Versatile glove

Abstract

In various embodiments, a glove enables one wearing the glove temporary unsheathed use of one or more of a thumb and an index finger of a hand of the wearer on which the glove is worn. A slide fastener may run along the glove between a distal portion of the glove's index finger-covering portion and a distal portion of the glove's thumb-covering portion. The slide fastener, when opened over a particular amount, provides an opening in the glove to enable the wearer to extend one or more of the wearer's thumb and index finger outside the glove for temporary unsheathed use of the thumb and/or index finger. When the slide is fastener closed, this causes the glove to cover the thumb and index finger.

1 . A glove for enabling a wearer of the glove temporary unsheathed use of one or more of a thumb and an index finger of a hand of the wearer on which the glove is worn, comprising:
 a hand-covering portion having at least a palmar side-covering portion, a dorsal side-covering portion, a thumb-covering portion, and an index finger-covering portion;   a slide fastener that runs along the glove between a distal portion of the index finger-covering portion and a distal portion of the thumb-covering portion, such that the slide fastener, when opened, provides an opening in the glove to an inside of the glove in the index finger-covering portion and the thumb-covering portion and, when the slide is fastener closed, causes the opening to be closed, wherein the slide fastener that runs along the glove between the distal portion of the index finger-covering portion and the distal portion of the thumb-covering portion runs along the glove only between the distal portion of the index finger-covering portion and the distal portion of the thumb-covering portion; and   a flap running along the slide fastener underneath the slide fastener.   
     
     
         2 . The glove of  claim 1  wherein the slide fastener is positioned on the glove such that the slide fastener runs substantially along a curve of the glove between a radial side of the index finger-covering portion and an ulnar side of the thumb-covering portion. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The glove of  claim 2  wherein the slide fastener runs along a substantially palmar side of the index finger-covering portion and runs either along substantially an ulnar side of the thumb-covering portion or along substantially a dorsal side of the thumb-covering portion. 
     
     
         5 . The glove of  claim 2  wherein the slide fastener runs along substantially a dorsal side of the index finger-covering portion and runs either along substantially an ulnar side of the thumb-covering portion or along substantially a palmar side of the thumb-covering portion. 
     
     
         6 . The glove of  claim 2  wherein the slide fastener runs along substantially a palmar side of the thumb-covering portion and runs either along substantially a radial side of the index finger-covering portion or along substantially a dorsal side of the index finger-covering portion. 
     
     
         7 . The glove of  claim 2  wherein the slide fastener runs along substantially a dorsal side of the thumb-covering portion and runs either along substantially a radial side of the index finger-covering portion or along substantially a palmar side of the index finger-covering portion. 
     
     
         8 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The glove of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a flap at a location where the slide fastener ends, the flap at the location where the slide fastener ends attached at either the distal portion of the thumb-covering portion or at the distal portion of the index finger-covering portion and under which one or more of a slider of the slide fastener and a pull handle of the slide fastener is able to be removably tucked. 
 
     
     
         20 . The glove of  claim 1  further comprising a pull string attached to one or more of a slider of the slide fastener and a pull handle of the slide fastener. 
     
     
         21 . The glove of  claim 20  further comprising:
 a flap at a location where the slide fastener ends, the flap attached at the distal portion of the thumb-covering portion or the distal portion of the index finger-covering portion and under which one or more of the slider and the pull handle is able to be removably tucked, wherein the flap is of a size that allows the pull string to extend outside from underneath the flap a distance, should the glove be worn by the wearer, that enables the wearer to manageably grasp the pull string and open the slide fastener with the wearer's other hand while wearing an insulated glove on the other hand. 
 
     
     
         22 .- 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The glove of  claim 1  wherein the flap substantially covers the slide fastener when the slide fastener is closed. 
     
     
         26 . The glove of  claim 1  wherein the slide fastener includes a water resistant layer on the slide fastener that operates when the slide fastener is completely closed.