Sports glove with an elastically joined palm

Abstract

A sports glove having a hand portion including a dorsal region and a palmer region. A finger portion and thumb portion extend outwardly from the hand portion. The palmer region has a lower edge that extends between the thumb portion and dorsal region and has a length as measured there between. The length of the lower edge is adjustable. An intermediate area of the lower edge is made from an elastic material that is expandable and relaxable to change the length of the lower edge and allow the glove to be put on and taken off easily. The entire lower edge may be made from an elastic fabric. Additional elastic fabric may extend outwardly beyond the intermediate area and lower edge to form an elastic inner layer to the palmer region of the glove and thereby ensure a snug fit of the glove on the hand.

1 . A sports glove comprising:
 a hand portion having a dorsal region and a palmer region;   a finger portion extending outwardly from the hand portion;   a thumb portion extending outwardly from the hand portion; and   
       wherein the palmer region has an upper edge adjacent the finger portion and a lower edge remote therefrom, and the lower edge extends laterally between the thumb portion and the dorsal region, and wherein the lower edge has a length as measured between the thumb portion and the dorsal region and that length is adjustable. 
     
     
         2 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the lower edge is movable between an expanded condition and a relaxed condition, and the length of the lower edge is increased when the lower edge is moved from the relaxed condition to the expanded condition and is decreased when moved from the expanded condition to the relaxed condition. 
     
     
         3 . The sports glove of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the lower edge is made from an elastic material and the elastic portion is movable between the expanded condition and the relaxed condition and when the elastic portion is moved from the relaxed condition to the expanded condition, the length of the lower edge is increased; and when the elastic portion is moved from the expanded condition to the relaxed condition, the length of the lower edge is decreased. 
     
     
         4 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the lower edge has a first end secured to the thumb portion and a second end secured to the dorsal region, and the palmer region includes an intermediate area originating in the lower edge between the first and second ends and extending for a distance inwardly from the lower edge and toward the upper edge, and the intermediate area is made from the elastic material. 
     
     
         5 . The glove of  claim 4 , wherein the intermediate area is wider proximate the lower edge and tapers to an apex remote from the lower edge. 
     
     
         6 . The glove of  claim 5 , wherein the apex of the intermediate area is located at approximately one third of the distance between the upper and lower edges of the palmer region. 
     
     
         7 . The glove of  claim 6 , wherein the intermediate area is wider proximate the lower edge and narrower proximate the apex. 
     
     
         8 . The glove of  claim 4 , wherein the palmer region further includes a palmer cuff secured along the lower edge, and the palmer cuff has a first end secured to the thumb portion adjacent the first end of the lower edge and has a second end secured to the dorsal region adjacent the second end of the lower edge, and the palmer cuff is made at least partially from the elastic material. 
     
     
         9 . The glove of  claim 8 , wherein the palmer region further includes an outer layer of material that extends from the upper edge to the lower edge thereof and from a first side proximate the thumb portion to a second side remote therefrom, and wherein the outer layer of material is secured to a peripheral outer edge of the intermediate area and along an upper edge of the palmer cuff and does extend across either of the intermediate area and the palmer cuff; and wherein the outer layer is a non-elastic material. 
     
     
         10 . The glove of  claim 9 , wherein the material of the outer layer has a coefficient of friction greater than a coefficient of friction of the elastic material used in the intermediate area and palmer cuff. 
     
     
         11 . The glove of  claim 9 , wherein the elastic material of the intermediate area extends outwardly beyond the peripheral edge where it is secured to the outer layer, and extends for a distance underneath the outer layer, thereby forming an inner layer of elastic material in the palmer region. 
     
     
         12 . The glove of  claim 11 , wherein the inner layer and outer layer are fixedly secured together at intervals. 
     
     
         13 . The glove of  claim 11 , wherein the inner layer is generally D-shaped having an arcuate leading edge that terminates approximate midway between the upper and lower edges of the palmer region. 
     
     
         14 . The glove of  claim 11 , wherein the inner layer extends from proximate the upper edge of the palmer region to the lower edge thereof, and from proximate the first side thereof to the second side thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The glove of  claim 11 , further comprising a first region of breathable fabric secured between the first side of the palmer region and the thumb portion and a second region of breathable fabric secured between the upper edge of the palmer region and the finger portion. 
     
     
         16 . The sports glove of  claim 1  wherein the dorsal region and palmer region define a cavity and the cavity includes a first cavity region that is partially bounded by an elastic inner layer secured to the palmer region. 
     
     
         17 . The sports glove of  claim 16 , wherein the cavity further includes a second cavity region adjacent the finger portions and the second cavity region is substantially free of elastic material. 
     
     
         18 . The sports glove of  claim 17 , wherein the second cavity region is larger than the first cavity region when the elastic inner layer is in a relaxed condition. 
     
     
         19 . The sports glove of  claim 18 , wherein the first cavity region expands when a hand is inserted into the glove and returns to its original size when the hand is retained in the first and second cavities. 
     
     
         20 . The glove of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of protective pads provided in one or all of the dorsal region, the finger portion and the thumb portion, and wherein the palmer region and the lower edge thereof is substantially free of protective pads.