Patent Publication Number: US-2017368406-A1

Title: Wrist Support With Rotating Hand Grip

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to exercise equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to equipment for protecting a user&#39;s wrist and hand during exercise. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Weightlifters have been using wrist wraps to protect and support their wrists during lifts for many years. Wrist wraps generally comprise one or more straps that wrap around the user&#39;s wrist and had support through slight compression of the joint and the added stiffness of the wrap. Wrist wraps are especially helpful for exercises that involve movement of a barbell, dumbbell, or other load above the lifter&#39;s head, and help prevent fatigue in the wrist joint which may set in before the lifter&#39;s larger muscles have been sufficiently fatigued. 
     Gymnasts have been using palm grips for many years to protect the palms of their hands during movements that involve rings, pull-up bars, and the like. Such movements involve very high levels of force applied by the gymnast to the rings or bar. This force is translated via friction between the gymnast&#39;s palm and the rings or bar. Many repetitions of such movements can cause injury to the gymnast&#39;s palms in the form of blisters or even painful tears to the skin. Palm grips are intended to alleviate this issue. Palm grips generally comprise a leather or other material strap secured to the wearer&#39;s wrist and to the base of the wearer&#39;s fingers such that the leather strap covers the wearer&#39;s palm. The strap, therefore, bears the majority of the friction between the wearer&#39;s hand and the ring or bar. 
     In recent years, fitness experts have increasingly advocated that cross training provides health benefits to individuals across a variety of athletic skill levels. Fitness experts have also identified additional benefits of high-intensity fitness training to both elite athletes and the general population. The result has been the increasing popularity of cross training exercise regimens that emphasize use of multiple types of exercise movements in high-intensity workouts. 
     Such high-intensity exercise regimens often utilize workouts that utilize 2-4 different movements that each target different body parts and athletic skills. For example, one workout might involve a series of shoulder-to-overhead barbell presses (for which an athlete may wish to have the additional wrist support of wrist wraps), bodyweight pull-ups (for which an athlete may wish to have the palm protection of palm grips), and “wall ball shots” (which involve tossing a medicine ball to an overhead target and then catching the ball, an exercise for which an athlete may prefer to have bare hands to better handle the ball). Further, this workout may be set up as a competition between athletes for the shortest time to complete a given number of repetitions of each exercise or as a set time period in which the athletes compete to amass the most number of repetitions of each exercise. In either case, the athletes are racing to move as fast as possible through the movements. 
     In this context, it is extremely time consuming for the athlete to change between wrist wraps, palm grips, and bare hands multiple times during the workout. The lost time encourages athletes to forego wrist wraps and palm grips, which substantially increases the risk that the athlete will injure his or her wrist and/or hand. Furthermore, it is inconvenient for an athlete to have to organize and carry multiple pieces of protective equipment in his or her bag, which increases the possibility that the athlete will forget his or her wrist wraps or palm grips and, therefore, increase the risk of injury. 
     What is needed therefore, is a device that provides athletes with the ability to shift quickly and conveniently between palm protection and bare hands without sacrificing wrist support and protection. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide both wrist support and palm grip protection in a single device, while permitting the user to conveniently remove the palm grip protection while maintaining the wrist support. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide such a device in which the palm grip protection will not be in the way of the user when it is not in use. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide such a device that is inexpensive and simple to manufacture, assemble, and maintain. 
     According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a wrist support device is provided that comprises a first strap adapted to wrap around a user&#39;s wrist; a first fastening system for securing the first strap to itself so that the first strap forms a loop; a second strap sized to extend from the user&#39;s wrist to the base of the user&#39;s fingers; and an attachment system for attaching the second strap to the first strap. The first strap has a first side and a second side. The attachment system permits the second strap to pivot relative to the first strap between a first position in which the second strap is substantially perpendicular to the first strap and a second position in which the second strap is substantially parallel to the first strap. 
     In some embodiments, the device further comprises a second fastening system adapted to secure the second strap in the second position. In some embodiments, the second fastening system comprises a two-component fastener, where a first component of the second fastening system is attached to the second strap and a second component of the second fastening system is attached to the first strap. The second strap has a first length measured from the attachment system to the first component of the second fastening system, and the second component of the second fastening system is positioned on the first strap such that it is located a distance away from the attachment system equal to the first length when the first strap is secured around a user&#39;s wrist. 
