CN110267558B - Glove device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a glove device configured for single-handed engagement with a plurality of fingers of a user. The glove has a body with a plurality of cover portions extending from a first end to a distal end of the cover portions. Each cover portion is configured for insertion of a user's finger therein. The plurality of cover portions define a member that lifts the first end of the glove above the support surface distal of the cover portions. The glove devices may be formed as a stack of bodies of adjacent glove devices, with each body having a cover portion engaged within an axial cavity of another of the stacks.

Description

Glove device

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to hand coverings, such as gloves, for isolating or separating the contact of a user's finger surface with an object being touched thereby. More particularly, the present invention relates to a glove device configured for easy entry and exit, which provides partial coverage for a plurality of fingers of a user. The glove device is configured to self-support itself in a position that facilitates engagement thereof to a user's finger.

Background

Gloves and finger protectors have been used by both men and women for hundreds of years. In some cases, gloves are used as a covering for the entire hand to protect the wearer from cold, or heat, or moisture or other environmental conditions that can cause discomfort to the hand over an extended period of time. Users also use gloves to form a protective barrier to the outer surface of their fingers, where such users expect their fingers to come into contact with dirt, food, chemicals, warmth, electrical conductors, overcooling, and other reasons that one wishes or is required to keep the user's finger surface separated from the surface being touched.

However, the use of gloves typically requires time-consuming engagement of each individual finger of the hand along with the palm of the hand within the glove itself. This can be frustrating, for example, in the case of tight plastic or polymer gloves, as well as fabric gloves for tight fitting. Furthermore, in many instances, it is desirable to wear gloves for more time than is necessary to engage the glove by temporary contact of multiple fingers with the intended surface in order to protect the fingers from the surface or to enhance the finger's grip of such a surface.

This may occur periodically, for example, for people who use fasteners such as nuts and bolts who wish to temporarily protect one or more fingers from contact with the nut or bolt, but who also wish to be able to quickly remove gloves. This is because, despite their protective ability against heat and cold, and grease and dirt, gloves also inhibit the feel of the wearer's fingers. This inhibition may be very good when contact with objects is too cold or too hot or greasy. However, this loss of sensation is a problem, users need to feel the surface or use fine motor skills that they need to perceive, or feel what they are touching.

The disclosed device herein provides a finger covering-glove device configured in such a way that: so that the wearer can quickly and easily cover the finger portions extending to the ends of the plurality of fingers only when needed. The disclosed device is also configured so that the user also quickly and easily disengages the cover from their finger. Still further, the glove device herein is configured such that the user covers only a single finger of the user intended for manipulating the selected object, thereby making the remaining fingers available for use where sensitive tactile sensation may be desired.

The foregoing examples of related art and limitations related thereto with respect to finger and hand coverings such as gloves are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting and they are not meant to imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading and understanding of the following specification and drawings.

Disclosure of Invention

The glove devices disclosed and described herein provide solutions to the shortcomings of the prior art with respect to finger and hand covering-glove devices.

The glove device herein features a glove body having a finger-covering component formed from a plurality of finger-covering portions extending from a palm shield at a first end of the glove body. The finger-covering portion is elongated and adapted to be positioned on the support surface in such a way that: an opening in communication with the finger-engageable covering portion of the upright extension structure through the palm shroud is maintained. This maintains an opening for each of the plurality of finger-covering portions for easy access of a user's fingers into and out of the axial cavity of each respective finger-covering portion.

In all modes of the disclosed device, the plurality of cover portions forming the assembly are operatively connected to each other at the first end of the body of the glove device in such a way that: each opening in the finger covering portion configured to remain in communication with each respective covering portion in the extended structure. This allows the user's fingers to enter and exit the axial passageway of each cover portion through the corresponding opening in the palm shroud. Although shown in the figures as covering a length on the fingers extending from the tips of the fingers toward the palm of the hand, this length and the resulting axial channel for covering a selected number of fingers of the plurality of fingers may vary, and may be longer or shorter as desired.

The formed glove assembly features a body having a plurality of finger-covering portions extending from a palm shield located at a first end of the glove body. Each of the selected plurality of finger-covering portions is molded in a spaced apart position from the other finger-covering portions and each extends from the palm shield. Both the palm shield and the plurality of finger-covering portions of the glove body may be formed as a unitary structure, such as by injection molding or blow molding.

