U.S. patent application number 11/126848 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-16 for finger and hand shield for use while cutting hair.
Invention is credited to Anita J. Caudillo.
Application Number | 20060253952 11/126848 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37417597 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060253952 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Caudillo; Anita J. |
November 16, 2006 |
Finger and hand shield for use while cutting hair
Abstract
A finger and hand shield for use while cutting hair to protect
the middle and index fingers and the upper areas of the user's hand
from nicks, cuts or other cutting implement injuries. The invention
comprises an upper shield member to protect the upper portion of
the user's finger, a lower shield member to protect the lower
portion of the user's finger and the upper area of either the back
side or the palm side of the user's hand and a flexible
interconnecting member to interconnect the upper and lower shield
members. Preferably, the shield members are made from a strong,
lightweight material, such as plastic, and the flexible
interconnecting member is made from a lightweight, stretchy and
breathable material, such as elastic mesh fabric. The shield
members are in spaced apart relation and attached to the
interconnecting member so as to prevent the hair from being caught
therein.
Inventors: |
Caudillo; Anita J.;
(Bakersfield, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RICHARD A. RYAN;ATTORNEY AT LAW
8497 N. MILLBROOK AVENUE
SUITE 101
FRESNO
CA
93720
US
|
Family ID: |
37417597 |
Appl. No.: |
11/126848 |
Filed: |
May 10, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 13/087
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/021 |
International
Class: |
A41D 13/08 20060101
A41D013/08 |
Claims
1. A finger and hand shield for use by a user while cutting hair
with a cutting implement to protect one or more fingers and an
upper area of a hand of said user from nicks, cuts and like
injuries, said shield comprising: an upper shield member having a
first end and a second end, said first end of said upper shield
member generally disposed towards the tip end of a finger of said
hand; a lower shield member having a first end and a second end,
said second end of said lower shield member generally disposed over
said upper area of said hand; and a flexible interconnecting member
interconnecting said upper shield member and said lower shield
member, said upper shield, said lower shield and said flexible
interconnecting member configured to receive said finger of said
user.
2. The finger and hand shield according to claim 1, wherein said
flexible interconnecting member is made from a generally
lightweight, stretchy and breathable material.
3. The finger and hand shield according to claim 2, wherein said
flexible interconnecting member is made from an elastic mesh
material.
4. The finger and hand shield according to claim 1, wherein said
flexible interconnecting member is generally tubular shaped.
5. The finger and hand shield according to claim 1, wherein said
second end of said upper shield member is in spaced apart relation
with said first end of said lower shield member.
6. The finger and hand shield according to claim 5, wherein a gap
is provided between said upper shield member and said lower shield
member for positioning of a knuckle of said finger at said gap.
7. The finger and hand shield according to claim 1, wherein said
upper shield member comprises one or more upper wing members, said
one or more upper wing members configured to at least partially
enclose said finger.
8. The finger and hand shield according to claim 1, wherein said
lower shield member comprises one or more lower wing members, said
one or more lower wing members configures to at least partially
enclose said finger.
9. The finger and hand shield according to claim 8, wherein said
upper shield member comprises one or more upper wing members, said
one or more upper wing members configured to at least partially
enclose said finger.
10. The finger and hand shield according to claim 1, wherein each
of said upper shield member and said lower shield member are made
from a plastic material.
11. The finger and hand shield according to claim 1 further
comprising a connecting member connecting a pair said finger and
hand shields.
12. The finger and hand shield according to claim 1, wherein at
least one of said upper shield member and said lower shield member
further comprises one or more sizing segments configured to assist
said user in adjusting the length of said upper shield member
and/or said lower shield member.
13. A finger and hand shield for use by a user while cutting hair
with a cutting implement to protect one or more fingers and an
upper area of a hand of said user from nicks, cuts and like
injuries, said shield comprising: an upper shield member having a
first end and a second end, said first end of said upper shield
member generally disposed towards the tip end of a finger of said
hand; a lower shield member having a first end and a second end,
said first end of said lower shield member in spaced apart relation
with said second end of said upper shield member, said second end
of said lower shield member generally disposed over said upper area
of said hand; and a flexible interconnecting member interconnecting
said upper shield member and said lower shield member, said upper
shield, said lower shield and said flexible interconnecting member
configured to receive said finger of said user.
