Abstract:
This invention relates to a Sole baseball glove/mitt sole and a method of making the same such that a stamped, injection embossed molded glove shell parts may be achieved and recycled. This way the materials we use will go through many cycles of design, manufacture and use. A baseball glove having a foam rubber padding shell with low rebound and energy damping properties is constructed as a shoe sole. A baseball glove method comprising an air, EVA balls, gas or gel bladder disposed insert prior for a sole assembly of a shoe. A further object of the present invention is to provide a consistent flex pattern by the appropriate pre-curved system design while improving traditional glove design details and materials.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 29/348,860, filed Feb. 16, 2010, now patent No. D665,538, granted Aug. 14, 2012, Continuation in part of application Ser. No. 29/426,250, filed Jul. 2, 2012 and application Ser. No. 29/426,440, filed Jul. 5, 2012. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to a Sole baseball glove and a method of making the same such that a molded glove shell may be achieved and recycled as footwear. This way the materials we use will go through many cycles of design, manufacture and use by grinding and creating pellets. A baseball glove made out of flexible plastic rubber like a shoe sole. This new Sole glove may be glued onto the palm side of a special lightweight leather batting glove back. Among the benefits of a lasted, bonded or glued glove are that it doesn&#39;t need breaking in, the material used to make it is cheaper than leather, and the glove is textured, making it easier to grip and catch a ball. 
         [0003]    In the past, conventional baseball gloves have been constructed of leather, traditionally employing hand-stitching, a web portion that was usually fastened by rawhide between the thumb and index finger of the glove, independent finger sockets joined by rawhide lacing, and often with surface padding inserts. Chan US D526,447 designed a conventional ball-catching gloves of this type with shoelace, a ball-catching, palm portion is made of a natural leather such as cowhide, and a rear portion is either made of a natural leather, such as above, or a synthetic leather and joined to the palm portion to form a body. Leather gloves have become extremely expensive because of both manufacturing and material costs. The present invention provides a glove shell made of polymer which is formed in a injection molding process, greatly reducing the cost of manufacture. A vulc style and cupsole style handwear and a method for manufacturing the handwear are disclosed. The handwear includes a midsole that is directly attached to the upper. The midsole may be attached to the outsole by adhesive. In the method of manufacturing the handwear, the upper and an outsole are disposed a set distance apart. Polyurethane or other material for providing cushioning to the handwear is either injected between the upper and outsole or poured onto the outsole and the upper is traversed over the outsole so as to define the mold for defining the midsole. The polyurethane is directly attached to the upper and adhered to the outsole/cupsole. Also, vulcanization is far more flexible than a cupsole as deposed by U.S. Patent to Cheskin U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,010 and patent applications by Fleming et. al. Ser. Nos. 12/695,609, 12/695,609. 
         [0004]    Hitherto, the sole has three layers: insole, midsole, and outsole. The insole is a thin layer of man-made ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). The components of the midsole, which provides the bulk of the cushioning, will vary among manufacturers. Generally it consists of polyurethane surrounding another material such as gel or liquid silicone, or polyurethane foam given a special brand name by the manufacturer. In some cases the polyurethane may surround capsules of compressed air. Outsoles are usually made of carbon rubber, which is hard, or blown rubber, a softer type, although manufacturers use an assortment of materials to produce different textures on the outsole. Patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,176, U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,945, U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,029 by Rudy exhibit air and gas sole compression and U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,295 by Ito is an example of gel cushioning. 
         [0005]    The present invention may be stamped from a material which integrally forms the overall resilient shell of the glove, the shell having a surface design, front and back to ultimately assimilate an athletic shoe sole and glove in appearance. After stamping and removal, the back surface of the resilient shell is then lasted, glued and stitched or heat bonded attached to the front to form the glove. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART 
       [0006]    The technology for game gloves, whether for baseball, softball or the like involves a glove particularly sized and configured for the preference of the player. Human factors involved with glove design relate to a plurality of factors. One human factor, hand motion, includes two ways for closing the hand The thumb to the index finger, a natural motion which is the strongest motion. In the alternative, the thumb can move to the ring finger, the traditional glove closing motion. Strength is effected by the finger position. Two fingers are stronger than one, but there is less strength when the fingers are spread apart. 
         [0007]    Another human factor relates to the flex points on the hand The palm has two flex points, the first is across the palm about one half inch below the base of the fingers. The second begins at the base of the index finger around the thumb. These flex points create a wide wedge when using the natural hand motion and a narrow wedge with the traditional hand motion. The back of the hand also has flex lines, a first is across the knuckles and a second begins about half inch outside of the index finger straight to wrist at the base of the hand There is an additional flex line along the middle knuckle of the fingers. 