The polymer or woven or knitted or non-woven material forming each cover portion, as well as the body of the glove component itself, may be formed in a manner that creates a skeletal structure. It is also contemplated that the device may be formed of paper, waxed paper, or a coated woven or non-woven material, such as a coated linen of woven paper or the like. The skeletal structure maintains the structure of the main body of the glove assembly, which is upright and easy to engage for ease of use.

Alternatively, the skeleton or position-fixing structure may be operatively connected with the finger covering portion formed by each of the finger covering assemblies. The skeletal structure may be a separate structure and operatively engaged with each of the plurality of finger-covering portions that define the body of the glove assembly of the device, such as by adhesive or co-molding.

The armature or position retaining structure may also be formed from a polymer or other rigidly resilient material. So formed, the skeletal structure may be connected with each of the elongated finger-covering portions that are in biased engagement with all of the plurality of finger covers in the body of the glove assembly. This forms the body of the device with the finger covering portion extending from the palm shroud at the first end of the body of the device in the extended configuration by default. It can be seen that in this expanded configuration, the glove device is configured for unobstructed and direct insertion of a user's fingers through the plurality of openings on the palm-protecting portion of the body into each axial cavity on each of the plurality of cover portions in the glove assembly. Once inserted, each cover portion around the user's respective finger or thumb is easily moved and compressed into contact with the outer surface of the object to be grasped. It can also be seen that each device is formed in this expanded configuration such that a plurality of such devices are stacked in engagement with one another.

Each of the plurality of cover portions forming the finger cover assembly may be customized in its construction. While the glove body may be made of paper, coated paper, or the like, it is preferred that the woven, non-woven, or other flexible and resilient materials currently form the palm protective and covering portions of polymeric or plastic materials. However, it is contemplated that the device may be configured from other materials, such as tissue or coated paper or polymer coated scrim, etc., depending on the application. Each of a selected number of the plurality of cover portions extending from the palm shroud of the body of the device may have an inner surface region of a material that is thicker than a portion of the body opposite the inner surface region. Alternatively, the inner surface forming the cover part may be thinner than the outer surface, for example in case heat may be present in the area around the object, but a tactile sensation is more required during grabbing the object.

Alternatively, a portion of the cover portion may have a thicker region or be configured to be isolated from an object to be touched, such as a hot object, a cold object, or an object having an electrical current.

In the following description, the finger covering assembly is shown in the drawings and described in detail with reference to the figures, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention disclosed herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways that will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the presently disclosed finger covering assembly system and method. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions and methods insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a glove device that is easily engaged and disengaged from a plurality of fingers of a first hand of a user without requiring the use of a second hand of the user to pull the finger coverings onto the fingers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a glove device formed with a plurality of cover portions for a plurality of fingers, wherein the cover portions support the body of the glove device upright on a support surface, the support surface having an opening extending to the cover portions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a glove device that is stackable by inserting a plurality of glove devices into adjacent such glove devices to form a stack, wherein each glove device at the top of the stack is positioned for easy engagement of a user's finger therein with one hand.

Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention, as well as advantages thereof over the prior art, will become apparent from the description which follows, and are accomplished by the improvements described in this specification and the improvements described in the detailed description which follows, fully disclose the invention, but are not to be construed as limiting thereof.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate some, but not all or a limiting example of embodiments and/or features. The embodiments and figures disclosed herein are intended to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

In the drawings:

fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a finger-covering glove arrangement herein, supported by a plurality of covering portions extending from a palm-shield region at a first end, adapted for each covering portion for convenient one-handed engagement over each of a plurality of fingers of a wearer's hand.

Figure 2 shows the glove device as shown in figure 1, during one-handed engagement, with the plurality of fingers of one hand of the wearer inserted into the respective opening and engageable cover portions that support and extend from the body of the glove device.

Fig. 2a shows a glove device in which a longer finger covering portion extends from the formed palm shield of the body during one-handed engagement with multiple fingers of one hand of the wearer, showing that any mode of the device herein can vary the length of the covering portion.

Fig. 3 depicts a mode of the device of fig. 1 in which a skeletal structure is engaged with each cover portion, e.g., in a wall of material forming the cover portion or in an interior facing surface of multiple cover portions of the device to hold them in place.

