Baseball glove

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a new and improved baseball glove. The glove includes an outer shell that contains a finger portion, a thumb portion, and a palm portion. The finger portion comprises two or three finger holsters, the outermost holster accommodates two or three fingers, the remaining finger holster(s) accommodates one or two fingers. One or more finger separator(s) reside within the outermost finger holster to prevent discomfort of the fingers. A web portion is attached between the finger portion and the thumb portion. A protective padding strip is located within the surrounding area immediately adjacent to the web portion. The finger portion and thumb portion are spaced apart to minimize the impact of a caught ball with the user's hand. A web-reinforcement patch is located over a variable region surrounding the intersection of the lower region of the web portion and the outer shell.

1 . A baseball glove comprising: 
 a) an outer shell, said outer shell comprising a front surface and a back surface shaped to form a finger portion, a thumb portion, and a palm portion, said outer shell having an opening below said palm portion created by an unjoined region of said front surface and said back surface, said finger portion containing three finger holsters, wherein the outermost finger holster is capable of receiving two fingers of a user;    b) a web portion located between said finger portion and said thumb portion;    c) a finger separator located within said outermost finger holster for the purpose of preventing discomfort and rubbing of a user's fingers; and    d) a padding strip located within said outer shell, said padding strip substantially surrounding said web portion for the purpose of protecting a user's index finger region and thumb region from contact with a ball    whereby to use the glove a user inserts a hand into said glove opening placing the pinky and ring fingers into said outermost finger holster with one finger on each side of or through said finger separator, the middle finger into the middle finger holster, the index finger into the innermost finger holster, and the thumb into said thumb portion.    
   
   
       2 . The baseball glove of  claim 1 , further comprising a web-reinforcement patch removably fixed over a variable region surrounding the intersection of the lower region of said web portion and said outer shell, for the purpose of protecting against separation of said web portion from the baseball glove.  
   
   
       3 . The baseball glove of  claim 1 , further comprising a web-reinforcement patch fixed over a variable region surrounding the intersection of the lower region of said web portion and said outer shell, for the purpose of protecting against separation of said web portion from the baseball glove.  
   
   
       4 . The baseball glove of  claim 1 , wherein said finger separator is comprised of a portion of flexible material, one side of said portion of flexible material of being attached to the inner side of said front surface, the other side of said portion of flexible material being attached to the inner side of said back surface.  
   
   
       5 . The baseball glove of  claim 1 , wherein said finger separator is comprised of a strip of leather formed in a loop, whereby a user places one finger through the loop.  
   
   
       6 . The baseball glove of  claim 1 , wherein said padding strip is substantially comprised of a gel-like material.  
   
   
       7 . The baseball glove of  claim 3 , wherein said web-reinforcement patch is comprised of soft and flexible leather for the purpose of facilitating the trapping of the ball in said web region.  
   
   
       8 . A baseball glove comprising: 
 a) an outer shell, said outer shell comprising a front surface and a back surface shaped to form a finger portion, a thumb portion, and a palm portion, said outer shell having an opening below said palm portion created by an unjoined region of said front surface and said back surface, said finger portion containing two finger holsters within said outer shell, wherein the outermost finger holster is capable of receiving three fingers of a user;    b) a web portion located between said finger portion and said thumb portion;    c) two or more finger separators located within said outermost finger holster for the purpose of preventing discomfort and rubbing of a user's fingers; and    d) a padding strip located within said outer shell, said padding strip substantially surrounding said web portion for the purpose of protecting a user's index finger region and thumb region from contact with a ball    whereby to use the glove a user inserts a hand into said glove opening placing the pinky, ring, and middle fingers into the outermost finger holster with one finger on each side of or through each finger separator, the index finger into the remaining finger holster, and the thumb into said thumb portion.    
   
   
       9 . The baseball glove of  claim 8 , further comprising a web-reinforcement patch removably fixed over a variable region surrounding the intersection of the lower region of said web portion and said outer shell, for the purpose of protecting against separation of said web portion from the baseball glove.  
   
   
       10 . The baseball glove of  claim 8 , further comprising a web-reinforcement patch fixed over a variable region surrounding the intersection of the lower region of said web portion and said outer shell, for the purpose of protecting against separation of said web portion from the baseball glove.  
   
