Ball Glove for Beginners

Abstract

A training glove for catching baseball, softball, or the like comprises a cushioned pad attached to the heel of the glove. The pad can prevent a ball bouncing out of the glove and can decelerate a ball hitting the pad. The training glove is useful for preventing injuries to beginning players, especially children. The pad may be permanently or reversibly attached to the glove and may contain a pocket for storing a mouth guard or other small objects and may be a part of a kit for modifying a glove or mitt to comprise the pad.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to athletic equipment, ball gloves and mitts, training gloves and mitts, and attachments for ball gloves and mitts.

Description of Related Art

[0002] Sports such as baseball, softball, and tee ball involve the use of gloves for catching balls. Injuries can occur while playing these sports, especially when first learning how to play. For example, a person catching a ground ball with the palm of the glove facing upward can unintentionally guide the incoming ball into his or her face if the opposite hand is not in place to help stop the ball in the glove. Similarly, a person catching a ball falling from above can unintentionally redirect the ball toward the face. Injuries of this type are more common and particularly difficult to avoid for children first learning to play, for example children less than ten years old.

[0003] A number of solutions to the problem have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,284,920 describes a baseball glove provided with a ball-receiving pocket, depression or socket that is built into the glove. The pocket, depression or socket can be varied in shape, dimensions or location so as to adapt the glove to the particular person or to the particular way the user catches a ball. By manipulating the position of a variable heel portion, a user can adjust the glove to produce a ball-receiving pocket with a deep portion located at a particular point in the palm portion of the glove which that user finds to be best for catching a ball. U.S. Pat. No. 2,288,467 describes a similar mitt or glove in which a curved or segmental-shaped curb member at the heel of the mitt is made with greater flexibility to the mitt and insure that the palm portion assumes a cupped shape even when the mitt or glove is new. These solutions are directed to improving the catching ability of relatively experienced players and there is no mention of injury prevention or advantages for training.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,209 describes a baseball glove especially adapted for use by children. The glove has a padded pocket member that extends along the front side of a thumb section, across a base portion of a palm section, along a front side of an outer portion of a finger section and across an upper end portion of the front side of the finger section to substantially define the perimeter of a pocket in the glove. The glove also includes a padded retainer that is detachably secured to opposite side portions of the pocket member and extends across the base portion of the palm section. The glove can be initially used by a young child with the retainer member in place in order to enable the child to more easily catch and retain a ball in the pocket of the glove. Once the child develops a level of proficiency, the retaining member can be removed to enable the glove to be used in a manner similar to a conventional baseball glove. The pocket member is not removable and even after the retaining member is removed from the pocket member, the pocket member cooperates with the glove to form an effective pocket allowing the child to easily catch and retain a ball.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,917 describes a baseball glove with a heel pocket that opens and closes when the glove is manipulated between open and closed positions. The heel pocket comprises a web, first and second end flaps, each having an upper edge and a base edge. The base edges are secured to the heel of the glove and the end flaps are secured to the thumb stall and the little finger stall of the glove. When the glove is open, the heel pocket is open to receive a ball and, when the glove is closed, the heel pocket is thereby closed so that it holds the ball. The purpose of the heel pocket is not related to training or preventing injury.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,401 describes a ball glove with features that improve the ability of a user to feel, catch and manipulate a ball. The glove has digit couplers that couple to the digits of a human hand. When a hand is inserted into the glove, the linkages extend within the digit stalls of the glove from the digits of the hand to the ends of the digit stalls. The glove may also include a heel bumper adjacent the heel of the ball glove and orientated to bow away from the palm side of the ball glove body to deflect a ball back into the glove when the ball takes a high hop adjacent the ball glove. Side edges of the heel bumper may be permanently or releasably connected to the thumb digit stall and the little finger digit stall of the ball glove. These features improve the ability of a user to feel, catch and manipulate a ball but they are not adapted for use by a child or beginner first learning to play.

[0007] Gloves for improving the performance of advanced players are typically designed to be flexible and are optimized for catching, holding, and releasing the ball. Gloved designed for safety should be optimized for preventing injury and minimal interference with function. Existing training gloves, or beginner's gloves, maintain an emphasis on ball control for performance and are not designed for maximum efficacy with respect to preventing injury.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention provides a beginner's glove, or training glove, that is designed to provide greater efficacy than existing gloves and mitts with respect to preventing injury. Compared with existing beginner's gloves, the present glove is generally less flexible, or more rigid, so that resistance to closing the glove causes the hand of a beginner to remain in an open position. This is ideal for helping a child beginner catch a ball. A cushioned pad attached to the heel of the glove creates a deep pocket capable of catching and holding a ball while providing protection against injury from a ball bouncing off of the heel of the glove. The cushioned nature of the pad can also absorb kinetic energy from a ball and slow it down to reduce the seriousness of injury if the ball is deflected into the face of the wearer, for example. The invention also provides a kit for modifying an existing ball glove by attaching a cushioned pad to the heel of the glove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other, with emphasis placed instead upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a palm side view of a ball glove comprising a cushioned pad;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a top view a ball glove comprising a cushioned pad; and.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a kit for modifying a ball glove comprising a cushion pad and means of attachment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Selected embodiments are explained with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent from this disclosure that the descriptions of the selected embodiments are provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0014] As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "includes," "comprises," "including" and/or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present.

