Abstract
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 partial hand covers and the use of said covers, intended to increase the overall performance in sports activities. More specifically, the present invention offers strategic openings in select areas of the palm, creating substantial and significant advantages for the user, in playing the sports of football, golf and basketball.
Claims
1. A method of shooting a basketball comprising the following steps: a. providing a basketball glove comprising: a partial palmless glove, said partial palmless glove having a palmar portion that is adapted to overlay a palm of a user's hand, said glove having one opening extending substantially in a middle of the palmar portion of the glove; b. placing the glove onto a shooting hand such that the glove opening does not expose any portion of the user's palmar digital crease and the opening does not extend along a thumb bulge of the shooting hand; wherein said one opening substantially in the middle of the glove palmar portion is positioned such that it exposes the middle of the user's palm when glove is worn; wherein said one opening is of substantially size such that it can enable the skin of the user's palm to touch the basketball; c. gripping a basketball with the shooting hand using a preferred shooting grip; d. shooting said basketball toward a basketball basket; e. determining if the basketball was shot while maintaining proper shooting form by noticing if said basketball touched the skin of the exposed palm of the user's shooting hand.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein a substantial portion of the middle of the user's palm of the shooting hand is exposed and the thumb, forefinger, middle finger and ring finger of the shooting hand are all completely uncovered.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one opening is of substantial size to allow a user's exposed skin to touch the basketball; and wherein the glove opening does not expose the thumb bulge of the shooting hand, and comprises a middle finger segment that overlays a middle finger of the shooting hand, a forefinger segment that overlays a forefinger of the shooting hand, and a thumb segment that overlays a thumb of the shooting hand.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said basketball glove palmar portion exposes the fingertips of a pinkie finger, a ring finger, a middle finger, and a forefinger of the user's hand; and wherein said opening is further bounded by a hypothenar eminence and therefore does not expose the hypothenar eminence of the user's palm; wherein said glove further comprises a grip-enhancing means that is positioned along the a top portion of the palmar portion of the glove thereby allowing the user to better control a basketball; and wherein said glove leaves the user's ring finger and pinkie finger both completely uncovered.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said one opening is the only opening on the glove palmar portion overlaying the user's palm; and wherein said glove palmar portion has a top portion and PVC dots positioned along said top portion.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said glove further comprises a middle finger segment that covers only the first knuckle of the user's middle finger thereby covering said middle finger about a one-third the way up, to about the first knuckle; and wherein said glove further comprises a ring finger segment that covers up to a first knuckle of a ring finger, thereby only a proximal phalanx of the user's ring finger is covered; and wherein said one opening is further bounded by the hypothenar eminence, and therefore does not extend to expose the hypothenar eminence of the user's palm.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said basketball glove comprises of a partial palmless glove, said partial palmless glove having a palmar portion for overlaying the entire palm of a user's hand, said glove having an opening extending across the middle area of the palm of the user's hand; and wherein said palmar portion is adapted to cover the metacarpophalangeal joints of a pinkie finger, ring finger, middle finger, forefinger, and thumb of the user's hand; wherein said palmar portion is adapted to overlay a thumb bulge of the user's hand; and wherein said opening extends substantially in the middle of the palmar portion of the glove, thereby said opening extends to leave exposed only a shooter's gap region of the user's palm, and thereby allowing the user to focus attention on maintaining the shooter's gap region from touching the basketball while shooting the basketball, and providing instant feedback if said shooter's gap is breached by the basketball touching the exposed palm portion.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said palmar portion further comprises of a grip-enhancing means; wherein said grip-enhancing means positioned on a top portion of the user's palm and thereby increasing the grip along the user's metacarpophalangeal joints when gripping a basketball with the shooting hand using a preferred shooting grip.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said basketball glove palmar portion further comprises of a grip-enhancing means; wherein said grip-enhancing means is positioned to overlay a top portion of the user's palm and thereby increasing the grip along the user's metacarpophalangeal joints when gripping a basketball with the shooting hand using a preferred shooting grip; wherein said grip-enhancing means consists of a plurality of projections.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWING
(1) It is expressly understood that the following descriptions and drawing are for illustration purposes only, and in no way are intended to limit the scope of the present invention and its various embodiments. For example, the drawings are of drawings of embodiments for the left hand but can easily be created for the right hand, and can be used by men and women, boy and girls.
