Hockey glove

A hockey glove for enclosing a human wrist and hand, the hand having a dorsal side, a palm side, fingers and a thumb having a dorsal side, an inner side, a proximal phalanx, a middle phalanx, a distal phalanx and a middle articulation between the proximal and middle phalanxes and a distal articulation between the middle and distal phalanxes, said hockey glove comprising a hand-receiving portion comprising a palm side for facing the palm side of the hand;

• a dorsal side for facing the dorsal side of the hand;
• finger sheaths for receiving the fingers of the hand;
• and a thumb member comprising a top layer and a bottom layer affixed together at their respective peripheries for defining a cavity, a thumb pocket for receiving the thumb, and a rigid thumb skeleton enclosed in said cavity, said rigid thumb skeleton comprising a first section for covering at least partially the proximal phalanx of the thumb, a second section for covering at least partially the middle phalanx of the thumb and a third section for covering at least partially the distal phalanx of the thumb, wherein:
• (a) said first section comprises a top wall and left and right sides extending longitudinally from a first proximal end to a first distal end, said top wall comprising an underhanging portion at said first distal end;
• (b) said third section comprises a top wall and left and right sides extending longitudinally from a third proximal end to a third distal end, said top wall comprising an underhanging portion at said third proximal end;
• (c) said second section comprises a top wall and left and right sides extending longitudinally from a second proximal end to a second distal end, said top wall comprising a proximal recess for receiving said underhanging portion of said first section and said underhanging portion of said third section, said second proximal end having a proximal slot extending between first and second ends, and said second distal end having a distal slot extending between first and second ends;
• and
• wherein said underhanging portion of said first section is affixed within said proximal recess of said second section for hinging together said first and second sections;
• wherein said underhanging portion of said third section is affixed within said distal recess of said second section for hinging together said second and third sections;
• wherein said first, second and third sections are rotatable relative to each other between a closed position and an open position;
• wherein said rigid thumb skeleton further comprises a proximal pin passing through said proximal slot of said second section and a distal pin passing through said distal slot of said second section, said proximal pin being moveable within said proximal slot and said distal pin being moveable within said distal slot;
• and
• wherein, in use, when said second section pivots relative to said first section towards said closed position, said proximal pin abuts said second end of said proximal slot to prevent overbending of the thumb, and when said third section pivots relative to said second section towards said closed position, said distal pin abuts said first end of said distal slot to prevent overbending of the thumb;
• and when said second section pivots relative to said first section towards said open position, said proximal pin abuts said first end of said proximal slot to prevent hyperextension of the thumb, and when said third section pivots relative to said second section towards said open position, said distal pin abuts said second end of said distal slot to prevent hyperextension of the thumb.