Finger protector, and method of making

Abstract

The subject matter relates generally to devices configured to be attached to fingers and/or the hands of persons and which may aid in the playing of musical instruments. These devices are custom made to fit the fingers of a particular musician or aspiring musician precisely and optionally include an additional feature or element at the tip which beneficially improves the ability to play. These devices also may protect the fingers from the adverse effects of prolonged playing. These devices may be used independently on each finger, or may be combined together into a glove with the finger devices attached to the rest of a custom fitting glove.

What we claim is as follows: 
     
         1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A finger protector device formed by:
 scanning a physical model of a human finger to generate a first data model;   adjusting the first data model to incorporate one or more inner offset surfaces, and one or more outer offset surfaces;   generating a second data model based on the adjusted first data model; and   3D printing the finger protector from the second data model, the finger protector being customized to an anatomy of the human finger.   
     
     
         15 . A glove that includes at least one finger protector device formed by:
 scanning a physical model of a human finger to generate a first data model;   adjusting the first data model to incorporate one or more inner offset surfaces, and one or more outer offset surfaces;   generating a second data model based on the adjusted first data model; and   3D printing the finger protector from the second data model, the finger protector being customized to an anatomy of the human finger.   
     
     
         16 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A finger protector formed by a manufacturing method comprising:
 scanning a physical model of a human finger to generate a first data model;   receiving data defining one or more inner offsets, and one or more outer offsets, wherein an inner offset represents a first distance measurement as measured from a first surface point on the human finger to an inner surface of a second model, and wherein an outer offset represents a second distance measurement as measured from a second surface point on the human finger to an outer surface of the second model;   forming the second model based on the first data model and the data; and   3D printing the finger protector directly from the second model or from a mold created from the second model.   
     
     
         20 . The manufacturing method as described in  claim 19  wherein the 3D printing prints thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or an SLA resin having a Shore hardness of less than 80.