Goalkeeper catching glove

Abstract

A goalkeeper catching glove has a front portion, a rear portion, and a trap. The goalkeeper catching glove is movable between an at rest position and a closed position. The goalkeeper catching glove is normally biased toward the at rest position. The goalkeeper catching glove has a perimeter. A projection of the perimeter of the goalkeeper catching glove in the at rest position onto a plane disposed in front of the goalkeeper catching glove having an at rest surface area. The at rest surface area is at least 90 percent of a maximum surface area. The maximum surface area corresponds to a projection of the perimeter of the goalkeeper catching glove onto the plane in a position of the goalkeeper catching glove providing a largest possible surface area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A goalkeeper catching glove comprising:
 a front portion defining a cuff region, a thumb region, a finger region, and a palm region,   the palm region being concave;   a rear portion connected to the front portion, the front portion and the rear portion defining therebetween a space for receiving a hand of a goalkeeper; and   a trap connected to at least one of the front portion or the rear portion, the trap extending between the thumb region and the finger region,   the goalkeeper catching glove being movable between an at rest position and a closed position,   the goalkeeper catching glove being normally biased toward the at rest position,   the goalkeeper catching glove having a perimeter,   a projection of the perimeter of the goalkeeper catching glove in the at rest position onto a plane disposed in front of the goalkeeper catching glove having an at rest surface area,   the at rest surface area being at least 90 percent of a maximum surface area, and   the maximum surface area corresponding to a projection of the perimeter of the goalkeeper catching glove onto the plane in a position of the goalkeeper catching glove providing a largest possible surface area.   
     
     
         2 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 1 , wherein the at rest surface area is at least 95 percent of the maximum surface area. 
     
     
         3 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 2 , wherein the at rest surface area is the maximum surface area. 
     
     
         4 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 1 , wherein the front portion is shaped such that in the at rest position the hand of the goalkeeper received in the space is in a relaxed position. 
     
     
         5 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the front portion comprises an impact resistant member;   the impact resistant member is disposed at least in the thumb region, the finger region, and the palm region; and   the impact resistant member biases the goalkeeper catching glove toward the at rest position.   
     
     
         6 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 5 , wherein the impact resistant member is made from plastic. 
     
     
         7 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 5 , wherein the impact resistant member is a molded unitary impact resistant member. 
     
     
         8 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 5 , wherein the front portion further comprises a facing connected to a front of the impact resistant member. 
     
     
         9 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 5 , wherein the front portion further comprises a foam backing connected to a back of the impact resistant member. 
     
     
         10 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 5 , wherein the front portion further comprises an inner member connected to the impact resistant member, the inner member being disposed between the impact resistant member and the rear portion. 
     
     
         11 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 10 , wherein the inner member is made of from foam. 
     
     
         12 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 5 , wherein the impact resistant member is a unitary impact resistant member, the unitary impact resistant member spanning at least a majority of the cuff region, at least a majority of the thumb region, at least a majority of the finger region, and at least a majority of the palm region. 
     
     
         13 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 1 , further comprising a hand covering disposed in the space, the hand covering being configured for receiving the hand of the goalkeeper, and the hand covering being selectively removably connected to an inner side of the front portion. 
     
     
         14 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 13 , wherein the hand covering is selectively removably connected to an inner side of the front portion via hook and loop fasteners. 
     
     
         15 . The goalkeeper catching glove of  claim 13 , wherein the hand covering is a glove having four finger stalls and one thumb stall.