Patent Publication Number: US-7900275-B2

Title: Protective sports glove with floating cuff portion

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/904,445, filed on Nov. 4, 2004, and entitled “Protective Sports Glove with Floating Cuff Portion” which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/518,772, filed on Nov. 10, 2003, and entitled “Protective Sports Glove With Floating Cuff Portion,” which applications are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to a protective sports glove having improved flexibility and protection. More particularly, the present invention relates to a protective sports glove that provides both increased flexibility and protection for a wearer&#39;s hand, wrist, and/or forearm. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In contact sports, such as lacrosse or hockey, where sticks are essential elements of the game, a player&#39;s hands and wrists are especially vulnerable to injury when being checked by another player&#39;s stick. For this reason, players typically utilize padded gloves to protect their hands, wrists and lower forearms during play. The areas of a player&#39;s hand that are particularly susceptible to injury are those where the glove flexes, because at those locations, the protective padding is typically constructed such that it can bend or flex with a player&#39;s joint. However, bending or flexing of the glove, such as at the wrist or knuckle area, can leave the player&#39;s joint exposed due to the bending away of the protective padding and, therefore, susceptible to injury. 
     Many current protective sports gloves utilize wrist guards to protect a player&#39;s wrist between the cuff and the hand portion which location can be exposed when a player&#39;s hand flexes during play. While most prior wrist guards provide adequate protection, they provide limited flexibility and adjustability and are therefore uncomfortable. Because of these limitations, they are often removed or not utilized by the players. It is also a problem to provide a protective guard for a player&#39;s wrist between the hand and the cuff portion that not only protects the player&#39;s wrist, but also provides desired flexibility. Most wrist guards are either overly bulky and limit flexibility or are too small and provide minimal protection. 
     Additionally, many prior protective gloves include cuff portions that are secured directly to the hand portion by stitching. The stitching limits the flexibility of a player&#39;s wrist and cannot be adjusted. U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,396 discloses a configuration where the cuff and the hand portion are attached to one another by lacing that allows for improved flexibility and also adjustability. However, the lacing typically must be done by hand and therefore requires significant labor time in order to manufacture the glove, thereby increasing its cost. Moreover, while the flexibility of these gloves is improved, it is still relatively limited. 
     Further, other protective gloves have been introduced that provide increased ventilation and breathability. For example, some protective gloves have been introduced that utilize mesh material on portions or the entirety of a player&#39;s palm and fingers. With some protective gloves, the mesh material is located in areas on the palm that are not primarily intended to contact a stick. Because of the amount of movement of the stick in a player&#39;s hand, such as through cradling or the like, locating the mesh portions in these non-high use areas minimizes the tendency of the mesh material to wear quickly and ultimately tear, therefore rendering the glove illegal for play. Moreover, other protective gloves have utilized vent holes in the back portion of the glove to provide increased ventilation. While these protective gloves provide increased ventilation, they do not make any provisions for increased protection or flexibility for a wearer&#39;s hand. 
     Additionally, the cuff portion of most current protective gloves does not fully cover the underside of a wearer&#39;s wrist or forearm. While lacing typically extends between and connects either end of the cuff portion, wearer&#39;s rarely tighten these up, because doing so would decrease the glove&#39;s flexibility and range of motion during play. Thus, wearer&#39;s typically leave the lace loose, which leaves the ends of the cuff portion spaced apart from one another, and leaves the underside of a wearer&#39;s wrist and/or forearm with no padding covering it, thereby making it susceptible to injury. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a protective sports glove that provides increased protection for a wearer&#39;s hand, wrist, and/or forearm without decreasing ventilation or flexibility. Moreover, a need also exists for a protective sports glove that maximizes both flexibility and protection. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove having a free-floating subcuff for increased protection of a wearer&#39;s forearm and/or wrist. 
     It is another advantage of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove that has die cuts or seams in the back portion that are configured to provide increased and more realistic flexibility consistent with the movement of a wearer&#39;s hand during play. 
     It is still another advantage of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove with increased ventilation for a wearer&#39;s hand. 
     It is yet another advantage of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove with a flared cuff for increased flexibility. 
     It is a related advantage of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove that provides increased protection for a wearer&#39;s wrist and/or forearm without sacrificing flexibility. 
     It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove that provides increased protection in the thumb area without sacrificing flexibility. 
