HEATED GLOVE SYSTEM

Abstract

A heated glove system incorporates a heated glove with ultrathin resistive heaters that extend on both the backside and palm side of the glove to enable higher tactility and use. A resistive heater may be a thin metal foil that is planar on a substrate material. The resistive heater may extend along a backside portion of the glove and extend up along the finger portions of the backside portion and also along a palm portion and extend up along the finger portion of the palm portion. In this way, a hand is heated on both the backside and palm side substantially over the entire surfaces. The heated glove incorporates a battery, that may be a rechargeable battery and a controller interface having an on/off button and temperature indicator and may include a wireless signal transceiver for relaying information about glove temperatures to a remote electronic device.

Claims

1. A heated glove system comprising a heated glove comprising: a) a backside portion comprising: i) a backside hand portion and finger portions; b) a palm portion comprising: i) a palm-side hand portion; c) an interior configured between the backside portion and the palm portion; d) a resistive heater comprising: i) a backside heater portion comprising: a backside hand heater portion; and backside finger heaters; ii) a palm-side heater portion comprising: a palm-side hand heater portion; and palm-side finger heaters; e) a controller interface; f) a battery to provide power to the heaters; and g) a temperature indicator.

2. The heated glove system of claim 1, wherein the resistive heater comprises a heater grid including a resistive layer configured in a grid.

3. The heated glove system of claim 1, wherein the resistive layer of the heater grid is a metal foil having a thickness of 1 mm or less.

4. The heated glove system of claim 3, wherein the resistive heater has a thickness of no more than 3 mm.

5. The heated glove system of claim 1, wherein the backside portion includes an exterior material, and wherein the palm-side portion includes an exterior material that is different than said exterior material of the backside portion.

6. The heated glove system of claim 5, further comprising a friction material configured on the exterior material of the palm-side portion.

7. The heated glove system of claim 1, wherein the resistive heater is configured between an exterior material and interior material of both the backside portion and palm portion.

8. The heated glove system of claim 1, wherein the controller interface further comprises an on/off button.

9. The heated glove system of claim 1, wherein the controller interface further comprises a temperature indicator.

10. The heated glove system of claim 1, wherein the temperature indicator includes a light.

11. The heated glove system of claim 1, wherein the controller interface further comprises a charging port and wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

12. The heated glove system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless signal transceiver.

13. The heated glove system of claim 12, further comprising a remote electronic device having a wireless signal transceiver that interfaces with the wireless signal transceiver of the heated glove.

14. The heated glove system of claim 13, wherein the remote electronic device has a temperature display that shows a temperature of the heated glove.

15. The heated glove system of claim 13, wherein the remote electronic device has a temperature input to change a set temperature of the heated glove.

16. The heated glove system of claim 1, further comprising a conductive finger material configured on a palm-side of said finger portion.

17. The heated glove system of claim 1, wherein the conductive finger material is configured on said palm side of an index finger enclosure.

18. A heated glove system comprising a heated glove comprising: a) a backside portion comprising: i) a backside hand portion and backside finger portions; ii) an exterior material, and iii) an interior material; b) a palm portion comprising: i) a palm-side hand portion and palm-side finger portions; ii) a conductive finger material configured on an index finger enclosure of said palm-side finger portion; iii) an exterior material, and iv) an interior material; c) an interior configured between the backside portion and the palm portion; d) a resistive heater comprising: i) a backside heater portion comprising: a backside hand heater portion; and backside finger heaters; wherein the backside heater portion is configured between the exterior material and interior material of the backside portion; ii) a palm-side heater portion comprising: a palm-side hand heater portion; and palm-side finger heaters; wherein the palm-side heater portion is configured between the exterior material and interior material of the palm-side portion; e) a controller interface; f) a battery to provide power to the heaters; g) a temperature indicator; h) a wireless signal transceiver; i) a remote electronic device having a wireless signal transceiver that interfaces with the wireless signal transceiver of the heated glove; wherein the remote electronic device has a temperature display that shows a temperature of the heated glove; wherein the remote electronic device has a temperature input to change a set temperature of the heated glove.

