WO1994016586A1

WO1994016586A1 - Free-finger ski glove

Info

Publication number: WO1994016586A1
Application number: PCT/US1993/000812
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ellery T. Willard
Original assignee: Gates-Mills, Inc.
Priority date: 1993-01-29
Filing date: 1993-01-29
Publication date: 1994-08-04
Also published as: AU3656293A

Abstract

An insulated glove (40) that has an increased area heat pocket (42) and three reduced-length finger portions (52, 54, 56). The finger portions are adapted to loosely fit the associated finger and thereby allow heated air to flow from the heat pocket outwardly to the fingertips (38). A full-length index finger portion (58) of the glove is designed to fit over a wearer's index finger and to be fully bendable thereby enhancing the wearer's dexterity. In a modified version of the glove, the crotch area (22') between the glove's index finger portion (58') and adjacent long finger portion (56') is designed so that when the glove is worn, the glove crotch area (22') will be offset from the associated crotch point (23) of the hand to thereby improve the glove's insulating capacity and the maneuverability of the glove's index finger portion (58').

Description

FREE-FINGER SKI GLOVE

Field of the Invention The invention is in the field of hand coverings. More specifically, the invention is an insulated glove that provides the finger heating capabilities of a mitten while allowing a high degree of dexterity. The glove is normally used in pairs wherein each glove has three reduced length digit portions and is adapted to enable warm air to circulate throughout the glove.

Background of the Invention Mittens and gloves are two well-known types of hand coverings. A mitten is designed to enclose almost the entire hand within a large, bag-shaped primary structure. Most mittens also include an ancillary portion to receive the wearer's thumb. As is well known, a glove is different from a mitten because it is shaped to exactly fit the wearer's hand and includes separate digit portions that are sized and shaped to receive each of the wearer's fingers. Beyond the obvious physical differences, mittens and gloves each have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages.

The design of a mitten provides excellent heating ability due to the use of a primary body portion to form a large heat-retaining inner pocket or cavity. Furthermore, by loosely enclosing most of the hand within the single heat pocket, the heat generated by the hand is dispersed throughout the pocket and therefore contacts most of the wearer's hand. In this manner, the large quantity of heat given off by the palm and back portions of the hand is also used to warm the fingers. This enables a mitten to be capable of keeping a wearer's hand warm even when the ambient temperature is extremely low.

The primary disadvantage of a mitten lies in its almost total elimination of the wearer's manual dexterity. The wearer can at best grab an object between the thumb and finger portions of the mitten in a manner similar to a bifurcated claw. The use of a single primary pocket does not allow any of the hand' s long digits to be independently wrapped about an object. Therefore, a mitten can only be used when manual dexterity is not required.

The advantage of a glove is that it allows the wearer a manual dexterity that is similar to that of a bare hand. The fingers can be moved independently, thereby allowing even complex manual manipulations to be accomplished.

It is well known that gloves cannot provide adequate heating of a wearer's hands when extremely cold temperatures are encountered. A glove's heating ability is directly related to the size of the primary heat pocket and the thickness of the insulating layer sandwiched between the glove's inner liner and outer

shell. To compensate for a glove's smaller heat pocket, many manufacturer's increase the thickness of the insulating layer. Unfortunately, any increase in insulation thickness reduces the dexterity allowable when the glove is worn. To maintain some degree of manual dexterity in low temperature applications, it follows that the heating ability of a glove must be partially sacrificed.

The heating ability of a glove is further diminished by a lack of internal air circulation. In an insulated glove, the interior liner is in tight contact with the hand and especially with the fingers. When the wearer inserts his or her hand into the glove, the liner is pushed outwardly and this causes a compression of the insulation between the liner and the less flexible outer shell. As a result, the liner and insulation form a tight seal around the fingers. This effect substantially isolates the fingers from the primary heat packet formed by the glove around the palm and back portions of the hand. Due to the lack of air flow to the fingers, the only method of maintaining the temperature of the fingers is by the circulation of blood within the fingers. During cold weather, a glove wearer's fingers can easily become cold thereby producing the general feeling of having cold hands. This is an uncomfortable situation that the wearer will most often attempt to overcome by placing his or her gloved hands within the outer pockets of a coat.

