US20070155522A1

US20070155522A1 - Golf glove for stimulating muscles of hand

Info

Publication number: US20070155522A1
Application number: US11/644,897
Authority: US
Inventors: Kwang-Jin Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-01-04
Filing date: 2006-12-26
Publication date: 2007-07-05
Also published as: JP2007181680A; KR100651649B1

Abstract

Disclosed therein are a golf glove for stimulating muscles of the hand used when a golfer grasps a grip of a golf club. The golf glove includes muscle stimulating portions protrudingly formed on portions of the inner surface thereof corresponding to muscle regions of the golfer's hand to stimulate muscles of the hand. The golf glove having the muscle stimulating portions can allow the golfer to grasp the grip naturally by relieving tension of the muscles of the hand used when the golfer grasps the grip and giving the golfer with a sensation of a great contraction of the muscles through the muscle stimulation in spite of application of a small grasping force, since the muscle stimulating portions provide an effect like taping therapy for relieving tension of the muscles and helping actions of the muscles of athletes. Additionally, the golf glove allow the golfer to grasp the grip comfortably by stimulating the muscles moving the golfer's fingers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf glove, which can relieve tension of muscles of hands when a golfer grasps a grip of a golf club and stimulate the muscles of the hands as if he or she exerted a great grasping force even with a small grasping force, thereby allowing the golfer to grasp the grip of the golf club more stably.
2. Background Art
In general, the applicant of the present invention has various patent rights related with functional golf gloves for improving fixability and compactability of a grip, and so, has proposed various technologies in connection with the golf gloves.
As described in various prior arts, various technologies associated with functional golf gloves, for instance, such as golf gloves enhancing a sense of wearing by improving tactile sensation of the golf gloves contacting with a golfer's hands, a technology for allowing a golfer to more easily watch a swing plane by having marks indicated on the golf gloves, and a technology for helping a directionality of a golf ball, have been developed, and besides the above-stated golf gloves, golf gloves of various configurations have been disclosed. For instance, there are proposed golf gloves for minimizing the bending of the wrist by providing a fixing bar located between the back of the hand and the wrist, and golf gloves having various rubber bands to improve compactability between the golf gloves and the golfer's hands. Also, this applicant has a patent right of functional golf gloves, which can improve fixability and compactability between a grip of a golf club and golf gloves and minimize a gap between an index finger portion and a thumb portion naturally.
As described above, golf gloves having diverse functions have been developed, but there is still an urgent need for functional golf gloves, which can allow the golfer to grasp the golf club stably even with a small grasping force since it is difficult for most of golfers to grasp the grip while weakening a grasping force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior arts, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf glove for surrounding a golfer's entire hand part, which includes muscle stimulating portions formed on regions of the inner surface thereof corresponding to muscles of the golfer's hand to slightly stimulate the muscles of the hand, whereby the golfer can grasp a grip stably even with a small grasping force by giving a feeling of a strong grasping force to him or her in spite of application of the small grasping force, relieving tension of the muscles like muscle taping therapy, and activating the muscles.
To accomplish the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a golf glove for stimulating muscles of the hand wherein the golf glove comprises muscle stimulating portions (A) formed on the inner surface thereof for stimulating muscles exerting a grasping force to a golfer's hand so as to give a sensation of a strong grasping force to the golfer in spite of application of a small grasping force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a reference view showing a picture of used muscles of a pollcis group;

FIG. 2 is a reference view showing a muscle stimulating portion according to used muscles of the pollcis group;

FIG. 3 is a reference view showing a picture of used muscles of an index group;

FIG. 4 is a reference view showing a muscle stimulating portion according to used muscles of the index group;

FIG. 5 is a reference view showing a picture of used muscles of a digitiminimi group;

FIG. 6 is a reference view showing a muscle stimulating portion according to used muscles of the digitiminimi group;

FIG. 7 is a reference view showing a picture of used muscles of a carpi ulnaris group;

FIG. 8 is a reference view showing a muscle stimulating portion according to used muscles the carpi ulnaris group;

FIG. 9 is a reference view showing a picture of used muscles of a carpi ridialis group;

FIG. 10 is a reference view showing a muscle stimulating portion according to used muscles of the carpi ridialis group;

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a structure of the muscle stimulating portions according to the present invention, analogized from the outward appearance;

FIG. 12 is a rear view showing a structure of the muscle stimulating portions according to the present invention, analogized from the outward appearance;

