US20120005806A1

US20120005806A1 - Fly fishing glove

Info

Publication number: US20120005806A1
Application number: US13/176,502
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth Ray Bowers; James Stephen Sells
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-07-06
Filing date: 2011-07-05
Publication date: 2012-01-12

Abstract

A fly fishing glove stabilizes a wearer's wrist and does not allow the wrist to bend or twist, thus providing longer and more accurate casts. The glove may include a palm side stabilizer, a backside hand stabilizer, and an ulnar side stabilizer. When the glove is worn, two straps, one in the glove body and one in an arm cuff of the glove, secure the glove and the stabilizers in position. The stabilizers may limit, minimize or prevent movement of the wearer's wrist and may provide a wrist position ideal for casting a fly fishing line.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/361,856, filed Jul. 6, 2010, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to fishing accessories and, more particularly, to a fly fishing glove that stabilizes the wearer's wrist for longer and more accurate casts.
When making a cast with a fly fishing pole, a fisherman should keep his wrist from breaking or bending. To make the cast, the fisherman usually brings the tip of his rod straight up, hesitates, and brings the tip of his rod back out in front of him. This motion is repeated as line is let out, typically at or near the time of the hesitation. Once the desired amount of line is out, the fisherman may allow the line to lie on the water. Many fly fishermen will keep their arm and forearm close to their chest to help keep their wrist from breaking. If the fisherman does break their wrist, the line may go behind them too far, possibly snagging a tree, a person or the like. Also, if the fisherman breaks their wrist, the distance and accuracy of the cast may be compromised.
As can be seen, there is a need for a fishing accessory that may help a fisherman maintain their wrist in a desirable fly fishing position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a glove comprises a glove body adapted to wrap around at least a portion of a wearer's hand, the glove body extending to a wearer's forearm; a palm side hand stabilizer extending along a palm side of the glove body; a backside hand stabilizer extending along a back hand side of the glove body; and an ulnar hand stabilizer extending along a side of the glove body opposite the thumb side of the glove body.
In another aspect of the present invention, a fly fishing glove comprises a glove body adapted to wrap around at least a portion of a wearer's hand, the glove body extending to a wearer's forearm; a palm side hand stabilizer extending along a palm side of the glove body; a backside hand stabilizer extending along a back hand side of the glove body; an ulnar hand stabilizer extending along a side of the glove body opposite the thumb side of the glove body; a wrist strap adapted to secure one end of the palm side hand stabilizer, the backside hand stabilizer and the ulnar side hand stabilizer to the wearer's hand; and an arm strap adapted to secure one end of the palm side hand stabilizer, the backside hand stabilizer and the ulnar side hand stabilizer to the wearer's forearm.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fisherman wearing a fly fishing glove according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the fly fishing glove of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a thumb side view of the fly fishing glove of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B is a pinky finger side view of the fly fishing glove of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the fly fishing glove of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fly fishing glove of FIG. 1, removed from a fisherman, in a worn (strapped) position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the fly fishing glove of FIG. 1, removed from a fisherman, in an unstrapped position; and

