Protective Glove System
A protective glove system featuring built-in adjustable straps to secure the digits of the wearer's hand in a manner similar to “buddy taping” of the fingers to restrain and support an injured finger and “thumb spica” taping to protect an injured thumb. Several variations of gloves featuring dual finger stalls with integral straps above and below the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints of the wearer's fingers, and an integral thumb spica loop are disclosed which are appropriate for securing the digits of the wearer's hand to prevent re-injury and promote healing, or to prevent injury. Baseball fielding gloves having dual finger stalls compatible with the glove system are also disclosed, along with other features.
Sprains and dislocations of the digits of the hand are a frequent problem for athletes and others whose hands encounter impact forces, torsion, or other stresses from falls, catching or throwing fast-moving or heavy objects, or attempting to grip or restrain moving people, animals or objects. Among professional football players in the National Football League (“NFL”), a epidemiological study published in 2008 examining injuries to the hand, fingers and “first ray” (or thumb) found that most of the 1385 injuries (48%) were to the fingers, with these injuries most commonly involving the proximal interphalangeal joint (often abbreviated as “PIP joint”) of the finger, which is the joint located approximately in the middle of the finger, between the knuckle (or metacarpal phalangeal joint, or “MCP joint”) and the fingertip joint (distal interphalangeal joint, or “DIP joint”). Injuries to the thumb were found to be the next most common category of the injuries (30%), with more than a third of thumb injuries (36%) being sprains, second only to fractures (48%). These sorts of sprains and dislocations in football and other sports are a significant cause of lost playing and practice time. In other fields, injuries such as these can result in lost time from work.
A common treatment for PIP joint injuries is termed “buddy taping,” in which the injured digit is secured to an adjacent uninjured digit by a wrapping of adhesive tape above and below the PIP joint, so as to restrain and support the injured digit, and allow the uninjured digit to assist in moving the injured digit. Athletes with existing finger injuries may use buddy taping in order to help prevent re-injury while continuing to play during their recovery, and athletes without such injuries may buddy tape their fingers as a preventative measure, so as to offer additional protection against hyperextension or dislocation of the joint.
Similarly, taping of the thumb to help protect an existing injury, or to help prevent sprains or dislocation is a common practice as well, using a taping pattern called a “thumb spica.” In the thumb spica, strips of adhesive tape are looped around the thumb in a figure “8,” beginning in the web between the thumb and the hand, and crossing on the lateral side of the thumb, anchored to a band of tape wrapped around the wrist.
Taping of the digits in this way is awkward and difficult for an individual to perform for themselves, requires a lot of disposable adhesive tape, and takes time to perform correctly. It also prevents the individual whose fingers or thumb are taped from wearing ordinary sports gloves or other protective gloves that they would be able to wear if their digits were not taped. A need therefore exists in the art for a system of gloves that provides the advantages of taping to athletes and others who need to tape their digits for protection of existing injuries and prevention of new injuries, while enabling the user to quickly secure the protection themselves, and which is reusable, eliminating the waste, time, and expense associated with repeated applications of disposable tape.
