Protective device for use with a glove

Abstract

A protective device for use in a high temperature and liquid environment provides a glove integrally formed with a protective member in the thumb webbing region. The protective member is not readily detectable when viewing the outside of the glove. The protective member is cut resistant and constructed to protect a workman's hand as a sharp and hot object passes over the protective member contacting the outer surface of the glove.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for protecting against a rotisserie spit moving above a thumb-crotch region defined between a thumb sleeve and a forefinger sleeve in a liquid proof and heat resistant glove, the system comprising:
 a liquid proof and heat resistant glove including an outer layer;   a protective member attached to the liquid proof and heat resistant glove below the outer layer that extends from a palmar region to a dorsal region thereby spanning over the thumb-crotch region of the liquid proof and heat resistant glove; and   a rotisserie spit sized to be positioned above the outer layer in the thumb-crotch region of the liquid proof and heat resistant glove, wherein the spit is adapted to be pulled in a motion that approximates drawing a sword such that the rotisserie spit travels over the thumb-crotch region, and wherein the protective member protects against the rotisserie spit during the motion.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid proof and heat resistant glove further comprises:
 an inner liner that is entirely surrounded by the outer layer, wherein the protective member is positioned between the outer layer and the inner liner, and the outer layer withstands thermal deformation at a temperature of at least 500° F.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid proof and heat resistant glove further comprises:
 a first metacarpal bone region;   a second metacarpal bone region;   a third metacarpal bone region;   a first edge of the protective member crossing over the second metacarpal bone region at an angle in a range from 15° to 75° relative to a longitudinal axis associated with the second metacarpal bone region.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a second edge of the protective member crossing over the second metacarpal bone region at an angle generally orthogonal to the first edge of the protective member.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a third edge of the protective member generally parallel with the first edge such that the protective member is generally shaped like a trapezoid and positions the third edge above the first metacarpal bone region.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a terminal corner of the first edge positioned radially from the thumb-crotch region and located approximately directly above the third metacarpal bone region.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the protective member defines two slits to enable the protective member to bend around the thumb sleeve and around the forefinger sleeve such that a major axis associated with the protective member extends over the thumb-crotch region between the palmar region and the dorsal region. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a sharp object that is longitudinally elongated;   a glove;   a protective member for a thumb-crotch region of the glove wherein the protective member comprises:
 a first surface facing an inner liner of the glove; 
 a second surface opposite the first surface facing an outer surface of the glove, wherein the protective member is disposed between the inner liner and the outer surface of the glove; 
 an edge bounded by the first surface and the second surface; 
 a major axis and a minor axis associated with the first surface, wherein the first surface is longer along the major axis than along the minor axis; 
 at least one slit interrupting the edge and the first surface, the at least one slit extending generally parallel to the minor axis; wherein the at least one slit adapted to enable the protective member to bend around one of (a) a thumb sleeve of the glove and (b) a forefinger of the glove such that the protective member extends over and protects the thumb-crotch region; 
 a first region positioned within a palmar region on the glove; 
 a second region positioned within a dorsal region on the glove; and 
 a fixedly attached relationship of the protective member to the glove such that the protective member extends around the thumb-crotch region of the glove between the inner liner and outer surface of the glove, and wherein the outer surface of the glove entirely covers the inner liner. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the sharp object that is longitudinally elongated is a rotisserie spit sized to be positioned above the outer layer in the thumb-crotch region of the liquid proof and heat resistant glove, wherein the spit is adapted to be pulled in a motion that approximates drawing a sword such that the rotisserie spit travels over the thumb-crotch region, and wherein the protective member protects against the rotisserie spit during the motion. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the second surface of the protective member is fixedly attached to the outer surface and the first surface of the protective member is fixedly attached to the inner liner of the glove. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the protective member further includes:
 a trapezoidal-shaped edge bounding the first surface and the second surface; and   wherein the protective member is formed from a material that is more rigid than that of the glove.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the protective member further includes:
 only two opposing collinear slits interrupting the generally trapezoidal-shaped edge, wherein the at least two slits extend parallel to the minor axis and each terminates prior to the major axis, wherein the two slits enable the protective member to bend around a thumb region of the glove and around a forefinger region of the glove such that the major axis extends over a thumb-crotch region defined between the thumb region of the glove and the forefinger region of the glove.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the protective member further includes:
 a first portion of the generally trapezoidal-shaped edge offset to a first side of the minor axis;   a second portion of the generally trapezoidal-shaped edge offset to a second side of the minor axis opposite the first side;   wherein the first arcuate portion, when fixedly attached to the glove's dorsal side, extends to at least a middle metacarpal region of the glove, and wherein the second arcuate portion, wherein the second arcuate portion, when fixedly attached to the glove's palmar side, extends to at least the middle metacarpal region of the glove.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the protective member further includes: a terminal end of the at least one slit terminating prior to the major axis. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the glove includes:
 a first metacarpal region;   a second metacarpal region;   a third metacarpal region;   wherein the protective member includes:   a first edge that crosses the second metacarpal region at an angle in a range from 15° to 75°.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the protective member further includes:
 a second edge of the protective member crossing over the second metacarpal region at an angle generally orthogonal to the first edge of the protective member.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the protective member further includes:
 a third edge of the protective member generally parallel with the first edge such that the protective member is generally shaped like a trapezoid when laid flat.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the protective member further includes: a second edge of the protective member positioned ulnarly from the first edge. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the protective member further includes:
 a terminal corner of the first edge positioned approximately directly above the third metacarpal region on the glove.