         [0008]    In comparing glove design versus hand design, current gloves are designed for the natural hand closure. The flex lines will create a wide wedge. The thumb lays across the fingers in the closed position which reduces the size of the well. The enclosed backs, however, hinder closure while material layering hinders flex. Design recommendations for traditional closures include the fact that the flex lines should create a narrow wedge. The thumb of the glove lays parallel to the ring hand pinkie finger which maximizes the size of the well. The enclosed backs hinder closure. The pocket includes the index finger. 
         [0009]    With regard to cradle material stiffeners, advanced glove designs require stiffness along the thumb and outer fingers to enhance closure as well as a stiff connection between the closing fingers and the glove. 
         [0010]    Cushioning should be along the lower palm of the hand, in the palm of the hand, and provide for the index finger. With respect to fit features for glove retaining, considerations should include: (1) thumb and finger internal loops, (2) the fan shaped spreading of fingers, (3) the well shape which allows gravity to assist in glove retention, (4) tight finger slots with sufficient room for fingers, and (5) finger tension on glove. 
         [0011]    With regard to hand position versus glove performance, two hand positions are considered. The traditional position and the position of fingers closer together with the thumb at 90 degrees. This latter position offers a larger pocket but less sensitivity. 
         [0012]    In view of the foregoing, a preferred glove concept employs (1) air/eva balls/gas/gel in a bladder in the palm of the hand for cushioning, (2) a padding system that retains the fingers, (3) a shock absorbing system that encloses the ball after the catch, (4) quilted air bladders to create the proper flex points and (5) a closure system that enhances the snug fit of the glove. 
         [0013]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved game glove including a front portion and a back portion defining a hand space there between and forming a major region for receiving the fingers of the wearer and a minor region for receiving the thumb of the wearer; an opening at one edge of the glove for the passage of the hand of a wearer into the hand space; a bladder positioned in the hand space, the bladder having a major portion in the major region of the glove and a minor portion in the minor region for the glove; and a gas or gel system to inflate the bladder to improve the fit of the glove on a wearer&#39;s hand 
         [0014]    A further object of the invention is to implement light weight air bladders into baseball and softball gloves to provide an inner structure for fielding and shock absorption. 
         [0015]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a consistent flex pattern by the appropriate air/eva balls/gas/gel system design while improving traditional glove design details and materials. 
         [0016]    A further object of the present invention is to maintain or reduce the weight of all gloves by use of air/eva balls/gas/gel cushioning technology to eliminate heavier padding. 
         [0017]    A further object of the present invention is to improve break in characteristics of game gloves. 
         [0018]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a true custom fit for baseball gloves by utilizing footwear technology. 
         [0019]    A further object of the present invention is to supplement a baseball glove with an shock absorption system comprising a low pressure bladder . 
         [0020]    A further object of the invention is to provide a recyclable baseball glove. 
         [0021]    It is a further object of the present invention to design shock absorption bladder/padding assemblies so as to make them suitable for either left- or right-handed gloves. 
         [0022]    Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to improve the design features of game gloves for maximum comfort, flex and efficiency.  FIG. 1  &amp;  FIG. 1   a - b  Prior Art 2011/0179668: a vulc style and cupsole style footwear and a method for manufacturing the footwear are disclosed. The footwear includes a midsole that is directly attached to the upper. The midsole may be attached to the outsole by adhesive. In the method of manufacturing the footwear, the upper and an outsole are disposed a set distance apart. Polyurethane or other material for providing cushioning to the footwear is either injected between the upper and outsole or poured onto the outsole and the upper is traversed over the outsole so as to define the mold for defining the midsole. The polyurethane is directly attached to the upper and adhered to the outsole/cupsole. 
         [0023]    The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    A baseball glove comprising a molded resilient shell, said shell incorporating traditional athletic footwear embodiments transversely creating a new use within the glove and shoe industries. The shoe parts may include, but not are not limited to; cradle, gel, eva balls, bladders, antimicrobial cloth, air mesh fabric, uppers, saddle, midsole, outsole, lacing, velcro and glove parts; web, pocket, heel, padding, wrist strap, palm pad, flex slot, binding, finger hood, window opening, welting and shells. Our invention will merge the two industries creating an economical product with sufficient shock absorption and less parts. 
