CROSS-RERFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present application claims priority on United States Provisional Application No. 61/483,879, filed on May 9, 201 1 , and incorporated herein by reference..

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The technical field relates to a hand glove provided with pull tabs to assist a user in removing the hand glove from a hand and it also relates to a method for manufacturing hand gloves.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Hand gloves with half fingers or short fingers, i.e. fingers that are not closed off at the top, are difficult to pull off, especially when the hands are sweaty or clammy. Either the glove is turned completely inside-out when it is pulled off, or it has to be pulled off the hand laboriously in a finger-by-finger manner.

[0004] Pull members to assist a user in removing a hand glove and, more particularly, a half finger hand glove are known. For instance, U.S. patent no. 5,675,839 and DE patent no. 101 14 547 teach gloves having loops provided either on the back side or on the palm side of one or more of the finger-encircling portions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to a general aspect, there is provided a hand glove comprising: a palm portion adapted to receive a palm of a hand of a wearer; and a plurality of finger portions projecting distally from the palm portion, the plurality of finger portions each having a tubular body with a free open end, at least one of the finger portion comprising a pull tab defined by a panel portion extending distally beyond the tubular body of the finger portion and forming a generally continuous surface with part of the tubular body. [0006] Further in accordance with the present disclosure, at least part of the panel portion is made of the same material as that of the finger portions.

[0007] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, the pull tab has at least one exposed layer of material having a friction coefficient greater than that of the surrounding material.

[0008] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, the exposed layer of material is a coating.

[0009] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, the pull tab has the exposed layer on its inner face and on its outer face.

[0010] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, the pull tab comprises an opening extending therethrough.

[0011] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, the pull tab extends from the tubular body on the palm side of the hand glove.

[0012] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, the panel portion has a generally semi-circular peripheral edge.

[0013] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, the pull tab has a color different from that of the adjacent material of the corresponding finger portion.

[0014] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, the tubular body is sized to cover the proximal phalanx of a finger when worn, and the pull tab extends distally beyond a joint between the proximal phalanx and a middle phalanx of the finger when worn.

[0015] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, a thickness of the pull tab is generally equivalent to a thickness of the material of the corresponding finger portion adjacent to the pull tab.

[0016] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, the pull tab extends distally beyond a peripheral edge of the corresponding tubular portion. [0017] Still further in accordance with the present disclosure, the peripheral edge of each of the tubular portions generally lies in a plane when the hand glove is worn.

[0018] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for manufacturing a hand glove having a palm portion, and a plurality of finger portions, the method comprising: defining a finger pull tab extending from a free end of at least one of the finger portions; and creating a pull feature including at least one of adding a friction active spot and making an opening extending in the pull tab.

[0019] Further in accordance with the other embodiment of the present disclosure, creating a pull feature comprises adding the friction active spot and making the opening extending in the pull tab.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWI NGS

[0020] Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a hand glove including pull features in accordance with a first embodiment wherein the pull features are provided on a palm side of the hand glove and include a friction active spot;

[0021] Fig. 2 is a rear elevation view of the hand glove in accordance with a second embodiment wherein the pull features are provided on a rear side of the hand glove and include a friction active spot;

[0022] Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of the hand glove in accordance with a third embodiment wherein the pull features are provided on the palm side of the hand glove and include an opening extending therethrough; and

[0023] Fig. 4 is a front elevation view of the hand glove in accordance with a fourth embodiment wherein the pull features are provided on the rear side of the hand glove and include an opening extending therethrough surrounded by a friction active spot.

[0024] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Referring to the drawings and, more particularly, referring to Fig. 1 , there is shown an embodiment of an athletic hand glove 10 for both male and female uses. For example and without being limitative, the athletic hand glove 10 is a cycling glove that improves the comfort and the protection of the hands of a male/female riding a bicycle.

[0026] The hand glove 10 shown in Fig. 1 is a left-hand cycling glove, adapted to engage a handlebar of a bicycle. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the below described removal assist components can be configured for right-hand gloves and which are not compulsorily cycling gloves.

[0027] Fig. 1 shows the palm portion 12 of the glove 10. The palm portion 12 of the hand glove 10 includes a palm surface 13 which can be divided into three main sections: the lower section 14, close to the wrist, the upper section 16, close to the fingers, and the central palm section 18, extending between the lower and the upper sections 14, 16.

[0028] The hand glove 10 is a half finger hand glove wherein the five finger-encircling portions 20 (or half-finger covering portions) of the hand glove 10 are cut at the proximal phalanges or middle phalanges, as is known in the art, so that the finger tips (not shown) are free. Although the hand glove 10 is referred to as half finger hand glove, it is understood that the finger-encircling portions 20 may cover more or less than half of the fingers. In other words, the finger-encircling portions 20 cover at least partially the proximal phalanges. The finger portions 20 of the hand glove 10 can be lined with the synthetic material LYCRA™. They can also include mesh material, any other appropriate material or any appropriate material combination.

