GLOVE WITH RETRACTABLE TETHER
A glove includes a guide assembly that includes a guide support fixedly attached to the glove body, a guide portion attached to and extending along the guide support to define a fixed path, and a guide device movable along the guide portion between first and second positions. A flexible tether has one end fixedly attached to the glove body at an attachment location along the fixed path. A tether loop on the guide device engages and guides the flexible tether between a retracted position and a deployed position. In the retracted position, the guide device is in the second position and the flexible tether is doubled on itself along the fixed path. In the deployed position, the guide device is in the first position and the tether extends in a single-ply configuration from the guide assembly.
1 . A glove comprising:
a glove body configured to receive a user's hand and a cuff connected to and extending proximally of the glove body, each of the glove body and the cuff having an anterior portion, a dorsal portion, a proximal end, and a distal end;
a guide assembly comprising:
a guide support fixedly attached to one or more of the glove body and the cuff;
a guide portion attached to and extending along the guide support and defining a fixed path; and
a guide device movable along the guide portion between a first position and a second position, the guide device having a bottom surface facing the glove;
a flexible tether having a first tether end and a second tether end, wherein the second tether end is fixedly attached at an attachment location along the fixed path that is spaced from the second position; and
a tether loop connected to the guide device and positioned to engage and guide the flexible tether between (i) a retracted position when with the guide device in the second position and in which the flexible tether is doubled on itself along the fixed path, and (ii) a deployed position when the guide device is in the first position and in which the flexible tether extends in a single-ply configuration out from the attachment location, thereby providing a 2:1 ratio of tether length to guide path length measured between the first position and the second position.
2 . The glove of claim 1 further comprising a connector attached to the first tether end and configured for releasable attachment to a hand tool.
3 . The glove of claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is an opposed pair of zipper teeth disposed along the fixed path and wherein the guide device is a zipper slider configured to open and close the pair of zipper teeth when moved between the first position and the second position, respectively.
4 . The glove of claim 3 , wherein the guide assembly cooperates with the glove body to form a pocket into which a substantial portion of the flexible tether retracts when the guide device is moved to the second position.
5 . The glove of claim 1 , wherein the first position is located towards the proximal end of the dorsal portion of the cuff and the second position is located towards the distal end of the dorsal portion of the glove body.
6 . The glove of claim 1 , wherein the fixed path extends circumferentially along the cuff.
7 . The glove of claim 1 , wherein the fixed path extends helically along the cuff.
8 . The glove of claim 1 , wherein the second tether end is attached to the guide device.
9 . A glove comprising:
a glove body constructed to receive a user's hand and having a proximal end a distal end, a palmar portion corresponding to a user's palm, and a dorsal portion corresponding to a user's back of the hand;
one or more finger compartment connected to and extending from the distal end of the glove body, wherein each of the one or more finger compartment is constructed to receive one or more of a user's fingers;
a cuff portion extending from the proximal end of glove body, wherein the cuff portion defines a pocket with a pocket compartment sized to house a tether retractor and further defining a tether opening communicating with the pocket compartment and positioned adjacent the proximal end of the glove body.
10 . The glove of claim 9 , wherein the tether opening is positioned adjacent the proximal end of the palmar portion of the glove body.
11 . The glove of claim 9 further comprising a tether retractor disposed in the pocket compartment and having a retractor body with a tether deployable from the retractor body through the tether opening.
12 . The glove of claim 11 further comprising a connector attached to a first tether end of the tether and configured for releasable attachment to an object selected from the group consisting of a hand tool and an article of clothing.