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.
Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a fly fishing glove that stabilizes a wearer's wrist and does not allow the wrist to bend or twist, thus providing longer and more accurate casts. The glove may include a palm side stabilizer, a backside hand stabilizer, and an ulnar side stabilizer. When the glove is worn, two straps, one in the glove body and one in an arm cuff of the glove, secure the glove and the stabilizers in position. The stabilizers may limit, minimize or prevent movement of the wearer's wrist and may provide a wrist position ideal for casting a fly fishing line.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 7, a fly fishing glove 10 may include a palm side hand stabilizer 12, backside hand stabilizer 14, and an ulnar side hand stabilizer 32. The palm side hand stabilizer 12 may extend from a palm of a glove wearer 28 beyond the wrist joint of the wearer 28. The backside hand stabilizer 14 may extend from a position on the back side of the wearer's hand beyond the wrist joint. The ulnar side hand stabilizer 32 may extend from the side of the wearer's hand, below the wearer's pinky finger, beyond the wrist joint to rest against the wearer's ulna bone.
The fly fishing glove 10 may be formed from a palm side glove body 16, containing the palm side hand stabilizer 12 therewithin, and a backside glove body 18, containing the backside hand stabilizer 14 therewithin. In some embodiments, the fly fishing glove may be formed from a single sheet of material stitched together at one seam, typically at the thumb side of the glove 10, so that an ulnar hand stabilizer 32 may be disposed opposite that seam. In some embodiments, the glove 10 may be stitched together and pockets may be formed in the glove for inserting the stabilizers 12, 14, 32. Other various manufacturing methods may be used to provide the glove 10 of the present invention.
The glove body 16, 18 may cover at least a portion of the wearer's hand 36 and may extend to cover a portion of the wearer's forearm 34. This design may allow the stabilizers 12, 14, 32 to extend from the wearer's hand 36 to the wearer's forearm 34, thereby securing the wearer's wrist from movement.
A wrist strap 24 may be attached to the glove body 16, 18 and may wrap around the glove 10 and may secure a first end of the stabilizers 12, 14, 32 to the wearer's hand. The wrist strap 24 may include, for example, a hook and loop fastener 26, for securing the wrist strap 24 in place. An arm strap 20 may be attached to the glove body 16, 18 and may secure a second end of the stabilizers 12, 14, 32 to the wearer's forearm. The arm strap 20 may include, for example, a hook and loop fastener 22, for securing the arm strap 20 in place. The wrist strap 24 and the arm strap 20 may extend from a seam in the glove 10. This seam may include a strip of elastic material (not shown) which may permit the glove to stretch to fit various sized hands. The wrist strap 24 may be from about ½ inch to about 1½ inch wide, typically about 1 inch wide. The arm strap 20 may be from about ¾ inch to about 2½ inches wide, typically about 2 inches wide. The straps 20, 24 may be made from a flexible or an inelastic material, for example.
When the straps 20, 24 are secured and the glove is worn by the wearer 28, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2, the palm side hand stabilizer 12 and the backside hand stabilizer 14 may limit, minimize or prevent the wrist of the wearer 28 from bending forward and back. The ulnar hand stabilizer 32 may limit, minimize or prevent the wrist of the wearer 28 from bending sideways.
The fly fishing glove 10 may have a thumb opening for extending the wearer's thumb out of the glove 10. The glove 10 may further have finger openings for extending the wearer's fingers out of the glove 10. The fingers may extend through individual openings, similar to a fingerless glove, or the fingers may extend all through a single opening, like a cut off mitten. Either way, this “fingerless” glove design may permit the user to use their fingers for actions requiring finger dexterity, such as fly tying.
The fly fishing glove 10 may be made from any material suitable for manufacturing a glove, including, for example, Spandex®, neoprene, leather, and the like. Typically, the glove 10 may be made from a material that may provide comfort to the wearer 28 while being breathable and fast drying. The stabilizers 12, 14, 32 may be made from a rigid material, such as plastic, fiberglass, composite, metal or the like.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A glove comprising:

a glove body adapted to wrap around at least a portion of a wearer's hand, the glove body extending to a wearer's forearm;

a palm side hand stabilizer extending along a palm side of the glove body;

a backside hand stabilizer extending along a back hand side of the glove body; and

an ulnar hand stabilizer extending along a side of the glove body opposite the thumb side of the glove body.

2. The glove of claim 1, further comprising a thumb hole and one or more finger holes adapted to permit a wearer's fingers and thumb to extend out of the glove body.

3. The glove of claim 1, further comprising:

a wrist strap adapted to secure one end of the palm side hand stabilizer, the backside hand stabilizer and the ulnar side hand stabilizer to the wearer's hand; and

an arm strap adapted to secure one end of the palm side hand stabilizer, the backside hand stabilizer and the ulnar side hand stabilizer to the wearer's forearm.

4. The glove of claim 3, wherein the wrist strap and the arm strap are attached to the glove body.

5. A fly fishing glove comprising:

a palm side hand stabilizer extending along a palm side of the glove body;

a backside hand stabilizer extending along a back hand side of the glove body;

6. The fly fishing glove of claim 5, further comprising a thumb hole and one or more finger holes adapted to permit a wearer's fingers and thumb to extend out of the glove body.

7. The fly fishing glove of claim 5, wherein the wrist strap and the arm strap are attached to the glove body.

8. The fly fishing glove of claim 7, further comprising hook and loop fasteners disposed on the straps, the fasteners adapted to secure the straps about the glove body.