Patent Publication Number: US-2015072579-A1

Title: Swimming gloves

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to gloves that bias a hand into an optimal position for swimming. In particular, it relates to gloves that promote muscle memory of the optimal hand position and improve swimming performance. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     New swimmers and those learning to swim most often exhibit one of two reactions on entering the water. They may show a ‘startle’ reflex leading to splayed fingers or a stress reflex tending to curl the fingers into a fist. 
     Either reaction is detrimental to swimming performance as it limits the power of the hand to push water down the body, the key propulsion mechanism in all four functional strokes. 
     New swimmers and those learning to swim often struggle with a number of barriers to developing efficient strokes, such as getting the correct body position to remain buoyant, keeping the kick going, getting the arm action rhythmic and effective and breathing. These barriers can take a considerable amount of time to overcome and the ability of new swimmers to focus on overcoming multiple barriers simultaneously is limited. 
     Furthermore, all swimmers suffer inefficiency in their stroke without optimisation of their hand position for swimming. 
     The present invention seeks to address these and other problems. 
     Whilst it is noted that there are a wide range of swimming aids and gloves readily available, the purpose of these is to provide additional thrust during a stroke by widening the effective hand width, either by a hard surface paddle that has an increased surface area or through a mechanism that provides webbing between the fingers. 
     They do not take into consideration the need to optimise a swimmer&#39;s hand position. Specifically, they do not limit the fingers ability to spread widely, in fact many promote this poor finger position, and they do not constrain the ability of the fingers to touch one another or to ball into a fist. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention there is provided a glove for biasing a user&#39;s hand into an optimal position for swimming, the glove comprising a resilient portion that reduces splaying of fingers during a swimming stroke. 
     The glove/paddle may be comprise finger portions that extend to the first knuckle of the outside fingers, i.e. ring and baby fingers, when being worn, and these finger portions may be non-webbed. 
     The resilient and/or an elasticated portion may surround the fingers when being worn. 
     The glove may be of laminar construction and comprise a resilient member that consists of one or more layers of resilient material and/or an elasticated component. 
     The glove may comprise an adjustable attachment means. 
     The glove may be made of neoprene, and the resilient portion may be made of moulded plastic. 
     Using the glove of the present invention a new swimmer or a learner can achieve an optimal hand position for swimming. Additionally, with prolonged use of the glove of the present invention, the new swimmer or learner will train their muscle memory to automatically adopt the optimal hand position when swimming even when the aid is no longer in use. 
     Furthermore, more experienced swimmers will be able to use the glove of the present invention to attain an optimal hand position and improve their swimming efficiency and performance. 
     Also, the invention enables the barriers to swimming to be reduced by ensuring that swimmers are able to maintain sufficient forward momentum to remain buoyant and thereby become stronger swimmers. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a glove of the present invention in an open conformation; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a glove of the present invention in a closed conformation; 
         FIG. 3  is an elevation view of a glove of the present invention in a closed conformation; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded elevation view of a glove of the present invention in a closed conformation; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective right hand view showing a glove of the present invention in a closed conformation; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective left hand view showing a glove of the present invention in a closed conformation; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view showing a glove of the present invention being worn; 
         FIG. 8  is an underneath view showing a glove of the present invention being worn; and 
         FIG. 9  is a side view showing a glove of the present invention being worn. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. 
     It is not natural for people to swim efficiently as this activity is not optimised during human evolution (Minetti et al. 2009. Biomechanics 42:2188-2190). Therefore, people need to actively learn to swim and develop efficient techniques to support this ability. This process requires learning to hold and move individual limbs and body parts and the coordination of many individual actions. 
     Typical human reactions to stress include a startle reflex that includes splaying of fingers, while reaction to pressure often results in clenching of the fist. Even mild forms of such reactions displayed by new or learning swimmers on entering the water will reduce or limit the efficiency of a swimming stroke. 
     Hand position of elite swimmers has been studied, and an optimal hand position for swimming determined. This optimal hand position is found in a resting hand with fingers adopting a naturally spaced position where the gap between fingers are equal to half the width of the fingers. This hand position can increase the power of the hand action by up to 53% compared to widely spaced or closed fingers (Lorente et al. 2012. Journal of Theoretical Science 308:141-146). 
