Patent Abstract:
A glove with enhanced gripping capabilities that makes maintaining a grip for a user, less taxing and less fatiguing for the user&#39;s hand and forearm muscles. More particularly, a grip-enhancing glove, and method for maintaining a grip, which enables a user to maintain a prolonged grip without incurring undesirable effects.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a glove with enhanced gripping capabilities that makes maintaining a grip for a user, less taxing and less fatiguing for the user&#39;s hand and forearm muscles. More particularly, the present invention entails a grip-enhancing glove and a method for maintaining a grip that enables a user to maintain a prolonged grip without incurring undesirable effects, as described herein. 
     2. Background and Related Art 
     Many sports and other activities require a participant to maintain a prolonged grip around a generally cylindrical object, such as a handle bar. Unfortunately, maintaining such a grip often fatigues the sports participant or user&#39;s hand and forearm muscles. In fact, to create a strong grip requires great strength from multiple muscles. Specifically, to form a grip, the flexor muscles of the forearm pull the flexor tendons in the hand. The large amount of tension generated in these muscles and forearm causes hypertrophy, which occurs when the muscles grow in size and fictional capacity to meet the demands placed on it. Thus, prolonged grips and the inability to maintain them becomes a limiting factor for users participating in activities requiring prolonged grips. 
     Moreover, certain activities cause premature hand and muscle fatigue and consequent grip failure. Grip failure occurs where there is constant direct pressure countering the grip, which eventually forces the grip to open. For example, if a user is strength training and using either a hanging bar or lifting a dumbbell, pressure is continually exerted on the palm of the hand. Eventually, if the force is big enough, it causes the hand to open and the grip to release. Another example involves a user who grips a motorcycle handlebar. While riding, a motorcycle rider, must exert great forces in order to grip and maintain the grip. Specifically, the rider exerts force to hold the bar, must endure the vibration of the bar, and maintain a steady grip for long distance rides. The rider must also vary the pressure to which he or she grips the handlebar, further fostering muscle fatigue. 
     Many users wear gloves to alleviate the wear and tear on their hands that results from users making prolonged grips. Gloves with non-slip surfaces also provide enhanced gripping capabilities and greater grip strength. However, the problem remains unresolved, and there exists a need, for a glove or method for maintaining a prolonged grip, which enables a user to maintain a grip for an extended period of time, without incurring the undesirable effects of hand wear and tear and hand and forearm muscle fatigue. Moreover, there exists the need for a glove that postpones hand, forearm and muscle fatigue and allows a user to maintain a grip for greater lengths of time and under greater pressures than are possible with available gloves. 
     SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Some embodiments of the present invention provide a glove that can be manipulated into a grip position so that a user wearing such a glove is able to maintain the grip for a prolonged period of time, without incurring normally-occurring fatigue resulting from such a prolonged grip. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a glove is provided that has a hand-receiving area, a palmar side, a dorsal side, finger compartments for receiving the user&#39;s fingers and cords running either longitudinally and bilaterally along the sides and tip of each finger compartment, or just longitudinally along the palmar-region of the finger compartments. The cords are either integrally connected to the finger compartments, or they are able to move relative to the finger compartments. The cords may also be connected to the finger compartments or to the glove by loop-shaped elements. These loop-shaped elements need not necessarily be circular or looped, yet should be shaped in a way as to receive the generally cylindrically-shaped cords within them. The cords congregate at or around either the wrist or palm region into a gathering and tightening feature. This gathering and tightening feature receives the cords and enables a user to pull the cords downward, through the gathering and tightening feature, toward the wrist thereby drawing the fingers and finger compartments into a grip. The user may then secure the cords by activating the tightening mechanism in the gathering and tightening feature. Once the cords are secure, the fingers are precluded, without user manipulation, from opening into their extended state, and thus, a grip is formed and maintained. 
     The foregoing description entails the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, where the cords run longitudinally along the palmar side of the finger compartments, they are connected to the finger compartments by horizontal straps as well the loop-shaped elements. These horizontal straps help optimally connect the cords to the glove. 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, the gathering and tightening feature is located in the palm area of the hand, in other embodiments the dorsal area of the hand, while in other embodiments, it is located below the wrist. In some embodiments, the looped-shaped element is located on each diametric side of the finger compartment at the metacarpophalangeal region. 
     In some embodiments, the cords are integrally connected to the finger compartments and do not move relative to the glove or the finger compartments. In other embodiments, the loop-shaped elements are interspersed along the finger compartments and the tip of the finger compartments. In this embodiment, the cords are movable relative to the finger compartments. However, in both foregoing embodiments, the cords congregate at a point below the finger compartments and the gathering and tightening feature. 
