HANDWEAR INCORPORATING LOW-FRICTION THENAR SEGMENT
Handwear articles, such as gloves, mittens and other multi-digit embodiments of handwear, are provided. Articles of the invention are especially suited for such tasks as window cleaning, and comprise one or more low-friction areas suitable for slidably using a shafted tool therewith. High-friction areas are also provided to assist in controlling tools. Handwear of the invention are thus especially useful with respect to handling tools, tool shafts, and any implement where control of the tool shaft and the tool are desirable. Articles of the inventions may also comprise one or more attachment surfaces or fastener pads adapted and arranged such that pairs of the handwear can be utilized or connected together, and such that articles of the invention can be easily attached to many objects having complementary attachment elements to allow the handwear, and the wearer, to operate efficiently in conjunction with many tools, articles, devices and surfaces, and in many environments.
The present application hereby claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/344,602 of Mahon, as filed on Aug. 30, 2010.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCEAll publications and patent applications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each such individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be so incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe disclosed technology relates to handwear articles such as gloves and mittens, particularly to handwear articles that are used in an industrial or heavy working environment such as window cleaning.
BACKGROUNDHandwear articles, such as the type used for window washing, carpentry, gardening, the petrochemical industry, commercial fishing, cold storage, farm work and in the kitchen are typically formed from a knitted fabric made of cotton or polyester material. They may be reinforced across the palm and knuckle regions with a leather or suede material. Other handwear articles may become uncomfortable after any extended wear time.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present invention relate to handwear comprising a plurality of surfaces, surface portions, areas and devices that are adapted and arranged to provide multiple functions and capabilities. These functions and capabilities are especially useful with respect to handling tools, tool shafts, and any implement where the control of the tool shaft is desirable. These surfaces of the invention include slider, low friction, surfaces, high-frictional surfaces, attachment surfaces, protective surfaces, sliding (low-friction) surfaces, and corresponding or complementary surfaces that are adapted and arranged to allow the handwear, and the wearer, to operate efficiently in conjunction with many tools, articles, devices and surfaces, and in many environments.
The invention relates also to operational and functional systems of handwear, paired units, devices, apparatus and methods utilizing numerous possible combinations of these slider, frictional, and attractive/attachment elements.
Conventional gloves are commonly used in washing or cleaning windows and other structural and building surfaces. Conventional gloves are limited, however, in how they function, and in the advantages that they provide to any given task. These limitations pertain especially to circumstances where conventional gloves are used with tools, tool shafts or other devices.
The present invention, comprising on or a pair of handwear items, such as gloves or mittens, are adapted and arranged to be removable quickly and easily from a hand or hands, without the necessity of additional devices or assistance. Thus, the present invention permits a user to remove, and put on, the handwear while still using the remaining hand for other tasks or functions. Window cleaning personnel and many other professionals who use glove, mittens or other handwear often need to take them off in order to do detailed work. The present handwear invention permits a user to remove one glove, while the other gloved hand is full or otherwise occupied, and keep the glove positioned while the user is working, and then easily put the glove back on without the use of the second hand. The invention thus provides means and methods for keeping gloves together while work is taking place.
Embodiments of the present inventions include quick-off and quick-on gloves, one-finger mittens, and mittens made with hook-and-loop pads and/or magnets. For stiff or insulated gloves of the invention, a wearer can simply connect the palm of the glove the user wants off to the top of the wrist of the working glove, and slide the non-working hand out away from the glove, to thereby leave the empty glove ready to re-accept the hand that was withdrawn from it. This aspect of the inventions is very beneficial for oven mittens and the like, since a user can take them both off at the same time and put them both on at the same time.
For gloves not quite so stiff as oven mitts, hook-and-loop surfaces, such as Velcro® can be provided at the back of the hand just below the knuckles above the wrist. In some embodiments, one hook-and-loop surface is sufficient. In others more hook-and-loop surfaces are required, where complementary hook-and-loop surfaces are provided. As examples, a loop surface can be provided on the left glove, and hook surface can be provided on the right glove. With hook-and-loop surfaces thus disposed, a user can connect the back of one hand to the back of the other hand to put the gloves on and off while keeping them attached to one another.
