first wrist receiving portion  17  and the second wrist receiving portion  19 . Each slit  20  extends from one of the hand openings to the punching end  12 . 
     Surrounding each slit  20  is elastic material  21  which is stretchable when each hand is inserted and holds the first wrist receiving portion  17  and the second wrist receiving portion  19  against the wrists. A first elastic band  23  completely encircles the first wrist receiving portion  17  and extends from the left hand opening  16  to the punching end  12 . A second elastic band  25  completely encircles the second wrist receiving portion  19  and extends from the right hand opening  18  to the punching end  12 . The elastic material  21  maintains the uni boxing glove  10  about the hands and wrists of the user. 
     Each slit  20  includes tightening means  22  adjacent both the left hand opening  16  and the right hand opening  18 . In a preferred embodiment, the tightening means  22  are a drawstring  24  threaded through the slit  20 . As the drawstring  24  is tightened, the slit  20  is pulled closed about the wrist of the user and tied to evenly tighten the left wrist receiving portion  17  about the left wrist of the user and to evenly tighten the right wrist receiving portion  19  about the right wrist of the user. The drawstring  24  can also be used to loosen the wrist receiving portions from about the wrists of the user. 
     The uni boxing glove  10  of the present invention preferably weighs from approximately eight (8 oz.) ounces for amateur bouts to approximately six (6 oz.) ounces for professional title bouts. Furthermore, the uni boxing glove  10  can be manufactured in a vast array of colors. 
     The manner of use of the uni boxing glove  10  of the present invention will now be described. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the manner of use of the uni boxing glove  10  described herein is merely one method of use and other methods of use of the uni boxing glove  10  are within the scope of the present invention. 
     First, as done before regular boxing matches, the user wraps his or her hands in protective tape. Inserting the hands into the corresponding left hand opening  16  and right hand opening  18 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 4-6 , the user clasps his or her hands together. The user then has someone assist them in securing the uni boxing device  10  to each wrist via the attachment means  22 . While boxing, the hands are kept together via the clasping of the hands together and the combined uni boxing glove  10 . The user is able to stab forward, raise the uni boxing glove  10  to cover, and strike in a side to side manner, making sure that all blows are kept above the belt. The uni boxing glove  10  is employed in the same manner when practicing with a punching bag. 
     As stated above, the uni boxing glove  10  of the present invention is a clever enhancement to the popular sport of boxing. Combining regulation gloves and effectively “joining them together” at the fingertips, the uni boxing device  10  adds a challenge to boxing, strengthening the skills of both novice and professional boxers, stimulating strategic planning, and enhancing hand/eye coordination. Limiting the range of striking power, the uni boxing glove  10  provides a safer alternative to standard boxing gloves. Usable in standard boxing matches and adhering to all boxing rules and regulations, the uni boxing glove  10  will be appreciated by boxing coaches and athletic instructors the world over. The uni boxing glove  10  could even conceivably revolutionize the sport of boxing. 
     The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawings and described in detail, with varying modifications and alternative embodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown, described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention as disclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of the specific elements which are disclosed herein.