U.S. patent application number 13/885949 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-19 for soccer goalkeeper glove.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jing Liang, Claudio Storelli. Invention is credited to Jing Liang, Claudio Storelli.
Application Number | 20130333093 13/885949 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46084418 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130333093 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Storelli; Claudio ; et
al. |
December 19, 2013 |
Soccer Goalkeeper Glove
Abstract
Sports gloves include a multilayer palm section that includes an
outer layer and one or more inner layers, at least one of which is
a layer of slow rebound, open cell polyurethane to provide a glove
with better impact control and protection while also providing a
user with better feel for a ball striking the palm.
Inventors: |
Storelli; Claudio; (New
York, NY) ; Liang; Jing; (New York, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Storelli; Claudio
Liang; Jing |
New York
New York |
NY
NY |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
46084418 |
Appl. No.: |
13/885949 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
November 17, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2011/061277 |
371 Date: |
August 30, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61414661 |
Nov 17, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/161.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 19/01523 20130101;
A63B 71/143 20130101; A63B 71/148 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/161.1 |
International
Class: |
A63B 71/14 20060101
A63B071/14 |
Claims
1. A sports glove comprising a palm area and in which the palm area
comprises an outer layer and one or more inner layers, wherein at
least one inner layer comprises slow-rebound foam.
2. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein the slow rebound foam is an
open-cell polyurethane foam.
3. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein the inner layer comprising
slow-rebound foam is from about 1 mm to about 7 mm thick.
4. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein the durometer of the slow
rebound foam is from about 8 to about 18.
5. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein the slow-rebound foam's
time to recovery to 90% of pre-compression thickness is from about
0.3 to about 0.8 seconds.
6. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein the glove is a soccer
goalkeeper glove.
7. The sports glove of claim 1, comprising patches or dots of a
rubber or polymer material having a kinetic friction coefficient
greater than the kinetic friction coefficient of the outer layer
when the surface is contacted with a moving thermoplastic
polyurethane surface.
8. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein the outer layer comprises
latex foam.
9. The sports glove of claim 1, wherein one or more inner layers
comprises an anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, bacteriostatic or
microbiostatic material.
10. The sports glove of claim 1, comprising a layer of mesh between
the outer layer and the slow rebound foam layer.
11. The sports glove of claim 1, further comprising a layer of mesh
backing attached to the slow rebound foam layer on the side
opposite the outer layer.
12. The sports glove of claim 1, further defined as a soccer
goalkeeper glove, a hockey glove, a lacrosse glove, a football
receiver's glove, or a baseball hitter's or fielder's glove.
13. A sports glove comprising a palm area and in which the palm
area comprises an outer layer and one or more inner layers, wherein
at least one inner layer comprises a layer of from about 1 mm to
about 7 mm thick slow-rebound foam composed of open-cell
polyurethane foam.
14. The sports glove of claim 13, wherein the durometer of the slow
rebound foam is from about 8 to about 18.
15. The sports glove of claim 13, wherein the slow-rebound foam's
time to recovery to 90% of pre-compression thickness is from about
0.3 to about 0.8 seconds.
16. (canceled)
17. A sports glove comprising a palm area, wherein the palm area
comprises: an outer layer of latex foam; a layer of mesh bonded to
the inside of the outer layer of latex foam; a layer of slow
rebound open-cell polyurethane foam bonded to the mesh layer on the
side opposite of the outer layer; and a mesh backing layer bonded
to the slow rebound layer.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Gloves are used by players in various sports, including
soccer goalkeepers to assist in catching the ball, holding on to
the ball, and also protecting hands and fingers from injuries. The
usage of goalkeeper gloves is a trend that started in the past 50
years. The design of goalkeeper gloves has evolved over this period
from simple cotton garden gloves to modem goalkeeper gloves made of
synthetic materials. The typical modem glove has a palm side that
includes a latex foam, and the backside made of latex or
polyurethane. On some gloves, protective spines are also inserted
into the glove to protect fingers from over-extension injuries.
Today's goalkeeper gloves strive to optimize properties such as
impact-absorption, tackiness/grip for the ball, touch/feel for the
ball, and protection. To better illustrate the nuance of glove
designs, it is useful to define what these properties mean.
[0002] Impact absorption is defined as how much of the soccer
ball's momentum (mass.times.velocity) is absorbed by the glove upon
contact. Since the mass of the ball is constant, impact-absorption
can be simply defined as the reduction of velocity between the
incoming and the rebounding ball. A glove with high impact
absorption capabilities makes it easier for a player to catch the
ball.