For many preferred embodiments of the present handwear inventions, magnets or hook-and-loop surfaces can be provided on the backs of the fingers and thumbs and on the inside of the palm wrist and the back of the hand. The hook-and-loop surfaces for use with the many embodiments of the invention can be provided in any existing form including, as examples, those having hooks on one surface and loops on the mating surface, and those having both hooks and loops on each of the mating surfaces, or combinations thereof. Thus provided, a user can connect the finger and thumb ends of the glove desired to be removed, to the back of the working hand and pull the glove off then connect the hook-and-loop surfaces of the palm wrist to the complementary hook-and-loop surfaces of the back of the hand. This configuration works well when holding on to ladders or tools or other things.
In another significant aspect, although the top half of the fingers and thumbs of some embodiments can be made of non-slip (high-friction) materials, there can be provided a sliding patch or dots or drops of plastic, fiberglass or any other slippery material on the base part of the forefingers and thumbs. This is very beneficial when handwear, such as gloves, of the invention are used for cleaning windows or other flat surfaces. When window cleaning personnel perform poling work, for example with a squeegee, this feature allows them to use their upper hand to simply guide the pole shaft as the lower hand slides the pole up and down, thereby saving time and effort, and giving the user a greater range of motion in the pole work. In window cleaning, sliding the pole through the upper hand increases the pressure of the squeegee because the cleaning person can lock that arm and not bend their elbow. This is particularly advantageous when window-cleaning personnel have no room to back away from the window they are cleaning because of a fence, ditch or other obstacle. The user can slide the pole of the cleaning implement through both hands in order to clean right to the bottom of the window.
Because most of the work is done with the elbow of the lower hand, the present handwear accelerates the work while saving wear and tear on the user's shoulder (Rotator Cuff) of the upper hand from overuse, which is a common problem with serious professional window cleaners. People who operate push brooms, rakes, and other light duty, push and pull tools can benefit from embodiments of the inventions comprising sliding (low-friction) surfaces, areas or patches. For example, when using an axe or sledgehammer or a pick, the hand positioned proximate to the tool end of the handle must move slidably along the handle for proper use of the tool.
In another aspect, workers who use lifting and tossing tools like shovels and pitchforks can really benefit from being able to slide the hand that is closer to the tool. The present handwear provides the options of a sturdy grip, along with low-friction (sliding) the handles or poles through your hands. As an additional advantage, ledge and frame squeegee elements are provided in some embodiments to assist in cleaning operations without the necessity of additional tools.
After a window cleaner cleans a window he has to deal with soapy water on the ledges. Many window cleaners use a small squeegee just for cleaning ledges or they can use their window squeegee on the ledges, but this technique tends to prematurely nick or cut the squeegee so it leaves streaks on the windows. Thus, a one or more squeegee surfaces provided on handwear of the invention keeps it ready for cleaning ledges and frames.
Moreover, abrasive scrubber elements can also be provided on handwear of the invention, for example, on the back of the knuckle surfaces, or on the front of the ends of the handwear fingers for better grip and for scrubbing tough dirt off windows without taking the time to pick up and use another tool.
The present inventions include slider gloves, gloves that can be taken off and put on quickly, one-finger mitts and mittens made with loop and hook or magnets. When cleaning storefronts, the poling activity is about 10% faster using a slippery version of a device of the present invention. Moreover, the abrasive scrubbers for quickly scrubbing tough dirt like dried food, bird dung, fly dung, human spit, etc., provided in some embodiments of the invention are provided to thereby eliminate the time to pick up and use another tool. Moreover, inflatable spots or channels, such as the thenar pads described herein, and variations thereof, particularly in their inflated configurations, can be adapted and arranged to cause one or more sliding elements to rise above the surface of the handwear (such as a glove or mitten), thus converting the handwear to a sliding configuration. As an example, the inflatable Thenar Pad described herein could be pumped up to help a pole or shaft slide through easier or it could be used to absorb shock from striking tools, such as baseball bats, axes, picks, masonry hammers, sledge hammers and the like.
