Sports glove

Abstract

The invention relates to sports gloves with support elements and systems integrated therein. An example glove includes a base portion and a plurality of finger portions, at least one of the finger portions including a finger engagement element located within the finger portion and adapted to extend over a back portion of the wearer's finger when the glove is being worn to resiliently bias the front of the finger portion against the front of the wearer's finger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A glove, comprising:
 a base portion; and   a plurality of finger portions, each finger portion comprising:
 a first material region adapted to cover a front of a wearer's finger when the glove is being worn; 
 a second material region adapted to cover a back of the wearer's finger when the glove is being worn; 
 a first seam connecting the first material region to the second material region on a first side of the corresponding finger portion; and 
 a second seam connecting the first material region to the second material region on a second side of the corresponding finger portion, wherein at least one finger portion further comprises a finger engagement element located between the first material region and the second material region and extending from the first seam to the second seam, the finger engagement element adapted to extend over a back portion of the wearer's finger when the glove is being worn and to resiliently bias a front portion of the wearer's finger against the first material region. 
   
     
     
         2 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the finger engagement element comprises a resilient material. 
     
     
         3 . The glove of  claim 2 , wherein the resilient material comprises an elongate elastic textile material. 
     
     
         4 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the elongate elastic textile material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polyester-polyurethane copolymer, polychloroprene, elastene, spandex, EVA, polyester, latex, and a polyester/latex composite. 
     
     
         5 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the finger engagement element comprises an elongate strip of resilient material extending over at least a portion of at least one of a distal phalange region and an intermediate phalange region of the glove. 
     
     
         6 . The glove of  claim 5 , wherein the elongate strip of resilient material has a width of between about 10% to about 50% of a length of the finger portion. 
     
     
         7 . The glove of  claim 5 , wherein the elongate strip of resilient material has a width of between about 20% to about 40% percent of a length of the finger portion. 
     
     
         8 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the finger engagement element comprises a plurality of strips of resilient material, each strip of resilient material extending over at least a portion of at least one of a distal phalange region, an intermediate phalange region, and a proximal phalange region of the glove. 
     
     
         9 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the second material region comprises:
 a first gusset portion extending from the first seam proximate a first side of the wearer's finger;   a second gusset portion extending from the second seam proximate a second side of the wearer's finger; and   a backhand portion extending over a back of the glove and connecting to the first gusset portion and the second gusset portion.   
     
     
         10 . The glove of  claim 9 , wherein the first gusset portion and second gusset portion comprise a different material from that of the first material region and backhand portion. 
     
     
         11 . The glove of  claim 9 , wherein a portion of the finger engagement element is attached to at least one of the first and second gusset portions. 
     
     
         12 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the first seam is integrally connected to the second seam proximate a distal tip of the finger portion. 
     
     
         13 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the first material region and second material region are stitched together at the first seam and second seam by at least one thread. 
     
     
         14 . The glove of  claim 13 , wherein the finger engagement element is connected to the first seam and second seam by the at least one thread. 
     
     
         15 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the finger engagement element further comprises a connection element connecting the finger engagement element to at least a portion of the second material region. 
     
     
         16 . The glove of  claim 15 , wherein the connection element is adapted to hold the finger engagement element open, away from the first material region. 
     
     
         17 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first material region and the second material region comprises at least one flex element. 
     
     
         18 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first material region and the second material region comprises at least one padding element. 
     
     
         19 . A glove, comprising:
 a base portion;   a thumb portion; and   a plurality of finger portions, each finger portion comprising:
 a first material region adapted to cover a front of a wearer's finger when the glove is being worn; 
 a second material region adapted to cover a back of the wearer's finger when the glove is being worn; 
 a first seam connecting the first material region to the second material region on a first side of the corresponding finger portion; 
 a second seam connecting the first material region to the second material region on a second side of the corresponding finger portion; and 
 a finger engagement element comprising a strip of resilient material located between the first material region and the second material region and extending from the first seam to the second seam within the finger portion, the finger engagement element adapted to extend over at least one of a distal phalange region and an intermediate phalange region of the glove and extend over a back portion of the wearer's finger when the glove is being worn to resiliently bias a front portion of the wearer's finger against the first material region. 
   
     
     
         20 . A glove, comprising:
 a base portion; and   a plurality of finger portions, each finger portion comprising:
 a first material region adapted to cover a front of a wearer's finger when the glove is being worn; 
 a second material region adapted to cover a back of the wearer's finger when the glove is being worn; 
 a first seam connecting the first material region to the second material region on a first side of the corresponding finger portion; and 
 a second seam connecting the first material region to the second material region on a second side of the corresponding finger portion, wherein at least one finger portion further comprises a finger engagement element located between the first material region and the second material region and extending from one or more locations on at least one of the first material region and the second material region, the finger engagement element adapted to extend over a back portion of the wearer's finger when the glove is being worn and to resiliently bias a front portion of the wearer's finger against the first material region.