Batting glove

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application has no related applications.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

The inventions described and claimed in this application were not made under federally sponsored research and development.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a professional style batting glove. More specifically, this invention relates to a batting glove with a locking strap to simultaneously secure the glove to the user's wrist and to stretch the palm material of the glove across the user's palm.

The design and construction of professional style batting gloves has become increasing sophisticated as professional and serious amateur athletes expect both comfort and a precision fit in their batting gloves. Batting gloves have evolved as a combination of thin, soft leather panels for its tactile qualities with fabric sections of various elastic properties for improved fit. Such gloves characteristically include an open cuff of stretchable material which is open in either of the regions below the thumb stall, or the back of the glove, or the side of the hand. A locking strap of uniform wide is typically secured to one edge of the open cuff and includes a strip of hook and latch material such as VELCRO. A corresponding strip of hook and latch material is secured to the back of the cuff so that the locking strip can tightly encircle the user's wrist.

Comparatively little attention has been given to the tensioning of the leather palm material of conventional batting gloves except to rely on the elasticity of the material across the back of the glove or at the sides of the palm section in order to stretch material across the user's palm. Such solutions have not proven entirely satisfactory and can still result in bunching or puckering of the palm leather when the user grasps a baseball bat.

Accordingly, the need remains in the design and construction of batting gloves for improvements to tension the leather palmar material across the user's hand when a locking strip is deployed to secure the glove around the user's wrist. A primary goal of this invention is to meet this need and to provide such improvements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a professional style batting glove employing the tactile qualities of thin, soft leather for the palmar region and for finger and thumb stalls with strategically located sections of elastic material for improved fit and comfort while providing a locking strap to simultaneously secure the glove around the user's wrist and to tension the palmar material across the user's palm.

Another object of the invention is to provide a batting glove with sections of elastic material across the back of the glove for improved fit and comfort.

Another object of the invention is to provide a batting glove with an access opening including a split cuff and an edge split along the side of the hand so that even a user with large hands can easily insert the hand into the glove.

Another object of the invention is to provide a batting glove of the character described wherein a locking strap of uniform width is secured to one edge of the split cuff of elastic material and includes a strip of hook and latch material such as VELCRO to mate with a corresponding strip of hook and latch material on the cuff to tightly encircle the user's wrist.

Another object of the invention is to provide a batting glove of the character described wherein a non-yielding tensioning swath is attached to the edge of the palmar material and to the locking strap to tension the palmar material when the locking strap is deployed around the user's wrist.

Another object of the invention is to provide a batting glove of the character described including imprinted palm lines on the palmar material to prevent bunching or puckering when the user grasps a baseball bat.

In summary, an object of the invention is to provide a professional style batting glove with a palmar region and finger and thumb stalls of thin and soft tactile leather interconnected with elastic material sections for improved fit and comfort. A split wrist cuff integral with a side split assists in placing the glove on the user's hand. A locking strap of uniform width is attached to the wrist cuff and sections of hook and loop material permit the locking strap to tightly encircle the user's wrist. A triangular patch of non-yielding material is attached to the edge of the palmar region and to the locking strap to tension the palmar region across the user's palm when the locking strap is deployed.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the detailed description of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following description of the drawings, in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a batting glove constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention and showing the locking strap in an open position;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the batting glove showing the locking strap in an open position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the batting glove showing the locking strap in an open position;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the batting glove as in FIG. 1 but showing the locking strap in a closed position;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the batting glove as in FIG. 2 but showing the locking strap in a closed position; and

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the batting glove as in FIG. 3 but showing the locking strap in a closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the invention in greater detail, attention is first directed to FIGS. 1-3 showing a batting glove, generally designated by the numeral 10, with its associated locking strap 12 in an open or unlatched position.

The batting glove 10 has a proximal or palmar side as illustrated in FIG. 1 comprising a palm material section 14, proximal sides of finger stalls 16, 18, 20 & 22, proximal side of thumb stall 24, and a wrist cuff 26. The palm material section 14, proximal sides of finger stalls 16, 18, 20 & 22, and proximal side of thumb stall 24 are preferably integrally formed from a uniform sheet material. Such material is ideally thin, soft, and pliable leather with good tactile qualities for gripping and limited stretchiness for retaining its shape. Attached along the bottom edge of the palm section 14 is wrist cuff 26. Cuff 26 is formed of material being elastic in two dimensions, such as the material known as SPANDEX or an equivalent material, in order to best conform to the user's wrist area.