[0015] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a palm side view of a training glove (10). The example shown in the figure is a child's training glove but the training glove may be sized for an adult. The glove may be a baseball or softball glove for a child or an adult, a baseball or softball mitt, or similar glove or mitt for catching a ball. The training glove (10) comprises a standard glove (14) for a ball playing sport and a cushioned pad (15) attached to the heel (12) and/or the lateral sides (13) of the glove extending from the heel (12). The glove (14) has a length L measured in a straight line from the base of the glove (11) to the tip (19) of the glove, parallel with the fingers of the glove along the cushion pad as shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the top side (15T) of the pad (15) is located approximately half way between the the base (11) and tip (19). The top side (15) may located, for example at a distance from the base (11) of between 0.33 L to 6.33 L or from about 0.4 L to about 0.6 L. The length L may be from around 16 cm to around 30 cm. The top side (15T) may be flat as shown in the figure or it may have other shapes, including angles and curves. The pad (15) is shown as being in continuous contact with the surfaces of the glove (14). Alternatively, there may be gaps between portions of the glove (14) and the pad (15).

[0017] FIG. 2 is a top view of the same glove shown in FIG. 1. The volume surrounded by the glove (14) and the cushioned pad (15) forms the ball pocket (25), which is large enough to receive and hold a ball, such as a tee ball, softball or baseball. The pad (15) may comprise an opening (27) into an interior of the pad comprising a cavity (15C) as shown in FIG. 3. The opening and cavity may be sized to allow storage of an article such as a mouth guard inside the pad (15). Additionally or alternatively, the opening and cavity may be sized and shaped to receive and store a note, an identification card, a medication, a sensor such as an accelerometer, wireless communication device or other small article.

[0018] The pad (15) comprises a cushioning material such as polyethylene foam, neoprene foam, compressed polyester batting, polyester fiberfill, polyurethane foam, cotton, and the like. The cushioning preferably chosen to provide a substantial reduction of kinetic energy of a ball impacting the pad (15). The cushioning material may be enclosed in an outer covering made from a durable material such as natural leather, synthetic leather, bonded leather, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane, and the like. The pad (15) is preferably stiff enough to keep the empty glove open and to provide a resistance against closing the glove when it is on the hand of a user. A length of the top side (15T) of a flat cushion pad (15) should be sufficient to hold the glove open and may be from around 10 cm to around 24 cm. The resistance provided by the pad (15) to closing the glove is enough to prevent a user from unintentionally closing the glove. The resistance to closing the glove may be from 0.5 N to 8 N, for example, 0.5 N, 1 N, 2 N, 3 N, 4 N, 5 N, 6 N, 7 N, or 8 N. The resistance is preferably between 0.5 N and 4 N and most preferably between 0.5 N and 2 N.

[0019] The bottom surface or base surface (15B) of the pad (15) facing the heel of the glove conforms to the shape of the heel (12) of the glove. The lateral sides of the pad (15) preferably conform to, or are conformable to, the lateral sides (13) of the glove around the heel (12). The pad (15) shown in the drawings has a wedged shaped so that the thickness of the pad (15) is greatest at the base surface (15B) facing the heel (12) of the glove and tapers down toward the top side of the pad (15T). The wedge shape may be useful for keeping the ball in the glove once it enters the pocket (25) even when the glove is not closed by the user. Alternatively, the pad (15) may have a constant thickness throughout. The pad (15) may also have a convex or curved shape resulting in a larger pocket (25). The thickness of the pad (15) at the heel is preferably in a range of from 1 cm to 4 cm. The thickness of the pad (15) on the top side (15T) facing away from the heel is preferably from 0.5 cm to 3 cm and more preferably from 1 cm to 2 cm.

[0020] The pad (15) may be reversibly attached or irreversibly attached to the glove (14) at the heel (12) and/or the lateral sides (13) extending form the heel. Attachment is preferably along the heel (12) of the glove (14) and along lateral sides (13) of the glove that extend along the palm side of the glove. Reversible attachment means may include Velcro.RTM. strip attachment between strips sewn or glued onto the glove (14) and pad (15) and snaps sewn or glued onto the glove (14) and pad (15), hooks and loops sewn or glued onto the glove (14) and pad (15), and zippers sewn or glued onto the glove (14) and pad (15). Irreversible attachment means may include gluing, sewing, stitching, tacking, stapling, and riveting.

