Handwear incorporating attachment element

Abstract

Handwear articles, such as gloves, mittens and other multi-digit embodiments of handwear, are provided. Articles of the invention are especially suited for such tasks as window cleaning, and comprise one or more low-friction areas suitable for slidably using a shafted tool therewith. High-friction areas are also provided to assist in controlling tools. Handwear of the invention are thus especially useful with respect to handling tools, tool shafts, and any implement where control of the tool shaft and the tool are desirable. Articles of the inventions may also comprise one or more attachment surfaces or fastener pads adapted and arranged such that pairs of the handwear can be utilized or connected together, and such that articles of the invention can be easily attached to many objects having complementary attachment elements to allow the handwear, and the wearer, to operate efficiently in conjunction with many tools, articles, devices and surfaces, and in many environments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handwear article comprising:
 at least one layer of flexible material shaped for receiving a hand, said at least one layer having an inner handwear surface and an outer handwear surface;   at least one digit pocket defined within said at least one layer of flexible material by an inner digit surface included in the inner handwear surface and an outer digit surface;   the outer surface comprising a palm surface, a back surface, and the outer digit surface;   said at least one digit pocket being adapted to receive a wearer's fingers via a hand access aperture; and   the outer handwear surface comprising at least one attachment element for attaching the handwear to a selected object to keep the handwear available for use.   
     
     
         2 . The handwear article of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one digit pocket comprises two digit pockets, wherein one of said two digit pockets is adapted and arranged for receiving the thumb of a wearer, and wherein the other of the two digit pockets of the handwear article is adapted and arranged for receiving the remaining fingers of the wearer. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The handwear article of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one low-friction sliding surface area comprises one or more of tetrafluoroethylene compounds, one or more of silicone-based compounds, one or more of self-lubricating compounds, and one or more combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The handwear article of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one low-friction sliding surface area is disposed at least partially upon one or more of said at least one thenar surface, the back surface and the palm surface. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The handwear article of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one low-friction sliding surface area is controllable via inflation thereof to thereby adapt said at least one low-friction sliding surface area to one or more of working conditions, tool positioning, tool shaft shapes, and tool shaft length or diameter variations. 
     
     
         9 . The handwear article of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one low-friction sliding surface area is disposed upon at least one of the palm surface and the back surface. 
     
     
         10 . The handwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one low-friction sliding surface area is disposed upon at least one of the outer digit surfaces. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The handwear article of  claim 1 , wherein the other object for which the at least one attachment element is adapted and arranged for attaching the handwear thereto comprises one or more from the list comprising one or more articles of handwear, one or more tools, one or more appliances, one or more machines, one or more ladders, one or more walls, one or more articles of clothing, and one or more objects having complementary attachment elements affixed thereto. 
     
     
         17 . The handwear article of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more high-friction elements adapted and arranged for providing additional gripping power for the wearer. 
     
     
         18 . The handwear article of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more high-friction surfaces are provided on one or more of the outer digit surface, the palm surface, the back surface, and on at least one thenar surface disposed such that an inflated thenar pad converts the gripping area to a low-friction area. 
     
     
         19 . The handwear article of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more squeegee elements, one or more scrubber pads, one or more cleaning ridges, one or more fingernail picks disposed on the outer digit surface, and one or more scrubber pads. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The handwear article of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional means for attaching the handwear to another object or person, wherein the at least one additional means comprises one or more from the list comprising a belt, a hook and loop belt, a flexible wrap, a clip means for attaching the handwear to a belt or to an article of clothing or to a ladder or tool. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The handwear article of  claim 1  in which the selected object is a second handwear article comprising another attachment element adapted to cooperate with said at least one attachment element to attach the handwear article and the second handwear article together. 
     
     
         24 . A pair of handwear articles, each of said handwear articles comprising:
 at least one layer of flexible material shaped for receiving a hand, said at least one layer having an inner handwear surface and an outer handwear surface;   at least one digit pocket defined within said at least one layer of flexible material by an inner digit surface included in the inner handwear surface and an outer digit surface;   the outer handwear surface comprising a palm surface, a back surface, and the outer digit surface;   said at least one digit pocket being adapted to receive a wearer's fingers via a hand access aperture;   the outer handwear surface comprising at least one attachment element for attaching the handwear to a selected object; and   each of said handwear articles being attachable to each other by engagement of said at least one attachment element of each said handwear article respectively with each other.   
     
     
         25 . A handwear article according to  claim 1  additionally comprising at least one thenar surface located contiguous between the palm surface and the back surface;
 the other handwear surface comprising at least one pad for engagement with at least one tool; 
 said at least one pad comprising at least one low-friction sliding surface area formed for slidable engagement of said at least one tool therewith; and 
 said at least one pad being at least partially located on said at least one thenar surface. 
 
     
     
         26 . The handwear article of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one low-friction sliding surface area is disposed at least partially upon said at least one thenar surface. 
     
     
         27 . The handwear article of  claim 8 , wherein the inflator for controlling inflation of said at least one low-friction sliding surface area is provided on at least one of the back surface or the palm surface. 
     
     
         28 . The handwear article of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one attachment element comprises at least one of hook-and-loop elements. 
     
     
         29 . The handwear article of  claim 1 , wherein the outer digit surface additionally comprises at least one squeegee.