There are situations when the above noted glove disadvantages are extremely noticeable. Many cold weather sports are practiced in frigid weather and at the same time require a significant measure of manual dexterity from the user. Skiing is one such example. This sport is practiced on mountain slopes in which below zero temperatures and strong winds are frequently encountered. A skier is required to constantly hold and maneuver the ski poles while proceeding down the hill. In addition, should the skier fall, the skier may be required to manipulate portions of the ski bindings in order to replace the skis on the boots. Even such mundane tasks as the zipping or buttoning of a coat can require a degree of physical dexterity that is unavailable when mittens are worn. Therefore, a skier will often have to endure a glove's inadequate heating of the fingers so that a sufficient level of manual dexterity is available.

In the past, there have been a number of modifications made to gloves and mittens to alleviate the above noted problems. Relative to mittens, there have been mittens developed in which the index finger receives its own covering in a similar fashion to that of the thumb. This improves the wearer's dexterity but not sufficiently for many uses.

In the glove art, reduced length digit portions have been successfully used to improve the glove's insulating ability. However, the wearer's dexterity is somewhat diminished thereby making the glove awkward to wear for some uses. Summary of the Invention

The invention is a combination glove and mitten that is capable of keeping a wearer's hand warm in a manner similar to a mitten while still affording most of the dexterity of a standard glove. In the preferred embodiment, the glove includes a soft, flexible inner liner and a durable, wear- resistant outer shell. Sandwiched between the liner and shell is a layer of insulating material such as polyester batting or THINSULATE brand of highly insulating fibers.

A glove made in accordance with the invention comprises an oversized body portion, a thumb portion, a full length index finger portion, and three reduced-length finger receiving portions. The finger portions are located at an end of the body portion in the conventional manner. The thumb receiving portion is also attached to the main body portion in the conventional manner. Each of the reduced-length finger portions is sized to approximately cover the wearer's finger from the fingertip to the first knuckle joint nearest the base of the finger. The finger portions are designed to loosely fit over the fingers so that warm air from the interior of the glove's main body (primary heat pocket) can travel to each of the wearer's fingertips. In the preferred embodiment, the loose fit of the finger portions creates spaces between each of the long fingers and the liner through which the warm air can travel. In this manner, the fingers are kept as warm as the rest of the hand in substantially the same manner as provided by a mitten. The bendable, glove-like finger portions provide the wearer with a high degree of manual dexterity.

The full-length index finger portion can be made so that it fits either loosely or snugly on the finger. When a loose fit is employed, heat can travel up to the fingertip through the interior of the digit portion. The index finger portion has a length substantially the same as used for an index finger portion of a conventional glove and extends from the fingertip to proximate the base of the finger. In this manner, the index finger portion of the glove is the longest length portion of the glove except for the glove's main body portion.

The index finger portion in combination with the full length thumb portion and bendable reduced-length finger portions allows a wearer the dexterity of a standard glove. Unlike gloves or mittens of the prior art, a glove in accordance with the invention does not sacrifice any significant degree of dexterity for its mitten-like insulating ability.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 shows a front cross-sectional view of a prior art glove placed on a human hand.

Fig. 2 shows a front cross-sectional view of a glove in accordance with the invention in place on a human hand.

Fig. 3 is an elevational cross-sectional view of one of the finger portions of the glove shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front cross-sectional view of a modified form of a glove in accordance with the invention in place on a human hand.

Detailed Description of the Drawings Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several figures, there is shown by the numeral 1 a prior art glove. The glove is shown positioned on a human hand 3.