14. The finger and hand shield according to claim 13, wherein a gap
is provided between said upper shield member and said lower shield
member for positioning of a knuckle of said finger at said gap.
15. The finger and hand shield according to claim 13, wherein at
least one of said upper shield member and said lower shield member
comprises one or more wing members, said one or more wing members
configured to at least partially enclose said finger.
16. The finger and hand shield according to claim 13, wherein at
least one of said upper shield member and said lower shield member
further comprises one or more sizing segments configured to assist
said user in adjusting the length of said upper shield member
and/or said lower shield member.
17. A finger and hand shield for use by a user while cutting hair
with a cutting implement to protect two fingers and an upper area
of a hand of said user from nicks, cuts and like injuries, said
shield comprising: a first shield, said first shield having an
upper shield member with a first end and a second end, a lower
shield member with a first end and a second end and a flexible
interconnecting member interconnecting said upper shield member and
said lower shield member, said first end of said upper shield
member generally disposed towards the tip end of a finger of said
hand, said second end of said lower shield member generally
disposed over said upper area of said hand, said upper shield, said
lower shield and said flexible interconnecting member configured to
receive one of said two fingers of said user; a second shield, said
second shield having an upper shield member with a first end and a
second end, a lower shield member with a first end and a second end
and a flexible interconnecting member interconnecting said upper
shield member and said lower shield member, said first end of said
upper shield member generally disposed towards the tip end of a
finger of said hand, said second end of said lower shield member
generally disposed over said upper area of said hand, said upper
shield, said lower shield and said flexible interconnecting member
configured to receive one of said two fingers of said user; and a
flexible connecting member connecting said first shield and said
second shield, said flexible connecting member generally disposed
between said two fingers.
18. The finger and hand shield according to claim 17, wherein each
said second ends of said upper shield members are in spaced apart
relation with each of said first ends of said lower shield
members.
19. The finger and hand shield according to claim 17, wherein at
least one of said upper shield member and said lower shield member
comprises one or more wing members, said one or more wing members
configured to at least partially enclose said finger.
20. The finger and hand shield according to claim 17, wherein at
least one of said upper shield member and said lower shield member
further comprises one or more sizing segments configured to assist
said user in adjusting the length of said upper shield member
and/or said lower shield member.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A. Field of the Invention
[0003] The field of the present invention relates generally to
devices for protecting parts of the human body from cuts and the
like. More specifically, the field of the present invention relates
generally to such devices that are particularly configured to
protect the finger, palm and/or back area of a human hand. Even
more specifically, this invention relates to such protectors that
are configured for use by barbers, cosmetologists and others who
use scissors, shears and other hair cutting implements to protect
the finger, palm and back of the hand area from nicks and cuts that
can occur while cutting hair.
