Sports glove

Abstract

A sports glove includes a palm portion having a palm side and a backside, a thumb stall extending from the palm portion, finger stalls extending from the palm portion, and a plurality of different performance zones on the palm side of the glove. The plurality of different performance zones includes at least first and second performance zones. The first performance zone has a first surface characteristic continuously extending from a first set of the finger stalls across at least a portion of the palm. The second performance zone has a second surface characteristic different than the first surface characteristic and continuously extending from a second set of the finger stalls across at least a portion of the palm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sports glove comprising:
 a palm portion having a palm side and a backside;   a thumb stall extending from the palm portion;   finger stalls extending from the palm portion; and   a plurality of different performance zones on the palm side of the glove, the plurality of different performance zones comprising:
 a first performance zone having a first surface characteristic continuously extending from a first set of the finger stalls across at least a portion of the palm; and 
 a second performance zone having a second surface characteristic different than the first surface characteristic and continuously extending from a second set of the finger stalls across at least a portion of the palm. 
   
     
     
         2 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of finger stalls comprises a pinky stall and a ring finger stall and wherein the second set of finger stalls comprises a middle finger stall and an index finger stall. 
     
     
         3 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface characteristic has a first grip ability and wherein the second surface characteristic has a second grip ability less than the first grip ability. 
     
     
         4 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the first surface characteristic comprises an array of raised gripping projections. 
     
     
         5 . The glove of  claim 4 , wherein the array of raised gripping projections comprise an array of pointed projections, each of the pointed projections having a base proximate the palm and an apex pointing away from the base. 
     
     
         6 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the second surface characteristic comprises a perforated generally flat surface. 
     
     
         7 . The glove of  claim 6 , wherein the palm side of the glove comprises one or more layers of material and wherein the perforated flat surface comprises:
 first perforations extending through each of the one or more layers; and   second perforations partially extending through the one or more layers.   
     
     
         8 . The glove of  claim 7  wherein the one or more layers comprises:
 a fabric layer bordering an interior of the glove to contact a received hand; and 
 a resilient rubber-like polymer on an outer surface of the fabric layer. 
 
     
     
         9 . The glove of  claim 8 , wherein the fabric layer comprises one of Lycra and nylon and wherein the resilient rubber-like polymer comprises silicone. 
     
     
         10 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the palm side of the glove comprises:
 a fabric layer; and   a resilient rubber-like polymer on an exterior of the fabric layer.   
     
     
         11 . The glove of  claim 10 , wherein the resilient rubber-like polymer comprises a layer having grooves extending along hand bending lines. 
     
     
         12 . The glove of  claim 11 , wherein the resilient rubber-like polymer comprises raised elongate ribs projecting beyond the layer. 
     
     
         13 . The glove  claim 11 , wherein the layer comprises a first groove extending along a thumb side bending line and a second groove extending along a pinky side bending line. 
     
     
         14 . The glove  claim 13 , wherein the resilient rubber-like polymer comprises raised elongate ribs projecting beyond the layer, and wherein the raised elongate ribs projecting beyond the layer extend from the first groove to the second groove. 
     
     
         15 . The glove of  claim 13 , wherein the first performance zone extends on a side of the pinky side bending line opposite the thumb side bending line. 
     
     
         16 . The glove of  claim 15 , wherein the second performance zone extends on a palm side of the thumb stall to the base of the glove on a side of the thumb side bending line opposite the pinky side bending line. 
     
     
         17 . The glove of  claim 10 , wherein the first performance zone includes raised gripping projections and wherein the second performance zone omits any raised gripping projections. 
     
     
         18 . A set of gloves comprising:
 a first glove having a palm side that is substantially flat across a palm thumb stall and finger stalls of the first glove;   a second glove having a palm side comprising a first performance zone that is substantially flat, a second performance zone that comprises a plurality of raised projections and a third performance zone comprising a plurality raised projections and at least one raised rib; and   a third glove having a palm side comprising a first performance zone that is substantially flat, a second performance zone comprising a plurality of raised projections and a third performance zone comprising a plurality of raised projections and at least one raised rib, wherein the first performance zone of the second glove is smaller than the first performance zone of the first glove, wherein the second performance zone of the third glove is larger than the second performance zone of the second glove and wherein the third performance zone of the second glove is smaller than the third performance zone of the third glove.   
     
     
         19 . The set of gloves of  claim 18 , wherein each of the first, second and third gloves includes at least one palm side groove. 
     
     
         20 . The set of gloves of  claim 19 , wherein the palm side grooves facilitate bending of the glove along at least on hand bending line. 
     
     
         21 . The set of gloves of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one hand bending line includes a thumb side palm bending line, a pinky side palm bending line and at least one finger base bending line. 
     
     
         22 . The glove of  claim 18 , wherein the palm side of the first glove comprises one or more layers of material and wherein the substantially flat surface includes perforations. 
     
     
         23 . The glove of  claim 22 , wherein the perforations include:
 first perforations extending through each of the one or more layers; and   second perforations partially extending through the one or more layers.   
     
     
         24 . The glove of  claim 18 , wherein the first, second and third gloves are football gloves, wherein the first glove is configured for use by football players who catch and retain the football, wherein the second and third gloves are configured for use by football players who regularly tackle or block other players during play.