Adjustable arm and hand protection device for selectively protecting portions of an arm of a wearer

Abstract

An adjustable, multi-positional, unitary arm and hand protection device which can be slidably moved along a wearer’s arm to selectively protect the elbow or fingers / hand / wrist on the arm of the wearer. The unitary protection device includes an elbow guard member having protective padding and hand guard member which has protective padding. The adjustable arm and hand protection device is configured to be alternately worn in a first position to protect an area about the elbow of the wearer without the hand of the wearer inserted in the hand guard member; and in a second position to protect the hand and forearm of the wearer without covering the elbow of the wearer.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application number 63 / 761,266, filed Feb. 21, 2025, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF INNOVATIONField of Invention

[0002] The innovation relates to protective sporting equipment wearable by individuals, and more specifically to an adjustable arm and hand protection device that is suitable for protecting an elbow of a wearer in a first position and a hand and fingers of the wearer in a second position while participating in sporting activities such as baseball, softball, and similar activities.Related Prior Art

[0003] Participants in ball sports (e.g., baseball, softball, and other contact sports) often wear multiple pieces of protective gear to minimize potential injury from forces of impact during gameplay. The dangers of high-force impact to the elbow, triceps, wrist, hand, and other joints and muscles are a concern for player safety. The harmful effects of these impacts can be minimized or often eliminated with well-designed protective gear.

[0004] Illustratively, a hardball or softball baseball player will typically wear a protective elbow pad for covering their elbow / triceps while batting at home plate, and another protective device such as a glove or mitt for protecting the player’s wrist, hand and fingers against collisions while running around the bases. The present commercially available elbow pads help protect the batter against impacts by a pitched ball when batting. Similarly, the player can wear a padded glove when on base to protect the hand and wrist, for example, when running to or sliding into a base on the infield.

[0005] During such activities, it is desirable for the player to remain as mobile and comfortable as possible. This can present challenges in terms of design of the protective equipment. For instance, to protect joints of the player, which move significantly, it is usually desirable for the protective equipment to minimize resistance to motion of the player's joints while at the same time providing adequate protection. Although using separate protective gear and apparatus for the various parts of the user’s body has been successful during sporting activities, there is always a need for improvements in protective equipment worn by players participating in baseball (hardball / softball) and other sporting activities. Such improvements can include providing sufficient and effective protection to the areas of the body being covered, ease of use and comfort, as well as minimizing having to wear separate body-specific protection devices and overall costs for the user to obtain protective gear.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] A detailed description of embodiments of the invention is provided below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] FIG. 1A is a rear elevation view of an adjustable arm and hand protection device including an integrated elbow guard member and a hand guard member of the present invention;

[0008] FIG. 1B is a front elevation view of the adjustable arm and hand protection device including the integrated elbow guard member and the hand guard member of FIG. 1A;

[0009] FIG. 2A is an illustrative depiction of the adjustable arm and hand protection device of FIGS. 1A and 1B being worn in a first position on an arm of a user to protect an elbow area thereof;

[0010] FIG. 2B is an illustrative depiction of the adjustable arm and hand protection device of FIGS. 1A and 1B being worn in a second position on an arm of a user to protect a hand and wrist area thereof;

[0011] FIG. 3 depicts a top, front, partial perspective view of the adjustable arm and hand protection device of FIGS. 1A and 1B;

[0012] FIG. 4 depicts an enlarged top, front, partial perspective view of the adjustable arm and hand protection device of FIG. 3 illustrating a first central opening and a second central opening of the adjustable arm and hand protection device;

[0013] FIG. 5 is rear, side perspective view of the adjustable arm and hand protection device of FIGS. 1A and 1B;

[0014] FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the adjustable arm and hand protection device of FIG. 3 being worn in the first position about the elbow and in an extended state to conform with and protect the elbow of the user;

[0015] FIG. 7 is a front, side perspective view of the adjustable arm and hand protection device of FIG. 3 being worn in the first position about the elbow and in bent state to conform with and protect the elbow of the user;

[0016] FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the adjustable arm and hand protection device of FIG. 3 being worn in the second position about the fingers, hand and wrist and in an extended state to conform with and protect the hand of the user; and

[0017] FIG. 9 is a bottom, side, perspective view of the adjustable arm and hand protection device of FIG. 3 being worn in the second position about the fingers, hand and wrist and in the extended state to conform with and protect the hand of the user.

