Thumb Protector

Abstract

A thumb protector for providing, inter alia, additional protection for a user's thumb.

1 . A protective thumb device comprising:
 a connector having a first connection point and a second connection point;   a first segment having a protective dorsal side with the first segment attached to the first connection point; and   a second segment having a protective dorsal side with the second segment attached to the second connection point.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the protective dorsal side of the first segment and the protective dorsal side of the second segment are rigid. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the protective dorsal side of the first segment and the protective dorsal side of the second segment are comprised of polymer. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first segment and second segment are dimensioned to a thumb of a glove. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4  further comprising the device being removably attachable to the thumb of the glove. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5  further comprising the device being attached by a design fit. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 5  further comprising the device being attached by a fastener. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the first segment circumferentially encompasses a first portion of the thumb of the glove. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8  further comprising the first segment having a ventral opening. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the second segment circumferentially encompasses a second portion of the thumb. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 10  further comprising the second segment having a ventral opening. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the connector is flexible. 
   
   
       13 . A protective thumb device comprising:
 a first protective segment adapted to be fit on at least a distal thumb portion of a glove;   a second protective segment adapted to be fit on additional areas of the thumb portion of the glove; and   a connector having a first connection end connected to the first segment and a second connection end connected to the second segment.   
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the connector is flexible. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 13  further comprising the first segment encompassing at least a tip of the distal thumb portion. 
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15  further comprising the first segment circumferentially covering the distal portion with an opening on a ventral side of the distal portion. 
   
   
       17 . A protective thumb device comprising:
 a first protective segment having a ventral opening and adapted to circumferentially fit on at least a distal thumb portion of a glove;   a second protective segment having a ventral opening and adapted to circumferentially fit on an additional portion of the glove; and   a connector having a first coupling end coupled to the first segment and a second coupling end coupled to the second segment.   
   
   
       18 . A sports glove protection device comprising:
 a glove having a thumb receiving section with the thumb receiving section including
 a distal thumb portion; 
 a proximal thumb portion; 
   a first protective segment adapted to removably attach to the distal thumb portion of the glove;   a second protective segment adapted to removably attach to the thumb proximal portion of the glove; and   a connector having a first coupling end coupled to the first segment and a second coupling end coupled to the second segment.   
   
   
       19 . A method of protecting a participant's thumb during a sport comprising the steps of:
 a) fitting a glove having a thumb receiving section with a dorsal surface over the participant's thumb with the thumb receiving section having a first portion and a second portion; and   b) attaching a thumb protection device comprising a first protective segment flexibly connected to a second protective segment over the dorsal surface of the first portion of the thumb receiving section of the glove and the dorsal surface of the second portion of the thumb receiving section of the glove.   
   
   
       20 . A protective thumb device comprising:
 a first segment having an interior with the interior fit to an exterior of a protective glove.   
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 20  further comprising a security strap. 
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 20  further comprising an attachment for securing to the protective glove. 
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the attachment fits under partially attached padding of the protective glove. 
   
   
       24 . A protective thumb device comprising:
 a first segment with an overlap portion for protecting the distal portion of a user's thumb; and   a second segment connected to the first segment with the second segment having an attaching portion for at least partially attaching to a glove and with the second segment having an overlap portion   wherein the overlap portion of the first segment and the overlap portion of the second segment form an overlap to provide additional protection to the user's thumb.   
   
   
       25 . The protective thumb device of  claim 24  wherein the overlap portion of the first segment covers at least a portion of the overlap portion of the second segment. 
   
   
       26 . The protective thumb device of  claim 24  wherein the overlap portion of the second segment covers at least a portion of the overlap portion of the first segment. 
   
   
       27 . The protective thumb device of  claim 24  wherein the second segment comprises a portion for attaching to a protective glove. 
   
   
       28 . The protective thumb device of  claim 27  wherein the second segment comprises a portion for sliding beneath partially attached padding of the protective glove. 
   
   
       29 . The protective thumb device of claim of  claim 28  wherein the second segment further comprises a tab attached to the portion for sliding beneath partially attached padding of the protective glove for providing a partially more secure attachment.