     In some embodiments, the first fastening system comprises a two-component fastener, where a first component and a second component of the first fastening system are both attached to the first side of the first strap and a loop ring attached adjacent to an end of the first strap. The second component of the second fastening system is attached to the second side of the first strap. 
     In some embodiments, the first fastening system comprises a two-component fastener, where a first component of the first fastening system is attached to a first side of the first strap and a second component of the first fastening system is attached to the second side of the first strap. The second component of the second fastening system is attached to the first side of the first strap. 
     In some embodiments, the first strap comprises two strap pieces attached together and the first component of the first fastening system and the first component of the second fastening system are the same component. 
     In some embodiments, the attachment system comprises an opening formed in either the first strap or the second strap adjacent the wrist end of the second strap and a rod securable in the opening. In some embodiments, the rod comprises a base portion and a screw portion, wherein the base portion includes internal threads that correspond to external threads on the screw portion. In some embodiments, the device further comprises at least one opening adjacent a finger end of the second strap adapted to receive at least one finger of the user when the second strap is in the first position. 
     According to a second embodiment of the present invention, a wrist support device is provided that comprises a first strap sized to wrap around a user&#39;s wrist; a second strap sized to extend from the user&#39;s wrist to the base of the user&#39;s fingers and having a wrist end and a finger end; and an attachment system comprising an opening in either the first strap or the wrist end of the second strap and a rod securable inside the opening so that the second strap can pivot relative to the first strap between at least a first position in which the second strap is substantially perpendicular to the first strap and a second position in which the second strap is substantially parallel to the first strap. 
     In some embodiments, the rod comprises a screw part and a base part, wherein the screw part is adapted to be threaded into the base part through the opening. In some embodiments, the opening comprises a metal grommet. 
     In some embodiments, the device further comprises a first fastening system for securing the first strap to itself in a loop; and a second fastening system for securing the second strap to the first strap in the second position, comprising a two-component fastener, where a first component of the second fastening system is attached to the second strap and a second component of the second fastening system is attached to the first strap. In some embodiments, the second fastening system comprises a fabric fastening system. In some embodiments, at least one of the first or second components of the second fastening system comprises at least one magnet. 
     In some embodiments, the first strap further comprises: a first side, a second side, a first end, and a second end; and a loop ring attached adjacent the first end. The first fastening system comprises a two-component fastener in which both a first component of the first fastening system and a second component of the first fastening system are attached to the first side of the first strap. 
     According to a third embodiment of the present invention, a wrist support device is provided that comprises a first strap sized to wrap around a user&#39;s wrist; a second strap sized to extend from the user&#39;s wrist to the base of the user&#39;s fingers and having a wrist end and a finger end; a first fastening system for securing the first strap to itself so that the first strap forms a loop; an attachment system comprising an opening in either the first strap or the wrist end of the second strap and a rod securable inside the opening so that the second strap can pivot relative to the first strap between at least a first position in which the second strap is substantially perpendicular to the first strap and a second position in which the second strap is substantially parallel to the first strap; and a second fastening system for securing the second strap in the second position, comprising at least one component attached to the second strap. 
     In some embodiments, the second fastening system comprises a two-component fastener in which a first component of the second fastening system is attached to the second strap. In some embodiments, the first strap further comprises a loop ring attached adjacent to an end of the first strap and wherein the first fastening system comprises a two-component fastener, wherein a first component and a second component of the first fastening system are both attached to a first side of the first strap. 
     In some embodiments, the first fastening system comprises a two-component fastener, where a first component of the first fastening system is attached to a first side of the first strap and a second component of the first fastening system is attached to a second side of the first strap. 
     Embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail in reference to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a second perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 3 a , 3 b , and 3 c    are views of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  on a user&#39;s wrist. 
         FIG. 4  is an alternative view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  on a user&#39;s wrist. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a portion of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show perspective views of a first embodiment of the present invention in the form of wrist support  10 . Wrist support  10  comprises a first strap  11  and a second strap  12 . The first strap  11  has a wrist pad  13  attached to it, as well as fastening system  14 . In this embodiment, the fastening system  14  is a two-component fastener comprising a first component  14   a  and a second component  14   b . In this embodiment, the fastening system is a hook-and-loop system (such as Velcro), in which component  14   a  is the hook portion and component  14   b  is the loop portion. 
