Glove Dorsal Knuckle Padding for Joint Flexibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gloves do not adequately protect the dorsal side knuckle area of the hand while minimizing interference with the rotation of the metacarpalphalangeal joints of the fingers and thumb, which are critical for movement and flexibility during sports and work activities.

Innovation Solution

A glove design featuring separate elongated sections with protective pads positioned on the dorsal side, specifically below and above the center axis of rotation of the metacarpalphalangeal joints, ensuring minimal padding at these joints to maintain flexibility and protection for the knuckle areas without restricting movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If padding is provided on the dorsal side knuckle area, then protection against shocks and abrasions is improved, but restriction of movement of the metacarpalphalangeal joints increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against shocks and abrasionsVSAvoidmovement of metacarpalphalangeal joints

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The protective pad is divided into two separate sections: a first section positioned below the metacarpalphalangeal joint and a second section positioned above the joint. This segmentation allows the pad to protect the knuckle area while leaving the joint itself exposed, thereby maintaining movement freedom while providing protection against shocks and abrasions to the dorsal side knuckle area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pad is positioned to provide protection specifically to the dorsal side knuckle area rather than covering the entire hand or joint area. By concentrating protection only where needed (the knuckle surfaces susceptible to shocks and abrasions) and excluding the metacarpalphalangeal joint, the design achieves local quality optimization - maximum protection where harmful factors occur while maintaining ease of movement where flexibility is critical.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS7937773B1Glove with dorsal side knuckle protective padding

Publication Date: 2011.05.10 HILLERICH & BRADSBY CO

AI summary

A protective glove, particularly useful for automobile mechanic work and other types of working environments or sports which brings the dorsal side of the hand in contact with hard objects or the like which may result in injuries to the knuckles of the fingers, thumb and dorsal side of the hand is provided with protective padding positioned to circumscribe the center axis of rotation of the metacarpalphalangeal joints of the fingers and the thumb. The protective pad covers the distal ends of the metacarpals and the proximal ends of the proximal phalanxes of the fingers with padding being absent at the metacarpalphalangeal joints of the fingers.