[0029] A hook and loop fastener band assembly (VELCRO™) can releasably close the wrist end 22 of the hand glove 10 around the wrist of the user.

[0030] Each half finger portion 20 has a root 24 indicated by dashed lines and an opposed upper free end 26 that circumscribes a finger inserted in the hand glove 10. The upper free ends 26 define the outward periphery of the portions 20 in prior art gloves. The finger portions 20 can be described as tubes about the fingers. Hence, when the glove is worn, the peripheral edge of each of the tubes (i.e. , the upper free ends 26) forms a generally circular shape that lies in a plane, with a longitudinal axis of the proximal phalanges being normal to the planes of the peripheral edges.

[0031] A finger pull feature 30 including a pull (or removal) tab 32 extends beyond the plane in which lies the periphery of the upper end 26 of the worn glove 10, towards a tip of fingers inserted in the finger portions 20. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 , the finger pull tabs 32 is a panel portion extending distally beyond the finger portions. The finger pull tabs 32 on the palm side of the palm portion 12 of the glove 10. However, as shown in Fig. 2, the finger pull tabs 132 can extend on the rear side 134 of the glove 10, opposed to the palm side of the palm portion 12. Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the cycling hand glove 10 wherein the features are numbered with reference numerals in the 100 series which correspond to the reference numerals of the previous embodiment. Thus, to assist in the removal of the hand glove 10, components in the form of protruding tabs 32, 132 are provided either on the palm side of the palm portion 12, 1 12 (Fig. 1 ) or on the rear side 34, 134 (Fig. 2) thereof. In alternative embodiments (not shown), protruding tabs 32, 132 can be provided on both the palm side and the rear side 34, 134 of the glove 10, 1 10. They can also be provided in between adjacent fingers or laterally.

[0032] The finger pull tabs 32, 132 of Figs. 1 and 2 have a substantially semi-circular shape. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the shape of the pull tabs 32, 132 can differ (e.g., square, elliptical, triangular, rectangular, etc). The finger pull tabs 32, 132 on each finger portion 20, 120 provide a convenient grasping point for removing gloves after use. As the finger portions 20 are tubes closely fitted about the fingers, sweat resulting from exercise may cause the tubes to stick to the wearer's skin. By having the pull tabs 32, 132 extend beyond the periphery of the tubes (half finger portions 20, 120), the pull tabs 32, 132 may easily be grasped, which may not be the case for the material of the tubes (half finger portions 20, 120) due to the stickiness resulting from sweat and the tight fit of the half finger portions 20, 120 on the fingers.

[0033] In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the outer face 36, 136 of the finger pull tabs 32 comprises anti-slip or friction active spots 38, 138 which enhance prehension features. The spots 38 and 138 may comprise a coating that has a greater adherence or friction coefficient than that of the surrounding material. The spots 38 and 138 may alternatively or concurrently be made of a material that has a greater adherence or friction coefficient than that of the surrounding material. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the friction active spots 38 are in the shape of circular dots. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the shape of the friction active spots 38, 138 can differ.

[0034] Friction-active spots 38, 138 located on the finger pull tabs 30, 130 facilitate the pull of the glove 10, 1 10, because the finger or fingers of the other hand, which are used for pulling-off purposes, may no longer slide off but engage effectively on the friction -active spots 38, 138. This positive effect is achieved irrespectively of whether the friction-active spots 38, 138 and the associated finger pull tabs 30, 130 are located on the rear side 34, 134 or the palm side 12, 1 12 of the glove 10, 1 10. Since the friction-active spots 38, 138 may be felt and afford a particular grip, the glove 10, 1 10 may be taken off without looking. Furthermore, the glove 10, 1 10 can be economically pulled-off with relatively moderate effort and pull-off forces are effectively transmitted with a significantly reduced risk of sliding off by virtue of the friction-active spots 38, 138.

[0035] The friction-active spots 38, 138 can be made of a grip-enhancing coating including a textile, plastic, leather or rubber which anti-slip properties are enhanced in comparison with the remaining section of the half-finger portions 20, 120. In an embedment, the friction activity of the spots 38, 138 is brought about by the coating of a textile, a plastic, a leather or a rubber such as and without being limitative an elastomer like a silicone material, which is friction-active for human skin. The sports 38, 138 may also extend onto the finger portions 20. These materials provide the necessary grip even when the hands are sweaty or clammy. The coating can have a smooth surface, but could also have studs or some other structure.

