U.S. patent number RE42,839 [Application Number 12/220,489] was granted by the patent office on 2011-10-18 for glove having molded rubber palm pattern with a portion that rolls over fingertips.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ironclad Performance Wear Corp.. Invention is credited to Eduard A. Jaeger, Eric M. Jaeger.
United States Patent |
RE42,839 |
Jaeger , et al. |
October 18, 2011 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Glove having molded rubber palm pattern with a portion that rolls
over fingertips
Abstract
A fitted glove structure that incorporates a molded rubber palm
piece that has a portion which extends over certain of the glove
fingertips to the back piece in a manner to increase wearer comfort
and protection and to enhance the object pick up capabilities of
the glove.
Inventors: |
Jaeger; Eduard A. (El Segundo,
CA), Jaeger; Eric M. (El Segundo, CA) |
Assignee: |
Ironclad Performance Wear Corp.
(El Segundo, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
31494973 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/220,489 |
Filed: |
July 25, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
10215946 |
Aug 10, 2002 |
7100212 |
Sep 5, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/161.1;
2/16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D
19/01558 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A41D
19/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;2/16,20,160,161.6,163,168,169 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Moran; Katherine
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Keschner; Irving
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A glove construction comprising: glove back means formed in the
shape of a human hand for forming a portion of the back of the
glove; a glove palm piece formed in the shape of a human hand
comprising a thumb portion, finger portions .Iadd.having fingertips
.Iaddend.and a palm area, said glove palm piece having a surface,
said glove back means and said glove palm piece forming a portion
of the glove when joined together; strips of material forming both
sides of said finger portions joined to said glove back means and
said glove palm piece along the length of each finger
portion.Iadd.; .Iaddend.and a molded three dimensional rubber
member secured to the surface of said palm piece in a manner such
that the molded rubber member has portions secured to said finger
portions, said thumb and said glove palm area, the portions of said
molded rubber member secured to said finger portions, said thumb
and said palm area having shapes and characteristics that differ
from each other to provide a palm piece having multi-functional
capabilities, said portion of said molded rubber member secured to
said finger portions extending over .Iadd.at least two of
.Iaddend.the fingertips and secured to said glove back means, said
molded rubber finger portions extending substantially along the
entire length of each finger.
2. The glove construction of claim 1 wherein each of said extended
portions have a width that varies as it extends over each
fingertip.
3. The glove construction of claim 2 wherein each of said extended
finger portions have an hourglass shape.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides an improved glove construction
wherein the palm pattern comprises a molded rubber piece having a
portion which rolls over the fingertips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gloves specifically designed for use in the construction industry
have been available in the prior art. For example, Ironclad
Performance Wear Corp., Los Angeles, Calif., sells a variety of
gloves having a palm piece attached to a back piece through the use
of fourchettes. The glove fingers are attached to the palm and back
pieces across the tips of the fingers, down the side of each finger
and down through the crotch between each finger. The Ironclad
gloves typically have a pattern on the palm piece to protect the
user hand from strain, vibration or abrasion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,290 to Gold discloses a glove structure wherein
the palm piece is attached to the back piece through the use of
connector strips made from stretchable elastic fabric, such as
spandex.
The problems with the conventional glove design is that sensitivity
is reduced as the typical glove has materials (4) coming together
at one point; wearer fingernails tend to hang up on seams reducing
the utility and mobility when the gloves are worn; seams in the
central wear area cause the glove material wearing out; the
presence of multiple materials and seams reduces wear comfort; the
plural seams and materials increases the likelihood that the glove
will snag on outside items such as nails and screws; and the
fingernails are susceptible to damage because of the thin and
lighter palm material used in conventional gloves.
Ski gloves have been available which include an inner glove portion
and an outer shell glove portion which includes a palm design that
wraps up and over the fingertips. This ski glove construction is
not a single, fitted glove, is primarily limited to skiing and
other winter sport activities and is not designed to be long
lived.