     As provided in  FIG. 1 , a glove of the present invention promotes the adoption of the optimal hand position in a swimming stroke. The glove of  FIG. 1  is formed from a body member  1  having a thumb opening/hole  2 , closure flaps  3 , finger portions  4 , a resilient member  5  and an additional layer member  6 . The resilient member may also be an elasticated component. The finger portions  4  and the resilient member  5  are connected to opposing faces of the body member  1 , and an additional layer member  6  is attached to the resilient member. The glove may by secured to the hand, in use, by securing together of the closure flaps  3  using an engagement means  8  such as a hook and loop type fastener. The engagement means forming an adjustable attachment means. In the closed position the glove is secured to the user&#39;s hand during a swimming stroke. The finger portions  4  are dimensioned to only extend from the palm to or below the first knuckle of a user&#39;s hand. 
     It will be appreciated that alternative arrangements of the finger portions  4  and resilient member  5  can be provided. For example, they may be in direct contact, they may be separated by the body member as shown or they may be separated by one or more layer members. Additionally, the resilient member may extend the full length or only part of the length of the finger portions. 
     It will be further appreciated that the body member  1 , the finger portions  4  and/or the additional layer member  6  may be made of any material that does not noticeably increase resistance of the hand in water or increase buoyancy of the hand, for example, neoprene. 
     It will also be appreciated that the resilient member  5  will be made of a resilient material that is capable of providing a biasing resistance to restrict or inhibit the movement of individual fingers during a swimming stroke, for example, moulded plastic. 
       FIGS. 2-6  show the glove of  FIG. 1  in a closed configuration with closure flaps  3  engaged so as to secure the glove to a user&#39;s hand. 
     It will also be appreciated that any suitable engaging mechanism can be provided to secure the closure flaps  3  such that, in use, the glove is secured to the hand during a swimming stroke. 
       FIGS. 7-9  show a glove of the present invention in use with closure flaps secured to secure the glove to the hand, the finger portions  4  encircling the fingers and connected to the resilient member  5 . 
     As mentioned above for  FIGS. 1-6 , a suitable engaging mechanism can be provided on one or more closure flaps to ensure that the glove remains secured to the hand when in use. 
     As mentioned above for  FIGS. 1-6 , an additional layer member covers the resilient member. In the arrangement of  FIG. 8 , the resilient member  5  is not covered by a layer member. 
     As will be appreciated from the above description, the present invention provides a glove that enables biasing a swimmer&#39;s hand to an optimal position during a swimming stroke. It also enables a new swimmer or a learner swimmer to develop the required muscle memory to promote an optimal hand position during a swimming stroke. 
     It will also be appreciated that a moulded paddle with equivalent functionality may also be designed. 
     The present invention promotes optimal hand position for swimming which is defined as slightly curved palm and fingers, with fingers lengthened and naturally spaced, where the inter-digit distance is approximately half of the digit width. This position is equivalent to standing with hands at rest by the side of the body. 
     Hands held in an optimised position when in the water have a significantly increased power. Optimal hand position is hard to maintain, even for those who are aware of it because it requires focus on fine motor control of the fingers when many gross motor movements are occurring simultaneously, such as kicking legs and moving arms, that distract the brain from hand position. The present invention allows a user to develop this. 
     The human body is capable of developing a sense of muscle memory for much repeated movements to the point that the movement is completed in an identical fashion often without the person even being consciously aware, such as changing gear while driving. Developing muscle memory for unhelpful habits, such as widely spaced fingers while swimming, is particularly hard to correct. A focus on developing positive habits early on in skill development enables those habits to become embedded in that persons on-going behaviour, to become a sub-conscious skill 
     In this way, the invention is an aid that enables optimal hand position while swimming, without the user having to consciously remember to hold their fingers correctly. Furthermore it will increase the user&#39;s hand power, increasing the rate at which they can overcome barriers to learning to swim or improving their swimming, while also enabling the muscle memory of optimal hand position to be a skill they carry with them for life.