Protective glove with articulated locking thumb

Abstract

A protective glove system is disclosed wherein each glove has an articulated thumb skeleton disposed in the thumb member. The thumb skeleton comprises a plurality of sections pivotably joined together to enable the thumb to articulate between open and closed positions. A locking mechanism is provided for preventing the thumb skeleton sections from bending backwards, thereby preventing hyperextension of the wearer's thumb.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A hockey glove for enclosing a human wrist and hand, the hand including a dorsal side, a palm side, four fingers and one thumb having a dorsal side, an inner side, a middle phalanx, a distal phalanx and an articulation between the middle and distal phalanxes, said hockey glove including a hand-receiving portion comprising: 
 (a) a palm side facing the palm side of the hand;    (b) a dorsal side facing the dorsal side of the hand, said dorsal side of said hand-receiving portion having a padded surface;    (c) finger sheaths receiving the four fingers of the hand; and    (d) a thumb-receiving portion receiving the thumb of the hand, said thumb-receiving portion having a rigid thumb shall covering at least in part the dorsal side of the thumb, said rigid thumb shell having first and second shell portions that partially overlap one another, said first shell portion covering at least partially the middle phalanx of the thumb, said second shell portion covering at least partially the distal phalanx of the thumb, said first shell portion being hinged to said second shell portion.    
     
     
         2 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 1  wherein said first and second shell portions are hinged together near the articulation between the middle and distal phalanxes.  
     
     
         3 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 1  wherein said first and second shell portions comprise stopping means for preventing movement of said second shell portion beyond a predetermined point.  
     
     
         4 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 1  wherein a degree of overlap between said first and second shell portions varies when one of said first and second shell portions is hingedly moved relative to the other of said first and second shell portions.  
     
     
         5 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 4  wherein said first shell portion partially extends underneath said second shell portion.  
     
     
         6 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 5  wherein each of said first and second shell portions comprises an internal locking lip along its respective overlapping portion, said internal locking lips engaging each other at a predetermined point when said second shell portion is fully bent.  
     
     
         7 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 6  wherein said first shell portion comprises an abutting portion adapted to engage said internal locking lip of said second shell portion for preventing hyperextension of the thumb.  
     
     
         8 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a cuff portion surrounding the wrist, said cuff portion having a plurality of padded elements positioned around at least a portion of the circumference of said cuff portion and defining a peripheral forearm protector, each said padded element partially overlapping an adjacent padded element.  
     
     
         9 . A hockey glove for enclosing a human wrist and hand, the hand including a dorsal side, a palm side, four fingers and one thumb having a dorsal side, an inner side, a middle phalanx, a distal phalanx and an articulation between the middle and distal phalanxes, said hockey glove comprising: 
 (a) a cuff portion surrounding the wrist;    (b) a hand-receiving portion having a thumb-receiving portion receiving the thumb of the hand, said thumb-receiving portion having a rigid thumb shell covering at least in part the dorsal side of the thumb, said rigid thumb shell having first and second shell portions that partially overlap one another;    (c) a first movable joint between said cuff portion and said first shell portion; and    (d) a second movable joint between said first and second shell portions.    
     
     
         10 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 9  wherein said first and second shell portions are hinged together near the articulation between the middle and distal phalanxes.  
     
     
         11 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 9  wherein said first and second shell portions comprise stopping means for preventing movement of said second shell portion beyond a predetermined point.  
     
     
         12 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 9  wherein a degree of overlap between said first and second shell portions varies when one of said first and second shell portions is hingedly moved relative to the other of said first and second shell portions.  
     
     
         13 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 12  wherein said first shell portion partially extends underneath said second shell portion.  
     
     
         14 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 13  wherein each of said first and second shell portions comprises an internal locking lip along its respective overlapping portion, said internal locking lips engaging each other at a predetermined point when said second shell portion is fully bent.  
     
     
         15 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 14  wherein said first shell portion comprises an abutting portion adapted to engage said second shell portion for preventing hyperextension of the thumb.  
     
     
         16 . The hockey glove as defined in  claim 9  wherein said cuff portion comprises a plurality of padded elements positioned around at least a portion of the circumference of said cuff portion and defining a peripheral forearm protector, each said padded element partially overlapping an adjacent padded element.