[0004] B. Background
[0005] As is well known, the conventional methods of cutting or
trimming hair requires barbers, cosmetologists or other hair
cutting persons to grasp a portion of the hair between the middle
and index finger of the hair cutter's hand. This is done so that
the hair cutter can use his or her fingers as a guide when cutting
the hair with scissors, shears or other cutting implements. Because
hair is so pliant, in order to effectively support the portion of
hair being cut, the hair cutter's fingers must be placed relatively
close to the point where the hair is cut. Unfortunately, this
results in the hair cutter placing his or her fingers in close
proximity to the sharp edges of the cutting implement while cutting
hair. For smooth, efficient and effective hair cutting, the
scissors, shears or other cutting implements are configured to be
very sharp so as to easily and cleanly cut the hair. Although most
all hair cutting is performed with some amount of deliberate speed,
for professional hair cutters the speed at which hair is cut is
very important to the profitability of the hair cutter or the
organization for which he or she works. As those who work in the
hair cutting profession are very aware, the combination of sharp
cutting implements, the need to closely grasp the hair between the
hair cutter's fingers while cutting and the desire to cut hair at a
somewhat enhanced speed frequently results in the hair cutter
receiving nicks and cuts on his or her fingers, palm or other
portions of the hand used to grasp the hair. Although many of the
nicks or cuts tend to be relatively small, they can be quite
painful (much like paper cuts and the like). If the nick or cut is
deep enough to cause bleeding, this can cause delays in the hair
cutting while the hair cutter treats the wound and/or covers it
with a bandage or other covering. Because hair is generally
considered unhygienic, the contact between an open wound and the
hair can cause the wound to become infected, necessitating the hair
cutter take appropriate action to avoid infection. Further
complicating the hair cutter's issues, open wounds can increase the
risk of transferring diseases, including certain blood borne
diseases known to be quite harmful or even fatal, to or from the
hair cutter and the person having his or her hair cut.
[0006] Although it would seem quite beneficial for the hair cutter
to have a cover, guard or other shield-like device over the
portions of the hand most susceptible to nicks and cuts, such as
the middle and index fingers and the upper portion of the palm near
those fingers, there are several limitations with the use of such
devices. One such limitation is the hair cutter's need to feel the
hair between his or her fingers in order to effectively grasp the
hair and cut it at the desired location to obtain the hair cutting
result desired by the person having his or her hair cut. While a
stiff or generally inflexible shield-like device may protect the
fingers and hand from nicks and cuts, it would be virtually
unworkable from the hair cutter's perspective due to the inability
to effectively feel and grasp the hair. Another limitation for such
finger/hand protective devices is the fact that most professional
hair cutters would need to wear the protective device for long
periods of time while at work in order to effectively protect their
fingers and hand from nicks and cuts. If the protective device is
not properly configured to allow the hand to "breath" some, the
user's fingers and hand will tend to sweat under the device and
make it very uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. In
addition to the above, for professional hair cutters there is the
practical effect on the consumer of the hair cutter having a bulky
or armor looking device on the hair cutter's hand. Many customers
would tend to be somewhat uncomfortable with such devices on the
hand of the person cutting their hair.
[0007] A number of prior art devices have been provided for those
who cut hair to prevent or reduce the likelihood of nicks and cuts
on the finger and palm area of the hair cutter's hand. For
instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,874 to Stolf describes a cut
prevention finger guard that is configured with a head and body
portion that fits around the user's finger so as to protect the
finger from nicks and cuts while the hair cutter user is cutting
hair. The finger guard described in Stolf has a pair of wing-like
securing devices that are made out of malleable material so as to
foldably secure the head and body portion of the device to the
finger. U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,626 to Schaeffer describes a
combination palm and finger guard which comprises a ring or other
finger engaging member and a shield attached to the ring such that
it overlays a portion of the user's finger and palm to prevent
nicks and cuts while cutting hair. U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,508 to Kim
describes a finger and palm guard that comprises a pair of tubular
members for the middle and index finger of the hair cutter's hand
and a projecting shield member that extends over the palmar fascia
area immediately adjacent the user's fingers. The shield is made up
of two overlying palm shields that are moveably connected by an
engagement mechanism, such as a rivet, that permits the two shields
to pivot relative to each other. U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,186 to Lamb,
et al. describes a shear guard that is a band of rigid yet formable
material that is curled into a generally ring-like configuration
which fits over a user's finger. U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,828 to Brewer
describes a glove-like finger protector that comprise a pair of
tubular finger protectors that are held in place by a wrist band
that is made thicker in the areas desired to be protected against
nicks and cuts. U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,871 to Wall describes a
barber's glove having two finger coverings with confronting faces
that are configured with grooves to assist in aligning and
straightening the hair being cut.
