Functional glove for the hand of a disabled person

Abstract

A functional glove for the hand of a disabled person, which comprises at least one optionally flexible restraint for at least one of the fingers of the hand, and removable fastening means for rigid fixing to the wrist. The glove, during use, is worn over the hand by the disabled person in order to improve the quality and number of manual operations, providing consequent greater independence and reduced dependence of the disabled person on other people.

1 . A functional glove for a hand of a disabled person, comprising: at least one restraint for at least one of the fingers of the hand; and removable wrist fastening means for rigid wrist fixing of the glove worn for use over the hand of the disabled person.  
   
   
       2 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein said restraint is constituted by a substantially elastic splint, which is arranged on a lateral surface of the glove, starting, in use, from the hand wrist, along a lateral surface of a short adductor of a thumb, up to an upper portion of the thumb, said elastic splint being rigidly coupled to said glove and being lockable in use to the wrist by way of said fastening means.  
   
   
       3 . The glove of  claim 2 , wherein said splint is linear, substantially uncurved, and adapted to keep, in use, a thumb in different positions which depend on a position in which said splint is fixed to a hand wrist.  
   
   
       4 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein said restraint is an ellipsoidal body, which is arrangeable, in use, on a proximal and distal part of metacarpal phalangeal articulations of first four fingers and is anchorable, by way of an annular structure, to a palm portion of said glove.  
   
   
       5 . The glove of  claim 1 , comprising finger receptacles, said restraint being constituted by at least one bridle of adjustable length, which surrounds, in use, a respective one of said finger receptacles at a phalangeal articulation, said at least one bridle having a first end thereof which is substantially shaped as a noose, and a second, opposite end being substantially rigidly coupled to said fastening means.  
   
   
       6 . The glove of  claim 5 , comprising four bridles, each one of which is arranged at a respective finger receptacle of the glove.  
   
   
       7 . The glove of  claim 5 , comprising eight bridles, each pair of said bridles being connected to a respective said noose, which is arranged at a respective finger receptacle of the glove, a first one of said bridles being able to slide, in use, over a back of a hand and a second one of said bridles being able to slide, in use, under a palm of a hand.  
   
   
       8 . The glove of  claim 5 , wherein a further restraint is provided, which is an ellipsoidal body, said elastic splint, said ellipsoidal body and said at least one bridle being simultaneously provided on the glove, said at least one bridle and ellipsoidal body being functionally associatable, in use, with a hand that wears the glove according to the requirements, even independently of each other.  
   
   
       9 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein said removable fastening means for rigid fixing to a hand wrist comprises a strip of a hook and loop-fastener.  
   
   
       10 . The glove of  claim 5 , wherein the finger receptacles are made tipless, so that, in use, at least a last phalanx of each finger is free.  
   
   
       11 . The glove of  claim 1 , made of a material having a highly sliding internal surface in order to facilitate insertion therein of a hand.  
   
   
       12 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein said restraint is flexible.  
   
   
       13 . The glove of  claim 1 , wherein said restraint is rigid.  
   
   
       14 . The glove of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one bridle and ellipsoidal body are functionally associatable, in use, with a hand that wears the glove, for simultaneous action.