Title:
Golf glove
United States Patent 3922724
Abstract:
A golf glove consisting of a body portion having four finger stalls and a thumb portion extending outwardly from a palm portion thereof, and an elongated rectangularly shaped member manufactured of a soft and supple resilient flexible material affixed along the palmar side of the index finger stall and extending from a position at one end slightly over the first joint of an individual's index finger to a position extending over the point of joining of the index finger to the palm such that the member cushions the first metacarpus and phalanges of a golfer's hand when the golfer grips the hand portion of a golf club in that the resilient member fills in the natural gaps created between the golf club hand grip and the golfer's hand to achieve a more positive fit between the golfer's hand and the golf club hand grip.
US Patent References:
Golfer's glove
Troccoli - March 1949 - 2465136
Sponge tipped rubber glove
Chopp - November 1955 - 2722706
Method of forming pin fin assemblies
Burtoff - January 1965 - 3164891
Safety gloves
Burtoff - December 1966 - 3290695
ABRASIVE HAND APPAREL
Grzyll - February 1972 - 3643386
Golfer's glove
Troccoli - March 1949 - 2465136
Sponge tipped rubber glove
Chopp - November 1955 - 2722706
Method of forming pin fin assemblies
Burtoff - January 1965 - 3164891
Safety gloves
Burtoff - December 1966 - 3290695
ABRASIVE HAND APPAREL
Grzyll - February 1972 - 3643386
Application Number:
05/529065
Publication Date:
12/02/1975
Filing Date:
12/03/1974
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
473/205
International Classes:
A63B71/14; A63B71/08; A41D19/00
Field of Search:
2/159,161R,161A,16,20,21,163 273/54B
Primary Examiner:
Larkin, Geo V.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Gordon, Marden S.
Claims:
Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is
1. A golf club comprising, in combination:
2. A golf glove as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cover member is fabricated of a flexible cloth material.
3. A golf glove as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cover member is fabricated of a flexible soft pliable leather material.
1. A golf club comprising, in combination:
2. A golf glove as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cover member is fabricated of a flexible cloth material.
3. A golf glove as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cover member is fabricated of a flexible soft pliable leather material.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to gloves and more particularly to a novel and improved golf glove for use by an individual to obtain a more positive and accurate grip about the hand grip portion of a golf club during the play of a game of golf, the grip achieved ensuring greater accuracy in the use of the golf club than when the golf club is gripped in the bare hand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Upon careful investigation of the game of golf and after a large investment of time and trial and error procedures, it was found that one of the reasons golf gloves presently available in the prior art do not and cannot serve to improve the grip of a golfer's hand about the golf club hand grip is that such gloves closely follow the contour of the normal hand surfaces. While non-friction gripping strips have been provided to prior art gloves to prevent slippage of the club in the individual's hand, such strips do not improve the actual grip of the individual's hand about the club. Further, while pads have been provided on the gloves, both by themselves and in combination with the non-slip strips, such pads have been provided to cushion the individual's hand to prevent calluses and excessive muscle fatigue, with such being successful for such purposes while not greatly improving the grip technique of the individual's hand about the club hand grip.
The prior art golf gloves fail to improve the gripping technique of an individual's hand in that upon gripping a golf club in a hand it is to be noticed that certain voids and other areas are present between the surface of the hand and the surface of the round golf club hand grip, these voids precluding a firm contact area between the individual's hand and the golf club hand grip to the extent that a definite and substantial amount of control is lost. These voids are created as a result of the contrasting soft fleshy parts of the fingers of an individual's hand and the hard ridges of the knuckle joints which provide natural gaps and voids when the golfer's hand grips a smooth rounded surface such as the golf club hand grip.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention remedies and overcomes all of the deficiencies and disadvantages of presently available golf gloves by providing a novel golf glove eliminating such natural gaps and voids between an individual's hand and the golf club hand grip to ensure greater accuracy in the use of the golf club when gripped by an individual's hand wearing the glove of the present invention.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a golf glove which has all of the advantages of the prior art type of golf gloves with the additional advantage of improving the grip of an individual's hand about the hand grip of a golf club.
A further feature of the present invention provides a golf glove which readily adapts the individual's hand wearing the glove more readily to the golf club hand grip and specifically fills in the voids and natural gaps existing between the individual's hand and the golf club hand grip when the hand grip is gripped by the gloved hand in order that the contact area between the gloved hand the club hand grip is increased so that control over the club as exercised by the individual's fingers and palm is substantially increased.
