Hand protecting device

Abstract

A gripping pad for supporting and protecting the hand of a weightlifter or other user performing an activity that is strenuous to the hand. The gripping pad cushions the junction of the fingers and palm without constricting flexibility or airflow to the skin. Constructed of flexible resilient material, the glove has polymer gel cushions that cushions the palm of the hand and the intermediate phalanges without affecting finger articulation. The bottom surface of the gripping pad has increased friction characteristics.

1 . A hand protection device, comprising:
 a flexible resilient gripping pad having an upper surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface is sized and configured to cover at least an area of a palm of a human hand between a metacarpal bone zone and phalanges without extending over distal phalanges;   a finger-engaging means secured to the upper surface of the gripping pad for engaging fingers of a user, said finger engaging means dividing the gripping pad into a forward part and a rear part;   a first resilient compressible cushion fitted to the upper surface of the gripping pad in the rear part of the gripping pad; and   a second resilient compressible cushion fitted to the upper surface of the gripping pad in the forward part of the gripping pad.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first cushion and said second cushion is each formed from a material selected from a group comprising an elastomer, polymer gel and dry polymer substance. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first cushion and said second cushion is each formed from a polymer gel substance. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first cushion and said second cushion each have a top surface, which is configured for contact with the human hand. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first cushion and said second cushion each have a top surface, which extends outwardly from the upper surface of the gripping pad. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface is provided with a plurality of grooves configured to increase frictional characteristics of the gripping pad. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said finger engaging means comprises a finger band extending between opposing ends of the gripping band. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the finger band is integrally formed with the gripping pad. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the finger band comprises a plurality of finger-engaging loops separated by bridges formed from solid portions of the finger band. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first cushion has a generally oval configuration sized and shaped to fit within peripheral borders of the rear part of the gripping pad. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first cushion has a generally crescent configuration sized and shaped to fit within peripheral borders of the forward part of the gripping pad. 
     
     
         12 . A hand protection device, comprising:
 a flexible resilient gripping pad having an upper surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface is sized and configured to cover at least an area of a palm of a human hand between a metacarpal bone zone and phalanges without extending over distal phalanges;   a finger-engaging band secured to the upper surface of the gripping pad for engaging fingers of a user, said finger engaging band dividing the gripping pad into a forward part and a rear part, said finger-engaging band being provided with a plurality of spaced-apart finger loops;   a first resilient compressible cushion fitted to the upper surface of the gripping pad in the rear part of the gripping pad; and   a second resilient compressible cushion fitted to the upper surface of the gripping pad in the forward part of the gripping pad.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the finger loops are separated by bridges formed from solid portions of the finger band, and wherein the finger loops are configured to receive a finger of the human hand therein. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the forward part of the gripping pad has smaller area dimensions than rear part of the gripping pad. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein said first cushion and said second cushion is each formed from a material selected from a group comprising an elastomer, polymer gel and dry polymer substance. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein said first cushion and said second cushion is each formed from a polymer gel substance. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein said first cushion and said second cushion each have a top surface, which is configured for contact with the human hand. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein said first cushion and said second cushion each have a top surface, which extends outwardly from the upper surface of the gripping pad. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein said bottom surface is provided with a plurality of grooves configured to increase frictional characteristics of the gripping pad. 
     
     
         20 . A method of protecting a human hand from abrasion by an item being lifted, the method comprising the steps:
 providing a flexible resilient hand-protecting pad sized and configured to cover at least an area of a human hand between a metacarpal bone zone and phalanges zone without extending over distal phalanges, said pad having a an upper surface and a bottom surface;   providing a finger-engaging band with a plurality of loops extending upwardly from the upper surface of the gripping pad, said finger-engaging band dividing the gripping pad into a forward part and the rear part;   providing a first compressible resilient elastic cushion fitted in the forward part of the gripping pad;   providing a second compressible resilient elastic cushion fitted in the rear part of the gripping pad;   engaging fingers in said loops such that user's thumb is not covered by the finger-engaging band, while a user's hand in the area between a metacarpal bone zone and distal phalanges contacts the first cushion and the second cushion, and while the finger-engaging band is positioned over proximal phalanges.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising a step of providing a plurality of grooves on the bottom surface of the gripping pad thus increasing frictional characteristics of the gripping pad. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said first cushion and said second cushion are each formed from a material selected from the group consisting of elastomer, dry polymer and polymer gel substance. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said finger engaging loops are separated by bridges formed from solid portion of the finger-engaging band. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising a step of providing each of the first cushion and the second cushion with a top surface and engaging the first cushion and the second cushion with the gripping pad such that the top surface extends upwardly from the upper surface of the gripping pad. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising a step of forming the finger-engaging band integrally with the gripping pad.