WRIST GUARD FOR BOWLING

A wrist guard for bowling is provided. The wrist guard includes an arm supporting plate supporting an end portion of an arm, a pivoting plate coupled with the arm supporting plate to be pivotable left and right, a back supporting plate for supporting the back of a hand, coupled with the pivoting plate to be pivotable top and bottom, and an angle adjustment device provided on the pivoting plate to control a pivoting angle of the back supporting plate. The angle adjustment device includes a hollow cylindrical screw installed on the pivoting plate to be rotatable in place, on an inner circumferential surface of which a screw thread is formed, and a bar-shaped screw penetrating the cylindrical screw while being screw-coupled with the inside of the cylindrical screw and controlling the angle of the back supporting plate by moving forward and backward while the cylindrical screw is rotating.

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Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wrist guard, and more particularly, to a wrist guard for bowling, capable of preventing an injury of a wrist and maintaining a stable posture while playing a bowling game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A wrist guard for bowling is used to prevent an injury of a wrist caused by a heavy bowling ball and to maintain stable shape and posture of the wrist while playing a bowling game, thereby providing a good throw.

Initial wrist guards for bowling are used just for fastening a wrist to prevent excessively tilting of a wrist while throwing a bowling ball. However, recently, wrist guards are also used to form a desired rotation such as a spin or a hook while throwing a bowling ball by adjusting an angle of the wrist.

According to a throw, to maintain a proper posture of fingers and a wrist, vertical or lateral bending of the wrist is important. For this, technologies for adjusting and fixing bending of a wrist have been developed and generally applied to wrist guards for bowling.

There is disclosed an example of such wrist guards for bowling in Korean Utility Model Publication No. 2012-0000543 (hereinafter, referred to as Cited Reference).

According to a wrist guard for bowling disclosed in Cited Reference, there is an advantage of simply adjusting an angle of a plate for the back of a hand by rotating a worm. However, there are present problems as follows.

First, when using the worm and a worm bar as in Cited Reference, since forward and backward movements of the worm bar are not precisely performed while transferring the worm bar forward and backward by rotating the worm, it is difficult to precisely adjust the plate for the back of a hand.

Second, in the case of the wrist guard as in Cited Reference, since it is needed an additional space for installing the worm bar outside the worm formed in a screw shape, a size of an entire angle adjustment device should be increased. When decreasing the size of the entire angle adjustment device by decreasing sizes of the worm and the worm bar, since a worm part to which forces are applied from the outside could not properly support the forces, the wrist guard may be easily damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a wrist guard for bowling, the wrist guard capable precisely adjusting an angle of a part fastening the back of a hand and reducing an installation space of the an angle adjustment device, which substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wrist guard for bowling. The wrist guard includes an arm supporting plate supporting an end portion of an arm, a pivoting plate coupled with the arm supporting plate to be pivotable left and right, a back supporting plate for supporting the back of a hand, coupled with the pivoting plate to be pivotable top and bottom, and an angle adjustment device provided on the pivoting plate to control a pivoting angle of the back supporting plate.

The angle adjustment device includes a hollow cylindrical screw installed on the pivoting plate to be rotatable in place, on an inner circumferential surface of which a screw thread is formed, and a bar-shaped screw penetrating the cylindrical screw while being screw-coupled with the inside of the cylindrical screw and controlling the angle of the back supporting plate by moving forward and backward while the cylindrical screw is rotating.

The bar-shaped screw may include a screw coupling portion formed in the shape of a bar whose cross section is a circle, with screw threads being formed on both sides thereof, and a second contact portion formed on one end of the screw coupling portion, in contact with a first contact portion formed on the back supporting plate.

A cross section of the first contact portion may be formed in the shape of a circular arc, and a cross section of the second contact portion may be formed in the shape of a circular plate.

The angle adjustment device may further include a fastened housing provided on the pivoting plate to install the cylindrical screw.

