Gloves with curved reliefs formed therein

Abstract

A rubber or latex glove includes monolithically formed pleats incorporated into the knuckles and/or finger joints, and along the length of the sides of the fingers. Whether the glove is in either a relaxed or flexed state, the pleats conform to the contours of the hand, providing a flush but relaxed fit. When the glove is flexed, the pleats become wider to effectively increase the size of the glove without stretching the material from which it is made.

1 . A rubber and/or plastic glove for receiving a hand and that is flexible and releasable between a relaxed state and a flexed state, said glove comprising: 
 a palm portion for containing a lower part of the hand, said palm portion including a palm portion rear surface having one or more pleats formed therein;    a knuckle portion for containing a middle part of said hand having knuckles, said knuckle portion including a knuckle portion rear surface having a pleat formed therein substantially alignable with said knuckles;    three finger portions for containing the index, middle, and ring fingers of said hand, said finger portions each including a finger portion rear surface, a finger portion left side surface, and a finger portion right side surface, each of said finger portions having (a) a pleat formed in the left side surface thereof extending longitudinally from a fingertip to a crotch formed with a finger portion adjacent therewith, (b) a pleat formed in the right side surface thereof extending longitudinally from a fingertip to a crotch formed between a finger portion adjacent therewith, and/or (c) a pleat formed therein in the corresponding finger portion rear surface extending transversely with respect to the corresponding finger and alignable with a finger joint corresponding thereto;    a thumb portion for containing the thumb of said hand, said thumb portion including a thumb portion rear surface, a thumb portion outer side surface and a thumb portion inner side surface, the thumb portion having (1) a pleat formed therein extending longitudinally from a fingertip to a crotch formed between a finger portion adjacent therewith, (2) a pleat being formed in the thumb portion outer side surface and the palm portion and knuckle portion so as to extend from the fingertip of the thumb to the bottom of the glove, and/or (3) a pleat formed in the thumb portion rear surface extending transversely with respect to the thumb and alignable with the thumb joint; and    a pinky portion for containing the pinky of said hand, said pinky portion including a pinky portion rear surface, a pinky portion outer side surface and a pinky portion inner side surface, the pinky portion having (1) a pleat formed therein extending longitudinally from a fingertip to a crotch formed with a finger adjacent thereto, (2) a pleat also being formed in the pinky portion outer side surface and the palm portion and knuckle portion so as to extend from the fingertip of the pinky portion to the bottom of the glove, and/or (3) a pleat formed in the pinky portion rear surface extending transversely with respect to the pinky and alignable with a pinky joint.