         [0025]    It is an object of this invention to provide a molded baseball glove of reduced construction costs. The unisole structure of the present invention is lightweight, provides flexibility, rigidness and is easier to assemble than conventional midsole and outsoles. The unisole is attached to the upper by lasting and/or adhesives. In addition, the unisole reduces molding costs due to the fact that the midsole/outsole, or sole can be formed with one mold from a combined midsole/outsole material which eliminates the need for a separate outsole mold. By using one mold as compared to two molds, simultaneously reduces the thickness, cost and weight. As mentioned above, the unisole uses a combined midsole/outsole material to reduce the weight and increase the stability of the shoe. 
         [0026]    It is another object of this invention to provide a baseball glove that has the appearance of a conventional leather glove back and sole front constructing a novel piece. Prior Art: In “vulcanized” construction, a rubber tape, about ¾ inch wide and 1/16 inch thick, is attached to the side or the top of the edge of the rubber outsole and over the bottom ½ inch or so of the upper, which could be made of any material. After the curing in the vulcanizing oven, it is virtually impossible to separate the rubber components that have been joined since they have basically been fused together. In addition to being extremely strong, a rubber-to-rubber “vulcanized” joint will not be weakened by immersion in water. A cupsole is made in a mold and the sidewalls are all “one” with the tread. Cupsoles look perfect. You can frequently see thermal marks on the vulcanized. 
         [0027]    And yet, another object of this invention is to provide a baseball glove constructed by the method of shoe construction collaboration. Cupsole: a running shoe sole that is made using the same construction technique as a half cup sole except that the side wall extends the full length of the medial side. A full cup sole is slightly heavier and less flexible than a half cup sole but provides better support or pronation irregularities during a runners foot strike. Conversely, terminology overlaps a cupsole may be interpreted as a midsole, unisole or outsole. Vulcanization may take place in a layered midsole/outsole or unisole aplication and cupsole vulcanization combination. 
         [0028]    In accordance with these and other objects which will be apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0029]    For the purpose of summarizing this invention, this invention may be incorporated into an improved game glove including a no lace front portion and a no lace back portion defining a hand space there between and forming a major region for receiving the fingers of the wearer and a minor region for receiving the thumb of the wearer; an opening at one edge of the glove for the passage of the hand of a wearer into the hand space; a bladder  23  positioned in the hand space, the bladder  23  having a major portion in the major region of the glove and a minor portion in the minor region for the glove. Vulcanized  29  is the “Vans” style construction where the gum rubber sole is bonded with heat and pressure to a sidewall that is made of a rubber banding foxing  21  type material. 
         [0030]    The invention is incorporated into a game glove formed of no lace front shell layer of material and no lace back layer  24  of material defining a hand space between the layers, the glove having an opening at an edge for the passage of the hand of a wearer into the hand space, the glove also having a major region for the fingers of the wearer and a laterally disposed minor region for the thumb of the wearer, a bladder  23  adjacent to the front layer, in the hand space before the hand of the wearer. 
         [0031]    The bladder  23  includes a major portion in the major region of the glove and a minor portion in the minor region of the glove with an intermediate portion there between. The game glove further includes a front shell outsole  22  and/or midsole  20 . 
         [0032]    Lastly, the invention may also be incorporate a stability cradle  27 . If attached on the outside of the glove/mitt these reinforcements are called foxing  28  or a saddle  31 . Underneath it is a plastic cradle  27  that supports the hand The heel cup  30  is to counter or retain a ball from catch mishap. External embellishments may be added to the handwear such as a foxing  28 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The foxing  28  may be pre-cured and adhered to the outsole  22  and the midsole  20 . The foxing  28  may be wrapped around the entire handwear. Alternatively, the foxing  28  may be adhered to only the finger portion of the handwear. 
         [0033]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION STEPS 
       [0034]    I First, prepared rolls of synthetic material and rolls of dyed, split, and suede leather (used as part of the foxing) are sent to the factory. 
         [0035]    II Next, die machines stamp the shoe shapes, which are then cut out in cookie cutter fashion with various markings to guide the rest of the assembly. After being bundled and labeled, these pieces are sent to another part of the factory where they&#39;ll be stitched. 
         [0036]    III The pieces that will form the upper part of the shoe are stitched or cemented together and the lace holes punched out. These pieces include the featherline, the vamp, the mudguard, the throat (with eyestay and lacing section), the tongue, reinforcements such as the saddle or arch bandage, the collar (with Achilles tendon protector), the foxing, and the logo. At this point, the upper looks not like a shoe but like a round hat, because there is extra material—called the lasting margin—that will be folded underneath the shoe when it gets cemented to the sole. 
         [0037]    IV Next, the insole is stitched to the sides of the upper. Stiffening agents are then added to the heel region and toe box, and an insole board is inserted. 