The fastened housing may include a fastening plate fastened to the pivoting plate, on a center portion of which there is formed a screw penetration portion in a hole shape where the cylindrical screw penetrates, and a screw supporting portion formed on both sides of the screw penetration portion, where both end portions of the cylindrical screw are inserted into and supported to be rotatable.

The cylindrical screw and the bar-shaped screw may be inclined downwardly toward the back supporting plate.

On an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical screw, there may be formed a plurality of antislip projections in a longitudinal direction to prevent a slip while being rotated by the hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a wrist guard for bowling according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view illustrating the wrist guard of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a part of a vertical angle adjustment device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, separated from a pivoting plate;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the vertical angle adjustment device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIGS. 5A and 5B represent a cross-sectional view illustrating the wrist guard in a state in which a bar-shaped screw of the angle adjustment device is transferred backward;

FIG. 6 is a top view illustrating the angle adjustment device in the state in which the bar-shaped screw is transferred backward;

FIGS. 7A and 7B represent a cross-sectional view illustrating the wrist guard in a state in which the bar-shaped screw is transferred forward;

FIG. 8 is a top view illustrating the angle adjustment device in the state in which the bar-shaped screw is transferred forward; and

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating another example of a fastened housing forming the angle adjustment device.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a wrist guard for bowling according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view illustrating the wrist guard of FIG. 1.

The wrist guard includes an arm supporting plate 10, a pivoting plate 20, a back supporting plate 30 for supporting the back of a hand, and a vertical angle adjustment device 40.

The arm supporting plate 10 is a plate formed of one of synthetic resins and a metallic material and has one surface in contact with a wrist, the one surface to which a cushion is attached. The arm supporting plate 10 is formed in a curved surface to surround an end portion of an arm and comfortably supports the wrist.

The pivoting plate 20 is installed on an end portion of the arm supporting plate 10 to be pivotable left and right to allow the back supporting plate 30 to be pivotable left and right. A lateral pivoting of the pivoting plate 20 is controlled by operating an angle adjustment lever 50 of a lateral angle adjustment device.

The back supporting plate 30 is hinge-coupled with both sides of the pivoting plate 20 to be pivotable top and bottom. The back supporting plate 30 is formed in a circular surface while surrounding the back of a hand and finger parts and stably supports the back of a hand and the finger parts. On one side of the back supporting plate 30 in contact with the vertical angle adjustment device 40, a first contact portion 31 in contact with a second contact portion 422 of the vertical angle adjustment device, which will be described later, is formed in the shape of a circular arc to correspond to a shape of the second contact portion 422. Via this, the first and second contact portions 31 and 422 have mutually enough contact areas.

The vertical angle adjustment device 40 is installed on the pivoting plate 20 and used to control a vertical pivoting angle of the back supporting plate 30. Via controlling the vertical angle of the back supporting plate 30, a posture of the wrist may be stable.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a part of the vertical angle adjustment device 40 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, separated from the pivoting plate 20, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the vertical angle adjustment device 40 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

On both sides of one end of the pivoting plate 20, there are formed coupling holes 21 hinge-coupled with the back supporting plate 30, respectively. On a center portion of the pivoting plate 20, there is formed a plurality of housing fastening holes 22 for fastening a fastened housing 43 by using coupling elements such as screws or rivets. Also, on the center portion of the pivoting plate 20, a pair of screw mounting portions 23 where a cylindrical screw 41 of the vertical angle adjustment device 40, which will be described later, is mounted on to be pivotable. On tops of the screw mounting portions 23, mounting grooves are formed.

The vertical angle adjustment device 40 includes the cylindrical screw 41, a bar-shaped screw 42, and the fastened housing 43.

The cylindrical screw 41 is installed on the pivoting plate 20 via the fastened housing 43 to be rotatable in place, is formed in the shape of a hollow cylinder, and a screw thread is installed on an inner circumferential surface thereof. On an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical screw 41, there is formed a plurality of antislip projections 411 preventing a slip of a finger while a user rotates the cylindrical screw 41 by using the finger. On both ends of the cylindrical screw 41, there are formed rotating portions 412 mounted on the screw mounting portions of the pivoting plate 20 and inserted into screw supporting portions 432 of the fastened housing 43, which will be described later, the rotating portion 412 with an outer diameter formed to be more reduced than those of other parts.

