GB2183990A

GB2183990A - Finger protector

Info

Publication number: GB2183990A
Application number: GB08530698A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Mohamed
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-12-13
Filing date: 1985-12-13
Publication date: 1987-06-17
Also published as: GB8530698D0

Abstract

A finger protector (1) for hairdressers comprises two sheath portions (2, 3) for covering all but the tips of the first and second fingers (4, 5) of a user's hand, and a portion (6) interconnecting the sheath portions (2, 3) in such away as to cover the web of skin between the fingers (4, 5). The protector (1) is a close fit on the user's hand and is made from a material which is resistant to cutting by scissors but thin enough to allow the user some sensitivity of touch. The protector is retained on the hand by a wrist strap (7, 8, 9). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Finger protector The present invention relates to a finger protector particularly, but not exclusively, for hairdressers.

Hairdressers who use the technique of holding clumps of hair to be cut between the first and second fingers of one hand often suffer scissor cuts to these fingers and to the web of skin between the fingers. This not an acceptable state of affairs, particularly from the aspect of hygiene, and the object of the present invention is to satisfy the need for a means of protection against such cuts.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a finger protector comprising sheath portions for the first and second fingers of a user's hand and a portion interconnecting the sheath portions so as to cover the web of skin between the fingers in use, the protector being a close fit on the user's hand and being made from a material resistant to the cutting action of the scissors and the like.

The protector may be made from a material which is itself resistant to cutting, such as leather, metallised or rubberised fabric, or a metallised rubber or plastics materials. Alternatively, the resistance to the cutting action may be achieved by making the protector from rubber or plastics having a low coefficient of friction or coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction; this affords an outer surface which is not easily pinched between the blades of a pair of scissors or is able to deflect cutting blades.

In other cases, the protector may be made of a soft material which carries a flexible sheath or articulated platelets of cut-resistant material on the backs of the finger sheaths and the web-covering portion. The edges of the platelets on the sheath portions which are brought together to grip clumps of hair in use may be serrated to facilitate the gripping or they may define straight edges to guide the cutting blades.

Preferably, the protector is made from a material which is thin enough, at least one the undersides of the fingers, to allow some sensitivity of touch through it. In a preferred embodiment, the tips of the finger sheaths are open so as to give the user normal sensitivity at his or her fingertips, for example, for arranging or lifting hair.

For its retention on the user's hand, the protector may have a wrist strap attached to the web-covering portion or an extension thereof which passes over the back of the hand. If the protector is made from an elastic material, such as rubber or plastics, which grips the user's hand, a wrist strap is unnecessary since the protector will be retained by virtue of its elasticity.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a finger protector according to a first embodiment of the invention as worn on a user's hand, and Figure 2 shows the palm of the user's hand wearing a finger protector according to a second embodiment of the invention.

With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a finger protector 1 for hairdressers, which comprises two sheath portions 2, 3 for covering the first and second fingers 4,5 of a user's hand and a portion 6 interconnecting the sheath portions 2, 3 in such a way as to cover the web of skin between the fingers 4,5 in use. The portion 6 has two extensions 7, 8 which pass over the back of the hand in use and are attached to or intergral with a wrist strap 9 for retaining the protector 1 on the user's hand. The wrist strap 9 may be elasticated or may have a suitable fastener, such as a press stud or VELCRO fastening, not shown.

The protector 1 is a close (preferably skin-tight) fit on the user's hand and is made from a material which is thin enough to allow the user to retain some sensitivity of touch through it while being able to resist cutting by scissor blades or the like. The material of the protector 1 may be one which is cut resistant in itself, such as leather, or it may be treated to present a slippery surface able to deflect the scissor blades.

The embodiment of Figure 2 differs from that of Figure 1 in that the protector 10, being made of an elastic material such as rubber or rubberised fabric, is retained on the user's hand by virtue of its elasticity, thereby ensuring the necessary tight fit while obviating the need for the extensions 7,8 and wrist strap 9 of Figure 1. In Figure 2, the portion 6 extends only to cover the web of skin itself.

In both the embodiments illustrated, the tips of the sheath portions 2,3 are open to allow the user full use and sensitivity of the finger tips. This facilitates, for example, the arranging of a clump H of hair to be cut between the fingers 4, 5, as shown in Figure 1.

1. A finger protector comprising sheath portions for the first and second fingers of a user's hand and a portion interconnecting the sheath portions so as to cover the web of skin between the fingers in use, the protector being a close fit on the user's hand and being made from a material resistant to the cutting action of scissors and the like.

2. A finger protector according to Claim 1, wherein the tips of the finger sheaths are open to allow the user full use and sensitivity of the finger tips.

