Thumb or finger protector for protective glove including multidirectional movement
A thumb or finger protector for a protective glove includes a top section, at least one middle section and a bottom section. The at least one middle is disposed between the top and bottom sections. The top and bottom sections engage a corresponding adjacent one of the at least one middle section via respective articulations. A central wire is connected to the top section extends through central passages of the middle and bottom sections and through the articulations to interconnect the sections. Left and right wires are connected to the top section extend through respective left and right passages of the middle and bottom sections and are sized to slide therein. The sliding guides formed by the left and right wires enable multidirectional movement of the thumb or finger while protecting the thumb or finger during use in the protective glove. A protective glove is also disclosed.
1 . A thumb or finger protector for providing multidirectional thumb or finger movement in a protective glove, comprising:
a top section;
at least one middle section defining a left middle passage, a right middle passage, and a central middle passage;
a bottom section defining a left bottom passage, a right bottom passage, and a central bottom passage,
the at least one middle section being disposed between the top section and the bottom section,
the top section engaging an adjacent one of the at least one middle section via a top articulation,
the bottom section engaging an adjacent one of the at least one middle section via a bottom articulation;
a central wire connected to the top section and extending through the central middle passage of the at least one middle section and through the central bottom passage of the bottom section for connecting the top section, the at least one middle section and the bottom section to each other, the central wire extending through the top articulation and the bottom articulation;
a left wire connected to the top section and extending through the left middle passage of the at least one middle section and through the left bottom passage of the bottom section, the left wire being sized for sliding inside the left middle passage of the at least one middle section and through the left bottom passage of the bottom section; and
a right wire connected to the top section and extending through the right middle passage of the at least one middle section and through the right bottom passage of the bottom section, the right wire being sized for sliding inside the right middle passage of the at least one middle section and through the right bottom passage of the bottom section,
the left wire and the right wire functioning as sliding guides that, by enabling relative movement between the top section, the at least one middle section, and the bottom section, afford multidirectional motion of the thumb or finger while protecting the thumb or finger during use in the protective glove.
2 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 1 , wherein:
the top section defines a left top passage, a right top passage, and a central top passage;
the central wire extending in the central top passage;
the left wire extending in the left top passage; and
the right wire extending in the right top passage.
3 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 1 , wherein:
the top left passage and the top right passage communicate with each other to form a U-shaped passage; and
the left wire and the right wire are an integral wire extending through the U-shaped passage.
4 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 1 , wherein the left wire, the right wire and the central wire are fixed to the top section.
5 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 1 , wherein:
the top articulation is defined by a top groove and a middle tongue received in the top groove;
the top groove is defined by the top section;
the middle tongue is defined by the one of the at least one middle section that is adjacent to the top section;
the bottom articulation is defined by a bottom tongue and a middle groove receiving the bottom tongue;
the bottom tongue is defined by the bottom section; and
the middle groove is defined by the one of the at least one middle section that is adjacent to the bottom section.
6 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one middle section is a plurality of middle sections; and
adjacent middle sections of the plurality of middle sections engage each other via a middle articulation.
7 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 6 , wherein the middle articulation of the adjacent middle sections of the plurality of middle section is defined by a groove defined in one of the adjacent middle sections and by a tongue defined in another one of the adjacent middle sections.
8 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 1 , wherein:
the thumb or finger protector has a neutral position, a left flexed position, and a right flexed position;
in the neutral position:
left spaces are defined between left sides of adjacent ones of the top section, the at least one middle section, and the bottom section, and
right spaces are defined between right sides of the adjacent ones of the top section, the at least one middle section, and the bottom section;
in the left flexed position:
the left spaces defined between the left sides of the adjacent ones of the top section, the at least one middle section, and the bottom section are smaller than in the neutral position, and
the right spaces defined between right sides of the adjacent ones of the top section, the at least one middle section, and the bottom section are larger than in the neutral position; and
in the right flexed position:
the left spaces defined between the left sides of the adjacent ones of the top section, the at least one middle section, and the bottom section are larger than in the neutral position, and
the right spaces defined between the right sides of the adjacent ones of the top section, the at least one middle section, and the bottom section are smaller than in the neutral position.
9 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 8 , wherein:
in the neutral position:
the left wire extends from the bottom section, and
the right wire extends from the bottom section;
in the left flexed position:
the left wire extends from the bottom section by a distance that is longer than in the neutral position; and
the right wire extends from the bottom section by a distance that is shorter than in the neutral position; and
in the right flexed position:
the left wire extends from the bottom section by a distance that is shorter than in the neutral position; and
the right wire extends from the bottom section by a distance that is longer than in the neutral position.
10 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a central crimp connected to an end of a portion of the central wire extending from the bottom section;
a left crimp connected to an end of a portion of the left wire extending from the bottom section; and
a right crimp connected to an end of a portion of the right wire extending from the bottom section.
11 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 10 , wherein the left crimp and the right crimp selectively abut a free end of the bottom section.
12 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the at least one middle section has a middle protrusion overlapping an adjacent one of:
the top section, or
another one of the at least one middle section,
the middle protrusion limiting hyperextension.
13 . The thumb or finger protector of claim 1 , wherein the top section, the at least one middle section, and the bottom section are fabricated from a rigid plastic.
14 . A protective glove comprising:
a hand receiving portion having four finger sheaths;
a thumb member connected to the hand receiving portion; and
at least one of the thumb or finger protector of claim 1 received in at least one of the four finger sheaths or the thumb member for protecting a dorsal side of a corresponding thumb or finger of a hand inserted in the protective glove.
15 . The protective glove of claim 14 , wherein the at least one of the thumb and finger protector is a thumb protector received in the thumb member.
16 . The protective glove of claim 14 , wherein the at least one of the thumb and finger protector is at least one finger protector received in at least one of the four finger sheaths.
17 . The protective glove of claim 14 , wherein each of the four finger sheaths and the thumb member has elongated protective pads extending along a dorsal side of each of the four finger sheaths and the thumb member.
18 . The protective glove of claim 14 , wherein the protective glove is a sport glove.
19 . The protective glove of claim 18 , wherein the sport glove is a hockey glove.