Abstract:
A glove having a first and a second layer of material wherein the first and second layers of material define opposing sides of the glove. The glove defines a palm portion, a dorsal portion, a thumb portion and four finger portions. A visco-elastic foam layer is coupled with the glove and extends over a substantial majority of the palm portion of the glove and at least a portion of the thumb portion and each of the finger portions. The visco-elastic foam layer cushions impacts and assists the wearer in maintaining a grip on an object such as a golf club or a baseball bat. The glove is well suited for use as a golf glove and is particularly beneficial for individuals having arthritic hands.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to gloves and, more particularly, to athletic gloves used when gripping an object such as a golf club or baseball bat. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Athletic gloves such as batting gloves and golf gloves are well known. Such gloves are typically manufactured using a relatively thin leather material or synthetic material having similar properties. Gloves formed out of such a thin layer of material allow the wearer of the glove to grasp a golf club, baseball bat or similar object with a firm grip, maintain a good “feel” for the golf club or other object, and prevent the formation of blisters on the gripping hand. 
         [0005]    While such conventional gloves are highly useful, they do not fully address the needs of individuals having arthritic hands. A person having arthritic hands may suffer significant pain and fatigue in the course of playing a round of golf due to repeated gripping and impacts associated with gripping a golf club and hitting a golf ball with the club. 
         [0006]    A glove that at least partially alleviates such pain and/or fatigue would be desirable. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides a glove that includes a visco-elastic foam layer. Visco-elastic foam is commonly referred to as “memory foam.” The use of such memory foam in the glove both cushions impacts imparted through the glove and assists in the gripping of an object such as a golf club. 
         [0008]    The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an item of apparel for wearing on a human hand. The apparel item includes a glove having a first and a second layer of material wherein the first and second layers of material define opposing sides of the glove. The glove defines a palm portion, a dorsal portion, a thumb portion and four finger portions. A visco-elastic foam layer is coupled with the glove and extends over a substantial majority of the palm portion of the glove and at least a portion of the thumb portion and each of the four finger portions. 
         [0009]    The invention comprises, in another form thereof, an item of apparel for wearing on a human hand. The apparel item includes a glove having a first and a second layer of material wherein the first and second layers of material define opposing sides of the glove and the glove defines a palm portion, a dorsal portion, a thumb portion and four finger portions. A third layer of material is also provided. The second and third layers of materials define a contiguous pocket therebetween. This pocket extends over a substantial majority of the palm portion of the glove and at least a portion of the thumb portion and each of the four finger portions. A visco-elastic foam layer is disposed within the pocket and has a substantially constant thickness when unstressed. The foam layer has a contiguous configuration with a central portion extending over a substantial majority of the palm portion of the glove and five projections extending respectively along at least a part of the thumb portion and the four finger portions of the glove. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, the visco-elastic foam layer is a closed cell polyurethane foam layer having a density of at least about 4.5 pounds per cubic foot. When used with a glove defining a pocket, the foam layer may be non-adhesively and non-attachedly retained within the pocket. 
         [0011]    An advantage of the present invention is that when a wearer of the glove grips an object such as a golf club, the visco-elastic foam layer cushions the impacts imparted from the club to the hand wearing the glove. Additionally, the visco-elastic layer, which tends to retain the shape in which it is placed and only slowly returns to its original configuration, assists the wearer in maintaining a grip on the club with less gripping strength. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The above mentioned and other features of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a glove. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the glove. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of a visco-elastic foam layer. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a visco-elastic foam layer. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a visco-elastic foam layer in a gripping position. 
       
    
    
       [0019]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the invention, in one form, the embodiment disclosed below is not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise form disclosed. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    An item of apparel  20 , in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Apparel item  20  is formed by a glove  22  having a layer of visco-elastic foam  24  ( FIG. 3 ) coupled thereto as described in greater detail below. 
         [0021]    Glove  22  includes first and second layers of material  26 ,  28  that define opposing sides of glove  22 . More particularly, first layer  26  defines the dorsal side  30  of glove  22 , while second layer  28  defines the palm side  32  of glove  22 . As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , glove  22  is adapted to be worn on a human hand and includes a dorsal portion  34 , a palm portion  36 , a thumb portion  38  and four finger portions  40 . Dorsal side  30  of glove  22  corresponds to that side of glove  22  visible in  FIG. 1  while palm side  32  of glove  22  corresponds to that side of glove  22  visible in  FIG. 2  with minor exceptions on thumb portion  38 . 
         [0022]    As best seen in  FIG. 4 , a third layer of material  42  is used to define a pocket  44  between second and third layers  26 ,  28  in which foam layer  24  is retained. Pocket  44  is substantially co-extensive with palm side  32  of glove  22  overlapping palm portion  36  of glove  22  and the palm side portions of thumb  38  and each of fingers  40 . 
         [0023]    In the illustrated embodiment, first, second and third layers  26 ,  28 ,  42  are formed of a thin layer of leather material. Alternative materials, however, may also be used to form layers  26 ,  28 ,  42 . For example, third layer  42  could alternatively be a stretchable, breathable synthetic material. As best understood with reference to  FIG. 4 , pocket  44  defines an outer perimeter  46  and first, second and third layers  26 ,  28 ,  42  are joined together at a common seam  48  to thereby provide a design that allows for the efficient manufacture of apparel item  20 . 
