Utility glove

Abstract

A utility glove having a palm side including a three dimensional molded palm portion formed of an elastomeric material with a thumb portion and at least one finger portion and a back side of the glove comprising a fabric material. The molded palm portion may have one or more of thickened areas for abrasion resistance, padded areas for comfort, flex grooves for improved movement and textured grip areas for improved grip. The molded palm portion may be formed of different elastomeric materials to take advantage of the different characteristics of the particular materials. A molded portion of the utility glove may be formed by placing a piece of fabric against a mold part formed in the shape of at least a portion of a hand, bringing a corresponding mold part into molding relation with the mold part in the shape of at least a portion of the hand and injecting an elastomeric material into the mold to form the molded portion.

1 . A utility glove comprising:
 a palm side of the glove comprising a three dimensional molded palm portion formed of an elastomeric material having a thumb portion and at least one finger portion; and   a back side of the glove comprising a fabric material.   
   
   
       2 . The utility glove of  claim 1  where the molded palm portion comprises one or more thickened areas. 
   
   
       3 . The utility glove of  claim 2  where the thickened areas are raised in relation to adjacent areas of the molded palm portion. 
   
   
       4 . The utility glove of  claim 1  where the molded palm portion comprises one or more padded areas. 
   
   
       5 . The utility glove of  claim 1  wherein the molded palm portion comprises textured gripping portions. 
   
   
       6 . The utility glove of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the thumb portion and at least one finger portion terminate in a cap for covering the tip of at least one of the thumb and at least one finger. 
   
   
       7 . The utility glove of  claim 1  where the palm side of the glove further comprises a fabric material adjacent the molded palm portion. 
   
   
       8 . The utility glove of  claim 7  where the fabric material is secured to the molded palm portion by one of placing the fabric material in the area of the mold prior to molding the molded palm portion and sewing the fabric material to the molded palm portion. 
   
   
       9 . The utility glove of  claim 1  wherein the molded palm portion comprises a lining material. 
   
   
       10 . The utility glove of  claim 1  wherein the thumb portion and the at least one finger portion is formed to over 50% of the circumference of at least one of the wearer's thumb and at least one finger. 
   
   
       11 . The utility glove of  claim 1  further comprising one or more flex grooves associated with at least one joint in a user's hand. 
   
   
       12 . The utility glove of  claim 1  where the molded palm portion includes a thumb portion and four finger portions. 
   
   
       13 . The utility glove of  claim 12  where the tip of each of the thumb and finger portions terminate in a cap for covering the tip of the user's thumb and each finger. 
   
   
       14 . The utility glove of  claim 12  wherein the thumb portion and each finger portion is formed to over 50% of the circumference of the user's thumb and each finger. 
   
   
       15 . The utility glove of  claim 1  wherein the molded palm portion has different areas formed from different compositions of elastomeric materials. 
   
   
       16 . The utility glove of  claim 2  further comprising a molded portion on the back side of the glove. 
   
   
       17 . A method of forming a molded portion of a utility glove comprising the steps of placing a piece of fabric against a mold part formed in the shape of at least a portion of a hand, bringing a corresponding mold part into molding relation with the mold part in the shape of at least a portion of the hand and injecting an elastomeric material into the mold to form the molded portion. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the fabric is a heat resistant knit hydrophilic fabric. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  where the mold part formed in the shape of at least a portion of the hand is formed in the shape of a hand and the fabric is formed in the shape of a glove that covers at least a portion of the mold part. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  where the corresponding mold part includes one or more of one or more textured areas, one or more thickened areas, one or more padded areas and one or more flex grooves.