Fig. 4 depicts a mode of the device of fig. 1 in which the skeletal structure is engaged within the sidewalls or on the exterior side of each of the plurality of cover portions of the device to hold them in place.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a single cover portion as one or more cover portions that can be used in all modes of the devices herein, showing an inner facing surface that is thicker than an outer facing surface.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a single cover portion of some or all of the plurality of cover portions available for use with a user's finger, showing an outer facing surface that is thicker than an inner facing surface.

Fig. 7 depicts a top view of the device herein as in fig. 1, 3-4, or 10-13, showing the body of the glove device in a configuration adapted for easy one-handed engagement and disengagement with multiple (three) fingers of a wearer.

Fig. 8 depicts a top view of the device herein as in fig. 1, 3-4, or 10-13, showing a structure adapted to easily engage and disengage with a plurality (four) of the wearer's fingers.

Fig. 9 depicts a top view of the device herein as in fig. 1, 3-4, or 10-13, showing a structure adapted to easily engage and disengage with a plurality (five) of a wearer's fingers.

Fig. 10 illustrates a mode of the device formed as a unitary structure having a plurality of elongated cover portions extending from a first end of the body and a curved or rounded peripheral edge portion at the first end of the body that forms a skeletal structure to maintain expansion of the opening.

Fig. 11 shows the device as shown in fig. 10 in a stacked configuration achieved by the fact that each cover portion and an opening communicating therewith are formed to remain expanded, and shows a bent edge portion that allows each device in the stack to be easily separated from another device.

Fig. 12 depicts the device as in fig. 10-11, showing the facing inner portion, opposite or facing the inner side portion of the other cover portion extending from the first end of the body of the device, textured for better grip, thicker for isolation, or textured and thicker.

Fig. 13 illustrates the device of fig. 10-12 in an engaged position, operably positioned with a plurality (three) of fingers of a user, inserted through the opening into the axial cavities of a plurality of cover portions extending from the first end of the body of the device, and illustrating the resilient polymeric material forming the body of the device being stretched.

Other aspects of the invention will be better understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, which are not to be considered limiting.

Detailed Description

In this specification, the directional terms upward, downward, front, rear, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the position of the apparatus as oriented and as shown in the drawings and are used for convenience. They are not intended to limit or imply that the device must be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

Referring now to the drawings in fig. 1-13, wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals, there is seen in fig. 1 a perspective view of the body 11 of the glove or finger covering device 10 herein. In all modes of the device 10 herein, it is configured to be self-supporting on a surface and is constructed in such a way that: wherein engagement with a user's fingers 16 is facilitated by openings 12 at first end 13 of body 11 communicating with palm shield 15 at first end 13 of body 11 and with axial cavities 17 of plurality of finger-engageable cover portions 14.

This self-support over the plurality of extended finger-covering portions 14 in all modes of device 10 is achieved by forming body 11 of device 10 and a material, structure and number of side walls 36 of the plurality of finger-covering portions 14 extending outwardly from first end 13 of body 11, the finger-covering portions defining a plurality of hollow support members adapted to retain and maintain the first end of body 11 elevated above support surface 19 and to retain openings 12 and axial cavities 17 of each covering portion 14 in an expanded configuration. This forms device 10 in a manner suitable for facilitating one-handed engagement of fingers 16 of one hand of the user into respective axial cavities 17 of each respective cover portion 14, hollow cover portions 14 defining support members which simultaneously maintain first end 13 of body 11 and expanded opening 12 elevated above a support surface.

Such a one-handed engagement that may be used in all modes of the device 10 in all of the figures herein is depicted in fig. 2. As shown in fig. 13, fingers 16 of one hand of the user, such as the thumb and two fingers, are easily engaged within the formed axial cavity 17 of the respective cover portion 14 by simply holding open the respective opening 12 at the first end of the body 11. As noted, such engagement and disengagement is the primary purpose of the glove device 10 herein, wherein each of the plurality of cover portions 14 is operatively connected at its first end 13 to the body 11 of the device and is held in proximity to the other cover portions 14, such as by engagement with a palm shield 15 region. The material forming glove device 10 and portions thereof is configured to form body 11 of device 10, with each respective opening 12 communicating with a respective axial cavity 17 of cover portion 14 through palm shroud 15, by default, remaining expanded such that engagement requires only one hand to be inserted.

