Glove and accessory for use with a glove

Abstract

There is provided a glove for protecting fingers of a wearer against impact from an object. The glove includes a plurality of finger portions for receiving the fingers of the wearer. Each finger portion defines a palm side and a dorsal side. At least one substantially rigid force transferring element is attached to at least one of the finger portions and extends at least partially between the palm side and dorsal side of such finger portion. The force transferring element is configured, upon receiving a compressive impact force from the object on the dorsal side of the finger portion, to at least partially transfer the compressive force past the wearer's fingers. A palm side edge of the force transferring element is operatively spaced away from the palm side of the finger portion when the glove is worn by the wearer.

1 . A glove for protecting fingers of a wearer against impact from an object, the glove comprising:
 a plurality of finger portions for receiving the fingers of the wearer, each finger portion defining a palm side and a dorsal side; and   at least one substantially rigid, planar force transferring element which is attached to at least one of the finger portions and extends at least partially between the palm side and dorsal side of such finger portion, the force transferring element being configured, upon receiving a compressive impact force from the object on the dorsal side of the finger portion, to at least partially transfer the compressive force past the wearer's fingers,   wherein a palm side edge of the force transferring element is operatively spaced away from the palm side of the finger portion when the glove is worn by the wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The glove as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the force transferring element is suspended by a flexible member so that the palm side edge of the force transferring element is operatively spaced away from a handle of sporting equipment held by the wearer, and wherein the flexible member compresses under the force of the object bringing the force transferring element into abutment with the sporting equipment, thereby at least partially transferring the impact force from the object to the sporting equipment to protect one or more fingers or a hand of the wearer in use. 
     
     
         3 . The glove as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the force transferring element further includes a dorsal surface. 
     
     
         4 . The glove as claimed in claim  1 , wherein the force transferring element is in the form of a u-shaped structure including two substantially rigid members extending at least partially between the palm side and the dorsal side. 
     
     
         5 . The glove as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the dorsal surface faces away from the palm side and extends across one, two, three or more than three of the finger portions. 
     
     
         6 . The glove as claimed in  claim 2 , further including padding adjacent to, or forming part of the finger portions, wherein the padding includes an inner pad which is on the dorsal side of the glove near the wearer's fingers, and an outer pad which is on the dorsal side of the glove and outside the inner pad. 
     
     
         7 . The glove as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the dorsal surface of the force transferring element extends across one or more of the finger portions and between the inner and outer pads. 
     
     
         8 . The glove as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the inner pad provides the flexible member that is arranged to space the force transferring element away from the palm side of the finger portions. 
     
     
         9 . The glove as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the inner pad of the finger portion is configured such that when an impact is received on the dorsal side, one of the outer pad and the inner pad is compressed, until the palm side edge of the force transferring element comes into abutment with the sporting equipment, or with the handle thereof, thereby transferring at least part of the compressive force past the wearer's fingers or past the wearer's hand onto the sporting equipment. 
     
     
         10 . The glove as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the dorsal surface includes a transversely extending wing which extends at least partially across an adjacent finger portion. 
     
     
         11 . The glove as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the force transferring element has a radial length which is greater than an estimated diameter of the wearer's fingers. 
     
     
         12 . The glove as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least two force transferring elements are provided between two or more of the finger portions. 
     
     
         13 . The glove as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the force transferring element is in the form of a u-shaped structure and wherein a distal end of the dorsal surface of the u-shaped force transferring element extends past a tip of one of the wearer's fingers in use. 
     
     
         14 . The glove as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the distal end is an open end. 
     
     
         15 . The glove as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the distal end includes a substantially rigid closure that at least partially covers the tip of one or more of the wearer's fingers in use. 
     
     
         16 . A glove for protecting hands of a wearer against impact from an object, the glove comprising:
 a glove body having a plurality of finger portions for receiving the fingers of the wearer, the glove body defining a palm side and a dorsal side; and   at least one substantially rigid force transferring element which is attached to the glove body and extends at least partially between the palm side and dorsal side of the glove, the force transferring element being configured, upon receiving a compressive impact force from the object on the dorsal side of the glove, to at least partially transfer the compressive force past the wearer's hands,   wherein a palm side edge of the force transferring element is operatively spaced away from the palm side of the glove when the glove is worn by the wearer.   
     
     
         17 . The glove as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the force transferring element is suspended by a flexible member so that the palm side edge of the force transferring element is operatively spaced away from a handle of sporting equipment held by the wearer, and wherein the flexible member compresses under the force of the object bringing the force transferring element into abutment with the sporting equipment, thereby at least partially transferring the impact force from the object to the sporting equipment to protect one or more fingers or a hand of the wearer in use. 
     
     
         18 . An accessory for use with a glove to protect hands of a wearer against impact from an object, the accessory comprising:
 a substantially rigid force transferring element having a palm side edge and a dorsal surface; and   an attachment formation which is configured to be attached to a glove body such that the force transferring element extends at least partially between a palm side and a dorsal side of the glove in use, with the palm side edge operatively spaced away from the palm side of the glove.   
     
     
         19 . The accessory as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the attachment formation is arranged to be suspended by a flexible member so that the palm side edge of the force transferring element is operatively spaced away from a handle of sporting equipment held by the wearer, and wherein the flexible member compresses under the force of the object bringing the force transferring element into abutment with the sporting equipment, thereby at least partially transferring the impact force from the object to the sporting equipment to protect one or more fingers or a hand of the wearer in use.