In some preferred embodiments of handwear of the invention comprising thenar pads, thenar droplets or both, the pads or droplets are disposed on the web surfaces of the handwear, but somewhat toward the back of the glove such that they are disposed for use with respect to a tool shaft only when a hand wearing the handwear is rotated such that the tool shaft contacts the slippery droplets or pads only when the hand is thusly rotated. For example, handwear according to the invention can be adapted and arranged such that a fireman's ram can be gripped firmly with the palmar and palmar-web surface of the glove—but can be slidably held when the glove is rotated such that the slippery thenar pads or droplets are disposed such that the ram shaft can slide over them.
In a significant aspect of some of these combinations, the inventions provide numerous embodiments of gloves, mittens and other handwear in physical forms that can be operationally and functionally connected to conventional window cleaning equipment in a reversible manner. Among other embodiments, the present inventions include any combination of one or more slider gloves and any combination or number of mutually attractive, high-frictional or low-frictional handwear are provided. The many combinations and permutations of embodiments of the inventions can be appreciated with respect to those embodiments shown in the attached
With respect to
In other embodiments of handwear of the invention, as are shown in
When disposed back-to-back as shown in
In
In
In
In
With respect to
In
In
In
In
Pointed rubber nail picks 91 are particularly adapted for cleaning cobwebs from the corners of windows and frames and for cleaning hard to get to areas such as crevices in window and door track assemblies. The non-slip rubber can also help to secure a towel when wiping corners of windows and the like. Moreover, the various finger and thumb extensions improve a user's ability to pick up small tools or objects off the ground. They allow the user to hold more tools in a hand. In some embodiments of the invention, the extensions can be made of one or more hard plastics or stainless steel, and thus adaptable to scrape tape or soft paint or the like from surfaces to be cleaned, such as windows and other smooth surfaces.
It is an object of the invention to provide handwear adapted and arranged for ease of use in performing tasks involving shafted implements such as window cleaning tools and construction implements. It is a further object of the invention to provide handwear that are adapted for the easy attachment to one another, or to other objects such as clothing articles, building surfaces, appliances and cleaning equipment. It is yet another object of the invention to provide handwear that are provided with tool elements, such as squeegee edges, cleaning picks, and scrubbing surfaces, to thereby obviate the need for other tools or implements.
In accordance with these and other objects of the invention, one or a pair of handwear articles are provided, the handwear articles comprising a layer of flexible material shaped for receiving a hand, the flexible material having an inner handwear surface and an outer handwear surface, wherein at least one digit pocket is disposed within the inner surface, wherein the at least one digit pocket has an inner digit surface and an outer digit surface, and wherein the outer handwear layer comprises a palm surface, a back surface, a thenar surface contiguous between the palm surface and the back surface, and digit surfaces, and wherein the outer layer is adapted and arranged for holding one or more pads or implements, and wherein the at least one digit pocket is adapted to receive a wearer's fingers and hand through a hand access aperture at one end of the digit pocket, and wherein the one or more pads comprise at least one low-friction sliding surface area adapted and arranged for passing a tool shaft in relation thereto such that the tool shaft can be easily moved in relation to the handwear, and wherein at least one of the low-friction sliding pads are provided on the thenar surface, and wherein the outer handwear surface comprises at least one attachment element adapted and arranged for reversibly attaching the handwear to another object.
In accordance with further objects of the invention, a handwear article may comprise any number of digit pockets commensurate with the job and function to which the handwear article is to be used. As an example, the at least one digit pocket may comprise two digit pockets, wherein one of the two-digit pockets is preferably adapted and arranged for receiving the thumb of a wearer, and wherein the other of the two digit pockets of the handwear article is adapted and arranged for receiving the remaining fingers of the wearer, and wherein each of the digit pockets comprises a digit pocket outer surface. This is one of the “mitten” embodiments of the invention. Thus, the invention may comprise one, two, three, four or five digit pockets.
