Glove having reinforced fingertips

Abstract

A glove has a segment secured to an inside surface of one or more finger and/or a thumb. The segment is fully contained within the distal most portions of the one or more finger and/or thumb and does not overlap with any knuckle of the user's finger. The segment doubles the layer of material of the glove in the pad region of the fingertip to improve wear length or wear resistance of the glove.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A glove comprising at least one finger having a palm side and a back side, the at least one finger having a bend region positioned so as to not overlie a distal interphalangeal joint of the user, a segment secured to an inner surface of the palm side of the at least one figure and not overlapping the bend region. 
     
     
         2 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the glove comprises a thumb having a palm side and a back side, the thumb having a bend region positioned so as to not overlie a distal interphalangeal joint of the user, another segment secured to an inner surface of the palm side of the thumb and not overlapping the bend region. 
     
     
         3 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the glove comprises four fingers and each finger has a segment secured to an inner surface of the palm side and not overlapping the bend region. 
     
     
         4 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the segment and the palm side of the finger are formed of the same material. 
     
     
         5 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the segment and the palm side of the finger are formed from different materials. 
     
     
         6 . The glove of  claim 5 , wherein the materials forming the segment and the palm side of the finger share at least one of an abrasion resistance, bend resistance, shear resistance, stretch damping, stretch limit, fold limit, density, and porosity. 
     
     
         7 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the segment is adhered to the inner surface of the palm side of the at least one finger by glue that extends to at least the edge of the segment closest to the bend region. 
     
     
         8 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the segment has an edge that is spaced from an edge of the palm side of the at least one finger such that a gap exists between the edge of the segment and the edge of the palm side of the at least one finger. 
     
     
         9 . The glove of  claim 8 , wherein the gap is between 1 mm and 2 mm when the glove is sewn. 
     
     
         10 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the back side comprises a first layer and a second layer secured to the first layer such that the second layer overlies at least a knuckle area. 
     
     
         11 . The glove of  claim 2 , wherein the back side of the glove and the back side of the thumb are formed of a stretchable material. 
     
     
         12 . The glove of  claim 2 , wherein the back side of the glove and the back side of the thumb are formed of a breathable material. 
     
     
         13 . The glove of  claim 2 , wherein the back side of the glove and the back side of the thumb are formed of a woven or knitted material. 
     
     
         14 . The glove of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the finger and a portion of the thumb are covered with a second layer of material having an increased wear resistance. 
     
     
         15 . The glove of  claim 14 , wherein the second layer of material is stitched over top of a base layer of material of the back side of the glove. 
     
     
         16 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the palm side further comprises at least one pad portion. 
     
     
         17 . A glove comprising a palm side and a back side, each of the palm side and the back side comprising portions that extend upwardly and form at least a portion of a first finger portion, a second finger portion, a third finger portion, a fourth finger portion, and a thumb portion, each of the first, second, third, and fourth finger portions having a bend region positioned so as to not overlie a distal interphalangeal joint of the user, and a segment secured to an inner surface of the palm side of the each of the finger portions and the thumb portion and not overlapping the bend region, wherein the segment and the palm side of the finger portions are formed of the same material. 
     
     
         18 . The glove of  claim 17 , wherein the palm side portions of the first, second, third, and fourth fingers are joined to the back side portions of the first, second, third, and fourth fingers by a boxed fourchette. 
     
     
         19 . The glove of  claim 18 , wherein fourchettes connect the back side and the palm side of the glove in regions between the first finger portion and the second finger portion, the second finger portion and the third finger portion, and the third finger portion and the fourth finger portion. 
     
     
         20 . The glove of  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the fourchettes is formed of a fabric material and a least a portion of the fourchettes is formed of a material with increased wear resistance.