U.S. patent application number 13/192102 was filed with the patent office on 2012-02-02 for protective hand guard.
Invention is credited to Veronica Kummerfeldt.
Application Number | 20120023633 13/192102 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45525169 |
Filed Date | 2012-02-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120023633 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kummerfeldt; Veronica |
February 2, 2012 |
PROTECTIVE HAND GUARD
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a
protective hand guard. The protective hand guard essentially
comprises an elongate, tubular sleeve or sheath of a pliable fabric
material which is elasticized in a manner allowing the sleeve to be
resiliently stretched both radially and axially relative to an axis
defined thereby. Disposed in a prescribed position within the
sleeve is an aperture or opening which is sized and configured to
accommodate the thumb on one hand of a wearer/user.
Inventors: |
Kummerfeldt; Veronica;
(Chino Hills, CA) |
Family ID: |
45525169 |
Appl. No.: |
13/192102 |
Filed: |
July 27, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61368021 |
Jul 27, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 13/081
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/16 |
International
Class: |
A41D 13/08 20060101
A41D013/08 |
Claims
1. A hand guard wearable on an arm and hand of a wearer, the hand
guard comprising: a tubular sleeve defining a first end portion and
an opposing second end portion, the tubular sleeve having an outer
surface and an inner surface defining a tubular opening extending
from the first end portion to the second end portion; the tubular
sleeve having a thumb opening formed therein, the thumb opening
extending from the outer surface to the inner surface; the tubular
sleeve being configured to be selectively transitional between a
deployed state, wherein the thumb of the wearer is advanced through
the thumb opening and the tubular sleeve covers the palm of the
wearer, and a collapsed state wherein the thumb of the wearer is
removed from the thumb opening and the tubular sleeve is removed
from the palm of the wearer to expose the palm of the wearer.
2. The hand guard recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular sleeve is
additionally configured to cover a portion of the fingers of the
wearer when the tubular sleeve is in the deployed state.
3. The hand guard recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular sleeve is
formed from a pliable fabric material.
4. The hand guard recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular sleeve
defines a sleeve axis, the tubular sleeve being stretchable
radially relative to the sleeve axis.
5. The hand guard recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular sleeve
defines a sleeve axis, the tubular sleeve being stretchable axially
relative to the sleeve axis.
6. The hand guard recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular sleeve
further includes a plurality of gripper pads disposed on the outer
surface thereof.
7. The hand guard recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular sleeve is
foldable from the deployed state to the collapsed state.
8. A hand guard wearable on an arm and hand of a wearer, the hand
guard comprising: a tubular sleeve defining a first end portion and
an opposing second end portion, the tubular sleeve having an outer
surface and an inner surface defining a tubular opening extending
from the first end portion to the second end portion; the tubular
sleeve being configured to be transitional between a deployed
state, wherein the tubular sleeve covers the palm of the wearer,
and a collapsed state wherein the tubular sleeve is removed from
the palm of the wearer to expose the palm of the wearer.
9. The hand guard recited in claim 8, wherein the tubular sleeve is
additionally configured to cover a portion of the fingers of the
wearer when the tubular sleeve is in the deployed state.
10. The hand guard recited in claim 8, wherein the tubular sleeve
is formed from a pliable fabric material.
11. The hand guard recited in claim 8, wherein the tubular sleeve
defines a sleeve axis, the tubular sleeve being stretchable
radially relative to the sleeve axis.
12. The hand guard recited in claim 8, wherein the tubular sleeve
defines a sleeve axis, the tubular sleeve being stretchable axially
relative to the sleeve axis.
13. The hand guard recited in claim 8, wherein the tubular sleeve
further includes a plurality of gripper pads disposed on the outer
surface thereof.
14. The hand guard recited in claim 8, wherein the tubular sleeve
is foldable from the deployed state to the collapsed state.
