Glove Having High Coefficient of Friction Regions

Abstract

A hand covering. The hand covering comprises a gripping region comprising a mesh material having a first permeability and a first coefficient of friction, the first coefficient of friction rendering the hand covering suitable for use in a desired application. Regions of the hand covering other than the gripping region comprise a material having a second coefficient of friction lower than the first coefficient of friction and a second permeability lower than the first permeability.

1 . A hand covering comprising;
 a gripping region comprising a mesh material having a first permeability and a first coefficient of friction, the first coefficient of friction rendering the hand covering suitable for use in a desired application; and   regions of the hand covering other than the gripping region comprising a material having a second coefficient of friction lower than the first coefficient of friction and a second permeability lower than the first permeability.   
   
   
       2 . The hand covering of  claim 1  further comprising a liner layer in the gripping region and lining an internal surface of the mesh material, the liner layer comprising a breathable layer or a padding layer. 
   
   
       3 . The hand covering of  claim 2  wherein a material of the liner layer comprises polyester, rayon, cotton, spandex, brushed spandex, nylon, wool, silk, breathable suede, breathable leather and microporous breathable synthetic leather. 
   
   
       4 . The hand covering of  claim 2  wherein the liner layer defines openings therein smaller than openings of the mesh material. 
   
   
       5 . The hand covering of  claim 1  further comprising a spacer fabric in the gripping region. 
   
   
       6 . The hand covering of  claim 1  wherein the mesh material of the gripping region comprises a spacer fabric further comprising an external surface of a mesh layer with the first COF, a connecting intermediate layer and an internal surface of a breathable material. 
   
   
       7 . The hand covering of  claim 1  wherein the gripping region comprises one or more of a palm region, one or more finger regions and a thumb region. 
   
   
       8 . The hand covering of  claim 7  wherein the mesh material of the gripping region comprises different aperture patterns, aperture sizes, thread sizes or thread types in different areas of the gripping region. 
   
   
       9 . The hand covering of  claim 1  wherein the first coefficient of friction is at least about 0.2. 
   
   
       10 . The hand covering of  claim 1  wherein the mesh material comprises one or more of a warp knitted material, a weft knitted material, a woven material, polyester, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, cotton or acrylic. 
   
   
       11 . The hand covering of  claim 1  wherein the mesh material defines a repeating or a random pattern of openings. 
   
   
       12 . The hand covering of  claim 1  wherein the mesh material comprises a yarn, fiber, filament or thread having the first coefficient of friction. 
   
   
       13 . The hand covering of  claim 1  wherein the mesh material comprises an inner material layer and an outer material layer, the outer material layer exhibiting a textured surface to increase the coefficient of friction. 
   
   
       14 . A process for manufacturing a hand covering, comprising:
 processing a mesh material to increase a coefficient of friction on a first surface of the mesh material;   forming a gripping region of the hand covering with the processed mesh material, wherein the first surface comprises an external surface of the gripping region of the hand covering; and   forming regions of the hand covering other than the gripping region with a material having a COF less than the COF of the processed mesh material.   
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the step of processing comprises applying a single material layer or multiple material layers to the mesh material to increase the COF of the mesh material. 
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the single material layer or the multiple material layers exhibit a mesh pattern, and wherein the step of applying the single material layer or the multiple material layers further comprises aligning the mesh pattern of the mesh material and the mesh pattern of the single material layer or the multiple material layers to avoid substantially obstructing openings in the mesh material. 
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the step of processing comprises texturing the external surface. 
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the mesh material defines openings therein, and wherein the step of processing comprises applying a high COF material to the first surface of the mesh material that at least partially obstructs the openings, and further comprises removing at least a portion of the high COF material obstructing the openings. 
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the step of processing comprises coating a transfer paper with a material layer having a high COF, laminating the material layer having the high COF to the mesh material and removing the transfer paper. 
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the step of processing further comprises processing the mesh material on a first side to create an external surface for the hand covering or processing the mesh material on the first side and an opposing second side. 
   
   
       21 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the step of processing further comprises applying a silicon-based material or a polyvinyl chloride material to the mesh material to increase the COF. 
   
   
       22 . The process of  claim 14  wherein properties of the mesh material are derived from mesh materials and mesh compositions, a mesh thread size, a mesh thread diameter, dimensions associated with the mesh openings, a pattern of the mesh openings and manufacturing processes employed to manufacture the mesh material. 
   
   
       23 . A process for manufacturing a hand covering, comprising:
 forming a simulated mesh material;   forming a gripping region of the hand covering from the simulated mesh material; and   forming remaining regions of the hand covering from a material having a lower permeability to air flow than a permeability of the simulated mesh material.   
   
   
       24 . The process of  claim 23  further comprising processing the simulated mesh to increase the COF on at least one surface of the material, wherein a COF of the simulated mesh is greater than a COF of the material forming the remaining regions of the hand covering. 
   
   
       25 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the step of forming the simulated mesh material further comprises forming openings in a solid material. 
   
   
       26 . The process of  claim 25  wherein the solid material comprises one of non-woven fabrics, leather, synthetic leather, cellular urethane, silicon rubber, abrasive materials, knitted fabrics and woven fabrics. 
   
   
       27 . The process of  claim 25  wherein the step of forming the openings comprises one or more of chemical etching the openings using an aperture pattern mask, drilling the openings in the solid material and employing a punch press to create the openings in the solid material. 
   
   
       28 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the step of forming the simulated mesh material further comprises extruding a rubber, plastic or polyurethane material. 
   
   
       29 . A process for manufacturing a hand covering, comprising:
 forming a first material layer comprising a mesh material;   forming a second lining material; and   attaching the first and second material layers   
   
   
       30 . The process of  claim 29  wherein the step of attaching comprises sewing, knitting or applying wet or dry adhesives to one or both of the first and the second material layers. 
   
   
       31 . The process of  claim 29  wherein the step of attaching comprises forming one or more bonding layers between the first and the second material layers.