     It is still a further advantage of the present invention to provide a protective sports glove that has finger portions with increased flexibility that does not compromise protection thereto. 
     In accordance with the above and the other advantages of the present invention, a protective sports glove is provided. The glove includes a hand portion having a protective back and a palm portion opposing the protective back. The glove includes a cuff portion coupled to the hand portion for protecting a wearer&#39;s wrist and/or forearm. The glove includes a plurality of finger portions secured to and extending from the hand portion for receipt of a wearer&#39;s fingers therein. The glove also includes a subcuff portion disposed generally beneath the cuff portion. The subcuff portion extends circumferentially around a wearer&#39;s wrist and is flexibly coupled to the cuff portion such that as a wearer moves their hand from an unflexed position to a flexed position, the subcuff portion remains generally around the wearer&#39;s wrist to provide protection thereto while also maximizing flexibility. 
     Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of examples of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a protective sports glove in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention in a generally unflexed position; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the protective sports glove of  FIG. 1  in a generally flexed position; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the protective sports glove of  FIG. 1  with the fingers in a fully extended position; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view illustrating the back side portion of the protective sports glove of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view illustrating the palm portion of the protective sports glove of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a view illustrating the thumb side of the protective sports glove of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the protective sports glove of  FIG. 6  in the direction of the arrows  6 - 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial view of a protective sports glove illustrating a subcuff portion in a secured position in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is an illustration of the subcuff portion of  FIG. 8  in an unsecured position; 
         FIG. 10  is an end view illustrating an interior portion of the protective sports glove of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a partial perspective view illustrating the subcuff portion of  FIG. 8  in a generally unflexed position; 
         FIG. 12  is a partial perspective view illustrating the subcuff portion of  FIG. 8  in a generally flexed position; 
         FIG. 13  is a partially sectioned perspective view illustrating a liner pad coupled within the interior portion of the protective sports glove of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a bottom view of the protective sports glove of  FIG. 1  illustrating the liner pad in an exposed position; and 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of the protective sports glove of  FIG. 1  with the fingers in a curled position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in the attached drawings, a protective sports glove is disclosed. The preferred application for the protective sports glove is in the game of lacrosse. However, the protective sports glove may be utilized in a variety of other suitable applications. For example, it should be understood that the disclosed glove might be used in any other contact stick sport, including ice or roller hockey. 
     Referring now to the Figures, which illustrate a protective sports glove  10  in accordance with the present invention. The glove  10  has a hand portion  12 , including a top or back side portion  14  and a bottom or palm portion  16 , which therebetween define an interior space for receipt of a wearer&#39;s hand. The glove  10  has a cuff portion  18 , which is coupled to the hand portion  12 , a plurality of finger portions  20  extending from the hand portion  12 , and a thumb portion  22  also extending from the hand portion  12 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4  and  6 , the cuff portion  18  preferably has a first cuff segment  24 , a second middle cuff segment  26 , and a third cuff segment  28 . The cuff portion  18  thus consists of multiple portions to provide a split cuff that yields increased flexibility for a wearer during play. It will be understood that the cuff portion  18  may be comprised of more or less segments as desired. The first cuff segment  24 , the second middle cuff segment  26 , and the third cuff segment  28  are each flexibly secured to the hand portion  12 , as discussed in detail below. The first cuff segment  24  has a first edge portion  32  and a second edge portion  34 . The second middle cuff segment  26  has a first edge portion  36  and a second edge portion  38 . The third cuff segment  28  has a first edge portion  40  and a second edge portion  42 . 
     In one embodiment, the second edge portion  34  of the first cuff segment  24  overlaps or overlies the first edge portion  36  of the second middle cuff segment  26 . The first edge portion  40  of the third cuff segment  28  overlaps or overlies the second edge portion  28  of the second middle cuff segment  26 . The first cuff segment  24 , the second middle cuff segment  26 , and the third cuff segment  28  are designed to cover and protect substantial portions of a user&#39;s wrist and/or forearm. The overlapping (split cuff) configuration of the cuff segments  24 ,  26 ,  28  provides added protection to a wearer&#39;s wrist and/or forearm because of the double layer of padding. In one embodiment, the cuff segments  24 ,  26 ,  28  are not affixed to each other along their respective adjacent edge portions  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  and thus can move with respect to one another and provide increased flexibility for a wearer&#39;s wrist and/or forearm as it moves during play. It will be understood that the cuff segments may also be affixed to one another along some portion of each edge, if not along the entire edge, and still provide increased flexibility. 
