Protecting and grip-enhancing device
A protecting and grip-enhancing device includes an inner body formed of a first material and having opposite outer sides, a thermally insulating outer body formed of a second material and secured to at least one outer side of the inner body and continuously covering a substantial portion thereof, and hinge structure joining two adjacent regions of the device to facilitate folding of the adjacent regions relative to each other along the hinge structure. Plural hinge structures may be provided, each including a reduced thickness of outer body material and stitching extending through the reduced thickness and an underlying portion of the inner body. The outer body may include relatively thick and relatively thin regions and the thick region may include alternating raised ribs and open-ended channels. The device may be in the form of a mitt or a potholder.
This application relates to devices, such as potholders, oven mitts and similar devices for protecting a user's hand or other surfaces from contact with hot or cold articles, such as cooking pots, pans, lids, handles, grills, grill tools and the like.
Heretofore, thermal protective devices, such as potholders, mitts and the like, have been formed of suitable cloth or textile materials, such as cotton, the amount of thermal protection being afforded being essentially proportional to the thickness of the material. However, such cloth devices provide relatively poor temperature control, are subject to scorching or burning, and are not water-repellent or stain-resistant. Also, they can tend to be relatively slippery in use. Accordingly, it has been known heretofore to provide such cloth devices with coverings or coatings of thermally-insulating and/or grip-enhancing materials over all or portions of the outer surfaces of the devices. Alternatively, it is known to provide devices made entirely of such thermally insulating and/or grip-enhancing materials. However, such devices may tend to be relatively stiff or inflexible in use because of the nature of the material used or the additional thicknesses of the materials used, and may lack moisture control if formed of essentially non-absorbent and/or non-breathable materials. Thus, such devices may not provide optimal combinations of thermal insulation and grip-enhancing characteristics.
SUMMARYThere is disclosed herein an improved protecting and grip-enhancing device which avoids disadvantages of prior devices while affording additional structural and operating advantages.
An aspect of the disclosure is the provision of a device with both effective thermal insulation and improved grip enhancement, wherein the grip enhancement results from improved frictional or non-slip characteristics and/or improved flexibility to enhance dexterity.
Another aspect is the provision of a device of the type set forth which is double-sided and reversible.
Another aspect is the provision of a device of the type set forth which has improved patterns of thermally insulating and grip-enhancing features.
Certain ones of these and other aspects may be attained by providing a protecting and grip-enhancing device comprising an inner body formed of a first material and having opposite outer sides, a thermally insulating outer body formed of a second material secured to at least one outer side of the inner body and continuously covering a substantial portion thereof, and hinge structure joining two adjacent regions of the device to facilitate folding of the adjacent regions relative to each other along the hinge structure.
Other aspects may be attained by providing a device of the type set forth, wherein the outer body includes a first region having a first thickness and a second region peripheral to the first region and having a second thickness less than the first thickness.
Still other aspects may be attained by providing a device of the type set forth, wherein the outer body includes a plurality of alternating raised ribs and open-ended channels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFor the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.
Referring to
The body assembly 11 includes an inner body 20 formed of fabric or textile materials, and an outer body 25, which is secured to the outer surface of the inner body 20, substantially along the finger-receiving and thumb-receiving portions 13 and 14, since those are the portions most likely to come into contact with a hot or cold article. Referring in particular to
The outer body 25 is formed of a suitable frictional and thermally insulating material, such as silicone, which may be overmolded on the outer surface of the inner body 20 or, alternatively, could be applied by other techniques, such as suitable adhesive or bonding or stitching, and the like. The outer body 25 covers substantially all of the finger-receiving and thumb-receiving portions 13 and 14, having a relatively thick region 26 which covers the majority of the area of the finger-receiving portion 13 and thumb-receiving portion 14, particularly along the inner or facing portions thereof, and a thin region 27, which is disposed along the outer periphery of the thick region 26. It will be appreciated that the thick region 26 is that which is most likely to come into contact with the associated article being grasped and where most of the gripping pressure between thumb and fingers will be applied. While the thin region 27 may come into contact with hot or cold surfaces, such as when reaching into an oven or other confined space in order to grasp an object, it is not at a location where gripping pressure will be applied and, therefore, less thermal protection need be afforded. The relative difference in thickness between the thick and thin regions 26 and 27 may be seen from
Because of the thickness and relative stiffness of the outer body 25, particularly the thick region 26 thereof, as compared to the inner body 20, the mitt 10 may be somewhat difficult to manipulate. In order to enhance flexibility and dexterity to facilitate grasping of objects, there are provided a plurality of hinge structures 30 extending across each side of the finger-receiving portion 13 and the thumb-receiving portion 14. Each hinge structure 30 essentially defines a hinge line 31, most being straight lines, along which adjacent portions of the mitt may be relatively easily folded or bent. More specifically, referring in particular to
In fabrication, it will be appreciated that the two sides 16 and 17 of the mitt 10 may be separately formed as two different bodies which are then laid back to back in overlapping relationship, with the outer bodies 25 in facing contact with each other, and the two pieces may then be stitched together along a seam 35 along the entire periphery of the mitt 10, except at the open end of wrist-receiving portion 15. Then the seamed-together pieces may be turned inside out to result in the finished configuration shown in
Referring to
While, in the illustrated embodiments, each of the mitts 10 and 40 is substantially identically configured on the opposite sides thereof, it will be appreciated that this need not be the case. For example, if desired, the outer body arrangement 25 could be disposed on one side of the mitt while the outer body 45 could be disposed on the other side thereof. Other arrangements could also be utilized.
