JP2021016790A - Ball glove having seamless back side leather - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a ball glove for baseball, softball and other sports, which includes a seamless back side leather which is constituted from a seamlessly preliminarily formed member and eliminates stitching and joining by joint leather.SOLUTION: A back side leather contains openings in a hinge region and in a peripheral part of each finger crotch, for the purpose of easily opening/closing function and better control of a ball caught in the ball glove. In the finger area of the back side leather, there are formed openings, projections or their combinations. The combination of the openings and projections makes more coordinated bending action of fingers possible in catching a ball. It also provides a glove with balance that is free from excessive hardness and excessive softness, and that is properly flexible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5A

Description

The present invention generally relates to ball gloves for baseball, softball and other sports. In particular, the present invention comprises an integral dorsal leather and a webbing composed of integrally preformed members so that the use of the seam leather is minimized. With respect to ball gloves, each finger of the is joined to the palm side leather using a gusset.

The ball glove is designed to be worn by placing the finger in the finger area of the hand cavity formed by the dorsal and palmar leather of the ball glove to protect the finger of the wearer of the ball glove. To. Another important function of the ball glove is to be able to open and close the glove to secure and release the caught ball inside the ball glove. Therefore, it is important that the ball glove responds to the wearer's finger movements within the finger area and provides a secure grip.

In the general manufacturing process of making ball gloves, animal skins are cut into individual pieces. The cut pieces are then grouped together and sutured into one section, and some pieces are sutured using seam leather. Seam leather is an elongated material that extends along the perimeter of the fragment. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 3, the dorsal leather of this ball glove is made from several parts joined by seam leather. FIG. 2B shows the palm side leather having the seam leather, and as depicted in FIGS. 2C and 2D, the palm side leather and the palm side leather of the ball glove are joined using the seam leather. FIG. 2C shows an inverted view. The webbing also consists of multiple pieces of leather joined by seam leather.

Seam leather enhances structural integrity and enhances support for ball gloves. However, seam leather also makes it difficult to close the ball glove if it is too stiff and makes the wearer of the ball glove uncomfortable. In particular, the dorsal leather of the ball glove joined with the seam leather has an effect of bulging on the dorsal lining fixed to the dorsal leather, as shown in FIG. The bulge directly hits the wearer's fingers of the ball glove, providing an unpleasant feel and restrained grip, and the seam leather for joining the dorsal and palmar leather provides easy finger movement. Hinder. As a result, ball gloves with seam leather provide structural integrity, but not the comfort and control players seek.

In addition, the demands from players are diversifying. For example, different gripping styles are required depending on the position of the player. In a baseball game, a ball glove with a reliable grip is desirable for an outfielder, and a ball glove with a quick release force is desirable for an infielder. However, structures with seam leather do not have the versatility to adapt to these requirements without major structural changes. Therefore, there is a need in the art for ball gloves that provide comfort to the wearer and versatility to adapt to player position-based requirements.

In view of the above circumstances, various embodiments of the present invention are directed to ball glove structures that include integrally preformed members, which minimize the use of seam leather and do not require major structural changes. Suitable for various grip styles.

According to the present invention, the ball glove includes a palm side leather forming the front wall of the glove and a palm side leather forming the rear wall of the glove. The dorsal leather of the hand is coupled to the leather of the palm to define the hand cavity and comprises a finger region having multiple fingers including the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger, and thumb. The ball glove has a distal end and a proximal end. The hand cavity is defined by the dorsal and palmar leather, has an opening at the proximal end of the ball glove for inserting the wearer's hand, and the finger area is located at the distal end of the ball glove. The index finger and thumb are combined with the webbing. The lining on the back of the hand is fixed to the leather on the back of the hand. The lining on the palm side is fixed to the leather on the palm side. The dorsal leather of the hand further comprises a hinge area extending from the base of the little finger and thumb toward the proximal end of the ball glove.

An opening, a ridge, or a combination thereof is formed in the finger area of the dorsal leather. In some embodiments, openings are formed within the finger area to provide flexibility to the ball glove. The opening may be a slit extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove, or a slit extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger. At least one of the openings may be provided on each finger.

In some embodiments, ridges are formed within the finger area to provide stiffness. The ridge may extend from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove. In some embodiments, the dorsal leather may include a ridge extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove and a ridge extending perpendicular to the direction of extension of each finger. Good. The ridge may have protrusions.