Still a further feature of the present invention provides a golf glove which is relatively simple in its construction and which therefore may be readily manufactured at a relatively low cost and by simple manufacturing methods so that it can be retailed at a sufficiently low price to encourage widespread use thereof among the general golfing public.
Still a further feature of the present invention provides a golf glove which is easy to use and reliable and efficient in operation while being aesthetically pleasing and refined in appearance.
Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the golf glove of the present invention with the hand grip of a golf club positioned across the palm thereof;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but with the gloved hand gripping the club hand grip;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the palm side portion of the golf glove; and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail there is illustrated a preferred form of a golf glove constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and which is designated generally in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 and which is manufactured of any suitable flexible material permitting freedom of movement of an individual's hand inserted into the glove, such as cloth, soft pliable leather, and the like. The glove 10 consists of a body portion including palm portion 21, integrally formed finger stalls 22, 23, 24 and 25 projecting outwardly from the palm portion, integrally formed thumb stall 26 projecting outwardly from the palm portion, and a pad member 30. The glove 10 is provided in a variety of sizes to individually and custom fit an individual's hand inserted into the glove.
It is known in the game of golf that to increase the control over a golf club and thus increase the distance and direction of a golf ball driven by such club, requires a precise grip of an individual's hand about the hand grip of the golf club, such as cylindrically shaped hand grip 40 of golf club shaft 41, the precise fit of the grip being required between the hand grip 40 and the thumb 26, palm 21 and the index or forefinger 25. However, when gripping the club grip 40 in an individual's hand it is noted that due to the fleshy parts of the fingers and the hard ridges of the knuckle joints that when the hand grips a smooth rounded surface such as the hand grip 40 there is formed a natural gap or void between such controlling portions of the individual's hand and the golf grip such that the area of contact between the individual's hand and the golf grip are minimized in these critical areas with the result being poor control of golf club usage.
Accordingly, pad 30 is provided and consists of an elongated rectangular member 31 fabricated of a soft and supple resilient flexible compressable material and which is completely enclosed by a hollow rectangularly shaped cover 32 having a flat top surface 33, a flat bottom surface 34, opposed flat side edges 35 and 36, and opposed flat end edges 37 and 38.
The cover 32 is fabricted of a fairly non-slip type of material. The bottom surface 34 of the pad 30 is adhered to the palmar side surface of the index finger stall 25 extending longitudinally therealong by means of a suitable adhesive coating 39 which permanently affixes the pad 30 to the glove.
The pad 30 extends along the palmar side of the index finger stall 25 with end edge 37 disposed on the index finger at a position approximately at which the first joint of the individual's index finger would fall when the individual's hand is placed into the glove 10, the pad extending downwardly therefrom along the index finger and overlapping the point of joining of the index finger to the individual's palm such that the pad will cushion the first metacarpus and phalanges of the golfer's hand when inserted into the glove.
When hand grip 40 is gripped by an individual's hand wearing glove 10, the pad 30 conforms under pressure of the individual's grip to the round shape of the golf club hand grip 40 and fills in the natural gaps and voids which would otherwise be created between the golf grip and the golfer's hand as a result of the contrasting soft fleshy parts of the fingers and the hard ridges of the knuckle joints, thus cushioning the first metacarpus and phalanges of the golfer's hand and providing an increased area of contact between the controlling index finger, thumb, and palm portion of the individual's hand through the glove for increased control and greater accuracy in the use of a golf club than when gripped in an individual's bare hand.
It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction as to shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novel concepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to gloves and more particularly to a novel and improved golf glove for use by an individual to obtain a more positive and accurate grip about the hand grip portion of a golf club during the play of a game of golf, the grip achieved ensuring greater accuracy in the use of the golf club than when the golf club is gripped in the bare hand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Upon careful investigation of the game of golf and after a large investment of time and trial and error procedures, it was found that one of the reasons golf gloves presently available in the prior art do not and cannot serve to improve the grip of a golfer's hand about the golf club hand grip is that such gloves closely follow the contour of the normal hand surfaces. While non-friction gripping strips have been provided to prior art gloves to prevent slippage of the club in the individual's hand, such strips do not improve the actual grip of the individual's hand about the club. Further, while pads have been provided on the gloves, both by themselves and in combination with the non-slip strips, such pads have been provided to cushion the individual's hand to prevent calluses and excessive muscle fatigue, with such being successful for such purposes while not greatly improving the grip technique of the individual's hand about the club hand grip.
