Glove

Abstract

A glove (2) which defines a main body portion (4) and five digit elements (6, 8, 10, 12, 14) extending from main body portion, wherein each digit element includes a ring portion defined at a proximal end of the digit element and at least one of the ring portions includes a reinforcing element (16). The reinforcing element is suitably expandable in at least one direction.

Description

The present invention relates to gloves and in particular to gloves which include a reinforced area.

Gloves are well known and have been adapted for various uses. Gloves may be relatively loosely fitting or they may be relatively tight-fitting.

Problems may occur with tight-fitting gloves, such as riding gloves, driving gloves and such like, if the wearer also wears a ring, particularly a jewelled ring in which the jewel sits proud of the band. In such cases, the ring may wear away or damage the glove around the “ring portion” of the glove, namely the region of the glove where a finger element meets a main body element of the glove.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a glove which defines a main body portion and five digit elements extending from main body portion, wherein each digit element includes a ring portion defined at a proximal end of the digit element (i.e. the region of the glove where the digit element meets the main body portion and in use overlies the portion of the respective digit between the knuckle and the first joint (the proximal phalanx)) and at least one of the ring portions includes a reinforcing element.

The reinforcing element prevents or reduces damage to the glove that may be caused by the wearing of a ring under the glove.

The reinforcing element may extend around the entire the ring portion of the respective digit element (i.e. the reinforcing element may be annular) or it may extend around a portion of the digit element. A glove suitably defines a front face which overlies the palm of the hand in use and a rear face which overlies the back of the hand in use. In certain embodiments, the reinforcing element may be provided solely on the rear face. Thus, the reinforcing element may be provided on the rear face of the ring portion of one or more of the digit elements, optionally solely on the rear face of the ring portion of the or each digit element.

As rings are relatively rarely worn on the thumb, the digit elements may comprise four finger elements and a thumb element and one or more of the finger elements may carry the reinforcing element.

As a ring is often worn on the “ring finger” (i.e. the finger between the middle finger and the little finger, the fourth proximal digit or the Digitus Annularis), a ring finger element of the glove suitably includes the reinforcing element.

In an embodiment of the invention, the reinforcing element is expandable between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration. In this way, the reinforcing element may be expanded to accommodate better a ring beneath it.

Where the reinforcing element is expandable, it may be biased to its non-expanded configuration. Thus, the reinforcing element may be elasticated and/or include one or more elastic components.

Each digit element defines a longitudinal axis and the reinforcing element may expand in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis or both parallel to and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Regardless of the direction in which the reinforcing element may expand, it is suitably able to expand outwards from a face of the glove to accommodate thereunder a ring without stretching or damaging the remainder of the glove.

Tight-fitting gloves are often made from leather. Accordingly, in an embodiment of the invention, the glove is formed from leather and the reinforcing element is also formed from leather.

The skilled person will appreciate that the features described and defined in connection with the aspect of the invention and the embodiments thereof may be combined in any combination, regardless of whether the specific combination is expressly mentioned herein. Thus, all such combinations are considered to be made available to the skilled person.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a glove according to a first embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a glove according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a rear view of a glove 2 according to a first aspect of the invention. The glove 2 comprises a main body portion 4 which in use overlies the palm/back of the hand of a wearer. Extending from the main body portion 4 is a thumb element 6, an index finger element 8, a middle finger element 10, a ring finger element 12 and a little finger element 14.

The glove 2 is made from leather in a conventional way.

An expandable reinforcing element 16 is provided at the proximal end of the ring finger element 12. The reinforcing element is formed from leather and is arranged in a bunched or gathered configuration which defines a number of troughs 18 that are secured to an elastic substrate such that the reinforcing element 16 can expand in the direction shown by the arrow A in FIG. 1 (i.e. perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ring finger element 12). It will be appreciated that this arrangement allows the reinforcing element 16 to expand outwards from the rear glove surface to accommodate a bulky ring under the reinforcing element 16.

The glove 2 is manufactured by forming a hole in the glove 2 in the area that will receive the reinforcing element 16. The reinforcing element 16 is then stitched to the glove body to provide a reinforced and expandable section where the ring finger element 12 meets the main body portion 4.

A ring worn on the ring finger of a user will sit beneath the reinforcing element 16 in use and the expandable nature of the reinforcing element 16 accommodates the ring without damaging the glove 2 or limiting the damage caused by the ring to the glove 2.

The glove 2 may be secured to the hand of a wearer via a strap 20 which carries on its underside one part of a hook and eye fastener. In use, this is secured to a second part of the hook and eye fastener which is carried by the main body portion 4 of the glove 2. Such a securing arrangement is known in the context of tight-fitting gloves.

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of a glove 102 according to a second embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 2, features which correspond to the features of FIG. 1 and described hereinabove are given the same reference numbers as in FIG. 1, but with a “100” prefix. Thus, the glove 2 of FIG. 1 becomes glove 102 of FIG. 2.

As with the glove shown in FIG. 1, the glove 102 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a main body portion 104 which in use overlies the palm/back of the hand of a wearer. Extending from the main body portion 104 is a thumb element 106, an index finger element 108, a middle finger element 110, a ring finger element 112 and a little finger element 114.

The difference between the glove 102 shown in FIG. 2 and the glove 2 shown in FIG. 1 is in the expandable reinforcing element. The glove 102 includes a reinforcing element 116 which has a plurality of troughs 118 secured to an elastic substrate in the same way as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. However, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the troughs 118 are arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ring finger element 112. This permits the reinforcing element 116 to expand in the direction indicated by arrow B in FIG. 2.

The glove 102 also includes a securing strap 120 as described hereinabove.

The skilled person will appreciate that the troughs 18, 118 need not extend parallel to or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ring finger element 12, 112. Provided that the reinforcing element 16, 116 can extend in at least one direction, it would be capable of accommodating a ring thereunder.

Moreover, the skilled person will appreciate that the reinforcing element 16, 116 need not be located at the proximal end of the ring finger element. It may be located at the proximal end of a different finger element and/or a thumb element. Additionally, more than one reinforcing element may be provided such that two, three, four or five reinforcing elements are provided.

Claims

1. A glove which defines a main body portion and five digit elements extending from main body portion, wherein each digit element includes a ring portion defined at a proximal end of the digit element and at least one of the ring portions includes a reinforcing element.

2. A glove according to claim 1, wherein the or each reinforcing element is located adjacent to a knuckle region of the respective digit element.

3. A glove according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcing element is expandable between a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration.

4. A glove according to claim 3, wherein the reinforcing element is biased to its non-expanded configuration.

5. A glove according to claim 4, wherein the respective digit element defines a longitudinal axis and reinforcing element is configured to expand in a direction parallel to longitudinal axis.

6. A glove according to claim 5, wherein the respective digit element defines a longitudinal axis and reinforcing element is configured to expand in a direction perpendicular to longitudinal axis.

7. A glove according to claim 6, wherein the glove and at least a part of the reinforcing element are formed from the same material.

8. A glove according to claim 7, wherein the glove and at least a part of the reinforcing element are formed from leather.