     The first edge portion  32  of the first cuff segment  24  preferably has an attachment mechanism  44  formed therein. Similarly, the second edge portion  42  of the third cuff segment  28  has a second attachment mechanism  46  formed therein. Each of the attachment mechanisms  44 ,  46  are preferably eyelets. Further, more than one attachment mechanism can be incorporated into each of the segments  24 ,  28  or the attachment mechanism can be formed in a variety of different locations. A lace  48  or other securing device is preferably passed through the first and second attachment mechanisms  44 ,  46  to connect the first cuff segment  24  to the third cuff segment  28 . As shown, the lace  48  is intended to pass around the underside of a wearer&#39;s forearm such that the tightness of the cuff segments  24 ,  28  with respect to a wearer&#39;s forearm may be adjusted to bring the cuff segments  24 ,  28  closer to one another and bring the padding around a wearer&#39;s forearm. The lace  48  may be maintained in its desired position at a desired tightness through the use of the cord lock  50  or other similar locking device. Alternatively, the lace  48  may be removed from the glove entirely. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 8 , the cuff portion  18  is preferably flexibly secured to the hand portion  12  through a plurality of elastic members  52 . Each of the elastic members  52  is preferably secured at one end to the upper border of the cuff portion  18  and at an opposing end to the hand portion  12 . This configuration keeps the cuff portion  18  secured to the hand portion  12 , while allowing relative movement therebetween to provide flexibility as the wearer&#39;s hand flexes during play. The elastic members  52  are preferably disposed on either side of the cuff portion  18  with a third elastic member being disposed generally in the middle. It will be understood that more or less elastic members may be utilized and that the elastic members can be located in a variety of other suitable locations. Alternatively, the cuff portion  18  can be attached to the hand portion  12  by a segment of compliant material, such as neoprene, which also provides the desired flexibility. Obviously, other attachment mechanisms may be utilized. 
     As the cuff portion  18  moves with respect to the hand portion  12 , the back of a player&#39;s wrist or hand can be exposed at a seam  54  formed therebetween. Accordingly, in one embodiment, a wrist guard  56  is disposed over the seam  54  between the cuff portion  18  and the hand portion  12 . The wrist guard  56  is preferably a padded member and has a first end  58 , which is preferably secured to the first cuff segment  24  adjacent the first edge portion  32 . The wrist guard  56  has a second end  60  which is preferably attached to the third cuff segment  28  adjacent its second edge portion  42 . The first and second ends  58 ,  60  of the wrist guard  56  are secured to the cuff portion  18  by sewing. It should be understood that the ends  58 ,  60  may be attached by any other known securing means. Alternatively, the wrist guard  56  could instead be secured to the hand portion  12 . The integral attachment of the wrist guard  56  to the glove  10  prevents it from being removed unintentionally and therefore provides permanent protection. It will be understood that the wrist guard  56  can take on a variety of different configurations and have a variety of different attachment points. 