19. The heated glove system of claim 18, wherein the resistive heater comprises a heater grid including a resistive layer configured in a grid and wherein the resistive layer of the heater grid is a metal foil having a thickness of 1 mm or less.

20. The heated glove system of claim 19, wherein the resistive heater has a thickness of no more than 3 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a backside of a heated glove system that includes a glove having a resistive heater powered by a battery and a controller interface to control the temperature of the glove.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a backside of a heated glove system that includes a heated glove having a heater grid extending from the backside portion of the glove along the backside of the finger portions of the glove.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a palm side of a heated glove system that includes a glove having a heater grid powered by a battery and a controller interface to control the temperature of the glove.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a palm side of a heated glove system that includes a glove having a heater grid including a heater grid extending from the palm portion of the glove along the palm side of the finger portions of the glove.

[0025] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary heated glove system communicating with a remote electronic device, such as a mobile phone, data regarding the temperature of the glove and wherein the remote electronic device is configured to control the temperature setting of the glove.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional view of the hand portion of the heated glove having a backside portion and palm portion, each with a resistive heater configured between an interior material and exterior material.

[0027] FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of finger portion of the heated glove having a backside portion and palm portion, each with a resistive heater configured between an interior material and exterior material.

[0028] FIG. 8 shows a football player wearing an exemplary heated glove and catching a football.

[0029] FIG. 9 shows a cross sectional view of an exemplary resistive heater having a resistive layer, such as a metal foil configured on a heater substrate and a heater cover layer.

[0030] FIG. 10 shows an expanded view of a heater grid having a resistive layer configured in a grid on a substrate and having individual grid elements with a grid width.

[0031] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Some of the figures may not show all of the features and components of the invention for ease of illustration, but it is to be understood that where possible, features and components from one figure may be an included in the other figures. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] As used herein, the terms comprises, comprising, includes, including, has, having or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, use of a or an are employed to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.

[0033] Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations, and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications, improvements are within the scope of the present invention.

[0034] Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 5, and exemplary heated glove system 10 comprises a heated glove 11 having a resistive heater 80 extending along the backside and also along a palm side of the glove. A resistive heater may be configured within both the palm portion and backside portion and may extend along the finger portions along the palm side and backside of the finger portions. The heated glove includes a controller interface 30 to control the temperature of the glove and a battery 36 to heat the resistive heater 60. The resistive heater may be a conductive resistor array that is printed of conductive material or etched to produce thin resistive elements.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1, the exemplary heated glove 11 has a controller interface 30 having a charging port 32 to charge the battery 36, an on/off button 33, a temperature indicator 34, a controller 35, and a wireless signal transceiver 38 for sending and/or receiving wireless signals 40. A temperature indicator may be integral with an on/off button wherein the on/off button can be interfaced with by pressing and may have a light that indicates a set temperature. Pressing the on/off button one time may turn the temperature indicator green, for a low temperature set point, pressing the on/off button a second time may change the temperature indicator yellow, to indicate a medium set temperature and pressing the on/off button a third time may change the temperature indicator red to indicate a high or highest set temperature. Pressing the on/off button may index through the set temperatures and then turn the heater off.

[0036] The heated glove 11 includes a cuff portion 20 with a cuff opening 21 into the interior 22 of the glove. The heated glove has a hand portion 26 and finger portions 25. The interior may have a fabric for contact with a person's hand. The heated glove 11 has a backside portion 24 including a backside hand portion 28 and finger portion 25 including individual finger enclosures including a thumb enclosure 50, index finger enclosure 51, a middle finger enclosure 52, a ring finger enclosure 53 and a little finger enclosure 54. The backside 23 of the heated glove 11 may include different materials and resistive heaters arrays than a palm side of the heated glove.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, an exemplary heated glove has a resistive heater 60 including a heater grid 62 including a backside heater portion 64 extending from the hand portion 26 along a backside portion 24 of the heated glove. The backside heater portion 64 extends from a backside hand heater portion 68 along the backside of the finger portions 25 and includes a thumb heater 70, an index finger heater 71, a middle finger heater 72, a ring finger heater 73 and a little finger heater 74, wherein each of the backside finger heaters extend within the backside portion 24 of the heated glove up along the individual finger portions 25.

