Two-part easy-on and stay-on mittens, gloves, and hand-covering devices, systems, and methods

Abstract

A two-part easy-on and stay-on mitten includes a cuff part donned before, and a mitten part donned after, a jacket. The cuff part extends from mid-palm to mid-forearm and protects the wrist against cold. It has a thumb hole which secures it in place while pushing an arm through the jacket's sleeve. The cuff and mitten parts have mating fastener patches, which securely and removably engage one another. The cuff part can be worn interchangeably on a left or right hand, and leaves the fingers free to close the jacket's zippers and buttons. The mitten part has a closeable slit that provides a clear line of sight to guide the wearer's thumb into a mitten thumb hole. A mitten strap closes the slit and removably secures the fastener patches in engagement with one another. The strap has a tab member which can be grasped while wearing a mitten.

1 . A two-part easy-on and stay-on device, for use by a wearer as a mitten, glove, and/or hand-covering and for use with a jacket, comprising a cuff (or arm warmer) part and a mitten (or glove or hand-covering) part;
 wherein the cuff part is adapted to be donned before the jacket and/or has a size and/or configuration which readily slides and/or fits underneath the jacket when donned and being donned;   wherein the cuff part is adapted to readily receive and permit sliding of the wearer's hand therethrough;   wherein one extent of the cuff part is shaped to define a cuff thumb hole portion, which is adapted to receive and engage the hand's thumb; wherein, when the cuff thumb hole portion receives and engages the hand's thumb, the cuff part is thus secured in place while the wearer pushes their arm through the jacket's sleeve, and/or thus anchored substantially in place, relative to the wearer's arm, across a wide range of motion permitted by the wearer's arm and/or shoulders;   wherein the cuff part is sized, shaped, and/or adapted to extend from about the wearer's mid-palm to about mid-forearm, whereby the cuff part protects the wearer's wrist against cold and/or snow;   wherein the cuff part is constructed of a thin, insulating, waterproof, and/or stretchy cuff material, whereby the cuff part provides thermal insulation, warmth, a waterproof barrier, and/or conformal contact with a wide range of potential wrist diameters for the wearer, and/or whereby the cuff part readily fits over a sleeve of a sweater and/or of other clothing worn underneath the cuff part; wherein the cuff material has a thinness, and/or the cuff part is otherwise adapted, to readily pass through the jacket's sleeve;   wherein the cuff part has one or more (hook-and-loop and/or other) first fastener patches, which mate with and/or securely engage one or more (hook-and-loop and/or other) second fastener patches that are provided on an inside portion of the mitten part;   wherein the second fastener patches of the mitten part are oriented to mate with the first fastener patches of the cuff part; wherein the cuff part has two first fastener patches, and two second fastener patches are provided on the mitten part, top and bottom, whereby the cuff part is readily adapted to be worn interchangeably on the wearer's left hand and right hand;   wherein, after the wearer pushes their arm through the jacket's sleeve with the cuff thumb hole portion receiving and engaging the hand's thumb, the cuff part protects the wearer's wrist while the wearer's fingers remain free and are afforded sufficient dexterity to close and/or fasten any zippers, snaps, and/or buttons on the jacket;   wherein the mitten part is shaped to define a mitten thumb hole portion and a slit; wherein the slit extends from adjacent a base portion of the mitten part, and is adapted to extend, when worn, to about the wearer's third knuckle on the index finger; wherein the slit is adapted to provide the wearer and/or another user with a clear line of sight into the mitten thumb hole portion and/or ready access to guide the wearer's thumb into the mitten thumb portion;   wherein the mitten part has a panel and/or strap member; wherein, when the wearer's fingers and thumb are engaged in the mitten, the panel and/or strap member is closed thus (a) closing the slit on the mitten part, whereby the wearer's hand and/or wrist is protected from the weather, and/or (b) urging the second fastener patches on the inside portion of the mitten part towards, and/or into more secure engagement with, the first fastener patches of the cuff part, whereby the mitten part is fixed in place relative to the cuff part and/or prevented from accidentally falling off and/or from being casually or unintentionally removed; and/or   wherein the panel and/or strap member has a tab (and/or similar) member which is shaped, sized, configured, and/or otherwise adapted to permit ready manipulation by the wearer while wearing the mitten part, and/or to permit selective and/or ready removal of the mitten part by the wearer.   
     
