US 5,685,013 AGranted

Hand, wrist, and forearm protective device

OwnerMichael R. Hausmaninventor

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Abstract

A protective device for mitigating the risks and hazards of fractures and injuries to the wrist and forearm that is intended to be utilized by individuals who participate in skating activities or other sports played on hard surfaces. The device has semi-rigid splint members which are fastened above and below the wearer's forearm and extend from the palm area of the hand longitudinally along the forearm toward the elbow. The palm area of the device includes an arched portion of the splint member which defines a space for containing a shock absorber which cushions the impact of a fall, thereby alleviating the extent of injury to the wrist and forearm areas. The palm area also includes a spring for transmitting the force of a fall along the extremity of the forearm splint members and the palmar portion of the protective device. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, splint members which lie along the palmar of the forearm slide relative to each other for additional impact and injury mitigation.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A hand, wrist, and forearm protective device to be worn along an exterior surface of the hand, wrist and forearm for protection against impacts, comprising:

a dorsal splint member having a proximal portion and an elongated forearm portion to extend along the dorsal portion of the forearm of the wearer to a distal portion proximate to the metacarpophalangeal joint of the wearer;
a palmar splint member having an elongated forearm portion and a distal palm portion having an end, said elongated forearm portion extending along the palmar portion of the forearm of the wearer to a portion overlying the palm of the wearer;
and
a spring member having a proximal portion, an elongated forearm portion, and a distal palm portion having an end, the proximal portion of said spring member being further configured to securely attach to an area within the proximal portion of said palmar splint member, said spring member further defining an impact absorbing space between said distal palm portion of said palmar splint member and said distal palm portion of said spring member, the end of said distal palm portion of said spring member configured to be spaced apart and separate from the end of said distal portion of said palmar splint member.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.