Protective glove with restrictive pads

Abstract

A protective glove for a human hand has a metacarpus portion comprising a palm side attached to an opposing dorsal side which together cover the metacarpals of the human hand, and four finger portions attached to the metacarpus portion, each finger portion having a bottom side and a top side which together surround one of the fingers of the human hand. A plurality of rigid pads are attached to the top side of at least one of the finger portions, wherein the rigid pads have end surfaces that abut each other, and are positioned so that the end surfaces are positioned over one of the phalangeal joints while being worn. When the finger portions are straightened, the rigid pads restrict any backward flexion. At least one rigid metacarpus pad is attached to the dorsal side, having a side edge positioned over the metacarpophalangeal joint and formed at an angle to the end surface of the adjacent rigid pads. The angle is between approximately 10-50 degrees, so that limited backward flexion is allowed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective glove for a human hand having four metacarpals, each forming a metacarpophalangeal joint with one of four fingers, each of the four fingers having three phalanges connected with phalangeal joints, the protective glove comprising:
 a metacarpus portion comprising a palm side attached to an opposing dorsal side which together cover the metacarpals of the human hand;   four finger portions attached to the metacarpus portion, each finger portion having a bottom side and a top side which together surround one of the fingers of the human hand;   a plurality of rigid pads attached to the top side of at least one of the finger portions, wherein each of the rigid pads has an end surface that abuts an end surface of an adjacent rigid pad, the rigid pads being positioned so that the end surfaces of abutting rigid pads are positioned over one of the phalangeal joints when the protective glove is being worn;   wherein the end surfaces are formed to abut each other when the finger portions are straightened to an axis of each of the relevant finger portions, but to restrict any backward flexion of those joints beyond the axis of each of the finger portions while the protective glove is being worn, and also to not interfere with forward flexion of the finger portions;   at least one rigid metacarpus pad attached to the dorsal side of the metacarpus portion adjacent the finger portions, wherein a side edge of the at least one rigid metacarpus pad is positioned over the metacarpophalangeal joint and is formed at an angle to the end surface of the adjacent rigid pad of each of the finger portions, the angle being between approximately 10-50 degrees, so that limited backward flexion of the finger portions relative to the metacarpus portion is allowed when the protective glove is being worn, but is restricted from further backward flexion.   
     
     
         2 . The protective glove of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of rigid pads includes a bottom surface with a perimeter edge, and wherein each of the plurality of rigid pads is attached to its respective portion of the protective glove along the entire perimeter edge of the bottom surface. 
     
     
         3 . The protective glove of  claim 1 , further including a fifth finger portion for a pollex of the human hand.