[0008] While the aforementioned devices can reduce the likelihood
of receiving nicks or cuts on portions of the hair cutter's fingers
and/or palm, they are known to have certain limitations that has
substantially limited the wide acceptance of such devices by those
in the hair cutting industry. For instance, certain of these
devices, such as those described in the Lamb and Stolf patents,
primarily only protect the finger portion of the user's hand and do
not provide much protection for the palm or back side areas of the
hand. While the devices described in the patents to Wall and Brewer
may provide a minimum amount of protection for the back of the hand
area, they are not configured to protect the palm area and may be
considered by many to be too confining to be comfortable to be worn
for extended periods of time. The device of Schaeffer provides
limited protection for the fingers and, like the patent to Kim, has
one or more moveable components and/or connectors which can chafe
or otherwise annoy the user and in which the customer's hair can be
caught, thereby resulting in discomfort to the person getting their
hair cut. In addition, the aforementioned devices are not
configured to be comfortably worn for long periods of time, such as
the work day, or to allow the user to accomplish other tasks, such
as using other implements or collecting money or other items from
the customer, without the necessity of removing the device every
time such tasks need to be performed.
[0009] What is needed, therefore, is an improved finger and hand
shield that is configured to protect both the finger and the palm
or back of hand areas of the hair cutter's hand. The preferred
device will have shield components that extend over the finger and
into the upper palm or back of hand areas to protect the fingers
and palm/hand areas from nicks and cuts that can arise from contact
with scissors, shears or other cutting implements. The preferred
device will be adaptable for being worn on the user's hand in a
manner that provides protection for either the palm or back of hand
sides of the user's hand, depending on the user's hair cuffing
preference. The preferred device should be breathable, flexible and
suitable for feeling the hair being cut so that the user can wear
the device for the entire work day and effectively grasp the hair
being cut. The preferred device should also be configured to be
sanitizable while remaining on the user's hand. Alternatively, the
preferred device can be configured to be disposable to reduce the
risk of transmitting germs or other undesirable issues between
haircut customers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The finger and hand shield for use while cutting hair of the
present invention provides the benefits and solves the problems
identified above. That is to say, the present invention discloses a
finger and hand shield that is configured to protect the middle and
index fingers and palm or back of hand areas of the hair cutter's
hand from nicks and cuts that can arise from the use of scissors,
shears or other hair cutting implements without the use of
components that can catch or pull the customer's hair. The shield
components of the finger and hand shield of the present invention
extend over the user's middle and index fingers and over the upper
areas of either the palm or back of the hand, depending on the
user's hair cutting preferences, to effectively deflect the cutting
implements and prevent harm to these areas of the user's hand. The
finger and hand shield of the present invention is configured to be
breathable, flexible and to allow the user to adequately feel the
hair being cut so as to effectively grasp the hair and cut it as
desired by the hair cutter. The finger and hand shield of the
present invention can be left on for extended periods of time, such
as the entire work day. The preferred finger and hand shield is
configured to be washable while remaining on the user's hand so as
to sanitize the device between haircuts. Alternatively, the finger
and hand shield of the present invention can be made very
inexpensively and, therefore, configured to be disposable.
[0011] In one general aspect of the present invention, the finger
and hand shield of the present invention includes an upper shield
member having a first end and a second end, a lower shield member
having a first end and a second end and a flexible interconnecting
member interconnecting the upper shield member and the lower shield
member. The first end of the upper shield member is generally
disposed towards the tip end of a finger of the user's hand and the
second end of the lower shield member is generally disposed over
the upper area of the back or palm side of the user's hand. The
upper shield, the lower shield and the flexible interconnecting
member are cooperatively configured to receive the finger of the
user and protect the finger and upper area of the hand from nicks
and cuts that can arise from using cutting implements to cut hair.
