Ball glove with finger stalls having multiple weltings

Abstract

A ball glove including front and back glove portions, at least first and second weltings, and a webbing. The back glove portion is coupled to the front glove portion to define a hand cavity and to form first, second, third and fourth finger stalls and a thumb stall. Each finger stall includes a front stall portion and a back stall portion. Each back stall portion includes at least three stall segments. The first and second weltings extending along the back stall portion and each welting connects two of the stall segments. The webbing is coupled to, and positioned between, the first finger stall and the thumb stall.

1 . A ball glove comprising:
 a front glove portion;   a back glove portion coupled to the front glove portion to define a hand cavity and to form first, second, third and fourth finger stalls and a thumb stall, each finger stall including a front stall portion and a back stall portion, each back stall portion including at least three stall segments;   at least first and second weltings extending along the back stall portion, each welting connecting two of the stall segments; and   a webbing coupled to, and positioned between, the first finger stall and the thumb stall.   
   
   
       2 . The ball glove of  claim 1 , wherein the back stall portion of at least one finger stall includes four stall segments, and wherein the at least first and second weltings includes first, second and third weltings for connecting the four stall segments. 
   
   
       3 . The ball glove of  claim 2 , wherein the back stall portion of the first, second and third finger stalls each include four stall segments and the first, second and third weltings. 
   
   
       4 . The ball glove of  claim 1  wherein each of the at least first and second third weltings are spaced apart from each other. 
   
   
       5 . The ball glove of  claim 2  wherein each back stall portion includes a distal region, a proximal region, and a central region positioned between the distal and proximal regions. 
   
   
       6 . The ball glove of  claim 5 , wherein, and wherein each of the weltings extends from the proximal region along the central region and to the distal region. 
   
   
       7 . The ball glove of  claim 5 , wherein, and wherein each of the weltings extends from the proximal region and along the central region. 
   
   
       8 . The ball glove of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least three stall segments are formed of substantially the same material. 
   
   
       9 . The ball glove of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the three stall segments is formed of a first material, and wherein at least another one of the three stall segments is formed of a second material. 
   
   
       10 . The ball glove of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the finger stalls further includes fourth and fifth weltings, and wherein the fourth and fifth weltings connect the front and back stall portions of the finger stall together. 
   
   
       11 . The ball glove of  claim 1 , further comprising a finger protector connected to the proximal region of the back stall portion of the first finger stall. 
   
   
       12 . A ball glove comprising:
 a front glove portion;   a back glove portion coupled to the front glove portion to define a hand cavity and to form a plurality of finger stalls and a thumb stall, each finger stall including a front stall portion and a back stall portion;   a set of three elongate and spaced-apart reinforcing strips connected to the back stall portion of at least one finger stall, each reinforcing strip generally longitudinally extending along the back stall portion; and   a webbing coupled to, and positioned between one of the finger stalls and the thumb stall.   
   
   
       13 . The ball glove of  claim 12 , wherein the first, second and third finger stalls each include a separate set of the three reinforcing strips. 
   
   
       14 . The ball glove of  claim 12  wherein each back stall portion includes a distal region, a proximal region, and a central region positioned between the distal and proximal regions. 
   
   
       15 . The ball glove of  claim 14 , wherein each of the reinforcing strips extends from the proximal region along the central region and to the distal region. 
   
   
       16 . The ball glove of  claim 14 , wherein, and wherein each of the reinforcing strips extends from the proximal region and along the central region. 
   
   
       17 . The ball glove of  claim 12 , further comprising a finger protector connected to the proximal region of the back stall portion of the first finger stall. 
   
   
       18 . A ball glove comprising:
 a front glove portion;   a back glove portion coupled to the front glove portion to define a hand cavity and to form a plurality of finger stalls, each finger stall including opposing front and back sides and opposing first and second sides, the back side of each finger stall including a proximal region, a distal region, and a central region positioned between the proximal and distal regions; and   a set of three weltings connected to the back side of at least one of the finger stalls, each of the three weltings extending along the proximal and central regions of the back side.   
   
   
       19 . The ball glove of  claim 18  wherein each of the three weltings extends along the proximal, central and distal regions of the back side. 
   
   
       20 . The ball glove of  claim 18  wherein a separate set of the three weltings is formed on each of at least three separate finger stalls. 
   
   
       21 . The ball glove of  claim 18  wherein the three weltings are spaced-apart from each other.