     In some embodiments of the present invention the cords are pre-tensioned. That is, in some embodiments of the present invention, the cords have a predetermined strength or rigidity, while in other embodiments, the cords are more flexible. The strength or rigidity of the cords depends on the needs of the user. In some embodiments, the cords may be removed and replaced with cords having different strengths or rigidities. 
     In other embodiments, some cords may be tightened while others are not, thus varying the amount of fingers and compartments that are forced into the grip. 
     In some embodiments, the gathering and tightening feature is fabric that receives the cords, wherein the user can somehow secure the cords within the feature or after so that it is precluded from retreating from within the feature and becoming not secure so that the grip is not maintained. In other embodiments, the gathering and tightening feature is a solid mechanism that can secure the cords. 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, the glove described herein can be used by those who participate in various sports that require a strong, but prolonged grip, such as: mountain-biking; skiing; water-skiing; wind-surfing; or virtually any other sport that requires the hand to grip something. 
     In another embodiment, the palmar side of the glove is lined with an elastic material that is sewn into place, which causes pre-curving of the glove so that when the hand is inserted into the glove, it is forced into a gripping position, yet the hand can still extend and open as in the other embodiments. The elastic material may be made of different strengths for varying user needs. In some embodiments, any material known to one skilled in the art may be used that causes pre-curving of the glove into a gripping position and also allows for hand extension. 
     These and other embodiments of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description, drawings, and claims. Other embodiments will likewise become apparent from the practice of the invention as set forth hereafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the accompanying drawings when considered in conjunction with the following description and appended claims. Although the drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are thus, not to be deemed limiting of the invention&#39;s scope, the accompanying drawings help explain the invention in added detail. 
         FIG. 1  depicts one view of one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, 
         FIG. 1  shows the glove, as described herein, on a user&#39;s hand. 
         FIG. 2(   a ) depicts a similar representation as  FIG. 1 , but with the glove as transparent and the cords on the dorsal side of the user&#39;s hand. That is,  FIG. 2(   a ) depicts an embodiment of the present invention wher the glove is transparent so that one only views the cords, and not the glove to which the cords are integrally connected.  FIG. 2(   b ) again depicts a transparent view of the glove while displaying a non-transparent profile of the cord running alongside the user&#39;s finger. 
         FIG. 3  depicts  FIG. 2(   a ), again as if the glove was transparent. This figure, though, is a close-up of  FIG. 2(   a ). 
         FIGS. 4(   a ) and ( b ) are other embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 5(   a ) and ( b ) are even other embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 7(   a ), ( b ) and ( c ) depicts the embodiment represented in  FIG. 1 , but in a gripped position. 
         FIG. 8(   a ) shows a top view of one embodiment of the present invention while  FIG. 8(   b ) shows the top view of another embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  shows to positions of the embodiments of the present invention herein disclosed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     It is emphasized that the present invention, as illustrated in the figures and description herein, can be embodied in other forms. Thus, neither the drawings nor the following more detailed description of the various embodiments of the system and method of the present invention limit the scope of the invention. The drawings and detailed description are merely representative of the particular embodiments of the invention; the substantive scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims. The various embodiments of the invention will best be understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like elements are designated by like alphanumeric character throughout. 
     With reference now to the accompanying drawing,  FIG. 1  depicts one view of one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically,  FIG. 1  shows a user&#39;s hand  12  in a glove  10 , which is the subject of the present invention. This view is of the palmar side of the hand  12 . In this embodiment, the cords  14  that are integrally connected to the glove  10 , dangle below the wrist  16 . However, in other embodiments they might not be exposed or covered by a gathering and tightening feature  36 . (shown later) This gathering and tightening feature  36  may comprise a fastener, a lock, or a patch of fabric with securing capabilities, which precludes the cords  14  from becoming unsecured without activation from the user. 
       FIG. 2(   a ) depicts a similar representation as  FIG. 1 , but with the glove  10  as transparent and the cords  14  on the dorsal side of the user&#39;s hand. That is,  FIG. 2(   a ) depicts an embodiment of the present invention where the glove  10  is transparent so that only the cords  14  are viewable, and not the glove  10  to which the cords  14  are integrally connected. This figure also depicts the dorsal side  13  of the user&#39;s hand  12 . In contrast, the palmar side  11  is on the opposite side of the dorsal side  13  and is not viewable in this figure. In this embodiment, the cords  14  run bilaterally along the diametric sides  20  of finger compartments  22  that receive a user&#39;s finger  24 . The cords  14  are integrally attached to the glove  10  at certain areas, but not at other areas. This will be more fully explained below. Moreover, the finger compartments  22  are part of the glove  10 , and because the fingers  24  are substantially cylindrical, four different areas of the finger  24  will be identified and referred to in order to demonstrate where the cords  14  connect with the glove  10 . These areas are best illustrated in  FIG. 2(   b ). 
