Performance Gloves

Abstract

The present invention relates to sports apparatus and equipment, and uses thereof, used in playing the game of various sports. The present invention and its multi-sport glove embodiments significantly enhance the overall performance in athletic tasks and/or execution commonly associated during sports play, particularly in, but not limited to, football and golf by configuring to meet the specific requirements of a football quarterback's throwing hand and a golfer's dominant hand, for example. The present invention unique finger configurations completely cover the thumb and pinkie finger of a user's hand. Additionally, at least a portion of the user's forefinger, middle finger and ring finger are uncovered. Furthermore, the present invention may offer grip enhancers on the palm area, the thumb segment or on any existing finger segments. Additionally, the present invention may offer protective properties on the dorsal segment of the glove and any wrist portion thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A glove comprising:
 a body comprising a palmar portion and a dorsal portion for overlaying a respective back and palm region of a human hand when the glove is worn;   wherein said dorsal and palmar portions have distal and proximal ends with a plurality of digital segments projecting from said distal ends, the plurality of digital segments including a first digital segment that is adapted to completely enclose a user's thumb including the fingertip of said thumb when the glove is worn, and a second digital segment that is adapted to completely enclose the user's pinkie finger including the fingertip of said pinkie finger when the glove is worn, and   a third digital segment that is adapted to overlay the user's forefinger, wherein said third digital segment is adapted to overlay a proximal phalanx and leave exposed at least a fingertip of the user's forefinger when the glove is worn, and   a fourth digital segment that is adapted to overlay the user's middle finger, wherein said fourth digital segment is adapted to overlay a proximal phalanx and leave exposed at least a fingertip of the user's middle finger when the glove is worn, and   a fifth digital segment that is adapted to overlay the user's ring finger, wherein said fifth digital segment is adapted to overlay a proximal phalanx and leave exposed at least a fingertip of the user's ring finger when the glove is worn, thereby providing a unique sports glove enhancing the grip capabilities along critical areas of the user's digital segments while maintaining or heightening tactile sensitivities along the exposed fingertips of the user's middle, ring and forefinger of the user's hand; and   wherein said dorsal portion comprises a securement opening means whereby said securement opening means is adapted to allow the user to engage and disengage the glove during active sports activities.   
     
     
         2 . The glove as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said third digital segment that is designed to expose the user's distal phalanx such that the skin of the user's finger can touch a device or sporting object such as a football or golf club when the glove is worn; and,
 wherein said fourth digital segment that is designed to expose the user's distal phalanx such that the skin of the user's finger can touch a device or sporting object such as a football or golf club when the glove is worn; and   wherein said fifth digital segment that is designed to expose the user's distal phalanx such that the skin of the user's finger can touch a device or sporting object such as a football or golf club when the glove is worn.   
     
     
         3 . The glove as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said glove body palmar portion is designed to overlay the entire palm of the user's hand when the glove is worn. 
     
     
         4 . The glove as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said glove further comprises moisture management recesses. 
     
     
         5 . The glove as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said dorsal portion further comprises of a slit; and,
 wherein said securement opening means comprises of a strap and strap capture mechanism, and is positioned along the glove body dorsal portion whereby a user can extend the strap across said slit and engage the strap capture mechanism, thereby allowing the user to tightly secure the glove on the user's hand.   
     
     
         6 . A glove comprising:
 a body comprising a palmar portion and a dorsal portion for overlaying a respective back and palm region of a human hand when the glove is worn;   wherein said dorsal and palmar portions have distal and proximal ends with a plurality of digital segments projecting from said distal ends, the plurality of digital segments including a first digital segment that is adapted to completely enclose a user's thumb including the fingertip of said thumb when the glove is worn, and a second digital segment that is adapted to completely enclose the user's pinkie finger including the fingertip of said pinkie finger when the glove is worn, and   a third digital segment that is adapted to overlay the user's forefinger, wherein said third digital segment is adapted to overlay a proximal phalanx and leave exposed at least a fingertip of the user's forefinger when the glove is worn, and   a fourth digital segment that is adapted to overlay the user's middle finger, wherein said fourth digital segment is adapted to overlay a proximal phalanx and leave exposed at least a fingertip of the user's middle finger when the glove is worn, and   a fifth digital segment that is adapted to overlay the user's ring finger, wherein said fifth digital segment is adapted to overlay a proximal phalanx and leave exposed at least a fingertip of the user's ring finger when the glove is worn, thereby providing a unique sports glove enhancing the grip capabilities along critical areas of the user's digital segments while maintaining or heightening tactile sensitivities along the exposed fingertips of the user's middle, ring and forefinger of the user's hand; and   wherein said dorsal portion comprises a securement opening means whereby said securement opening means is adapted to allow the user to engage and disengage the glove during active sports activities.   
     
     
         7 . The glove as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said third digital segment that is designed to overlay the entire proximal phalanx but does not cover the fingertip of the user's forefinger when the glove is worn, thereby exposing the user's distal phalanx such that the skin of the user's finger can touch a device or sporting object such as a football or golf club when the glove is worn; and,
 wherein said fourth digital segment that is designed to overlay the entire proximal phalanx but does not cover the fingertip of the user's middle finger when the glove is worn, thereby exposing the user's distal phalanx such that the skin of the user's finger can touch a device or sporting object such as a football or golf club when the glove is worn; and, wherein said fifth digital segment that is designed to overlay the entire proximal phalanx but does not cover the fingertip of the user's ring finger when the glove is worn, thereby exposing the user's distal phalanx such that the skin of the user's finger can touch a device or sporting object such as a football or golf club when the glove is worn.   
     
     
         8 . The glove as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said glove body palmar portion is designed to overlay the entire palm of the user's hand when the glove is worn. 
     
