GB2402040A

GB2402040A - Hand covering for use with handlebars

Info

Publication number: GB2402040A
Application number: GB0312168A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Susan Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-05-27
Filing date: 2003-05-27
Publication date: 2004-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 2023-05-27
Also published as: GB2402040B; GB0312168D0

Abstract

A garment for attaching to the handlebar of a vehicle comprises: an enclosure which defines an interior space and which has a first aperture 30 for receiving a user's hand, a second aperture 40 and a third aperture 42. The second aperture and third aperture co-operatively allow the handlebar to extend through the interior space and outwardly from each of the second aperture and third aperture. A fourth aperture 50 may be provided for use with a vertical handlebar.

Description

1 Hand Warmer for use with a Handlebar 3 The present invention relates to

devices or garments 4 for keeping the user's hands warm. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to 6 devices or garments which keep the user's hands warm 7 and which may be fitted to the handlebars of a 8 vehicle.

A number of vehicles, such as prams, buggies and 11 bicycles, include one or more handlebars which must 12 be gripped by the user. Prams typically have a 13 single horizontal handlebar, while children's 14 buggies have two substantially vertical hand' e bars.

Bicycles can include handlebars having portions at 16 various orientations.

18 For each of these vehicles, the user's hands are 19 exposed and, in cold temperatures, they can become cold. The handlebar itself can conduct heat from 21 the user's hand. Gloves can prevent hands from 22 becoming cold, but there can be a loss of mobility 1 or grip. Direct contact with the handlebar is 2 desirable for safety. Also, the repeated removal of 3 gloves can be inconvenient and, as they are not 4 typically attached to the vehicle, they may be misplaced.

7 It is known to provide a garment that includes a 8 hole for receiving the handlebar, allowing direct 9 contact with the handlebar. However, known garments are typically only suitable for the vertical 11 handlebars. It is desirable to provide a garment 12 which may be used with the long horizontal 13 handlebars. It is desirable to provide a garment 14 which may be used with the single horizontal handlebars or the dual vertical handlebars.

17 According to a first aspect of the present invention 18 there is provided a garment for attaching to the 19 handlebar of a vehicle, the garment comprising: an enclosure which defines an interior space 21 and which has a first aperture for receiving a 22 user's hand, a second aperture and a third aperture, 23 wherein the second aperture and third aperture 24 co-operatively allow the handlebar to extend through the interior space and outwardly from each of the 26 second aperture and third aperture.

28 It is to be understood that the term aperture 29 relates to any opening, such as a hole or a slot or a slit.

1 Preferably the garment is oversized such that the 2 garment may receive a user's hand which is in either 3 a vertical or a horizontal orientation.

Preferably the garment is adapted to accommodate one 6 of the user's two hands. A separate garment may be 7 provided for each hand.

9 Preferably each of the second aperture and the third aperture is a slit. Preferably each slit has a 11 first end provided at the first aperture.

13 Preferably fastening means is provided at the second 14 aperture and the third aperture for closing a substantial portion of the second aperture and the 16 third aperture. Preferably the fastening means 17 comprises a strip of hook and loop fastener, such as 18 Velcro_. Preferably a gap is provided between the 19 second end of each of the second aperture and the third aperture and the fastening means. Preferably 21 a seal is provided at the second end of the second 22 aperture and the third aperture.

24 Preferably the garment further comprises a fourth aperture. This allows handlebars which are, in use, 26 substantially vertical to enter the interior space 27 via the fourth aperture. Preferably the fourth 28 aperture comprises a single slit or two or more 29 intersecting slits. A seal may be provided at the fourth aperture.

1 Preferably the garment is formed from material 2 having at least an outer layer of material and an 3 inner layer of material. Preferably the outer layer 4 of material is a waterproof fabric. Preferably the inner layer of material is an insulating material, 6 such as fleece. The first layer of material or the 7 second layer of material may be quilted.

