Reinforced Hand Protector With Segmented Flexible Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective equipment for hands in contact sports fails to adequately protect the digits, dorsal, and palmar regions from high-impact injuries, particularly in sports like lacrosse and hockey, where balls and pucks can reach speeds over 100 mph, leading to serious injuries such as boxer's fractures and nerve damage.
Innovation Solution
A reinforced hand protector with a main body and digit portions forming a digit-reinforcing skeleton, featuring arcuate shells with edges that may or may not wrap around the digits, providing protection while allowing flexibility and including materials like metal, plastic, rubber, and shock-absorbing layers to distribute impact forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional protective equipment is used, then basic hand coverage is provided, but adequate protection from high-impact injuries is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device is divided into multiple independent components: a main body portion covering the hand, separate digit portions for each finger, a wrist portion, and individual knuckle protectors. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific protective function while distributing impact forces across multiple independent elements rather than a single structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs composite construction with rigid protective elements (knuckle protectors, digit portions) made from materials like plastic, metal, or hard rubber combined with flexible materials (neoprene, foam, elastic) for the main body and wrist portions. This composite approach provides both impact resistance from rigid components and flexibility/comfort from soft materials.
2Strength
If rigid protective structures are added to protect digits and bones, then fracture protection is improved, but flexibility and comfort are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Rigid protective structures are applied only at specific locations where impact protection is most critical: knuckle protectors at the metacarpal heads, digit portions at the phalanges, and wrist portion at the distal radius. The main body and connecting structures use flexible materials to maintain hand dexterity. This localized application of rigidity provides fracture protection where needed while preserving overall hand flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid knuckle protectors and digit portions are nested within or attached to the flexible main body portion, which itself is attached to the wrist portion. This nested structure allows the rigid elements to provide localized protection while the flexible outer structure maintains comfort and mobility. The rigid components are embedded within the flexible matrix rather than forming a separate external framework.
3Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive coverage of all hand regions is provided, then protection scope is expanded, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The main body portion serves multiple functions: it connects all other components (digit portions, knuckle protectors, wrist portion), provides padding for the dorsal hand surface, and acts as a structural framework. The wrist portion simultaneously secures the device to the athlete's wrist and provides additional protection for the distal radius. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple protective functions are merged into integrated components. The knuckle protectors are combined with digit portions in some embodiments, the wrist portion integrates both securing and protective functions, and the main body combines padding, structural support, and component attachment functions. This merging reduces the total number of separate parts while maintaining comprehensive protection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The reinforced hand protector effectively reduces the risk of fractures and nerve damage by distributing impact forces, enhancing protection for the hand's digits and wrist, aligning with regulatory requirements for safety in sports.
Implementation Method 1
including materials like metal, plastic, rubber, and shock-absorbing layers to distribute impact forces
Data Source
AI summary
A reinforced support device suitable for the protection of a hand and its digits from impacts, particularly those found in contact sports. The support device providing an outer skeleton and/or selected reinforcement portion(s), protects the digits of the hand and permits flexion of the fingers and/or thumb. The reinforcement portions can be of various shapes, sizes, materials, and weights. They may also be connected in various ways to one another.