Catcher's Glove

Abstract

A protective inner glove worn in conjunction with a catcher's glove, particularly in baseball or softball, the glove including a thin, flexible shock-absorbing material continuously affixed over a thumb, index-finger, and metacarpal region of a palm at a thenar eminence of the catcher's hand adjacent to the index finger providing protection to the phalanges, interphalangeal joints, metacarpal bones and underlying nerves of the thumb and index-finger from trauma caused by repetitive impact in catching a ball. The shock-absorbing material composed of a visco-elastic material affixed within the glove having liquid-like and rubber-like properties for absorbing energy and vibration isolation providing impact protection while simultaneously maintaining the catcher's tactile sensation and gripping movement freedom for effective catching.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An improved inner glove used in conjunction with a catcher's mitt for protection of a hand from trauma caused by repetitive impact of a ball, the improved inner glove comprises:
 a. a flexible glove body having an outer palmar side and a dorsal side extending from a proximal edge of the hand around a wrist crease to a little, ring, middle and index fingers and thumb distal edges, said glove body having an inner side enveloping said fingers and thumb;   b. a continuous shock-absorbing material integrated within the glove body affixed on the inner surface comprising:
 1. a thumb region covering a first distal phalanx and first proximal phalanx and expanded to include an outer border of said thumb; 
 2. a index finger region covering a second distal phalanx and second proximal phalanx and a first middle phalanx of said index finger; and, 
 3. a palm region adjacent to the index finger region and extending over a thenar eminence of a palm providing protection from trauma caused by repetitive impact of said ball. 
   
     
     
         2 . The improved inner glove of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous shock-absorbing material is composed of a visco-elastic material. 
     
     
         3 . The improved inner glove of  claim 2 , wherein the continuous shock-absorbing material is a thickness of not more than ⅛ inches. 
     
     
         4 . The improved inner glove of  claim 2 , wherein the continuous shock-absorbing is composed of a polyether base and a polyurethane material. 
     
     
         5 . The improved inner glove of  claim 1 , wherein the glove body consists of a thin skin tight leather. 
     
     
         6 . The improved inner glove of  claim 1 , wherein the glove body consists of a spandex material between the thumb, index, middle, ring and little finger. 
     
     
         7 . The improved inner glove of  claim 1 , wherein the glove body further comprises a fastening means near said wrist crease for fastening said glove onto said hand.