Fig. 2a shows the device 10 in any of the modes depicted herein with the cover portion 14 formed, a plurality of fingers 16 for the hand varying in length to form the cover portion 14 protruding from the palm shroud 15 at the first end 13 of the body 11, their length being longer. As depicted, finger-covering portions 14 are connected at first end 13 of body 11 and have respective openings 12 that remain expanded and open into respective axial cavities 17. The openings 12 at the first end 13 of the body 11 of the device 10 may be held in the registered position by a palm shroud 15 so that they are spaced apart, or may be engaged with each other by the peripheral edges of the openings 12.

The depicted length variation is shown in the longer mode of device 10, although in all modes herein shown having multiple (three) fingers 16 covered with cover portions 14, the device may be formed with any number of multiple cover portions 14 to cover any number of fingers of a user. In all of these modes of device 10 herein, the projected length of cover portion 14 may vary for the task or situation of the intended use of glove device 10. For such longer lengths of the cover portion 14, the palm guard 15 preferably protects the palm of the user during use and provides a layer of the body 11 through which the openings 12 communicate and are held in mutually separated registration positions.

Fig. 3 depicts a mode of the device 10 as shown in fig. 1-2, wherein the body 11 of the device 10 includes a plurality of cover portions 14 operatively connected to one another at the first end 13 of the body 11. As shown, the opening 12 at the first end is held in a registered spaced position and is maintained expanded by default for ingress and egress of a user's finger 16.

A skeletal structure 18 may be provided to hold the openings 12 open and operatively spaced from one another and to engage and hold each cover portion 14 to the formed body 11, which, as in other modes, includes a plurality of such cover portions 14 protruding from the first end 13, and a plurality of spatial openings 12 for single-hand engagement of the fingers 16 therethrough. This skeletal structure 18 may be formed as part of the overall model of the device 10, for example by co-molding the body 11, or it may be operably engaged with each of the plurality of cover portions 14 used with the body 11 of the device 10, for example by adhesive or inserted into channels formed in the side walls 36 defining the catheter-like cover portion 14. Such a skeletal structure 18 may be used with any of the modes of the device 10 herein, and in that mode with either the shorter covering portion 14 or the longer covering portion 14 of fig. 1 and 2.

The skeletal structure 18 may also be formed of a rigid but resilient material that, when engaged with each cover portion 14, will resistively bias each of the cover portions 14 of the body 11 of the device 10 to form the device 10 in an expanded configuration suitable for insertion of a user's finger 16 through the opening 12 in each cover portion 14.

With the user's fingers so inserted, the user may press each cover portion 14 toward a common central region therebetween to grasp an object within the finger forced contact of each cover portion 14. When the wearer is finished grasping or holding an object between the compressive contact of the plurality of cover portions 14, releasing the fingers 16 will cause the skeletal structure 18 engaged with each cover portion 14 to return them to the expanded configuration, as shown in FIG. 1.

Fig. 4 depicts device 10 wherein engaged skeletal structure 18 is connected to a plurality of ribs 20 engaging each cover portion 14, either in a groove on a side wall 36 thereof, or around an area of cover portion 14 at an exterior side 22 opposite interior side 24, which is forced into compressive contact with an object by finger 16. This positioning still provides the noted biased engagement with cover portion 14 to return it to the expanded configuration, but leaves interior side 24 free to flexibly contact the selected object.

As shown in fig. 4, the skeletal structure 18 extends to engage and surround the openings 12 so as to keep them expanded. However, this can also be realized as in fig. 3, wherein the cover part 14 is formed in such a way that: the peripheral edges of the openings 12 are adapted to retain them in the expanded configuration.

Fig. 5 depicts a perspective view of a single cover section 14 used to form multiple cover sections 14 in any mode of device 10 herein, the device having multiple cover sections 14 operably connected. As shown, cover portion 14 has an inner facing surface 24 that is formed of a thicker material than outer facing surface 22. Inner facing surface 24 refers to the surface of cover portion 14 that faces or opposes each other portion 14 when engaged and extended from first end 13 of body 11 of device 10. The interior facing surface 24 may also be configured with ribs or texturing or other structures to enhance gripping.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of a single covered portion for a user's finger 16, showing the outer facing surface 22 thicker than the inner facing surface 24. This may be used in case heat or voltage surrounds the object to be gripped by the cover part 14 of the device 10.

