Abstract:
A thumb protector for the hand of a person and method therefor, comprising a base sleeve coupled with a connector to a tip sleeve and adapted to be fitted over the thumb of a person to protect the thumb from trauma that may occur when struck by a hammer.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to protective devices and, more specifically, to a thumb protector for protecting the thumb of a person&#39;s hand from trauma that may occur during dangerous activity, such as hammering or drilling.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    When using a hammer, it is often necessary to hold a nail in place at the initial stage of hammering. Holding the nail in place and keeping it steady often requires gripping the nail between the thumb and the index finger. During this initial stage of hammering, when the nail is not completely secure in place, the hammer can glance off of the unsteady nail and strike the thumb or index finger. This can cause serious injury and, of course, be very painful. To combat this problem, some people wear thick work gloves or try to hammer with less force when holding the nail in place. Work gloves are often made of leather, however, and therefore generally only protect the wearer from extremely light trauma. Although somewhat deadening the blow, work gloves will not prevent the injury to a thumb that can result from being struck by a hammer. Trying to hammer with less force is also not a complete solution since it is often necessary to use a substantial amount of force to initially drive the nail into a surface. Additionally, a hammer, even one swung at less than full force, is capable of causing injury if it strikes the thumb  
           [0003]    A need therefore existed for a thumb protector capable of being fitted over a thumb of a person and dimensioned to be sufficiently sturdy so as to protect the thumb from sustaining trauma when struck by a hammer while at the same time allowing the thumb the flexibility to bend at the joint.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    An object of the present invention is to provide a thumb protector capable of fitting over a thumb of a person and dimensioned to be sufficiently sturdy so as to protect a thumb of a person from being injured by a blow of a hammer.  
           [0005]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a thumb protector capable of fitting over thumbs of various lengths.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
         [0006]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a thumb protector is disclosed, comprising, in combination, a base sleeve having an open front portion and an open rear portion and adapted to be fitted over a proximal segment of a thumb of a person so that the rear portion is proximate a base area of said thumb and the front portion is proximate a joint area of the thumb, the base sleeve is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent the proximal segment of the thumb from being injured when the base sleeve is struck by a blow from a hammer, a tip sleeve having an open front portion and an open rear portion and adapted to be fitted over a distal segment of a thumb of a person so that the rear portion is proximate the joint area of the thumb and the front portion is proximate a fingernail area of the thumb, the tip sleeve is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent the distal segment of the thumb from being injured when the tip sleeve is struck by a blow from a hammer, and a connector having a first end and a second end and coupled at the first end to the open front portion of the base sleeve and coupled at the second end to the open rear portion of the tip sleeve and the connector is dimensioned to fit over the joint area of the thumb, the connector is dimensioned to be flexible so as to permit the joint area of the thumb to bend.  
           [0007]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for protecting a thumb is disclosed, comprising, in combination, the steps of providing a base sleeve having an open front portion and an open rear portion and adapted to be fitted over a proximal segment of a thumb of a person so that the rear portion is proximate a base area of said thumb and the front portion is proximate a joint area of the thumb, the base sleeve is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent the proximal segment of the thumb from being injured when the base sleeve is struck by a blow from a hammer, providing a tip sleeve having an open front portion and an open rear portion and adapted to be fitted over a distal segment of a thumb of a person so that the rear portion is proximate the joint area of the thumb and the front portion is proximate a fingernail area of the thumb, the tip sleeve is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent the distal segment of the thumb from being injured when the tip sleeve is struck by a blow from a hammer, providing a connector having a first end and a second end and coupled at the first end to the open front portion of the base sleeve and coupled at the second end to the open rear portion of the tip sleeve and the connector is dimensioned to fit over a joint area of the thumb, the connector is dimensioned to be flexible so as to permit the joint area of the thumb to bend, and fitting the base sleeve over the proximal segment of the thumb so that the rear portion is proximate a base area of said thumb and the front portion is proximate the joint area of the thumb and the tip sleeve covers the distal segment of the thumb.  
