Athletic Glove With Overlay

Abstract

A breathable athletic glove that provides two-way airflow between the inside and outside of the glove without compromising protection, durability and good range of motion is provided. The glove comprises a palm-side portion and a back portion connected to form four finger sheaths, a thumb sheath, and an opening capable of receiving a human hand. The back portion comprises a breathable and elastic first back piece, a strengthening overlay covering a first plurality of portions of the breathable and elastic back piece, and may or may not comprise a second back piece connected to the breathable and elastic first back piece.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An athletic glove capable of receiving a human hand, comprising:
 a breathable and elastic first back piece;   a first strengthening overlay covering a first plurality of portions of the breathable and elastic back piece, the first plurality of portions together being less than the total area of the breathable and elastic back piece wherein, the strengthening overlay does not cover the parts of the elastic first back piece that align with the four fingers' knuckles, distal inter-phalangeal joints, and the proximal inter-phalangeal joints;   a second back piece connected to the breathable and elastic first back piece; and   a palm-side piece having four finger pieces and a thumb piece, the palm-side piece connected to the breathable and elastic first back piece and the second back piece to form four finger sheaths corresponding to the little, ring, middle, and index fingers, a thumb sheath and an opening capable of receiving a human hand, the opening located opposite the four finger sheaths and corresponding approximately to the wrist of a user when the glove is worn by the user with fingers of the user extending within the four finger sheaths and the thumb of the user extending within the thumb sheath.   
     
     
         2 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one strain-relieving cutout on the second back portion, the location of each cutout corresponding to an inner side of the little, index, and thumb finger sheaths;   for each strain-relieving cutout, a strain relieving finger gusset connecting the cutout to the corresponding two adjacent finger sheaths; and   a thumb gusset connecting the thumb portion at the center of the palm-side piece.   
     
     
         3 . The athletic glove of  claim 2 , wherein the gussets are made of a stretchable material. 
     
     
         4 . The athletic glove of  claim 2 , wherein the thumb gusset extends from the back portion, between the thumb sheath and index finger sheath, and to the palm-side piece. 
     
     
         5 . The athletic glove of  claim 3 , wherein the thumb gusset extends substantially to both the opening adjacent to the breathable and elastic first back piece and the second back piece, and to the opening adjacent to the center of the palm-side piece. 
     
     
         6 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , wherein the first strengthening overlay is at least in part a series of intersecting strips. 
     
     
         7 . The athletic glove of  claim 3 , wherein the intersecting strips are about approximately between one-eighth and one fourth of an inch wide. 
     
     
         8 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of portions together are less than about approximately half of the total area of the breathable and elastic first back piece. 
     
     
         9 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second strengthening overlay covering a second plurality of portions of the breathable and elastic first back piece corresponding to the ring finger and middle finger fingernails of the user's hand when the glove is worn.   
     
     
         10 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , wherein the first strengthening overlay is made of polyurethane. 
     
     
         11 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , wherein the breathable and elastic first back piece is made at least in part of polyester. 
     
     
         12 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second strengthening overlay covering a second plurality of portions of the breathable and elastic first back piece corresponding to each of the fingernails of the user's hand when the glove is worn.   
     
     
         13 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , wherein the first strengthening overlay includes a plurality of nodes connected by strips. 
     
     
         14 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , wherein the second back portion is made of a synthetic leather material. 
     
     
         15 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , wherein the second back portion is made of a leather material. 
     
     
         16 . The athletic glove of  claim 1 , wherein the second back portion is made of a fabric material. 
     
     
         17 . An athletic glove capable of receiving a human hand, comprising:
 a breathable and elastic back piece;   a first strengthening overlay covering a first plurality of portions of the breathable and elastic back piece, the first plurality of portions together being less than the total area of the breathable and elastic back piece wherein, the strengthening overlay does not cover the parts of the elastic first back piece that align with the four fingers' knuckles, distal inter-phalangeal joints, and the proximal inter-phalangeal joints;   a palm-side piece having four finger pieces and a thumb piece, the palm-side piece connected to the breathable and elastic back piece to form four finger sheaths corresponding to the little, ring, middle, and index fingers, a thumb sheath and an opening capable of receiving a human hand, the opening located opposite the four finger sheaths and corresponding approximately to the wrist of a user when the glove is worn by the user with fingers of the user extending within the four finger sheaths and the thumb of the user extending within the thumb sheath.   
     
     
         18 . The athletic glove of  claim 17 , wherein the first strengthening overlay is made of polyurethane. 
     
     
         19 . The athletic glove of  claim 17 , wherein the breathable elastic material is made at least in part of polyester. 
     
     
         20 . The athletic glove of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a second strengthening overlay covering a second plurality of portions of the breathable and elastic back piece corresponding to each of the fingernails of the user's hand when the glove is worn.