Baseball glove having a restraining rib

Abstract

A baseball glove includes a glove body having back and palm sections, thumb and finger pockets, and a web bridging the thumb and finger pockets. The palm section has a thumb's ball area, a hypothenar area, a heel area, and a ball-catching region formed between the thumb's ball and hypothenar areas and above the heel area. At least one restraining rib is provided on the palm section, and bounds partially the ball-catching region. The restraining rib is adapted to prevent a caught ball from slipping off the ball-catching region, and extends between the ball-catching region and the thumb's ball area, between the ball-catching region and the heel area, and between the ball-catching region and the hypothenar area. The ball-catching region is unbounded at one side of the ball-catching region opposite to the restraining rib.

1 . A baseball glove comprising:
 a glove body having a back section, a palm section opposite to said back section, finger pockets extending upwardly from said back and palm sections, a thumb pocket, and a web bridging said thumb pocket and said finger pockets, said palm section having a thumb's ball area, a hypothenar area, a heel area, and a ball-catching region formed between said thumb's ball area and said hypothenar area and above said heel area; and   at least one restraining rib provided on said palm section and bounding partially said ball-catching region, said restraining rib being adapted to prevent a caught ball from slipping off said ball-catching region and extending between said ball-catching region and said thumb's ball area, between said ball-catching region and said heel area, and between said ball-catching region and said hypothenar area, said ball-catching region being unbounded at one side of said ball-catching region opposite to said restraining rib;   wherein said restraining rib has an elongated embossment protruding from said palm section, and a root that is connected to said embossment and that does not protrude from said palm section, said palm section further having a stitching line looping along said root.   
   
   
       2 - 3 . (canceled) 
   
   
       4 . The baseball glove of  claim 1 , wherein said restraining rib forms a single continuous curve. 
   
   
       5 . The baseball glove of  claim 1 , wherein a pair of said restraining ribs are provided on said palm section to bound said ball-catching region and extend downwardly and convergingly from said ball-catching region, said restraining ribs having respective bottom ends that are spaced apart from each other below said ball-catching region. 
   
   
       6 . The baseball glove of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said restraining ribs are provided on said palm section, and are spaced apart from each other along a curve that bounds partially said ball-catching region. 
   
   
       7 . The baseball glove of  claim 1 , wherein said back section includes a first back surface region on a back side of said thumb's ball area, said first back surface region having at least one first back rib. 
   
   
       8 . The baseball glove of  claim 7 , wherein said finger pockets include a little finger pocket and a ring finger pocket, said back section further having a second back surface region below said little finger and ring finger pockets, said second back surface region having a second back rib.