US20240278099A1

US20240278099A1 - Training attachment for baseball gloves

Info

Publication number: US20240278099A1
Application number: US18/170,287
Authority: US
Inventors: Tucker Frawley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2023-02-16
Filing date: 2023-02-16
Publication date: 2024-08-22

Abstract

A training attachment for a baseball glove includes a durable pad with a glove attachment component. A baseball glove has at least one of the training attachments fastened to the glove at one or more of a thumb, a palm, a ring finger, and a pinky. A method of training a fielder to reduce missed catches includes fastening the training attachment to a baseball glove; wearing the baseball glove; and catching a baseball in a pocket region next to an index finger portion of the glove. The attachment s the fielder's awareness to avoid the ball hitting their palm, thumb, pinky, and/or ring finger.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to baseball gloves and, more particularly, to training attachment for baseball gloves.
Baseball and softball players train to catch batted balls hit their way. No one in the baseball world has tracked where fielders typically miss on their gloves. While the standard training glove challenges the fielder's ability to field batted balls, it has historically only done so by minimizing the length of the glove's fingers. The only commercially available training gloves are either flat or short. Applicant has researched and tracked this extensively the past 16 years in both D1 baseball (Yale) and the professional ranks (Twins). Applicant's research has shown that shortening the glove's fingers simply produces more misses on other parts of the glove. Infielders don't typically miss on the end of their glove—they miss on their palm, thumb, pinky, and/or ring finger.
As can be seen, there is a need for a device, method, or both that trains a player to catch a ball with a region of the hand other than the palm, thumb, pinky, and ring finger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a training attachment for a baseball glove comprises a durable pad with a glove attachment means.
In another aspect of the present invention, an improvement in a baseball glove comprises at least one training attachment fastened to one or more region of the glove selected from the group consisting of a thumb, a palm, a ring finger, and a pinky.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of training a fielder to reduce missed catches comprises fastening at least one training attachment of claim 1 to a baseball glove; wearing the baseball glove; and catching a baseball in a pocket region abutting an index finger portion of the glove.
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 front perspective view of a baseball glove training attachment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a left side perspective view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a right side perspective view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a detail perspective view thereof, partly broken away; and

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view thereof, shown in use.

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.
Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is a baseball glove attachment that minimizes the glove's pocket area around the index finger and challenges a fielder's ability to catch the ball in the pocket.
The inventive glove attachment may be placed on the palm, thumb, pinky, and/or ring finger to heighten the fielder's awareness of where he/she should avoid catching balls, i.e., that they want to avoid the ball hitting their palm, thumb, pinky, and/or ring finger. The heightened challenge makes fielding with a regular glove easier and more efficient.
The materials of manufacture are not particularly limited. Generally, the attachment may have a leather exterior filled with padding or foam and laced together with a leather lace. The foam padding creates the constraint within the leather exterior. The lace is used to strap onto the glove itself.
The glove attachment pad generally has a bulky rectangular to oval shape. The pad width and thickness are substantially the same, with the pad length is about two to three times the width or thickness of the pad. For example, the pad may be about 1.5 to 2 inches wide, about 1.5 to 2 inches thick, and about 4 inches long.
The shapes and sizes of the pads are not particularly limited and are selected based upon the type and size of the glove, among other factors.
In some embodiments, the attachment means may be two sturdy/durable laces running through the pad, laced along each longitudinal side, leaving the ends loose for tying the pad to a baseball glove. The laces may be, for example, leather laces 20 inches long.
In some embodiments, the straps or lace that attach the device to the glove may be replaced with other attachment means (e.g., Velcro®, clips, hooks, etc.)
To make the pads, the manufacturer may cut panels to a predetermined size and shape and may stitch the panels together around a padding or filling material. The manufacturer may punch holes or apertures through the pad through panel surfaces around the perimeter of one panel and may lace laces through the holes. In other words, a hole punched through a first panel passes through the pad to a hole punched in an adjacent panel.
To use the attachments, the user or manufacturer may obtain a training glove or regular baseball/softball glove and one or more pads and may lace or tie the pads to one or more regions including the palm, the thumb, the ring finger, and the pinky of the glove. The laces may be passed through existing holes in the glove. Excess lace may be trimmed from the glove prior to sale or use.
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7 , FIGS. 1-4 and 7 illustrate a baseball glove 12, having a pocket area 14 located adjacent to a player's index finger, with training attachment(s) 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The baseball glove 12 may have externally attached any one or more of a thumb pad 16; a ring finger pad 18; and a palm pad 20 fastened to the glove 12 utilizing attachment laces 22.
The attachments 16, 18, 20 comprise a durable outer covering surround a padding 24, as shown in FIG. 6 . The attachments 16, 18, 20 may be stitched together or may be bound together with any other suitable binding means known in the art. The attachment comprises laces 22 for fastening to a baseball glove 12.
As shown in FIG. 7 , a fielder 11B wearing a baseball glove 12 with attachments 16, 18, 20 may learn to catch a baseball 11A with fewer misses by adapting the contact point they present to the ball 11A.
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

What is claimed is:

1. A training attachment for a baseball glove, comprising a durable pad with a glove attachment means.

2. The training attachment of claim 1, wherein the durable pad has a width and a thickness that are substantially the same and a length that is about two to about three times the width or the thickness.

3. The training attachment of claim 1, wherein the glove attachment means is durable laces laced through apertures formed around a perimeter of the durable pad.

4. The training attachment of claim 1, wherein the durable pad comprises a durable outer casing surrounding a foam padding.

5. The training attachment of claim 4, wherein the durable outer casing is leather.

6. In a baseball glove, the improvement comprising at least one training attachment of claim 1, fastened to one or more region of the glove selected from the group consisting of a thumb, a palm, a ring finger, and a pinky.

7. The improvement of claim 6, wherein the glove attachment means is durable laces laced through apertures formed around a perimeter of the durable pad and through pre-existing apertures formed in the baseball glove.

8. The improvement of claim 6, wherein the durable pad has a width and a thickness that are substantially the same and a length that is about two to about three times the width or the thickness.

9. A method of training a fielder to reduce missed catches, comprising:

fastening at least one training attachment of claim 1 to a baseball glove;

wearing the baseball glove; and

catching a baseball in a pocket region abutting an index finger portion of the glove.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one training attachment is fastened to one or more regions of the glove selected from the group consisting of a thumb, a palm, a ring finger, and a pinky.