Ergonomic palmar support

• US 5,771,901 A
• Filed: 01/27/1997
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Virginia H O'Brien
• Original Assignee: Virginia H O'Brien
• Inventors: O'Brien, Virginia H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US08/789,091
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 128/845, 128/846, 128/877, 128/878, 128/879, 128/882, 602/20, 602/21, 2/16, 2/21
• US Class Current: 128/878
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/088 especially for the wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/01523 absorbing shocks or vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/104 Cycling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0118 for the arms, hands or fingers

Abstract

An arch support for a hand is a plate made to conform to the palm of the hand and has support edges The support bridges the palm between the thumb side and the little finger of ulnar side of the palm of the hand and extends from adjacent the distal wrist crease to the palmar crease. The support is molded to fit partially around the thumb and a portion of the heel of the hand. The support is held in place with a glove or with fasteners. When gripping an object such as a handle bar of a bicycle for example, the arch of the hand is supported to reduce ulnar and median nerve compression damage while the hand supports part of the upper body weight on the handle bars of a bicycle. The support is made of sufficiently rigid material so that it will distribute the loads supported on the handle bars across a wider surface of the palm of the hand, particularly by spanning the carpel tunnel and Guyon'"'"'s canal to avoid damage to the median and ulnar nerves.

Claims

1. A hand support comprising a unitary member that extends across and is contiguous with the palm portion of a hand of a wearer, said hand support being made of a material that is sufficiently rigid to distribute weight across a surface area of the palm when subjected to loads in localized regions, and comprising a first edge portion extending just distal to the distal wrist crease, and curved upwardly from the first edge, the hand support having a second edge portion joining the first edge portion and extending in direction to overlie an ulnar side of the hand of a wearer, the hand support having a third edge portion opposite from the first edge portion, the third edge portion terminating on a proximal side of a distal palmar crease of the hand of a wearer, and a thumb saddle formed on an opposite side from the second edge portion contoured to receive and support a thumb of a user, and extending no farther than the second joint of the thumb to permit the outer end of the thumb to flex, the edge portions and thumb saddle providing load support regions for the hand support while permitting the hand to bend at the palmar crease.

2. The hand support of claim 1, wherein the junction between the second edge portion and the third edge portion forms a rounded corner.

3. The hand support of claim 1, wherein the hand support has a thumb side portion adjacent the thumb saddle that curves to fit over a web between a thumb and an index finger of a hand of a wearer, the thumb side portion smoothly joining the thumb saddle and a fourth edge portion.

4. The hand support of claim 1 and a foam lining on a surface of the hand support on an interior thereof.

5. The hand support of claim 1 used in combination with a glove, said glove covering the hand support in place when placed on a hand of a wearer.

6. The hand support of claim 1, and a strap connected to opposite edges of the hand support operable to encircle the hand of a wearer of the hand support.

7. The hand support of claim 1, wherein the hand support has center portions between the edge portions which are concave relative to the edge portions.

8. The hand support of claim 1, wherein the second edge portion curves to form a shallow hook on an inner side of the hand support.

9. A hand support for use when gripping an object, comprising a plate member that extends across and is contiguous with a palm portion of a hand of a wearer, said hand support being made of a material that is sufficiently rigid to distribute weight across a surface area of the palm portion when subjected to loads in localized regions, and comprising a first laterally extending edge portion extending from adjacent and distal of a distal wrist crease of a wearer to a second laterally extending edge proximal to a palmar crease of the hand of a wearer across the entire palm portion, and the hand support having a third edge portion joining the first and second edge portions and extending along an ulnar side of the hand of a wearer to support the palm at such third edge portion, and having a thumb saddle on a fourth edge portion and opposite from the third edge portion contoured to receive and support a thumb of a wearer when the thumb is partially closed and a load is supported by the hand support, wherein the thumb saddle terminates beyond and adjacent to the first joint of the thumb.

10. The hand support of claim 9, wherein the fourth edge portion curves over a web between the thumb and an index finger of the hand of a wearer, and smoothly joins the thumb saddle.

11. The hand support of claim 9, wherein both the third edge portion and fourth edge portion partially curve in a direction to partially surround underlying sides of the hand of a wearer to provide support for such hand on the third and fourth edge portions.

12. The hand support of claim 11, wherein the first edge portion carries in the same direction as the third and fourth edge portions to provide three edge portions tending to seat the hand of a wearer therebetween.

13. The hand support of claim 12 wherein the plate member is molded as a unitary member.

14. The hand support of claim 11, wherein the thumb saddle curves to form a partial cylinder open on a side of the thumb saddle facing outwardly from the plate member.