In a preferred embodiment the shield members are made from plastic
and the flexible interconnecting member is made from a generally
lightweight, stretchy and breathable material, such as an elastic
mesh material. In one embodiment the flexible interconnecting
member is generally tubular shaped and the shield members are
fixedly attached thereto. In the preferred embodiment, the second
end of the upper shield member is in spaced apart relation with the
first end of the lower shield member so as to prevent pinching of
the hair therebetween, which can cause the hair to be pulled. Also
in a preferred embodiment, the upper shield member and lower shield
member each have one or more wing members configured to at least
partially enclose the user's finger. Also in the preferred
embodiment, the upper and lower shield members each have one or
more sizing segments configured to assist the user in adjusting the
length of the upper shield member and/or the lower shield member.
In another embodiment of the finger and hand shield of the present
invention, the shield has a pair of finger shield members, each
configured as described above, that are interconnected by a
connecting member.
[0012] Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention
is to provide a finger and hand shield for use while cutting hair
that provides the advantages discussed above and overcomes the
disadvantages and limitations associated with presently available
devices utilized for protecting the finger and/or hand areas of
those who cut hair.
[0013] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a finger and hand shield that effectively protects the
fingers and upper palm or back of hand areas of the hair cutter's
hand from nicks and cuts that can otherwise result from use of
scissors, shears or other cutting implements.
[0014] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a finger and hand shield that is configured to
selectively protect either the back portion of the fingers and hand
or the palm side of the fingers and hand depending on the hair
cutter's cutting preference.
[0015] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a finger and hand shield that protects the hair cutter's
finger and hand without the use of connectors or moving parts that
are susceptible to catching or pulling on the hair of the customer
or other person having their hair cut by the hair cutter wearing
the device of the present invention.
[0016] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a finger and hand shield that is configured to be
breathable and flexible so that the user may comfortably wear the
finger and hand shield for extended periods of time and accomplish
other tasks without the need to remove the finger and hand shield
to do so.
[0017] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a finger and hand shield that is configured to allow the
user to sufficiently feel the hair being cut so that he or she may
effectively cut the hair as desired.
[0018] It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a finger and hand shield that is washable, preferably
while remaining on the user's hand, or disposable so as to reduce
the likelihood of transmitting germs or other issues from one
haircut customer to another.
[0019] The above and other objectives of the present invention will
become readily apparent and are explained in greater detail by
reference to the attached figures and the description of the
preferred embodiment which follows. As set forth herein, the
present invention resides in the novel features of form,
construction, mode of operation and/or combination of processes
presently described and understood by the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments
and the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the
present invention:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a top or back of hand view of a preferred
embodiment of the finger and hand shield of the present invention
shown in use on a hand to protect the back portion of the user's
fingers and hand;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a bottom or palm view of the embodiment of the
finger and hand shield of the present invention shown in FIG. 1
particularly showing the wing members of the upper and lower shield
members;
[0023] FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of the embodiment of the
finger and hand shield of the present invention shown in FIG.
1;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a palm view of a preferred embodiment of the
finger and hand shield of the present invention shown in use on a
hand to protect the palm portion of the user's fingers and
hand;
[0025] FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of a preferred embodiment of
the finger and hand shield of the present invention showing the
principal components thereof;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the
finger and hand shield of the present invention showing the
flexibility thereof;
[0027] FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the
wing members used with the upper and lower shield members of the
finger and hand shield of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 8 is a side view of a second alternative embodiment of
the wing members used with the upper and lower shield members of
the finger and hand shield of the present invention showing wing
members that are configured to fully encircle the finger; and
[0029] FIG. 9 is a top or hand view of an alternative embodiment of
the present invention showing the a pair of protectors joined by a
connecting member into a single device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0030] With reference to the figures where like elements have been
given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader's
understanding of the present invention, and particularly with
reference to the embodiments of the finger and hand shield for use
while cutting hair of the present invention illustrated in the
figures, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is set
forth below. The enclosed description and drawings are merely
illustrative of one or more preferred embodiments and represent
several different ways of configuring the present invention.
Although specific components, materials, configurations and uses of
the present invention are illustrated and set forth in this
disclosure, those skilled in the art will readily understand that a
number of variations to the components and to the configuration of
those components described herein and in the accompanying figures
can be made without changing the scope and function of the
invention set forth herein.
