Knit fabric gloves and other knit articles with improved grip/protective surfaces

Abstract

Knit articles of clothing having grip/protective members and process of manufacturing same. One embodiment comprises depositing an adhesive onto a backside of a sheet of grip/protective material, and fusing the adhesive to the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material using a first heat/pressure procedure. The first heat/pressure procedure forms a film of fused adhesive on at least a portion of the backside of the sheet. The process can continue by cutting the sheet of grip/protective material into a plurality of grip/protective members sized and shaped for the article of clothing, and attaching at least one grip/protective member to a knitted material that defines at least a portion of the article of clothing. The grip/protective member is attached to the knitted material using a second heat/pressure procedure that re-activates the film of fused adhesive and causes a portion of the re-activated fused adhesive to penetrate into the knitted material.

1 . A process for manufacturing an article of clothing having grip/protective members, comprising:
 depositing an adhesive onto a backside of a sheet of grip/protective material;   fusing the adhesive to the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material using a first heat/pressure procedure thereby forming a film of fused adhesive on at least a portion of the backside of the sheet;   cutting the sheet of grip/protective material into a plurality of grip/protective members sized and shaped for the article of clothing; and   attaching at least one grip/protective member to a knitted material that defines at least a portion of the article of clothing using a second heat/pressure procedure that re-activates the film of fused adhesive thereby causing a portion of the re-activated fused adhesive to penetrate into the knitted material.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sheet of grip/protective material comprises a leather piece of an animal hide, and the front side of the leather piece comprises an epidermal side of the animal hide and the backside of the leather piece comprises a side opposite the epidermal side of the animal hide;   depositing an adhesive onto the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material comprises dispersing a layer of powdered or web adhesive onto at least a portion of the backside of the leather piece;   fusing the adhesive to the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material comprises pressing a first platen heated to a temperature of about 230 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit against the layer of powder adhesive with a force of about 4 to 50 pounds per square inch for 20-60 seconds; and   attaching the grip/protective member to the knitted material comprises pressing a second platen heated to a temperature of about 250 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit against the front side of the grip/protective member with a force of about 10 to 250 pounds per square inch for 20-90 seconds.   
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet of protective material comprises a front side having a first surface texture and a backside having a second surface texture, wherein the first surface texture is smoother than the second surface texture. 
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the sheet of protective material comprises an animal hide. 
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the sheet of protective material comprises a synthetic material. 
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the knitted material comprises a knitted glove having finger portions, a thumb portion and a palm; and   attaching the grip/protective member to the knitted material comprises attaching a plurality of grip/protective members to finger portions, at least one grip/protective member to the thumb portion, and at least one grip/protective member to the palm.   
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein depositing the adhesive onto the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material comprises dispensing a powder adhesive over the entire backside of the sheet of grip/protective material. 
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein depositing the adhesive onto the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material comprises dispensing a powder adhesive in a pattern having discrete areas of adhesive that are spaced apart from each other on the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material. 
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the knitted material includes an elastane fiber. 
   
   
       10 . A process of manufacturing a glove, comprising:
 knitting a one-piece, seamless glove including an elastane fiber, wherein the glove has finger portions, a thumb portion and a palm portion;   providing a plurality of grip/protective members that each have a grip/protective material and a fused adhesive layer, wherein the fused adhesive layer comprises a powder or web adhesive that has been fused with a backside of the grip/protective material by pressing a heated platen against the powder or web adhesive; and   attaching the grip/protective members to the finger portions, the thumb portion and the palm portion of the glove by placing the fused adhesive layer of the grip/protective members against corresponding portions of the glove, pressing the glove between a heated platen and a bolster plate, and heating the heated platen such that the fused adhesive reflows into interstitial spaces of the knitted glove.   
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein:
 providing the plurality of grip/protective members comprises (a) providing a sheet of grip/protective material having a leather piece of an animal hide with a front side defined by an epidermal side of the animal hide and a backside defined by a side opposite the epidermal side of the animal hide, (b) dispensing a powder or web adhesive onto at least a portion of the backside of the leather piece, and (c) fusing the adhesive to the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material by pressing a first platen heated to a temperature of about 230 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit against the layer of powder adhesive with a force of about 4 to 50 pounds per square inch for 20-60 seconds; and   attaching the grip/protective member to a knitted material comprises pressing a second platen heated to a temperature of about 250 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit against the front side of the grip/protective member with a force of abut 10 to 250 pounds per square inch for 20-90.   
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein dispensing the powder adhesive onto the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material comprises coating the entire backside of the sheet of grip/protective material with the powder adhesive. 
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein dispensing the powder adhesive onto the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material comprises coating discrete areas of the grip/protective material with the powder adhesive to form a pattern of adhesive area spaced apart from each other on the backside of the sheet of grip/protective material. 
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein the protective material comprises a front side having a first surface texture and a backside having a second surface texture, wherein the first surface texture is smoother than the second surface texture. 
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the sheet of protective material comprises an animal hide. 
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the sheet of protective material comprises a synthetic material. 
   
   
       17 . An article of clothing, comprising:
 a knitted mat comprising an elastane fiber; and   a grip/protective member having a front side with a first surface texture, a backside with a second surface texture, and layer of adhesive fused with the backside of the grip/protective member under pressure and an elevated temperature, wherein the first surface texture is smoother than the second surface texture, and wherein the fused adhesive layer is bonded to the knitted mat such that a portion of the fused adhesive layer penetrates into interstitial spaces of the knitted mat.   
   
   
       18 . The article of clothing of  claim 17 , wherein the knitted mat comprises a one-piece, seamless glove having finger portions, a thumb portion, and a palm portion, and the grip/protective member comprises a finger pad attached to one of the finger portions. 
   
   
       19 . The article of clothing of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of grip/protective portions attached to the glove at the finger portions, the thumb portion and the palm portion. 
   
   
       20 . The article of clothing of  claim 17 , wherein the knitted mat comprises a sleeve.