(2) FIG. 1 is a drawing of an embodiment for the right hand, as claimed in claim 1
(3) FIG. 2 is a drawing of an embodiment for the right hand, as claimed in claim 1.
(4) FIG. 3 is a drawing of an embodiment for the right hand, as claimed in claim 1.
(5) FIG. 4 is a drawing of an embodiment for the right hand, as claimed in claim 8.
(6) FIG. 5 is a drawing of an embodiment for the right hand, as claimed in claim 8.
(7) FIG. 6 is a drawing of an embodiment for the right hand, as claimed in claim 8.
(8) FIG. 7 is a drawing showing where the hand of a quarterback generally touches a football.
(9) FIG. 8 is a drawing showing the three basic way a golf club crosses the palm area of a user.
(10) FIG. 9 is a drawing of a typical way of gripping a golf putter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(11) It is expressly understood that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.
(12) In FIG. 1, the present invention, under claim 1, is shown as a partial-fingered glove. This particular glove could be made of cabretta leather to offer moisture and perspiration resistance. The Thumb and Forefingers 10 are entirely covered by the glove. The Middle Finger 11 is also entirely covered. The Ring and Pinkie Fingers 12 are both entirely uncovered. Substantially the middle of the palm is uncovered 13. The recess in the palm leaves uncovered the center of the palm and extends all the way down through the heel crease 14. It has a length of 2 inches and a width of up to 1.5 inches, narrowing down as it approaches the wrist crease. This embodiment leaves a larger opening which could be used particularly during drills, whereby even a slight violation of allowing the basketball to touch the palm area, would be felt. This embodiment also has PVC dots along the fingers 15 as well as along the top portion of the palm 16, thereby significantly increasing control of a basketball. The glove, as claimed in claim 5, could also comprise of other grip-enhancing of materials forms and designs such as, but not limited to, grooves, foams, fabrics or combinations thereof. The novel features of this embodiment allow a player to focus her attention on maintaining a shooters gap while attempting a shot, and provides for instant feedback if said gap is breached and the shot violates the gap and touches the open area of the palm.
(13) In FIG. 2, the present invention, also under claim 1, is shown as a partial-fingered glove. This particular glove can be made of polyester and cotton for superior comfort. The Thumb and Forefingers 20 are entirely covered, The Middle, Ring and Pinkie Fingers 21 are all partially covered, about one-third the way up the fingers, to about the first knuckle. The middle area of the palm 22 is open, but much more narrowly. The opening is substantially on the middle of the palm area, having a radius of about 1 inch. Similar embodiments could range from 0.5 to 1.25 in radius. This embodiment could be used in actual basketball game play, where the player would be alerted if he/she was using improper form, but only if the violation was severe. This embodiment can also have a grip enhancing design, in the form of grooves, along the perimeter of the open palm. It is made of perspirant-resistant materials and spandex. The embodiment, for example, could further comprise a weather-resistant and perspirant-resistant forms and designs including water-resistant materials or hole designs for moisture management, or combinations thereof. The glove can have grooves throughout said fingertip 23 to further enhance grip. Furthermore, it has PVC dots across the top of the palm, to increase grip. It is circular in shape. This embodiment may prove most useful with actual game play.
(14) In FIG. 3, the present invention, under claim 1, is shown as an all open-fingered glove. The inside palm area 31 is uncovered is a diamond shape, yet still substantially in the middle of the palm area. It follows the edge of the thumb bulge but not on it 32. Furthermore, it is bounded by the palmar digital crease 33 and the hypothenar eminence 34. In addition, has a highlighted area along the perimeter of the opening 35, so that trainers can more easily see if violation taking place. This embodiment can further comprise of other various types of materials, forms, and designs including stretch materials and designs, mesh fabrics, recycled and flexible materials, cottons, rayon, spandex, fleece, leathers and synthetic leathers, rubbers, plastics, polyester, or combinations thereof. This embodiment might be particularly attractive to the amateur and intermediate basketball players who want to ensure proper shooting form is being executed. Additionally, these players would also appreciate the grip enhancer capabilities having a grip enhancer along the top portion of the palm area 36, where the basketball often touches the hand and is used to maneuver the basketball.