Fig. 7-9 depict alternative top views of the device 10 herein as in fig. 1-2 or fig. 2a or fig. 11-13. The number of cover portions 14 and their configuration in the body 11 forming the device 10 may vary as shown in fig. 7-9. Palm guard 15 may be formed at first end 13 of body 11 in all configurations that employ longer covering portion 14 or that device 10 in any of the modes shown or described herein is formed as a unitary structure, such as by molding a polymeric material. Such polymeric material may be one or a combination of polymeric materials, such as from the group of polymeric materials including polyethylene, polypropylene, neoprene, nitrone, latex, nylon, and rubber. Furthermore, in some cases, the device may be formed from a scrim of paper, polymer-coated paper, tissue paper, or a textile material coated with a polymer coating.

Fig. 10 shows a pattern of the glove device 10 herein formed as a unitary structure. The body 11 of the device 10 has a plurality of elongated cover portions 14 extending from the first end 13 of the body 11 of the palm shroud 15 portion. As with the other modes of device 10, the plurality of cover portions 14 define a plurality of support members to hold first end 13 of body 11 above support surface 19. In this raised position of first end 13, opening 12 communicates into a respective axial cavity of each of said cover portions 14 at first end 13. This shows the openings 12 partially communicating through the palm shroud 15, shown held in the expanded configuration and in the registered position spaced from each other. Each opening 12 communicates with the axial cavity 17 of the respective elongated cover portion 14, which extends from the sealed connection with the palm shroud 15 portion of the body 11 to the distal end of the axial cavity 17, where the side wall 36 will contact the support surface 19.

The ribs 30 are formed and surround the entire peripheral edge of the portion of the palm shroud 15 at the first end 13 of the body 11. This rib 30 initially has flat surfaces that work well at the top and bottom, but it has been found in experiments that when the rib is formed with a curved circumference or at least with curved surfaces on the top and bottom surfaces of the rib 30 that the stacked rib 30 will contact, the stacked apparatus 10 is more easily separated when the device 10 is placed in the stack as shown in fig. 11 when the user inserts his finger 16 into the top device 10 in the stack.

This enhanced separation is also provided by forming gaps 35 between adjacent palm shields 15 of adjacent devices 10 in the stack 32 and minimizing contact between ribs 30 on adjacent devices 10 in the stack 32. The gap 35 between the palm shields 15 is caused by the diameter D1 of the ribs 30 exceeding the thickness or diameter D2 of the palm shield 15 portion of the body 11, as shown in fig. 11. Thus, it is preferred that at least the curved surface on the mating surface of the rib 30 in the stack (preferably around the outer circumference of the rib 30) and preferably the diameter D1 of the rib 30 exceed the diameter D2 of the palm shroud 15 portion.

In addition, when engaged on a user's hand as shown in fig. 13, ribs 30, and preferably the circular ribs 30 described, provide a contracting or compressing contact, creating a temporary compressing contact of the peripheral edge at ribs 30, allowing a portion of the user's finger 16 and hand to be inserted into the corresponding covering portion 14. This compressive contact prevents cover portion 14 from sliding off of the user's engaging finger 16 and helps to maintain device 10 in the engaged position of fig. 13. This is caused by the increased elastic force of the thicker ribs 30 and, in the case of curved ribs 30, applies this force to the smaller curved surface area of the ribs 30 that is in contact with the surface of the user's hand and fingers 16. Further, in the case of the curved shape of the ribs 30, as the hand and fingers 16 move, the ribs 30 will roll slightly during the enlargement and contraction of the device 10, and this rolling motion keeps the perimeter in a better position than the planar surface ribs 30 during hand movement. Of course, the planar surface ribs 30 still provide increased elastic resistance and thus increased compressive contact of the peripheral edge of the first end 13 of the device 10 with the user's fingers 16 and hand engaged therewith.

