Patent Abstract:
A glove storage case for storing and protecting a glove having glove pocket and palm area having a predefined shape is provided using a closable shape retaining container with a shaper having a shaped surface on which the shaped glove pocket and at least a portion of palm area of the glove is received and which essentially conforms with their predefined shapes so that when stored the glove retains its shape. Movement between the glove and shaper is limited when the glove is in position on the shaper without the application of deforming pressure against a side of said glove opposite the shaper.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a case for gloves, particularly baseball gloves where a glove stored therein is protect from the elements and it shape is retained 
       BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0002]    Very good gloves used for sports particularly baseball have definite predefined shape that forms, for example. The pocket into which the ball is received when caught. When the glove loses this shape it becomes less suitable for its intended purpose and thus in many cases must be replaced generally at a significant cost. Such changes in shape are facilitated if the glove becomes wet and is not properly died or it is stored for significant periods of time in a distorted shape. 
         [0003]    There have been a few proposals that are directed toward solving at least some of these problems. One of the earliest of which Applicant is aware is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,849 issued Dec. 6, 1983 to Santa which teaches a hinged baseball glove former and carrier made from molded plastic which provides a substantially fixed shape and wherein the plastic is intended to snap back against the glove and apply pressure thereto. The concept is to place a ball into the pocket of the glove and then the glove is folded around the ball. Clearly the intent is to deform the glove ((along it natural fold) to ensure engagement of the ball in the pocket of the glove and to maintain pressure against the glove to maintained it in its distorted shape embracing the ball. Such pressure and distortion of the glove is not an effective way to preserve the shape of the glove. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,162 issued Oct. 31, 1989 to McGialey teaches a shaper for distorting the shape of the glove to form a pocket the shape of which is determined by the pliable arms of the device that are attached to the lacing to form the glove into the defined shape. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,677 issued Dec. 7, 1993 to Nash describes a pocket forming device that is placed into the pocket of the glove and the glove deformed into contact with the device. 
         [0006]    Yet another device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,368 issued Feb. 9, 1999 to MacDonald which describes a device using a ball mounted on a pedestal and places the glove so that the pocket of the glove receives the ball and forces (deforms) the glove against the ball. 
         [0007]    It is apparent that all the prior art devices require deformation of the glove which is simply not acceptable when practicing the present invention as such deformation changes the shape of the glove thereby making the glove less acceptable and likely will result in the glove being discarded prematurely. Similarly nothing in the prior art provides a case that will protect the glove form weather and from being wetted. A wet glove tends to lose its shape which is what the present invention is intended to minimizes. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide and improved glove case for protecting storing and transporting a playing glove such as a baseball glove while maintaining the shape of the glove. 
         [0009]    Broadly the present invention relates to a closable glove storage case for storing and protecting a glove having a ball receiving space defined by surfaces of said glove and which define a palm area with a predefined shape having a mouth opening at its open end a major portion of the periphery of which is defined by free edge of a thumb receiving side of said glove and a free edge a small finger receiving side of said glove interconnected by an edge of a heal of said glove and a glove pocket area positioned at an end of said space remote from said mouth opening, comprising a closable shape retaining container having a base surface, a shaper extending from said base surface having a convex ball resembling surface at its end remote from remote from said base surface and positioned to be received in said glove pocket area of said glove when said glove is in position on said shaper and shaper surface extending between said convex ball resembling surface and said base surface at least adjacent to said thumb receiving portion when said glove is in position on said shaper, said shaper surface being shaped to essentially conform with its adjacent surface of said glove when said glove is positioned on said shaper and means to limit movement between said glove and said shaper when said glove is in position on said shaper without the application of a glove deforming pressure against a side of said glove opposite said shaper when said glove is in position on said shaper. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the convex ball resembling surface is spaced from said base so that when said glove is positioned on said shaper said glove pocket area contacts said shaper on said convex ball resembling surface and said base adjacent to said mouth defining portion. 
         [0011]    Preferably, a shaper surface interconnects said base surface and said convex ball resembling surface and is positioned to engage with said palm area on both the thumb side and said little finger side of said glove. 
         [0012]    Preferably, shaper surface interconnects said base surface and said convex ball resembling surface completely around said mouth opening when said glove is in position on said shaper and said shaper surface essentially conforms to the adjacent surface of said glove when positioned on said shaper over throughout said palm area of said glove. 
         [0013]    Preferably, said means to limit movement between said glove and said shaper when said glove is in position on said shaper without the application of pressure against a side of said glove opposite said ball receiving space comprises walls of said shape retaining closable container positioned in close proximity of said glove when said glove is in said container in position on said shaper. 
         [0014]    Preferably the shape retaining container is provided with a closable lid that forms at least one of said walls of said container 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Further features, objects and advantages will be evident from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which; 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is an isometric illustration of a typical baseball glove viewed from the free end (looking toward the tips of the finger and thumb receiving portions of the glove. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic illustration in dash lines outlining the pocket and ball receiving space of the typical glove shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic isometric representation showing a glove in position in a glove case of the present invention with the cover transparent cover in a closed position  FIG. 2A  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  but showing the glove case with the glove removed. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a section on the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2  but with the transparent cover removed. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3A  is a section on the line  3 A- 3 A of  FIG. 2A  but with the transparent cover removed. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  but view from a direction perpendicular to that shown in  FIG. 2   
           [0022]      FIG. 4A  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  but showing the glove case with the glove removed. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a section on the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  but with the transparent cover removed. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5A  is a section on the line  5 A- 5 A of  FIG. 4A  but with the transparent cover removed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]      FIGS. 1 and 1A  illustrate a typical baseball glove  50  having a ball receiving space defined by surfaces  102  of said glove and which define a palm area surface  104  with a predefined shape and a glove pocket defined by surface  106  positioned at an end of said space  102  remote from a mouth opening  108  a major portion of the periphery of which is defined by free edge  110  of a thumb receiving portion or side  112  and a free edge  114  of a small finger receiving portion or side  116  of the glove  50  interconnected by an edge  118  of a heal of said glove to form a peripheral edge  120 .  FIG. 1A  schematically outlines in dash lines the pocket  106  the peripheral edge  120  ball receiving space  102  and the little finger and thumb outlines  114  and  112  respectively. 