     In another embodiment, a plurality of elastic members  62  preferably couple the first end  58  and the second end  60  of the wrist guard  56  to the hand portion  12 . The elastic members  62  allow the wrist guard  56  to flex or move as needed while a wearer&#39;s hand moves or flexes during play and still remain over the seam  54 . In other words, the elastic members  62  allow the wrist guard  56  to move as the wearer&#39;s hand moves and still remain over the seam  54  and above the back side portion  14  of the glove  10  and particularly over the seam  54 . Alternatively, the wrist guard  56  may be disposed within the interior space of the glove  10  to cover the seam  54  from beneath the back side portion  14 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 , the hand portion  12  extends generally between the seam  54  and the finger portions  20  and includes the back side portion  14  and the palm portion  16 . The back side portion  14  preferably has an inner fabric  64  ( FIG. 7 ) having a plurality of protected padded portions secured thereto. As shown, the back side portion  14  is preferably subdivided into a plurality of individual protective padded portions  66 ,  68 ,  70 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76 . The back side portion  14  of the glove  10  has a first lengthwise concave cut or moon shaped cut  78 , that generally extends from one side  80  of the hand portion  12  to the other side  82  of the hand portion  12 , which allows the glove to flex along the lengthwise cut  78  as a wearer&#39;s hand moves. This cut or seam  78  is configured such that a middle portion  83  is closer to the cuff portion  18  than the end portions  85 . This provides a more ergonomically flexible glove to more accurately conform to a wearer&#39;s hand as it flexes within the glove. Specifically, the lengthwise concave cut  78  is configured so that the protective padded portions  74  and  76  are moveable with respect to the adjacent protective padded portions  68  and  72 . It will be appreciated that the lengthwise concave cut  78  can take on other configurations. 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 15 , the configuration of the lengthwise concave cut  78  allows the padded positions  68 ,  70  disposed on either side of vertical cut  86  to move upward slightly relative to the padded portion  66 ,  74 ,  76  when the finger portions  20  are straightened. By this configuration, minimal spacing exists between the padded portions. Conversely, when the finger positions  20  are curled, the padded portions  68 ,  70  slide downward back into the same general plane as the padded portion  66 ,  74 ,  76 . In this way, the padded positions  66 ,  68 ,  70 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76  provide maximum protection for a wearer&#39;s hand, regardless of finger position, leaving only tiny gaps between the pads  66 ,  68 ,  70 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76 , but allowing for flexibility. 
     The protective padded portions  74 ,  76  terminate at a junction  84  between the hand portion  12  and the finger portions  20 . The junction  84  allows the finger portions  20  to move with respect to the padded portions  74  and  76  as the junction  84  is generally disposed over a wearer&#39;s knuckle area, allowing the finger portions  20  to move as a wearer&#39;s fingers flex. Additionally, the back side portion  14  has a vertical cut  86  that extends generally from the cuff portion  18  to the junction  84 . The vertical cut  86  allows the protective padded portions  68  and  76  to move with respect to the protective padded portions  72  and  74 , allowing the glove  10  to bend around an axis defined by the vertical cut  86 . The vertical cut  86  allows the glove  10  to fit more comfortably as it allows the glove to better conform to a wearer&#39;s hand as it closes around a stick, therefore, providing a tighter shape and better fit. This is necessary as the back of a typical wearer&#39;s hand is not flat, and the padded protected portions  68 ,  70 ,  74 ,  76  are not flexible enough to bend sufficiently without the vertical cut portion  86 . Thus, prior gloves tend to flatten out as a wearer flexes his hand, which causes additional tension to be applied to the palm portion  16 . 
     The back side portion  14  of the hand portion  18  also preferably has a pair of opposing angled cuts  88  and  90  which begin generally at the base of the hand portion  12  adjacent the seam  54  and extend generally outward to the respective side  80 ,  82  of the hand portion  12 . The angled cuts  88 ,  90  similarly assist the glove  10  in conforming to the wearer&#39;s hand as the protective padded portions  66 ,  72  can each independently move with respect to the other padded portions as a wearer&#39;s hand flexes during play, thus providing a better fitting glove. As shown, the angled cuts  88 ,  90  preferably extend in an arcuate or curved fashion. However, they may alternatively extend in a linear fashion. Alternatively, the angled cuts  88 ,  90  may be located in other areas of the back side portion  14 . The cuts  78 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88 , and  90 , are preferably formed in the glove  10  through die cutting or other known cutting or forming means, which are sufficient to configure the back side portion  14  of the glove  10  to conform to the configuration described above. The back side portion  14  may have a variety of additional or different cuts as desired. Moreover, the cuts or seams described above may have a variety of different configurations. 
     The back side portion  14  of the hand portion  12  has a plurality of vent openings formed therein to provide ventilation to a wearer&#39;s hand. In one embodiment, the vent openings are slots that are formed between adjacent protective pads such as by separating the pads. A first vent opening  92  is preferably disposed along the vertical cut  86  between the protective padded portion  68  and the protective padded portion  72 . A vent opening  94  is preferably disposed along the first angled cut  88  between the protective padded portion  70  and the protective padded portion  72 . Another vent opening  96  is preferably disposed along the second angled cut  90  between protective padded portions  66  and  68 . The vent openings  92 ,  94 ,  96  are located along die cuts  86 ,  88  and  90 , and preferably do not correspond to the joints of a wearer&#39;s hand and, therefore while there is some relative movement of the protective pads in which the vent openings are formed, the movement is not sufficient to cause a portion of a wearer&#39;s hand to be exposed. In this disclosed embodiment, the vent openings are preferably formed by separating the pads a further distance from one another instead of cutting away any of the padded portions. It will be understood that the vent openings may be formed in a variety of other suitable ways. 