15. A hand guard wearable on an arm and hand of a wearer, the hand
guard comprising: a tubular sleeve defining a first end portion and
an opposing second end portion, the tubular sleeve having an outer
surface and an inner surface defining a tubular opening extending
from the first end portion to the second end portion; the tubular
sleeve being configured to be selectively transitional between a
deployed state, wherein the tubular sleeve covers at least a
portion of the fingers of the wearer, and a collapsed state wherein
the tubular sleeve is removed from the fingers of the wearer to
expose the fingers of the wearer.
16. The hand guard recited in claim 15, wherein the tubular sleeve
defines a sleeve axis, the tubular sleeve being stretchable
radially relative to the sleeve axis.
17. The hand guard recited in claim 15, wherein the tubular sleeve
defines a sleeve axis, the tubular sleeve being stretchable axially
relative to the sleeve axis.
18. The hand guard recited in claim 15, wherein the tubular sleeve
includes a thumb opening formed therein, the thumb opening
extending from the outer surface to the inner surface, the thumb of
the wearer being advanceable through the thumb opening and when the
tubular sleeve is in the deployed state, the thumb of the wearer
being removed from the thumb opening when the tubular sleeve is in
the collapsed state.
19. The hand guard recited in claim 15, wherein the tubular sleeve
is formed from a pliable fabric material.
20. The hand guard recited in claim 15, wherein the tubular sleeve
further includes a plurality of gripper pads disposed on the outer
surface thereof.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/368,021, filed Jul. 27, 2010 and entitled
Protective Hand Guard.
STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates generally to articles of
wearing apparel and, more particularly, to a hand guard which is
selectively movable between a folded state where is assumes the
general configuration of a wrist band, and an extended state where
it is uniquely configured to at least partially cover the wearers
hand and provide optional protection from the spread of germs.
[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0006] Even a cursory review of media headlines demonstrates that
there is a heightened global awareness amongst the general public
regarding the risks associated with germ and disease transmission,
both airborne and from surface contact. In various public venues,
and most notably public restrooms, it is not uncommon to observe
individuals attempt to avoid direct contact between their hands and
a door handle or other surface. To avoid such contact, these
individuals will often resort to using disposable hand towels or
tissues as a makeshift hand guard, with such hand towel or tissue
being manipulated so as to provide a barrier between the user's
hand and the door handle or other surface.
[0007] There is known in the prior art various devices which are
adapted to protect against the transmission of germs to an
individual from various unsanitary surfaces such individual may
encounter when out in public. Perhaps the most common of these
devices are the sanitary hand wipes which are often encountered at
grocery stores adjacent the shopping cart storage area, and are
intended to allow a user to wipe and disinfect the shopping cart
handle prior to grasping the same with his or her hands. Along
these lines, there is also known in the prior art disposable
sanitary covers which may be applied to a shopping cart handle to
prevent germ transmission, such temporary covers being removed from
the shopping cart handle and discarded when the individual has
completed his or her use of the shopping cart.
[0008] However, the utility of these sanitary wipes and covers is
somewhat narrowly confined to specific structures such as shopping
cart handles, with such wipes and covers being generally unsuitable
or impractical for use in broader based applications, such as for
use as germ transmission safeguards on the handles of doors in
public restrooms. In this regard, though sanitary wipes can be
applied to any structure, they must be suitably stored and carried
with the individual, which can often be cumbersome or impractical.
Though currently known items of wearing apparel such as gloves
could be selectively put on and taken off by a wearer as a means of
guarding against germ transmission to the wearer's hands, the need
to store such gloves in a purse or pocket during non-use, to
retrieve and put on the gloves as an immediate precursor to
grasping an object such as a door handle, and to thereafter remove
and once again store the gloves after use also, in large measure,
renders them largely impractical for use as germ transmission
safeguards.
