Apparel – Hand or arm coverings – Gloves
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-09
2003-12-09
Moran, Katherine (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Hand or arm coverings
Gloves
C002S016000, C002S163000, C473S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06658669
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
In order for a bowler to have the greatest advantage in his attempt to consistently score the maximum number of pins, the bowling ball is released from one or more of the middle fingers by applying pressure to ball through the bowling ball finger holes in a complex motion known to those skilled in the art as lift, Lift, as known in bowling and as shown for example in U.S. Pat. 4,371,163 of Shaffer, means imparting to the ball the two rotary motions of roll and spin. To achieve roll, tie ball is made to rotate in a forward and downward direction relative to the horizontal axis alone the direction of travel of the ball toward the pins and to achicve spin, the ball is made to rotate with a rotational component about the vertical axis of the ball, as viewed from above a ball thrown with the right hand. It is the spin that causes a desired scattering of the falling pins, increasing the chance for a strike.
A stated above, this complex motion of imparting two rotary motions of roll and spin is known to those skilled in the art as lift. Lift is produced, after the thumb has been removed from the ball, by one or more of the middle fingers applying a force to the ball at its release to rotate the ball upward, imparting the desired roll and spin. To perform this operation in the best manner requires the bowler, in releasing the ball, to consistently apply his maximum force through one or more of the bowler's middle fingers, against the interior surface of the bowling ball finger hole. In bowling, this operation is repealed from a minimum of twelve for a perfect game, to a maximum of twenty one times, depending on the bowler's success in scoring a strike or spare in the last regular frame. Multiplied by a number of games, for example in league play, there is typically three full games with a minimum of thirty six ball released to it maximum of sixty three balls released. The multiplied acts of bowling, involving lifting the ball on its release, produces multiple strains and stresses on the bowler's finger. Critical to properly lifting and releasing the bowling ball, is maintaining the best possible positioning of the middle finger or fingers against the bowling hall hole, to consistently apply the proper amount of lift to the ball. As the hard surface of the bowling ball finger hole is continually forced against the bowler's extended finger, producing stress and strain in the finger, the ability of the bowler to maintain consistent control through middle ringer or fingers at the ball release, is reduced, detrimentally affecting the bowler's ability to consistently lift the ball and consistently score strikes.
In attempts to adjust the curved position of the finger, a strap was used as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,152,337 and 3,880,426. As shown therein the strap was adjustable relative to an anchor point on the wrist. However the devices as shown in these patents placed the strap in a straight line locus from the curved finger tip area to the anchor point, imposing a space between the strap and the finger and palm. The size or depth of the space was relative to the adjustment made to the position of the finger tip, the amount of tension applied to the strap, the curve produced in the finger, and the relative placement or disposition of the strap to the wrist anchor point. As a consequence, when the bowler placed his finger into the bowling ball finger hole with the finger and palm forced against the ball, the strap extending in a line from the curved finger to the wrist anchor point, was forced against the finger and palm, changing the straight line locus of the strap from the finger to the anchor point, to a curved line locus from the finger to the palm and changing the original adjustment to the strap and its force on the finger, as previously made by the bowler.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
As shown herein, in a preferred embodiment, this invention according to the inventive principles disclosed, in an embodiment is an adjustable tensioning strap mounted in a glove adapted to be worn on the bowling hand and connecting or terminating at a first end proximate the glove finger tip or a finger pad protector placed at the glove finger tip and disposed opposite the position of the bowler's finger pad, and at a second end, at an anchor point proximate the glove part enclosing the wrist or palm. The tensioning strap, from its first end to its second end, is held adjacent the glove lining so when placed on the hand and with tension applied to the tensioning strap, a curve is produced in the finger while the tensioning strap is held or forced by the glove toward and substantially adjacent the bowler's finger and palm, and describing a curved line locus from the first end to the second end of the tensioning strap and with the curved locus substantially adjacent the length of the bowler's finger or palm.
The tensioning strap may be adjusted relative to the second anchor point proximate the glove palm or wrist, by applying a tensioning force in a direction away from the finger tip and in the direction from the finger to the wrist and whereby the tensioning force on the tensioning strap will serve to draw the finger into a curved position with the finger tip pulled toward the wrist. The adjustment is variable depending upon the needs of the individual bowler when grasping the bowling ball and when in the initial part of the ball release when the bowler's arm is in an up swing, and when the bowler is starting his release by initiating a lifting force through the middle fingers, as would be known to those skilled in the art.
In accordance with the principles of the disclosed invention, the tension strap may be an elastic material, stretching or elongating under a tension force or substantially non-elastic and substantially not stretching or elongating under a tension force, according to the disclosed principles of the invention as shown for a preferred embodiment. When substantially non-elastic, the tension strap may be adjusted with the middle finger in an extended or neutral position, relative to a curved or flexed position, to resist the force of the bowling ball at release and to support the middle finger from being forced backward in a hyper-extended position where stress or strain would be imposed on the finger. For an elastic tension strap, the elastic resistance to a tension force may be varied to produce a restoring force in the tension strap when the middle finger is extended in a neutral position, to substantially to resist the force of the bowling ball at release and to support the middle finger from being forced backward in a hyper-extended position where stress or strain would be imposed on the finger.
The tensioning strap may be an elastic or stretchable material so the finger may be extended against the tensioning force of the strap in the process of releasing and lifting the ball. In this way the curved position of the finger and the force holding the finger in its curved position and through its extended position when releasing and lifting the bowling ball, as explained above, may be adjusted by each individual bowler. As the restoring force exerted by an elastic material is proportional to its stretched extension, relative to its relaxed or rest position, as would be known by those skilled in the art, the force exerted by the tensioning strap against the finger is proportionally greatest when the finger is fully extended. This restoring force produced in the tensioning strap, acts in the direction of finger flexure and away from the finger tip and towards the palm or wrist, to force the finger to retain its adjusted curved position and to resist the force of the bowling ball on the bowler's finger at the ball release which is a direction of finger hyper extension, forcing the curve of the finger to open or if the finger is fully extended, to force the finger back past an extended neutral position into a hyper extended position and placing additional strain and stress on the finger. The adjustment made by the bowler usi
Addington Randall A.
Addington W. Robert
Addington, II W. Robert
Rosenblatt Joel I.
Moran Katherine
Rosenblatt Joel I.
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