   
       11 . The baseball glove of  claim 8 , wherein each of said two or more finger separators is comprised of a portion of flexible material, one side of said portion of flexible material of being attached to the inner side of said front surface, the other side of said portion of flexible material being attached to the inner side of said back surface.  
   
   
       12 . The baseball glove of  claim 8 , wherein each of said two or more finger separators is comprised of a strip of leather formed in a loop, whereby a user places one finger through the loop.  
   
   
       13 . The baseball glove of  claim 8 , wherein said padding strip is substantially comprised of a gel-like material.  
   
   
       14 . The baseball glove of  claim 8 , wherein said web-reinforcement patch is comprised of softer and more flexible leather for the purpose of facilitating trapping of the ball in said web region.  
   
   
       15 . A baseball glove comprising: 
 a) an outer shell, said outer shell comprising a front surface and a back surface shaped to form a finger portion, a thumb portion, and a palm portion, said outer shell having an opening below said palm portion created by an unjoined region of said front surface and said back surface, said finger portion containing three finger holsters, wherein the outermost finger holster is capable of receiving three fingers of a user;    b) a web portion located between said finger portion and said thumb portion;    c) a finger separator located within said outermost finger holster for the purpose of preventing discomfort and rubbing of a user's fingers; and    d) a padding strip located within said outer shell, said padding strip substantially surrounding said web portion for the purpose of protecting a user's index finger region and thumb region from contact with a ball; and    e) a web-reinforcement patch fixed over a variable region surrounding the intersection of the lower region of said web portion and said outer shell, for the purpose of protecting against separation of said web portion from the baseball glove    whereby to use the glove a user inserts a hand into said glove opening placing the pinky and ring fingers into said outermost finger holster with one finger on each side of or through said finger separator, the middle finger into the middle finger holster, the index finger into the innermost finger holster, and the thumb into said thumb portion.    
   
   
       16 . The baseball glove of  claim 15 , wherein said web-reinforcement patch is removably fixed over a variable region surrounding the intersection of the lower region of said web portion and said outer shell, for the purpose of protecting against separation of said web portion from the baseball glove.  
   
   
       17 . The baseball glove of  claim 15 , wherein said finger separator is comprised of a portion of flexible material, one side of said portion of flexible material of being attached to the inner side of said front surface, the other side of said portion of flexible material being attached to the inner side of said back surface.  
   
   
       18 . The baseball glove of  claim 15 , wherein said finger separator is comprised of a strip of leather formed in a loop, whereby a user places one finger through the loop.  
   
   
       19 . The baseball glove of  claim 15 , wherein said padding strip is substantially comprised of a gel-like material.  
   
   
       20 . The baseball glove of  claim 15 , wherein said web-reinforcement patch is comprised of softer and more flexible leather for the purpose of facilitating trapping of the ball in said web region.  
   
   
       21 . The method of making a baseball glove, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing an outer shell comprising a front surface and a back surface shaped to form a finger portion, a thumb portion, and a palm portion, said outer shell having an opening below said palm portion created by an unjoined region of said front surface and said back surface, said finger portion containing three finger holsters, wherein the outermost finger holster is capable of receiving two fingers of a user;    b) providing a web region to be attached to said outer shell between said finger portion and said thumb portion;    c) attaching said web region to said outer shell between said thumb region and said finger region;    d) providing a finger separator for location within said outermost finger holster for the purpose of preventing discomfort and rubbing of a user's fingers;    e) attaching said finger separator within said outermost finger holster for the purpose of preventing discomfort and rubbing of a user's fingers;    f) providing a padding strip for location within said outer shell so as to substantially surround said web portion for the purpose of protecting a user's index finger region and thumb region from contact with a ball; and    g) attaching said padding strip within said outer shell so as to substantially surround said web portion for the purpose of protecting a user's index finger region and thumb region from contact with a ball.    
   
   
       22 . The method of making a baseball glove according to  claim 21 , the method further comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a web-reinforcement patch for attachment over a variable region surrounding the intersection of the lower region of said web portion and said outer shell for the purpose of protecting against separation of said web portion from the baseball glove; and    b) attaching said web-reinforcement patch over a variable region surrounding the intersection of the lower region of said web portion and said outer for the purpose of protecting against separation of said web portion from the baseball glove.