Disclosed herein are flexible energy absorbing systems and methods of manufacturing flexible energy absorbing systems. The systems include one or more cells of a strain rate sensitive material and having a re-entrant geometry. Some of the systems have an anisotropic geometry to provide a different response to impacts from different directions.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to an enhanced auxetic composite material (EACM) of a base thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and/or a thermoset material combined with an auxetic material, the composite formed with a molding process, where the base material is injected or dripped into or injected, dripped or formed around the auxetic material, the composite material providing higher impact performance than the individual materials. In an illustrative example, combining various energy absorbing materials with auxetic materials may further enhance impact performance. In some examples, TPE material injected into auxetic structures may fill internal voids. In some examples, the auxetic material may be suspended within the TPE material and be encapsulated around the auxetic material form. Auxetic materials may take various forms, for example, sheets, 3-D structures, and particles, each providing unique benefits. Various embodiments included within various personal protection articles may advantageously provide long life and enhance impact resistance.

According to the various features characteristics and embodiments of the present invention which will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds, the present invention provides partially fingered gloves intended to increase the overall performance in sports activities including but limited to football and golf. Primarily because of its unique finger configurations, and/or grip enhancers, and/or hand protective properties, the present invention makes a glove more operable in various sports activities.

Garments made from a composite, protective fabric are disclosed. The composite fabric has textile layers placed in proximity to metallic mesh layers of woven stainless steel mesh. The metal mesh layers formed from any metal which forms suitable fibers. The textile layers are fabric formed with well-known fabric fibers selected from those including para-aramid fibers, meta-aramid fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, polyethylene terephthalate fibers, cellulose fibers, polyamide fibers, a mixture of para-aramid fibers and meta-aramid fibers, and a mixture of para-aramid fibers and carbon fibers. Forming the non-metal textile layers is by any suitable method for interlacing yarns including weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, or felting, or combinations thereof. The garments made using the fabric include gloves, bullet proof vests and chain-saw resistant trousers.

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a glove, having a palm-side base material, a backhand-side base material attached to the palm-side base material, and at least one repositionable finger covering operable to selectively cover a finger. A respective repositionable finger covering of the at least one repositionable finger covering is positionable in a finger-covering configuration, in which a finger is not exposed from the glove, and is positionable in a finger-exposed configuration, in which the finger is exposed from the glove while the glove is on a user's hand. When in the finger-covering configuration, a portion of the respective repositionable finger covering is overlapped by the palm-side base material such that the portion of the respective repositionable finger covering is arrangable underneath the palm-side base material.

A work glove with a hand-receiving cavity and a thumb tube and four elongated finger tubes. A resilient pad attaches in a portion selected for providing resistance to industrial loading. A polymer coating encapsulates at least a portion of an exterior surface and the resilient pad within a continuous film, the resilient pad and the polymer coating defining in situ an interfacial miscible layer comprising portions of the resilient pad bonded with the polymer coating, which continuous film resists chemical penetration therethrough while the resilient pad resists industrial loading during use of the work glove.

A sports glove includes a wrist portion defining an opening, a palm portion having a palm side and a backside, a thumb stall and a plurality of finger stalls extending from the palm portion. The palm side comprises a fabric layer bordering an interior of the glove, and a resilient polymer layer on an outer surface of the fabric layer. At least first and second grooves are formed into the polymer layer. The finger stalls include an index finger stall, a middle stall, a ring finger stall and a pinky stall. The first groove forms a thumb base bending line extending from at or adjacent to the opening along the palm portion to a juncture of the thumb stall and the index finger stall. The second groove forms an upper mid-palm bending line extending across the palm portion adjacent at least the pinky finger stall and the ring finger stall.

Disclosed herein are flexible energy absorbing systems and methods of manufacturing flexible energy absorbing systems. The systems include one or more cells of a strain rate sensitive material and having a re-entrant geometry. Some of the systems have an anisotropic geometry to provide a different response to impacts from different directions.

A first glove may include a pinky, ring, middle, index, and thumb finger sections which are configured to receive a person's pinky, ring, middle, index, and thumb fingers of the person's first hand. At least one of the pinky, ring, middle, index, and thumb finger sections, may have a padded outer portion on the palm-side of the first glove. The first glove may have a palm section to which the pinky, ring, middle, index, and thumb finger sections, are connected, on which at least a first further padded outer portion is located on the palm-side of the first glove. Each of the pinky, ring, middle, index, and thumb finger sections may have a padded outer portion on the palm-side of the first glove. The palm section of the first glove may have second and third further padded outer portions located on the palm-side of the first glove.