     The first strap  11  also has a loop ring  15  attached to a first end  16  of the strap  11 . The loop ring  15  is sized so that the second end  17  of the first strap can be fed through it and folded back onto itself. In this arrangement, the fastener components  14   a  and  14   b  can be secured to one another so that the first strap forms a loop. To achieve this, both of the components  14   a  and  14   b  of the first fastening system  14  are attached to the same side of the first strap  11 . The first strap  11  has a length appropriate for wrapping around a user&#39;s wrist, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Different lengths of the first strap are used in different embodiments to accommodate different user wrist sizes. In this context, the length of the first strap refers to the distance between the first end  16  and the second end  17 . The length of the first strap and the positioning of the fastener components  14   a  and  14   b  are selected to give the user the ability to adjust the tension of the device around his or her wrists and to accommodate multiple wrist sizes. 
     The width of the first strap is selected to provide adequate support for the user&#39;s wrist during weightlifting movements or other exercises. The width is varied in other embodiments to be appropriate for different amounts of support and/or different types of exercise. 
     The first strap  11  of the first embodiment comprises a flat webbing formed of a suitable material, such as nylon, polypropylene, cotton, or other material or blend of materials. In some embodiments, the strap is a woven webbing, in others it is a suitable unitary construction. 
     The second strap  12  is attached to the first strap via an attachment system  18 . The second strap  12  is adapted to provide protection to a user&#39;s palm and/or to improve the ability of a user to grip an object with his or her hand. In the embodiment shown, the second strap  12  is similar to a gymnastics palm grip in material and construction. The strap  12  includes two finger openings  19  adapted to receive a user&#39;s fingers as shown in  FIG. 3 a   . The second strap  12  has a wrist end  20  and a finger end  21  and is sized to extend from a user&#39;s wrist to the base of the user&#39;s fingers. In this context, the length of the second strap  12  refers to the distance between the wrist end  20  and a finger end  21 . 
     In the embodiment shown, the second strap  12  is comprised of a leather material. In other embodiments, the second strap  12  is comprised of a synthetic leather, a suitable strap webbing material, or any other material that is suitable for use as a gymnastics palm grip. Such materials are sufficiently strong and resilient to withstand the significant friction created between a user&#39;s palm and a pull-up bar, for example, but are sufficiently soft and flexible so as not to create excess friction and chafing on the user&#39;s palm and/or fingers. 
     In the embodiment shown, the pad  13  is comprised of a neoprene foam. Other foam types and other materials are used for the pad in other embodiments. 
     The attachment system  16  of the device  10  permits the second strap  12  to pivot relative to the first strap  11 . The pivoting or rotating motion is illustrated by arrows  23  shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 a , 3 b , and 3 c   , the pivoting motion allows the second strap to move between: (1) a first position shown in  FIG. 3 a    in which the strap  12  is substantially perpendicular to the first strap  11  and the second strap  12  provides protection to the user&#39;s palm; and (2) a second position shown in  FIG. 3 c    in which the strap  12  is substantially parallel to the first strap  11  and the strap  12  is secured out of the user&#39;s way. In this context, the references to perpendicular and parallel refer to the relationship between the lengths of the first and second straps. 
     The embodiment shown also includes a second fastening system  22  which is used to secure the second strap  12  into its second position. In this embodiment, the second fastening system  22  comprises a two-component fastener with a first component  22   a  attached to the second strap  12  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) and a second component  22   b  attached to the first strap  11  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). In this embodiment, the second fastening system  22  is a hook-and-loop system, in which the first component  22   a  is the hook portion and the second component  22   b  is the loop portion. The second component  22   b  is positioned so that it aligns with the first component  22   a  when the first strap is secured on a user&#39;s wrist and the second strap  12  is wrapped around the wrist into its second position. 
       FIGS. 3 a , 3 b , and 3 c    show the device  10  being worn by a user. In these figures, the first strap  11  is wrapped snuggly around the user&#39;s wrist to provide support to that joint for, especially, weightlifting movements involving a barbell or dumbbells. In  FIG. 3 a   , the second strap  12  is in a first position to provide palm protection to the user. The user&#39;s fingers  24  have been placed through the finger openings  19  so that the second strap  12  is secure in first position and does not move while the user performs exercises that bear against the strap  12 . 