[0031] A finger and hand shield for use in cutting hair is
manufactured out of the components and configured pursuant to the
principles of the present invention is shown generally as 10 in the
figures. As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, in one configuration of the
present invention the user, which will often be a professional
barber, cosmetologist or the like but can be an individual cutting
hair for a relative, neighbor or friend, will utilize shield 10 to
protect the back side of his or her fingers, such as middle finger
12 and index finger 14, and the upper area 16 of the back side 18
of hand 20. In another configuration, shown in FIG. 4, the user
will utilize shield 10 to protect the palm side 22 of fingers 12
and 14 and the upper palm area 24 of hand 20. As recognized by
those skilled in the art, hand 20 is the hand used by the hair
cutter to handle and control the portion of the hair that is to be
cut by scissors, shears or other cutting implements (not shown)
being held in and controlled by the hair cutter's other hand (also
not shown). In the figures, it is assumed that the hair cutter is
right handed, or generally favors his or her right hand, such that
the cutting implement is held thereby, and that hand 20 is the hair
cutter's left hand. As will be readily understood by those skilled
in the art, the finger and hand shield 10 of the present invention
can be utilized on either the left or right hand of a person
desiring to protect the fingers and hand from nicks and cuts due to
unintentional contact with the cutting implements. With the present
invention 10 on hand 20, the hair cutter user will generally grasp
a portion of the hair to be cut between his or her middle 12 and
index 14 fingers to place the hair into position for cuffing and
hold it there while it is being cut. As set forth in the objectives
above and set forth in more detail below, use of shield 10 will
substantially prevent the hair cutter from receiving nicks, cuts or
other injuries to the fingers 12 and 14 and the upper area 16 or 24
of the back side 16 or palm side 22 of hand 20.
[0032] With reference to FIGS. 1 through 3, the preferred
embodiment of the finger and hand shield 10 of the present
invention primarily comprises a first or upper shield member 26, a
second or lower shield member 28 and a flexible interconnecting
member 30 configured interconnect upper 26 and lower 28 shield
members around one of middle 12 and index 14 fingers of hand 20.
Upper shield member 26 has a first end 32 configured to be
generally disposed near the tip of fingers 12 or 14 and a second
end 34 that is configured to be generally disposed near the
knuckle, shown as 36, between the second and third phalanges (as
measured from the tip) of fingers 12 or 14. Lower shield member 28
has a first end 38 configured to be disposed near knuckle 36 and a
second end 40 configured to be generally disposed in upper area 16
of the back side 18 of hand 20 (in FIGS. 1-3) or in the upper palm
area 24 of palm side 22 of hand 20 (as shown in FIG. 4 and
explained in more detail below). As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3,
upper 26 and lower 28 shield members are configured to protect the
hair cutter's middle finger 12, index finger 14 and upper back area
16 of hand 20 from nicks and cuts from a cutting implement used to
cut hair. As such, upper 26 and lower 28 shield members must be
made out of materials that are generally suitable for deflecting
the cutting implement or otherwise preventing harm to these areas
of hand 20. Various materials, including plastic, metal, wood,
fiberglass, composite and the like, can be utilized for upper 26
and lower 28 shield members. The preferred material will be a
generally lightweight, strong and penetration resistant material
such as acrylic that can, as shown in FIG. 3, be adorned with
various decorative designs or receive stickers or other materials
to allow customization and personalization of finger and hand
shield 10 of the present invention. As also known to those skilled
in the art, acrylic or other plastic materials are easily molded
into the desired shapes for upper 26 and lower 28 shield members
and can be provided in a variety of different colors to make shield
10 more fashionable or attractive to the typical user thereof.
[0033] Flexible interconnecting member 30 is configured to
interconnect upper 26 and lower 28 shield members on middle 12 and
index 14 fingers of hand 20. In the preferred embodiment, flexible
interconnecting member 20 is a lightweight, stretchy, breathable
material that can be comfortably worn by the user for extended
periods of time, such as the entire work day, and allow the user to
utilize his or her fingers for other, non-hair cutting activities.