     Additionally, a piece of breathable material, such as mesh, is disposed in each of the vent openings. However, the breathable material can be any other suitable material. In one embodiment, the vent openings  92 ,  94 ,  96  are located along non-horizontal cuts and thus can be made larger as the potential for exposure is minimal. It should be understood that while three vent openings are disclosed on the back side portion  14  of the glove  10 , any number of vent openings might be utilized. Additionally, the vent openings may be disposed in a variety of other locations along the back side portion  14  in accordance with the preferred embodiment, including within or through the respective individual padded portions themselves, instead of along the die cuts or along the horizontal, angled or concave cut or seams. Moreover, the vent openings may have a variety of different configurations. 
     The finger portions  20  each extend from the junction  84  and are each divided into three separate padded portions  98 ,  99 ,  100 . Further the spaces between the padded portions  98 ,  99 ,  100  are relatively small to minimize the chance of a wearer&#39;s finger being injured if contacted with a stick while the pads are separated such as when a wearer is clenching his fist. However, the pinkie finger only has two padded portions  98 ,  99 . As with the padding on the hand portion  12 , each of the padded portions  98 ,  99 ,  100  on the finger portions  20  is disposed on an inner fabric layer  64  that overlies the interior of each of the finger portions  20 . The hand portion  12  of the glove  10  has a first side portion  102  connecting the back side portion  14  to the palm portion  16  and a second side portion  104  connecting the back side portion  14  to the palm portion  16  on its other side. 
     The first side  102  of the glove  10  preferably includes a breathable layer  106 , such as a mesh material, extending between the back side portion  14  and the palm portion  16  with a protective padded portion  108  secured thereon. The second side  104  of the glove  10  has a protected padded portion that is sub-divided into a first padded portion  110  and a second padded portion  112  by a die cut  114  or seam formed therein. The first padded portion  110  extends from a region abutting padded portions  66 ,  68  and over a portion of the wearer&#39;s thumb to the palm portion  16  for increased protection. This padded portion  110  is thus a single unitary pad which because of its unitary structure along the entire side of the glove provides for increased fit and form as well as increased protection due to the absence of any seam in this padded portion. A seam  116  extends between the padded portion  66  and the padded portion  110  for added flexibility. The thumb portion  22  has a plurality of protected padded portions formed thereon. The thumb portion  22  has a first padded portion  120  disposed adjacent a second padded portion  122  and separated by a seam  124 . The second padded portion  122  is disposed adjacent a third padded portion, which is sub-divided into a first part  126  and a second part  128  by a die cut or seam  130 . A second die cut  132  is disposed between the second padded portion  122  and the first and second parts of the third padded portion  126 ,  128 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5 and 8 , which illustrate the palm portion  16  of the glove  10 . The palm portion  16  extends from the lower edge of the hand portion  12  adjacent the seam  54  to the tips of the finger portions  20  and the tip of the thumb portion  22 . The palm portion  16  is attached to each of the respective padded portions  98  of each finger portion  20  by a breathable layer  136 , such as a mesh. The breathable layer  136  allows for flexibility of the fingers within the finger portions  20  as well as to provide sufficient ventilation through the breathable layer  136  to a wearer&#39;s fingers. As shown, the palm portion  16  is preferably comprised of a durable material such as leather, a synthetic material, or any other known suitable material, generally illustrated by reference number  138 . The durable material preferably includes a textured surface, such as a nash, to provide a wearer with a better grip of a handle or stick. Breathable portions  140 ,  142  and  144 , such as mesh, are preferably located throughout the palm portion  16  to provide ventilation to a wearer&#39;s palm. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that other suitable breathable materials may be utilized. In one embodiment, the breathable portions  140 ,  142 , and  144  are located in the palm portion  16  in areas that are not intended as primary contact areas for a stick. 