[0018] To facilitate an understanding of the invention, identical reference numerals have been used, when appropriate, to designate the same or similar elements that are common to the figures. Further, unless stated otherwise, the features shown in the figures are not drawn to scale but are shown for illustrative purposes only.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] An innovative dual-purpose adjustable arm and hand protective device combines the functions of an elbow guard and a protective base-running mitt into a unitary piece of protective sporting equipment or gear. The protection device is an adjustable, multi-positional, unitary arm and hand protection device, which can be adjusted or slidably moved along (up or down) a wearer’s arm to selectively protect the elbow or fingers / hand / wrist on the arm of the wearer. The unitary protection device includes an elbow guard member having protective padding and hand guard member which also has protective padding. The adjustable arm and hand protection device is configured to be alternately worn in a first position to protect an area about the elbow of the wearer without the hand of the wearer being inserted in the hand guard member; and in a second position to protect the hand and forearm of the wearer without covering the elbow of the wearer.

[0020] More specially, the protective device, when worn in a first position, helps reduce the harmful effects of impact forces to the elbow area of the arm, for example, when hit by an errant pitched ball while batting at home plate. Moreover, the protective device can be quickly repositioned to a second position by the wearer to help minimize injuries to the wrist, hand and fingers in the event of collisions that may occur during running around the infield bases. The elbow and hand protection device has the added benefit of quickening the transitional time needed to put on and remove equipment, thereby reducing pitch-clock usage. As discussed below in further detail, the innovative elbow and hand protection device is configured for its protection capabilities, as well as ease of use, practicality, and versatility.

[0021] Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1A and 1B respectively depict rear and front views of an arm and hand protection device 10 having an elbow guard member 11, which is configured for protecting the elbow area of a wearer of the device in a first position 36, as illustratively shown in FIG. 2A, and a hand guard member 50 forming a hand guard which is configured for protecting the hand, fingers, wrist and lower forearm of the wearer when worn in a second position 38, as illustratively shown in FIG. 2B. The elbow guard member 11 is preferably formed from an elongated tubular sleeve 14 having a first opening 20 at a proximal end 16 and a second opening 22 formed at a distal end 18 of the elongated tubular sleeve 14. The first opening 20 is formed on an upper portion 12 of the elbow guard member 11 and is shaped and dimensioned to be comfortably worn about a bicep area of the wearer’s arm, as illustratively shown in FIG. 2A. Referring to FIG. 3, the second opening 22 is formed on a lower portion 13 of the elbow guard member 11 and is shaped and dimensioned to be comfortably worn about an upper forearm area of the wearer’s arm. The elongated sleeve 14 of the elbow guard member 11 is fabricated from well-known flexible and expandible, e.g., elastic type, materials, such as polyester, neoprene, knit fabrics, and the like so that the wearer can easily pull and slide, or otherwise wrap the elongated sleeve 14 over the forearm, elbow and lower bicep without restricting movement of the elbow joint and surrounding muscle groups in the arm. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the materials described herein to fabricate the elbow guard member 11 or any other component of the adjustable arm and hand protection device 10 are not considered limiting. The dimensions of the hand protection device 10 illustratively include a longitudinal length between 12-14 inches and a width of 3.5-5.5 inches, although such dimensions are not considered limiting. For example, the hand protection device 10 can be fabricated for custom fit or in various sizes and dimensions (e.g., small, medium, large, extra-large) in both children and adult sizes.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 5, a protective pad 30 is attached to a rear or backside portion or surface 26 of the upper portion 12 of the elbow guard member 11 at a suitable position to protect the elbow and surrounding areas of the arm when worn. The protective pad 30 is preferably elongated in shape such that a lower section 31 of the protective pad 30 extends a predetermine length to sufficiently overlay and freely cover at least a section of the rear or backside 26 of the tubular sleeve 14 of the elbow guard member 11. The protective pad 30 can be fabricated from leather, plastics, and similar type foam-like materials, although such materials are not considered limiting. In one embodiment, the protective pad 30 further includes an outer shell casing fabricated from hard plastics, rubber materials, leather and / or similar materials to provide added protection against undesirable impacts.