As seen in Figure 1 , the prior art glove is composed of a main body portion 2 (extending from the wrist to the base of the fingers), four long finger portions 4, 6, 8 and 10 and a thumb portion 12. The glove is constructed from an inner liner 14, a layer of insulation 16 and an outer shell 18. It should be noted that at the glove's crotch areas 20, 22, 24 and 26 (located between the finger portions above the hand's crotch points 21, 23, 25 and 27), the insulation is greatly compressed. The compression of the insulation that is depicted in the figure is due to the normal close spacing of a person's fingers. This compression causes the glove to form a seal around the base of each finger 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36. This sealing action effectively prevents any warm air located within the glove's body portion 2 from traveling outwardly to the wearer's fingertips 38. The insulation layer being compressed between the liner and the shell also reduces the loft of the insulation and thereby lessens its heat-retaining ability. In addition, the compressed insulation is often responsible for an improper or uncomfortable glove fit.

Figure 2 provides a front, cross-sectional view of a glove 40 made in accordance with the invention. A human hand 3 is again shown positioned within the glove. The glove has a body portion 42 that has an internal cavity that forms the glove's primary heat pocket. The cavity is sized to contain a major portion of the hand and extends from the wrist up to the first knuckle joint 43 of each long finger 32, 34 and 36. The body portion also extends to the base of the index finger 30 and to the base of the thumb 28. The glove is shown to have four long finger receiving portions 52, 54, 56 and 58 with portions 52, 54 and 56 shorter in length than the similar finger receiving portions of a prior art glove that would be used to fit the same size hand. The thumb and index finger portions, 51 and 58 respectively, are substantially the same length as those of the prior art glove.

As done in the prior art, the glove 40 is constructed from an insulating layer 60 that is sandwiched between a liner 62 and an outer shell 64. The materials used are of the conventional type.

Each of the long finger portions of the glove shown in Figure 2 have a larger outer circumference than those of a prior art glove that would normally be used to fit a hand of the same size. This is accomplished by expanding the size of the outer shell. Preferably, the size of the top, bottom and sidewalls of the outer shell surrounding each finger portion is increased along with an increase in the size of the fourchette (strip between the fingers). For example, a size "large" prior art ski glove may incorporate a long finger portion that is three and three-quarters of an inch in outer circumference when measured in the approximate area that is to surround the knuckle nearest the fingertip. In the instant invention, the same finger portion of the same size glove using the same amount of insulation will have an outer circumference that measures approximately four and one-half inches in the same area.

By making the shell of the finger portions larger than the shell used in a standard insulated glove, the compression of the insulating layer is greatly reduced. This causes the finger portions of the glove to fit very loosely on the fingers. As a result, air can flow between the fingers and the liner portion that surrounds the fingers and in this manner, warm heated air located within the primary heat pocket of the glove can flow outwardly to the fingertips.

The size and fit of the index finger portion of the invention should be noted. In figure 2, it can be seen that each of the crotch areas 20', 22', 24' and 26' of the glove are directly in line with the associated crotch points 21, 23, 25 and 27 of the hand. While the glove's crotch areas 24' and 26' are spaced a distance away from the associated hand crotch points 25 and 27 respectively, the glove crotch areas 20' and 22' adjacent the index finger 30 are substantially in contact with the associated crotch points of the hand. The looseness of fit of the liner relative to one of the long fingers is shown in Figure 3. In this view, an elevational cross-section of one of the finger portions shown in Figure 2 is depicted. As can be seen, the liner 62 is not biased by the insulating layer to be in continual contact with the finger except in the area at the very tip of the finger. It should be noted that the looseness of fit around the index finger can be decreased to that of a normal glove to further maximize a wearer's dexterity.

