Apparel – Guard or protector – Hand or arm
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-02
2002-01-29
Calvert, John J. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Guard or protector
Hand or arm
C002S161100, C128S879000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06341376
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to ergonomic equipment for protecting hands and wrists, and more specifically to a protective pad for protecting the hands and wrists during bicycling and other activities requiring hand and wrist protection.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hand and finger discomfort and numbness caused by irritation to the ulnar nerve and/or to the median nerve are symptoms experienced by many cyclists. These symptoms can often be alleviated by wearing padded gloves and by frequently changing hand positions on the handlebars. For some cyclists, however, hand pain and numbness is a recurring problem despite these preventative measures. This condition (particularly as it affects the ulnar nerve, which controls sensation to the ring and little fingers) is sometimes referred to as “handlebar palsy” and in serious cases can require medical intervention.
The pain and numbness is typically caused by pressure against the nerve as a result of the rider placing much of his or her upper body weight on the hands when leaning forward in a normal riding position. Riding on rough roads or off-road can exacerbate the problem because of the vibration and shock transmitted to the hands during such riding. Moreover, “road bend” handlebars common to road racing style bicycles, which extend outward from the handlebar stem and then bend forward and downward, can result in pressure to both the ulnar and median nerves depending on the rider's hand position. When a cyclist is grasping the straight top section of road handlebars, the handlebar will be running across the palm and the pressure will be directed mostly against the ulnar nerve. However, when a rider is grasping the brake hoods, the handlebar will usually be running across the valley at the base of the palm and over the wrist crease, potentially causing irritation to the median nerve. In addition, the hand position on the brake hoods can cause discomfort in the area between the thumb and forefinger and along the lower side of the forefinger.
Padded cycling gloves (usually in combination with padded handlebar tape) are widely used by cyclists to reduce hand discomfort while cycling. However, such gloves have significant limitations that prevent them from being an adequate solution for many riders. One limitation is the padding itself, which typically is a thin piece of soft foam or gel material that provides some cushioning and vibration damping, but is limited in its effectiveness by the thinness of the material. Such gloves also lack any stiffener inserts that would cover the palm and help to distribute localized pressure across a wider area of the palm. Furthermore, because the padding in cycling gloves does not extend proximal of the base of the palm or around the lower part of the forefinger (above the knuckle), these gloves offer little or no protection to the wrist area or forefinger when a cyclist's hands are grasping the brake hoods on traditional road-style handlebars.
Examples of gloves similar in style to cycling gloves that are designed to relieve pressure to the median nerve are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,341 to Fabry, et al. (1989) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,799 to Fabry (1993). U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,200 to Minkow, et al. (2000) discloses a cycling glove with a cushioning pad that covers the wearer's hypothenar eminance and is intended to provide enhanced protection for the ulnar nerve.
Industrial anti-vibration and impact gloves, like cycling-specific gloves, also suffer from a variety of drawbacks. The visco-elastic polymer inserts commonly used in industrial safety gloves to reduce vibration and absorb shock lack the rigidity needed for effective distribution of pressure across the palm. Industrial anti-vibration gloves also have the disadvantages of being relatively heavy and uncomfortable in warm weather, as well as being comparatively expensive.
For those who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, a number of wrist support products are widely available that are designed to prevent or alleviate the symptoms by maintaining the hand in a “neutral” position. These supports will often use one or more rigid or semi-rigid stabilizing stays that extend from the palm to below the wrist and resist any downward bending of the hand. While the palmar stays help to distribute pressure exerted against the wrist, they restrict the wrist movement needed for activities such as cycling, where a rider must be able comfortably to change hand positions on the handlebar, squeeze the brake levers, and grasp a water bottle. In addition, such wrist supports lack a palmar pad for protecting the ulnar nerve. Examples of wrist supports for the prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,943 to Dancyger (1992), U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,296 to Sydor, et al. (1995), U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,501 to Caswell (1996), U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,172 to Gaylord (1999), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,715 to Maxwell (2000).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,684 to Green, et al. (1986) discloses a flexible palm pad specifically designed to be worn inside a baseball glove or catcher's mitt. The pad has a leather covering on one side and a shock absorbing material on the other side and is held against the palm by two loops, one of which encircles the forefinger and the other the back of the hand. This pad is configured to cushion the distal portion of the palm that is often impacted from catching a baseball, but does not provide protection for the wrist, forefinger, or the saddle between the thumb and forefinger.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,715 to Mascia (1992) shows a multiple-layer palm pad assembly that is comprised of a base layer patch of flexible material that extends from the palmar crease to the base of the palm and covers the entire width of the palm including the area at the base of the thumb. The protector is held in place by a pair of straps that extend in opposite directions from opposite edges of the patch and that are secured together around the back of the hand. One or more layers of coextensive, resilient pad material, such as neoprene foam, are then releasably secured to the base layer by means such as hook and loop fasteners. One significant shortcoming of this pad assembly for cycling is that it does not protect the wrist area at the base of the palm, the saddle area between the thumb and forefinger, or the lower part of the forefinger. In addition, the resilient pad material of the assembly lacks the rigidity needed to distribute the localized pressure on the hands resulting from holding the handlebars while leaning forward for extended periods.
In contrast to the above palmar pads, U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,901 to O'Brien (1998) discloses a relatively rigid palmar support that is designed to protect the palm when gripping a bicycle handlebar. The support covers the area of the palm extending from just distal of a distal wrist crease to the proximal side of a palmar crease and from the ulnar side of the hand to a contoured thumb saddle. The thumb saddle curves from the base of the thumb upwardly to an edge portion between the first and second joints of the thumb. The thumb saddle then curves to follow the curvature of the webbed area between the thumb and forefinger when the hand is in a partial gripping position. The palmar support is preferably molded from a material sufficiently rigid to support the rider's weight on the handlebars without substantial flexing. The support is disclosed both as an insert for a cycling glove and as a stand-alone support that is secured by means of a strap that encircles the back of the hand.
The O'Brien '901 palmar support suffers from several drawbacks that significantly limit its versatility. Because it is a molded and relatively rigid plate, it may be uncomfortable to wearers whose hand shape departs from the shape of the mold. Moreover, because it covers the padded area at the base of the thumb, the support would substantially restrict the mobility of the thumb. The rigid form of the support is not well suited to traditional road handlebars,
Calvert John J.
Patel Tejash
LandOfFree
Hand and wrist protector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Hand and wrist protector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Hand and wrist protector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2836156