Sliding mitt
A sliding mitt includes an elastic inner body and an inelastic protective board. The elastic inner body has a phalange receiving region and a metacarpal receiving region. The inelastic protective board extends on a face of the elastic inner body over the phalange receiving region. A flexure hinge is provided between the metacarpal receiving region and the phalange receiving region to facilitate bending of the phalange receiving region relative to the metacarpal receiving region about and along the flexure hinge.
1 . A sliding mitt comprising:
an elastic inner body longitudinally extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the sliding mitt, the elastic inner body having a first face and a second face separated from the first face by a hand receiving cavity, the hand receiving cavity comprising a hand insertion opening at the proximal end, a closed interior end at the distal end, a phalange receiving region extending to the distal end, and a metacarpal receiving region between the phalange receiving region and the proximal end;
an inelastic protective board on the first face and over the phalange receiving region;
a flexure hinge on the first face between the metacarpal receiving region and the phalange receiving region to facilitate bending of the phalange receiving region relative to the metacarpal receiving region about and along the flexure hinge;
a second inelastic protective board on the second face and over the phalange receiving region; and
a second flexure hinge on the second face between the metacarpal receiving region and the phalange receiving region to facilitate bending of the phalange receiving region relative to the metacarpal receiving region about and along the second flexure hinge.
2 . The sliding mitt of claim 1 , wherein the inelastic protective board comprises an edge along at least a portion of the flexure hinge.
3 . The sliding mitt of claim 1 , wherein the inelastic protective board comprises a first portion over the phalange receiving region on a distal side of the flexure hinge and a second portion over the metacarpal receiving region on a proximal side of the flexure hinge, the first portion being wider than the second portion to form the flexure hinge.
4 . The sliding mitt of claim 3 further comprising:
a first sideboard over the metacarpal receiving region and spaced from the second portion on a first side of the second portion; and
a second sideboard over the metacarpal receiving region and spaced from the second portion on a second side of the second portion.
5 . The sliding mitt of claim 4 , wherein the first sideboard and the second sideboard are isolated from the inelastic protective board.
6 . The sliding mitt of claim 4 , wherein the inelastic protective board, the first sideboard and the second sideboard are integrally formed as part of a single unitary body with a first partial slit separating the first sideboard and the inelastic protective board and with a second partial slit separating the second sideboard and the inelastic protective board.
7 . The sliding mitt of claim 1 further comprising a curved wrist brace captured between the elastic inner body and the inelastic protective board, the curved wrist brace having a length and located so as to longitudinally extend across a wrist adjacent a hand that is flattened and extended within the hand receiving cavity.
8 . The sliding of claim 7 , wherein the curved wrist brace is slidably received within a pocket formed in the sliding mitt.
9 . The sliding mitt of claim 1 further comprising a fingertip bumper along the distal end of the elastic inner body, the fingertip bumper having a length configured to continuously span across fingertips of a middle finger, ring finger and index finger of a hand when the hand is fully received within the sliding mitt.
10 . The sliding mitt of claim 1 , wherein the second inelastic protective board comprises a second edge along at least a portion of the second flexure hinge.
11 . The sliding mitt of claim 1 , wherein the second inelastic protective board comprise a third portion over the phalange receiving region on a distal side of the flexure hinge and a fourth portion over the metacarpal receiving region on a proximal side of the flexure hinge, the third portion being wider than the fourth portion to form the second flexure hinge.
12 . The sliding mitt of claim 1 further comprising:
a third sideboard over the metacarpal region and spaced from the second inelastic protective board on a first side of the second inelastic protective board; and
a fourth sideboard over the metacarpal region and spaced from the second inelastic protective board on a second side of the second inelastic protective board.
13 . The sliding mitt of claim 12 , wherein the third sideboard and the fourth sideboard are isolated from the second inelastic protective board.
14 . The sliding mitt of claim 13 , wherein the second inelastic protective board, the third sideboard and the fourth sideboard are integrally formed as part of a single unitary body with a third partial slit separating the third sideboard and the second inelastic protective board and with a fourth partial slit separating the fourth sideboard and the second inelastic protective board.
15 . The sliding mitt of claim 1 further comprising a second curved wrist brace captured between the elastic inner body and the second inelastic protective board along the second face, the second wrist brace having a length and located so as to longitudinally extend across a wrist adjacent a hand that is flattened and extended within the hand receiving cavity.
16 . The sliding mitt of claim 1 , wherein the inelastic protective board comprises a polymer plate having a continuous uninterrupted width configured to extend over a middle finger, a ring finger and an index finger of a hand when the hand is fully received within the sliding mitt.
17 . The sliding mitt of claim 1 , wherein the phalange receiving region comprises an uninterrupted continuous cavity laterally extending from a first lateral side of the sliding mitt to a second opposite lateral side of the sliding mitt, the phalange receiving region being configured to receive mutually contacting fingers of a hand when the hand is received within the phalanx receiving region.
18 . A sliding mitt comprising:
an elastic inner body longitudinally extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the sliding mitt, the elastic inner body having a first face and a second face separated from the first face by a hand receiving cavity, the hand receiving cavity comprising a hand insertion opening at the proximal end, a closed interior end at the distal end, a phalange receiving region extending to the distal end, and a metacarpal receiving region between the phalange receiving region and the proximal end;
an inelastic protective board on the first face and over the phalange receiving region; and
a flexure hinge on the first face between the metacarpal receiving region and the phalange receiving region to facilitate bending of the phalange receiving region relative to the metacarpal receiving region about and along the flexure hinge,
wherein the inelastic protective board comprises a first portion over the phalange receiving region on a distal side of the flexure hinge and a second portion over the metacarpal receiving region on a proximal side of the flexure hinge, the first portion being wider than the second portion to form the flexure hinge,
wherein the sliding mitt further comprises:
a first sideboard over the metacarpal receiving region and spaced from the second portion on a first side of the second portion; and
a second sideboard over the metacarpal receiving region and spaced from the second portion on a second side of the second portion, wherein the first sideboard and the second sideboard are isolated from the inelastic protective board.
19 . A sliding mitt comprising:
an elastic inner body longitudinally extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the sliding mitt, the elastic inner body having a first face and a second face separated from the first face by a hand receiving cavity, the hand receiving cavity comprising a hand insertion opening at the proximal end, a closed interior end at the distal end, a phalange receiving region extending to the distal end, and a metacarpal receiving region between the phalange receiving region and the proximal end;
an inelastic protective board on the first face and over the phalange receiving region; and
a flexure hinge on the first face between the metacarpal receiving region and the phalange receiving region to facilitate bending of the phalange receiving region relative to the metacarpal receiving region about and along the flexure hinge,
wherein the inelastic protective board comprises a first portion over the phalange receiving region on a distal side of the flexure hinge and a second portion over the metacarpal receiving region on a proximal side of the flexure hinge, the first portion being wider than the second portion to form the flexure hinge,
wherein the sliding mitt further comprises:
a first sideboard over the metacarpal receiving region and spaced from the second portion on a first side of the second portion; and
a second sideboard over the metacarpal receiving region and spaced from the second portion on a second side of the second portion,
wherein the inelastic protective board, the first sideboard and the second sideboard are integrally formed as part of a single unitary body with a first partial slit separating the first sideboard and the inelastic protective board and with a second partial slit separating the second sideboard and the inelastic protective board.