[0036] In an embodiment, the friction-active spots are not only provided on the outer face 36, 136 of the finger pull tabs 32, 132 but also on the opposite inner face (not shown), i.e., the one in contact with the user's fingers inserted in the hand glove 10, 1 10. This ensures a friction surface on the outside and the inside for effective grasping by the fingertips and the fingertips do not slip off. The friction active spots 38, 138 provided on the inner and outer faces can be in registry with one another. Thus, the friction active spots 38, 138 can be provided on the inner face, on the outer face 36, 136 or on both faces of the finger pull tabs 32, 132.

[0037] One skilled in the art will appreciate that the entire surface of the finger pull tabs 30 can be in a friction-active form or only a section thereof such as a dot.

[0038] In an embodiment, the friction activity of the material of the coating produces an effective force application even when the coating is substantially smooth. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the friction active spots 38, 138 can include studs or other structures that enhance the friction activity of the spots 38, 138.

[0039] The friction active spots 38, 138 can be continuous or discontinuous. It can include a plurality of spaced apart dots or lines. For instance and without being limitative, the friction active coating of the friction active spots 38, 138 can be applied in a punctiform or linear or even areal manner.

[0040] The friction active spots 38, 138 can also cover the entire finger pull tabs 32, 132 or only a portion thereof.

[0041] The friction active spots 38, 138 can be provided with a clearly different coloration compared with the surroundings of the half finger portions 20, 120 to make it easier to use the pull-off aid in a comfortable manner and as intended, even when the glove 10, 1 10 is dirty.

[0042] Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown another alternative embodiment of the cycling hand glove 10, 1 10 wherein the features are numbered with reference numerals in the 200 series which correspond to the reference numerals of the previous embodiments. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the finger pull tabs 232 include an opening 240 extending therethrough. For removing the hand glove, two fingers of the user can size the finger pull tabs 232 and contact one another to facilitate grabbing and pulling. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the openings 240 are circular shaped. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the shape of the openings 240 defined in the finger pull tabs 232 can vary from the embodiment shown. For instance and without being limitative, the openings 240 could be triangular or polygonal.

[0043] In the alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the openings 340 defined in the finger pull tabs 332 can be at least partially surrounded by a friction active material such as a coating. Materials similar to the ones described above for the friction active spots 38, 138 can be used. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the features are numbered with reference numerals in the 300 series which correspond to the reference numerals of the previous embodiments.

[0044] In a non-limitative embodiment, a silicon coating is applied to at least one of the inner face and the outer face 336 of the finger pull tabs 332 and openings are punctured in the friction active spots, thereby creating the opening 340 surrounded by a friction active spot 338. The friction active spots 338 are annular shaped.

[0045] A plurality of friction active spots, openings or combination thereof provided on several half finger portions make the pull-off procedure easier. All finger portions can be provided with the finger pull feature. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that only one finger portions can include the finger pull features including the associated friction active spots and/or openings. The finger pull features can be arranged in direct succession or not. For instance, in a non-limitative embodiment, only the ring finger and the middle finger can include finger pull tabs and the associated friction active spots and/or openings.

[0046] The number and arrangement of the finger pull tabs and the associated friction active spots and/or openings can be varied freely, irrespective of whether they are provided on the palm side or on the rear side of the glove. The finger pull tabs and the associated friction active spots and/or openings could even be provided on both the palm side and the rear side.

[0047] In the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 4, the friction active spots and the openings are located above the free end of the half finger portions.

[0048] The above-described hand gloves are comfortable, functionally reliable and include an economically favorable pull-off aid. [0049] The pull tabs 32, 132, 232, 332 consist of a panel of material or materials (e.g., laminate). In an embodiment, the pull tabs 32, 132, 232, 332 are made of the same material as that of the adjacent material of the finger portion 20. Coatings may then be added onto the surface(s) of the pull tabs 32, 132, 232, 332. Holes may then be made into the pull tabs 32, 132, 232, 332. Hence, the pull tabs 32, 132, 232, 332 form a continuous surface with the adjacent part of the finger portion 20. The pull tabs 32, 132, 232, 332 may therefore having a thickness generally equivalent to the thickness of the material of the adjacent part of the finger portion 20. Hence, the user may not feel any seam or any bump at the pull tab 32, 132, 232, 332.

[0050] Several alternative embodiments and examples have been described and illustrated herein. The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be exemplary only. A person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate the features of the individual embodiments, and the possible combinations and variations of the components. A person of ordinary skill in the art would further appreciate that any of the embodiments could be provided in any combination with the other embodiments disclosed herein. It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein. Accordingly, while the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.