Tactical mixed martial arts glove

Abstract

A glove employable for mixed martial arts, including striking and grappling, employs a dorsal pad having distal and lateral extensions with an integral bend for covering both the dorsal and lateral sides of the user's metacarpal/proximal phalange joints. The integral bend conforms with the user's metacarpal/proximal phalange joints with the user's hand in the clinched fist position. The glove affords protection to the user's metacarpal/proximal phalange joints while striking. On the other hand, the integral bend is capable of easily unbending to an open position for grappling. The integral bend is unbent by unclenching the user's fingers by flexion from the clinched fist position to the open position. The glove also includes a wrist pad for protecting the wrist against heavy strikes.

1 . An improved glove employable by a user for mixed martial arts, the glove being an open fingered type and of a type having a dorsal pad for protecting the dorsal side of the metacarpals of a user's hand against shock and of a type being capable of assuming an open position for grappling and a clinched fist position for striking, wherein the improvement includes:
 the dorsal pad having a distal extension with an integral bend for covering the user's metacarpal/proximal phalange joints, the integral bend conforming with the user's metacarpal/proximal phalange joints with the user's hand in the clinched fist position for affording protection to the user's metacarpal/proximal phalange joints while striking, the integral bend being capable of unbending by unclenching the user's fingers by flexion from the clinched fist position to the open position.   
     
     
         2 . The improved glove of  claim 1  wherein the improvement further includes the dorsal pad having a composition including molded foam, the integral bend being formed by the molded foam. 
     
     
         3 . The improved glove of  claim 1  wherein the improvement further includes the dorsal pad having a composition including a first layer of low density foam and a second layer of high density foam, the first and second layers being glued to one another for forming the integral bend. 
     
     
         4 . The improved glove of  claim 1  wherein the improvement further includes the distal extension extending sufficiently for covering and protecting the user's Intermediate phalanges. 
     
     
         5 . The improved glove of  claim 1  wherein the improvement further includes the dorsal pad extending distally for covering and protecting the user's distal phalanges. 
     
     
         6 . The improved glove of  claim 1  wherein the improvement further includes the dorsal pad and the integral bend having an extension extending laterally beyond the metacarpal/proximal phalange joint of the user's index finger for affording impact protection to the lateral side of the metacarpal/proximal phalanges joint of the user's index finger against a sloop hook punch. 
     
     
         7 . The improved glove of  claim 1  wherein the improvement further comprises:
 a wrist pad covering the user's wrist and affording protection to the user's carpals against shock, the wrist pad having a composition including foam, the wrist pad being distinct from the dorsal pad and being flexibly connected to the dorsal pad for affording flexibility to the wrist. 
 
     
     
         8 . An improved glove employable by a user for mixed martial arts, the glove being of an opened fingered type and of a type having a dorsal pad for protecting the dorsal side of the metacarpals of a user's hand against shock, wherein the improvement comprising:
 a lateral pad for providing hammer strike protection, the lateral pad covering and protecting the lateral side of the metacarpal/proximal phalanges joint of the user's little finger, the lateral pad being flexible connected to the dorsal pad and oriented orthogonally thereto.   
     
     
         9 . The improved glove of  claim 8  wherein the improvement further including the lateral strike pad having a composition including foam. 
     
     
         10 . An improved glove employable by a user for mixed martial arts, the glove being of an open fingered type having a dorsal pad for protecting the dorsal side of the metacarpals of a user's hand against shock, the glove being of a type capable of assuming an open position for grappling and a clinched fist position for striking, wherein the improvement including:
 the dorsal pad having a distal extension and an integral bend for covering the user's metacarpal/proximal phalange joints, the integral bend conforming with the user's metacarpal/proximal phalange joints with the user's hand in the clinched fist position for affording protection to the user's metacarpal/proximal phalange joints while striking, the integral bend being capable of unbending by unclenching the user's fingers by flexion from the clinched fist position to the open position, the distal extension extending sufficiently for covering and protecting the user's Intermediate phalanges, the dorsal pad and the integral bend including a lateral extension extending laterally beyond the metacarpal/proximal phalange joint of the user's index finger for affording impact protection to the lateral side of the metacarpal/proximal phalanges joint of the user's index finger against a sloop hook punch,   a wrist pad covering the user's wrist and affording protection to the user's carpals against shock, the wrist pad having a composition including foam, the wrist pad being distinct from the dorsal pad and being flexibly connected to the dorsal pad for affording flexibility to the wrist; and   a lateral pad for providing hammer strike protection, the lateral pad covering and protecting the lateral side of the metacarpal/proximal phalanges joint of the user's little finger, the lateral pad being orthogonally connected to the dorsal pad.   
     
     
         11 . The improved glove of  claim 10  wherein the improvement further including the dorsal pad, include the integral bend, having a composition selected from the group consisting of molded foam and layered foam. 
     
     
         12 . The improved glove of  claim 10  wherein the improvement further including the dorsal pad extending distally for covering and protecting the user's distal phalanges against shock. 
     
     
         13 . The improved glove of  claim 10 , the improvement further compromising:
 an anti-microbial applied to at least one element of the glove.   
     
     
         14 . An improved method for manufacturing a glove employable by a user for mixed martial arts, wherein the improvement comprises the step of making a dorsal pad having an integral bend by means of a molding process, according to  claim 2 .