       FIG. 3 b    shows the second strap  12  being pivoted about the attachment system  18 . Arrows  25  indicate the path of movement that the attachment system enables for the second strap  12 . Once the user no longer needs the palm grip protection provided by the second strap in its first position, he or she slips his or her fingers out of the finger openings  19  and then simply rotates the second strap either clockwise or counterclockwise. The user can secure the second strap out of his or her way by aligning it in parallel with the first strap and then wrapping the second strap around the first strap and pressing the components of the second fastening system together. 
       FIGS. 3 c    and  4  show the second strap  12  secured into its second position. As shown, the lengths of the first strap  11  and the second strap  12  are essentially parallel.  FIG. 4  shows how the second fastening system  22  secures the second strap  12  in the second position. The first component  22   a  of the system, which is attached to the second strap  12 , is pressed onto the second component  22   b , which is attached to the first strap  11 . The second fastening system secures the second strap out of the user&#39;s way so that it does not become a distraction or a danger while the user performs exercises that do not require palm grip protection. 
     In this embodiment, the second strap  12  is sized, and the second component  22   b  of the fastening system is positioned, such that the second strap should be wrapped around the wrist in the direction away from the loop ring  15  to ensure that the second fastening system functions. 
       FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of the attachment system  18  used in this embodiment of the invention in relation to other components of the device  10 . The second strap  12  has a reinforced portion  26  adjacent the wrist end  20 . In this embodiment, the reinforced portion  26  comprises a double layer webbing—i.e. a webbing folded over one end of the strap  12  and attached using a box stitch  27 . The reinforced portion  26  of the second strap  12  includes an opening  28  in the form of a hole made through the reinforced portion  26 . In this embodiment, the opening  28  includes a metal grommet  29 . In other embodiments, the reinforced portion  26  is comprised of a leather, synthetic leather, or other sufficiently strong and resilient material. In other embodiments, other types of eyelets are used in place of grommet  29 , such as other rivet-style components. 
     The first end  16  of the first strap  11  is also shown. It includes the webbing of the first strap folded over onto itself in order to attach the loop ring  15 . An opening  30  is also formed in the first strap  11  adjacent to the first end  16 . The opening  30  and the opening  28  are sized and located to receive the attachment system  18 , which enables the second strap  12  to pivot relative to the first strap  11 . The attachment system  18  comprises screw portion  31  and a base portion  32 . The screw portion includes external threading that engages a complementary internal threading on the base portion  32 . In this embodiment, the attachment system also includes a washer  33  disposed between the screw portion  31  and the first strap  11 . To assemble the attachment system  18  and attach the first and second straps together, the base portion  32  is inserted into the opening  28  of the reinforced portion  26 , then inserted into the opening  30 , then the washer  33 , and then the screw portion  31  is screwed into the base portion  32  until it is sufficiently snug. 
     When the screw portion  31  is threaded into the base portion  32 , they form essentially a rod around which the straps can pivot. In some embodiments, the base portion is integrally attached to one of the first or second straps. Other types of pivoting attachment systems are used in other embodiments, including more permanently attached pivoting rivet style attachments. In some embodiments, the screw portion, base portion, and other components of the attachment system are stainless steel. In other embodiments, these components are formed of other appropriate metals, composite materials, and thermoplastics, or combinations thereof. 
       FIG. 6  shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Device  110  comprises a two-piece first strap  111  and a second strap  112 . The first strap  111  comprises a pad portion  113  and a strap portion  140 . As in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 , the first strap  111  is sized and designed to wrap around a user&#39;s wrist to provide support during weightlifting exercises, or any movement for which the user desires additional support for the wrist joint. 
     The first strap  111  includes a first fastening system  114 , with a first component  114   a  attached to the pad portion  113  and a second component  114   b  attached to the strap portion  140 . The two components of the fastening system are on opposite sides of the first strap  111 . This enables a user to simply wrap the first strap  11  around his or her wrist and press the second component  114   b  against the first component  114   a  to secure the strap in place. In this embodiment, component  114   a  is a loop portion of a hook-and-loop system, while component  144   b  is the hook portion. The length of the strap is again selected so that the user can adjust the tightness of the wrap and/or to accommodate different sized wrists. 
     The second strap  112  is attached to the first strap  111  via the rotating attachment system  118 . In this embodiment, the attachment system comprises a thumb screw and a base for receiving the thumb screw. The thumb screw and base form the rod that fits through openings formed in both of the straps (not shown). This permits the second strap  112  to rotate relative to the first strap  111 . 
