Form-fitting stick sports gloves

Abstract

Improved stick spot gloves are described. Such gloves are form-fitting and thus better conform to a player's hands. They also provide superior grip, and are lighter and smaller than corresponding conventional lacrosse and hockey gloves.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. Nos. 61 / 859,234 and 61 / 859,273 (each filed 27 Jul. 2013; attorney docket numbers TCC-0200-PV and TCC-0200-PV2, respectively) and entitled “Form-Fitting Stick Sports Gloves”, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for any and all purposes.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]This invention concerns sports gloves, particularly sports gloves worn by players of stick sports, for example, lacrosse and hockey.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Introduction[0003]The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any such information is prior art, or relevant, to the presently claimed inventions, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.2. Background[0004]Protective gloves are required equipment for players that compete in competitive stick sports, i...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]Thus, in one aspect, the invention concerns a protective stick sports glove that includes a complete glove portion for a player's hand and padding affixed directly to the top, sides, and wrist of the glove to provide the desired level of protection to the player's hand, wrist, and lower forearm. The glove portion comfortably conforms to a player's hand and allows for maximum flexion of the joints of the player's wrist and hand, including the palm, fingers, and thumb. The surface of the palm portion of the glove preferably includes a tacky or grip-enhancing outer surface to enhance a player's ability to grip and control her / his lacrosse or hockey stick while wearing such a glove, preferably on each hand. As those in the art will appreciate, instead of having a substantially planar palm connected to the upper, padded portion via a mesh sidewall, a complete form-fitting glove would mitigate the loss of dexterity and tactile sensation inherent in conventional hockey and lacrosse gloves. Moreover, a stick sports glove having a tacky or grip-enhancing outer surface on the palm portion (or those portions thereof intended to come into contact with a lacrosse or hockey stick while the stick is being held by a player during a practice or game) will improve a player's ability to grip and control her / his stick during play. The gloves of the invention are also lighter and easier to break in (or loosen up after a prior use) than a comparable conventional stick sport glove.

Problems solved by technology

Currently available gloves worn by stick sport players generally are heavily padded to offer adequate hand, wrist, and forearm protection but, as a result, sacrifice mobility and articulation due not only to the size and arrangement of the padding on exposed, outer portions of the gloves but also because of the way padding is attached to the glove.

The problem with this kind of construction, i.e., using a sidewall (e.g., FIG. 1, element 8) to connect the upper and palm portions, is that it creates a non-ergonomic volume for a player's hand, including her / his fingers and thumb, which generally renders such gloves ill-fitting.

Furthermore, the material(s) with which the palm of conventional stick sport gloves is(are) made, often natural or synthetic leather, does not improve a player's ability to grip or control her / his stick during play.

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