       FIG. 2(   b ) depicts a transparent side view of the user&#39;s finger  24  with the cord  14  running alongside. As mentioned above, the finger compartments  22  receiving the finger  24 , which are transparent in this Figure, have four sides: a dorsal-region  26  that is on the same plane as the dorsal side  13  of the glove  10 ; a palmar-region  28 , diametric sides  20 ; and a tip  30 . The diametric sides  20  are, as their name suggests, opposite one another. Put another way, the diametric sides  20  are on the sides of the finger  24 , which are not the dorsal-region  26  or the palmar-region  28 . 
     Returning now to  FIG. 2(   a ), the cords  14  that run alongside the diametric sides  20  of the finger compartments  22  may be connected to the glove  10  in a variety of ways. However, the way displayed in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2(   a ), depicts loop-shaped elements  32  that receive the cords  14  at the area where the cords  14  are not integrally connected to the diametric sides  20  of the glove  10 . Specifically, the cords  14  run through these loop-shaped elements  32  at a region known as the metacarpophalangeal joint region  34 . Though their name conveys otherwise, these loop-shaped elements  32  do not necessarily need to be circular, but shaped in a way as to enable the cylindrically-shaped cords  14  to move within them, relative to the glove  10 . That is, the loop-shaped elements  32  enable the cords  14  to move back and forth within them. This motion enables the user to pull and release the cords, thereby enabling and releasing the grip, respectively. 
     Thus, in  FIG. 2(   a ) the cords  14  are integrally connected to the glove  10  as they run longitudinally and bilaterally along the diametric sides  20  of the finger compartments  22 . At the metacarpophalangeal joint region  34 , though, the cords  14  become no longer integrally connected to the glove  10  and are received within the loop-shaped elements  32  where they ( 14 ) are movable relative to the glove  10 . The cords  14  are then congregated into a gathering and tightening feature  36 . A user may then pull the cords  14 , which forces the fingers  24  within the finger compartments  22  to curl toward the palm  48  of the glove  10  and thereby, to form a grip. The user may then secure the cords  14  by either activating the gathering and tightening feature  36  so that the tightening portion of the gathering and tightening feature  36  secures the cords. Alternatively, the cords  14  can be tied so that the grip is maintained. Other ways to secure the cords  14  may be used, such as by using clamps, fasteners, and any other device or mechanism (all of which may be incorporated into the gathering and tightening feature  36 ), which prevents the cords  14  from retreating back through the loop-shaped elements  32  and thereby, causing the grip to release. 
     Thus, as described in the background section, pulling the cords  14  and enabling the gathering and tightening feature  36  allows users desiring a prolonged grip, to have such a grip, yet relax their hand in the grip so as to not overuse muscles within the hand and forearm. Moreover, such a “forced” grip mitigates the potential for hand and muscle fatigue often associated with those sports activities or activities where users maintain a prolonged grip. 
       FIG. 3  depicts  FIG. 2(   a ) again as if the glove was transparent. This figure, though, is a close-up of the loop-shaped elements  32  that integrally connect the cords to the glove and the gathering and tightening feature  36 . Similarly to  FIG. 2(   a ), in this embodiment, the cords  14  slide through the loop-shaped elements  32 , with relative motion to the glove  10 , when the user pulls the cords  14  so a grip is formed and secured. 
       FIGS. 4(   a ) and ( b ),  5 ( a ) and ( b ), and  6  depict other embodiments of the present invention that allow the user to maintain a grip. Specifically,  4 ( a ) depicts an alternative embodiment of the present invention where the cords  14 , unlike in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , do not gather at a gathering and tightening feature  36 , but instead run through loop-shaped elements  32  located closer to the wrist  16 . Similarly to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the cords  14  run longitudinally and bilaterally along the diametric sides  20  of the finger compartments  22 , but in this embodiment they are not integrally connected to the diametric sides  20  of the finger compartments  22 . Rather, the cords  14  are able to move relative to the finger compartments  22  through loop-shaped elements that are interspersed along the finger compartments  22 . In this specific embodiment, the loop-shaped elements  32  may be placed at the distal interphalangeal joint  40 , the proximal interphalangeal joint  42 , and perhaps even again at the metacarpophalangeal joint region  34 . To optimize the way the cords  14  run through the loop-shaped elements  32  and to ensure that the cords  14  are sufficiently integrally connected with the glove  10 , locations for the loop-shaped elements  32  are depicted in  4 ( b ).  FIG. 4(   b ) is a view of one diametric side  20  of a finger compartment  22  and illustrates possible locations for the loop-shaped elements  32  that receive the cords  14 . For instance, one loop-shaped element  32  may be placed at the distal interphalangeal joint  40  on the palmar-side  28  of the finger compartments  22 , while another is at the dorsal-side  28  of the finger compartments  22 . Yet another can be placed at the metacarpophalangeal joint region  34  on the dorsal side  13 . Similarly, the foregoing placement of the loop-shaped elements  32  would be at the other diametric side  20  of the same finger compartment  22 . Also shown in  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ) are loop-shaped elements  32  found at the tip  30  of the finger compartment  22 . 