     The device  110  also includes a second fastening system  122  for securing the second strap  112  to the first strap  111  in a manner similar to that shown in  FIGS. 3 c    and  4 . Second fastening system has two components: component  122   a  attached to the second strap  112  (in the form of two pieces of the hook portion of a hook-and-loop system) and component  122   b  attached to the first strap  111 . As in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 , the second strap  112  can be pivoted so that it is substantially parallel to the first strap  111  and then secured in this position by pressing the components of the second fastening system  122  together. Advantageously in the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , the entire outside surface of the first strap  111  has the loop portion of a hook-and-loop system so that the second strap can be secured in the second position no matter how far the finger end  121  reaches around the first strap  111  when it is on a user&#39;s wrist. In this design, the first component  114   a  of the first fastening system and the second component  122   b  of the second fastening system are essentially one and the same component. That is, a single piece of loop fabric is used by both fastening systems. 
     The embodiment shown in  FIG. 6  includes a single finger opening  119  instead of two finger openings as shown for the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 . The opening  119  is sized to accommodate two of the user&#39;s fingers. Of course, other embodiments employ different numbers of finger openings of varying size. 
     The fastening systems used in the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-5  and  FIG. 6  are hook-and-loop type systems. But, other types of fastening systems are used in other embodiments, such as buckles, snaps, buttons, or other types of fabric and/or touch fasteners. In some embodiments, fastening systems that use two components of the same kind are used, for example, 3M&#39;s DualLock system. In such embodiments, both components have the same design. In some embodiments, a magnetic fastening system is used. In such embodiments, at least one first magnet is used in conjunction with either a second magnet or a ferromagnetic material (such as certain metals) to which the first magnet is attracted. For example, the second fastening system in some embodiments comprises a first magnet attached to the second strap and a second magnet or ferromagnetic material attached to the first strap. 
     The spacing of the various parts attached to the first strap is important to the functioning of embodiments of the invention. For example, the second component of the second fastening system  22   b ,  122   b  must be placed on the first strap  11 ,  111  at a position that is appropriate for the distance between the pivot point of the second strap (i.e., the attachment system  18 ,  118 ) and the first component  22   a ,  122   a  of the second fastening system. In the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , this is achieved by ensuring that the second component  122   b  (or the combination of the component  114   a  and component  122   b ) extends to a distance from the attachment system  118  along the first strap  111  equal to the distance along the second strap  112  from the attachment system to the first component  122   a . When this condition is true along both the pad portion  113  and the strap portion  140 , the second strap  112  will always be able to be secured into its second position. 
     For embodiments in which the first strap utilizes a loop ring or another feature so that the first strap doubles back on itself to be secured, reference is again made to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The first strap  11  has a first side  41  on which the components of the first fastening system are attached. The second component  22   b  of the second fastening system is attached to the second side  42 . The second component  22   b  is sized and positioned so that it is the same distance from the attachment system  18  around which the second strap pivots as the distance along the second strap between the attachment system  18  and the first component  22   a.    
     In general, the second component  22   b  extends about the same distance along the second side  42  from the second end  17  as the second component  14   b  extends along the first side  41  from the second end  17 . The space  43  between the two components  14   a  and  14   b  is generally the space that permits the fit of the strap to be varied around the wrist of a user. This is the portion of the strap that can easily be moved within the loop ring  15 . 
     The relationships between the length of the second component  22   b , the length of the space  43 , the distance between the attachment system  18  and the first component  22   a , and the distance between the attachment system  18  and the far edge of the first component  14   a  in the embodiment shown are as follows: The ratio of the length of the second component  22   b  to the length of the space  43  is about 2.75:2.5. The ratio of the length of the second component  14   b  to the length of space  43  is about 3.25:2.5. The distance between the attachment system  18  and the second component  22   a  is about the same as the distance between the attachment system  18  and the far edge of the first component  14   a . The ratio of the length of the second component  22   b  to the length of the second component  14   b  is about 2.75:3.25. When the device is sized up or down, preserving these ratios ensures that the second strap  12  can be safely secured in its second position while still allowing adjustability in the fit of the device. At a minimum, the second component  22   b  is sized and positioned such that, when the first strap is folded back onto itself through the loop ring, the second component  22   b  extends far enough that it can be reached by the first component  22   a  on the second strap. In other embodiments, the ratio between the length of the second component  22   b  and the space  43  is about 3:2, about 3:2.5, about 1:1, or about 2:1. 
     Those of skill in the art will appreciate that a variety of other features and embodiments can be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.