     
         2 . A two-part easy-on and stay-on device, for use by a wearer as a mitten, glove, and hand-covering and for use with a jacket, comprising a cuff part and a mitten part, wherein the cuff part is adapted to be donned before the jacket and has a size and configuration which readily slides and fits underneath the jacket when donned and being donned, and wherein the cuff part is adapted to readily receive and permit sliding of the wearer's hand therethrough. 
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein one extent of the cuff part is shaped to define a cuff thumb hole portion, which is adapted to receive and engage the hand's thumb. 
     
     
         4 . A device according to  claim 3  wherein, when the cuff thumb hole portion receives and engages the hand's thumb, the cuff part is thus secured in place while the wearer pushes their arm through the jacket's sleeve, and thus anchored substantially in place, relative to the wearer's arm, across a wide range of motion permitted by the wearer's arm and shoulders. 
     
     
         5 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the cuff part is sized, shaped, and adapted to extend from about the wearer's mid-palm to about mid-forearm, whereby the cuff part protects the wearer's wrist against cold and snow. 
     
     
         6 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the cuff part is constructed of a thin, insulating, waterproof, and stretchy cuff material, whereby the cuff part provides thermal insulation, warmth, a waterproof barrier, and conformal contact with a wide range of potential wrist diameters for the wearer, and whereby the cuff part readily fits over a sleeve of a sweater worn underneath the cuff part. 
     
     
         7 . A device according to  claim 6 , wherein the cuff material has a thinness, and the cuff part is adapted, to readily pass through the jacket's sleeve. 
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the cuff part has one or more first fastener patches, wherein an inside portion of the mitten part has one or more second fastener patches that are oriented to mate with the first fastener patches of the cuff part, and wherein the first fastener patches mate with and securely engage the second fastener patches. 
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the first fastener patches and the second fastener patches are hook-and-loop fastener patches. 
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the cuff part has two of the first fastener patches, and the mitten part has two of the second fastener patches, whereby the cuff part is readily adapted to be worn interchangeably on the wearer's left hand and right hand. 
     
     
         11 . A device according to  claim 3  wherein, after the wearer pushes their arm through the jacket's sleeve with the cuff thumb hole portion receiving and engaging the hand's thumb, the cuff part protects the wearer's wrist while the wearer's fingers remain free and are afforded sufficient dexterity to close and fasten zippers, snaps, and buttons on the jacket. 
     
     
         12 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the mitten part is shaped to define a mitten thumb hole portion and a slit; wherein the slit extends from adjacent a base portion of the mitten part, and is adapted to extend, when worn, to about the wearer's third knuckle on the index finger; and wherein the slit is adapted to provide the wearer and other users with a clear line of sight into the mitten thumb hole portion and ready access to guide the wearer's thumb into the mitten thumb portion. 
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein the mitten part has a panel and strap member and wherein, when the wearer's fingers and thumb are engaged in the mitten, the panel and strap member is closed thus (a) closing the slit on the mitten part, whereby the wearer's hand and wrist is protected from the weather, and (b) urging the second fastener patches on the inside portion of the mitten part towards, and into more secure engagement with, the first fastener patches of the cuff part, whereby the mitten part is fixed in place relative to the cuff part and prevented from accidentally falling off and from being casually and unintentionally removed. 
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 13 , wherein the panel and strap member has a tab member which is shaped, sized, configured, and adapted to permit ready manipulation by the wearer while wearing the mitten part, and to permit selective and ready removal of the mitten part by the wearer. 
     
     
         15 . Systems and methods for using of the device of  claim 2  as a mitten, glove, and hand-covering, and for making the device of  claim 2  for use as a mitten, glove, and hand-covering.