Abstract:
A glove useful for mixed martial arts fighting has padded knuckles for the four non-opposed fingers, with the lower half of each of the fingers not enclosed. The palm of the glove is open, and the thumb is not covered. The glove has an inner pair of attachment straps closable across each other over the wrist, and installed over the attachment straps is a closable outer support or stability strap that wraps around the wrist. Both the attachment straps and the support strap are preferably closable through use of a hook and loop fastening means such as Velcro®.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Ser. No. 61/171,765 filed Apr. 22, 2009 and Ser. No. 61/185,145 filed Jun. 8, 2009, the entirety of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to gloves and, more specifically, to gloves for utilization in mixed martial arts fighting. 
         [0004]    2. The Prior Art 
         [0005]    Gloves used in hand-to-hand combat have been known for millennia. For example, during Roman times, gladiators wrapped their hands to box. More recently, boxing gloves have evolved to what is well known today. They are almost totally aimed at punching, and possibly deflecting punches. Karate gloves are typically fairly similar to boxing gloves, again being designed primarily for punching, though in the case of Karate, the punching may be done with more than just a clinched fist. Some Karate gloves allow for some use of the hands for grasping. However, as with boxing gloves, Karate gloves typically have a single compartment for all four of the non-opposed fingers on each hand, with another compartment for the thumb. 
         [0006]    Mixed martial arts (“MMA”) is a reasonably recent phenomenon. Initially, it allowed for any type of unarmed combat between two participants. The primary organization behind its growth has been the UFC® (Ultimate Fighting Championship®). The precursor to MMA was initially so controversial that it was either banned or dropped from TV. In order to overcome this problem, rules have slowly been introduced to define the activity into a legalized and regulated sport. Still, the combatants in such a fighting sport have a requirement to be able to both hit and grasp or grapple. Traditional boxing and Karate gloves do not provide this capability. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A glove useful for mixed martial arts fighting has padded knuckles for the four non-opposed fingers with the lower half of each of the fingers not enclosed. The palm of the glove is open, and the thumb is not covered. The glove has an inner pair of attachment straps closable across each other over the wrist, and installed over the attachment straps is a closable outer support or stability strap that wraps around the wrist. Both the attachment straps and the support strap are preferably closable through use of a hook and loop fastening means such as Velcro®. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a top view of an improved fighting glove, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove  10  shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the improved fighting glove shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are bottom views of the improved fighting glove shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are bottom views of the improved fighting glove shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are bottom views of the improved fighting glove shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 11 and 12  are bottom views of the improved fighting glove shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 13  is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a top view of an improved fighting glove  10 , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the knuckles of the glove  10  are padded  12 . Currently, Ultimate Fighting Championship® bouts require at least 1 inch of padding 12 over the knuckles, which results in approximately 4 to 6 ounces of padding per glove. In a preferred embodiment, the finger tips in the glove  10  are missing  14  to allow grappling. For example, the fingers in the gloves may end at approximately the second joint on each finger. A stability or support strap  20  wraps at least substantially around the wrist  42  of a fighter to secure the glove  10  to the fighter. Currently, official Ultimate Fighting Championship® gloves have UFC® logos on both the padded knuckles  12  and top of the support strap  20 . The gloves  10  are preferably constructed from soft leather to provide both comfort and durability, but may be constructed of other materials. In that preferred embodiment, both the support straps and the attachment straps are similarly constructed from leather, the attachment straps of similar leather to the rest of the glove, and the stability or support strap of possibly a heavier leather. Also, the seams are preferably double stitched, and the edges of the glove rolled over before being seamed, for durability. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . The interior  16  of the gloves  10  may also include an absorbent lining that wicks away perspiration when a fighter wearing the gloves is fighting or training. Also visible is the loop material  24  attached to the top of the support or stability strap  20 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the improved fighting glove  10  shown in  FIG. 1  with its outer, support, strap  20  unattached and unwrapped. The outer support strap  20  has attachment means for attaching one end to either the glove or, more alternatively, itself. In these FIGs., the outer support strap wraps entirely around the wrist  42  of a fighter. On top of the wrist  42  of the fighter on the top of the glove  10  is one side of a hook and loop fastener, and on the bottom side of the outer support strap is the other side of a hook and loop fastener. The outer stability or support strap  20  is wrapped around the wrist  42  of the fighter, and the hook and loop fasters are engaged to keep it tight. Typically, the hook fasteners  26  are attached to the inside of the support strap  20 , while the loop fasteners  24  are attached to the outside of the support strap  20  or the top of the glove over the fighter&#39;s wrist, so that when the support strap  20  is wrapped around the wrist  42  of a fighter, the hooks  26  engage with the loops  24  to securely fasten the support strap  20 . Other mechanisms for removably attaching the support strap  20  are also within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove  10  shown in  FIG. 2  with its outer support strap  20  unattached and unwrapped. The hook  26  and loop  24  (see  FIG. 3 ) fasteners on the inner side of the outer stability or support strap  20  are shown, as well as the two inner attachment straps  30 ,  32  attached together. