Bowling Glove

Abstract

An improved bowling glove stiffens and supports the hand in proper relation to the wrist and forearm. It braces the back of the hand in line with the top or back of the wrist, and braces the side of the hand opposite the thumb against rearward movement toward the radius side of the wrist and forearm. It includes a wrapper extending around the palm, back of the hand, wrist, and forearm with a hole to receive the thumb, a pad in the palm, and two stiffeners. The first stiffener extends over the back of the hand and the back of the wrist, and the second stiffener extends along the side of the hand opposite the thumb and across the radius side of the wrist and into the forearm region.

Description

THE INVENTIVE IMPROVEMENT

Prior art bowling gloves have tried in various ways to stiffen and support the hand and wrist of a bowler and pad the palm for better bowling. Many of these gloves are better than nothing, but there is still room for improvement.

The invention involves analysis of the optimum padding and stiffening requirements for a bowling glove, and proposes a combination of padding and stiffening that braces the hand against undesirable movements for improved bowling. The invention aims at simplicity, effectiveness, economy, reliability, comfort and better bowling results.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventive bowling glove uses a wrapper shaped to extend around the palm, back of the hand, wrist and forearm region and having a hole to receive the thumb. A pad is secured to the wrapper adjacent the thumbhole to lie in the palm of the hand. A first pocket is formed in the wrapper to extend over the back of the wrist, and a first stiffener in this pocket braces the back of the hand approximately in line with the back of the wrist and forearm. A second pocket is formed in the wrapper to extend along the side of the hand opposite the thumb, across the radius side of the wrist and into the forearm region, and a second stiffener in this pocket braces the side of the hand opposite the thumb against rearward movement toward the radius side of the wrist and forearm. The glove is completed with fasteners to secure the wrapper in place.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the inventive glove positioned for wrapping around the hand;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the glove of FIG. 1 wrapped around the palm of the hand;

FIG. 3 shows the back of the hand wrapped with the glove of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an alternative glove according to the invention in position for wrapping around the hand;

FIG. 5 shows the glove of FIG. 4 wrapped around the palm of the hand; and

FIG. 6 shows the glove of FIGS. 4 and 5 wrapped around the back of the hand .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 - 3 show one preferred embodiment of the improved bowling glove using a wrapper 10 for wrapping around hand 11. Wrapper 10 is preferably formed of leather or of some other material of similar stiffness and flexibility.

A hole 12 receives thumb 13 as illustrated, and a preferably resilient pad 14 is secured adjacent hole 12 to lie over the palm of hand 11. Wrapper 10 is wrapped around hand 11 as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with a fastener 16 on a securing tab 15 connecting to a fastener 17 at the back of the hand near the fingers, and a fastener 18 connecting to a fastener 19 at the wrist below the heel of the hand.

A first pocket 20 is formed in wrapper 10 as illustrated and contains a first stiffener 21 formed of a material that is relatively rigid in the longitudinal direction. A second pocket 22 is formed as illustrated at an angle of a few degrees relative to pocket 20 to diverge toward the finger region of wrapper 10, and a second, longitudinally rigid stiffener 23 is arranged in pocket 22.

With the glove wrapped around hand 11 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, stiffener 21 lies over the back of the hand and the wrist to brace the back of the hand approximately in line with the back of the wrist and forearm so that hand 11 cannot bend back toward the back of the wrist. Stiffener 23 is spaced away from stiffener 21 enough to lie along the side of hand 11 opposite thumb 13 and to extend across the radius side of the wrist and into the forearm region as illustrated. Stiffener 23 then braces the side of the hand 11 opposite thumb 13 against rearward movement toward the radius side of the wrist and forearm.

When a bowling ball is delivered the rear side of the bowler's hand under stiffener 23 is trailing or rearward relative to the thumb side of hand 11, and in applying force to roll the ball, the wrist can normally bend to let this rear side of the hand move toward the radius or rear side of the wrist and forearm. The evaluation leading to the invention showed that this is undesirable, and stiffener 23 prevents such movement to preserve a desired orientation of hand 11 relative to the forearm during delivery of the ball. The combination of bracing support provided by stiffeners 21 and 23 in cooperation with the general support of wrapper 10 along with the contribution of pad 14 generally makes the inventive bowling glove a significant improvement over the prior art.

FIGS. 4 - 6 show an alternative version of the inventive glove having all the parts described for wrapper 10 and including in addition a strap 24. Strap 24 is long enough to encircle the forearm of the user as illustrated and carries a fastener 25 that connects to a fastener 26 to help hold the glove in place. Strap 24 tightens and firms the forearm end of the wrapper for stiffer and improved support. Some users prefer the extra stiffening afforded by strap 24, and others prefer the looser fastening of wrapper 10 without strap 24.

The basic glove can extend further up the forearm if desired, but the preferred embodiments are an optimum compromise to achieve the desired stiffening without undue weight, bulk and size. Stiffeners 21 and 23 can be of metal, plastic, wood, or other materials. Pad 14 is preferably resilient and compressible and preferably formed of a cellular material secured under a cover. Fasteners are preferably hook and loop type pile material fasteners, but buckles, snap fasteners or other devices can be used. Leather is preferred for the inventive glove, but cloth, plastic, imitation leather, or other materials can also be used. The glove is preferably made in several sizes, and fasteners are located to fit the glove to different hand sizes.

Persons wishing to practice the invention should remember that other embodiments and variations can be adapted to particular circumstances. Even though one point of view is necessarily chosen in describing and defining the invention, this should not inhibit broader or related embodiments going beyond the semantic orientation of this application but falling within the spirit of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art will appreciate the various sizes, shapes and materials that can be arranged within the spirit of the invention for more effective bowling.

Claims

I claim:

1. A bowling glove comprising:

a. a wrapper shaped to extend around the palm, back of the hand, wrist and forearm region;

b. said wrapper having a hole to receive the thumb;

c. a pad secured to said wrapper adjacent said thumbhole to lie in the palm of the hand between the fingers and the heel of the hand;

d. a first pocket formed in said wrapper to extend over the back of the hand and the back of the wrist;

e. a generally flat, first stiffener in said first pocket to brace the back of the hand approximately in line with the back of the wrist and forearm;

f. a second pocket formed in said wrapper to extend along the side of the hand opposite the thumb, across the radius side of the wrist, and into the forearm region, said second pocket being spaced from said first pocket and narrower than said first pocket;

g. a generally flat, second stiffener in said second pocket to brace said side of the hand opposite the thumb against rearward movement toward said radius side of the wrist and forearm; and

h. means for securing said wrapper in place.

2. The glove of claim 1 wherein said first pocket and said first stiffener are substantially wider than said second pocket and said second stiffener.

3. The glove of claim 1 wherein said first and second pockets are angled a few degrees to diverge towards the finger region of said wrapper.

4. The glove of claim 1 wherein the forearm ends of said pockets are open for insertion and removal of said stiffeners.

5. The glove of claim 1 wherein said first and second pockets are angled a few degrees to diverge toward the finger region of said wrapper, and said first pocket and said first stiffener are substantially wider than said second pocket and said second stiffener.

6. The glove of claim 5 wherein the forearm ends of said pockets are open for insertion and removal of said stiffeners.