     Again, in  FIG. 4(   a ) rather than the cords being integrally connected along the diametric sides  20  of the finger compartments  22 , the cords  14  are able to move relative to glove  10  and the finger compartments  22 . The loop-shaped elements  32  are also found near the wrist  16 , showing how in various embodiments of the present invention the cords may be longer or shorter depending on the placement of the gathering and tightening feature  36 .  FIG. 4(   a ) shows the gathering and tightening feature  36  would be located below the loop-shaped elements  32  and below the wrist  16 . 
     In all the above embodiments, the cord  14  may be exposed on the outside of the glove  10 , located within the glove  10 , or layered between two pieces of fabric integrally connected to the glove  10 . Again, the cords  14  may be integrally secured to the diametric sides  20  of the finger compartments  22  or unconnected so that they may move relative to the finger compartments  22 . 
     Another embodiment is shown in  FIG. 5(   a ). In this Figure, the cords  14  connect after the metacarpophalangeal joint region  34  to form one combined cord  42  that then runs to a gathering and tightening feature  36 . Again in this figure, the cord  14  may be covered by stitches  44  that help integrally connect the cords to the finger compartments  22 .  FIG. 5(   b ) is a profile view of  5 ( a ). 
     In other embodiments not shown in figures, the gathering and tightening feature  36  might be activated by a hydraulic piston. 
       FIG. 6  depicts another embodiment of the present invention. Similarly to  FIG. 2 , this depiction makes the glove transparent so only the cords are viewable.  FIG. 6  displays the cords  14  running alongside the palmar-region  28  of the finger compartments of the palmar side  11  of the glove  10 . That is, the cords  14  are not on the diametric sides  20 , or bilaterally placed on the finger compartments  22 , but rather, run along the palmar-side  28  of the finger compartments  22 . The loop-shaped elements  32  are also placed differently. Similarly to the cords  14 , in this embodiment, they run in vertical alignment with the finger compartments  22 . The cords are secured by horizontal straps  46  that are received by the loop-shaped elements  32 . The horizontal straps  46  run from one diametric side  20  to the other  20  so they can be received within the loop-shaped elements  32  in order to help integrally connect the cords  14  to the finger compartments  22 . The cords  14  in this embodiment run from below the tip  30 , or even on the tip  30 , vertically downward toward and below the wrist  16 . They are not attached at the palm  48 , but rather, around the wrist  16 , so that they may be pulled by a user to draw the finger compartments  22  down and force the glove  10  into a grip. 
       FIG. 7(   a ) depicts the embodiment represented in  FIG. 1 , but in a gripped position. That is, in this Figure, the user&#39;s hand is contracted inward and the fingers  24  (and corresponding finger compartments  22 ) are pulled toward the palm  48  resulting in a grip. The present invention, therefore, enables a user to maintain a gripped position, without having to heavily rely on the hand and arm muscles to maintain the grip.  FIGS. 7(   b ) and  7 ( c ) depict two side views of the user&#39;s hand in the glove:  7 ( b ) depicting the hand gripping a cylindrical object while  7 ( c ) depicts the hand in gripping position without the cylindrical object. 
       FIG. 8(   a ) shows a top view of one embodiment of the present invention displaying the tip  30  of the finger compartment  22  with the cord  14  running along the tip  30  and along the diametric sides  20  of the finger compartment  22 . This is the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 8(   b ) shows an alternative embodiment where the cord  14  aligns the palmar-side  28  of the finger compartments  22  (not shown.) 
       FIG. 9  shows two positions of the embodiments of the present invention herein disclosed. In position (a) the glove  10  is in the initial position, where the fingers of a user are protruded and extended and the palm  48  is opened and flat. Position (b) demonstrates the cords  14  having been pulled by the user and thereby, creating a grip. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0