The prior art golf gloves fail to improve the gripping technique of an individual's hand in that upon gripping a golf club in a hand it is to be noticed that certain voids and other areas are present between the surface of the hand and the surface of the round golf club hand grip, these voids precluding a firm contact area between the individual's hand and the golf club hand grip to the extent that a definite and substantial amount of control is lost. These voids are created as a result of the contrasting soft fleshy parts of the fingers of an individual's hand and the hard ridges of the knuckle joints which provide natural gaps and voids when the golfer's hand grips a smooth rounded surface such as the golf club hand grip.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention remedies and overcomes all of the deficiencies and disadvantages of presently available golf gloves by providing a novel golf glove eliminating such natural gaps and voids between an individual's hand and the golf club hand grip to ensure greater accuracy in the use of the golf club when gripped by an individual's hand wearing the glove of the present invention.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a golf glove which has all of the advantages of the prior art type of golf gloves with the additional advantage of improving the grip of an individual's hand about the hand grip of a golf club.
A further feature of the present invention provides a golf glove which readily adapts the individual's hand wearing the glove more readily to the golf club hand grip and specifically fills in the voids and natural gaps existing between the individual's hand and the golf club hand grip when the hand grip is gripped by the gloved hand in order that the contact area between the gloved hand the club hand grip is increased so that control over the club as exercised by the individual's fingers and palm is substantially increased.
Still a further feature of the present invention provides a golf glove which is relatively simple in its construction and which therefore may be readily manufactured at a relatively low cost and by simple manufacturing methods so that it can be retailed at a sufficiently low price to encourage widespread use thereof among the general golfing public.
Still a further feature of the present invention provides a golf glove which is easy to use and reliable and efficient in operation while being aesthetically pleasing and refined in appearance.
Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the golf glove of the present invention with the hand grip of a golf club positioned across the palm thereof;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but with the gloved hand gripping the club hand grip;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the palm side portion of the golf glove; and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail there is illustrated a preferred form of a golf glove constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and which is designated generally in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 and which is manufactured of any suitable flexible material permitting freedom of movement of an individual's hand inserted into the glove, such as cloth, soft pliable leather, and the like. The glove 10 consists of a body portion including palm portion 21, integrally formed finger stalls 22, 23, 24 and 25 projecting outwardly from the palm portion, integrally formed thumb stall 26 projecting outwardly from the palm portion, and a pad member 30. The glove 10 is provided in a variety of sizes to individually and custom fit an individual's hand inserted into the glove.
It is known in the game of golf that to increase the control over a golf club and thus increase the distance and direction of a golf ball driven by such club, requires a precise grip of an individual's hand about the hand grip of the golf club, such as cylindrically shaped hand grip 40 of golf club shaft 41, the precise fit of the grip being required between the hand grip 40 and the thumb 26, palm 21 and the index or forefinger 25. However, when gripping the club grip 40 in an individual's hand it is noted that due to the fleshy parts of the fingers and the hard ridges of the knuckle joints that when the hand grips a smooth rounded surface such as the hand grip 40 there is formed a natural gap or void between such controlling portions of the individual's hand and the golf grip such that the area of contact between the individual's hand and the golf grip are minimized in these critical areas with the result being poor control of golf club usage.
Accordingly, pad 30 is provided and consists of an elongated rectangular member 31 fabricated of a soft and supple resilient flexible compressable material and which is completely enclosed by a hollow rectangularly shaped cover 32 having a flat top surface 33, a flat bottom surface 34, opposed flat side edges 35 and 36, and opposed flat end edges 37 and 38.
The cover 32 is fabricted of a fairly non-slip type of material. The bottom surface 34 of the pad 30 is adhered to the palmar side surface of the index finger stall 25 extending longitudinally therealong by means of a suitable adhesive coating 39 which permanently affixes the pad 30 to the glove.
The pad 30 extends along the palmar side of the index finger stall 25 with end edge 37 disposed on the index finger at a position approximately at which the first joint of the individual's index finger would fall when the individual's hand is placed into the glove 10, the pad extending downwardly therefrom along the index finger and overlapping the point of joining of the index finger to the individual's palm such that the pad will cushion the first metacarpus and phalanges of the golfer's hand when inserted into the glove.
When hand grip 40 is gripped by an individual's hand wearing glove 10, the pad 30 conforms under pressure of the individual's grip to the round shape of the golf club hand grip 40 and fills in the natural gaps and voids which would otherwise be created between the golf grip and the golfer's hand as a result of the contrasting soft fleshy parts of the fingers and the hard ridges of the knuckle joints, thus cushioning the first metacarpus and phalanges of the golfer's hand and providing an increased area of contact between the controlling index finger, thumb, and palm portion of the individual's hand through the glove for increased control and greater accuracy in the use of a golf club than when gripped in an individual's bare hand.
It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction as to shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novel concepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.