     The first breathable portion  140  is preferably located at the junction between the palm portion  16  and the thumb portion  22 . The first breathable portion  140  allows the thumb portion  22  to move with respect to the palm portion  16  without causing the palm material to bunch or bulge as typically occurs if the entire palm portion  16  is formed of a wear-resistant material. Additionally, the second breathable portion  142  is disposed on the palm portion  16  at the junction  84  between the hand portion  12  and the finger portions  20  to allow relative movement therebetween and to prevent bunching up of material at that joint as would typically occur if that portion were comprised of a wear-resistant material. Each of the finger portions  20  has a plurality of finger vent holes  148  formed in the durable wear-resistant material to provide ventilation to the wearer&#39;s fingers. The finger vent holes  148  are preferably formed by punching and must be formed far enough apart to prevent the durable material from ripping or tearing. The finger portions  20  also have a larger breathable portion  146 , such as mesh, located further away from the palm portion  16  than the finger vent holes  148  to provide additional ventilation to the finger portions of the wearer&#39;s palm. The third breathable portion  144  is also disposed in areas that are not likely to wear due to contact with a stick. The third breathable portion  144  is also disposed in locations that allow the glove to flex and therefore prevent bunching. Further, all of the breathable portions  140 ,  142 ,  144 ,  146 , provide ventilation to the wearer&#39;s palm. It should be understood that more or less breathable portions may be included and the locations shown are merely exemplary and may obviously vary. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8 , and  10 - 12 , a subcuff portion  160  of the glove  10  is shown, the subcuff portion  160  is substantially contained within the cuff portion  16 . The subcuff portion  160  is preferably configured as a unitary padded strip consisting of a middle region  162  and a pair of end portions  164 ,  166 . The middle region  162  preferably is formed with foam padding or other protective material to protect the wearer&#39;s hand and wrist. A hook and loop attachment  168 ,  170  is coupled to each respective end portions  164 ,  166  of the subcuff portion  160 . The subcuff portion  160  is also secured to the inner side  172  of the first cuff segment  24  using an elastic member  174  and to the inner side  176  of the third cuff segment  28  using another elastic member  178 . It will be understood that the subcuff portion  160  can be attached to the cuff portion  18  in a variety of different ways, i.e. more or less elastic straps, or other compliant material or at a variety of different locations. Alternatively, the subcuff portion  160  can be flexibly attached to other portions of the glove  10 . Further, the end portions  164 ,  166  of the subcuff portion can be secured to one another by a variety of other suitable ways. In fact, the subcuff portion  160  could be formed as a single unitary piece with sufficient flexibility to allow a wearer to fit their hand therethrough. 
     In one embodiment, the wearer of the glove  10  inserts their hand within the interior space  180  of the glove  10  with the hook and loop attachments  168 ,  170  uncoupled from each other. To ensure proper fit, the subcuff portion  160  is positioned circumferentially around the wearer&#39;s wrist when the wearer has completely inserted their hand within the interior region of the glove  10  such that the wearer&#39;s fingers extend to the tips of the respective finger portions  20 . The wearer then attaches the hook and loop attachment  168 ,  170  together around the wearer&#39;s wrist such that the middle region  162  of the subcuff portion  160  substantially covers and protects the wearer&#39;s wrist and hand by substantially surrounding the circumference of the wearer&#39;s wrist as the end portions  164 ,  166  are secured by connecting to hook and loop attachments  168 ,  170 . The hook and loop attachments  168 ,  170  allow the subcuff portion  160  to be secured tightly around the wrist during play for maximum protection and playability. To remove the glove after play, a wearer first uncouples the end portions  164 ,  166  from one another to allow the wearer to easily remove their hand from the interior  180  region of the glove. The hook and loop attachments  168 ,  170  allow the wearer to decide how tightly or loosely they wish to secure the subcuff portion  160  circumferentially around their wrist. Of course, while hook and loop attachments are the preferred method for coupling together the ends  164 ,  166  of the subcuff portion  160 , other methods well known to those of ordinary skill in the art may also be utilized. For example, a lace could be threaded through the ends  164 ,  166  and tied such that the subcuff portion  160  is secured completely around a wearer&#39;s wrist and/or forearm. 