In the five-digit embodiment, five digit pockets are provided are provided within and by the flexible material, such as materials comprising leather, plastic, natural and synthetic fabrics, and combinations thereof, wherein one of the five digit pockets is preferably adapted and arranged for receiving the thumb of a wearer, and wherein the remaining pocket of the handwear article is adapted and arranged for receiving the remaining fingers of the wearer in four individual pockets.
The low-friction sliding surface areas of the invention may comprises any suitable material or combinations of materials suitable for the slidable, low-friction functions. In some preferred embodiments, one or more of teterafluoroethylene compounds, one or more of silicone-based compounds, one or more of self-lubricating compounds, or one or more combinations thereof are preferably used to provide suitably low-friction surfaces. In some preferred embodiments, the at least one low-friction sliding surface area is disposed at least partially upon or within the thenar area.
In other preferred embodiments, handwear articles of the invention may be disposed such that the low-friction sliding surface area is disposed at least partially upon one or more of the thenar area, the back area and the palm area, or combinations thereof. In some other preferred embodiments, the one or more low-friction sliding surface areas may be disposed completely within the thenar area, and may comprise two or more thenar pads disposed with space therebetween.
In accordance with additional advantages and objectives of the invention, the low-friction area may be adapted and arranged to be reversibly inflatable to thereby be adaptable to one or more of working conditions, tool positioning, tool shaft shapes, and tool shaft lengths, diameters or variations.
In other preferred embodiments, handwear articles of the invention are provided with one or more low-friction sliding surface areas disposed upon one or more of the palm area and the back area With similar functions seen, the one or more low-friction sliding surface areas can be disposed upon one or more of the digit surfaces in order to adapt the digit surfaces, and the spaces between the digits, to low friction elements useful for guiding or manipulating a tool shaft or the like.
In accordance with yet other preferred embodiments and advantages of the invention, handwear articles of the invention are provided wherein the at least one attachment element comprises hook-and-loop elements, pads or surfaces. Depending upon the variation of function to which the handwear article will be used, multiple attachment elements may be provided.
As additional advantages, handwear articles of the invention include wherein one or more of each of the digit pockets outer surfaces are provided with one or more of one or more squeegee elements, one or more scrubber pads, one or more cleaning ridges, one or more fingernail picks disposed on or adjacent the ends of the digits, and one or more scrubber pads.
As an additional advantage, the low-friction area may be adapted and arranged to be reversibly inflatable to thereby be adaptable to one or more of working conditions, tool shaft shapes, and tool shaft length and diameter variations. As an example, a manually operated inflation chamber can be provided for reversibly inflating the low-friction area, for instance, on the back surface or the palm surface of the handwear, or on any other surface or position suitable for performing its functions in the context of the particular embodiment of handwear of the invention.
The attachment pads, such as those including hook and loop elements, are preferable adapted and arranged for reversibly attaching the handwear to many types of objects and surfaces, such as those found in the window cleaning and painting industries. These attachment surfaces may be found, for example, as parts of one or more articles of handwear, one or more tools, one or more appliances, one or more machines, one or more ladders, one or more walls, one or more articles of clothing or uniforms, and one or more objects having complementary attachment elements affixed thereto.
In accordance with other aspects of the invention, one or more high-friction elements may be adapted and arranged for providing additional gripping power for the wearer. Such high-friction elements, or surfaces, may be provided on one or more of the digit surfaces, the palm surface, the back surface, and on the thenar surface disposed such that an inflated thenar pad converts the gripping area to a low-friction area. As additional aids to cleaning surfaces, some preferred embodiments of the invention may further comprise one or more squeegee elements, one or more scrubber pads, one or more cleaning ridges, one or more fingernail picks disposed on or adjacent the ends of the digits, and one or more scrubber pads. Preferably, the handwear articles of the invention are provided in one or more matching pairs, that is, one glove adapted for a left hand, and one glove adapted for a right hand.