The bar-shaped screw 42 is formed in the shape of a bar, penetrates a center portion of the cylindrical screw 41, and is screw-coupled with the screw thread formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical screw 41. Accordingly, the bar-shaped screw 42 is transferred forward and backward by a rotation of the cylindrical screw 41.

The bar-shaped screw 42 includes a screw coupling portion 421 formed in the shape of a bar whose cross section is a circle, with screw threads being formed on both sides thereof and the second contact portion 422 with the shape of a circular plate, formed on one end of the screw coupling portion 421, in contact with a first contact portion 31 formed on the back supporting plate 30. The second contact portion 422 is formed to vertical to the screw coupling portion 421, is in contact with the first contact portion 31 of the back supporting plate 30, and pushes the back supporting plate 30 to be pivoted while the screw coupling portion 421 is transferred forward.

The fastened housing 43 is fastened to the pivoting plate 20 by using a screw to install the cylindrical screw 41. The fastened housing 43 has a screw penetration portion 431 with the shape of a hole to allow a top of the cylindrical screw 41 to penetrate to be exposed outward, on a center portion of the fastened housing 43. On both sides of the screw penetration portion 431, the screw supporting portions 432 with a semicircular shape, into which the rotating portions 412 of the cylindrical screw 41 are inserted to be rotatable, respectively. On one end of the fastened housing 43, there is formed a lever insertion groove 433 into which the angle adjustment lever 50 is inserted and pivoted.

FIGS. 5A and 5B represent a cross-sectional view illustrating the wrist guard in a state in which the bar-shaped screw 42 of the angle adjustment device 40 is transferred backward, and FIG. 6 is a top view illustrating the angle adjustment device 40 in the state in which the bar-shaped screw 42 is transferred backward.

When the cylindrical screw 41 is rotated in one direction to perfectly transfer the bar-shaped screw 42 backward, as shown in FIG. 5B, the arm supporting plate 10 and the back supporting plate 30 are in a straight line. In this case, the back supporting plate 30 may be freely pivoted with respect to the arm supporting plate 10. Like this, in a state of perfectly transferring the bar-shaped screw 42 backward, it is possible to simply put on or take off the wrist guard.

On the other hand, the cylindrical screw 41 and the bar-shaped screw 42 are inclined downwardly toward the back supporting plate 30. Accordingly, a size of the first contact portion 31 formed on the back supporting plate 30 may be reduced. When the cylindrical screw 41 and the bar-shaped screw 42 are provided horizontally, to have enough contact areas between the first and second contact portions 31 and 422, the size of the first contact portion 31 should be great. Then, the first contact portion 31 is excessively projected outward, which not only makes an external shape bad but also causes a lot of inconvenience to use. To solve such problems, the cylindrical screw 41 and the bar-shaped screw 42 are inclined as described above. Though reducing the size of the first contact portion, the first and second contact portions 31 and 422 are allowed to be in contact with each other with enough contact areas.

FIGS. 7A and 7B represent a cross-sectional view illustrating the wrist guard in a state in which the bar-shaped screw 42 is transferred forward, and FIG. 8 is a top view illustrating the angle adjustment device 40 in the state in which the bar-shaped screw 42 is transferred forward.

When the user puts on the wrist guard and rotates the cylindrical screw 41 in a direction opposite to FIGS. 5 and 6, the bar-shaped screw 42 is transferred forward and the first and second contact portions 31 and 422 are in contact with each other. While the first and second contact portions 31 and 422 are being in contact with each other, when the bar-shaped screw 42 is continuously transferred forward, the back supporting plate 30 is pivoted on the pivoting plate 20 and forms an obtuse angle with the arm supporting plate 10.