In some embodiments, openings and ridges are formed within the finger area to adjust the stiffness of the ball glove according to the player's gripping style. For example, the plurality of fingers are configured to grip the ball equator by each finger on which at least two ridges are formed. In particular, the ball equator has a stiff grip because at least two of the ridges are formed on the thumb and index finger respectively to stiffen them, and at least two of the openings are provided on the middle and ring fingers. Is gripped by a stiffened finger to provide.

In another embodiment, a plurality of fingers are configured such that the ball pole region is gripped by each finger on which at least two ridges are formed. In particular, at least two of the ridges are formed on each of the thumb and middle finger to stiffen them, and at least two of the openings are provided on each of the rest of the fingers, resulting in The ball pole region is gripped by the stiffened fingers to provide a quick release force.

Further, in another embodiment, the plurality of fingers are configured such that the area between the ball equator and the ball pole region is gripped by each finger on which at least two ridges are formed. In particular, at least two of the ridges are formed on each of the thumb and ring fingers to stiffen them, and at least two of the openings are provided on the index and middle fingers, with the ball pole region and the equator. The area between is gripped by the stiffened fingers to provide a modest grip.

Optionally, additional openings or ridges may be added to adjust flexibility or stiffness. These three configurations are simply the most typical combinations, but are not necessarily limited to these three.

These examples are based on the player's gripping style of how the player closes the glove to catch the ball. The open slits allow for smooth bending of the fingers, while the ridges reinforce each designated finger for a stiffer grip when catching the ball. The combination of the opening and the ridge allows for a more coordinated bending action of the finger when catching the ball. It also gives the glove a good balance of softness that is neither too hard nor too soft and easy to close.

The dorsal leather of the hand is further provided with openings in the hinge area and in the index finger and middle finger, the middle finger and ring finger, and the area around the finger crotch between the ring finger and the little finger, and the opening in the finger crotch area. May extend towards the proximal end of the ball glove. These openings provide easy opening and closing functions and better control of the ball caught in the ball glove.

In some embodiments, a plurality of gussets, which are narrow bifurcation strips, are used to join the palm-side and dorsal-side leathers, with each gusset placed between the fingers. The gusset placed between the index finger and the middle finger, between the middle finger and the ring finger, and between the ring finger and the little finger is substantially U-shaped and is placed between the thumb and the index finger. The gusset to be made is substantially U-shaped. The gusset may be provided with an opening that allows easy movement of the fingers, and the various shapes and widths of the gusset can create the desired finger curves and pocket configurations.

In some embodiments, the webbing may include an integrally preformed web laminated on a leather web portion. The integrally preformed web can include slit openings, integrally preformed ridges on the web, or a combination thereof. Slit openings and / or ridges formed in the integrally preformed web extend from the proximal end of the ball to the distal end of the ball glove and extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension of the index finger, or the index finger. It extends diagonally with respect to the extending direction of the portion. By combining the preformed webbing portion and the leather webbing portion, it is possible to prevent the leather webbing portion from stretching due to repeated catching of the ball.

The aforementioned and other objectives and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention below. A detailed description of the invention will refer to the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification and illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to allow one of ordinary skill in the art to carry out the invention, and other embodiments may be utilized and are structural without departing from the scope of the invention. It should be understood that changes may be made. Therefore, the accompanying drawings are submitted merely as demonstrating a preferred example of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be construed in a limited sense, and the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Here, reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating specific embodiments of the present invention. 9A, 10A and 11A show the left hand glove, but to better understand the association between the wearer's fingers shown in FIGS. 9B, 10B and 11B. A mirror image of the leather on the back of the left hand glove is shown. The present invention is not limited to left-handed gloves. The right-handed glove is substantially identical to the left-handed glove. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