[0003] Tackiness or grip for the ball is defined here as how well a
soccer ball is trapped to the palm of the glove. Tackiness is a
function of (1) coefficient of kinetic friction between the ball
surface and the palm, and (2) the size of the surface area. Kinetic
friction is different from static friction. Static friction is the
force resisting movement between 2 non-moving surfaces. Kinetic
friction is the force resisting the movement between 2 moving
surfaces in contact with each other. A key difference between the
two different types of frictional forces is that static friction is
not dependent on the size of surface contact area, whereas kinetic
friction is dependent on the size of the contact area. Given the
kinetic nature of a soccer ball, kinetic friction is more relevant
in assessing tackiness/grip. A glove with high friction
capabilities makes the surface of the glove stickier, making it
easier for the player to hold on to a ball (e.g., reduce
slippage).
[0004] "Touch & feel" is the degree of control a goalkeeper
feels through the glove both in catching and passing and/or
throwing the ball by hand. When a glove is worn, touch and feel for
the ball is dampened because the glove reduces the feedback
sensitivity between the hand and the ball. Manufacturers of
goalkeeper gloves have tried to optimize the touch and feel of the
glove by varying the shape of the catching surface, flexibility
around the joints of the glove, and the softness of materials used
in the glove.
[0005] Protection is defined as the degree in which the glove
protects a hand from injuries resulting from contact between the
hand and the ball. The most common hand injuries for soccer
goalkeepers are hyperextensions, dislocation, and broken fingers.
Finger spines consist in bendable plastic sticks that allow the
fingers of the glove to bend forward (e.g., allowing the goalkeeper
to close the hand), but prevent it from bending backwards (i.e.,
reduce risk of hyper-extension and broken fingers).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present disclosure can be described in certain
embodiments as an improved sports glove and in certain embodiments
as an improved soccer goalkeeper's glove. As disclosed herein,
providing a layer of a slow rebound foam in the palm area of a
glove is effective to increase impact absorption and improve
tackiness & grip for the ball. Additionally, bacteriostatic, or
anti-bacterial/anti-infective materials are used to combat the
problem of glove odor, a.k.a. "smelly gloves", commonly caused by
bacteria nurtured by sweat deposited unto the materials of the
glove. While described primarily as a soccer goalkeeper's glove,
the present disclosure is also applicable to other sports gloves,
including but not limited to a soccer goalkeeper glove, a hockey
glove, a lacrosse glove, a football receiver's glove, or a baseball
hitter's, catcher's or fielder's glove.
[0007] In certain embodiments, a slow-rebounding foam layer is
attached under a latex foam layer in the palm area that is used for
catching the ball. The purpose of the layer is to improve the
impact absorption of the glove palm. The slow-rebound foam layer
has the property that upon compression, it returns to its
pre-compression state slowly relative to latex or other
conventional foams, over a period of up to a second, for example.
In the context of catching a soccer ball, this slow-rebound
property reduces the foam's pressure on the rebounding ball, thus
decreasing its rebounding velocity and allowing a player to catch
the ball more easily. This reduction in rebound force helps
goalkeepers in gaining control of the soccer ball. The combination
of the slow-rebound foam layer and the latex foam layer thus will
have improved impact-absorption characteristics relative to the
latex foam layer alone.
[0008] The present disclosure also provides a novel approach to
increase the tackiness/grip of the palm surface--the surface that
contacts the soccer ball. Latex foam is the preferred foam used for
the palm surface due to its good balance between tackiness, and
softness--which improves touch and feel for the ball. Current
approaches to optimizing the grip of the palm surface primarily
involve changing the composition of latex foam. Current top of the
line soccer balls use thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) for their
surface panels. As disclosed herein, coating the latex foam surface
with thin "dots" of materials exhibiting higher kinetic friction
against TPU panels improves the overall tackiness of the palm
surface. As opposed to coating the whole surface of the latex palm,
which can make the surface more rigid, thus compromising on the
touch and feel, coating it with only dots of the material retains
the flexibility and softness of the latex palm.
[0009] In certain embodiments, the construction of the disclosed
gloves includes anti-bacterial materials to reduce the potential
for pungent glove odor. Anti-bacterials in a sports glove are
contemplated to reduce the growth of bacteria in the moist
environment of an athletic glove and to inhibit infection in broken
skin that is in contact with the glove.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The following drawings form part of the present
specification and are included to further demonstrate certain
aspects of the present disclosure. The disclosure may be better
understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in
combination with the detailed description of specific embodiments
presented herein.
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates the construction of the palm area of a
glove.
[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates the coating of the latex foam surface
with dots of tackier materials against the surface of a TPU soccer
ball
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of the incorporation of a layer
of slow-rebound foam behind the latex foam palm surface of the
glove. A four layer construction is shown in which the uppermost
layer is the outside of the glove that contacts the ball and the
lowermost layer contacts the skin of a user when the glove is worn.
Layer A, the outmost layer is constructed of a latex foam. Layer B
is an optional thin layer of mesh material for providing durability
to the foam layers. Layer C is slow-rebound viscoelastic foam for
improving impact absorption. Layer D is mesh backing for increased
comfort and improved durability. This layer helps protect the foam
from ripping.