What is thus desired is to provide a glove construction whereby the
above noted disadvantages are substantially eliminated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a fitted glove structure that
incorporates a palm piece having a molded rubber palm pattern that
includes a portion which rolls over to the back piece in a manner
that increases fingertip sensitivity, increases the mobility and
efficiency of the wearer, increases glove lifetime, increases
wearer comfort and increases fingernail protection.
In particular, the palm piece and back piece on the second, third
and fourth finger are joined by fourchettes, preferably made of
reinforced stretched nylon, the palm material is preferably made of
synthetic leather, the top hand material is stretched nylon and the
palm pattern is made of heat pressable rubber. A portion of the
molded rubber palm pattern, according to the teachings of the
present invention, extends over the fingertips (except the thumb)
and is sewn to the stretch nylon on the top portion of the back
piece.
The molded rubber palm pattern with the roll over fingertip portion
is unique in work gloves. The glove construction of the present
invention eliminates the seam lines on the fingertips resulting in
a smooth layer of material over the entire fingertip and a
substantial increase in finger tactility. This increase in
tactility provides a glove that is more comfortable and more
functional than available in the prior art. A user can pick up
small objects such as coins, nails, screws, buttons, etc, and will
also have a heightened awareness of the contact environment--smooth
vs. rough, for example. By altering material selections, the design
can be incorporated into gloves that are meant for work with small,
delicate objects as well as highly abrasive environments.
The individually molded rubber palm allows for a new glove design.
Currently, the only options available for glove designers involved
material choices and patterns. Although material choices are
varied, this can still be very limiting--trade offs need to be made
in terms of flexibility, chemical resistance, thermal resistance,
grip characteristics, wet, dry or oily environments, etc.
An individually molded rubber palm pattern eliminates these trade
offs. By individually molding a palm, three dimensional
characteristics are incorporated to address different gripping
needs--non-slip, cement block, glass, demolition, wet or oily
environments, etc, that before could only be addressed by two
dimensional material choices. Additional functionalities such as
vibration and shock absorption are also addressed with three
dimensional solutions, rather than gel or foam inserts. Multiple
functionalities are incorporated into one glove, with different
portions of the glove having different and complimentary functions
(for example, non-slip fingers and a shock absorbing palm), all
within the same one mold. This is a very cost effective solution
for multiple purpose gloves. Another advantage to a molded palm is
the ability to use polymer chemistry to enhance functionality. The
rubber can be tailored to meet specific needs--heat resistance and
insulation, low temperature resistance, oil and chemical
resistance, flame resistance, abrasion, cut and puncture
resistance, electrical resistance, etc. The durometer of the rubber
compound is adjustable as required for the purpose of the glove and
chemical additives can be used to enhance any of these properties.
In addition, specific colorants can be added, as well as reflective
and fluorescent chemicals, to create specific visibility patterns.
Due to the advanced nature of molding technologies, these different
polymer characteristics can be designed into different parts of the
glove. The fingers can have a different color, durometer and
abrasion resistance than the palm of the glove, for example.
Finally, by studying the articulation of the hand, the rubber palm
is designed with flex points that match the natural joint and flex
locations on the fingers, thumb and palm.
The present invention thus provides a fitted glove configuration
that increases wearer comfort and also provides increased
protection to the wearer's hand and enables various types of
objects to be grasped by the user while increasing glove
lifetime.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the present invention as well as
other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to
the following description which is to be read in conjunction with
the accompanying drawing therein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the palm piece of a glove
constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the back piece of the glove
construction shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partial side view along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the glove fingertip shown in FIG. 3;
and
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line 5--5 of FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the palm piece 12 of the fitted glove
10 of the present invention. The glove 10 is in the shape of a
human hand and comprises two pieces, palm piece 12 and a back piece
14 (shown in FIG. 2). Palm piece 12 comprises a thumb portion 18,
finger portion 20 (index finger), 22 (middle finger), 24 (ring
finger) and 26 (pinkie finger). An opening is provided at the
bottom 28 of the glove 10 to allow a wearer to insert his or her
hand.
Palm piece 12 comprises a breathable, stretchable support material
30. such as Cool Flex, a synthetic leather material 32, such as
suede, fourchettes 34, preferably fabricated from reinforced,
stretchable nylon, such as Spandura (a registered trademark of H.
Warshaw & Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y.) connecting the index and
middle fingers, the middle and ring fingers and the ring and pinkie
fingers as illustrated, stretchable material 35, such as spandex
and palm pattern 36, made of rubber. In accordance with the
teachings of the present invention, palm pattern 36, in the
preferred embodiment, is a single piece comprising molded rubber
and comprises a plurality of discrete patterns as illustrated
positioned to minimize wear and abrasions to the hand of the user.
In accordance with a further teaching of the present invention, the
vertically extending palm patters 40(a), 40(b), 40(c) and 40(d)
formed on the top portion of the index, middle, ring and pinkie
fingers, respectively which extend substantially along the entire
length of each finger, each have a portion 42 which extends, or
rolls, over the tops of these fingers as illustrated more clearly
in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 (FIG. 3 illustrates index finger 20 and the
description of the glove construction is equally applicable to
fingers 22, 24 and 26). The entire rubber mold palm pattern 36 is
glued, heat pressed (using predetermined temperatures and pressures
in a conventional manner) and then sewn to the synthetic leather
portion 32.
The upper portions of palm pattern 36 adjacent the tips of finger
portions 20, 22, 24 and 26, have a portion 46 which is reduced in
width, and extends from portions 42, rolls over the fingertip areas
and increases in width to form pattern portions 50 (see FIG. 2).
The extended glove portion, as illustrated, has an hourglass shape.
Support material 30 (FIG. 1) includes a male connecting post 51
which is used to join glove 10 to the mating glove (not shown), the
mating glove having a receptacle to receive post 51. Although the
pattern portions 50 are illustrated as only extending partially
down backpiece 14, it should be noted that the present invention
contemplates that portions 50 can extend down the backpiece 14 to
other lengths, including to the bottom portion of backpiece 14. It
should be clear that portions 42 and 50 and the other patterns
illustrated are part of the single, integral molded rubber palm
pattern 36. Although this is the preferred arrangement for
manufacturing efficiency, a palm pattern comprising a plurality of
molded rubber parts can also be used.
The rubber molded material 36 may be fabricated from different
polymers to provide different properties for the glove
construction, i.e. more heat resistant, more chemical resistant,
etc. For example, the thumb and palm areas can have shapes and
characteristics that differ from each other. In addition, different
polymers can be used in different glove locations to create
different localized protections. Examples of different polymers
which can be used are TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), latex and
natural rubber, silicone, butyl, neoprene, polyurethane, urethane
and vinyl. In addition, the individual rubber material 37 can be
made with an infinite range of durometers which change over various
portions of the glove.
Although not illustrated, the mold pattern is preferably omitted
from the joint, or flex, areas, of the palm and fingers. This
design still allows the areas of exposed synthetic leather 32 to be
protected from abrasive elements when the hand is flexed while
grasping an object. In addition, a single recessed sewing channel
around the entire molded rubber piece 36 may be provided so that
the sewing thread is protected from abrasion is preferred, although
multiple sewing channels can be used. Both of these features are
disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 10/215,703, filed Aug.
10, 2002 and entitled "Improved Glove Constuction" by Eric M.
Jaeger, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, the
teachings of which necessary for the an understanding of the
present invention being incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the back piece 14 and illustrates the roll
over portions 46 and 50 in more detail. As noted hereinabove,
patterns 46 and 50 are bonded to synthetic leather portion 52,
portion 52 in turn being sewn at 55 to stretched nylon material 35.
Nylon material 35 is sewn to support material 30 at 56.
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of fingertip 20 and
illustrates ridges 60 formed on the top of the cross-over palm
pattern portion 46 and the attachment of synthetic material 32 to
stretchable material 35 along sewn stitch line 55.
The present invention thus provides a glove construction that
increases fingertip sensitivity of the wearer, increases wearer
comfort while protecting the wearer's fingernails and also
increases glove lifetime.
While the invention has been described with reference to its
preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true
spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications
may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the
teachings of the invention without departing from its essential
teachings.
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