The cuff 26 is not a continuous band of material. Rather, it is split in the region near the side of the user's hand which corresponds roughly to the lowermost, side edge of the palm section 14. The locking strap 12 is attached to the edge of the cuff 26 just below the lowermost, side edge of the palm section 14. The locking strap 12 is of uniform width and formed from unyielding, non-elastic material to limit stretch thereof. Secured to the backside of the locking strap 12 (see FIGS. 2 & 3) is a strip 28 of hook and loop material, such as the material known as VELCRO or an equivalent material, with the loop material being illustrated in the drawings.

Diagonally across the upper region of the palm section 14 and the lower regions of the finger stalls 16-22 are imprinted on or impressed pattern lines 30 into the leather material. The pattern lines 30 assist in preventing puckering or bunching of the palm section 14 when the user grips a baseball bat.

The distal or backside of the batting glove 10 is illustrated in FIG. 2. Between the edge of the palm section 14 and the thumb stall 24 are one or more sections (3 sections 32, 34 & 36 being illustrated) of elastic material having various degrees of stretchiness in two dimensions, such as the material known as SPANDEX or an equivalent material. The upper regions of the elastic sections 32-36 preferably overlie the metacarpophalangeal joints of the fingers when the glove 10 is worn by a user. The lower edge of the elastic section 32 is attached to the wrist cuff 26.

Secured to the backside of the wrist cuff 26 (see FIGS. 2 & 3) is a strip 38 of hook and loop material, such as the material known as VELCRO or an equivalent material, with the hook material being illustrated in the drawings.

The backsides of the finger stalls 16-22 are preferably formed of the same leather material as used on the palmar side of the glove 10. Intermediate the lengths of the finger stalls 16-22 may be secured elastic sections 40, 42, 44 & 46, respectively, to correspond substantially to the proximal interphalangeal joints of the user's hand in order to facilitate bending of the fingers and gripping of a baseball bat.

On the inside lengths of finger stalls 16 & 22 (i.e., index and little fingers) are sections 48 & 50, respectively, of elastic materials. Also on both sides of finger stalls 18 & 20 (i.e., middle and ring fingers) are sections 52 & 54, respectively, of elastic materials. These sections 48-54 of elastic material provide improved fit and comfort in the finger stalls 16-22.

Likewise, along the length of the thumb stall 24 may be included a narrow section 56 of elastic material, only a portion of which is seen in the drawing views, to improve the fit and comfort of the thumb stall 24.

The side of the batting glove 10 is illustrated in FIG. 3. Corresponding to and integrally contiguous with the split in the wrist cuff 26 is a split or opening 58 between the palm section 14 and the elastic section 32 on the back of the glove. The opening 58 extends from the wrist cuff 26 to a point approximately half way between the wrist cuff 26 and the lower end of the finger stall 22. Such point corresponds about midway on the metacarpal bone associated with the user's little finger. The split in the wrist cuff 26 and the opening 58 between the palmar and backside of the glove 10 permits ease of access for inserting the user's hand, even for a larger or beefy hand as may be the case for professional and serious amateur baseball athletes.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 & 3 of the drawings, a triangular material patch 60 is securely attached along at least a substantial portion of the length of the locking strap 12 and also along the palm section 14 from the wrist cuff 26 to the uppermost point of the opening 58. It is important that patch 60 be formed from unyielding, non-elastic material to limit stretch thereof. This provides means for tensioning the palm section 14 when the locking strap 12 is deployed around the user's wrist.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate the batting glove 10 positioned on and secured by locking strap 12 to a user's hand. Before deploying the locking strap 12, the user may easily insert the hand into the glove 10 due to the split in the wrist cuff 26 and opening 58 between the palm and backside of the glove. Once the hand is inserted, then locking strap 12 may be pulled to the backside of the glove 10 so that strip 28 of the hook and loop material on the locking strap 12 latches with strip 38 of the hook and loop material on the wrist cuff 26. This action also causes the patch 60 to pull the palm material section 14 across the user's palm to properly tension the palm section 14 and remove any material wrinkles that might otherwise be present.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the invention.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Numerals

batting glove 10

locking strap 10

palm material section 14

finger stalls 16, 18, 20 & 22

thumb stall 24

wrist cuff 26

strip 28 of hook and loop material

pattern lines 30

elastic sections 32, 34 & 36

strip 38 of hook and loop material

elastic sections 40, 42, 44 & 46

finger stalls 16 & 22-elastic sections 48 & 50

finger stalls 18 & 20-elastic sections 52 & 54

thumb stall 24-narrow section 56

opening 58

triangular material patch 60