Ergonomic hand covering and grip enhancer

An ergonomic hand covering and grip enhancer adapted to be worn by a person to support the hand and wrist and enhance the grip that may be applied to a golf club, a tennis racket, or other article has a panel of such size and configuration as to overlie the palm and wrist of a person's hand, a restraining loop or band secured to the panel at its finger end, an anchor strap joined to the panel at its opposite end and adapted to encircle a person's wrist, and a retaining band extending from one side of the panel to the other at the finger end of the panel. An elastic tensioning band has one end secured to one side of the panel adjacent the finger end thereof and extends diagonally across the panel toward the opposite end of the panel. The opposite end of the tensioning band is secured to the panel within the confines of the anchor strap. Along one edge of the panel extends a sleeve in which is accommodated a splint.

This invention relates to a hand covering and grip enhancer adapted for 
removable application to a person's hand and wrist to provide support for 
the person's hand and wrist and to enhance the grip that such person may 
apply to an article such as a golf club, tennis racket, or other article. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It is common practice for a worker or an athlete to wear a glove on one or 
both hands to provide support for the hands and wrists and to enhance the 
grip that may be applied to an article such as a golf club, tennis racket, 
or other equipment. It is not uncommon for typists, food servers, and 
others engaged in occupations that stress the hand and wrist to make use 
of a glove-like support or hand covering. One currently available form of 
glove completely encloses the hand, including the thumb and four fingers, 
whereas another form of glove accommodates the palm and back of the hand 
and the first joint of the thumb and four fingers. In either case, the 
palm and back of the hand are poorly ventilated, if at all, with the 
result that the material from which the glove is made becomes saturated 
with perspiration, especially on hot, humid days. 
There are other devices, not properly called gloves, which are used by 
persons to apply compressive force on arms or wrists, but these devices do 
not enhance the person's grip on an article. 
Although some presently available gloves do enhance the grip with which a 
person may hold an article, such gloves provide little, if any, support 
for the person's hand or wrist. Neither do they provide much, if any, 
cushioning of the palm of the hand. 
A grip enhancer and hand covering constructed according to the invention 
provides adequate coverage of the palm of a person's hand to ensure 
protection for the palm and provide enhancement of the grip, provides 
adequate ventilation for a person's hand, thereby minimizing the 
positioning changes and consequent loss of gripping security to which the 
device is subjected and provides continuous, yieldable support for the 
person's hand and wrist. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A grip enhancer and hand covering constructed according to the preferred 
embodiment of the invention has a panel formed of suitable pliable, 
relatively inelastic material and of such size as to overlie the palm and 
wrist of a person's hand. That end of the panel adjacent the wrist has 
secured thereto an elastic anchor strap which may encircle the user's 
wrist and the adjacent portion of the forearm. The opposite end of the 
panel has one or more elastic restraining loops adapted to accommodate one 
or more fingers of the person's hand and thereby restrain bunching of the 
panel in the wearer's palm. 
A retaining band extends from one edge of the panel to its opposite edge 
and is secured to the opposite edges of the panel in a position to overlie 
the back of the person's hand at the zone of the knuckles, thereby 
securely, but yieldably, maintaining the panel in overlying relation with 
the palm of the hand and enhancing the grip with which the person may hold 
an article. 
An elastic tensioning band is secured at one of its ends to one edge of the 
panel in a position between the retaining band and the anchor strap and 
adjacent the little finger of the person's hand on which the enhancer is 
applied. The tensioning band extends diagonally across the panel toward 
the opposite edge thereof and is secured thereto at a zone within the 
confines of the anchor strap. 
That portion of the panel which overlies the palm of a person's hand may be 
of multiple thicknesses of material and, if desired, a cushioning pad may 
be adhered to the panel. 
To assist in restraining lateral movement of the wrist of a person the 
panel may include a sleeve extending along the length of the panel for the 
accommodation of a stiff splint.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
A grip enhancer and hand covering constructed in accordance with the 
disclosed embodiment is designated generally by the reference character 1 
and comprises a panel 2 formed of suitable material such as fabric, 
leather, or a combination of fabric and leather-like or rubbery material. 
The material from which the panel is formed also may be oil and acid 
resistent. The panel is of such width as to span the width of an adult 
person's hand and cover the outside edge of the hand. The panel also is of 
such length as to extend from the juncture of the person's palm and 
fingers in a direction toward the wrist and beyond the heel of the hand. 
The panel, therefore, substantially covers the palm and inside surface of 
a person's hand and wrist. 
To that end of the panel adapted to overlie the wrist is stitched or 
otherwise suitably secured an elastic anchor strap 3 of such length as to 
encircle the user's wrist. The strap may be formed as a closed loop of 
material, but it preferably comprises an elongate strap 3 having a central 
section 4 that is stitched or otherwise secured to the panel 2. Its 
opposite end sections 5 and 6 are separable and provided with cooperable 
fastening means 7 and 8 so as releasably to secure the strap to wrist in 
encircling relation therewith. Preferably, the fastening means 7, 8 are 
adjustable relative to one another to enable the strap to accommodate 
wrists of different size or apply varying degrees of force on the wrist. 
