This invention relates to a garment that helps to keep hands warm.

In cold environments, people wear gloves or mittens to help keep their hands warm.

However, wearing conventional gloves or mittens whilst performing a task or activity can result in a number of inefficiencies. With gloves, each digit is covered individually by the garment and with mittens the thumb is covered individually. This individual covering of digits creates a barrier that prevents the transfer of body heat between the digits, and when the hand is clenched, the digits are prevented from transferring body heat with the palm of the hand.

Also, gloves and mittens cover the entire hand which creates a physical barrier between the hand and everything it comes in contact with. This barrier can render the hand ineffective when performing activities that require tactility, dexterity and grip, often resulting in the glove or mitten having to be removed in order to continue the activity.

Furthermore, wearing conventional gloves or mittens during physical activities can result in the hand becoming hot and sweaty because it is completely covered by the garment and the temperature cannot be regulated. Removing the glove or mitten is the only way to cool the hand down.

To overcome these problems, the present invention proposes a versatile hand covering that is wrapped around the hand and wrist with foldable sections and connected fastenings that enable alternative hand covering arrangements. The foldable sections include a foldable palm section, a foldable thumb section and a foldable fingertip section.

When the versatile hand covering is wrapped around the hand and all the foldable sections are unfolded, the dorsal side of the hand, the palm and the heel of the hand are covered. However, other than the digit retainers, the palmar side of the digits are uncovered. When the hand is clenched, the retained digits draw the foldable fingertip section and foldable thumb section over the clenched hand. The whole hand is now enclosed and body heat is transferred between the digits, and between the digits and the palm of the hand. The heat is conserved by the versatile hand covering.

Furthermore, without being covered, the tactility, dexterity and grip abilities of the palmar side of the digits is unhindered. The foldable palm section and connected fastener can be folded down to expose the palm and heel of the hand which allows these parts of the hand to feel and grip effectively. A foldable thumb section and connected fastener can be folded down to allow the whole thumb to be exposed and a foldable fingertip section and connected fastener can be folded down to allow the fingertips to be exposed. Thus, enabling tasks to be performed that require the digits to be unobscured. These alternative hand covering arrangements enable the wearer to perform activities effectively without having to remove the versatile hand covering.

Also, during physical activities the hand temperature can be regulated inside the versatile hand covering by clenching the hand to conserve heat and reduce ventilation or unclenching the hand to release heat and increase ventilation. Unfolding the individual foldable sections to cover parts of the hand will conserve heat and reduce ventilation, folding the individual foldable sections to uncover parts of the hand will release heat and increase ventilation.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows the inside of a versatile hand covering to be worn on the left hand.

Figure 2 shows a cross section of the versatile hand covering. Figure 3 shows the outside of a versatile hand covering to be worn on the left hand.

Figure 4 shows stage one of the method by which a versatile hand covering is wrapped around a wearer's left hand.

Figure 5 shows stage two of the method by which a versatile hand covering is wrapped around a wearer's left hand.

Figure 6 shows stage three of the method by which a versatile hand covering is wrapped around a wearer's left hand.

Figure 7 shows a versatile hand covering fully wrapped around a wearer's left hand.

Figure 8 shows a front view of a versatile hand covering when a wearer's hand is clenched.

Figure 9 shows an inset from figure 8 revealing the digits of a wearer's clenched hand inside the versatile hand covering.

Figure 10 shows a thumb side view of the versatile hand covering with a wearer's hand clenched.

Figure 11 shows an inset from figure 10 revealing a wearer's thumb tucked in the clenched index finger inside the versatile hand covering.

Figure 12 shows a little finger side view of a versatile hand covering when a wearer's hand is clenched.

Figure 13 shows a top view of a versatile hand covering when a wearer's hand is clenched.

Figure 14 shows a rear view of a versatile hand covering with an alternative hand covering arrangement. Figure 15 shows a front view of figure 14.

Figure 16 shows a versatile hand covering with an alternative hand covering arrangement.

Figure 17 shows a versatile hand covering with an alternative hand covering arrangement.

Figure 18 shows a versatile hand covering with another alternative hand covering arrangement.

In the following figures, dotted lines show a line along which a fold would take place. Dashed lines represent a line that is obstructed by another part within the figure. Dash dot lines show a line that represents an inset.

Figure 1 shows the inside of a versatile hand covering 1 to be worn on the left hand. A versatile hand covering 1 to be worn on the right hand is a mirror image to that of the versatile hand covering 1 for the left hand.

The digit retainers 2, 3, 4 and 5 secure the versatile hand covering 1 to the dorsal side of the hand. The digit retainers 2 and 3 accommodate the middle finger, the digit retainer 4 accommodates the little finger and the digit retainer 5 accommodates the thumb. The digit retainers 2, 3, 4 and 5 can be adjustable to accommodate different sized digits.

Figure 2 shows a cross section of a versatile hand covering. The outer layer A is a durable material that can be water resistant, wind resistant and breathable. The middle layer B is an insulating material such as wadding. The inner layer C is the layer worn next to the skin and is a soft durable lining.

