Hand Supinating Device and Training Method

Abstract

A hand supinating device comprising a sheet of flexible material having a first broad surface on one side of the sheet of flexible material, and a second broad surface on the opposite side of the sheet of flexible material, and having a slit in the surface of the flexible material on the second broad side of the sheet of flexible material; at least one strap attached to the first broad surface of the sheet of flexible material, the at least one strap having a buckle attached at one end of the strap, and an area of hook-and-loop fabric disposed on the opposite end of the strap; a sheet of metal having three hooks formed in one end, the sheet of metal contained within the sheet of flexible material and attached to the sheet of flexible material, wherein the three hooks extend outside of the sheet of flexible material through the slit in the surface of the flexible material on the second broad side of the sheet of flexible material; and a sheet of hook-and-loop material attached to at least a part of the second broad side of the sheet of flexible material.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A bracing sleeve adapted to be fitted snugly on a person's forearm and having at least one anchor means for attaching a supinating means for pulling the hand attached to the forearm toward a supinated position. 
     
     
         2 . The bracing sleeve of  claim 1  further comprising at least one supinating means for pulling the hand attached to the forearm toward a supinated position, the at least one supinating means attached to the bracing sleeve at the at least one anchor means. 
     
     
         3 . A hand supinating device for a person's forearm and its attached hand, comprising a forearm brace means for providing at least one anchor point at a predetermined location on the forearm, and a supinating means for forcing the hand attached to the forearm toward a supinated position relative to the forearm, the supinating means attached to the at least one anchor point on the forearm brace and to at least one part of the hand attached to the forearm. 
     
     
         4 . The hand supinating device of  claim 3  wherein the forearm brace comprises a single anchor point disposed on the brace means, and the supinating means is attached between the single anchor point and one of the fingers of the hand attached to the forearm. 
     
     
         5 . The hand supinating device of  claim 3  wherein the forearm brace comprises two anchor points disposed on the brace means, and the supinating means comprises two separate supinating means, the first separate supinating means attached between a first anchor point and a first finger of the hand attached to the forearm and the second separate supinating means attached between a second anchor point and a second finger of the hand attached to the forearm. 
     
     
         6 . The hand supinating device of  claim 3  wherein the forearm brace means comprises at least three anchor points disposed on the brace means. 
     
     
         7 . The hand supinating device of  claim 6  wherein the supinating means has two ends, and wherein the first end of the supinating means is attached to the three anchor points. 
     
     
         8 . The hand supinating device of  claim 7  wherein the second end of the supinating means is removably attached to at least three fingers of the hand attached to the forearm. 
     
     
         9 . The hand supinating device of  claim 3  wherein the forearm brace means comprises at least three anchor points disposed on the outer surface of the brace means and wherein the supinating means comprises at least three separate supinating means for forcing the hand attached to the forearm toward a supinated position relative to the forearm, each separate supinating means comprising a first end removably attached to one of the three anchor points and a second end removably attached to a finger of the hand attached to the forearm. 
     
     
         10 . The hand supinating device of  claim 9  wherein the first supinating means is attached between a first anchor point and the index finger of the hand attached to the forearm, the second supinating means is attached between a second anchor point and the middle finger of the hand attached to the forearm, and the third supinating means is attached between a third anchor point and the ring finger of the hand attached to the forearm. 
     
     
         11 . A hand supinating device for a person's forearm and its attached hand, comprising a forearm brace means for providing at least one anchor point at a predetermined location on the forearm capable of attaching to a supinating means for urging a hand toward a supinated position relative to the forearm attached to the hand. 
     
     
         12 . The hand supinating device of  claim 11  further comprising at least one supinating means for urging a hand toward a supinated position relative to the forearm attached to the hand. 
     
     
         13 . A hand supinating device comprising:
 1) A removable bracing sleeve adapted to be fitted snugly on a person's forearm and having at least one anchor means disposed on the bracing sleeve; and   2) at least one supinating means for pulling the hand attached to the forearm toward a supinated position, the supinating means having two ends, the first end attached to the at least one anchor means disposed on the bracing sleeve and the second end attached to the hand to be supinated.   
     
     
         14 . The hand supinating device of  claim 13  wherein the bracing sleeve has at least three anchor means disposed on the bracing sleeve; the at least one supinating means comprises three separate supinating means each having two ends with the first end of each separate supinating means being attached to a different one of the three anchor means and the second end of each separate supinating means being attached to a different finger of the hand that is attached to the forearm on which the bracing sleeve is disposed. 
     
     
         15 . A hand supinating device comprising:
 1) a sheet of flexible material having a first broad surface on one side of the sheet of flexible material, and a second broad surface on the opposite side of the sheet of flexible material, and having a slit in the surface of the flexible material on the second broad side of the sheet of flexible material;   2) at least one strap attached to the first broad surface of the sheet of flexible material, the at least one strap having a buckle attached at one end of the strap, and an area of hook-and-loop fabric disposed on the opposite end of the strap;   3) a sheet of metal having three hooks formed in one end, the sheet of metal contained within the sheet of flexible material and attached to the sheet of flexible material, wherein the three hooks extend outside of the sheet of flexible material through the slit in the surface of the flexible material on the second broad side of the sheet of flexible material; and   4) a sheet of hook-and-loop material attached to at least a part of the second broad side of the sheet of flexible material.   
     
     
         16 . The hand supinating device of  claim 15  further comprising:
 4) three elastic bands, each band attached to a finger loop at one end of the band, and each band having an attachment loop at the other end of the band, wherein each of the three elastic bands is capable of having a human finger removably inserted into the finger loop and the attachment loop is capable of being removably hooked onto one of the three hooks of the sheet of metal. 
 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the at least one strap comprises three straps, each strap having a buckle attached at one end of the strap and an area of hook-and-loop fabric disposed on the opposite end of each strap. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15  further comprising a first sheet of padding attached to the at least one strap and the first broad side of the sheet of flexible material. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18  further comprising a second sheet of padding attached to first sheet of padding on a side of the first sheet of padding opposite to the side attached to the sheet of flexible material. 
     
     
         20 . The training method comprising the steps of:
 1) placing a brace on a first forearm of a person;   2) supinating the hand of the first forearm of the person by removably attaching a first end of an elastic band to the at least one finger and removably attaching a second end of the elastic band to the brace; and   3) subsequently throwing or shooting a ball with the hand of the first forearm.