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1B, 3 and 4, a first central opening 24 is formed in a front side 28 of the protection device 10 between the proximal end 16 and the distal end 18 of the elbow guard 11. More specifically, the first central opening 24 is provided between the upper portion 12 and the lower portion 13 of the tubular sleeve 14 and is positioned to align with the crease of the wearer’s elbow to improve mobility, i.e., bending of the arm at the elbow (see e.g., FIGS. 2A and 7). A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the positioning of the first central opening 24 between the upper and lower portions 12, 13 is not considered limiting. Additionally, the elbow guard member 11 includes a second central opening or slit 34 formed on the rear or back side 26 between the upper portion 12 and the lower portion 13 and is positioned to align with and / or be accessed through the first central opening 24. The second central opening 34 is configured to form an entrance into a channel 58 of the hand guard member 12, as discussed below in detail with respect to FIGS. 3 and 8. The second central opening 34 is sized and dimensioned to enable slidable insertion and removal of the wearer’s fingers and hand through the second central opening 34 and the channel 58 to thereby reposition the arm and hand protection device 10 back and forth between the first position 36 and second position 38, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. A more detailed description of how a wearer repositions of the protection device 10 between the first position 36 and second position 38 is discussed further below with respect to FIGS. 3-4 and 8-9.

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1B and 3, one or more straps 40, 42 can be provided to adjust the tension of the upper portion 12 around the wearer’s lower bicep area. As illustratively shown, a first strap 40 is illustratively provided at the proximal end 16 and extends in a direction that is normal or substantially normal with respect to a longitudinal axis “L” of the protection device 10. In the embodiment shown, the strap 40 is attached to or retained at opposing lateral sides of the elbow guard member 11 and extends over a part of the front side 28. Accordingly, the wearer can selectively adjust the tightness of the first strap 40 around of the upper portion 12 to change the pressure on the lower bicep. The first strap 40 includes at least one fastener 44, such as a hook-and-loop fastener, snap or other well-known fastener to enable the wearer to selectively maintain the strap 40 at a desired tightness around the lower bicep. Optionally, a second strap 42 with a complimentary fastener (see FIG. 1B) can be provided over the front side 28 of the lower portion 13 to extend transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis L of the protection device 10 and allow for adjustment of tension around the upper forearm of the wearer.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 8, the hand guard member 50 of the protection device 10 is also formed as an elongated tubular sleeve 51 having a proximal end 52 and a distal end 54 and defining the channel 58 formed therebetween. Referring also to FIG. 4, the proximal end 52 of the hand guard member 50 is attached to the distal end 18 of the upper portion 12 of the elbow guard member 11 to form the one-piece, unitary arm and hand protection device 10. The elongated sleeve 51 of the hand guard member 50 is fabricated from well-known flexible and expandible, e.g., elastic type, materials, such as polyester, neoprene, knit fabric, and the like, although such materials are not considered limiting.