           [0008]    The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the thumb protector of the present invention, showing the thumb protector fitted over a thumb of a person&#39;s hand.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a side, cross-sectional view of the thumb protector of FIG. 1, showing the thumb protector in an extended position.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is an end view of the thumb protector of FIG. 2.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a side, cross-sectional view of the thumb protector of FIG. 1, showing the thumb protector in a bent position.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 4  reference number  10  refers generally to the preferred embodiment of the thumb protector of the present invention. The thumb protector  10  comprises a base sleeve  12  having an open front portion  14  and an open rear portion  16 . The base sleeve  12  is adapted to be fitted over a proximal segment  18  (shown in FIG. 1) of a thumb  19  (shown in FIG. 1) so that the rear portion  16  is proximate a base area  20  of the thumb and the front portion  14  is proximate a joint area  21  (shown in FIG. 1) of the thumb  19 . The base sleeve  12  is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent the proximal segment  18  of the thumb  19  from being injured when the base sleeve  12  is struck by a blow from a hammer (not shown).  
         [0014]    Still referring to FIGS.  1 - 4 , the thumb protector  10  further comprises a tip sleeve  22  having an open front portion  24  and an open rear portion  26 . The tip sleeve  22  is adapted to be fitted over a distal segment  28  (shown in FIG. 1) of a thumb  19  so that the rear portion  26  is proximate the joint area  22  of the thumb  19  and the front portion  24  is proximate a fingernail area  30  (shown in FIG. 1) of the thumb  19 . The tip sleeve  22  is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent the distal segment  28  of the thumb  19  from being injured when the tip sleeve  22  is struck by a blow from a hammer. In the preferred embodiment, both the tip sleeve  22  and the base sleeve  12  are formed of PVC tubing, although it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative configuration of the thumb protector  10  in which the tip sleeve  22  and the base sleeve  12  are not formed of PVC tubing, so long as the material used is sufficiently sturdy so as to prevent injury to the thumb  19  when the thumb protector  10  is struck by a hammer.  
         [0015]    In the preferred embodiment, the open front portion  24  of the tip sleeve  22  is cut at an angle of less than 90 degrees so as to allow an upper portion of the open front portion  24  of the tip sleeve  22  to cover the fingernail area  30  of the thumb  19  while at the same time a lower portion of the front portion  24  of the tip sleeve  22  exposes a tip of a thumb print area  25  (shown in FIG. 1) of the thumb  19 . This configuration allows the tip of a person&#39;s thumb  19  to be used to grip a nail while the rest of the person&#39;s thumb  19  is still protected by the thumb protector  10 . While, in the preferred embodiment, the open front portion  24  of the tip sleeve  22  is cut at an angle of less than 90 degrees it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative configuration of the thumb protector  10  in which the open front portion  24  of the tip sleeve  22  is not cut at an angle of less than 90 degrees.  
         [0016]    Still referring to FIGS.  1 - 4 , the thumb protector  10  further comprises a connector  32  having a first end  34  (shown in FIGS. 2 and 4) and a second end  36  (shown in FIGS. 2 and 4) The first end  34  of the connector  32  is coupled to the open front portion  14  of the base sleeve  12  and the second end  36  of the connector  32  is coupled to the open rear portion  26  of the tip sleeve  22 . The connector  32  is dimensioned to fit over the joint area  21  of the thumb  19 . The connector  32  is dimensioned to be flexible so as to permit the joint area  21  of the thumb  19  to bend. In the preferred embodiment, the connector  32  is also adjustable in length so as to permit thumbs of various lengths to fit inside the thumb protector  10 , although it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative configuration of the thumb protector  10  in which the connector  32  is not adjustable in length.  
         [0017]    In the preferred embodiment, the base sleeve  12 , the tip sleeve  22  and the connector  32  form a one-piece assembly, although it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative configuration of the thumb protector  10  in which the base sleeve  12 , the tip sleeve  22 , and the connector  32  are coupled to one another at a post-manufacturing stage to form the thumb protector  10 .  
         [0018]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.