         [0024]    It is further noted that while the illustrated embodiment  20  uses separate pieces of material to form layers  26 ,  28 ,  42 , which are joined together generally along the edge defining the demarcation between the dorsal  30  and palm  32  sides of glove  22 , alternative configurations may also be used with the present invention. For example, a single piece of material folded upon itself could be used to form both first and second layers  26 ,  28 , or, the individual pieces used to form layers  26 ,  28  may have shapes which do not correspond to the outline of the first and second layers  26 ,  28  which correspond to the dorsal  30  and palm  32  sides of glove  22  and a greater number of such individual pieces may be used and such pieces may be formed out of different materials for different portions of the glove. 
         [0025]    Foam layer  24  is formed out of a visco-elastic foam. Visco-elastic foams are commonly referred to as “memory foams” and “energy foams”. Visco-elastic foams are typically denser than conventional foams, distribute pressures across a relatively broad surface area, and, when deformed, are relatively slow to return to their original configuration. Visco-elastic foams are often polyurethane foams. The illustrated embodiment utilizes an open-cell visco-elastic polyurethane foam having a density of at least about 4.5 pounds per cubic foot and a substantially constant thickness when unstressed. The initial load depression (ILD) of the illustrated foam is 15 pounds (lbs). The thickness of the foam layer is, advantageously, between about ⅛ inch to about ½ inch, and most preferably about ¼-⅜ inch. The illustrated embodiment utilizes a foam layer having a thickness of about ¼ inch. Alternative embodiments of the present invention, however, may use a visco-elastic foam having different characteristics. For example, less dense visco-elastic foams and foams having an alternative thickness may also be employed. 
         [0026]    Foam layer  24  is retained in pocket  44  simply by trapping foam  24  between second and third layers  28 ,  42  and without the use of adhesives and without directly attaching foam  24  to either of layers  28 ,  42 . If desired, foam layer  24  could be adhesively secured or attachedly secured to palm side  32  of glove  22  in an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
         [0027]    As best understood with reference to  FIG. 3 , foam layer  24  has a contiguous configuration defining a central portion  50  and five projections  52 . Central portion  50  extends into pocket  44  over a substantial majority of palm portion  36  of glove  22  while projections  52  extend into pocket  44  over thumb portion  38  and each of the four finger portions  40 . Foam layer  24  preferably extends over a substantial majority of the palm side of the thumb  38  and finger  40  portions of glove  22  with projections  52  extending for a substantial majority of the outwardly extending length  54  of each of the thumb  38  and finger  40  portions of glove  22 . 
         [0028]    By providing a foam layer  24  that covers a substantial majority of the palm side surface of glove  22 , both in palm portion  32  and along the thumb and finger portions  38 ,  40 , foam layer  24  provides a relatively uniform spacing member that does not predispose the wearer of glove  22  to grip a golf club or baseball bat in any one particular orientation. For example, central portion  50  of foam layer  24  may cover at least approximately 70% of the area of palm portion  36  with projections  52  covering at least approximately 70% of the palm side of the thumb  38  and each of the four finger  40  portions of glove  22  to provide a foam layer  24  which covers a substantial majority of the palm side surface of glove  22 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  illustrates foam layer  24  in a side view and with a slightly curved configuration. This configuration generally corresponds to the curvature of a human hand when it is at rest, hanging loosely at the side of a standing person. The illustrated embodiment employs a foam layer  24  that is planar when in an unstressed condition, however, alternative embodiments could employ a foam layer  24  that has a slight curvature that is similar to that depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0030]    Turning now to  FIG. 6 , the manner in which foam layer  24  functions will be discussed.  FIG. 6  is an end view of foam layer  24  (the remainder of glove  20  is not shown in  FIG. 6  for purposes of clarity) when the wearer of glove  20  has grasped a golf club handle. In such a situation, foam layer  24  will be disposed between the wearer&#39;s hand and the golf club handle to thereby cushion any forces imparted from the club handle to the wearer&#39;s hand such as those created by hitting a golf ball with the head of the club. Visco-elastic foams such as foam layer  24  tend to distribute forces over a relatively large surface area, thus, foam layer  24  not only dampens the forces imparted from the golf club to the wearer&#39;s hand, but will also tend to distribute these forces over a relatively large surface area of the wearer&#39;s hand, thereby diminishing the peak pressure forces that act upon the wearer&#39;s hand. 
         [0031]    Additionally, it can be seen from  FIG. 6 , that foam layer  24  has been deformed from its original configuration, depicted in  FIG. 3 . Because foam layer  24  is a visco-elastic foam that returns to its original shape at a relatively slow rate, if the wearer of glove  20  relaxes their grip, foam layer  24  will remain in contact about the club handle. The visco-elastic foam distributes the remaining pressure uniformly over the contact area maintaining control of the club handle while reducing the tension in tendons and muscles. Furthermore, by introducing a substantially uniform spacing element between the wearer&#39;s hand and the handle of the golf club, the effective diameter of the club is increased. In other words, the wearer of glove  20  will not have to clench his hand into as small a grip as he would otherwise. The introduction of a spacing element is thought to be helpful in reducing hand fatigue. 
         [0032]    In the illustrated embodiment, foam layer  24  is a single contiguous layer, however, it would also be possible to form foam layer  24  out of separate pieces of foam or laminated layers of material including layers of visco-elastic foam in alternative embodiments. 
         [0033]    Glove  22  may also include elastic members  56  secured along the wrist end of glove  22  and on dorsal side  30  of glove  22 . A hook and loop enclosure feature  58  is optionally provided on dorsal side  30  of glove  22 . The use of such elastic members and hook and loop enclosures on golf and batting gloves to ensure that the glove fits snuggly about the hand of the wearer is well-known to those having ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0034]    While this invention has been described as having an exemplary design, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles.