Wrist and forearm protector and method for its use

Abstract

The present device is a wrist and forearm protector intended to reduce or eliminate contact between a user's skin and potentially hazardous liquids such as blood. This protector can be worn over a latex glove, thus preventing the glove from slipping down. In an embodiment, the wrist and forearm protector can comprise a tear-away strip allowing the protector to be removed without pulling it over the user's skin and risking contamination from the exterior of the protector. Other embodiments can comprise textured surfaces for increasing friction between the exterior of the protector and skin or absorbent pads, which can be used to wipe up excess liquids.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wrist and forearm protector, the protector comprising:
 a tube-like structure having an interior surface and an exterior surface, a palm side and a back side and a first end and a second end;   a thumbhole located near the first end; and   a tear-away strip running the length of the tube-like structure.   
     
     
         2 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 1  wherein the tear-away strip comprises a ripcord along the length of the tear-away strip. 
     
     
         3 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 1  wherein the tear-away strip is located on the backside. 
     
     
         4 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 1  wherein the protector is at least partly comprised of latex. 
     
     
         5 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 1  wherein the tear-away strip comprises Velcro. 
     
     
         6 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 1  wherein the tear-away strip comprises an adhesive. 
     
     
         7 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 1  wherein the protector is comprised of a waterproof material. 
     
     
         8 . A wrist and forearm protector, the protector comprising:
 a tube-like structure having an interior surface and an exterior surface, a palm side and a backside and a first end and a second end;   a thumbhole located near the first end;   a tear-away strip running the length of the tube-like structure; and   a textured surface.   
     
     
         9 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 8  wherein the tear-away strip comprises a ripcord along the length of the tear-away strip. 
     
     
         10 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 8  wherein the tear-away strip is located on the backside. 
     
     
         11 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 8  wherein the protector is at least partly comprised of latex. 
     
     
         12 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 8  wherein the tear-away strip comprises Velcro. 
     
     
         13 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 8  wherein the tear-away strip comprises an adhesive. 
     
     
         14 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 8  wherein the protector is comprised of a waterproof material. 
     
     
         15 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 1  wherein the protector also comprises an absorbent pad. 
     
     
         16 . A wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 8  wherein the protector also comprises an absorbent pad. 
     
     
         17 . A method for using a wrist and forearm protector, the method comprising:
 providing a wrist and forearm protector, the protector comprising: a tube-like structure having an interior surface and an exterior surface, a palm side and a backside, a first opening and a second opening, and a first end and a second end; a thumbhole located near the first end; and a tear-away strip running the length of the tube-like structure;   providing a glove;   placing the glove on a hand;   placing the gloved hand through the second opening at the second end of the protector;   placing a thumb from the gloved hand through the thumbhole;   placing fingers of the gloved hand through the first opening at the first end of the protector; and   removing the protector by tearing the tear-away strip along the length of the tube-like structure.   
     
     
         18 . A method for using a wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 17  wherein a ripcord is used to tear the tear-away strip along the length of the protector. 
     
     
         19 . A method for using a wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 17  wherein the protector comprises a textured surface. 
     
     
         20 . A method for using a wrist and forearm protector as described in  claim 17  wherein the protector comprises an absorbent pad.