- 100 Single finger stall
- 102 Dual finger stall
- 110 Outermost layer
- 120 Glove shell
- 122 Glove shell outer face
- 124 Glove shell inner face
- 126 Cinch strap sleeve
- 128 Cinch strap openings
- 130 Cinch straps
- 132 Cinch strap attachment point
- 134 Cinch strap free end
- 136 Cinch strap hook-and-loop closure
- 140 Palm portion
- 142 Tackified outer surface
- 144 Palm portion inner face
- 150 Memory foam
- 160 Interior lining
- 170 Wrist strap
- 172 Wrist strap hook-and-loop closure
- 180 Cuff
- 182 Cuff hook-and-loop layer
- 190 Thumb stall
- 192 Spica strap opening
- 200 Thumb stirrup
- 202 Spica attachment point
- 204 Spica loop
- 206 Spica back strap
- 208 Spica palm strap
- 210 Double-sided hook-and-loop fastener
- 220 Baseball glove dual finger stall
- 222 Baseball glove single finger stall
- 224 Finger lacing
- 226 Glove
Claims
1. A protective glove system comprising:
- at least one glove; said at least one glove comprising a glove shell comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, said glove shell configured to cover the back of a wearer's hand; a palm portion comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, said palm portion configured to cover the palm side of a wearer's hand, said palm portion being joined to said glove shell and defining a plurality of finger stalls, a thumb stall, a wrist opening, and a space for receiving a wearer's hand; said plurality of finger stalls comprising at least one dual finger stall configured to substantially enclose two adjacent fingers of a wearer's hand, said at least one dual finger stall comprising a first cinch strap opening; a first cinch strap substantially encircling two adjacent fingers of a wearer's hand between the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints thereof, said first cinch strap having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first cinch strap attached to said inner surface of said glove shell and said second end of said first cinch strap emerging from said at least one dual finger stall through said first cinch strap opening, said second end of said first cinch strap removably attached to said outer surface of said glove shell by a first repositionable fastening means; a second cinch strap opening; and a second cinch strap substantially encircling two adjacent fingers of a wearer's hand between the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints thereof, said second cinch strap having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second cinch strap attached to said inner surface of said glove shell and said second end of said second cinch strap emerging from said at least one dual finger stall through said second cinch strap opening, said second end of said second cinch strap removably attached to said outer surface of said glove shell by a second repositionable fastening means.
2. The protective glove system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of finger stalls comprises one dual finger stall and two single finger stalls, each of said single finger stalls substantially enclosing a single finger of the wearer.
3. The protective glove system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of finger stalls comprises one dual finger stall and two single finger stalls, each of said single finger stalls being configured to permit a fingertip of the wearer to protrude therefrom.
4. The protective glove system of claim 1, wherein said at least one dual finger stall further comprises a first cinch strap sleeve substantially enclosing said first cinch strap and configured to permit the second end of said first cinch strap to be drawn through said first cinch strap opening; and a second cinch strap sleeve substantially enclosing said second cinch strap and configured to permit the second end of said second cinch strap to be drawn through said second cinch strap opening.
5. The protective glove system of claim 1, wherein said at least one dual finger stall further comprises a lining layer comprising a viscoelastic padding material and an interior lining.
6. The protective glove system of claim 4, wherein said at least one dual finger stall further comprises a lining layer comprising a viscoelastic padding material and an interior lining.
7. The protective glove system of claim 2, wherein said at least one dual finger stall further comprises a first cinch strap sleeve substantially enclosing said first cinch strap and configured to permit the second end of said first cinch strap to be drawn through said first cinch strap opening; and a second cinch strap sleeve substantially enclosing said second cinch strap and configured to permit the second end of said second cinch strap to be drawn through said second cinch strap opening.
8. The protective glove system of claim 3, wherein said at least one dual finger stall further comprises a first cinch strap sleeve substantially enclosing said first cinch strap and configured to permit the second end of said first cinch strap to be drawn through said first cinch strap opening; and a second cinch strap sleeve substantially enclosing said second cinch strap and configured to permit the second end of said second cinch strap to be drawn through said second cinch strap opening.
9. The protective glove system of claim 7, wherein said at least one dual finger stall further comprises a lining layer comprising a viscoelastic padding material and an interior lining.
10. The protective glove system of claim 8, wherein said at least one dual finger stall further comprises a lining layer comprising a viscoelastic padding material and an interior lining.
11. The protective glove system of claim 9, wherein the outer surface of the palm portion of said at least one glove further comprises at least one tackified area.
12. The protective glove system of claim 10, wherein the outer surface of the palm portion of said at least one glove further comprises at least one tackified area.
13. The protective glove system of claim 9, further comprising at least one baseball fielding glove having at least one dual finger stall configured to receive the at least one dual finger stall of the gloved hand of the wearer of said at least one glove.
14. The protective glove system of claim 10, further comprising at least one baseball fielding glove having at least one dual finger stall configured to receive the at least one dual finger stall of the gloved hand of the wearer of said at least one glove.
15. The protective glove system of claim 1, further comprising
- at least one spica glove comprising a glove shell comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, said glove shell configured to cover the back of a wearer's hand; a palm portion comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, said palm portion configured to cover the palm side of a wearer's hand, said palm portion being joined to said glove shell and defining a plurality of finger stalls, a thumb stall, a wrist opening, and a space for receiving a wearer's hand; said thumb stall comprising an internal spica for securing the thumb of the wearer.