     Because the subcuff portion  160  is only coupled to the cuff portion  18  using elastic members  174 ,  178  (i.e. the subcuff portion  160  “floats” within the cuff region  18 ), the wearer of the glove  10  is allowed substantial wrist movement in any direction while conforming to protect a wearer&#39;s hand and wrist as it moves during play. In other words, the subcuff portion  160  moves independently of and with respect to the cuff portion  18 . This is emphasized especially in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , which shows the ability of the subcuff portion  160  to float between an unflexed position ( FIG. 11 ) and flexed position ( FIG. 12 ), wherein the wearer flexes his hand forward (i.e. wherein the palm of the hand moves closer to the wrist and wherein the back of the hand moves further away from the wrist). It will also be understood that the amount of free floating between the subcuff portion  160  and the cuff portion  18  may be adjustable through an adjustable attachment therebetween. 
     As shown best in  FIG. 11 , when the wearer&#39;s wrist is in an un-flexed position, characterized wherein the length of the wearer&#39;s forearm is substantially planar to the back of a wearer&#39;s hand, a plane along the length of the subcuff portion  160  defined by the edge portions  160 A,  160 B of the subcuff portion  160  also runs substantially planar to the back side portion  14  of the glove  10 . In other words, in the unflexed position, a wearer&#39;s palm is generally planar to the underside of the wearer&#39;s forearm. In this un-flexed position, the interior of the subcuff portion  160  substantially abuts the circumference of the wearer&#39;s wrist, hand and forearm. In the flexed position, as shown in  FIG. 12 , characterized wherein the palm portion  16  of the hand flexes forward towards the wrist, characterized by arrows  182 , the subcuff portion  160  floats to remain substantially co-planar with respect to the wearer&#39;s forearm length, and substantially non-planar with respect to the wearer&#39;s hand. In other words, in the flexed position, the edge portions  160 A,  160 B do not lie in the same plane as the back side portion  14  of the glove  10 . In this way, when the glove is flexed, the interior of the subcuff portion  160  remains substantially abutted to the circumference of the wearer&#39;s wrist, therein allowing maximum protection to the wrist as the subcuff portion  180  overlies a wearer&#39;s wrist throughout the hand&#39;s full range of motion. In addition, the subcuff portion  160  allows for maximum rotation of the wearer&#39;s wrist, therein allowing maximum playability for the wearer. 
     As shown best in  FIGS. 10 through 12 , the cuff portion  18  is flared outwardly with respect to the back side portion  14  of the wearer&#39;s hand. With conventional gloves, the cuff portion  18  extends from the glove such that it is oriented generally planar to the back side portion  14  of the glove  10 . The outwardly flared orientation in this embodiment allows for maximum flexibility, as the wearer will be able to more readily flex his hand during play without the range of motion being impeded by the cuff portion. By flaring the cuff outwardly, the hand and wrist have a larger range of travel. In one embodiment, the cuff portion  18  is outwardly flared at approximately a 45° angle. This flared cuff  18  thus provides maximum flexibility and in combination with the subcuff portion  160  which provides protection to a wearer&#39;s wrist when the glove is flexed also yields maximum protection. The degree to which the cuff portion  18  is flared can change. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, each of the segment  24 ,  26 ,  28  are outwardly flared, i.e. the lower edge is disposed further away from the wearer&#39;s forearm than the upper edge. However, the second edge portion  24  of the wrist cuff segment is flared outwardly more than the first edge portion  32 . Similarly the first edge portion  40  of the third cuff segment  28  is flared outwardly more than the second edge portion  42 . 
     Also shown on  FIGS. 13 and 14  is an internal liner pad  190  contained within the subcuff portion  160  and coupled to the seam  52 . The internal liner pad  190  provides a tighter fit for a wearer&#39;s hand within the interior region of the glove  10  that enhances playability and protection. The internal liner pad  190  has an inlet  192  that corresponds to the thumb portion  22  when the liner pad  190  is tucked within the interior region of the glove. The liner pad  190  also has a plurality of openings  194 ,  196 ,  198  that correspond with vent portions  92 ,  94 , and  96 . This allows ventilation to the wearer&#39;s hand when the internal liner pad  190  is tucked within the interior region of the glove  10 . A hook and loop attachment  200  is located at the end of the liner pad  190 , which couples to the interior region of the glove near the vertical seam  86  to secure the liner pad  190  within the interior region, as best shown in  FIG. 13 . The liner pad  190  may be placed in an open position, as shown in  FIG. 14 , to allow the liner pad  190  and interior region of the glove to dry during non-use. The inner liner pad  190  can be attached to the glove at a variety of different locations as will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. 
     While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only in terms of the appended claims.