A cross-sectional view of a ball glove according to some embodiments is shown. It is a top view of the leather on the back side of the conventional glove, and shows the cut pieces joined to each other by the seam leather. It is a top view of the palm side leather of a conventional glove. It is a perspective view of the leather on the back side of the hand of a conventional glove that is joined to the leather on the palm side with a seam leather and turned inside out. It shows how the palm side leather is joined to the palm side leather. A cross-sectional view of a conventional glove is shown. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the dorsal leather with slits extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove. It is a top view of the leather on the back side of the hand having a slit extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the dorsal leather with a slit extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove, and an opening in the hinge area and the periphery of the finger crotch. It is a top view of the leather on the back side of the hand having slits extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger and opening in the hinge region and the peripheral portion of the finger crotch. It shows a slit extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove on the finger. The slit opening of FIG. 6A during play is shown. A slit extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger is shown. The slit opening of FIG. 6c during play is shown. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the dorsal leather of the hand, having a ridge extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the dorsal leather of the hand, having a ridge extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove, and an opening in the hinge area and perimeter of the finger crotch. It is a partial perspective view of the finger part which has a ridge line. It is an enlarged view of the protrusion of a ridge line. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the dorsal leather of the hand with ridges and openings in the fingers, according to some of the present embodiments. The positional relationship between the wearer's finger and the ball according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9A is shown. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the dorsal leather of the hand with ridges and openings in the fingers, according to some of the present embodiments. The positional relationship between the wearer's finger and the ball according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 10A is shown. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the dorsal leather of the hand with ridges and openings in the fingers, according to some of the present embodiments. The positional relationship between the wearer's finger and the ball according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11A is shown. The leather on the palm side and the leather on the back side joined by a gusset are shown. It is a side perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. It shows an integrally preformed webbing laminated on a leather web portion. It shows an integrally preformed webbing laminated on a leather web portion. It shows an integrally preformed webbing laminated on a leather web portion. It shows an integrally preformed webbing laminated on a leather web portion. It shows an integrally preformed webbing laminated on a leather web portion.

Here, with reference to FIG. 1, a ball glove according to some of the present embodiments is shown. The ball glove 1 includes a palm-side leather 2b (not shown) forming the front wall of the ball glove and a palm-side leather 2 forming the rear wall 3 of the glove. The dorsal leather 2 includes a finger region 4 having a plurality of fingers, including an index finger 5, a middle finger 6, a ring finger 7, a little finger 8, and a thumb 9. The ball glove further includes a webbing 10 connected to the index finger portion 5 and the thumb portion 9, a palm side lining 11 fixed to the palm side leather 2, and a palm side lining 12 fixed to the palm side leather. Be prepared. The dorsal leather 2 is connected to the leather 2b on the palm side and defines a hand cavity having an opening 13 of the hand cavity for inserting the wearer's hand at the proximal end of the ball glove.

The back leather 2 is composed of integrally preformed members, and no seam leather is used. This simplifies the manufacturing process. Further, since the bulging portion 11a shown in FIG. 3 is not formed on the lining 11 on the back side of the hand fixed to the leather on the back side of the hand, discomfort due to friction between the wearer's fingers and the edge of the seam leather. Can be eliminated, and increased flexibility easily provides close functionality.

The ball glove 1 may include an opening 17, a ridge 18 formed on the dorsal leather of the hand, or a combination thereof within the finger region 4. FIG. 4A shows one embodiment of the dorsal leather 2 in which the finger region 4 includes an opening 17. Each finger may include at least one of the openings 17. At least one of the openings 17 may be a slit extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove 1. FIG. 4B shows an embodiment in which at least one of the openings 17 is a slit extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger.

5A and 5B show one of the embodiments of the dorsal leather 2. In addition to the opening 17, the dorsal leather of the hand has hinge areas 14, 15 extending from the bases of the little finger 8 and thumb 9 toward the proximal end of the ball glove 1, and the index finger 5, middle finger 6, and middle finger 6. The opening 16 may be further provided in the finger crotch peripheral portion between the ring finger 7 and the ring finger 7 and the little finger 8. The opening 16 in the periphery of the finger crotch can extend toward the proximal end of the ball glove 1. The opening 16 in the hinge regions 14, 15 provides an easily closing movement of the thumb 9 and little finger 8 to support better control of the ball caught in the ball glove 1. The opening 16 in the groin periphery provides flexibility in the ball collision region located at the base of the finger to support a rigid grip.

6A and 6B show slits 17 extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove. As shown in these figures, these slits 17 on the dorsal leather 2 provide the flexibility to close the ball glove 1 when catching the ball during play. 6C and 6D show slits 17 extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger. As shown in these figures, these slits 17 on the dorsal leather 2 provide a smooth bending motion of the fingers when catching the ball.