3. A finger protector according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein it further includes a wrist strap attached to or integral with the web-covering portion or an extension thereof which passes over the back of the user's hand.

4. Afinger protector according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein it is made from an elastic material which grips the user's hand so that the protector is retained on the hand by its own elasticity.

5. A finger protector according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein it is made from a material which is thin enough, at least on the undersides of the finger sheaths, to allow some sensitivity of touch therethrough.

6. A finger protector according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein it is made from a material which is intrinsically cut-resistant.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Finger protector The present invention relates to a finger protector particularly, but not exclusively, for hairdressers. Hairdressers who use the technique of holding clumps of hair to be cut between the first and second fingers of one hand often suffer scissor cuts to these fingers and to the web of skin between the fingers. This not an acceptable state of affairs, particularly from the aspect of hygiene, and the object of the present invention is to satisfy the need for a means of protection against such cuts. Accordingly, the present invention provides a finger protector comprising sheath portions for the first and second fingers of a user's hand and a portion interconnecting the sheath portions so as to cover the web of skin between the fingers in use, the protector being a close fit on the user's hand and being made from a material resistant to the cutting action of the scissors and the like. The protector may be made from a material which is itself resistant to cutting, such as leather, metallised or rubberised fabric, or a metallised rubber or plastics materials. Alternatively, the resistance to the cutting action may be achieved by making the protector from rubber or plastics having a low coefficient of friction or coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction; this affords an outer surface which is not easily pinched between the blades of a pair of scissors or is able to deflect cutting blades. In other cases, the protector may be made of a soft material which carries a flexible sheath or articulated platelets of cut-resistant material on the backs of the finger sheaths and the web-covering portion. The edges of the platelets on the sheath portions which are brought together to grip clumps of hair in use may be serrated to facilitate the gripping or they may define straight edges to guide the cutting blades. Preferably, the protector is made from a material which is thin enough, at least one the undersides of the fingers, to allow some sensitivity of touch through it. In a preferred embodiment, the tips of the finger sheaths are open so as to give the user normal sensitivity at his or her fingertips, for example, for arranging or lifting hair. For its retention on the user's hand, the protector may have a wrist strap attached to the web-covering portion or an extension thereof which passes over the back of the hand. If the protector is made from an elastic material, such as rubber or plastics, which grips the user's hand, a wrist strap is unnecessary since the protector will be retained by virtue of its elasticity. The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a finger protector according to a first embodiment of the invention as worn on a user's hand, and Figure 2 shows the palm of the user's hand wearing a finger protector according to a second embodiment of the invention. With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a finger protector 1 for hairdressers, which comprises two sheath portions 2, 3 for covering the first and second fingers 4,5 of a user's hand and a portion 6 interconnecting the sheath portions 2, 3 in such a way as to cover the web of skin between the fingers 4,5 in use. The portion 6 has two extensions 7, 8 which pass over the back of the hand in use and are attached to or intergral with a wrist strap 9 for retaining the protector 1 on the user's hand. The wrist strap 9 may be elasticated or may have a suitable fastener, such as a press stud or VELCRO fastening, not shown. The protector 1 is a close (preferably skin-tight) fit on the user's hand and is made from a material which is thin enough to allow the user to retain some sensitivity of touch through it while being able to resist cutting by scissor blades or the like. The material of the protector 1 may be one which is cut resistant in itself, such as leather, or it may be treated to present a slippery surface able to deflect the scissor blades. The embodiment of Figure 2 differs from that of Figure 1 in that the protector 10, being made of an elastic material such as rubber or rubberised fabric, is retained on the user's hand by virtue of its elasticity, thereby ensuring the necessary tight fit while obviating the need for the extensions 7,8 and wrist strap 9 of Figure 1. In Figure 2, the portion 6 extends only to cover the web of skin itself. In both the embodiments illustrated, the tips of the sheath portions 2,3 are open to allow the user full use and sensitivity of the finger tips. This facilitates, for example, the arranging of a clump H of hair to be cut between the fingers 4, 5, as shown in Figure 1. CLAIMS

7. Afinger protector according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein it is made from a material which is rendered cut resistant by having an outer surface with a low coefficient of friction such that the surface tends to deflect the blades of scissors or the like rather than be pinched therebetween.

8. A finger protector for hairdressers, substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

8. A finger protector substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: (a) Claims 1 and 8 above have been deleted or textually amended.

(b) New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows:- CLAIMS

1. A finger protector for hairdresers, comprising sheath portions for the first and second fingers of a user's hand and a portion interconnecting the sheath portions so as to cover the web of skin between the fingers in use, the protector being a close fit on the user's hand and being made from a flexible material resistant to the cutting action of scissors and the like.