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are bottom views of the improved fighting glove  10  shown in  FIG. 4  with both its outer support or stability strap  20  and inner attachment and closure straps  30 ,  32  unattached.  FIG. 5  shows the first, inner,  30  one of the two paired inner attachment straps folded in, and the second, outer attachment strap  32  folded out, over the unwrapped outer support strap  20 .  FIG. 6  shows the two paired inner attachment straps  30 ,  32  folded out, ready for being put on the hand a fighter. Hook  36  and loop  34  fasteners are shown on the outer side of the inner attachment strap  30  and the inner side of the outer attachment strap  32 . They are engaged in order to close the attachment straps  30 ,  32 . Also shown is the inner side of the outer support strap  20  and the attached hook or loop fasteners. Note that in a preferred embodiment, the hook or loop fasteners on the inner side of the support strap  20  are missing  28  over the top of the outer attachment strap  32  for better operation. Also, in the preferred embodiment, the hooks  36  are attached to the inside of the outer attachment strap  32 , while the loops  34  are attached to the outside of the inner attachment strap  30 . In the preferred embodiment, the leather from the rest of the glove extends through the attachment straps, as shown for the inside  17  of the inner support strap in  FIG. 6 . Also, in one embodiment, wicking material may also cover both the inside of the glove and the inside of the inner attachment strap  30 . While two overlapping straps are shown in this preferred embodiment, it should be understood that utilizing a single strap attaching to the glove with a removable attachment means such as hook and loop fasteners is also within the scope of the present invention. Also, other means for removably providing the attachment than the use of hook and loop fasteners are also within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are bottom views of the improved fighting glove  10  shown in  FIG. 6  with the outer support or stability strap  20  and the two paired attachment straps  30 ,  32  being folded back, as it is being put on by a fighter. The two attachment straps  30 ,  32  consist of a inner attachment strap  30  and an outer attachment strap  32  that attaches over the top of the inner attachment strap  30  using the hook  36  and loop  34  fasteners to close the two attachment straps  30 ,  32  together. The glove is shown being put the hand of a fighter  40 . The fighter&#39;s wrist  42 , palm  44 , thumb  46 , and fingers  48  are shown. When completed installed on a fighter  40 , this embodiment of the glove  10  has an open palm  44  and thumb  46  area. The fingers extend through the finger holes  14 . 
         [0023]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are bottom views of the improved fighting glove  10  shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8  with the first, lower, attachment strap  30  already folded over the wrist  42  of the fighter  40 , and the second, outer, attachment strap  32  being folded back from the opposite direction. Also folded back, behind the outer attachment strap  32 , is the stability or support strap  20 . These FIGs. show the first, inner, attachment strap  30  being held down preparatory to the second, outer, attachment strap  32  being closed over it. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 11 and 12  are bottom views of the improved fighting glove  10  shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  with the attachment straps  30 ,  32  being closed over each other, but before the outer stability or support strap  20  has been closed.  FIG. 11  shows the outer stability or support strap  20  folded back, and  FIG. 12  shows it being held in preparation for being wrapped around the wrist  42  of a fighter and closed. 
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is a bottom view of the improved fighting glove  10  shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12  with the outer stability or support strap  20  wrapped around the wrist  42  of the fighter and closed over the inner attachment straps  30 ,  32 . At this point, the fighting glove  10  is fully installed on the fighter. It should be noted that the hand  40  shown in these FIGs. is bare, but that typically hands of fighters  40  are wrapped before gloves  10  are installed prior to fights. 
         [0026]    Hook and loop fasteners are shown installed to close both the outer support strap  30  and the inner attachment straps  30 ,  32 . Typically, the loop side  24 ,  34  is attached to the outside of the lower side of such a closure means, with the hook side  26 ,  36  attached to the outside of the upper inside portion of the closure means. However, this can be reversed. Also, other attachment means are also within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0027]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention encompass all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.