(15) FIG. 4 is a drawing of the present invention, as claimed in claim 8, shown as a partial-finger, palmless glove. Specifically, the thumb 40, forefinger 41 and middle fingers 42 are essentially entirely covered. The ring finger 43 and pinkie finger 44 are completely uncovered. Furthermore, the palm is partially open 45. The length of the palm opening is about 3 inches in length and about 1.5 inches in width. In this embodiment note that the top of the grip lies below the hypothenar muscle bulge and that it lies in the lower palm between the hypothenar eminence and the base of the middle finger 42. Note that the grip lies diagonally across the lower palm so that it crosses the proximal phalanx of the middle finger. When the fingers are closed, three fingers of the left hand (3rd, 4th, 5th fingers) are primarily responsible for gripping the club grip firmly in the left hand. The index finger lies more loosely across the grip. One should remember that the left hand golf grip is primarily a three-finger grip, and not a palm grip. The left 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers are primarily responsible for gripping the club, and the grip pressure should be firmit should not be possible to pull the grip end of the club out of the left hand if another person pulls on the clubhead end of the club, and it should not be possible for that person to twist the club in one's left hand if he attempts to twist the clubhead end of the club. A golfer must maintain a solid hand grip (using the right 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers) should always be firm. The embodiment can comprise of various a weather-resistant and perspirant-resistant materials, forms and designs including, but not limited to, water-resistant materials or hole designs for moisture management, or combinations thereof.
(16) FIG. 5 is a drawing of an embodiment for the right hand, as claimed in claim 8. This embodiment is most useful for those uses who grip the golf club along the D line as represented in FIG. 8. All fingers are essentially completely covered 50. The open palm 51 is opened just below the palmar digital crease, and extends down up to 2.5 inches.
(17) FIG. 6 is a drawing of an embodiment for the right hand, as claimed in claim 8.
(18) This embodiment is most useful for those uses who grip the golf club along the C line as represented in FIG. 8. This is also referred to as a mid-palmar grip pattern, because it runs across the middle of the left palm, and it lies across/over the hypothenar eminence (heel pad). The palm opening would, therefore, mimic this path 60. The opening length would be about 4 inches, to be able to cross most of the palm. The width of the opening would be about 1.5 inches (thinner than FIG. 5 because these embodiments would not be applicable to other sports, such as football). The thumb 61, forefinger 62 and middle finger 63 are all essentially completely covered. The ring finger 64 has its fingertip uncovered. The pinkie finger top two joints are also uncovered 65.
(19) FIG. 7 is a drawing showing where the hand of a quarterback generally touches a football. The shaded areas designate where the football is supposed to touch a quarterbacks throwing hand. Providing an opening on and below the palmar digital crease would therefore provide significant feel opportunities with the standard football grip.
(20) FIG. 8 is a drawing showing the three basic way a golf club crosses the palm area of a user.
(21) The D line represents what is called a distance grip pattern. This grip pattern is often described as a finger grip pattern. As the title suggests, this grip is maintained on and just below the fingers.
(22) The N line represents what is called a neutral grip pattern. It is also called a low palmar grip pattern, because the grip lies across the low palm, and it is below the hypothenar eminence (heel pad).
(23) The C line represents what is called a control grip pattern. It is also referred to as a mid-palmar grip pattern, because it runs across the middle of the left palm, and it lies across/over the hypothenar eminence (heel pad).
(24) FIG. 9 is a drawing of a typical way of gripping a golf putter. It shows how providing a glove with a strategically placed opening on the palm would allow a golfer to be able to feel the putter and not have to therefore remove the glove.