FIG. 13 is a left side view showing a structure of the muscle stimulating portions according to the present invention, analogized from the outward appearance; and

FIG. 14 is a right side view showing a structure of the muscle stimulating portions according to the present invention, analogized from the outward appearance;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will be now made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 12, the configuration and action of golf gloves for stimulating muscles of the hands will be described in detail.
For your understanding, the present invention will be described on the basis of a right-handed person. A golfer grasps a golf club with the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger of the left hand and the middle finger and the ring finger of the right hand. However, it is difficult for a beginner to grasp the golf club in the above way, and so, the beginner grasps the golf club by devoting his/her energies to all fingers. That is, when the beginner wants to applying a force to the three fingers of the left hand and the two fingers of the right hand, the force is applied from the little finger of the left hand to the whole arms and shoulders, and thereby, the beginner's whole body may get stiff and a natural swing is prevented. Therefore, the golfer can swing in a natural and stable posture and hit a ball at a long driver distance in an exact direction, only when the golfer grasps the golf club while weakening his/her force.
So, the golf glove according to the present invention is provided with muscle stimulating portions (A) formed on portions of the golf glove corresponding to muscle regions of the golfer's hand, and the muscle stimulating portions are protruded toward the inside of the golf glove in line and face forms to stimulate muscles of the hand when the golfer wears the golf glove, whereby the golfer can grasp the grip of the golf club with a relatively small force. Therefore, the muscle stimulating portions (A) must be located on the main muscle regions of each hand. For this, locations of muscles of the hand will be described as follows.
{circle around (1)} Pollcis Group
As shown in FIG. 1, the pollcis group means muscles for mainly moving the thumb and includes muscles of 7 kinds. The muscles range from the palm portion inside the thumb to the back of the thumb. So, the golf glove according to the present invention for covering the muscles of the golfer's hand includes a protruding portion formed a portion of the inner surface thereof corresponding to the muscle area of the pollcis group to make the muscles stiff by giving a slight stimulation to the muscles, whereby the golfer can perform a smooth swing with a uniform grasping force since the protruding portion keeps the uniform grasping force during swing and makes an instantly applied force weakened. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the muscle stimulating portion (A) is formed in a curved shape according to the form of muscles ranging from the end portion in the vicinity of the user's thumb fingernail to the wrist of the back of the hand to stimulate the muscles of 7 kinds, whereby the golfer can perform a good backswing and grasp the grip smoothly and firmly since the golfer's thumb becomes stiff and straightened to make a firm and natural grip without giving a force to his or her thumb when the golfer grasps the grip of the golf club.
{circle around (2)} Index Group
Referring to FIG. 3, it is also needed to make the instantly applied force weakened while keeping a uniform grasping force during backswing by also stimulating muscles for moving the index finger. Since the index finger, the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger have a common root muscle (it is a feature of finger muscles), the grasping force of the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger can be uniform by giving a slight stimulation thereto, whereby the uniform grasping force on the entire fingers can be kept during backswing. There are two muscles for straightening the thumb: one of the two muscles having the same root as the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger in such a manner as to be controlled by the same control nerve; and the other one having a different root controlled by additional control nerve. So, the golf glove according to the present invention includes a muscle stimulating portion (A) formed on a portion of the inner surface of the golf glove corresponding to the muscle region ranging from the end of the index finger to the start portion of the index finger to make the muscles stiff by stimulating the muscles of the index finger. So, the golf glove according to the present invention can provide a uniform grasping force during backswing and prevent the grasping force of the hand from being loosened. Since an additional force is applied to the golfer's shoulders and swing becomes dull when the golfer firmly grasps the grip using flexor muscles of the fingers for swing, the golfer can keep the small grasping force by grasping the grip using the muscles of the dull fingers.
{circle around (3)} Digitiminimi Group (Little Finger)
