Accessory for a ball game

Abstract

An accessory ( 30 ) for a ball game includes hand engaging means or a hand receptor ( 32, 34 ) for receiving a hand of a user of the accessory, and a ball striking formation ( 14, 16 ) defining spaced, opposed outwardly facing ball striking surfaces ( 18, 20 ) on opposed sides of the hand receptor.

1 . An accessory for a ball game, the accessory including 
 a hand receptor for receiving a hand of a user of the accessory; and    a ball striking formation defining spaced, opposed outwardly facing ball striking surfaces on opposed sides of the hand receptor; the ball striking surfaces being deformed outwardly away from each other in a wrist area thereby to allow for flexing of the wrist of the hand of a user.    
   
   
       2 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the hand receptor includes spaced cushions or cushion portions between which the hand of a user is receivable.  
   
   
       3 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 2 , in which at least one of the cushions or cushion portions defines a bulge to fit into the palm of an open hand of a user.  
   
   
       4 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 2 , in which the cushions or cushion portions are of a resilient material.  
   
   
       5 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 4 , in which the cushions or cushion portions are of foam rubber.  
   
   
       6 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 2 , in which the cushions or cushion portions are adhesively attached to the ball striking formation.  
   
   
       7 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 1 , in which a major portion of each ball striking surface is planar.  
   
   
       8 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the planar portions of the opposed ball striking surfaces are not parallel.  
   
   
       9 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the ball striking formation includes two opposed panels, each panel defining one ball striking surface.  
   
   
       10 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 9 , in which the panels are releasably connected to one another along peripheries of the panels.  
   
   
       11 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 10 , in which the panels are connected to one another by snap connectors.  
   
   
       12 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 9 , in which openings are defined along a periphery of the ball striking formation, between the panels.  
   
   
       13 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the ball striking surfaces have peripheries in the wrist area which curve inwardly towards a finger end of the accessory.  
   
   
       14 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes a fastener to releasably fasten the accessory to the hand or wrist of a user.  
   
   
       15 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the hand receptor is in the form of a glove.  
   
   
       16 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 15 , in which the glove defines apertures or passages for ventilation of the hand of a user.