FINGER GLOVE LINER AND STRENGTHENING FINGER GLOVE WITH LINER

Abstract

A finger glove liner (2) comprising at least one finger portion (1), for arrangement inside an outer finger glove, making up a grip strengthening finger glove (3) is provided. The finger glove liner (2) is made of a stretchable material (4) in order to suit more than one size of hands, wherein at least one patch (5) of material, which has attached thereto at least an artificial tendon (9), is arranged at the outside of the finger glove liner (2).

Claims

1. A finger glove liner comprising at least one finger portion, for arrangement inside an outer finger glove, making up a grip strengthening finger glove, the finger glove liner being made of a stretchable material in order to suit more than one size of hands, wherein at least one patch of material, which has attached thereto at least one artificial tendon, is arranged at the outside of the finger glove liner, wherein the at least one patch is arranged on a dorsal side of a finger portion of the finger glove liner, the at least one patch reaches over each of the sides of a finger portion of the finger glove liner with a side portion on each side and the at least one artificial tendon is arranged at a side portion.

2. The finger glove liner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one patch of material is made of a flexible and non-stretchable material in a direction crosswise the length direction of the finger portion 1.

3. The finger glove liner according to claim 1, wherein the patches are arranged freely from each other in order to be able to transfer with the expansion of the stretchable liner in use.

4. The finger glove liner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one patch distributes the force from the at least one artificial tendon attached to said patch.

5-6. (canceled)

7. The finger glove liner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one artificial tendon is arranged at a side portion, along the edge of the side portion of the patch.

8. The finger glove liner according to claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is arranged at the at least one patch.

9. The finger glove liner according to claim 1, wherein at least one electrical wire is arranged at the at least one patch.

10. A grip strengthening finger glove having a finger glove liner according to claim 1.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The present invention will now be described in more detailed under referral to the attached drawings, in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a finger portion of a finger glove liner.

[0013] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a dorsal side of a finger glove liner.

[0014] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a ventral side of a finger glove liner.

[0015] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a grip strengthening finger glove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0016] In FIG. 1 a finger portion 1 of a finger glove liner 2 is shown. The finger portion 1 may be suitable for any of the fingers of a wearer's hand including the thumb. A finger glove liner 2 comprises at least one finger portion 1. The finger glove liner 2 is supposed to be provided inside a finger glove 3 making up a grip strengthening finger glove, see FIG. 4.

[0017] The finger portion 1 and the finger glove liner 2 comprises a support material 4, which is stretchable. Thus one size of a finger glove liner 2 suits two or preferably three sizes of hands. For example, the material 4 may be a stitched material in order to provide the stretchability. Outside of the stretchable support material 4 at least one patch 5 is arranged. The patch 5 is preferably made of a material which is flexible and non-stretchable in a direction crosswise the length direction of the finger portion 1. In FIG. 1 a patch 5 over a tip portion 6 and two patches 5 along the length of the finger portion 1 are arranged. Preferably the patches 5 are arranged on a dorsal side 7 of the finger portion 1. It is preferred that the patches 5 reach down on at least one side 8 of the finger portion 1, preferably on both sides 8. Patches 5 may be provided at further parts of the finger glove liner 2, too, which will be described further below.

[0018] At least one artificial tendon 9 is attached at at least one patch 5. In the shown embodiment of FIG. 1 the artificial tendon 9 is slidably attached at the patch 5 at the tip portion 6 and along the side 8 portion of the patches 5 along the length of the finger portion 1. The artificial tendon 9 may be attached by means of, for example, loops (not shown) or a tunnel 10, such as a tunnel made up by stitches 11, which is shown in FIG. 1.

[0019] The patches 5 are arranged at the stretchable material 4 in such a way that when the stretchable material 4 stretches, the patches 5 will move to a proper position also for a larger hand than a hand fitting within the finger glove liner 2. This is possible when the patches 5 are only attached at the stretchable material 4 at points. In the non-stretched situation, the non-stretchable patches 5 are attached in bulky way such that the length of the patches 5 curves above the stretchable material 4. Thus, when the stretchable material 4 is stretched the patches 5 will straighten out and be flat along the surface of the stretchable material 4. When stretched even further, there will be spaces between patches.

[0020] It is also conceivable to have at least one patch 5 more or less encircling the finger portion 1 and attaching an artificial tendon 9 centrally at the ventral side of the finger portion 1 (not shown).

[0021] In FIGS. 2 and 3 an embodiment of a finger glove liner 2 is shown. Preferably at least one patch 5 is arranged on a ventral side 15 of the finger glove liner 2 at a hand portion 16. This ventral side 15 patch 5 has a guiding 17 for the at least one artificial tendon 9. The ventral side 15 patch 5 may be connected with a patch 5 arranged on the dorsal side 7 of the hand portion 16 of the finger glove liner 2. The connection 20 between the ventral side 15 patch 5 and the dorsal side 7 patch may be stretchable. Preferably a proximal patch 5 at the finger portion 1 is connected with means 21 at the dorsal side 7 patch 5 in order to inhibit sliding of the proximal patch 5 too long towards the distal end of the finger portion 1.

[0022] The at least one artificial tendon 9, in the shown embodiment two artificial tendons 9 run along each finger portion 1 possibly into a guiding 17, which guides the artificial tendons 9 towards an actuator 18 for example arranged at a wrist portion 19 of the grip strengthening finger glove 3, see FIG. 4.

[0023] The actuator 18 can pull the artificial tendons 9 when being given a signal. The signal will be achieved from at least one sensor 13 arranged in the finger glove liner 2. It is preferred that the at least one sensor 13 is attached at the tip portion 6, preferably at the patch 5 there. Obviously, sensors 13 may be arranged at more positions of the finger glove liner. At least one electrical wire 14 is attached, for example for connection of the at least one sensor 13 with a control means (not shown). In FIG. 2 a possible way of attaching the wire 14 is shown. Slits 22 are provided in the patches 5 and the wire 14 is threaded through the slits 22.

[0024] In the present application the embodiments in FIGS. 2-4 show a grip strengthening finger glove 3 for all fingers except the little finger, including the thumb. Although it is possible to provide a grip strengthening finger glove 3 having all fingers and strengthening arrangement for all fingers, or only one finger, or the thumb and the index finger, or the thumb and the two middle fingers, or in any other combination.