         [0038]    V The completed upper is heated and fitted around a last, a plastic mold that forms the final shape of the shoe. An automatic lasting machine then pulls the upper down over the last. Finally, a cement nozzle applies cement between the upper and insole board, and the machine presses the two pieces together to bond them. The upper now has the shape of the finished shoe. 
         [0039]    VI Pre-stamped, injection molded and cutout forms of the midsole and outsole or wedge are layered and cemented to the upper. First, the outsole and midsole are aligned and bonded together. Next, the outsole and midsole are aligned with the upper and placed over a heater to reactivate the cement. As the cement cools, the upper and bottom are joined. 
         [0040]    VII The shoe is removed from the last and inspected. Any excess cement is scraped off. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
         [0041]    Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated prior art from shoe technology in  FIG. 1 ,  1   a  &amp;  1   b.  More particularly to  FIGS. 2  thru  10 a, an assortment of catcher&#39;s mitts and fielder&#39;s gloves, parts thereof respectively, each of which includes a web  26  pocket portion extending between the thumb and fore-finger portion and the little finger portion, and a heel portion in proximity to the base of the thumb portion. In catching baseballs, the ball preferably impacts in the web  26  pocket portion and the player immediately attempts to close the glove by pivoting the thumb portion toward the little finger portion by pivoting the base of the player&#39;s thumb near the heel of the hand, while keeping the fingers straight. Because the ball sometimes impacts near the end of the thumb or finger, pad protection with cradle stiffness along the longitudinal axial direction is needed to resist the bending of the thumb or finger backwards. In order to overcome these above mentioned objectives we have developed a number of pre-curved, pre-creased and integral material stiffeners by molding invention concepts: 
           [0042]      FIG. 1  (Prior Art) is a perspective view of a footwear with a last disposed therein; 
           [0043]      FIG. 1   a  (Prior Art)is a cross sectional view of the footwear shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0044]      FIG. 1   b  (Prior Art) illustrates foxing wrapped around the footwear shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0045]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view cupsole mitt back shell 
           [0046]      FIG. 3  is a rear elevation view of multi layer back shell 
           [0047]      FIG. 4  is a back elevation view of sole mitt with tact vulcanized tread/sipe web 
           [0048]      FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view of no lace back shell glove with emboss logo 
           [0049]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of no lace sole bladder mitt 
           [0050]      FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of cupsole hockey mitt with pod and bladder web 
           [0051]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation of the sole glove with heel cup and tip 
           [0052]      FIG. 8A  is a side elevation of the sole glove with heel cup and tip 
           [0053]      FIG. 9  is an ambidextrous reversible back shell 
           [0054]      FIG. 9A  is an ambidextrous reversible front shell 
           [0055]      FIG. 10  is a front elevation of no lace unisole glove with heel cup 
           [0056]      FIG. 10A  is a side elevation of no lace unisole glove with heel cup 
       
    
    
     HEEL CUP 
       [0057]    Footwear including a sole having a front and a back for supporting a bottom of a foot. A heel cup  30  at the back of the sole receives and supports a heel of the foot. The heel cup  30  has a bottom for further supporting the bottom of the foot and a side wall extending up from the bottom. 
       Upper/Saddle/Back Shell Materials  
       [0058]    Leather or lightweight combination uppers or glove back  24 , which mix the stability and durability of leather with the breath ability, and flexibility of synthetic air mesh  35 . High-tech, all-synthetic uppers, which are often more durable than leather, are gaining popularity for their ability to offer stability in a super-lightweight material. 
       Midsole/Outsole/Front Shell Materials  
       [0059]    The midsole  20  is the layer of soft, shock-absorbing and/or antimicrobial material between the outsole  22  and the upper. It is often considered the most important part of a shoe, because the construction and materials used will impact the levels of pod  23  cushioning and bladder  23  shock absorption, EVA balls  23 . 
         [0060]    The outsole  22  is the rubber bottom of the shoe. Outsoles are usually made of carbon rubber, which is hard, or blown rubber, a softer type, although manufacturers use an assortment of materials to produce different textures on the outsole  22 . The web  26  and palm preferably consists of a unitary relatively thin sheet of material forming an extension of the palm portion of the glove and may be comprised of a variety of materials that facilitate the capturing and holding of a thrown ball including rough surfaced and tacktified  34  resin. 
       Eva/Compressed  
       [0061]    EVA offers lightweight cushioning, EVA balls  23  add stability and durability. EVA can be compressed to make it somewhat more durable midsole  20 . 
