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

• US 7,002,104 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Akadema Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Akadema Incorporated
• Inventors: Gilligan, Lawrence J., Gilligan, Joseph IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell, Thor S.
• Application Number:
  US10/760,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20050155961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 219/211
• 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 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.

2. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 1, wherein said front and back shells are substantially joined along select peripheral sections of said front and back shells.

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

4. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 1, further comprising a power source attached to an outer surface of said back shell.

5. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 4, said power source comprising a battery.

6. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 5, said battery being selectively, removably secured to said outer surface of said back shell in a selectively openable compartment.

7. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 4, said back shell further comprising a strap located proximate said hand receiving opening.

8. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 7, 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.

9. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 8, further comprising an on/off switch mechanism for said electrically conductive member attached between said electrically conductive member and said power source.

10. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 9, said on/off switch mechanism attached to said glove/mitt between said first and second portions of said strap.

11. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 10, 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.

12. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 10, 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.

13. A baseball catching glove/mitt used for fielding a baseball comprising:

an outside shell, a portion thereof for fielding a baseball thereon;

at least one finger stall attached within said outside shell of said glove/mitt for receipt therein of at least one finger of a hand of a user of said glove/mitt;

and an electrically conductive member for heating said at least one finger stall.

14. A baseball catching glove/mitt as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

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

said 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.

15. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 14, wherein said front and back shells are substantially joined along select peripheral sections of said front and back shells.

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

17. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 14, further comprising a power source attached to an outer surface of said back shell.

18. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 17, said power source comprising a battery.

19. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 18, said battery being selectively, removably secured to said outer surface of said back shell in a selectively openable compartment.

20. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 17, said back shell further comprising a strap located proximate said hand receiving opening.

21. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 20, 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.

22. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 21, further comprising an on/off switch mechanism for said electrically conductive member attached between said electrically conductive member and said power source.

23. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 22, said on/off switch mechanism attached to said glove/mitt between said first and second portions of said strap.

24. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 23, 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.

25. A baseball glove/mitt as recited in claim 23, 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.