Reinforced protective glove

Abstract

A protective glove is disclosed having a flexible liner conforming to the shape of a hand and wrist and having a plurality of rigid guards secured thereto over the distal, middle, and proximal phalanx bones, the metacarpals, and wrist bones of the wearer. A distal guard is shaped as a cup placed over the posterior side of the distal phalanx bone. Middle and proximal guards protect the middle and proximal phalanx bones of the hand and may be embodied as rings positioned slightly distal of the finger joints and having extensions extending distally therefrom. A metacarpal guard secures to the posterior of the glove over the metacarpals and extends toward the anterior of the hand, providing a cutout to receive the thumb. A wrist guard encircles the liner over the wrist bones and is spaced apart from the metacarpal guard to permit wrist articulation.

1 . A glove for protecting the hand of a user against blunt force injury, the glove comprising 
 a liner, shaped to fit over a hand and made of a flexible material, the liner having phalangeal, metacarpal, and wrist portions corresponding to the phalanges, metacarpals, and wrist bones of the hand;    a metacarpal guard secured to the posterior side of the metacarpal portion;    a proximal phalangeal guard secured to the phalangeal portion;    a distal phalangeal guard secured to the distal end of the phalangeal portion; and    a middle phalangeal guard secured to the phalangeal portion between the distal and proximal phalangeal guards and spaced apart therefrom, the metacarpal, proximal phalangeal, distal phalangeal, and middle phalangeal guards being made from a substantially rigid material.    
   
   
       2 . The glove of  claim 1 , further comprising a wrist guard secured to the wrist portion.  
   
   
       3 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the metacarpal guard comprises: 
 an ulnar support extending over a portion of the ulnar side of the liner; and    a radial support extending over a portion of the radial side of the liner.    
   
   
       4 . The glove of  claim 3 , wherein the radial support defines a cutout positioned to receive the thumb of a wearer.  
   
   
       5 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal and middle phalangeal guards comprise: 
 an annular portion substantially encircling the phalangeal portion; and    an extension extending distally from the annular portion.    
   
   
       6 . The glove of  claim 5 , wherein the extension is positioned over the posterior side of the liner.  
   
   
       7 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the liner is a water impervious material.  
   
   
       8 . The glove of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer shell made of a flexible, water impervious material and shaped to fit over the liner.  
   
   
       9 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein the metacarpal, proximal phalangeal, distal phalangeal, and middle phalangeal guards are secured to the liner by fastening strips secured to the liner.  
   
   
       10 . The glove of  claim 9 , wherein the fastening strips comprise a reflective material.  
   
   
       11 . A glove for protecting the hand of a user against blunt force injury, the glove comprising 
 a liner, shaped to fit over a hand and made of a flexible material, the liner having a plurality of phalagneal portions and metacarpal and wrist portions, the liner having an anterior side corresponding to the palm of the hand and a posterior side corresponding to the back of the hand, the liner further defining a distal end proximate the fingertips of the hand and a proximal end proximate the wrist;    a metacarpal guard secured to the posterior side of the liner over the metacarpal portion;    a plurality of proximal phalangeal guards each secured to the posterior side of the liner over one of the phalangeal portions;    a plurality of distal phalangeal guards each secured to the posterior side of the liner at the distal end thereof over one of the phalangeal portions; and    a plurality of middle phalangeal guards each secured to one of the phalangeal portions positioned between the distal and proximal phalangeal guards and spaced apart therefrom, the metacarpal, proximal phalangeal, distal phalangeal, and middle phalangeal guards being made from a substantially rigid material.    
   
   
       12 . The glove of  claim 11 , further comprising a wrist guard secured to the wrist portion.  
   
   
       13 . The glove of  claim 11 , wherein the metacarpal guard comprises: 
 an ulnar support extending over a portion of the ulnar side of the liner; and    a radial support extending over a portion of the radial side of the liner.    
   
   
       14 . The glove of  claim 13 , wherein the radial support further comprises a cutout positioned to receive the thumb of a wearer.  
   
   
       15 . The glove of  claim 11 , wherein the proximal and middle phalangeal guards comprise: 
 an annular portion substantially encircling the phalangeal portion; and    an extension positioned over the posterior side of the liner and extending therefrom toward the distal end.    
   