The strap preferably is three to six inches in width and a suitable form 
of fastener comprises the cooperating hooks and loops of a Velcro 
fastener. 
Stitched or otherwise suitably secured to the opposite end of the panel 2 
is at least one restraining loop 9. In the disclosed embodiment there are 
two loops 9 each of which is of such size as to accommodate one finger. 
Each loop preferably is formed of elastic material to facilitate the 
application and removal of the grip enhancer to the person's hand. 
At one edge of the panel 2 and adjacent the finger end thereof is a 
retaining band 10 comprising an extension 11 of the panel 2 which is 
adapted to wrap partially around the person's index finger. The extension 
has a free end 12 which is stitched or otherwise suitably secured to one 
end of an elastic strip 13 that is adapted to overlie the back of a 
person's hand. The strip extends toward and is stitched or otherwise 
suitably secured at its opposite end to the panel 2. The extension 11 and 
the strip 13 together form the elastic retaining band 10 and span the 
distance from one side of the panel to the other in a position to overlie 
the back of a person's hand adjacent the knuckles. The retaining band is 
of such length that it is elastically stretched when the grip enhancer is 
applied to a person's hand, thereby securely retaining the finger end of 
the panel 2 in place. 
Two additional restraining bands 9a are stitched or otherwise suitably 
secured at their opposite ends to the panel 2 and the strap 13, 
respectively, in a position to lie between two adjacent fingers of a 
person's hand. These bands perform the same function as the bands 9. In 
those instances in which the device 1 is worn by a machine operator, the 
bands 9 may be removed so as to avoid any likelihood that they may catch 
on some part of the machine. 
An elastic tensioning band 14 is secured at one of its ends to one side of 
the panel 2 between the retaining band 10 and the strap 3 and at a zone 
adjacent the retaining band. The tensioning band 14 extends diagonally 
across the panel and has its opposite end secured to the opposite side of 
the panel at a zone within the confines of the anchor strap 3. The band 14 
is taut so as to lie flat against the panel 2 even when the grip enhancer 
is not applied to a person's hand. 
To apply the grip enhancer to the hand of a person the end portions 5 and 6 
of the anchor strap are separated from one another, the hand is inserted 
between the panel 2, the retaining band 10, and the tensioning band 14, 
thereby elastically stressing the bands 10 and 14. The ring and middle 
fingers are thrust through the loops 9, with the bands 9a between adjacent 
fingers, and the anchor strap secured in snugly encircling relation about 
the wrist. In this position the panel 2 confronts the person's palm and 
the bands 10 and 14 overlie the back of the hand. 
In the disclosed embodiment the palm, the heel, and the outside edge of the 
person's hand are covered. The material from which the grip enhancer is 
made thus makes it possible for the person to grip a golf club, a racket, 
a bat, or other article without the application of substantial force, and 
the grip will be enhanced by the type of material from which the panel is 
made. In addition, the panel will protect the person's skin against 
chaffing by contact with the gripped article and the consequent raising of 
blisters. 
The panel 2 may be formed of one layer of material or a plurality of 
overlying layers. If desired, a pad 15 of shock absorbing, cushioning 
material may be interposed between adjacent layers. Further, the layer of 
the panel that is adapted to engage an article may be provided with a 
nubby surface to enhance the gripping characteristics of the panel. 
Although the anchor strap 3 is elastic, the securing of the central portion 
4 of the strap to the relatively inelastic panel renders the central 
portion virtually inelastic. Consequently, the stretching of the 
tensioning band 14 as a result of its application to the hand enables it 
to exert a force on the person's hand tending to maintain the hand in a 
position in prolongation of the forearm. That is, the tendency of the 
wrist to bend is resisted and the hand is supported, thereby lessening 
fatigue and the possibility of over-stressing the hand and wrist. 
In some instances it may be desirable to minimize bending of the wrist 
laterally. This may be accomplished by the provision of a scabbard-like 
sleeve 16 along that side of the panel that will be located adjacent the 
outside edge of a person's hand. A transversely curved, stiff splint 17 
formed of suitable plastic or metal may be fitted into the sleeve. The 
sleeve and the splint are of such length as to overlie part of the hand, 
the wrist, and part of the forearm, thereby inhibiting lateral bending of 
the wrist. 
A grip enhancer and hand covering constructed according to the invention 
may be used by persons engaging in athletic and other activities such as 
rowing, paddling, raking, sweeping, batting, typing, or indeed in any 
activity wherein it is desirable to enhance the grip a person may exert on 
an object or provide support for a person's hand and wrist. 
The disclosed embodiment is representative of a presently preferred form of 
the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather than definitive 
thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.