FIG. 7A shows one embodiment of the dorsal leather 2 in which the finger region 4 comprises a ridge 18 formed on the dorsal leather 2. Each finger can include at least one of the ridges 18. As shown in FIG. 7, the ridge 18 can extend from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove 1, and the height of the ridge 18 is as shown in FIG. 8A. 18 may change along the direction in which it extends. The ridge 18 provides the rigidity of the ball glove 1 when catching the ball, making the ball glove 1 stiff and maintaining the shape of the fingers. Although not shown in FIG. 7A, the ridge 18 may extend in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger, as shown in FIGS. 10A or 11A. The ridge 18 may be provided with protrusions as shown in FIG. 8B.

FIG. 7B shows one of the embodiments of the back leather 2. In addition to the ridge 18, the dorsal leather of the hand includes hinge areas 14, 15 extending from the base of the little finger 8 and thumb 9 toward the proximal end of the ball glove 1, the index finger 5, middle finger 6, and middle finger. The opening 16 may be provided in the area around the crotch between the ring finger 7 and the ring finger 7 and between the ring finger 7 and the little finger 8. The opening 16 in the periphery of the finger crotch may extend toward the proximal end of the ball glove 1.

In some embodiments, the dorsal leather 2 may include an opening 17 and a ridge 18 formed on the dorsal leather 2 in the finger region 4. The positions of the opening 17 and the ridge 18 are interchangeable. Therefore, many configurations can be made according to the tastes and requirements of the player without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the plurality of fingers may be configured to grip the ball equator 19 by each finger on which at least two ridges 18 are formed. This configuration is shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. As shown in these figures, two ridges 18 are formed on each to stiffen the thumb 9 and little finger 8, and the stiff fingers grip the ball equator 19. When catching the ball, one ridge 18 is formed on the index finger 5 to stiffen the ball glove 1, and two openings 17 provide easy closing force and better control. It is provided on each of the remaining fingers. This configuration provides a rigid grip suitable for baseball outfielders.

In another embodiment, the plurality of fingers are configured to grip the ball pole region 20 by each finger on which at least two of the ridges 18 are formed. This configuration is shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. As shown in these figures, two ridges 18 extending from the base of the thumb portion 9 to the distal end of the ball glove 1 are formed in the thumb portion 9 and extend in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the middle finger portion 6. Two ridges 18 are formed on the middle finger portion 6 so that the hardened finger portion grips the ball pole region 20. One ridge line 18 extending in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the ring finger portion 7 is formed on the ring finger portion 7 to assist in gripping the ball. Three openings 17 extending in the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger are provided on each of the remaining fingers to provide an easily closing force and better control of the ball. With this configuration, the ball caught in the ball glove 1 can be quickly released, which is suitable for a baseball infielder.

In yet another embodiment, each finger on which at least two ridges 18 are formed is configured such that a plurality of fingers grip the area between the ball equator 19 and the ball pole region 20. This configuration is shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. Two ridges 18 extending from the base of the thumb 9 to the distal end of the ball glove 1 are formed on the thumb 9, and three ridges 18 extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the ring finger 7 are the ring finger 7. Formed on top, the reinforced finger portion grips the area between the ball equator 19 and the ball pole region 20. Two ridges 18 extending in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the little finger portion 8 are formed on the little finger portion 8 to harden the ball glove 1 when the ball is caught.

At least two openings 17 extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger are provided in each of the rest of the fingers to provide an easily closing force and better control of the ball. This configuration provides a modest grip suitable for baseball pitchers or infielders.

These three configurations are merely the most typical combinations and should not be construed in a limited sense. Additional openings or ridges may be added to adjust flexibility or stiffness. There can be many more variations, depending on the materials used and the choice of player.

The ball glove 1 may further include a plurality of gussets 21a to 21d to replace the joint of the dorsal leather 2 to the palm side leather 2b using the seam leather. The plurality of gussets 21a to 21d allow easy movement of the fingers. Each gusset is placed between each finger. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the gusset 21b is arranged between the index finger 5 and the middle finger 6, the middle finger 6 and the ring finger 7, and the ring finger 7 and the little finger 8. ~ 21d is substantially U-shaped, and the gusset 21a arranged between the thumb portion 9 and the index finger portion 5 is substantially U-shaped.

