Ergonomic fielding glove

Abstract

A fielding glove has an outer shell having at least one finger portion, a thumb portion, and a web joining the thumb portion and the nearest finger portion; a mitten compartment that holds all four fingers, positioned and fixed upon or within the outer shell at an angle of approximately 40 degrees in relation to the upright finger portion(s) of the outer shell of the glove, and a thumb compartment that is rotated forward in a approximately 20 degree arc from the plane of the finger portions of the mitten, and maintains a fixed angle between the thumb and index finger within said mitten of approximately 90 degrees. In addition, to accommodate the ergonomic alignment of the mitten portion, the entrance for the hand into the mitten compartment, on or within the glove must also align at the same approximately 40 degrees, from the upright “finger” portion of the glove. Within the mitten compartment for the fingers and thumb, leather or other material, would form a strap that creates a loop where one or more fingers could be inserted within. As well there is a web/pocket area within the overall dimensions of the glove that has an expanded area where the hand will not be impacted by a hit or thrown ball. A section of the finger portion of the outersell glove, adjacent to the web is molded and shaped to conform to the spherical dimensions of a particular ball for which the glove will be used. There is also provided a flexible web with a hollow ring in the center of the web area, with straps of material that radiate out from the ring to the edges of the finger and thumb portion and to a span of material that spans the finger and thumb portion.

1. A fielding glove  baseball or softball glove comprising:
 an outer shell having at least one upright finger portion, a  an outer shell thumb portion, and a web joining the thumb portion and the nearest upright finger portion;  
 a mitten shaped compartment that in part holds  having a mitten finger portion or portions adapted to receive a user's four fingers, comprised of leather or other appropriate material,  said mitten shaped compartment positioned and fixed upon or within the outer shell of the glove so that the mitten finger portion or portions of the mitten  are aligned at an angle of approximately 40 degrees in relation to the upright finger portion of the outershell glove ;  
 a thumb compartment of said mitten that is rotated forward in an approximately 20 degree arc from the plane of the finger portion of the mitten; andsaid mitten shaped compartment having a mitten thumb portion adapted to receive a user's thumb, wherein a fixed angle of approximately 90 degrees is between the mitten's  thumb compartment in its rotated positionportion and the indexnearest mitten finger portion within said mitten ; and  
 a thumb portion of the outershell glove rotated forward in an arc of approximately 20 degrees from the plane of the finger portion of the outershell to conform to the chosen arc of the thumb portion of the mitten;  
 an opening for the hand into the mitten aligned in an approximately 40 degree angle to the upright finger portion of the outershell glove, and;  
 a web/pocket area of the outershell glove, within the valley between the thumb and first finger portion, that reduces the surface area where a hit or thrown ball impacts the user's hand.  
 a mitten opening for inserting a portion of a user's hand into the mitten shaped compartment. 
 
     
     
       2. A fielding glove as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said web comprises a donut shaped hollow ring, centered in the aforementioned valley between the thumb portion and nearest finger portion of the outer shell glove, with straps attached to the ring that radiate out from the circumference of the ring in a star pattern attaching to various points along the edges of the aforementioned thumb and index finger and to a strap the bridges the tips of the thumb and nearest finger. 
     
     
       3. A fielding glove as claimed in  claim 1  with a least one independent finger portion molded or shaped from the top to the bottom of said finger portion, in a concave shape in the approximate proportions or larger, than the ball size for which the glove is intended to be used. 
     
     
       4. A glove of  claim 1 , wherein said mitten finger portion or portions extend only about midway between said mitten opening and an outer end of said upright finger portion. 
     
     
       5. A glove of  claim 1 , wherein said mitten thumb portion is rotated forward along an approximately  20  degree arc from the plane of the mitten finger portion. 
     
     
       6. A glove of  claim 5 , wherein said outer shell thumb portion is rotated forward in an arc that conforms to the arc of the mitten thumb portion. 
     
     
       7. A glove of  claim 1 , wherein said glove is a fielding glove. 
     
     
       8. A baseball or softball glove comprising:
   an outer shell having at least one upright finger portion, an outer shell thumb portion, and a web joining the outer shell thumb portion and the nearest upright finger portion;        a mitten shaped compartment comprising a mitten finger portion adapted to receive the fingers of a user, and a mitten thumb portion adapted to receive the thumb of a user;        said mitten shaped compartment being positioned and fixed upon the outer shell of the glove and having a mitten opening at a base of said compartment for inserting a portion of said user's hand into the mitten shaped compartment;        said mitten shaped compartment configured to position a plurality of said fingers of the user at an angle of approximately  40  degrees in relation to the upright finger portion; and        said mitten shaped compartment configured to position said thumb and index finger of the user approximately  90  degrees apart.     
     
     
       9. A glove of  claim 8 , wherein said mitten finger portion extends only about midway between said mitten opening and an outer end of said upright finger portion. 
     
     
       10. A glove of  claim 8 , wherein said glove is a fielding glove. 
     
     
       11. A baseball or softball glove comprising:
   an outer shell having an outer shell thumb portion, a web, a first upright finger portion, and one or more second upright finger portions, wherein said web and said first upright finger portion together define a pocket area positioned between said outer shell thumb portion and said second upright finger portions;        a mitten shaped compartment comprising a mitten finger portion adapted to receive the fingers of a user, and a mitten thumb portion adapted to receive the thumb of a user;        said mitten shaped compartment being positioned and fixed upon the outer shell of the glove, wherein said mitten thumb portion is positioned adjacent said outer shell thumb portion and said mitten finger portion is positioned adjacent said one or more second upright finger portions;        said mitten shaped compartment configured to position a plurality of the fingers of a user at an angle in relation to said upright finger portions such that the fingers of the user are pointing toward an outer side edge of said outer shell; and        said mitten shaped compartment is configured to position said thumb and index finger of the user approximately  90  degrees apart.     
     
     
       12. A glove of  claim 11 , wherein said mitten finger portion extends only a portion of the distance between a bottom edge of the glove and a top edge of the second upright finger portions. 
     
     
       13. A glove of  claim 11 , wherein said glove is a fielding glove.