Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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60412-1532
FIELD OF TI~E INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of protec~ive hand-
wear, particularly in regard to preventing damage to certain
ligaments of the thumb.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In various sports and recreational activi-ties, as well
as in industry, there are numerous occasions when, as a result of
a ~all or other event, the thumb is momentaxily bent away from
the other ~ingers of the hand. This bending results in a stretch-
ing of the ulnar collateral ligament which is connected around the
thu~'s lower joint, the metacarpal phalangeal joint. If this
stretching is severe enough, the ligament will rupture, and as it
will frequently not heal by itself, surgery is often required to
repair the tear. Even if the li~ament is not torn, such a stretch-
ing, particularly if repeated, will loosen the ligament giving rise
to a chronic wobbling of the joint, which could cause arthritis.
Prior art gloves and handwear are, at best, only designed
to protect the hand from cold or from abrasions and do not prevent
such ligament damage at all. Furthermore, the common way to
protect the thull~b area a~ter surgery is by using a cumbersome cast,
which cannot, as ~ practical matter, be kept on the hand for longer
than six to eight weeks, a time period ~ar short of that actually
required ~or tha ligament to mature.
In my earlier glove inventions, covered by my United
States Patent No. 4,445,507 issued May 1, 1984, and my United
State.s Patent Application Serial No. 604,506, filed April 27, 1984
(now United States Patent No. 4,565,195 issued January 21, 1988)
USSN 727,815 - 1
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a restraint on the outside ~radlal side) of the thumb was used to
prevent such ligament damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I have dlscovered that stress on the ulnar collateral
ligament can be greatly reduced while allowing the thumb and hand
generally normal freedom of movement by effectively connecting and
malntaining the thumb against the se~ond metacarpal or index
finger.
Accordingly the present invention provides a protective
glove for preventing lnjury to the thumb's ulnar collateral
ligament compri~ing: a hand covqring having a thumb pocket and a
finger portion, drawstring means for selectively securing and
unsecuring the ulnar side of said thumb pocket against the radial
side of said finger portion said thumb pocket being secured
against said finger portion when said drawstring means is
tightened and unsecured and not di~posed against said finger
portlon when said drawstring means is loosened, said drawstring
means connected between said finger portlon and said thumb pocket
through a series of at least three holes, two of sald holes being
disposed on the ulnar side of sald thumb pocket at opposite end~
thereof while said third hole is dispoRed in the upper portion of
the radlal ~ide of sald finyer portion, said drawstrlng means
: being se~ured by pulling said drawstring means through said holes
whereby said thumb pocket is secured ayainst said flnyer portion
so as to prevent severe radlal movement of the thumb away from the
other fingers when said glove is in use, which severe radial
movement might iniure the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb.
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The presen-t invention also provides a protective glove
for preventing injury to the thumb's ulnar collateral ligament
comprising: a hand covering having a first pocke-t and a second
pocket, said first pocket adapted to receive the thumb and at
least the forefinger of the hand and said second poc]cet adapted to
receive the remaining fingers, whereby during use, radial movement
of the thurnb away from the remaining ingers, which movement might
injure the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb, is prevented.
In a preEerred embodiment, the thumb pocket and the
finger portion each has at least one hole.
In a preferred embodiment, the thumb pocket for the
glove is connected by a drawstring to the remainder of the glove.
In use, the drawstring is pulled tight so that the thumb pocket is
adjacent to and held against the remaining portion of the glove so
that a fall cannot bend the thumb pocket and thumb away from the
other fingersO
In each case, the gloves of this invention prevent any
severe radial movement of the thumb, which could rupture or damage
the ulnar collateral ligament. At the same -time, the users hand
can still grasp objects such as ski poles.
DESCRIPTION OE' THE PREFERRED EMBODIME~TS
Drawings
I turn now to the description of the preferred embodi-
men-t, after first brieEly describing the drawings.
Figure 1 is a view of the glove of a preferred embodi-
ment of the invention with a drawstring still open,
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Figure 2 is a view of an alternate construction of the
glove;
Figure 3 is a view of another alternate construction of
a glove with a portion cut away;
Figure 4 is a view of another embodiment oE the inven-
tion with a portion cut away; and
Figure 5 is a perspective side of the glove of the pre-
ferred embodiment showing the hand inside when in use.
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Structure
Referring to Figure 1, an embodiment of a glove accord-
ing to the invention herein is shown at 10. The glove 10 has a
finger portion 20 and a thumb pocket 22. (The glove shown is in
the form of a mitten. ~lowever, it should be understood that the
glove may also have separate pockets for each of the fingers.)
The thumb pocket 22 has a first hole 24 and a second
hole 26. Additional holes may also be used. Hole 24 is disposed
in the lower portion of the thumb pocket 22 towards its ulnar
side (towards the fingers). The second hole 26 is also on the
ulnar side of the thumb pocket 22, but it is located near the
top of the thumb pocket 22. A third hole 28 is disposed on the
radial side (towards the thumb) of the finger portion 20.
A drawstring 30 has one end attached at or about the
first hole 24 in the thumb pocket 22. The drawstring 30 is then
fed first through the second hole 26 and then through the third
hole 28. The drawstring is then threaded back through the first
hole 24. In operation, the glove 10 is placed on the user's hand
in the usual manner. The thumb (not shown) fits into the thumb
pocket 22 and the other fingers fit into the finger portion 20.
Once on, the drawstring 30 is pulled downward in the direction in-
dicated by the arrow~ This forces the ulnar side o:E the thumb
pocket 22 and the thumb up against the radial side of the finger
portion 20. The drawstring is then tied in place, thereby securing
thumb pocket 22 to the Einyer portion 20. So secured, the thumb
cannot be bent radially away from the fingers causing damage to
the ulnar collateral ligament.
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The glove 10 is shown in use in Figure 5. The thumb
pocket 22 is a-ttached to the finger portion 20, but a ski pole 80
can ~e grasped by the user. In this case, the thumb curls around
the pole 80 with the other fingers instead of grasping the pole 80
in the opposite direction as the fingers, as is usual.
Figure 2 shows a glove 40 which comprises a finger por-
tion 42 and a thumb pocket 44. A series of holes 46 (only four
shown) e~tend along the lower half of the radial side of the fin~
ger portion 42. A similar set of holes 48 (only four shown) ex-
tend up the ulnar side of the thumb pocket 44. A cord 50 iseffectively stitched through the ,ets of holes 46, 48 to secure
the thumb pocket 44 to the remainder of the glove.
Figure 3 shows a glove 60 which is comprised of a single
pocket 62 into which the thumb and all the fingers fit. Insula-
tion 64 surrounds the thumb and fingers. As with the gloves shown
in the other Figures, the thumb cannot be bent radially away from
the fingers so as to damage the ulnar collateral ligament.
Figure 4 shows a glove 70 comprised of a first pocket 72
and a second pocket 74, separated by an opening 78. When in use,
the first pocket 72 contains three fingers while the second pocket
74 contains the thumb and Eorefinger. Insulation 76 is provided
in the second pocket 74, as shown. In operation, strain on the
ulnar collateral ligament Oe the thumb is avoided because the
thumb cannot bend radially away from index finger.
Other variations will occur to those skilled in the
art.
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