U.S. patent application number 13/103241 was filed with the patent office on 2012-11-15 for sports glove thumb protector.
This patent application is currently assigned to Easton Sports, Inc.. Invention is credited to Andrew J. Szurley, Allan Wong.
Application Number | 20120284892 13/103241 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47140807 |
Filed Date | 2012-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120284892 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Szurley; Andrew J. ; et
al. |
November 15, 2012 |
SPORTS GLOVE THUMB PROTECTOR
Abstract
A thumb protector for a sports glove, such as a lacrosse glove,
is attached to the thumb region of the sports glove. The thumb
protector optionally may be attached to the thumb region via an
elastic strap that slips over the thumb region, or via rivets or
other connectors that penetrate into or through the padding in the
thumb region. A lower region of the thumb protector may be secured
to a base of the thumb region via an elastic strap on the glove or
a similar connector.
Inventors: |
Szurley; Andrew J.;
(Lincoln, RI) ; Wong; Allan; (Tai Po, HK) |
Assignee: |
Easton Sports, Inc.
Van Nuys
CA
|
Family ID: |
47140807 |
Appl. No.: |
13/103241 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2102/22 20151001;
A41D 13/08 20130101; A63B 71/143 20130101; A41D 19/01517 20130101;
A63B 2102/14 20151001; A63B 2102/24 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/16 |
International
Class: |
A63B 71/14 20060101
A63B071/14; A41D 13/08 20060101 A41D013/08 |
Claims
1. A thumb protector for a sports glove, comprising: a shell
including a top section, and two side sections and a front section
depending from the top section; a stretchable strap configured to
slip tightly over a thumb region of a sports glove, the stretchable
strap including a first end attached to the first side section and
a second end attached to the second side section; and a slot in the
top section configured to receive a glove strap.
2. The thumb protector of claim 1 further comprising padding on an
inner surface of each of the two side sections and the front
section.
3. The thumb protector of claim 2 wherein the padding comprises an
energy-absorbing padding.
4. The thumb protector of claim 3 wherein the energy-absorbing
padding comprises vinyl nitrile foam.
5. The thumb protector of claim 2 wherein the padding on the inner
surface of the front section is thicker than the padding on the
inner surfaces of the first and second side sections.
6. The thumb protector of claim 1 wherein the stretchable strap is
attached to the first and second side sections via rivets.
7. A thumb protector for a sports glove, comprising: a shell
including a top section, and a first side section and a second side
section depending from the top section; padding on an inner surface
of each of the first and second side sections; a strap configured
to slip over a thumb region of a lacrosse glove, the strap
including a first end and a second end; a first fastening element
securing the first end of the strap to the first side section; and
a second fastening element securing the second end of the strap to
the second side section.
8. The thumb protector of claim 7 wherein the first fastening
element passes through the first side section and the first end of
the strap to secure the first end of the strap to the first side
section, and the second fastening element passes through the second
side section and the second end of the strap to secure the second
end of the strap to the second side section.
9. The thumb protector of claim 8 wherein the first and second
fastening elements comprise rivets.
10. The thumb protector of claim 7 further comprising a slot in the
top section configured to receive a glove strap.
11. The thumb protector of claim 7 further comprising a front
section depending from the top section and connecting the first and
second side sections.
12. The thumb protector of claim 11 further comprising padding on
an inner surface of the front section.
13. The thumb protector of claim 12 wherein the padding on the
inner surface of the front section is thicker than the padding on
the inner surfaces of the first and second side sections.
14. A thumb protector for a sports glove, comprising: a shell
including a top section, and a first side section and a second side
section depending from the top section; padding on an inner surface
of each of the first and second side sections; a slot in the top
section configured to receive a glove strap; and at least one
fastening element passing through at least one of the side sections
and the padding, with the fastening element configured to penetrate
additional padding in a sports glove for attachment to the sports
glove.
15. The thumb protector of claim 14 further comprising a front
section depending from the top section and connecting the first and
second side sections.
16. The thumb protector of claim 15 further comprising padding on
an inner surface of the front section.
17. The thumb protector of claim 16 wherein the padding on the
inner surfaces of the front section and of the first and second
side sections comprises energy-absorbing, vinyl nitrile foam.
18. The thumb protector of claim 17 wherein the padding on the
inner surface of the front section is thicker than the padding on
the inner surfaces of the first and second side sections.
19. The thumb protector of claim 17 wherein the padding on the
inner surface of the front section comprises a different vinyl
nitrile foam than the padding on the inner surfaces of the first
and second side sections.
20. The thumb protector of claim 14 wherein at least one fastening
elements comprises at least one rivet.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Lacrosse and hockey players--and goalies, in particular--are
often subjected to impacts from sticks, balls, and pucks. The thumb
region of a player is particularly susceptible to violent impacts.
Lacrosse goalies, for example, typically wear padded gloves to
protect their hands. Some goalies also wear additional thumb
protectors on the outside of their gloves for additional thumb
protection. Existing thumb protectors, however, often are
susceptible to falling off of the glove during impact, and do not
always adequately protect the wearer's thumb when the thumb is in a
bent or flexed position away from the thumb protector.
SUMMARY
[0002] A thumb protector for a sports glove, such as a lacrosse
glove, is attached to the thumb region of the sports glove. The
thumb protector optionally may be attached to the thumb region via
an elastic strap that slips over the thumb region, or via rivets or
other connectors that penetrate into or through the padding in the
thumb region. A lower region of the thumb protector may be secured
to a base of the thumb region via an elastic strap on the glove or
a similar connector. Other features and advantages will appear
hereinafter. The features described above can be used separately or
together, or in various combinations of one or more of them.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] In the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates
the same element throughout the views:
[0004] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sports glove including a
thumb protector, according to one embodiment.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a close-up, perspective view of the thumb region
of the lacrosse glove and thumb protector shown in FIG. 1.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the thumb protector shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a top view of the thumb protector shown in FIGS.