The gussets 21a-21d may be of various shapes and widths to create a pocket configuration that is either a desired finger curve and a wide opening for the infielder or a deep pocket for the outfielder. The gussets 21a-21d can further configure the openings 22 to make the fingers of the ball glove 1 flexible for better control.

As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the webbing 10 was also integrally preformed laminated on the leather web portion 24 to prevent the leather web portion 24 from repeatedly catching and stretching the ball. It may have a web 23. The integrally preformed web 23 may further comprise a slit opening 25, a ridge 26 formed on the integrally preformed web 23, or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, a slit opening 25 and / or a ridge 26 formed on an integrally preformed web 23 extends from the proximal end of the ball glove to the distal end of the ball glove. See FIG. 14C. In some embodiments, the slit opening 25 and / or at least one ridge 26 formed on the integrally preformed web 23 extends in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the index finger 5. See FIG. 14D. In some embodiments, the slit opening 25 and / or at least one ridge 26 formed on the integrally preformed web 23 extends obliquely with respect to the direction in which the index finger extends. See FIG. 14E.

The present invention has been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Claims (23)

The leather on the palm side that forms the front wall of the glove,
A dorsal leather that forms the posterior wall of the glove and comprises a finger region having multiple fingers, including the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger and thumb.
The webbing connected to the index finger and the thumb,
The back side lining fixed to the back side leather and
With a palm-side lining fixed to the palm-side leather,
The leather on the back side of the hand is a ball glove composed of integrally preformed members. The ball glove according to claim 1, further comprising an opening, a ridge line formed on the dorsal leather of the hand, or a combination thereof in the finger region. The dorsal leather of the hand further comprises openings in the hinge region and in the crotch area between the index finger and the middle finger, the middle finger and the ring finger, and the ring finger and the little finger. ,
The ball glove according to claim 2, wherein the opening in the crotch area of the finger extends toward the proximal end of the ball glove. The ball glove according to claim 2, wherein the leather on the back of the hand has an opening in the finger region. The ball glove according to claim 4, wherein each finger includes at least one of the openings. The ball glove according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the openings is a slit extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove. The ball glove according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the openings is a slit extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger. The ball glove according to claim 2, wherein the leather on the back of the hand includes the raised line in the finger region. The ball glove according to claim 8, wherein each finger includes at least one of the ridges extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove. 8. The leather on the back of the hand includes the ridge extending from the base of each finger to the distal end of the ball glove and the ridge extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of each finger. The ball glove described in. The ball glove according to claim 8, wherein the raised line has a protrusion. The ball glove according to claim 2, wherein the leather on the back of the hand includes the opening and the ridge line formed on the leather on the back of the hand in the finger region. The ball glove according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of fingers are configured to grip the equator of the ball by each finger on which at least one ridge is formed. The ball glove according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of fingers are configured to grip the ball pole region by each finger on which at least one ridge is formed. The ball glove according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of fingers are configured to grip between the ball equator and the ball pole region by each finger on which at least one ridge is formed. The ball glove according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of gussets for joining the palm-side leather and the palm-side leather, and each gusset is arranged between the fingers. Each gusset arranged between the index finger and the middle finger, the middle finger and the ring finger, and the ring finger and the little finger is substantially U-shaped, and the thumb and the index finger are substantially U-shaped. The ball glove according to claim 16, wherein the gusset arranged between the and is substantially U-shaped. The ball glove according to claim 16, wherein each of the gussets has an opening. The ball glove according to claim 1, comprising an integrally preformed web laminated on a leather web portion. The ball glove according to claim 19, wherein the integrally preformed web comprises a slit opening, at least one ridge line formed on the integrally preformed web, or a combination thereof. 20. The slit opening and / or the at least one ridge formed on the integrally preformed web extends from the proximal end of the ball glove to the distal end of the ball glove. The ball glove described in. The ball glove according to claim 20, wherein the slit opening and / or the at least one ridge line formed on the integrally preformed web extends in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the index finger portion. The ball glove according to claim 20, wherein the slit opening and / or the at least one ridge line formed on the integrally preformed web extends in an oblique direction with respect to the extending direction of the index finger portion.

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