In addition, it is preferred that this material be of the type that
will generally allow the user to feel the hair he or she is cutting
so that the hair can be effectively grasped between middle 12 and
index 14 fingers. A preferred material is a vented nylon/vinyl
elastic mesh fabric that is commonly utilized in ankle, wrist and
knee braces, weightlifting gloves, sport clothing and other
products due primarily to its lightweight, breathable, elastic and
strong properties. If desired, flexible interconnecting member 30
can comprise a lining (not shown) that is made out of a material
that wicks sweat away from the user's finger to provide additional
comfort for use during the work day. A variety of other materials,
including neoprene, Lycra (from Dupont), nylon mesh, vinyl mesh and
similar materials can be suitable for flexible interconnecting
member 30 of the shield 10 of the present invention. The material
chosen for flexible interconnecting member 30 should be suitable
for tangle free contact against the hair being cut so as to avoid
snagging or otherwise pulling on the hair. Preferably, the material
chosen has a generally soft or silky feel to it for the comfort of
both the user and the person having his or her hair cut. The
material should also allow easy placement of shield 10 on fingers
12 and 14 and removal therefrom. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the
material chosen for flexible interconnecting member 30 should be
such to allow relatively easy flexing of shield 10 at knuckle 36
when finger 12 or 14 is disposed therein.
[0034] In one embodiment, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, flexible
interconnecting member 30 is generally tubular-shaped so that it
may go entirely around middle 12 or index 14 fingers. Preferably,
the flexible interconnecting member 30 is sized to snugly fit
around the typical finger 12 or 14, such that it generally fits
like a glove on the hand 20 of the user. In this embodiment both
upper 26 and lower 28 shield members are fixedly attached to one
side of flexible interconnecting member 30 such that when the user
puts his or her middle 12 or index 14 finger inside flexible
interconnecting member 30 the upper 26 and lower 28 shield members
will be in place to protect against nicks and cuts. In an
alterative embodiment, only so much of material for flexible
interconnecting member 30 is utilized as necessary to adequately
join upper 26 and lower 28 shield members. In either embodiment, it
is preferred that no spaces or other gaps are provided between
upper shield member 26 and interconnecting member 30 and between
lower shield member 28 and interconnecting member 30. Adhesives or
other appropriate materials can be utilized to fixedly join upper
26 and lower 28 shield members with interconnecting member 30. In
any of the above configurations, it is preferred that the second
end 34 of upper shield member 26 is in spaced apart relation to the
first end 38 of lower shield member 28 to provide a gap 41 for
sufficient flexibility of knuckle 36, positioned at gap 41, and to
prevent any hair from being caught between upper 26 and lower 28
shield members, which could result in the hair being pulled by
shield 10.
[0035] In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, upper 26 and
lower 28 shield members can each further comprise a pair of wing
members 42 and 44, respectively, that are configured to partially
encircle middle 12 or index 14 fingers and flexible interconnecting
member 30 is just sufficient to connect the sides of shield members
26 and 28. Even in this configuration, it may be preferred to use a
tubular-shaped flexible interconnecting member 30 so the shield
members 26 and 28 do not directly contact the user's finger 12 or
14. If used, upper 42 and lower 44 wing members are preferably
configured to be somewhat flexible so that the user can spread them
apart as needed to place them over finger 12 or 14 and spread them
apart to remove them therefrom. Alternative configurations for
upper 26 and lower 28 shield members are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.
Both of these configurations a pair of upper wing members 42 and a
pair of lower wing members 44 that are configured to reduce the
amount of material used for upper 26 and lower 28 shield members,
thereby reducing the weight and cost of manufacturing finger and
hand shield 10. The wing members 42 and 44 of FIG. 8 are provided
in a ring-like configuration to fully encircle fingers 12 and 14.
If preferred, the ring-like wing members 42 and 44 of FIG. 9 can be
provided with a split therein to allow adjustment for different
sized fingers.
