EP0921733B1 - Finger glove - Google Patents

Abstract

Gloves produced from pieces of leather, textile, polymer materials or combinations thereof in such a way that one or more of the fingers of the glove have seams or joints only on the sides of the fingertip and on the dorsal or volar side of the finger but lack seams on those surfaces which correspond to the volar and distal surfaces of the outer phalanxes. The volar parts of the glove fingers can, for instance, be cut so long that the seam between the volar and dorsal parts of the gloval fingers is located on the dorsal sides of the fingers.

Description

INTRODUCTION:

The present invention relates to a glove for use during work or sporting activities (see for example EP-A-0 669 085).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

In connection with special activities, such as snowboarding, gloves are subjected to very high wear and tear because the activity requires that the person incessantly touches the ground with their hands. This means that gloves which are to be used during such activities are worn to an abnormal degree, and especially at the fingertips.

PRIOR ART:

The traditional technique for sewing gloves involves several seams meeting just on the fingertips. For gloves intended for, for example, snowboarding it is usual that at least the four ulnar fingers i.e. the forefinger, the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger each are sewn with four sides. See Fig. 1.

Especially during use of particularly wear resistant covered textile materials, which are used to resist wear, the seams will be the most fragile areas i.a. because the textile material has to be folded just there. This is also the case with traditional sewing of gloves in leather.

A known solution to the wear problem is to provide the fingertips of gloves for snowboarding with small cups or thimbles of plastic. This prevents wear but causes substantial disadvantages in the form of reduced sensitivity, which impairs fine motor ability. Further disadvantages are that many manual operations will be difficult to carry out due to the increased size of the fingertip, as well as due to the low friction which such cups give. Moreover, the solution involves a high production cost.

THE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION AND ITS MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES:

One object of the invention is to bring about a glove sewn or assembled from different parts where the wearing surface on the fingertip, i.e. that part of the glove which normally surrounds the volar, dorsal and distal surfaces of the fingertip, lacks seams and folds as well as moulded or extruded reinforcements.

The object of the invention is achieved by claim 1. US-A-2386688 shows a ladies glove with a seam arrangement which protect the finger tips of the glove against wearing from the innerside through the action of the nails.
(Volar side = palm side; dorsal side = back of the hand; distal = from the centre of the body)

In this way, both wear resistance and flexibility are obtained. By arranging the seams or joints according to the invention, better possibilities to feel through the tip of the glove finger can also be obtained, which may be important during activities when levers are controlled with the hands, such as when flying. The advantages may be obtained without the use of unfamiliar material or an increase in the consumption of the usual production material. It is also possible to choose specially wear resistant flexible materials such as Kevlar fabric for just that part of the fingertip which corresponds to the wearing surface of the fingertip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

Fig. 1

shows a glove with various traditional constructions of the fingertips

Fig. 2

shows a glove not according to the present invention

Fig. 3

shows a glove with an alternative embodiment of the invention in the form of an extra reinforcement of flexible material.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:

Gloves according to the invention can be produced from many different materials, such as leather, textiles, rubber, polymer materials or from combinations thereof.

The glove may be cut so that one piece of flexible material, for example leather, textile, polymer or composite materials or combinations thereof, is sewn or fastened to the fingertip of the glove in such a way that the seams or edges will be located on the sides of the fingertips and on the volar side or dorsal side of the glove finger.

Fig. 3 shows how a piece 5 of, for example, textile is applied over the fingertip in such a way that a seam or connection 6 is located on the volar side 1 of the glove fingers and a seam or connection 2 on the dorsal side of the glove fingers.

In Fig. 2 it is shown how the volar side 1 of the glove fingers is made so long that the connection 2 to the dorsal side 3 of the glove fingers is located on the dorsal side of the hand.

The seams which run from one side to the other of the glove finger on the dorsal side and the volar side, respectively, should run at least 30-40 mm from the outermost end of the finger. In this way, the seam will not run across the outer phalanx of the finger.

Claims (2)

1. Glove for sporting activities made from leather, textile, polymer or composite material or combinations thereof wherein one or more of the fingers of the glove have seams or joints only on the sides and on the dorsal (3) and volar (1) side of the fingers, whereby said one or more of the fingers lack seams on those surfaces which correspond to the volar, dorsal and distal surfaces of the outer phalanxes, said seams or joints located on the dorsal (3) and volar (1) side of the fingers are positioned at least 30 - 40 mm from the outermost end of the finger and run from one side to the other of the glove finger across the volar and the dorsal side of said one or more of the fingers.
2. Glove according to claim 1, wherein that part of the finger being the fingertip and which corresponds to the wearing surface is of a wear resistant flexible material such as Kevlar fabric.

Images