A versatile hand covering 1 can be made of but is not limited to synthetic fibre-based materials such as polyester and natural biodegradable materials such as cotton, canvas, wool, leather and natural fibre felt. Figure 3 shows the outside of a versatile hand covering 1 to be worn on the left hand. An adjustable wrist fastener 6 and associated fixture 7 secures the versatile hand covering 1 to the wearer's wrist once the versatile hand covering 1 has been wrapped around the hand. Afoldable palm section 8 can be attached to a foldable thumb section 9 by the connected adjustable fastener 10 and the associated fixture 11. A foldable fingertip section 12 and connected fastener 13 can be folded down and attached to the back of the versatile hand covering 1 with the associated fixture 14 to expose the fingertips. The foldable palm section 8 and connected fastener 15 can be folded down and attached to the wrist area of the versatile hand covering 1 with the associated fixture 16 to expose the palm and heel of the hand. The foldable thumb section 9 and connected fastener 17 can be folded down and attached to the wrist area of the versatile hand covering 1 with the associated fixture 18 to expose the whole thumb. In order to fold down the foldable palm section 8, the connected adjustable fastener 10 is released from the associated fixture 11 and returned to the resting thumb fixture 19 at the back of the folding thumb section.

Examples of fastenings that could be used for the versatile hand covering 1 are hook and loop fastenings, snap fasteners, clips, toggles, straps, buckles, buttons and buckle clips.

The following figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the method by which a versatile hand covering 1 is wrapped around a wearer's left hand.

Figure 4 shows a wearer's hand secured to the inside of a versatile hand covering 1 by inserting a middle finger into the digit retainer 2 and digit retainer 3 and a little finger into the digit retainer 4.

Figure 5 shows the versatile hand covering 1 is then wrapped across the front of the wrist and the palm of a wearer's hand.

Figure 6 shows the rear view as the versatile hand covering 1 is passed around the dorsal side of the wearer's hand. Figure 7 shows a front view of a versatile hand covering 1, with a wearer's thumb inserted in a digit retainer 5. The dorsal side of the thumb is now covered by the foldable thumb section 9. The versatile hand covering 1 is secured to the wearer's wrist by the adjustable wrist fastener 6 and associated fixture 7. The foldable thumb section 9 and connected fastener 10 is secured to the foldable palm section 8 with the associated fixture 11.

The dorsal side of the hand, the palm and heel of the hand are covered by the versatile covering 1 however the palmar side of the digits are predominantly bare except for the digit retainers 2, 3, 4, and 5, for unobstructed use.

Figure 8 shows the front view of a versatile hand covering 1 when the wearer's hand is clenched. The foldable fingertip section 12 underlaps the foldable palm section 8 with no fastening. The dashed line is an outline of an inset 20.

Figure 9 shows an inset 20 from figure 8 revealing a wearer's clenched hand inside a versatile hand covering 1 and the positions of the digit retainers 3 and 5.

When a hand is clenched, the digit retainer 3 draws the foldable fingertip section 12 over the top of the clenched hand and the digit retainer 5 draws the foldable thumb section 9 over the thumb side of the clenched hand. These two actions completely enclose the whole hand in the versatile hand covering 1.

Figure 10 shows a thumb side view of the versatile hand covering 1 with a wearer's hand clenched. The dashed line is an outline of an inset 21.

Figure 11 shows an inset 21 from figure 10 revealing a wearer's thumb tucked in the clenched index finger inside the versatile hand covering 1.

Figure 12 shows a little finger side view of the versatile hand covering 1 when the hand is clenched. Figure 13 shows a top view of the versatile hand covering 1 when the hand is clenched.

A wearer's digits tucked into the palm of the hand enables the transfer of body heat in between the digits and between the digits and the palm of the hand. Body heat is retained within the clenched hand and the versatile hand covering 1 helps to retain the heat by insulating the hand.

Unclenching the hand immediately exposes the palmar side of the digits for the wearer's convenience.

Figure 14 shows a rear view of a versatile hand covering 1 fitted to a wearer's left hand. The wearer's middle finger has been released from the digit retainer 3 to allow the foldable fingertip section 12 and connected fastener 13 to be folded down and fastened to the back of the versatile hand covering 1 with the associated fixture 14 to expose the wearer's fingertips. This wearing arrangement enables the wearer to perform tasks that require the fingertips to be seen in order to complete the task successfully.

Figure 15 shows a front view of figure 14.

Figure 16 shows a front view of a versatile hand covering 1 fitted to a wearer's left hand with a foldable palm section 8 and connected fastener 15 folded down and secured to the wrist area of the versatile hand covering 1 with the associated fixture 16. The dorsal side of the hand is covered by the versatile hand covering 1 and body heat can transfer in between the digits, and other than the digit retainers 2, 3, 4 and 5, the palmar side of the hand is now bare to enable a wearer to grip objects freely.

Figure 17 shows a front view of a versatile hand covering 1 fitted to a wearer's left hand with a foldable palm section 8 and connected fastener 15 folded down and secured to the wrist area of the versatile hand covering 1 with the associated fixture 16. A foldable thumb section 9 and connected fastener 17 is folded down and fastened to the wrist area of the versatile hand covering 1 with the associated fixture 18. This covering arrangement enables a wearer to grip an object and also view the whole thumb.

Figure 18 shows a front view of a versatile hand covering 1 fitted to a wearer's left hand. A foldable palm section 8 and connected fastener 15 is folded down and secured to the wrist area of the versatile hand covering 1 with the associated fixture 16. A foldable thumb section 9 and connected fastener 17 is folded down and fastened to the wrist area of the versatile hand covering 1 with the associated fixture 18. A foldable fingertip section 12 and connected fastener 13 is folded down and fastened to the back of the versatile hand covering 1 with the associated fixture 14. This covering arrangement enables a wearer to perform tasks and activities that require tactility, dexterity, grip and the fingertips and thumb to be viewed.