Heated baseball glove/mitt and method of heating a baseball bat handle

• US 20050155961A1
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akadema Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Joseph Gilligan IV, Lawrence J. Gilligan
• Inventors: Gilligan, Lawrence J., Gilligan, Joseph IV
• Granted Patent: US 7,002,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/211
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/01535 Heated gloves
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/036 Heaters specially adapted for garment heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles

Abstract

A heated baseball glove/mitt is provided. In one embodiment the heated glove/mitt comprises front and back shells joined together along select portions of their edges in such manner as to form a finger portion and a thumb portion of the glove/mitt, and further defining an opening between the front and back shells for receiving a hand of a user of the glove/mitt, a web-type panel disposed partially between the finger portion and the thumb portion, at least one interior member located between an inner surface of the front shell and an inner surface of the back shell, at least one finger stall extending from the interior member between the interior member and the back shell having a top surface proximate the inner surface of the back shell, and an electrically conductive member attached along at least a portion of the top surface of the at least one finger stall between the top surface of the at least one finger stall and the inner surface of said back shell for heating the at least one finger stall. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of heating a baseball bat is disclosed.

Claims

1. A combined method of keeping at least one of a baseball player'"'"'s hands warm during a game of baseball, whether said player is in his/her fielding position or in his/her hitting position, comprising the steps of:

providing a heated baseball glove/mitt to be worn by said player when said player is in said fielding position, said heated baseball glove/mitt comprising;

a front shell for fielding a baseball thereon having an edge;

a back shell having an edge and being joined to said front shell along select portions of said edges in such manner as to form a finger portion and a thumb portion of said glove/mitt, and further defining an opening between said front and back shells for receiving therethrough said hand of said player;

a web-type panel disposed partially between said finger portion and said thumb portion;

at least one interior member located between an inner surface of said front shell and an inner surface of said back shell;

at least one finger stall extending from said interior member, between said interior member and said back shell, having a top surface proximate said inner surface of said back shell; and

an electrically conductive member extending along at least a portion of said top surface of said at least one finger stall between said top surface of said at least one finger stall and said inner surface of said back shell for heating said at least one finger stall; and

providing at least one heated baseball batting glove to be worn by said player when said player is in said hitting position so as to warm a handle of a bat being used by said player while in said hitting position.

2. A baseball glove/mitt, comprising:

a front shell for fielding a baseball thereon having an edge;

a back shell having an edge and being joined to said front shell along select portions of said edges in such manner as to form a finger portion and a thumb portion of said glove/mitt, and further defining an opening between said front and back shells for receiving therethrough a hand of a user of said glove;

a web-type panel disposed partially between said finger portion and said thumb portion;

at least one interior member located between an inner surface of said front shell and an inner surface of said back shell;

at least one finger stall extending from said interior member, between said interior member and said back shell, having a top surface proximate said inner surface of said back shell; and

an electrically conductive member extending along at least a portion of said top surface of said at least one finger stall between said top surface of said at least one finger stall and said inner surface of said back shell for heating said at least one finger stall.

3. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 2, wherein said front and back shells are substantially joined along select peripheral sections of said front and back shells.

4. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 3, wherein said front and back shells are further substantially joined through select intermediary sections of said front and back shells.

5. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 2, further comprising a power source attached to an outer surface of said back shell.

6. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 5, said power source comprising a battery.

7. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 6, said battery being selectively, removably secured to said outer surface of said back shell in a selectively openable compartment.

8. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 5, said back shell further comprising a strap located proximate said hand receiving opening.

9. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 8, said strap comprising first and second portions having inner and outer surfaces, said inner surface of said first portion closest to said user'"'"'s hand when said hand is within said opening and said outer surface of said first portion proximate said inner surface of said second portion when said second portion is in a closed position.

10. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 9, further comprising an on/off switch mechanism for said electrically conductive member attached between said electrically conductive member and said power source.

11. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 10, said on/off switch mechanism attached to said glove/mitt between said first and second portions of said strap.

12. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 11, wherein a first end of said second portion of said strap is pivotally secured to a portion of said outer surface of said back shell and a second end of said second portion of said strap is releasably securable to another portion of said outer surface of said back shell for easy accessibility to said on/off switch mechanism.

13. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 11, wherein said first and second portions of said strap are a single, unitary length of strap, a first end thereof fixedly attached to said back shell at a first portion of said back shell located on a first side of said opening and a second end thereof received through a receptacle located at a second portion of said back shell on a second, opposite side of said opening, said second end of said unitary length of strap being releasably securable at said first portion of said back shell.

14. For a baseball glove/mitt used for fielding baseballs in a baseball game, having at least one finger stall for receipt therein of fingers of a hand of a user of said glove/mitt, an electrically conductive member for heating said at least one finger stall.

15. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

a front shell for fielding a baseball thereon having an edge;

a back shell having an edge and being joined to said front shell along select portions of said edges in such manner as to form a finger portion and a thumb portion of said glove/mitt, and further defining an opening between said front and back shells for receiving therethrough a hand of a user of said glove/mitt;

a web-type panel disposed partially between said finger portion and said thumb portion;

at least one interior member located between an inner surface of said front shell and an inner surface of said back shell; and

at least one finger stall extending from said interior member between said interior member and said back shell having a top surface proximate said inner surface of said back shell;

wherein said electrically conductive member is attached along at least a portion of said top surface of said at least one finger stall between said top surface of said at least one finger stall and said inner surface of said back shell.

16. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 15, wherein said front and back shells are substantially joined along select peripheral sections of said front and back shells.

17. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 16, wherein said front and back shells are further substantially joined through select intermediary sections of said front and back shells.

18. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 15, further comprising a power source attached to an outer surface of said back shell.

19. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 18, said power source comprising a battery.

20. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 19, said battery being selectively, removably secured to said outer surface of said back shell in a selectively openable compartment.

21. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 18, said back shell further comprising a strap located proximate said hand receiving opening.

22. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 21, said strap comprising first and second portions having inner and outer surfaces, said inner surface of said first portion closest to said user'"'"'s hand when said hand is within said opening and said outer surface of said first portion proximate said inner surface of said second portion when said second portion is in a closed position.

23. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 22, further comprising an on/off switch mechanism for said electrically conductive member attached between said electrically conductive member and said power source.

24. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 23, said on/off switch mechanism attached to said glove/mitt between said first and second portions of said strap.

25. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 24, wherein a first end of said second portion of said strap is pivotally secured to a portion of said outer surface of said back shell and a second end of said second portion of said strap releasably securable to another portion of said outer surface of said back shell for easy accessibility to said on/off switch mechanism.

26. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 24, wherein said first and second portions of said strap are a single, unitary length of strap, a first end thereof fixedly attached to said back shell at a first portion of said back shell located on a first side of said opening and a second end thereof received through a receptacle located at a second portion of said back shell on a second, opposite side of said opening, said second end of said unitary length of strap being releasably securable at said first portion of said back shell.

27. A method of warming a baseball bat while playing baseball, comprising the steps of:

placing a heated batting glove on at least one of the hands of a baseball player;

picking up a baseball bat; and

standing in the batter'"'"'s box while wearing said glove(s) and holding said bat.

28. A method of warming a baseball bat while playing baseball as recited in claim 27, said heated batting glove comprising:

a shell substantially in the shape of a person'"'"'s hand, having inside and outside surfaces; and

an electrically conductive member having at least part thereof attached within said shell along said inside surface and further having at least another part thereof attached to said outside surface of said shell.

29. A method of warming a baseball bat while playing baseball as recited in claim 28, wherein said at least part of said electrically conductive member attached within said shell along said inside surface is a resistive wire.

30. A method of warming a baseball bat while playing baseball as recited in claim 29, wherein said at least another part of said electrically conductive member attached to said outside surface of said shell is a control panel for turning said electrically conductive member on and off.

31. A method of warming a baseball bat while playing baseball as recited in claim 30, wherein said electrically conductive member further comprises a battery for supplying electrical power to said control panel and said resistive wire.

32. A method of warming a baseball bat while playing baseball as recited in claim 28, wherein said control panel and said battery are protected by a selectively openable flap element extending from said outside surface of said shell.