1-3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Various embodiments of the invention will now be described.
The following description provides specific details for a thorough
understanding and enabling description of these embodiments. One
skilled in the art will understand, however, that the invention may
be practiced without many of these details. Additionally, some
well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in
detail so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant
description of the various embodiments.
[0009] The terminology used in the description presented below is
intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even
though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description
of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Certain terms may
even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be
interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and
specifically defined as such in this detailed description
section.
[0010] Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also
include the plural or singular term, respectively. Moreover, unless
the word "or" is expressly limited to mean only a single item
exclusive from the other items in a list of two or more items, then
the use of "or" in such a list is to be interpreted as including
(a) any single item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list,
or (c) any combination of items in the list.
[0011] Turning now in detail to the drawings, as shown in FIGS.
1-4, in one embodiment, a thumb protector 10 is removably attached
to the thumb-receiving member, or thumb region 12, of a lacrosse
glove 14. The lacrosse glove 14 includes a main body from which the
thumb region 12 and a plurality of finger-receiving members, or
finger regions 17, extend.
[0012] The thumb protector 10 includes a shell having a top section
16 and two side sections 18 depending from the top section 16. The
thumb protector 10 may also include a front section 19 that covers
a tip of the thumb region 12. The shell may be made of a plastic
material, such as polyethylene, or of another suitable
material.
[0013] As shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, a liner of padding,
such as foam padding, may be attached to the inner surface of one
or more of the thumb protector walls. For example, foam padding may
be attached to an underside of the top section 16, or to inner
walls of the side sections 18 or the front section 19, of the thumb
protector 10. The padding may be made of a high density,
energy-absorbing foam, such as an energy-absorbing, vinyl nitrile
foam, or of another suitable material. A layer of comfort foam may
optionally be included, as well.
[0014] In one embodiment, a first energy-absorbing, vinyl nitrile
foam 30, such as VN1000, is adhered or otherwise attached to the
inner walls of the side sections 18, and a second energy-absorbing,
vinyl nitrile foam 32, such as VN1485, is adhered or otherwise
attached to the inner wall of the front section 19. In the
illustrated embodiment, the first vinyl nitrile foam padding 30 is
thinner than the second vinyl nitrile foam padding 32, to better
absorb severe impacts against the tip of the thumb. For example,
the first vinyl nitrile foam padding 30 may have a thickness of
approximately 3-5 mm, while the second vinyl nitrile foam padding
32 may have a thickness of approximately 5-7 mm. Any other suitable
foam thicknesses may be used. In an alternative embodiment, padding
is not included under the shell of the thumb protector 10.
[0015] In one embodiment, an elastic strap 40, or another suitable
securing element, is connected to the side sections 18 or the foam
padding 30 of the thumb protector 10 via rivets 28 or other
suitable fastening elements. The strap 40 is preferably elastic or
stretchable so that it may slip tightly over the thumb region 12 of
the lacrosse glove 14 to removably secure the thumb protector 10 to
the thumb region 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the ends of the
strap 40 are positioned between the side sections 18 and the foam
padding 30. A rivet 28 passes through an opening in each side
section 18, then through an end the strap 40, to secure the end of
the strap 40 to its respective side section 18. The rivets 28
optionally extend into or through the foam padding 30, as well.
[0016] In one embodiment, a lower region 20 of the thumb protector
10 includes a slot 22 configured to receive an elastic strap 24 or
similar connector that is stitched or otherwise attached to the
thumb region 12 of the glove 14. The elastic strap 24 secures the
lower region 20 of the thumb protector 10 to the thumb region 12 of
the glove 14 so that the thumb protector 10 remains securely in
place against the glove. The slot 22 preferably traverses a first
direction and then at least one additional direction at a
substantial angle to the first direction so that the strap 24
remains in place and does not easily slide out of the slot 22
during play. In one embodiment, the slot 22 has a width of
approximately 1 to 2 mm, but any other sized slot, corresponding to
any suitably sized strap, may be used.
[0017] In another embodiment, one or more rivets 28 or other
fastening elements may permanently attach the thumb protector 10 to
the thumb region 12 of the lacrosse glove 14. The one or more
rivets 28 pass through the side sections 18 of the thumb protector
10 and through the foam padding 30 into (or through) the padding
contained in the thumb region 12 of the lacrosse glove 14. The
padding in the thumb region 12 may be made of expanded
polypropylene, or of another suitable material. In one embodiment,
a single rivet 28 passes through both side sections 18, the foam
padding 30, and the padding in the thumb region 12 of the glove 14.
In another embodiment, two or more rivets 28, which may pass
through the side sections 18 of the thumb protector 10, the
underlying foam padding 30, and the glove padding, or may terminate
in the glove padding, are used to attach the thumb protector 10 to
the thumb region 12 of the lacrosse glove 14.
[0018] Inclusion of the elastic strap 40 that slips tightly over
the thumb region 12--or of rivets that penetrate the padding in the
thumb region 12--limits the degree to which a player can bend the
tip of his or her thumb away from the shell of the thumb protector
10. Accordingly, the player's thumb remains protected by the thumb
protector 10 during all movements and aspects of play.
[0019] Any of the above-described embodiments may be used alone or
in combination with one another. Furthermore, the thumb protector
may include additional features not described herein. While several
embodiments have been shown and described, various changes and
substitutions may of course be made, without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention. The invention, therefore, should
not be limited, except by the following claims and their
equivalents.
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