Patent Publication Number: US-RE38948-E

Title: Hand and forearm protector

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Applicant claims the priority date of U.S. Provisional Application  60 / 046 , 481 . 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to hand and forearm protectors, and in particular, it relates to a hand and forearm protector that is also visually appealing. 
     Coverings for the hand and forearm or for the forearm or hand individually are well known. There are numerous reasons why such hand and forearm protectors are used. Some of these reasons relate to protection in athletics, for example, linemen wear forearm protectors in football or in-line skaters wear hand and wrist guards. Hand and forearm protectors also are used for medical reasons as restraining devices such as to protect a sprained wrist. Additional, examples of hand and forearm protectors are found in the following U.S. patents. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Inventor 
                 U.S. Pat. No. 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 Chang 
                 4,011,596 
               
               
                   
                 Finnieston et al. 
                 4,765,319 
               
               
                   
                 Finnieston et al. 
                 4,873,968 
               
               
                   
                 Elliot 
                 4,967,419 
               
               
                   
                 Matthews 
                 5,402,536 
               
               
                   
                 Olson et al. 
                 5,526,531 
               
               
                   
                 Pierce, Jr. 
                 Des. 290,766 
               
               
                   
                 Pierce, Jr. 
                 Des. 330,676 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a hand and forearm protector having a sleeve. The sleeve has a primary opening at one end and at another end a discrete finger opening and a discrete thumb opening. A longitudinal opening is disposed along the sleeve and extends from a point directly proximal a juncture of the carpal bones and the radius of a hand of the wearer rearwardly along a foreword side of the forearm to approximately the end of the sleeve. A closure mechanism, preferably a zipper, extends from the point of the sleeve overlying the juncture of the carpal bones and radius rearwardly to the end of the sleeve for bringing the edges of the sleeve together to conform the sleeve to the forearm of the wearer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the forearm protector of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2 is a perspective view from a different angle of the forearm protector. 
       FIG. 3 is a side view of the forearm protector with a zipper in an open position. 
       FIG. 4 is a left side plan view of the forearm protector. 
       FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the forearm protector. 
       FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the forearm protector. 
       FIG. 7 is a right side plan view of the forearm protector. 
       FIG. 8 is a front plan view. 
       FIG. 9 is a rear plan view. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The hand and forearm protector of the present invention is generally illustrated at  10  in FIGS. 1-9. The hand and forearm protector  10  is used to cover and protect a proximal portion of a hand  21  and an entire forearm  23  of a motorcycle driver  20  when riding and gripping handlebars  22  of a motorcycle (not illustrated). The hand and forearm protector  10  is also designed to be worn as a decorative piece of clothing and as such its use is not limited to driving motorcycles. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hand and forearm protector  10  includes a sleeve portion  12  having at one end a forearm opening  14  and at another end a discrete digit opening  16  and a discrete thumb opening  18 . The thumb opening  18  is an opening that is discrete from and separate from the digit opening  16 . The openings  16  and  18  are separated by a section  56  of the sleeve  12 . The sleeve also includes a longitudinal opening  19  that overlies a forward forearm portion. By forward forearm is meant that portion of the forearm that faces forward when the arms are left to hang naturally and loosely along side the body. 
     The sleeve  12  of the hand and forearm protector  10  is made of a flexible continuous piece of fabric sewn to create a cylindrical-type structure into which the hand  21  is inserted along with the entire forearm  23  of the wearer  20 . The sleeve  12  may be made of any suitable fabric that is pliable, wear resistant and suitable for use outdoors. A preferred material is leather although other materials suitable or popular for outdoor use are included within the scope of the present invention. 
     For purposes of description in this application, the surface of the sleeve  12  is divided into an outer surface segment  24  and an inner surface segment  26  joined at a rearward surface segment  28 . The outer surface segment faces away from the body when the arms are left to hand naturally and loosely along side the body while the inner segment faces the body. Similarly, the rearward surface segment  28  covers a rearward portion of the forearm  23 . The sleeve  12  has a continuous uninterrupted surface through the outer segment  24 , the inner segment  26  and the rearward segment surface segment  28  as illustrated in the Figures. The sleeve  12  extends away from the hand, to approximately 1 to 1½ inches from the wearers elbow  60 , as best illustrated in FIG. 1. In one preferred embodiment, the sleeve  12  is made of two distinct pieces of leather, joined by sewing along a line  29  that extends along the entire length of the sleeve as best illustrated in FIG. 1, and sewn along a line  33  between the thumb opening  18  and digit opening  16 , as best illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, and sewn along a line  31  that extends from the thumb opening  18  to the longitudinal opening  19 . 
     A zipper  32  is provided to open and close the opening  19 . The zipper is positioned to start at a point  34  on the sleeve that is directly adjacent rearwardly of the ball of the thumb which is sometimes referred to as the thenar muscle. In relation to bone structure, this position may also be defined as ajuncture of the carpal bones and radius. The sleeve is sewn along the line  31  such that the sleeve conforms in a snug fashion to the ball of the thumb. 
     The longitudinal opening  19  extends from this position to the end of the sleeve at the forearm opening  14  to permit inserting the hand of the water into the forward portion of the sleeve and once inserted, the zipper  32  is closed to conform the sleeve to the wearer&#39;s forearm. The zipper  32  when in a closed position brings an upper edge  38  of the segment  24  and a lower edge  40  of the segment  26  together to conform the sleeve  12  to the forearm  23  of the wearer  20  in a form-fitting fashion. 
     To insert the hand and forearm into the forearm protector of the present invention, the zipper  32  is positioned in an open position as illustrated in FIG. 3 which permits opening  19  to widen. An inner flap section  44  triangular in configuration is attached along one edge to an inner surface of the segment  26  and at another edge to an inner surface of the segment  24 . The flap  44  is disposed such that its apex is proximate the ball of the thumb while its base is disposed proximate the forearm opening  14 . The flap section  44  protects the user&#39;s forearm from being pinched by the zipper  32  when the slide of the zipper  32  is moved. 
     The digit opening  16  is sufficiently wide for all four fingers  46 ,  48 ,  50  and  52  to extend therethrough. The opening  16  includes an edge  54  which encircles all four fingers as a unit. The sleeve  12  of the hand and forearm protector extends up to each fingers&#39; a first set of joints or knuckles  47 ,  49 ,  51  and  53 . The first set of joints of the fingers  46 ,  48 ,  50  and  52  are defined as those joints or knuckles that are formed at the articulation of the metacarpal bone and the phalange of each finger. The sleeve  12  does not extend over the joints or knuckles  47 ,  49 ,  51  and  53  thereby exposing those knuckles as best illustrated in FIG. 1 wherein the edge  54  lies directly adjacent to the exposed knuckles  47 ,  49 ,  51  and  53 . 
     Similarly, the thumb opening  18  has an edge  55  that is disposed to extend the sleeve to a position such that the first joint or knuckle of the thumb that is formed between the metacarpal bone and the phalange is exposed. 
     It will be appreciated that the position of the zipper  32 , that is along an inner section of the forearm, permits the application of decorative designs along the outer segment  24 , the rearward segment  28  and the inner segment  26 . Indicia such as designs and other decorative features may be placed on the sleeve without interference or interruption by closure of fastening mechanisms that are found in prior art forearm protectors. The tight fit or conformance to the proximal portion of the hand exposing all of the knuckles of the hand and thumb is very visually pleasing. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.