[0036] To allow for different lengths of fingers 12 and 14 for
different users and to be able to provide finger and hand shield 10
of the present invention in a one size fits all configuration,
upper 26 and lower 28 shield members are configured to be easily
adjustable in length. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, upper shield
member 26 is provided with one or more upper sizing segments 46 at
first end 32 thereof and lower shield member 28 is provided with
one or more lower sizing segments 48 at second end 40 thereof.
Preferably, upper 46 and lower 48 sizing segments are slight cuts
or indents into upper 26 and lower 28 shield members, respectively,
to allow the user to easily cut upper 26 and lower 28 shield
members to the appropriate size for the user. With regard to upper
shield member 26, the user will generally not want first end 32 to
extend beyond the tip of fingers 12 and 14. With regard to the
lower shield member, the user will generally want the second end 40
thereof to extend downward into upper back area 16 and upper palm
area 24 a sufficient distance to adequately protect those areas
from nicks and cuts, but not so far as to interfere with the normal
movement and flexing of hand 20. Although finger and hand shield 10
of the present invention can be provided without upper 46 and lower
48 sizing segments, the use thereof allows the manufacturer to make
a one size fits all type of product that the user can customize for
his or her hand 20, much the way shoe inserts and other products
are provided.
[0037] In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 9, a pair of
finger and hand shields 10, shown as first shield 50 and second
shield 52, are connected by a flexible connecting member 54 that
bridges the fleshy area between middle finger 12 and index finger
14. In this embodiment, the user jointly utilizes the hand shield
10 by placing first shield 50 over middle finger 12 and second
shield 52 over index finger 14. Although this configuration
provides certain advantages with regard to a unitary product, it
has the disadvantage that the user must fully remove shield 10 in
order to switch from primarily protecting the upper back area 16 of
hand 20, as shown in FIG. 9, to protecting the upper palm area 24
of hand 20, which is not shown but is similar to FIG. 4 with the
addition of connecting member 54. Preferably, connecting member 54
is of the same type of material that is used for interconnecting
member 30 for ease of manufacturing and the benefits described
above with regard to that component.
[0038] In use, the user utilizes the finger and hand shield 10 of
the present invention when he or she is going to cut someone's hair
by inserting his or her middle finger 12 and index finger 14 inside
one of separate shields 10. In one embodiment, presented merely as
an exemplary embodiment, upper shield member 26 is approximately
two inches long and lower shield member 28 is approximately two and
one-half inches long, with approximately one and one-half inches of
that being configured to extend into upper back area 16 or upper
palm area 24. If the user cuts hair by placing the scissors, shears
or other cutting implement against the back side 18 of their hand
20, then shield 10 is placed over fingers 12 and 14 as shown in
FIGS. 1 through 3. As he or she cuts hair, by holding a portion of
the hair between middle 12 and index 14 fingers, the upper 26 and
lower 28 shield members will prevent the cutting implement from
contacting and harming fingers 12 and 14 and the upper back side 16
of hand 20. If the user desires to switch to cutting hair with the
cutting implement towards the palm side 22 of hand 20, then he or
she merely needs to rotate shields 10 on middle finger 12 and on
index finger 14 such that the second end 40 of lower shield member
28 is placed over upper palm area 24. In this configuration, the
user can easily switch back and forth from protecting the upper
back area 16 and upper palm area 24. If the connected embodiment of
FIG. 9 is utilized, which provides certain benefits with regard to
a unitary product, then the user must remove shield 10 from hand 20
and then replace it thereon in the opposite direction to switch
between protecting the upper back area 16 and upper palm area
24.
[0039] While there are shown and described herein certain specific
alternative forms of the invention, it will be readily apparent to
those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but
is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in
design and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present
invention is subject to modification with regard to the dimensional
relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly,
materials, size, shape, and use. For instance, there are numerous
components described herein that can be replaced with equivalent
functioning components to accomplish the objectives of the present
invention.
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