16. The protective glove system of claim 15 wherein the at least one spica glove further comprises a first spica strap opening located in the glove shell of said at least one spica glove substantially near said wrist opening;
- a second spica strap opening located in the glove shell of said at least one spica glove substantially near said wrist opening; and
- wherein said internal spica comprises a thumb stirrup configured to substantially encircle the wearer's thumb; a spica loop, said spica loop comprising an attachment point defining a palm strap and a back strap; said thumb stirrup attached to said spica loop at said attachment point near the ulnar side of the wearer's thumb; said palm strap and said back strap of said spica loop crossing on the radial side of the wearer's thumb opposite to said attachment point; said palm strap extending towards the wrist of said at least one spica glove across and within the palm portion thereof, said palm strap passing through said first spica strap opening and being secured by a first repositionable fastening means substantially near the wrist opening of said at least one spica glove; and said back strap extending towards the wrist of said at least one spica glove across and within the glove shell, said back strap passing through said second spica strap opening and being secured by a second repositionable fastening means substantially near the wrist opening of said at least one spica glove.
17. The protective glove system of claim 1, wherein said thumb stall of said at least one glove further comprises an internal spica for securing the thumb of the wearer.
18. The protective glove system of claim 17, wherein said at least one glove further comprises a first spica strap opening located in the glove shell of said at least one glove substantially near said wrist opening;
- a second spica strap opening located in the glove shell of said at least one glove substantially near said wrist opening; and
- wherein said internal spica comprises a thumb stirrup configured to substantially encircle the wearer's thumb; a spica loop, said spica loop comprising an attachment point defining a palm strap and a back strap; said thumb stirrup attached to said spica loop at said attachment point near the ulnar side of the wearer's thumb; said palm strap and said back strap of said spica loop crossing on the radial side of the wearer's thumb opposite to said attachment point; said palm strap extending towards the wrist of said at least one glove across and within the palm portion thereof, said palm strap passing through said first spica strap opening and being secured by a first repositionable fastening means substantially near the wrist opening of said at least one glove; and said back strap extending towards the wrist of said at least one glove across and within the glove shell, said back strap passing through said second spica strap opening and being secured by a second repositionable fastening means substantially near the wrist opening of said at least one glove.
19. A protective glove system comprising:
- at least one spica glove comprising a glove shell comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, said glove shell configured to cover the back of a wearer's hand; a palm portion comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, said palm portion configured to cover the palm side of a wearer's hand, said palm portion being joined to said glove shell and defining a plurality of finger stalls, a thumb stall, a wrist opening, and a space for receiving a wearer's hand; said thumb stall comprising an internal spica for securing the thumb of the wearer.
20. The protective glove system of claim 19 wherein the at least one spica glove further comprises a first spica strap opening located in the glove shell of said at least one spica glove substantially near said wrist opening;
- a second spica strap opening located in the glove shell of said at least one spica glove substantially near said wrist opening; and
- wherein said internal spica comprises a thumb stirrup configured to substantially encircle the wearer's thumb; a spica loop, said spica loop comprising an attachment point defining a palm strap and a back strap; said thumb stirrup attached to said spica loop at said attachment point near the ulnar side of the wearer's thumb; said palm strap and said back strap of said spica loop crossing on the radial side of the wearer's thumb opposite to said attachment point; said palm strap extending towards the wrist of said at least one spica glove across and within the palm portion thereof, said palm strap passing through said first spica strap opening and being secured by a first repositionable fastening means substantially near the wrist opening of said at least one spica glove; and said back strap extending towards the wrist of said at least one spica glove across and within the glove shell, said back strap passing through said second spica strap opening and being secured by a second repositionable fastening means substantially near the wrist opening of said at least one spica glove.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 16, 2010
Publication Date: May 19, 2011
Inventor: Craig Dewayne Bradford (Baytown, TX)
Application Number: 12/947,366
International Classification: A41D 13/08 (20060101); A41D 19/00 (20060101);