As yet another advantage of some preferred embodiments of the present invention, handwear of the invention may further comprise at least one additional means for attaching the handwear to another object or person. As examples, these additional means include one or more from the list comprising a belt, a hook and loop belt, a flexible wrap, a flexible wrap having hook-and-loop elements thereon, and a clip means for reversibly attaching the handwear to a belt or to an article of clothing, or to a ladder or tool.
The foregoing detailed description has set forth various embodiments of the devices or processes via the use of flowcharts, diagrams, figures or examples. Insofar as such flowcharts, diagrams, figures or examples contain one or more functions or operations, it will be understood by those within the art that each function or operation within such flowchart, diagram, figure or example can be implemented, individually or collectively, by a wide range of any combination thereof.
One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein described components (e.g., steps), devices, and objects and the discussion accompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptual clarity and that various configuration modifications are within the skill of those in the art. Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and the accompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their more general classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar herein is also intended to be representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of such specific components (e.g., steps), devices, and objects herein should not be taken as indicating that limitation is desired.
The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted figures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other figures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” or “coupled” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being “operably connected”, or “operably coupled”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being “operably couplable”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but are not limited to, physically mateable or physically interacting components or wirelessly interactable or wirelessly interacting components or logically interacting or logically interactable components.
One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein described components (e.g., steps), devices, and objects and the discussion accompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptual clarity and that various configuration modifications are within the skill of those in the art. Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and the accompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their more general classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar herein is also intended to be representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of such specific components (e.g., steps), devices, and objects herein should not be taken as indicating that a limitation is desired.
With respect to the use of substantially any plural or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context or application. The various singular/plural permutations are not expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “operably coupled” or “coupled” or “in communication with” or “communicates with” or “operatively communicate” such other objects that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as associated with each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being “connected”, or “attached”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being “operably couplable”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality.
As examples, the one or more thenar pads of certain embodiments of the invention include many permutations thereof with respect to the nature of the individual pads (slippery, inflatable or high-friction) the placement of one or multiple thenar pads in certain embodiments, and their relative positions on the handwear surface can vary in operation by the relative position of the handwear with respect to tools or toolshafts being used by the wearer of the handwear.
While particular aspects of the present subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based upon the embodiments herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the appended claims. It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations.
In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, etc.).
It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
The appended claims, and any new or amended claims added during prosecution, should be interpreted as broadly as possible in light of the disclosure provided in the specification.
Claims
1-22. (canceled)
23. A method of using a pair of handwear articles, which allows a user to remove one handwear article of the pair of handwear articles from one hand of a user, while another hand of a user is simultaneously full or in use, said method comprising:
- providing a pair of first and second handwear articles, each said first and second handwear article comprising:
- at least one layer of flexible material shaped for at least partially receiving a hand of a user, said at least one layer having an inner handwear surface and an outer handwear surface;
- at least one digit pocket defined within said at least one layer of flexible material by an inner digit surface included in the inner handwear surface and at least one outer digit surface;
- the outer handwear surface comprising a palm surface, a back surface, and said at least one outer digit surface;
- said at least one digit pocket being adapted to receive a wearer's fingers via a hand access aperture at one end of said at least one digit pocket; and
- the outer handwear surface comprising at least one inner wrist hook and loop fastener pad disposed on an inner wrist portion of the palm surface and at least one back hook and loop fastener pad disposed on the back surface;
- a user wearing said pair of first and second handwear articles, by inserting a first hand through said hand access aperture of said first handwear article such that at least one finger of the first hand is received by said at least one digit pocket of said first handwear article, and by inserting a second hand through said hand access aperture of said second handwear article such that at least one finger of the second hand is received by said at least one digit pocket of said second handwear article;
- a user removing said first handwear article from the first hand while the second hand is wearing said second handwear article and the second hand is simultaneously full or in use, by:
- attaching said inner wrist hook and loop fastener pad of said first handwear article to said back hook and loop fastener pad of said second handwear article, such that said palm surface of said first handwear article is connected to said back surface of said second handwear article; and
- withdrawing the first hand from said hand access aperture of said first handwear article while said first and second handwear articles are connected to each other.
