Patent Publication Number: US-2007119462-A1

Title: Arm protector

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/______ filed Nov. 29, 2005. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates, in general, to arm protection type devices and, more particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for protecting the arms of individuals who are required to take blood thinners for health reasons against undesirable bruises caused by thin blood.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, as is generally well known in the prior art, people on blood thinners are quite susceptible to subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears on their extremities when slight contact is made with their skin due to their age and certain types of medical complications. Such subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears are normally quite unsightly and are difficult to prevent. Nevertheless those persons who have heart trouble or are a candidate for a stroke must remain on such blood thinners.  
      Applicants are aware of several prior art type arm protectors which have been taught in the prior art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,419 which teaches an arm protector for mechanics or other workers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,541 which teaches a protective covering for the back of the hand and forearm for protecting them while gathering eggs to prevent hens from pecking them. U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,130 teaches a protective garment an extremity covering piece attachable to a torso covering piece. None of these prior art protectors are designed to be attractive and have not seen any success in the market place with respect to persons who need protection against bumping portions of their bodies against something which causes bruising.  
      Applicants are also aware of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,878,435 and 6,430,744 which teaches forearm type chaps as hand and forearm protectors. Each of these patents, however is not form fitting or attractive. Additionally, they require the covering to extent past the set of joints called the metacarpals and the phalanges because they are primarily designed to be worn by athletes for protection. Normally, such athletes are not prone to having heart attacks or strokes and they would certainly not be taking blood thinners.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention provides, according to a first embodiment, an apparatus for protecting against subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears in persons required to take certain types of medications for thinning their blood. Such apparatus includes an inner sleeve portion. The inner sleeve portion is formed from a first predetermined material. Such inner sleeve portion extends from a wrist of a wearer for a predetermined length of at least to an end of a forearm of such wearer. There is an outer portion formed from a second predetermined material, extending from a predetermined distance from behind such wearer&#39;s knuckles to such at least the end of such forearm of such wearer for providing such protection against subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears in such persons required to take such certain types of medications for thinning their blood. A strap like member, formed from a third predetermined material, is attached to such outer portion and extends between a thumb and index finger of such wearer. The final essential component of the apparatus is a means engageable with each of such strap and an outer surface of such outer portion for securing the apparatus in place and for enabling a portion of such apparatus to be turned back so that such wearer can wash their hands without having to remove the apparatus.  
      In a second embodiment the present invention provides an apparatus for protecting against subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears in persons required to take certain medications for thinning their blood. In this presently preferred embodiment such apparatus includes a first member fabricated from a first predetermined material having a thickness at least sufficient to protect predetermined areas of an arm and hand of such person&#39;s skin from bruising. The first member has a first predetermined shape and a first predetermined length which is at least sufficient to cover a back of such person&#39;s hand and extend over their forearm. Such apparatus also includes a second member having a predetermined amount of elasticity connected along two respective edges thereof to two respective edges of such first member for conforming the apparatus to such predetermined areas of such arm and hand of such person&#39;s skin to be protected.  
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
      It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide an apparatus for protecting certain extremities against undesirable subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears of an individual required to be on blood thinners for medical reasons.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for protecting certain extremities against subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears of an individual required to be on blood thinners for medical reasons which is attractive.  
      Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for protecting certain extremities against subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears of an individual required to be on blood thinners for medical reasons which does not have to be removed to allow such individual to wash their hands.  
      Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for protecting certain extremities against subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears of an individual required to be on blood thinners for medical reasons which is relatively easy to use.  
      An additional object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for protecting certain extremities against subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears of an individual required to be on blood thinners for medical reasons which is relatively cool to wear.  
      Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus from protecting certain extremities against subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears of individuals required to be on blood thinners for medical reasons which can be worn over previously bruised skin.  
      In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention described with some degree of specificity above it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such detailed description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention illustrating an outer portion of the apparatus.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  which illustrates the inner portion of such apparatus; and  
       FIG. 3  is view illustrating a possible decorative nature of the present invention according to a presently preferred embodiment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
      Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing figures.  