[0026] In an embodiment, an exterior surface or portion 68 of the proximal end 52 of the hand guard 50 is attached by stitching 69 or other well-known manner to an interior surface or portion 32 at the distal end 18 of the upper portion 12 of the protection device 10, as illustratively shown in FIGS. 4 and 8. In an alternative and more preferable embodiment, the elbow guard member 11 and hand guard member 50 are formed integrally together as a single or unitary elongated sleeve. The proximal end 52 of the hand guard member 50 includes a channel 58 shaped and dimensioned to allow passage of the wearer’s fingers, thumb and hand therethrough. Preferably, the wearer’s entire hand up to the wrist is inserted into the channel, although such length of the channel 58 is not considered limiting. Referring to FIG. 4, visibility of the second central opening 34 and the channel 58 are best viewed through the first central opening 24 of the elbow guard member 11. As shown in FIG. 4, the second central opening 34 forms an entrance into the channel 58. As well, an upper proximal portion 70 of the hand guard member 11 forms a wall which is shared by and divides the channel 58 of the hand guard member 50 from the second opening 22 of the lower portion 13 of the elbow guard member 11. A person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the interior walls forming the channel 58 can also contain additional padding such as, for example, one or more gel pads (not shown) to further protect the hand / fingers from impact forces while wearing the hand guard member. The gel pad(s) can be positioned at any location along the length of the channel 58 and preferably have a thickness of ¼ inch, although such thickness of the gel pad is not considered limiting. A person of ordinary skill in the art will further appreciate that the inclusion of one or more gel pads in the channel 58 is not considered limiting, as the channel 58 can include or be lined with a foam material and / or other soft padding materials.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 5, 8 and 9, the distal end 54 of the hand guard member 50 is preferably closed and is configured as a mitt to cover and protect at least the four adjacent finger, thumb and hand of the wearer. In an alternative embodiment, a lateral opening (not shown) can be provided to enable the thumb of the wearer to extend outwardly from the hand guard 50 of the protective device 10.

[0028] Preferably, at least the palm side, i.e., a lower exterior surface 60 of the hand guard member 50 includes a lower protective hand pad 64, which preferably extends from the fingertips to the wrist area of the wearer. Referring to FIG. 8, preferably, an upper exterior surface 62 of the hand guard member 50 also includes an upper protective hand pad 66 which also extends from the fingertips to the wrist area of the wearer. The protective hand paddings 64, 66 help minimize collision injuries while running around the bases, for example, while sliding into a base on the infield of a baseball field. In an embodiment, the protective hand paddings 64, 66 are fabricated from a foam-like material such as polyurethane, expanded polyethylene, rubber, closed-cell foam and the like, although such materials are not considered limiting.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 8, the proximal end 52 of the hand guard member 50 is attached at or in vicinity of the distal end 18 of the elbow guard member 11, such that the proximal end 52 of the hand guard member 50 is positioned between the lower portion 13 of the elbow guard member 11 and the lower section 31 (FIG. 5) of the protective pad 30. The arrangement can be clearly seen in FIG. 8, where the lower portion 13 of the elbow guard member 11 is shown as being folded upwardly and rearwardly.

[0030] When the protection device 10 is worn in the first position 36, the user slides and extends his hand and arm through the first opening 20 at the proximal end 16 of the upper portion 12 and through the second opening 22 at the lower portion 13 until the first central opening 24 is positioned and exposes the interior elbow crease region on the arm, as illustratively shown in FIG. 6. The presence of the wearer’s arm causes the proximal end 52 and corresponding channel 58 of the hand guard member 50 to flatten and become sandwiched between the lower portion 13 of the elbow guard 11 and the lower section 31 (FIG. 5) of the protective pad, thereby making the channel 58 inaccessible, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6-7.

[0031] Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the unitary arm and hand protection device 10 is shown as being worn by the user in the first position 36, i.e., about the bicep and upper forearm to protect the lower bicep, elbow, and upper forearm of the wearer. The first central opening 24 better allows the wearer to bend the arm at the elbow, for example, while batting at home plate, as illustratively shown in FIGS. 2A and 7. FIGS. 6 and 7 further illustrate that when the protection device 10 is worn in the first position 36, the lower padding 64 of the hand guard member 50 advantageously helps extend and provide added padded protection along the upper and middle portions of the wearer’s forearm.