Referring to
From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided an improved protecting device which performs improved grip-enhancing and thermally insulating functions and is reversible in use.
The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants' contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.
Claims
1. A protecting and grip-enhancing device comprising:
- an inner body formed of a first material and having opposite outer sides,
- a thermally insulating outer body formed of a second material secured to at least one outer side of the inner body and continuously covering a substantial portion thereof, and
- hinge structure joining two adjacent regions of the device to facilitate folding of the adjacent regions relative to each other along the hinge structure.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the hinge structure includes a reduced-thickness portion of the outer body.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein the hinge structure includes stitching extending through the reduced-thickness portion of the outer body and an underlying portion of the inner body.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the hinge structure includes stitching extending through the outer body and an underlying portion of the inner body.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the hinge structure is a first hinge structure joining two first adjacent regions, the device further comprising at least one additional hinge structure joining two additional adjacent regions of the device to facilitate folding of the additional adjacent regions relative to each other along the additional hinge structure.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the outer body is secured to both outer sides of the inner body and continuously covers a substantial portion of each such outer side.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the inner body defines a hand-receiving pocket.
8. The device of claim 7, wherein the inner body forms a mitt wherein the pocket includes a thumb-receiving portion and a finger-receiving portion.
9. A protecting and grip-enhancing device comprising:
- an inner body formed of a first material and having opposite outer sides, and
- a thermally insulating outer body formed of a second material secured to at least one outer side of the inner body and continuously covering a substantial portion thereof,
- the outer body including a first region having a first thickness and a second region peripheral to the first region and having a second thickness less than the first thickness.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein the outer body is secured to both of the outer sides of the inner body and continuously covers a substantial portion of each such outer side.
11. The device of claim 9, wherein the inner body defines a hand-receiving pocket.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein the inner body forms a mitt wherein the pocket includes a thumb-receiving portion and a finger-receiving portion.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the first region encompasses adjacent areas of the thumb-receiving and finger-receiving portions of the pocket.
14. The device of claim 9, and further comprising first hinge structure joining two first adjacent regions of the device to facilitate folding of the first adjacent regions relative to each other along the first hinge structure.
15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first region includes a plurality of alternating raised ribs and open-ended channels.
16. The device of claim 14, and further comprising at least one additional hinge structure joining two additional adjacent regions of the device to facilitate folding of the additional adjacent regions relative to each other along the additional hinge structure.
17. A protecting and grip-enhancing device comprising:
- an inner body formed of a first material and having opposite outer sides, and
- a thermally insulating outer body formed of a second material secured to at least one outer side of the inner body and continuously covering a substantial portion thereof,
- the outer body including a plurality of alternating raised ribs and open-ended channels.
18. The device of claim 17, and further comprising hinge structure joining two adjacent regions of the device to facilitate folding of the adjacent regions relative to each other along the hinge structure.
19. The device of claim 18, wherein the hinge structure extends along a substantially straight line, the ribs and channels including ribs and channels extending substantially parallel to the straight line.
20. The device of claim 17, and further comprising at least one additional hinge structure joining additional adjacent regions of the device to facilitate folding of the additional adjacent regions relative to each other along the additional hinge structure.
21. The device of claim 20, wherein each of the hinge structures extends along a substantially straight line, each of the ribs and channels extending substantially parallel to an adjacent hinge structure.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 8, 2004
Publication Date: Dec 22, 2005
Inventors: Carly Price (Brooklyn, NY), Jennifer Fisher (New York, NY), Agnete Enga (Brooklyn, NY), Yvonne Lin (New York, NY)
Application Number: 10/864,111