         [0026]    Turning to  FIG. 2  the case  10  of the present invention is in the form of a shape retaining container  12  having a re-closeable lid  14  (transparent in the version illustrated to more clearly illustrate the invention but may be colored, etc.) and a bottom or base  16  that provides a base surface  18 . A shaper  20  projects from the base  18  and has a convex ball resembling surface or portion  23  defining its end remote from the base  18  and an exposed shaper surface  22  that extends from edge of surface  23  to the base  18  and is formed as will be described in more detail herein below to essentially mimic the predefined shape of the palm portion  104  of the glove  50  into which it is to be received. 
         [0027]    As is well known, high quality gloves  50  are formed with a shaped palm area  104  having a predefined shape that includes a predefined a glove pocket  106  i.e. the gloves each have a specifically shaped palm area  104  which directs the ball being caught to the predefined glove pocket  106  where the ball, when caught, normally comes to rest. The ball pocket  106  is essentially concave to match with the surface of the ball with which it is intended to be used. The shaper surface  22  as described above is contoured to essentially conform to the predefined shape of the palm area  104  of the glove  50  to be received thereon and will include a substantially a convex ball resembling surface or portion  23  that is received in the glove pocket  106  and is coordinated with the size of the ball with which the glove  50  is to be used. Generally the surface  22  extending from the periphery of the convex surface  23  to the base  18  will essentially conform with the adjacent surface  102  of the glove  50 . When the glove  50  is in position on the shaper  20  convex portion  23  will contact the adjacent surface of the pocket  106  of the glove  50  as will the base  18  and adjacent edge  120  of the glove  50 . By the term essentially conform with it is intended that the surface  22  will just touch the adjacent surface of the glove  50  and in any event will not be spaced more than about 0.25 inches there from when the glove  50  is properly positioned on the shaper  20 . 
         [0028]    As above indicated the surface  22  will generally extend from the convex ball resembling portion  23  to the base  18  from which the shaper  24  extends. Preferably the shaper surface  22  and convex portion  23  will essentially conform to the whole area  102  and glove pocket  106  of the glove  50  that the case is intended to house, however, it also possible to limit the surface  22  so that it only essentially conforms with the glove in the area of the surface  22  that is adjacent to the thumb portion  122  and index finger  127  of the glove  50  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0029]    As above indicated, by essentially conform it is intended that that the size of the shaper surface may be equal to or slightly smaller than the corresponding glove surface (i.e. provide, at most, a small clearance between the glove and surface  22  (less than 0.25 inches)) and the height of convex surface  23  above the base surface  18  is the depth of the pocket  106  in the glove  50  so that when the glove  50  is in proper position on the shaper  20  its peripheral edge  120  rests on the base surface  18  and pocket  106  on the convex ball resembling surface or portion  23  and the remainder of the surface is positioned relative to the surface  22  as described above. It will also be apparent that the term essentially conform does not require complete conformity the surface  22  could be dimpled, striated, etc. provided it is in position to prevent significant distortion of the glove. 
         [0030]    As shown particularly in  FIGS. 2 ,  2 A,  4 ,  4 A the top or closure  14  is provided with a handle  24  for opening and closing the top by in the illustrated version pivoting as schematically indicated by the arrow  26  on hinge  28  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) between open position (not shown) with the glove  50  or surface  22  fully exposed and the closed position as illustrated  14 . 
         [0031]    When the case  10  is closed with a glove  50  mounted on the shaper  20  the sides and top of the case will be in close proximity to the glove  50  to prevent significant dislocation of the glove relative to the shaper  20  i.e. at the closest point(s) the glove to the walls of the case  10  will not normally be more that 0.5 inches from the adjacent wall or top. Also the contact between the glove  50  and the shaper  20  tends to hold the glove in position on the shaper  20 . It is also possible to include a foam or the like (not shown) on the inside of the case particularly along the inside the top that may apply a slight pressure to hold the glove  50  in place on the shaper  22  when the case is closed. Any contact between the such foam and the glove  50  will not apply sufficient pressure to deform the glove i.e. the glove in position in the case  10  will not be subject to any pressure that could distort the glove as the foam will collapse to limit the pressure applied be significantly less than that required to distort the glove  50  by only using a foam that compresses significantly more easily than the glove may be deformed. 
         [0032]    The lid or closure  14  may be held in closed position and the container or case  12  maintained substantially waterproof to protect a glove contained therein by any suitable closure means—for example by telescoping with the base and/or a wall extension project from the base surface  18  around its periphery away therefrom; in the illustrated arrangement a zipper type closure  30  has been provided but any suitable means may be employed. 
         [0033]    Having described the invention, modifications will be evident to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0