   
       16 . A glove for protecting the hand of a user against blunt force injury, the glove comprising: 
 a liner, shaped to fit over a hand of a wearer and made of a flexible material, the liner having a plurality of phalangeal portions extending distally therefrom    a plurality of phalangeal guards each comprising an annular portion and an extension;    the phalangeal guards securing to the phalangeal portions having the extension positioned over the posterior side thereof, the extensions extending distally from the annular portion.    
   
   
       17 . The glove of  claim 16 , wherein the annular portion is positioned slightly distal of a phalanx joint of the wearer.  
   
   
       18 . The glove of  claim 17 , wherein the phalangeal guards are made of a rigid material.  
   
   
       19 . The glove of  claim 18 , wherein the extension has an arcuate shape.  
   
   
       20 . The glove of  claim 19 , wherein the annular portion has a circular cross section.  
   
   
       21 . The glove of  claim 20 , further comprising a fastening strip secured to the liner and extending over the phalangeal guards to fasten the phalangeal guards to the liner.  
   
   
       22 . The glove of  claim 21 , wherein the fastening strip is reflective.  
   
   
       23 . The glove of  claim 22 , further comprising a plurality of distal guards secured to the distal ends of the phalangeal portions.  
   
   
       24 . The glove of  claim 23 , wherein the distal guard is a cup covering the posterior and lateral sides of the phalangeal portion proximate the distal end.  
   
   
       25 . The glove of  claim 24 , wherein the cup defines an aperture formed on the posterior side thereof, the fastening strip having a first end secured to the phalangeal portion proximate the distal end thereof, the strip passing through the aperture and having a middle portion thereof fastened to the phalangeal portion.  
   
   
       26 . A method for manufacturing a reinforced glove, the method comprising: 
 providing a jig approximating the shape of a hand, the jig formed of an elastic material;    providing a liner shaped to fit over a hand;    providing reinforcing members made of a rigid material and sized to fit over portions of the liner;    positioning the liner over the jig;    deforming the jig to permit positioning of the reinforcing members over the liner; and    securing reinforcing members to the liner.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the jig comprises an upper frame and a lower frame approximating the perimeter of the posterior side of the hand, the upper and lower frame fastened together in spaced apart relation.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the upper and lower frame each comprises a metacarpal portion, a wrist portion, and a plurality of phalangeal portions secured to one another disposed in correspondence to the metacarpals, wrist, and phalanges, respectively, of the hand, the distal ends of each phalangeal portion of the upper frame secured to a phalangeal portion of the lower frame.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein securing reinforcing members to the liner further comprises applying a fastener to the liner and reinforcing members to substantially permanently attach the reinforcing members to the liner.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein applying a fastener to the liner comprises applying a coating material to the combined jig, liner, and reinforcing members.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the coating material is a flexible water impervious material.  
   
   
       32 . A glove for protecting the hand of the wearer, the glove comprising: 
 a liner made of a flexible material and shaped to fit over a hand of a wearer;    a metacarpal reinforcing means for reducing blunt force trauma to the metacarpals and carpals of the wearer;    a plurality of phalangeal reinforcing means for reducing blunt force trauma to the phalanges of the wearer; and    a fastening means securing the metacarpal and phalangeal reinforcing means to the liner.    
   
   
       33 . The glove of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of phalangeal reinforcing means comprise: 
 a plurality of proximal phalangeal reinforcing means for protecting the proximal phalanx bones of the wearer and enabling articulation thereof;    a plurality of middle phalangeal reinforcing means for protecting the middle phalanx bones of the wearer and enabling articulation thereof; and    a plurality of distal phalangeal reinforcing means for protecting the distal phalanx bones of the wearer and enabling articulation thereof.    
   
   
       34 . The glove of  claim 33 , wherein the metacarpal, proximal phalangeal, middle phalangeal, and distal phalangeal reinforcing means enable gripping with the anterior side of the liner proximate thereto.  
   
   
       35 . The glove of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 a wrist reinforcing means for protecting a wrist of the wearer, enabling articulation of the wrist, and permitting insertion of the hand therethrough.