Patent ID: 7431671
Filing Date: 2008-10-07
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. In combination with a handle of an implement when said handle is to be manually swung in motion by the hand of a human with the hand gripping and squeezing said handle, the hand comprising a mid-palm composed of tendons of the index, middle and ring fingers, the mid-palm bordered outwardly (or forward) toward the fingers by knuckles which are outward of a transverse crease extending the full width of the hand, upwardly (or above) by a lower web, inwardly by the metacarpals and a portion of a lifeline contouring a thumb base, and downwardly or (below) by a tough ball with a fleshy bank adjacent the lower portion of the transverse crease, a lower tough ball at the lowest part of the hand and a fleshy heel adjacent a wrist, thence upward and outward of the fleshy heel is a bony heel, adjacent a bony lifeline (metacarpal area), directly inward of the bony heel at the wrist is a wrist hollow, and upward of the lower web is an upper web seen from the rear of the hand, the mid-palm being covered by thin skin, the web and tough ball areas covered by thicker (fatty) skin described as fleshy; exteriorly being away from the hand and interiorly being toward or pressed against the hand, the little and ring fingers and knuckles known as the lower fingers, the inner area of the hand being inward of the transverse crease, the areas below the mid-palm being the lower hand, the areas above the mid-palm being the upper hand; a hand accessory to aid in the gripping, lifting and/or swinging of an implement handle in order to better absorb and resist the inertial force/recoil or pressure from said handle, said hand accessory receiving said inertial force from said handle reducing stress to the fingers of the gripping hand, said hand accessory augmenting force transmission from the hand to said handle, said hand accessory reducing stress received in weaker hand areas by utilizing stronger hand areas which without said hand accessory do not function or contribute to the gripping of thin handles, the hand accessory distributing the degree of force to the areas of the hand most accommodating to that degree of force, said hand accessory for optimum performance when swinging a baseball bat designed to receive and grip said handle in the outward area of the transverse crease at the mid to outer knuckle area, however said hand accessory being adaptable to all types of gripping and angles of gripping for both top and bottom hand; the gripping motion of the top hand when swinging a baseball bat without said hand accessory characterized by three discernable stages: a relaxed phase one grip with said handle located at or outward of the knuckles of the lower fingers, a phase two stage (tuck) whereby the inward area of the hand, while drawing tighter to the handle pivots outwardly but also downwardly at the knuckles (like a door on a loose hinge) thus angling the upper hand a further distance from said handle (in a “cocked position), a phase three grip (full squeeze) whereby the hand continues outward but un-cocks moving upward (the upper hand moving forward) combined with a forward/downward and somewhat interior pivoting at both the second and third joints of the thumb reducing lifeline space widthwise described as a lifeline/web narrowing, all three movements drawing the thumb closer to said handle, the final stage of said phase three grip restricted by said hand accessory limiting thumb movement toward said handle preventing bruising to the thumb, said hand accessory also producing a longer, wider hand, said hand accessory allowing movement in conjunction with the hand through a necessary range of motion in the gripping and swinging of a baseball bat, said necessary range of motion being from said phase one grip to midway of said phase three grip, said hand accessory capable of maintaining its correct position through said necessary range of motion with attachments only to the hand's little finger and thumb, the performance of said hand accessory improved however when fixed within a glove, said glove pressing certain anchoring areas further into the fleshy areas serving to relocate the fleshy areas into a more supporting position of said handle, said hand accessory comprising: a semi-rigid, molded body having structure of varying thickness located at and in proximity to the transverse crease, said structure integrally connected extending from a thickened area below the transverse crease (below the hand) at a primary contact point upwardly thinning at the mid-palm area, still upwardly past the index knuckle then thickening to an upper web relocation press, said structure receiving direct contact and absorbing major stress at said primary contact point, said structure receiving direct contact and absorbing minimum stress in the proximity of said upper web relocation press, said structure having extensions which extend inwardly at certain areas of the hand, said extensions acting partially as levers and partially as anchors such that said extensions anchor said structure securely and leverage said structure towards said handle outwardly towards said fingers during the gripping motion, all said extensions being interconnected, said extensions being a bridge extending from said primary contact point inwardly to the hand's thumb base and wrist, a thumb/handle spacer extending from said upper web relocation press to a thumb attachment, a thumb flex extending from said mid-palm portion of said structure to a thumb attachment, said structure acting as a bridge and a wedge at its lower hand portion, said structure acting as an anchor at its mid-palm portion, said structure acting as a cushion and anchor at its upper hand portion, said structure also having a roughly ninety degree extension from said primary contact point and said bridge to the hand's tough ball area, said extension being a fulcrum platform which also wraps under glove pressure toward the rear of the hand pressing upwardly against the lower tough ball serving as an anchor and a pivoting base of said structure, said structure and extensions located in the lower hand including said primary contact point, said bridge and said fulcrum platform being a tough ball anchor, said structure and extensions located in the upper hand (said thumb flex, said thumb/handle spacer and said upper web relocation press) being an upper hand anchor, said upper hand anchor and said tough ball anchor integrally connected by a mid-palm anchor at said mid-palm portion of said structure pressing internally flush within the hand's mid-palm.