[0014] The slow-rebound foam is made of open-cell viscoelastic
polyurethane or other foam materials with similar properties. In
certain embodiments the thickness of the slow rebound foam layer is
from about 1 mm to about 7 mm, depending on the amount of impact
absorption required. The durometer of the slow rebound foam is from
about 8 to about 18. The slow-rebound foam's time to recovery to
90% of pre-compression thickness is from about 0.3 to about 0.8
seconds. An example of a slow rebound foam is Poron.RTM. Slow
Rebound Material marketed by Rogers Corporation. The compression
force deflection of the foam is from about 0.3 to about 10 psi. The
term "about" as used herein is meant to convey "approximately" and
is understood to mean within experimental or measurement error and
up to about 10% of the value of the modified number. The foam can
also be perforated with holes to improve heat release or
ventilation.
[0015] The slow-rebound layer can be directly laminated or sewn to
the latex layer or both layers can be laminated or sewn to a thin
mesh fabric sandwiched between the 2 foam layers. The side of the
slow-rebound foam layer contacting the hand may also be laminated
to a thin mesh fabric layer. This layer of mesh fabric touching the
hand (a) improves comfort when the glove is worn, and (b) increases
the strength/durability of the foam thus helps prevent
tearing/ripping of the foam palm.
[0016] FIG. 2 depicts the dotting of higher-friction materials on
the surface of the latex foam palm. The deposited "dots" can be
round (domed) or of any other appropriate shape. The thickness of
the "dots" can be from about 1 um to about 1 cm. The material used
for these dots has a higher kinetic friction coefficient than the
latex foam layer underneath. Many rubber or polyurethane materials
are known in the art to have the durability and "tackiness" to be
useful for the disclosed gloves. All such appropriate materials are
contemplated for the present disclosure.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, layers A-D are the same as those same
letter indicators in FIG. 1. Layer E is a patterned layer of dots
of high kinetic friction material.
[0018] Antibacterial/antimicrobial materials can be applied to any
parts of the glove to help prevent or reduce glove odor.
Anti-microbial properties can be conferred to the different
components of the glove through various means such as (a) usage of
nanosilver threads woven into the fabric used to construct the
glove, (b) surface coating with anti-microbial agents, (c)
covalently bonding antimicrobial agents to the fibers of fabrics or
polymers of the foam or (d) selection of foam materials with native
anti-microbial properties.
[0019] Three tests were conducted to test the palm material
disclosed herein. These tests were designed to test for improved
shot absorption, impact protection and feel for the ball,
respectively. The material from the palm of a top selling
commercially available goalkeeper's latex foam glove ("control")
was compared to a glove palm material as disclosed herein
("test").
[0020] In a first test, to determine effect on shot absorption, a
steel ball of about 0.5 inch diameter and weighing approximately 50
grams was dropped through a tube onto the control material and the
test material from a height of approximately 1 meter. The ball
dropped on the control rebounded to at least 14 inches while an
identical ball dropped on the test material rebounded only about 6
inches, or about half the height of the control. This demonstrates
the superior shot absorption of the test material.
[0021] In a second test, to determine improvement in feel for the
ball, a chicken egg was dropped onto the control and test materials
from a height of approximately 30 inches. In each test, the egg
broke upon hitting the control material, but no egg was broken upon
hitting the test material. This demonstrates the superior feel for
the ball provided by the disclosed glove material, as it provided a
more controlled deceleration of the object.
[0022] In a third test, to determine improvement in impact
protection, a steel ball as in the first test was dropped through
the one meter tube onto the control and test materials which were
each covering a standard incandescent light bulb. For the control
material, the steel ball completely smashed the light bulbs through
the control material, but the test material completely protected
the bulbs from any harm. This demonstrates the superior impact
protection of the disclosed material. The test suggests better
dissipation of the impact force, which would help protect
goalkeepers' hands from injuries.
[0023] The gloves as disclosed herein were also tested by
collegiate and professional level soccer goalkeepers for their
impressions of the gloves while using them in practice and live
game situations. At the professional level, a pair of production
gloves was used by a goalkeeper in a US Major League Soccer game,
and by another goalkeeper in an Irish Premier League soccer game.
Additionally, the gloves have been evaluated by goalkeepers from
clubs in the English Premier League and in the Spanish La Liga
league. The goalkeepers have been pleased with the performance and
feel of the gloves.
[0024] All of the articles, compositions and/or methods disclosed
and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue
experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the
systems, compositions and methods of this disclosure have been
described in terms of certain embodiments, it will be apparent to
those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the
systems, compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the
sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing
from the concept, spirit and scope of the disclosure. More
specifically, it will be apparent that certain physical structures
may be substituted for the physical structures described herein and
the same or similar results would be achieved. All such similar
substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art
are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the
disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *