Waterproof Taped Glove and Mitten with Laminated Leather

Abstract

A leather laminating method and an apparatus manufactured by applying the leather laminating method. A waterproof membrane may be sandwiched between two layers of breathable materials, and a waterproof breathable (WPB) material may be formed. The WPB material may be laminated to a leather material by using a dot adhesive, and a laminate construction may be created. The laminate construction may be cut into pieces, and the pieces may be sewn together into a hand-covering garment. The garment may be taped at seams to prevent water from passing through the garment.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a dorsal section and a palmar section, wherein the dorsal section and the palmar section are made of a laminate construction;   wherein the laminate construction includes at least two materials laminated to each other;   wherein a first of the at least two materials is leather and wherein a second of the at least two materials is a waterproof breathable material;   wherein the waterproof breathable material comprises a plurality of layers; wherein one of the plurality of layers is a waterproof membrane; wherein the waterproof membrane is sandwiched between at least two other layers of the plurality of layers; wherein the at least two other layers of the plurality of layers are made of breathable materials; and   wherein the palmar section is joined with the dorsal section.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the palmar section and the dorsal section are sewn to each other to form at least one seam;
 wherein the at least one seam is taped to prevent water from penetrating through the at least one seam.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laminate construction further comprises an adhesive material placed between the leather material and the waterproof breathable material. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the adhesive material is a dot adhesive material. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the leather material is one of the following: a natural leather material and a synthetic leather material. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the leather material is perforated. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the waterproof breathable material is a shell fabric sandwich, wherein the shell fabric sandwich comprises a face fabric layer, the waterproof membrane, and a tricot or woven backer. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the waterproof breathable material is a soft shell fabric sandwich, wherein the soft shell fabric “sandwich” comprises a face fabric layer, the waterproof membrane, and a fleece or tricot backer. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the waterproof breathable material is a pocket-liner fabric sandwich, wherein the pocket-liner fabric sandwich comprises the waterproof membrane, and two layers of tricot or woven backer which are laid above and below the waterproof membrane. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing hand-covering garments comprising the steps of:
 forming a waterproof breathable construction by sandwiching a waterproof membrane between at least two layers, wherein the at least two layers are made of breathable materials;   forming a laminate construction by using an adhesive material to laminate the waterproof breathable construction to a leather material;   cutting the laminate construction into pieces; and   sewing the pieces of the laminate construction into a hand-covering garment.   
     
     
         11 . The method of manufacturing hand-covering garments of  claim 10 , comprising:
 creating seams along a line of sewing of the pieces of the laminate construction to each other; and   waterproofing the hand-covering garment by taping said seams.   
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacturing hand-covering garments of  claim 10 , comprising:
 sewing the pieces of the laminate construction into a glove, wherein the glove is formed in a “reverse-gunn-cut” pattern.   
     
     
         13 . The method of manufacturing hand-covering garments of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 providing a pre-curve fit at the top portion by including darts.   
     
     
         14 . The method of manufacturing hand-covering garments of  claim 10 , comprising:
 sewing the pieces of the laminate construction into a glove, wherein the glove is formed by sewing a dorsal section and a palmar section to each other;   wherein the palmar section includes a front portion of four finger cavities other than a thumb cavity; and   wherein the dorsal section includes a back portion of a second and a fifth finger cavity.   
     
     
         15 . A hand-covering garment, comprising:
 a dorsal section and a palmar section, wherein the dorsal section and the palmar section are made of a laminate construction;   wherein the laminate construction includes at least two materials laminated to each other;   wherein a first of the at least two materials is leather and wherein a second of the at least two materials is a waterproof breathable material;   wherein the waterproof breathable material comprises a plurality of layers that are stacked on top of each other to form a “sandwich” of layers; wherein one of the plurality of layers is a waterproof membrane; wherein the waterproof membrane is sandwiched between at least two other layers of the plurality of layers; wherein the at least two other layers of the plurality of layers are made of breathable materials;   wherein the sandwich of layers is one of the following: a shell fabric sandwich, a soft shell fabric sandwich, and a pocket-liner fabric sandwich, and   wherein the palmar section is joined with the dorsal section.   
     
     
         16 . The hand-covering garment of  claim 15 , wherein the shell fabric “sandwich” comprises a face fabric layer, the waterproof membrane, and a tricot or woven backer. 
     
     
         17 . The hand-covering garment of  claim 15 , wherein the soft shell fabric sandwich comprises a face fabric layer, the waterproof membrane, and a fleece or tricot backer. 
     
     
         18 . The hand-covering garment of  claim 15 , wherein the pocket-liner fabric sandwich comprises the waterproof membrane and two layers of tricot or woven backer that are laid above and below the waterproof membrane. 
     
     
         19 . The hand-covering garment of  claim 15  is one of the following: long-gauntlet glove, under-cuff glove, long-gauntlet mitten, and under-cuff mitten. 
     
     
         20 . The hand-covering garment of  claim 15 , wherein a top portion of the garment includes darts which provide a pre-curve fit at the top portion.