[0009] The protective hand guard constructed in accordance with the
present invention addresses the need in the marketplace for a
protective device which provides many of the safeguards of the
aforementioned protective devices, but has more desirable aesthetic
qualities and is adapted for a wider range of usage without placing
any excessive burdens on the user/wearer. Thus, use of the
protective hand guard constructed in accordance with the present
invention need not be confined to any particular environment, and
is perfectly suited for use in environments such as the work place,
shopping malls, or other venues frequented by high concentrations
of individuals. These, as well as other features and advantages of
the present invention, will be described in more detail below.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided
a protective hand guard. The protective hand guard essentially
comprises an elongate, tubular sleeve or sheath of a pliable fabric
material which is elasticized in a manner allowing the sleeve to be
resiliently stretched both radially and axially relative to an axis
defined thereby. Disposed in a prescribed position within the
sleeve is an aperture or opening which is sized and configured to
accommodate the thumb on one hand of a wearer/user.
[0011] In use, the sleeve of the hand guard may be advanced over
one of the wearer's hands and folded or collapsed in a manner
causing the sleeve to assume the general shape and appearance of a
wrist band extending about the wrist of the wearer. From this
folded or collapsed state, the sleeve of the hand guard may be
selectively unfolded or expanded to an extended state so as to
cover the palm and at least portions of each of the fingers of the
wearer's hand, the thumb of the wearer's hand being advanced
through the aforementioned opening upon the extension of the sleeve
of the hand guard over the palm of the wearer's hand. The size of
the sleeve may be selectively varied as may be needed to
accommodate different hand sizes, and based on how much of those
fingers other than for the thumb on the hand of the wearer are to
be covered thereby when in the extended state. Additionally, it is
contemplated that the sleeve may be provided with gripper pads or
similar gripper mechanisms which are disposed thereon so as to
reside on or overlap the palm of the wearer's hand when the sleeve
is in its extended state.
[0012] The present invention is best understood by reference to the
following detailed description when read in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] These, as well as other features of the present invention,
will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings
wherein:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a protective hand guard
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view of the protective hand
guard of the present invention shown in a deployed or extended
state covering the palm and portions of the fingers on one hand of
the wearer;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a bottom-elevational view of the protective hand
guard of the present invention shown in a deployed or extended
state covering the palm and portions of the fingers on one hand of
the wearer;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a protective hand guard
constructed in accordance with the present invention shown in a
folded state on the wrist of a wearer; and
[0018] FIG. 5 is a bottom-elevational view of the protective hand
guard of the present invention similar to FIG. 3 but depicting a
potential variant thereof.
[0019] Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings
and detailed description to indicate like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for
purposes of illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention only, and not for purposes of limiting the same, FIGS.
1-4 depict a protective hand guard 10 constructed in accordance
with the present invention. The hand guard 10 comprises an
elongate, tubular sleeve or sheath 12 which defines a first end 14
and an opposed second end 16. The sleeve 12 is preferably
fabricated from a pliable fabric material which is of sufficient
elasticity as allows this sleeve 12 to be resiliently stretched
both radially and axially relative to an axis A which is defined by
the sleeve 12 and extends between the first and second ends 14, 16
thereof. It is also contemplated that the first and second ends 14,
16 may each be separately outfitted with a continuous elastic bend
which is embedded within the sleeve 12.
[0021] As is best seen in FIGS. 1-3, disposed within the sleeve 12
of the hand guard 10 is an aperture or opening 18. The opening 18
preferably has a generally circular or oval configuration, though
the present invention is not limited to any specific shape for the
opening 18. As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and as will be
described in more detail below, the opening 18 is sized and
configured to accommodate the thumb on one hand of the wearer/user
of the hand guard 10 when the same is articulated to a deployed or
extended state.