[0021] FIG. 3 shows a kit (30) for modifying a glove or mitt to comprise a cushioned pad (15) attached to the heel (12) and/or lateral sides (13) of the glove or mitt. The kit (30) may comprise a pad (15) and means for attachment (17) to the glove or mitt. The attachment means (17) may be permanent or reversible attachment means. Examples of reversible attachment means may include strips of Velcro.RTM. with adhesive backing to be applied to the heel (12) and lateral (13) surfaces of glove and to corresponding base surface (15B) and/or sides of the pad (15) facing the lateral surfaces extending fro the heel. Another example of reversible attachment means may include strips of Velcro.RTM. and an adhesive to be applied to the Velcro.RTM. strips, the heel (12) and lateral (13) surfaces of glove, and to corresponding sides of the pad (15) facing the heel and lateral surfaces. Yet another example of reversible attachment means may include a reversible adhesive such as polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate (PHEMA) or a heat labile dimethacrylate polymer adhesive to be applied to the glove (14) and pad (15). Examples of permanent attachment means may include permanent adhesive, rivets, sewing thread and needle, and staples.

[0022] While selected embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the present training glove and kit for modifying a training glove, various changes and modifications can be made to the selected embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Components that are shown directly connected or contacting each other can have intermediate structures disposed between them. The structures and functions of one embodiment may be adopted in another embodiment and it is not necessary for all advantages to be present in a particular embodiment. The glove may be a catcher's mitt, pitcher's glove, infield glove; or outfield glove for softball or baseball. The glove may be for a sport other than softball or baseball in which a similar type of glove is used to catch a ball.

Claims

1. A ball glove comprising a cushioned pad attached to at least one of: a heel of the glove and lateral sides of the glove extending from the heel, wherein the cushioned pad and the glove form a ball pocket sized to receive a ball.

2. The ball glove of claim 1, wherein the glove has a length L measured from a base of the glove to a tip of the glove and the cushioned pad extends from the heel of the glove toward the tip of the glove a distance that is between 0.4 L and 0.6 L.

3. The ball glove of claim 1, wherein the cushioned pad comprises a cavity and an opening into the cavity and wherein the cavity and opening are configured to allow the storage of an article inside the cavity.

4. The ball glove of claim 1, wherein the cushioned pad resists closing of the ball glove with a force sufficient to keep the glove open when not in use.

5. The ball glove of claim 4, wherein the force is at least 1 N but less than 4 N.

6. The ball glove of claim 1, wherein the cushioned pad comprises lateral sides that conform to lateral sides of the glove to which the lateral sides of the cushioned pad are attached.

7. The ball glove of claim 1, wherein the cushioned pad has a wedged shaped so that a thickness of the cushioned pad is greatest on a bottom side of the cushioned pad attached to the heel of the glove and tapers down toward an opposite, top side of the cushioned pad.

8. The ball glove of claim 1, wherein the cushioned pad has a thickness of from 0.5 cm to 4 cm.

9. The ball glove of claim 1, wherein the cushioned pad is removably attached to the glove.

10. A kit for modifying a ball glove to comprise a cushioned pad (15) attached to one or more of a heel and lateral sides of the glove extending from the heel, said kit comprising: a cushioned pad that conforms to, or is conformable to, the heel of the glove and lateral sides of the glove extending form the heel, and means for attachment to one or more of a heel and lateral sides of the glove extending from the heel.

11. The kit of claim 10, wherein the glove has a length L measured from a base of the glove to a tip of the glove and the cushioned pad extends from the heel of the glove toward the tip of the glove a distance that is between 0.4 L and 0.6 L.

12. The kit of claim 1, wherein the cushioned pad comprises an interior cavity and an opening into the cavity.

13. The kit of claim 1, wherein the cushioned pad resists compression from lateral sides of the cushioned pad with a the resistance force of at least 1 N but less than 4 N.

14. The kit of claim 1, wherein the cushioned pad has a wedged shaped so that a thickness of the cushioned pad is greatest on a side of the cushioned pad to be attached to the heel of the glove and tapers down toward an opposite, top side of the cushioned pad.

15. The kit of claim 1, wherein the cushioned pad has a thickness of from 0.5 cm to 4 cm.

16. The kit of claim 1, wherein the attachment means is a reversible attachment means.

17. The kit of claim 16, wherein reversible attachment means comprises a strip of velcro with adhesive backing or a strip of velcro and an adhesive.

18. The kit of claim 16, wherein reversible attachment means comprises polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate (PHEMA) or a heat labile dimethacrylate polymer adhesive.