       Unisole/Cupsole 
       [0062]    The unisole  25  of a good shoe should be flat and moderately wide to create a stable base and help prevent rollover. The unisole  25  uses a combined midsole/outsole material to reduce the weight and increase the stability of the shoe. A full cupsole  27  is made using the same construction technique as a half cup sole  27  except that the side wall extends the full length of the medial side. A full cup sole  27  is slightly heavier and less flexible than a half cup sole  27  but provides better support or pronation irregularities during a runners foot strike. 
       Channels /Siping Grooves  
       [0063]    The sipe  33  grooves remove liquid (e.g. water) from the contact surface of the glove . In some example structures according to the invention, capillary action of the siping  33  grooves may suck the liquid off the contact surface of the second layer and conduct it into the depth of siping  33  groove and/or to the channels . Therefore, the contact surface is kept substantially dry, even when exposed to wet conditions. A dry contact surface is desirable because it provides better friction and grip. Therefore, removing liquid from the contact surface is extremely beneficial in increasing a wearer&#39;s gripping ability. 
         [0064]    In the above described structures, the second layer may be disposed on the base layer at the palm-side portion so that contact areas are raised areas, or lugs, and further, so that the contact areas are created at different locations of the palm side. In some structures, the second layer may be disposed on the base layer in a discontinuous manner. One discontinuous manner may be provided by creating the second layer as a plurality of discrete and separated “islands” to thereby produce raised contact areas spaced apart from each other in particular patterns. 
       Cradke/Stability/Motion Control/Welting  
       [0065]    Stiff materials are used to saddle or cradle  27  and reduce rolling of the hand Heavier densities of cushioning materials may also be used in the medial area to increase the gloves stability. To provide stiffness to the thumb and little finger portions along the longitudinal axial direction, the layer of foam rubber is preferably of a higher density than the remaining layers and laminate structure which are comprised of a high density foam having low rebound and energy damping properties. The foam padding, unlike prior padding systems, such as felt, will not shift in the glove and will not lose its shape when not being used from the end of one season to the start of the next season. In addition, the cradle  27  may be adorned with a molded faux lacing. 
       Webs 
       [0066]    Web  26  construction emulates assembly of parts of shell layers within the glove including damping pads  23 , with embossed  21  numerals, letters, and emblems including team logos and baseball fonts, inclusive in the embossed  21 , mold design, alternatively constructed with webbing material or mesh  35 . 
       Xistera Tip  
       [0067]    The plastic member has integral side walls extending between the tip  32  portion and the hand receiving portion forming a ball receiving region therebetween. The integral plastic tip  32  member has a partially arcuate configuration enabling the player to catch and throw the ball from the ball receiving region. The article includes resilient cushioning means secured to the ball receiving region for absorbing a portion of the impact of a moving ball to facilitate catching the ball. The embodiment comprises an improved cesta article used for the game of Jai-Alai. 
       Recycle  
       [0068]    Materials from shoes may be used after recycling, and the mitts  33  and gloves  33  also. This way the materials we use will go through many cycles of design, manufacture and use. 
         [0069]    Outsole  22  uses environmentally preferred rubber and incorporates green rubber. 
         [0070]    Airbag  23  made with 83% post-industrial recycled polyurethane film. 
         [0071]    Upper mesh  24  contains 20-25% pre and post consumer recycled PET. 
         [0072]    While the air/eva balls/gas/gel bladder  23  padding system and polyurethane soles have been shown only for catcher&#39;s mitts and fielder&#39;s gloves, it is to be understood that these structures can be used for all types of baseball gloves in slightly modified form. 
         [0073]    The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. 
       Conclusion  
       [0074]    In conclusion, the gloves described in the above disclosure provide several benefits through shock absorption, dissipate energy by air/eva balls/gas/gel and facilitate gripping by siping to the wearer. 
         [0075]    While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described structures and methods. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0076]    Alternatively, the glove may be constructed so that the palm side of the glove may be made from a single material, such as an elastomer material, while the back side of the glove is made from a single, different material, such as mesh, weave, fabric, leather, etc. The palm side and the back side may then be attached or adhered to each other in any known fashion, such as by stitching, etc. In this structure, the elastomer material may be the only material of the palm side portion. Therefore, the elastomer material would have both the siping grooves and the channels formed in the second layer. For example, the channels would merely be a thinned portion of elastomer material while the raised contact areas would be merely a thicker portion. 
         [0077]    Additionally, while described in detail in terms of use for baseball, those skilled in the art will appreciate that aspects of this invention may be used in a wide variety of athletic and other activities, including any activities in which gloves are worn, grip can be important, and/or damp or wet conditions may be experienced, such as hockey, jai alai, lacrosse, etc..