Golf glove with thumb support

• US 20070174948A1
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etonic Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Etonic Worldwide LLC (Lotto Sport Italia S.P.A)
• Inventors: Pitts, Karen, Ladd, Daniel, Robba, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/161.100
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/146 Golf gloves

Abstract

A golf glove has a number of regions formed of a leather-like material, connected with a more flexible region of spandex-like material. A thumb region has a base portion at least substantially surrounded by the flexible region. The thumb region further includes an auxiliary support structure on a portion of the thumb region providing additional support to the thumb of a user and anti-twist functionality reducing or eliminating movement of the glove relative to the thumb of a user. In addition, a grip region can extend from a wrist end of the glove substantially to finger tips of a little finger portion, a ring finger portion, and a middle finger portion of the glove.

Claims

1. A golf glove, comprising:

a thumb region formed of a first material and having a base, a grip side, and a back sides, wherein the thumb region of the glove generally extends from a base portion of a thumb of a user to a tip portion of a thumb of a user; and

a flexible region formed of a second material having greater flexibility than the first material;

wherein the flexible region at least substantially circumscribes the base of the thumb region; and

wherein the thumb region comprises an auxiliary support structure coupled with the thumb region along the back side of the thumb region in an elongate shape extending from about the base region along a longitudinal length of the thumb region toward a tip of the thumb region.

3. The golf glove of claim 1, wherein the first material has properties of leather and equivalents thereof.

4. The golf glove of claim 1, wherein the second material has properties of spandex and equivalents thereof.

5. The golf glove of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary support structure is formed of material having properties of spandex and equivalents thereof.

6. The golf glove of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary support structure couples with the thumb region on an interior side thereof.

7. The golf glove of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary support structure couples with the thumb region on an exterior side thereof.

8. The golf glove of claim 1, wherein a support stitch formed along the thumb region in an elongate pattern passes to at least one side of a knuckle region.

9. The golf glove of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary support structure provides torsional support of a thumb of a user of the golf glove.

10. The golf glove of claim 1, wherein the golf glove further comprises:

a finger region formed of at least an index finger region with a base; and

a palm region extending from about a wrist end of the glove across about a palm area of the glove;

wherein the flexible region at least substantially circumscribes the base of the thumb region, up to the base of the index finger region, and between the base of the thumb region and the palm region.

2. (canceled)

11. A method of manufacturing a golf glove, comprising:

providing a thumb region having a base, a grip side, and a back side, and formed of a first material, wherein the thumb region of the glove generally extends from a base portion of a thumb of a user to a tip portion of a thumb of a user; and

fastening a flexible region formed of a second material having greater flexibility than the first material to the thumb region along the base;

wherein the flexible region at least substantially circumscribes the base of the thumb region; and

wherein the thumb region comprises an auxiliary support structure coupled with the thumb region along the back side of the thumb region in an elongate shape extending from about the base region along a longitudinal length of the thumb region toward a tip of the thumb region.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first material has properties of leather and equivalents thereof.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the second material has properties of spandex and equivalents thereof.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary support structure is formed of material having properties of spandex and equivalents thereof.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary support structure couples with the thumb region on an interior side thereof.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary support structure couples with the thumb region on an exterior side thereof.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming the support stitch along the back side of the thumb region in the elongate shape passing to at least one side of a knuckle region and attaching the auxiliary support structure to the thumb region.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary support structure provides torsional support of a thumb of a user of the golf glove.

12. (canceled)

20. A golf glove, comprising:

a thumb region having a base, wherein the thumb region of the glove generally extends from a base portion of a thumb of a user to a tip portion of a thumb of a user;

a finger region formed of at least an index finger region with a base;

a palm region extending from about a wrist end of the glove across about a palm area of the glove;

a flexible region formed of material having greater flexibility than material forming the thumb region and the palm region;

wherein the flexible region at least substantially circumscribes uninterrupted around the base of the thumb region, up to the base of the index finger region, and between the base of the thumb region and the palm region; and

wherein the thumb region comprises an auxiliary support structure coupled with the thumb region along a back side of the thumb region in an elongate shape extending from about the base region along a longitudinal length of the thumb region toward a tip of the thumb region.