9 According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for attaching a 11 garment which defines an interior space to the 12 handlebar of a vehicle, the method comprising the 13 steps of: 14 providing a first aperture at the garment for receiving a user's hand; 16 providing a second aperture; 17 inserting an end of the handlebar into the 18 interior space via the second aperture; and 19 providing a third aperture.

21 Preferably the method further comprises the step of 22 extracting the end of the handlebar from the 23 interior space via the third aperture such that the 24 handlebar extends through the interior space and outwardly from each of the second aperture and third 26 aperture.

28 It is to be appreciated that the method allows the 29 end of the handlebar to remain in the interior space, such as for substantially vertical 31 handlebars, or for the handlebar to extend through 1 the second and third apertures, such as for 2 substantially horizontal handlebars.

4 The method may include providing a fourth aperture for receiving an end of the handlebar.

7 According to a third aspect of the present invention 8 there is provided a handlebar for a vehicle 9 comprising: an elongate structural member; and 11 a garment attached to the structural member, 12 the garment comprising: 13 an enclosure which defines an interior space 14 and which has a first aperture for receiving a user's hand, a second aperture and a third aperture, 16 wherein the second aperture and third aperture 17 co-operatively allow the structural member to extend 18 through the interior space and outwardly from each 19 of the second aperture and third aperture.

21 Preferably the garment further comprises a fourth = 22 aperture for receiving the structural member.

24 An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to 26 the accompanying drawings, in which: 28 Figure 1 is a plan view of a garment for attaching 29 to the handlebar of a vehicle; 31 Figure 2 is a rear view of the garment of Figure 1; 1 Figure 3 is a side view of the garment of Figure 1 2 with the fastening means in a closed condition; 4 Figure 4 is a side view of the garment of Figure 1 with the fastening means in an open condition; 7 Figure 5 is a perspective view of the garment of 8 Figure 1 with the fastening means in an open 9 condition; 11 Figure 6 is a perspective view of the garment of 12 Figure 1 with the fastening means in a closed 13 condition; Figure 7 is a plan view of the garment of Figure 1 16 attached to a substantially horizontal handlebar; 18 Figure 8 is a side view of the garment of Figure 1 19 attached to a substantially horizontal handlebar; and 22 Figure 9 is a side view of the garment of Figure 1 23 attached to a substantially vertical handlebar.

Figures 1 to 9 show a garment 10 for attaching to 26 the handlebar 100, 106 of a vehicle (not shown), 27 such as a pram or a pushchair or a bicycle. The 28 garment 10 comprises an enclosure 20 which defines 29 an interior space 22. The garment 10 has a first aperture 30 for receiving a user's hand 110. The 31 garment also has a second 40 and a third 42 aperture 1 for receiving a handlebar 100 which is substantially 2 horizontal in use, such as that of a pram.

4 The garment 10 is typically around 210 millimetres in length and 220 millimetres in width at the first 6 aperture 30. The garment 10 is therefore oversized 7 and may receive a user's hand 110 in either a 8 vertical or a horizontal orientation, as shown in 9 Figures 7 to 9.

11 The second aperture 40 and the third aperture 42 12 comprise a slit which runs from the first aperture 13 30 to approximately two thirds of the length of the 14 garment 10. Fastening means, typically in the form of a strip of Velcro=, is provided at each edge of 16 the second aperture 40 and the third aperture 42.

17 This allows each slit to be closed along most of the 18 length of the slit. Alternatively, fastening studs, 19 a zip or other known means may be provided. The Velcro_ strip is typically of 140 millimetres in 21 length while each slit is typically 160 millimetres 22 in length. Thus, a gap of 20 millimetres exists 23 between the end of each slit which is opposite to 24 the first aperture 30 and the fastening means. A semicircular rubber seal 48 is provided at each gap 26 46 for receiving the handlebar 100.