As shown in FIG. 5, when the golfer applies a force to muscles for straightening the little finger not to straighten the muscles, since it makes backswing difficult by applying a force to the golfer's hand, it is needed to make the muscles stiff in a bent state to make the grasping force weak while the golfer performs a smooth backswing. So, like the muscles of the index finger, the extensor muscle region of the little finger includes two muscles: one having a common root having influence also onto the index finger the middle finger and the ring finger; and the other one having a separate root. So, as shown in FIG. 6, the golf glove according to the present invention includes a muscle stimulating portion (A) formed on a portion of the inner surface thereof corresponding to the extensor muscle region of the little finger to make the muscles stiff by stimulating them, whereby the golfer can keep a uniform grasping force. Moreover, the muscle stimulating portion (A) will be described later in more detail, but it may be formed in a line or face shape.
{circle around (4)} Carpi Ulnaris Group (Carpal Muscle of the Wrist)
As shown in FIG. the carpi ulnaris group is located at a wrist region of the lower portion of the little finger, which corresponds to the wrist muscle of the root of the little finger. As shown in FIG. 8, the golf glove according to the present invention includes a muscle stimulating portion (A) formed on a portion of the inner surface thereof corresponding to the golfer's wrist area to make muscles stiff without giving any force to the wrist by stimulating the muscles. So, the golf glove can restrain the golfer from using the wrist during swing and have a good influence on a directionality of a golf ball. In addition, since the muscle stimulating portion (A) serves to fill up a hollowed portion of the wrist when the golfer wears the golf glove, the golf glove according to the present invention can prevent looseness of the wrist area of the golf glove.
{circle around (5)} Carpi Ridialis Group (Radial Side of the Wrist)
As shown in FIG. 9, the carpi ridialis group means muscles located on a radial side of the wrist connected to the index finger and the middle finger, which are wrist muscles of the index finger root region and the middle finger root region. The present invention includes a muscle stimulating portion (A) formed on a portion of the inner surface thereof corresponding to the radial side of the wrist as shown in FIG. 10 to make the wrist muscles stiff by stimulating them, whereby the golfer can perform backswing smoothly and firmly without giving any force to improve directionality. The muscle stimulating portion (A) of the radial side of the wrist may be extended from the protruding portion for pressing the muscles of the pollcis group.
As described above, as shown in FIGS. 11, 12, 13 and 14, since the muscle stimulating portions (A) are formed on the portions of the inner surface of the golf glove corresponding to the muscle regions, which help actions of the fingers, to stimulate the muscles, the golfer can perform the smooth swing without giving an additional force to the entire hand when the golfer grasps the grip. The muscle stimulating portions (A) may be formed in various shapes. For instance, the muscle stimulating portions (A) may be formed in such a manner as to protrude backstitch lines on the inner surface of the golf glove, in such a manner as to protrude a plurality of thin bands on the inner surface of the golf glove, or in such a manner that bands of different widths are jointed according to areas of muscles by the golfer's age to provide a pressurizing effect. Furthermore, since a plurality of function wires (shape memory alloy, synthetic resin material, magnetic wire, and so on) has been greatly developed, the muscle stimulating portions (A) may be formed in such a manner that wires of soft metal material or synthetic resin material are inserted along muscle connection lines of the inner shell of the golf glove and then fixed via fixing means such as backstitch to provide the same effect as the above when the golfer wears the golf glove according to the present invention.
As described above, when a beginner, who takes a bad grip grasping posture, makes a bad directionality of the ball and hits the ball at a short driver distance, grasps the grip, the golf glove according to the present invention can allow the golfer to hit the golf ball at a long driver distance in an exact direction by helping the golfer to grasp the grip and perform swing smoothly with a small force.
While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiment, it is not to be restricted by the embodiment but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A golf glove for stimulating muscles of the hand wherein the golf glove comprises muscle stimulating portions (A) formed on the inner surface thereof for stimulating muscles exerting a grasping force to a golfer's hand so as to give a sensation of a strong grasping force to the golfer in spite of application of a small grasping force.

2. The golf glove according to claim 1, wherein the muscle stimulating portions (A) are formed on portions of the inner surface of the golf glove corresponding to one or more selected muscle regions of the muscles exerting a grasping force to the golfer's hand.

3. The golf glove according to claim 1, wherein the muscle stimulating portions (A) are formed on the inner surface of the golf glove in a linear shape in such a manner as to protrude backstitch lines on the inner surface, in such a manner as to continuously protrude a plurality of thin bands on the inner surface thereof, or in such a manner as to joint bands of different widths according to areas of muscles by the golfer's age.

4. The golf glove according to claim 1, wherein the muscle stimulating portions (A) is formed in such a manner that wires of soft metal material or synthetic resin material are inserted along muscle connection lines of the inner shell of the golf glove and then fixed via fixing means such as backstitch, whereby the wires stimulate the muscles of the hand when the golfer wears the golf glove.