In figure 4, a modified version of the invention is detailed. The glove 40' is basically identical to that shown in figure 2 except for the cut of the fourchettes between the index finger 30 and adjacent long finger 32. As can be seen, the glove's crotch area 22" between these two finger portions is offset from and slightly above the hand's associated crotch point 23. This causes the glove's crotch area to fit against the side of the index finger's base. In this version of the glove, the glove's body portion 42 ' contains the major portion of the hand and extends from the wrist up to the first knuckle joint 43 of each long finger 32, 34 and 36 and substantially to the base of the index finger and thumb. By angling the fourchettes so that the glove crotch area 22" is closer to the index finger, the hand crotch point 23 is within the body portion 42' of the glove. In this manner, the size of the body portion is increased while air flow from the glove's body portion to finger portion 56 is enhanced compared to that of the version shown in figure 2. In addition, the flexibility of the index finger portion of the glove is improved since the glove's crotch area 22" is not being tightly sandwiched between the two adjacent fingers.

The invention provides a number of advantages over the prior art. By having finger portions 52, 54 and 56 end at the first knuckle 43 of the associated long finger, the size of the heat pocket (area within the main body portion 42) of the glove is significantly increased. In the instant invention, the heat pocket is sized to contain the palm of the hand, the back of the hand and the portion of each of long fingers 32, 34 and 36 up to the first knuckle. By increasing the amount of the hand within the main body of the glove compared to a glove, a greater quantity of heat is captured from the surface of the hand and is used to heat the air within the primary heat pocket of the glove. This increases the hand warming capacity of the glove since its heat pocket is only slightly smaller than that of a mitten. This greater volume of heated air in combination with the loose fit of the finger portions significantly enhances the ability of the heated air to flow outwardly into the glove's finger portions. Another significant advantage of the invention is in the reduced compression of the insulating layer in the glove's crotch areas 24' and 26' of both versions of the invention and also the crotch area 22' ' of the second version of the invention. This is a result of moving the crotch portion of the glove outwardly (taking advantage of the normal tapering of a human finger) and by increasing the outer shell diameter. In this manner, the decrease in loft and discomfort of the prior art gloves is avoided. In addition, a seal is not formed around the body of each finger and therefore warm air is allowed to flow from the main body (heat pocket) portion outwardly to the fingertips.

The full length of the index finger portion of the glove in combination with the standard length thumb and other movable finger portions provides the glove with a flexibility substantially equal to that of a conventional glove. The version of the glove shown in figure 4 improves on this flexibility while also increasing the size of the glove's body portion and the air flow to long finger 32.

The embodiments of the invention disclosed herein have been discussed for the purpose of familiarizing the reader with the novel aspects of the invention. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, many changes, modifications and substitutions may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

I Claim:CLAIMS

1. An insulated glove designed to fit a human hand that has a thumb and four long fingers consisting of an index finger, third and fourth fingers and a pinky finger, said glove comprising; a tubular body portion having an opening at a first end that is sized to admit a wearer's hand into an interior cavity within said body portion; a plurality of reduced-length finger portions located at a second end of said body portion, said reduced-length finger portions being sized and adapted to inwardly receive a portion of the third, fourth and pinky fingers of a wearer's hand; a full-length finger portion also located at the second end of the glove's body portion, said full-length finger portion being sized and adapted to inwardly receive substantially the entire length of a wearer's index finger; a thumb portion attached to said body portion wherein said thumb portion is sized and adapted to inwardly receive a thumb of a wearer's hand; and wherein the full-length finger portion is longer than the reduced-length finger portions.

2. The glove of Claim 1 wherein a first crotch area is formed between the glove's full-length finger portion and an adjacent reduced-length finger portion and wherein when the glove is worn on a hand, said first crotch area will be located off-center relative to a hand's associated crotch point between its index finger and the adjacent long finger.

3. The glove of Claim 2 wherein when the glove is worn on a human hand, the glove's first crotch area will be centered closer to the index finger than to the adjacent long finger.