24. The method according to claim 23 wherein at least one low-friction pad is disposed on said at least one outer digit surface.
25. The method according to claim 23 wherein one or more high-friction elements are positioned on said palm surface of each said handwear article.
26. A method according to claim 23 in which each of said first and second handwear articles provided additionally comprises:
- at least one thenar surface located contiguous between the palm surface and the back surface;
- said at least one thenar surface comprising at least one low-friction pad for sliding engagement with at least one tool.
27. The method according to claim 26 wherein said at least one low-friction pad comprises one or more tetrafluoroethylene compounds, one or more silicone-based compounds, one or more self-lubricating compounds, and one or more combinations thereof.
28. The method according to claim 26 wherein said at least one low-friction pad is disposed at least partially upon one or more of said at least one thenar surface, the back surface and the palm surface.
29. The method according to claim 26 wherein said at least one low-friction pad is disposed upon at least one of the palm surface and the back surface.
30. A method of using a pair of handwear articles, which allows a user to remove one handwear article of the pair of handwear articles from one hand of a user, while another hand of a user is simultaneously full or in use, said method comprising:
- providing a pair of first and second handwear articles, in which:
- the first handwear article comprises:
- at least one first layer of flexible material shaped for receiving at least part of a first hand of a user, said at least one first layer comprising a first outer handwear surface;
- at least one first digit pocket defined within said at least one first layer of flexible material;
- the first outer handwear surface comprising a first palm surface, a first back surface, and a first hand access aperture to permit at least part of the first hand to be positioned in said at least one first digit pocket and subsequently removed therefrom;
- the first outer handwear surface comprising at least one first back hook and loop fastener pad disposed on the first back surface; and
- the second handwear article comprises:
- at least one second layer of flexible material shaped for receiving at least part of a second hand of the user, said at least one second layer comprising a second outer handwear surface;
- at least one second digit pocket defined within said at least one second layer of flexible material;
- the second outer handwear surface comprising a second palm surface, a second back surface, and a second hand access aperture to permit at least part of the second hand to be positioned in said at least one second digit pocket and subsequently removed therefrom;
- the second outer handwear surface comprising at least one second inner wrist hook and loop fastener pad disposed on an inner wrist portion of the second palm surface; and
- a user wearing said pair of first and second handwear articles, by inserting a first hand through said first hand access aperture of said first handwear article such that at least one finger of the first hand is received by said at least one first digit pocket of said first handwear article, and by inserting a second hand through said second hand access aperture of said second handwear article such that at least one finger of the second hand is received by said at least one second digit pocket of said second handwear article;
- a user removing said second handwear article from the second hand while the first hand is wearing said first handwear article and the first hand is simultaneously full or in use, by:
- attaching said at least one inner wrist hook and loop fastener pad to said at least one back hook and loop fastener pad, to attach the inner wrist portion of the second palm surface of said second handwear article to the first back surface of said second handwear article such that said first and second handwear articles are connected to one another; and
- withdrawing the second hand from said second hand access aperture of said second handwear article while said first and second handwear articles are connected to each other.
31. The method according to claim 30 in which:
- the first handwear article additionally comprises at least one first inner wrist hook and loop fastener pad disposed on an inner wrist portion of the first palm surface of the first handwear article; and the second handwear article additionally comprises at least one second back hook and loop fastener pad positioned on the second back surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 29, 2015
Publication Date: Dec 31, 2015
Inventor: Paul Mahon
Application Number: 14/754,380