When the back supporting plate 30 is pivoted with a desired angle, the rotation of the cylindrical screw is finished. When the rotation of the cylindrical screw 41 is finished, the bar-shaped screw 42 is maintained in the state of being transferred forward. Also, it is prevented by the bar-shaped screw 42 that the back supporting plate 30 is pivoted to an original state and maintained in the state of forming the obtuse angle. Accordingly, though there is a force applied to the wrist while the user is picking up and throwing a bowling ball, the back supporting plate 30 stably supports the wrist and it is not hard on the wrist.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view illustrating another example of a fastened housing forming the angle adjustment device 40.

A fastened housing 44 is fastened to the pivoting plate 20 to install the cylindrical screw 41. The fastened housing 44 includes a fastened plate 441 and a pair of screw supporting portions 442. The fastened plate 441 is fastened to the pivoting plate 20 and has a screw penetration portion 441a with a hole shape where a bottom of the cylindrical screw 41 penetrate, on a center thereof. The screw supporting portions 442 are installed standing on both sides of the screw penetration portion 441a and allow the rotating portions 412 formed on the both sides of the cylindrical screw 41 to be inserted therein to be rotatable. The screw supporting portion 442 is formed in the shape of an arch.

According to the wrist guard having the configuration described above, the angle of the back supporting plate 30 is adjusted by using the hollow cylindrical screw 41 installed on the pivoting plate 20 to be rotatable in place and having the screw thread formed on the inner circumferential surface thereof and the bar-shaped screw 42 penetrating the cylindrical screw 41 and being screw-coupled with the same, thereby not only precisely adjusting the angle of the back supporting plate 30 but also reducing installation spaces of the cylindrical screw 41 and the bar-shaped screw 42 because the installation spaces thereof are overlapped each other.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A wrist guard for bowling, the wrist guard comprising:

an arm supporting plate supporting an end portion of an arm;
a pivoting plate coupled with the arm supporting plate to be pivotable left and right;
a back supporting plate for supporting the back of a hand, coupled with the pivoting plate to be pivotable top and bottom; and
an angle adjustment device provided on the pivoting plate to control a pivoting angle of the back supporting plate,
wherein the angle adjustment device comprises:
a hollow cylindrical screw installed on the pivoting plate to be rotatable in place, on an inner circumferential surface of which a screw thread is formed; and
a bar-shaped screw penetrating the cylindrical screw while being screw-coupled with the inside of the cylindrical screw and controlling the angle of the back supporting plate by moving forward and backward while the cylindrical screw is rotating.

2. The wrist guard of claim 1, wherein the bar-shaped screw comprises:

a screw coupling portion formed in the shape of a bar whose cross section is a circle, with screw threads being formed on both sides thereof; and
a second contact portion formed on one end of the screw coupling portion, in contact with a first contact portion formed on the back supporting plate.

3. The wrist guard of claim 2, wherein a cross section of the first contact portion is formed in the shape of a circular arc, and

wherein a cross section of the second contact portion is formed in the shape of a circular plate.

4. The wrist guard of claim 1, wherein the angle adjustment device further comprises a fastened housing provided on the pivoting plate to install the cylindrical screw.

5. The wrist guard of claim 4, wherein the fastened housing comprises:

a fastening plate fastened to the pivoting plate, on a center portion of which there is formed a screw penetration portion in a hole shape where the cylindrical screw penetrates; and
a screw supporting portion formed on both sides of the screw penetration portion, where both end portions of the cylindrical screw are inserted into and supported to be rotatable.

6. The wrist guard of claims 1, wherein the cylindrical screw and the bar-shaped screw are inclined downwardly toward the back supporting plate.

7. The wrist guard of claim 1, wherein, on an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical screw, there is formed a plurality of antislip projections in a longitudinal direction to prevent a slip while being rotated by the hand.

Patent History
Publication number: 20140213381
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 30, 2013
Publication Date: Jul 31, 2014
Inventor: Sang-Hak Jeon (Goyang-si)
Application Number: 13/754,294
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Wrist Support Or Guide (473/62)
International Classification: A63B 69/00 (20060101);