      Reference is now directed, more particularly, to drawing  FIGS. 1-3 . Illustrated therein is an apparatus, generally designated  10 , for protecting against subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears (not shown) in persons required to take certain types of medications for thinning their blood.  
      Such apparatus  10  includes, in a first embodiment thereof, an inner sleeve portion  12 . The inner sleeve portion  12  is formed from a first predetermined material which extends from a wrist  14  of a wearer for a predetermined length to at least an elbow  16  of such wearer. In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention the predetermined material that such inner sleeve portion  12  is manufactured from is an elastic type material.  
      The apparatus  10  further includes an outer portion  18  which is formed from a second predetermined material. The outer portion  18  extends from a first predetermined distance located behind such wearer&#39;s knuckles  19  to at least such elbow  16  of such wearer in order to provide such protection against the unwanted subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears in those persons who are required to take such certain types of medications for medical reasons to thin their blood. Such second predetermined material that the outer portion  18  is manufactured from will be selected from the group consisting of leather and vinyl. In the presently preferred embodiment such outer portion  18  is formed from leather.  
      Apparatus  10  further includes a strap like member  22  which is formed from a third predetermined material. Such strap like member  22  is attached to such outer portion  18  and is disposed between a thumb  24  and index finger  26  of such wearer. The third predetermined material such strap like member  22  is manufactured from is also selected from the group consisting of leather and vinyl. Preferably such third predetermined material is leather.  
      In this embodiment of the invention there is a means, generally designated  20  engageable with each of such strap like member  22  and an outermost surface  28  of such outer leather portion  18  for securing the apparatus  10  in place and for enabling a portion of such apparatus  10  to be turned back so that such wearer can wash their hands without removing the apparatus  10 .  
      According to the invention such means  20  for securing the apparatus  10  in place is one of a hook and loop type fastener (velcro), snaps, buttons and a buckle. It is presently preferred that such means  20  will be the hook and loop type fastener.  
      In the presently most preferred embodiment of the invention such inner sleeve portion  12  extends past such wearer&#39;s elbow  16  for a second predetermined distance. Further, in this embodiment such outer leather portion  18  extends past such wearer&#39;s elbow  16  for a third predetermined distance. Preferably, such second predetermined distance and such third predetermined distances are substantially identical.  
      According to a second embodiment of the present invention there is provided an apparatus, generally designated  100 , for protecting against subcutaneous bleeding and skin tears in persons who for medical reasons are required to take certain medications for thinning their blood. Such apparatus  10  includes an first member  118  fabricated from a first predetermined material having a thickness at least sufficient to protect predetermined areas of an arm and hand of such person&#39;s skin from bruising, said first member  118  having a first predetermined shape and a first predetermined length which is at least sufficient to cover a back of such persons hand  119  and extend over their forearm  121 .  
      There is a second member  112  having a predetermined amount of elasticity connected along two respective edges  113  and  115  thereof to two respective edges  117  and  123  of first member  118  for conforming the apparatus  100  to such predetermined areas of such arm  121  and hand  119  of such person&#39;s skin to be protected.  
      It is presently preferred that such first member  118  includes a plurality of apertures  130  formed therethrough to allow air to contact such skin of such wearer.  
      Additionally, such apparatus  100  further includes a strap like member  22  attached to the first member  118 . There is a means  20  engageable with each of such strap like member  22  and an outer surface  123  of said first member  118  for securing said apparatus  100  to such wearer. Preferably, such means  20  for securing the apparatus  100  to such wearer is a hook and loop type fastener.  
      In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention such apparatus  100  further includes a decorative styling  132  formed over an outer surface  123  thereof which decorative styling  132  can be provided by one of various colors, fabrics and various combinations thereof. The second member  112  is attached to such first member  118  by sewing. Apparatus  100  can be safely worn on previously bruised skin.  
      While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in sufficient detail above to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same it should be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications can be envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.