[0038] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a palm side 27 of a heated glove 11 includes a palm-side hand portion 29 and finger portions 25 and a resistive heater 60 forming a heater grid 62 that includes an array of resistive elements 63. The palm-side heater portion 66 extends from palm-side hand heater portion 69 to palm-side finger heater portions 66 including a thumb heater 80, an index finger heater 81, a middle finger heater 82, a ring finger heater 83 and a little finger heater 84. Also, a conductive material 90, such as a layer or coating is configured over one of the finger portions, such as the index finger enclosure 51 of the heated glove.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 5, an exemplary heated glove system 10 is configured to communicate with a remote electronic device 42, such as a mobile phone 44. Data regarding the temperature of the glove may be transferred from the wireless signal transceiver 38 of the heated glove 11 to the wireless signal transceiver 48 of the remote electronic device 42. As shown on the display screen 43, a glove temperature 421 is displayed. Also, the remote electronic device 42 has an interface 47, such as a touch screen to produce a temperature input 41 for increasing or decreasing a set glove temperature 411. The remote electronic device 42 may also display battery level and other data regarding the temperature of the gloves or system parameters, such as time on, dates and times used, and the like. The remote electronic device 42 may have a controller 45 and operate an App 46 for interfacing with the heated glove.

[0040] FIG. 6 shows a hand portion 26 of a heated glove 11 having an interior 22 of the glove with a backside portion 24 and a palm portion 26 configured around the interior 22. A backside portion has an interior material 244 that contacts the backside of the hand and an exterior material 242. Likewise, the palm portion 26 has an interior material 264 and exterior material 262. The interior materials 244, 264 may be the same material however the exterior materials are preferably different, especially for heated gloves designed for specific activities, such as athletics, wherein a good grip on the palm portion is required. In this case, the exterior material 262 of the palm portion 26 may include a high friction material, 268, as shown. The palm-side heater portion 66 may be configured between the interior material 264 and exterior material 262 of the palm portion 26. Likewise, the backside heater portion 64 may be configured between the interior material 244 and exterior material 242 of the backside portion 24 of the heated glove 11.

[0041] FIG. 7 shows a finger portion 25 of a heated glove 11 having an interior 22 of the glove with a backside portion 24 and a palm portion 26 configured around the interior 22. A backside portion has an interior material 244 that contacts the backside of the hand and an exterior material 242. Likewise, the palm portion 26 has an interior material 264 and exterior material 262. The interior materials 244, 264 may be the same material however the exterior materials are preferably different, especially for heated gloves designed for specific activities, such as athletics, wherein a good grip on the palm portion is required. In this case, the exterior material 262 of the palm portion 26 may include a high friction material, 268, as shown. The palm-side index finger heater 81 may be configured between the interior material 264 and exterior material 262 of the palm portion 26. Likewise, the backside index finger heater 71 may be configured between the interior material 244 and exterior material 242 of backside portion 24 of the heated glove 11.

[0042] FIG. 8 shows a person 15, a football player, wearing an exemplary heated glove 11 on their hand 16 and catching a football 17.

[0043] Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, an exemplary resistive heater 60 has a resistive layer 61, such as a metal foil configured on a heater substrate 65 and a heater cover layer 67. The thickness 601 of the resistive heater may be very thin as described herein, such as about 3 mm or less, about 2 mm or less, or even about 1 mm or less. The thickness 611 of the resistive layer may be ultrathin, such as about 1 mm or less, about 0.5 mm or less, or even 0.25 mm or less. This very or ultrathin resistive heater enables effective heating a person's hand while enabling effective hand use. As shown in FIG. 10, a heater grid 62 has a grid pattern of individual grid elements 622, a resistive element 63 that have a grid width 621 that may be about 1 mm or more, 2 mm or more, 3 mm or more, 4 mm or more and any range between and including the values provided. The percent coverage of the resistive layer as shown is about 20% and as described herein may vary from location to location within the glove.

[0044] FIG. 10 shows an expanded view of a heater grid having a resistive layer configured in a grid on a substrate and having individual grid elements with a grid width.

[0045] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and/or combined in any suitable manner. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.