The curved or rounded ribs 30 provided for reinforcement may be solid, hollow, or formed by a curve of the peripheral edge of the palm shroud 15 portion of the body 11 during formation. In experiments, it was also found that the rounded or curved edges of the ribs 30 extending along the peripheral edge of the palm shroud 15 portion of the body 11 at the first end 13 of the body 11 provide a skeletal structure that helps to keep the opening 12 expanded.

As shown in fig. 11, the device 10 as shown in fig. 10 is particularly well configured to form a stack 32 of such devices 10 that can be sequentially dispensed or used by a user by removing the devices 10 located at the top of the stack 32. The structure of this stack 32 is achieved by the fact that each cover portion 14, which is maintained by the resistance of the ribs formed at the peripheral edge of the palm shroud 15 portion, and the opening 12 communicating therewith are formed with the body 11 of unitary structure, which then maintains the expansion of both. In addition, in the stack 32, this curved edge of the rib 30 minimizes contact with adjacent ribs 30 and forms a curved gap 34 between adjacent curved edges of the ribs 30 of adjacent devices 10, which makes it easier for a user to contact and separate the devices 10 at the top of the stack 32.

Fig. 12 depicts the device 10 as in fig. 10-11, showing the inner facing surface 24 facing or facing the inner facing surface 24 of the other cover portion 14 extending from the first end 13 of the body 11 of the device 10. These facing surfaces 24 may be textured for better gripping, or have sidewalls 36 forming respective cover portions 14 that are thicker for insulation, or have both thicker sidewalls 36 and a textured outer surface.

Fig. 13 depicts the device 10 of fig. 10-12 in an engaged position, operably positioned with a plurality (three) of fingers of a user, inserted through the opening 12 into axial cavities of a plurality of cover portions 14 extending from the first end 13 of the body 11 of the device 10, and showing the elastic polymer material forming the body of the device 10 stretched by finger movement.

It should be noted and contemplated that while the finger cover herein having multiple finger covering portions is shown in its simplest form, various components and aspects of the device may be shaped differently or slightly modified when forming the invention herein. Thus, those skilled in the art will understand that the descriptions and depictions set forth in this disclosure or merely depict examples of the preferred mode within the full scope and intent of the invention and should not be considered as limiting in any way.

While there has been shown and described herein all of the fundamental features and characteristics of the finger-covering invention, a range of modifications, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure with reference to particular embodiments thereof, and it will be apparent that in some instances some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It is also to be understood that various substitutions, modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, all such modifications and changes as well as substitutions are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (2)

1. A glove device, comprising:

a body (11), the body (11) having at least three cover portions (14) defined by sidewalls, each cover portion (14) being defined by a sidewall (36), each cover portion (14) extending away from a respective opening (12), a plurality of the openings (12) being formed at a first end (13) of the body (11);

a palm shield (15) located at the first end (13) of the body (11), the palm shield (15) being connected to a cover portion (14) and having a peripheral edge surrounding the plurality of openings (12);

a rib (30) is formed on the peripheral edge, the rib (30) having a curved outer surface with a diameter (D1) greater than a diameter (D2) of the palm shroud (15);

each of said openings (12) communicating with a respective axial cavity (17), said axial cavities (17) extending from the respective openings (12) at the first end (13) of the body (11) to the respective distal ends of the covering portions; and is

Said cover portions (14) defining support members configured to support said first end (13) of said body (11), said first end (13) being elevated above a support surface (19) in contact with a respective distal end of each of said cover portions (14), whereby each of a plurality of said cover portions (14) is adapted to engage a respective finger (16) of a user in a single hand into a respective said axial cavity (17) of a plurality of said cover portions (14);

said rib (30) defining a constriction around said peripheral edge, said constriction being adapted to provide a partial compressive contact of said rib (30) with a user's finger (16) respectively engaged within said cover portion (14) to maintain the glove device in engagement with the finger (16);

the rib (30) is in rolling compressive engagement with the finger (16) as the finger (16) moves within the covering portion (14).

2. The glove device according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of said bodies (11) are configured to be engaged in a stack of adjacently positioned bodies (11); each adjacently positioned body having each of a plurality of said cover portions (14) engaged through a respective opening (12) and within a respective axial cavity (17) of one of said adjacently positioned bodies; and, a respective gap (35) is formed between each respective palm shroud (15) portion of each respective adjacently positioned body (11) in the stack.

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