[0032] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the unitary arm and hand protection device 10 is shown being worn by the user at the second position 36, i.e., about the fingers, hand, wrist and lower forearm to protect these lower arm extremities of the wearer. In order to transition from the first position 36 to the second position 38, the wearer uses his free hand to slide the arm and hand protection device 10 downward, i.e., away from the elbow and towards the hand, until the wearer’s fingers are completely removed from the second opening 22 through the lower portion 13 of the elbow guard member 11. Although not required, the wearer can preferably fold the lower portion 13 of the elbow guard member 11 in a backward direction towards the wearer’s elbow and secure the lower portion 13 to the upper portion 12, as illustratively shown in FIG. 8. In particular and referring to FIG. 3, the wearer can secure or mate the fastener 46 on the lower portion 13 with a complementary fastener 48 provided on the upper portion 12 to selectively retain the lower portion 13 against the upper portion 12 of the elbow guard member 11. Securing the lower portion 13 to the upper portion 12 prevents undesirable movement of the lower portion 13 during baserunning.

[0033] To wear the protection device 10 in the second position 38, the protection device 10 is moved so that the fingers of the wearer are sufficiently positioned to open the previously flattened second central opening 34 which provides access into the channel 58 of the hand guard member 50. The user then inserts the fingertips into the channel 58 and pulls the entire hand and arm protection device 10 in a direction towards the elbow until at least all of the fingers and the hand are inserted and thereby adequately protected by the hand guard member 50.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 8, the lower pad 64 and upper pad 66 extend from the fingertips to the palm of the wearer’s hand, such that the knuckle area 61 remains unrestricted by the padding and the wearer can still collectively bend his / her fingers. Furthermore, the lower section 31 (FIG. 5) of the protective padding 30 protects the lower palm and wrist area of the wearer, while the upper portion of the protective padding 30 provides protection for the underside of the wearer’s lower forearm. As can best be seen in FIG. 9, a significant portion of the wearer’s fingers, palm, wrist and lower forearm are protected by the novel arm and hand protection device 10 when worn in the second position 38 as shown in FIGS. 2B and 8-9.

[0035] Removal of the arm and hand protection device 10 when worn in the second position 38 requires the user to slide the arm and hand protection device 10 in a direction away from the elbow so that the fingertips exit the channel 58 and second central opening 34. At this positioning, the wearer can switch back to the first position 36 and insert the fingers and hand through the second opening at the distal end 18 of the elbow guard member 11, as discussed above, or continue to pull in a direction away from the elbow to remove the entire arm and hand protection device 10 from the wearer’s limb extremities.

[0036] Advantageously, the arm and hand protection device 10 serves as dual-purpose sports gear which novelly combines two pieces of protective equipment into a single, yet versatile and easy to use sportswear product. The protection device 10 reduces the impact force that may occur from both a pitched ball while batting, as well as various collisions that can occur while baserunning. Accordingly, the Applicant’s protective device 10 reduces a likelihood of injury when used in both batting and baserunning modes or aspects of the game. Further, the protective device 10 has an added benefit of quickening / lessening the transitional time needed to put on and remove equipment, thereby reducing “pitch-clock” time usage, as required in the professional baseball rulebooks. Other advantages include the configuration of the arm and hand protection device 10, which is designed for ease of use, practicality, and versatility. Moreover, the protective device 10 is designed and fabricated without the necessity for metal braces or splints, which are often utilized in conventional wrist guards and have been found to be detrimental, since sliding with protective gear having metal rigid braces / splints can cause other wrist / hand injuries during sliding impacts. Further, the protective device helps reduces consumer / user costs to purchase protective equipment and the overall carbon footprint.