     
         9 . The glove as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said glove further comprises moisture management recesses. 
     
     
         10 . The glove as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said glove further comprises a grip enhancing mechanism;
 wherein said grip enhancing mechanism comprises of a plurality of depressions, a plurality of projections, or a tackifier, and is adapted to create a higher coefficient of friction than the surrounding palmar surface area when the glove is worn.   
     
     
         11 . The glove as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said third digital segment has a distal terminal edge whereby said digital segment is designed to allow the user's forefinger to extend past the terminal edge to completely expose the distal phalanx when the glove is worn; and
 wherein said third digital segment distal terminal edge is stitched to prevent the material from fraying;   wherein said fourth digital segment has a distal terminal edge whereby said digital segment is designed to allow the user's middle finger to extend past the terminal edge to completely expose the distal phalanx when the glove is worn; and   wherein said fourth digital segment distal terminal edge is stitched to prevent the material from fraying;   wherein said fifth digital segment has a distal terminal edge whereby said digital segment is designed to allow the user's ring finger to extend past the terminal edge to completely expose the distal phalanx when the glove is worn; and   wherein said fifth digital segment distal terminal edge is stitched to prevent the material from fraying.   
     
     
         12 . A glove comprising:
 a body comprising a palmar portion and a dorsal portion for overlaying a respective back and palm region of a human hand when the glove is worn;   wherein said dorsal and palmar portions have distal and proximal ends with a plurality of digital segments projecting from said distal ends, the plurality of digital segments including a first digital segment that is adapted to completely enclose a user's thumb including the fingertip of said thumb when the glove is worn, and a second digital segment that is adapted to completely enclose the user's pinkie finger including the fingertip of said pinkie finger when the glove is worn, and   a third digital segment that is adapted to overlay the user's forefinger, wherein said third digital segment is adapted to overlay an entire proximal phalanx and leave exposed at least a fingertip of the user's forefinger when the glove is worn, and   a fourth digital segment that is adapted to overlay the user's middle finger, wherein said fourth digital segment is adapted to overlay an entire proximal phalanx and leave exposed at least a fingertip of the user's middle finger when the glove is worn, and   a fifth digital segment that is adapted to overlay the user's ring finger, wherein said fifth digital segment is adapted to overlay an entire proximal phalanx and leave exposed at least a fingertip of the user's ring finger when the glove is worn, thereby providing a unique sports glove enhancing the grip capabilities along critical areas of the user's digital segments while maintaining or heightening tactile sensitivities along the exposed fingertips of the user's middle, ring and forefinger of the user's hand; and   wherein said glove body having a wrist section with a dorsal portion and palmar portion; said wrist section dorsal portion comprises a securement opening means whereby said securement opening means is adapted to allow the user to engage and disengage the glove during active sports activities.   
     
     
         13 . The glove as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said third digital segment has a distal terminal edge whereby said digital segment is designed to allow the user's forefinger to extend past the terminal edge to expose the distal phalanx when the glove is worn; and
 wherein said third digital segment distal terminal edge is stitched;   wherein said fourth digital segment has a distal terminal edge whereby said digital segment is designed to allow the user's middle finger to extend past the terminal edge to expose the distal phalanx when the glove is worn; and   wherein said fourth digital segment distal terminal edge is stitched;   wherein said fifth digital segment has a distal terminal edge whereby said digital segment is designed to allow the user's ring finger to extend past the terminal edge to expose the distal phalanx when the glove is worn; and   wherein said fifth digital segment distal terminal edge is stitched.   
     
     
         14 . The glove as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said third digital segment that is designed to not cover any portion of the user's fingertip of the user's forefinger when the glove is worn, thereby exposing the user's entire distal phalanx such that the skin of the user's finger can touch a device or sporting object such as a football or golf club when the glove is worn; and,
 wherein said fourth digital segment that is designed to not cover any portion of the user's fingertip of the user's middle finger when the glove is worn, thereby exposing the user's entire distal phalanx such that the skin of the user's finger can touch a device or sporting object such as a football or golf club when the glove is worn; and,   wherein said fifth digital segment that is designed to not cover any portion of the user's fingertip of the user's middle finger when the glove is worn, thereby exposing the user's entire distal phalanx such that the skin of the user's finger can touch a device or sporting object such as a football or golf club when the glove is worn.   
     
     
         15 . The glove as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said glove further comprises a grip enhancing mechanism;
 wherein said grip enhancing mechanism comprises of a plurality of depressions, a plurality of projections, or a tackifier, and is adapted to create a higher coefficient of friction than the surrounding palmar surface area when the glove is worn.   
     
     
         16 . The glove as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said dorsal portion further comprises of a slit; and,
 wherein said securement opening means comprises of a strap and strap capture mechanism, and is positioned along the glove body dorsal portion whereby a user can extend the strap across said slit and engage the strap capture mechanism, thereby allowing the user to tightly secure the glove on the user's hand.   
     
     
         17 . The glove as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said glove body dorsal portion has an aperture, said aperture designed to extend across a metacarpophalangeal joint of the user's hand when the glove is worn. 
     
     
         18 . The glove as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said glove body dorsal portion has an aperture, said aperture is shaped in the form of a heart. 
     
     
         19 . The glove as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said glove body comprises a wrist portion and is adapted to overlay the user's wrist when the glove is worn; and
 wherein said wrist section dorsal portion further comprises of a slit; and,   wherein said securement opening means comprises of a strap and strap capture mechanism, and is positioned along the glove body dorsal portion whereby a user can extend the strap across said slit and engage the strap capture mechanism, thereby allowing the user to tightly secure the glove on the user's hand.   
     
     
         20 . The glove as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said glove further comprises of moisture management recesses; and,
 wherein said recesses are in the shape of hearts.