[0022] Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, in an exemplary manner of using
the hand guard 10, the sleeve 12 is advanced over one of the
wearer's hands and folded or collapsed in a manner causing the
sleeve 12 to assume the general shape and appearance of a wrist
band extending about the wrist of the wearer. The hand guard 10 is
shown in such folded state in FIG. 4. From this folded or collapsed
state, the sleeve 12 of the hand guard 10 may be selectively
unfolded or expanded to an extended state so as to cover the palm
and at least portions of each of the fingers of the wearer's hand,
as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As is further apparent from FIGS. 2 and
3, when the sleeve 12 of the hand guard 10 is in its deployed or
extended state, the thumb of the wearer's hand is advanced through
the opening 18. Further, the sleeve 12 is extended over and thus
effectively covers the palm of the wearer's hand, including
portions of those fingers of the wearer's hand other than for the
thumb which protrudes from the opening 18 as indicated above.
[0023] As will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art,
the resiliency of the sleeve 12 allows it to be expanded in a
manner as needed to facilitate the advancement thereof over the
wearer's hand to a location circumventing the wearer's wrist. Upon
being advanced over the wearer's hand, the resiliency of the sleeve
12 allows it to assume a position wherein it is somewhat snuggly
constricted about the wearer's wrist. When in this position, as
indicated above, the sleeve 12 may be folded or collapsed by the
wearer so as to cause the hand guard 12 to assume the general shape
and appearance of a conventional wrist band. The resiliency of the
sleeve 12 allows the same to be easily extended and stretched over
the wearer's hand to cover the palm thereof, and further to remain
snuggly engaged to the wearer's hand during use.
[0024] FIG. 5 depicts a hand guard 10a comprising a potential
variant of the hand guard 10. As seen in FIG. 5, the hand guard 10a
is identical to the hand guard 10, but further includes a plurality
of gripper pads 20 which are disposed on the outer surface of the
sleeve 12 and are preferably arranged in a prescribed pattern. Each
of the gripper pads 20 is preferably fabricated from a material
having a requisite level of tackiness, such as rubber. Though the
gripper pads 20 are shown in FIG. 5 as each having a circular or
oval shape, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that
other shapes and sizes for the gripper pads 20 may be employed in
the hand guard 10a without departing from the spirit and scope of
the present invention. In the hand guard 10a, the gripper pads 20
are preferably arranged so as to span only a portion of the
circumference of the sleeve 12, with the gripper pads 20 further
being arranged so as to be located or oriented in closer proximity
to the first end 14 than to the second end 16 of the sleeve 12.
Moreover, when the sleeve 12 of the hand guard 10 is in its
extended state, the preferred orientations of the gripper pads 20
upon the sleeve 12 causes such gripper pads 20 to be presented on
the outer surface of the sleeve 12 overlying the palm of the
wearer's hand. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize
that gripping mechanisms other than for the gripper pads 20 may be
included in the hand guard 10a without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present invention. However, it will be recognized
that the omission of the gripper pads 20 as in the hand guard 10
does not compromising the ability of the hand guard 10 to function
to protect against the transmission of germs to the wearer from an
unsanitary surface.
[0025] It is contemplated that the hand guard 10, 10a of the
present invention may be modified such that sleeve 12 is not
provided without the opening 18 therein. In this instance, the
thumb of the wearer's hand would simply reside within the expanded
interior of the sleeve 12 when the hand guard 10, 10a is being used
for the purpose highlighted above. Still further, it is
contemplated that the length of the sleeve 12 (i.e., the distance
between the first and second ends 14, 16 thereof) may be
selectively varied as may be needed to accommodate different hand
sizes, and may further be varied depending on how much of the
fingers other than for the thumb on the hand of the wearer are to
be covered thereby when the sleeve 12 is in its extended state.
[0026] Due to its configuration, the hand guard 10 of the present
invention is quickly and easily moved between its folded/collapsed
and extended states, thus making it well suited for use in
preventing germ transmission to the wearer's hand in a broad range
of applications or environments without placing any excessive
burdens on the wearer. Moreover, the desirable aesthetic qualities
of the hand guard 10 further broaden its utility in protecting
against germ transmission.
[0027] This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the
present invention. The scope of the present invention is not
limited by these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations,
whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by
the specification, such as variations in structure, dimension, type
of material and manufacturing process may be implemented by one of
skill in the art in view of this disclosure.
* * * * *