[0037] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present innovation, other and further embodiments and advantages of the innovation can be envisioned by those of ordinary skill in the art based on this description without departing from the basic scope of the innovation, which is to be determined by the claims that follow.REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

[0038] 10 adjustable arm and hand protection device

[0039] 11 elbow guard member

[0040] 12 upper portion

[0041] 13 lower portion

[0042] 14 elongated sleeve

[0043] 16 proximal end

[0044] 18 distal end

[0045] 20 first opening

[0046] 22 second opening

[0047] 24 first central opening

[0048] 26 rear side

[0049] 28 front side

[0050] 30 protective pad

[0051] 31 lower section of protective pad

[0052] 32 interior surface

[0053] 34 second central opening

[0054] 36 first position

[0055] 38 second position

[0056] 40 first strap

[0057] 42 second strap

[0058] 44 strap fastener

[0059] 46 strap fastener

[0060] 48 upper fastener

[0061] 50 hand guard member

[0062] 51 sleeve

[0063] 52 proximal end

[0064] 54 distal end

[0065] 56 elongated sleeve

[0066] 58 channel

[0067] 60 lower exterior surface

[0068] 62 upper exterior surface

[0069] 64 lower protective hand pad

[0070] 66 upper protective hand pad

[0071] 68 exterior surface

[0072] 69 stitching

[0073] 70 upper proximal portion of the hand guard member

Claims

1. An adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) for selectively protecting portions of an arm of a wearer of the adjustable arm and hand protection device, wherein the adjustable arm and hand protection device comprises: an elbow guard member (11) including an upper portion (12) and a lower portion (13) being configured and dimensioned to be worn about an elbow of the wearer, the upper portion (12) and lower portion (13) defining an elongated sleeve (14) having a proximal end (16) and a distal end (18), and a protective pad (30) attached to a rear side (26) of the upper portion (12) and positioned to protect the elbow of the wearer when worn; anda hand guard member (50) having a proximal end (52) and a distal end (54), the proximal end (52) of the hand guard member (50) being fixedly positioned adjacently to the distal end (18) of the elbow guard member (11), the hand guard member (50) having a predetermined length and configured to protect a hand below the elbow of the wearer;wherein the adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) is configured to be worn in a first position (36) to protect an area about the elbow of the wearer without the hand of the wearer inserted in the hand guard member (50) and worn in a second position (38) to protect the hand and forearm of the wearer without covering the elbow of the wearer.

2. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 1, wherein the elongated sleeve (14) includes a first opening (20) at the proximal end (16) and a second opening (22) at the distal end (18) of the elongated sleeve (14).

3. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 2, wherein the elongated sleeve (14) includes a first central opening (24) formed through a front side (28) between the upper portion (12) and the lower portion (13) of the elbow guard member (11).

4. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 3, wherein the elongated sleeve (14) includes a second central opening (34) formed through a rear side (28) between the proximal end (16) and the distal end (18) of the elbow guard member (11), the second central opening (34) being configured and dimensioned to enable passage of fingers and a hand of the wearer into a channel (58) which is formed in the hand guard member (50).

5. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 2, wherein the proximal end (16) of the elbow guard member (12) includes a strap (40) to adjust a circumferential size of the first opening (20).

6. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 5, wherein the distal end (18) of the upper portion includes a second strap (42) to adjust a circumferential size of the second opening (22).

7. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 2, wherein the protective pad (30) is fabricated from polyurethane, rubber, and closed-cell foams.

8. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 1, wherein the hand guard member (50) is formed as an elongated sleeve (56) which defines a channel (58) therein, the channel (58) being configured and dimensioned to slidably receive a hand and fingers of the wearer.

9. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 1, wherein the distal end (54) of the hand guard member (50) is closed to form a mitt which encloses the fingers of the wearer.

10. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 1, wherein the distal end (54) of the hand guard member (50) includes a first protective pad (64) on a lower exterior surface (60) of the hand guard member (50).

11. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 1, wherein the distal end (54) of the hand guard member (50) includes a second protective pad (66) on an upper exterior surface (62) of the hand guard member (50).

