FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to golf gloves, and more specifically, to golf gloves with a compartment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Golfers have long been faced with the difficulties of transporting small personal items containing lip balm, lotions, sun screens, grip enhancing material, etc., hereinafter called “agents,” around the links and keeping them conveniently at hand while leaving their hands free to play the game. Although the golf bag generally used to transport the clubs includes pockets in which small personal items may be stored and transported, such pockets are not well suited for providing easy access to small personal items. Use of pockets in the golfer's clothing is similarly unsatisfactory. Small personal items stored in the shirt pockets may fall out and be lost when the player bends to tee up or place a marker. Quite often, small personal items are carried in a player's trouser pocket, and the player is thus forced to dig and fumble through the contents of the pocket in order to retrieve it. Additionally, women's golf attires typically do not include pockets. Thus, the retrieval of small personal items for use thereby creates a source of annoyance and distraction to the golfer.

Systems for enhancing the convenience of access to small personal items have been devised. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,530 discloses a device to be worn on a golfer's waist for organizing and holding golf accessories. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,305,999, 5,898,946, and 6,163,889 disclose metal ball markers held in place by virtue of magnetic attraction.

Commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,513,165 and 6,820,282, which are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein, disclose a golf glove with a magnet holding a ball marker. The magnet is held in place by a retaining wall that is partially cut-out to allow the ball marker to be able to easily slide out of the holder. However, these patents do not disclose a golf glove that has a compartment to hold items such as agents.

Accordingly, there is a need for a device that holds agents and ball markers that would be simple to use, inexpensive, and which would not necessarily constitute an item of apparel in addition to that normally worn by golfers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a glove comprising a container with a hinged lid. The container is used to carry agents such as lip balm, skin lotion, sun screen, and grip enhancing material.

The present invention is further directed to a ball marker holder comprised within the hinged lid of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the present invention may be more fully understood with reference to, but not limited by, the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a back view of a golf glove and container mounted on the glove.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the hook and loop fastening system on the glove.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of an agent container attached to the glove.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the agent container with a ball marker holder attached to the glove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown generally in FIGS. 1-2 where like numbers designate like parts, reference numeral 10 designates a golf glove of the type often worn by golfers to ensure a firm grip on a club handle. Like conventional golf gloves, the glove 10 includes fingers 12, a thumb 14, a body 16, and closure assembly 18. Glove 10 can also be a ½ and ¾ fingered glove. For the present invention container 20 is attached to closure assembly 18. Preferably, container 20 carries agents, such as grip enhancing materials as well as lip balm, skin lotion, and sun screen to remedy dry lips and skin caused by exposure to the sun and wind at the golf courses. Container 20 may have a logo, either custom or stock, affixed to its top, as shown in FIG. 1.

In more detail, glove 10 is of flexible construction, preferably comprising leather, or synthetic leather including but not limited to polyurethane leather (e.g., polyurethane coated nylon), or nonwoven material, and is perforated with ventilation holes 22 on the back surface of fingers 12. Glove body 16 includes a front surface (not shown), and a dorsal, back surface 24 which is divided by an opening 26 into a lateral portion 28 adjacent the thumb 14 and a medial portion 30.

Glove closure assembly 18 includes a generally rectangular or oval area of fabric loop fastener material 32, attached to lateral back surface 28 by a row of marginal stitching. A generally rectangular or oval flap 34 is coupled with medial portion 30 so as to overlie fastener material 32 in mating engagement when in the closed position. Flap 34 includes an inner surface 36 of fabric loop fastener material and an outer surface 38 joined by stitching. The fabric hook and loop closure system is conventional, and need not be described in great detail. In one embodiment, the hook and loop material is reversed. In other embodiments, snaps, buttons, or any other suitable closure devices may be substituted for fabric loop fastener material or hook and loop fasteners in closure assembly 18.

Container 20, as shown in FIGS. 3-4, can hold agents. Container 20 includes a first retaining wall 40, closed at a bottom end 42, and a hinged lid 44. A hinge 46 connects the hinged lid 44 to the first retaining wall 40. The hinged lid 44 has a grip edge 48. Container 20 can have any shape, including circular, polygonal, elliptical, etc. Grip edge 48 is provided to assist with opening and closing of container 20. Optionally lid 44 is biased to the closed position, e.g., adding a torsional spring at hinge 46.

In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, hinged lid 44 may comprise a ball maker holder 50. A generally flat magnet 52 is located within the ball marker holder 50. The ball marker holder 50 includes a second retaining wall 54 with a base portion 56, while having an opening at the second top end 58. The base portion 56 has a first aperture 60 defined therein for placement of magnet 52. The magnet 52 is designed with a size and configuration to be received within the first aperture 60. Magnet 52, upon being seated in the first aperture 60, may be held in place by press-fitting, glue, tape, adhesive etc.

A ball marker 62 can be made from a multitude of materials, but at least one surface is of a ferrous metal having a magnetic attraction. Ball marker 62 is of a size and shape that it may be placed within second retaining wall 54, with one surface juxtaposed against the magnet 52 and firmly held by the embedded magnet 52 until dislodged by the golfer. A part of the base portion 56 is removed to create a second aperture 64. The user only has to depress the rim of ball marker 62, i.e. the section above the second aperture 66, into second aperture 66. This action urges ball marker 62 to flip up and slide out of the ball marker holder 20, where it may easily be removed with the use of only one hand. It is preferred that the ball marker 62 is positioned flush with the top of second retaining wall 54.

The outer surface of hinged lid 44 or ball marker 62 may display a logo, insignia, or other personalized embellishments.

It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown. An example may be wherein the materials of the ball marker 64 and the magnet 52 are reversed, i.e. the ball marker 62 is made of magnetic material and the magnet 52 is of a ferrous type material. This invention is also not to be limited to the specifically preferred embodiments depicted therein.