28 In use, the horizontal handlebar 100 is located in 29 each of the seals 48 and the fastening means is closed. The handlebar 100 therefore passes through 31 each of the second 40 and third 42 apertures. The 32 handlebar 100 therefore has a portion 102 which is 1 located within the interior space 22 of the 2 enclosure 20 and portions 104 which extend outwardly 3 from each of the second aperture 40 and the third 4 aperture 42. The user may place a hand 110 into the interior space 22 via the first aperture 30 and 6 directly grip the handlebar 100.

8 The garment 10 also includes a fourth aperture 50.

9 This aperture is formed from two intersecting slits.

As shown in Figure 9, the fourth aperture 50 can 11 receive a handlebar 106 which is, in use, 12 substantially vertical, such as that of a pushchair.

13 This handlebar 106 has an end 108 located within the 14 interior space 22.

16 The garment 10 is formed from material having an 17 outer layer and an inner layer of material. The 18 outer layer is a waterproof fabric, while the inner 19 layer is a fleece material. Other intermediate layers may be used. Either layer of material may be 21 quilted to improve insulating properties and 22 rigidity.

24 The garment has the advantage that it may remain attached to the handlebar 100, 106 when not in use 26 so that it is available for immediate subsequent use 27 by the user. As the garment is oversized, it can be 28 used by different users having different hand sizes 29 and so does not have to be refitted for different users.

1 Various modifications and improvements can be made 2 without departing from the scope of the present 3 invention. For example, it is to be appreciated 4 that the fourth aperture 50 may not be provided.

The garment may be rotated 90 degrees and the second 6 40 or third 42 aperture used to receive the vertical 7 handlebar 106.

Claims

1 Claims 3 1. A garment for attaching to the handlebar of a 4 vehicle, the

garment comprising: an enclosure which defines an interior space 6 and which has a first aperture for receiving a 7 user's hand, a second aperture and a third aperture, 8 wherein the second aperture and third aperture 9 co-operatively allow the handlebar to extend through the interior space and outwardly from each of the 11 second aperture and third aperture.

13 2. A garment as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the 14 garment is oversized such that the garment may receive a user's hand which is in either a vertical 16 or a horizontal orientation.

18 3. A garment as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein 19 the garment is adapted to accommodate one of the user's two hands.

22 4. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, 23 wherein one or both of the second aperture and the 24 third aperture is a slit.

26 5. A garment as claimed in Claim 4, wherein each 27 slit has a first end provided at the first aperture.

29 6. A garment as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein fastening means is provided at the second aperture 31 and the third aperture for closing a substantial 1 portion of the second aperture and the third 2 aperture.

4 7. A garment as claimed in Claim 6, wherein a gap is provided between the second end of each of the 6 second aperture and the third aperture and the 7 fastening means.

9 8. A garment as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein a seal is provided at the second end of the second 11 aperture and the third aperture.

13 9. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, 14 further comprising a fourth aperture.

16 10. A garment as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the 17 fourth aperture comprises a single slit or two or 18 more intersecting slits.

11. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, 21 wherein the garment is formed from material having 22 at least an outer layer of material and an inner 23 layer of material, and wherein the outer layer of 24 material is a waterproof fabric.

26 12. A garment as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the 27 inner layer of material is an insulating material.

29 13. A method for attaching a garment which defines an interior space to the handlebar of a vehicle, the 31 method comprising the steps of: 1 providing a first aperture at the garment for 2 receiving a user's hand; 3 providing a second aperture; 4 inserting an end of the handlebar into the interior space via the second aperture; and 6 providing a third aperture.

8 14. A method as claimed in Claim 13, further 9 comprising the step of extracting the end of the handlebar from the interior space via the third 11 aperture such that the handlebar extends through the 12 interior space and outwardly from each of the second 13 aperture and third aperture.

15. A method as claimed in Claim 13 or 14, further 16 comprising the step of providing a fourth aperture 17 for receiving an end of the handlebar.

19 16. A handlebar for a vehicle comprising: an elongate structural member; and 21 a garment as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 12.