Protective palm device   

Abstract: A protective device for a human palm that can be utilized when engaging in various activities. The device can protect the palm from damaging and/or stressful impact to the nerves of the hand by acting as a shock absorber and being adapted to withstand a predetermined amount of force. The device can also allow for freedom of movement of a user's fingers by moving in a downward and rotational manner about the base of a user's thumb when the user closes his or her hand.

The following application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/221,206, filed Jun. 29, 2009, the complete contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

1. Field of the Invention

The present device relates to the field of protective equipment for the body, more specifically a palm support and protector.

2. Background

There are many instances when the palm of the hand may need to be protected or supported. For example, while doing a push-up, the palm of the hand bears additional pressure because it is not supported. The tension and pressure placed on the palm can cause injury and soreness to the hands.

The palm also needs protection during some tasks. For example, factory workers may perform jobs that require continuous pressing of the palm on surfaces. A device that protects the palm and absorbs shock would be very beneficial and reduce injury and soreness.

There can also be instances in which a person needs to be able to grasp objects or close their hand completely while wearing a protective palm device. Existing types of padding can restrict the hand from closing due to padding bulk not allowing the fingers to close over the palm. Thus, it is desirable to have a device with a unique turning radius such that a user can have freedom of movement without finger or palm restrictions.

Remington® makes a glove with a padded palm; however, in use the fingers are restricted in movement by the bulkiness of the glove. The present invention solves this problem by being able to rotate as a user moves his or her hand, thus preventing interference by the pad.

What is needed is a device that can support and protect a user\'s palm from injury and soreness and that can be worn without restricting movement of a the palm or fingers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a top view of one embodiment of a protective device.

FIG. 1A depicts a top view of one embodiment of a protective device having a thumb ring.

FIG. 2 depicts an isometric view of one embodiment of a protective device in use, with a hand in an open position.

FIG. 3 depicts an isometric view of one embodiment of a protective device in use, with a hand in a closed grip position.

FIG. 4 depicts a view of the strap portion of one embodiment of a protective device over the back of a user\'s hand.

FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a body portion of a protective device having a plurality of layers.

FIG. 6 depicts a side view of a palm element having a depth TCd.

FIG. 7 depicts a top planar view of one embodiment of a palm element having a body portion width “w,” a body portion length “u,” an appendage length “TCu,” and an appendage width “TCw.”

FIG. 8 depicts a top planar view of a hand having a dorsum length DL, a purlicue length TCL, and a wrist width WW.

FIG. 9 depicts an isometric view of a hand having a thumb joint width “TW2j.”

FIG. 10 depicts a top view of a hand having a hand width “z.”

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A protective device 100 is depicted in FIG. 1 and can comprise a palm element 102. A palm element 102 can further comprise a body portion 104 and at least one appendage 106 extending there from. In some embodiments, at least one strap 108 can be coupled with a palm element 102 via at least one opening 110.

A palm element 102 can have any known and/or convenient shape and/or geometry. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, a body portion 104 has a substantially ovoid geometry while an appendage 106 is substantially rectangular. However, in alternate embodiments, a body portion 104 and/or appendage 106 can have any other known and/or convenient shape. Moreover, the geometries of a body portion 104 and an appendage 106 can be such that their perimeters can be seamlessly integrated with each other, creating a visually smooth transition from a body portion 104 to an appendage 106, rather than a distinctive joint as depicted in FIG. 1.

In the embodiment depicted, a palm element 102 can be substantially planar. However, in other embodiments, a body portion 104 can be adapted to complement the geometry of a human palm. By way of non-limiting example, FIG. 5 depicts a cross-section of a palm element 102 having a substantially domed geometry on one side and a substantially planar surface on its other side. In such an embodiment, the curved portion can be in contact with a person\'s palm when in use. In other embodiments, a palm element 102 can be only partially domed, bumpy, ridged, or otherwise raised, with some portions of the palm element 102 remaining substantially planar on the same side. In yet alternate embodiments, both sides of a palm element 102 can be domed or can otherwise have non-planar geometry.

A palm element 102 can be sized to fit various sizes of hands for both men and women. FIG. 7 depicts a top view of one embodiment of a palm element 102 having a body portion 104 width “w,” a body portion 104 length “u,” an appendage 106 width “TCw,” and an appendage 106 length “TCu”. In some embodiments, a protective device 100 can be manufactured and/or sold in various sizes according to a sizing scale, where the 5th percentile can represent a size Small for a female user, and the 95th percentile can represent a size Extra Large for a male user. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the relative dimensions of these percentiles are illustrated below in FIG. 1. However, in alternate embodiments, the dimensions of a palm element 102 and representations of a sliding sizing scale can be of any other known and/or convenient values.

TABLE 1 Determination of “u” and “w” values. 5% ile 95% ile Female Male (Size Small) (Size XL) u = length of body 2.7 3.2 portion 104, in inches Dorsum length, in 2.7 3.2 inches w = width of body 2.1 2.9 portion, in inches Wrist width, in 2.1 2.9 inches

In some embodiments, the length of an appendage 106 TCu can be determined in relation to the length of the webbed space between the thumb and index finger (hereinafter referred to as the “purlicue”), the “TCL” (see FIG. 8). Table 2 below represents one possible method for calculating relative TCu values for 5th and 95th percentiles on a sliding sizing scale. The value 0.088 represents an 8.8% decrease in hand length when gripping. However, in other embodiments, the length of an appendage 106 TCu can be determined in any other known and/or convenient manner.

TABLE 2 Determination of “TCu” values. 5% ile 95% ile Female Male (Size Small) (Size XL) TCL - purlicue length, 1.900 2.300 in inches TCL* = TCL × 0.088 0.167 0.202 TCL − TCL* = TCu 1.733 2.098

In some embodiments, the width of an appendage 106 TCw can be determined in relation to the thumb width at its second joint “TW2j,” as depicted in FIG. 9. Table 3 below represents an example of a method for calculating relative TCw values for 5th and 95th percentiles on a sliding sizing scale. The value 0.60 is used to achieve an embodiment where, in use, a point at which an appendage 106 meets a body portion 104 can be held in place by the base of a thumb. However, in other embodiments, the width of an appendage 106 TCw can be determined in any other known and/or convenient manner.

TABLE 3 Determination of “TCw” values.

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