4. The glove of Claim 1 wherein a first crotch area is formed between the glove's full-length finger portion and an adjacent reduced-length finger portion and wherein when the glove is worn on a hand, said first crotch area will be located off-center relative to a hand's associated first crotch point between its index finger and the adjacent long finger and wherein a base portion of the full-length finger portion will not fully cover the base of a wearer' s index finger so that when a hand is within the glove, the hand's first crotch point will be located within the cavity of the glove's body portion.

5. The glove of Claim 1 wherein each of said reduced-length finger portions includes a front outer surface, a back outer surface and two outer sidewalls and wherein four of said sidewalls of said reduced-length finger portions join to form two "V"-shaped spaces between said reduced-length finger portions and wherein when said glove is placed on a hand of a wearer, a bottom end of each of said "V"-shaped spaces is located proximate a first knuckle of the associated adjacent fingers.

6. An insulated glove designed to fit a human hand that has a thumb and four long fingers consisting of an index finger, third and fourth fingers and a pinky finger, said glove comprising; a tubular body portion having an opening at a first end that is sized to admit a wearer's hand into an interior cavity within said body portion; a plurality of reduced-length finger portions located at a second end of said body portion, said reduced-length finger portions being sized and adapted to inwardly receive a portion of the third, fourth and pinky fingers of a wearer's hand wherein each of said reduced-length finger portions includes a front outer surface, a back outer surface and two outer sidewalls and wherein four of said sidewalls of said reduced-length finger portions join to form two "V"-shaped spaces between said reduced-length finger portions and wherein when said glove is placed on a hand of a wearer, a bottom end of each of said "V"-shaped spaces is located proximate a first knuckle of the associated adjacent fingers; a full-length finger portion also located at the second end of the glove's body portion, said full-length finger portion being sized and adapted to inwardly receive substantially the entire length of a wearer's index finger; a thumb portion attached to said body portion wherein said thumb portion is sized and adapted to inwardly receive a thumb of a wearer's hand and has an outer tip that is spaced from said first end of said body portion by a first predetermined distance; wherein the bottom end of each of the "v"-shaped spaces between the reduced-length finger portions is spaced from said first end of said body portion by a distance that is greater than said first predetermined distance; and wherein said reduced-length finger portions are adapted to loosely fit around the fingers of a wearer's hand and thereby allow air to flow from the cavity within the glove's body portion to an interior tip portion of the reduced-length finger portions.

7. The glove of Claim 6 wherein a first crotch area is formed between the glove's full-length finger portion and an adjacent reduced-length finger portion and wherein when the glove is worn on a hand, said first crotch area will be located off-center relative to a hand's associated crotch point between its index finger and the adjacent long finger.

8. The glove of Claim 7 wherein when the glove is worn on a human hand the first crotch area will be located closer to the index finger than to the adjacent long finger.

9. The glove of Claim 6 wherein the full-length finger portion is adapted to loosely fit around the index finger of a wearer's hand and thereby allow air to flow from the cavity within the glove's body portion to an interior tip portion of the full-length finger portion.

10. The glove of Claim 6 wherein the glove is constructed from an insulating layer of material sandwiched between an outer shell and an inner liner and wherein said outer shell has an outer circumference in the area of the reduced-length finger portions that allows the insulating layer to remain in a substantially non-compressed state and thereby allows the reduced-length finger portions to loosely fit the fingers of a wearer's hand when a wearer has placed a hand within said glove thereby allowing air to travel from the body portion to the interior tip portions of each of the reduced-length finger portions.

11. The glove of Claim 10 wherein a first crotch area is formed between the glove's full-length finger portion and an adjacent reduced-length finger portion and wherein when the glove is worn on a hand, said first crotch area will be located off-center relative to a hand's associated first crotch point between its index finger and the adjacent long finger and wherein a base portion of the full-length finger portion will not fully cover the base of a wearer's index finger so that when a hand is within the glove, the hand's first crotch point will be located within the cavity of the glove's body portion.

12. The glove of Claim 6 wherein the full-length finger portion is longer than the reduced-length finger portions.