12. The adjustable arm and hand protection device of claim 3, wherein the front side (26) of the lower portion (13) is foldable and includes a fastener (46) for attachment to a complimentary fastener (48) on the front side (26) of the upper portion (12) of the elbow guard member (11).

13. An adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) for selectively protecting portions of an arm of a wearer of the adjustable arm and hand protection device, wherein the adjustable arm and hand protection device comprises: an elbow guard member (11) including an upper portion (12) and a lower portion (13) being configured and dimensioned to be worn about an elbow of the wearer, the upper portion (12) and lower portion (13) defining an elongated sleeve (14) having a proximal end (16) and a distal end (18), a first central opening (24) formed between the upper portion (12) and the lower portion (13), and a protective pad (30) attached to a rear side (26) of the upper portion (12), and positioned to protect the elbow of the wearer when worn; anda hand guard member (50) having a proximal end (52) and a distal end (54), the proximal end (52) of the hand guard member (50) being fixedly positioned adjacently to the distal end (18) of the elbow guard member (11), the proximal end (52) including a second central opening (34) forming and entrance to an interior channel (58) of the hand guard member (50), the interior channel (50) being configured and dimensioned to receive a hand and fingers of the wearer, the hand guard member (50) having protective padding extending predetermined length and configured to protect a hand and fingers of the wearer.

14. The adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) of claim 13, wherein the hand guard member (50) is integral with the elbow guard member (11) to form a unibody arm and hand protection device (10).

15. The adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) of claim 13, wherein the second central opening (34) is aligned or substantially aligned with the first central opening (24) formed between the upper portion (12) and the lower portion (13) of the elbow guard member (11).

16. The adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) of claim 13, wherein the adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) is configured to be worn in a first position (36) to protect an area about the elbow of the wearer without the hand of the wearer inserted in the hand guard member (50) and worn in a second position (38) to protect the hand and forearm of the wearer without covering the elbow of the wearer.

17. A method of wearing an adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) for selectively protecting portions of an arm of a wearer, wherein the adjustable arm and hand protection device includes:an elbow guard member (11) including an upper portion (12) and a lower portion (13) being configured and dimensioned to be worn about an elbow of the wearer, the upper portion (12) and lower portion (13) defining an elongated sleeve (14) having a proximal end (16) and a distal end (18), a first central opening (24) formed between the upper portion (12) and the lower portion (13), and a protective pad (30) attached to a rear side (26) of the upper portion (12), and positioned to protect the elbow of the wearer when worn;a hand guard member (50) having a proximal end (52) and a distal end (54), the proximal end (52) of the hand guard member (50) being fixedly positioned adjacently to the distal end (18) of the elbow guard member (11), the proximal end (52) including a second central opening (34) forming and entrance to an interior channel (58) of the hand guard member (50), the interior channel (50) being configured and dimensioned to receive a hand and fingers of the wearer, the hand guard member (50) having protective padding extending predetermined length and configured to protect a hand and fingers of the wearer; wherein the method comprises:wearing the adjustable arm and hand protection device in a first position (36) by inserting a hand, fingers an forearm of the wearer through the elongated sleeve (14) until the upper portion (12) covers a lower bicep area of the wearer, the lower portion (13) covers an upper forearm area of the wearer, and the first central opening exposes the elbow of the wearer;wearing the adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) in the first position (36) for a predetermined time;wearing the adjustable arm and hand protection device in a second position (38) by moving the adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) along the arm of the wearer until the fingers of the wearer are proximate the second central opening (34) of the interior channel (58) of the hand guard member (50);further moving adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) along the arm of the wearer so that the fingers of the wearer are inserted into the interior channel (58) a predetermined length and are covered by the hand guard member (50); andwearing the adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) in the second position (38) for a predetermined time.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of selectively moving the adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) between one of the first position and the second position without completely removing the adjustable arm and hand protection device (10) from the arm of the wearer.

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