GB2596337A

GB2596337A - Hand Protector

Info

Publication number: GB2596337A
Application number: GB2009735.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chance Russell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-06-25
Filing date: 2020-06-25
Publication date: 2021-12-29
Also published as: GB202009735D0

Abstract

A hand shielding device comprising a first planar member (plate, shield, dish) 1, a second planar member 2, and a hand fixing means (strap, handle, belt) 5. A first edge of the first planar member is connected at a hinge 3 to a first edge of the second planar member; and a second edge of the first planar member 4, is releasably securable to a second edge of the second planar member 4. The hand fixing means could be secured to the device through slots (gaps, holes) 9 to form a closed loop, encircling the user’s fingers. The hand fixing means could be adjustable or made from an antimicrobial silicone, furthermore the hand fixing means disposed through the slots could be wider than the length of the slots or attached to a connector suitable for connecting to a carrying device 7. The hinged region may be biased into an open position.

Description

Hand protector

Field of the invention

10011 The invention relates to a hand protector. In particular, the invention relates to a hand protector which provides a protective layer between a user's hand 5 and an object to be manipulated, enabling a user to manipulate an object without making skin contact with the object.

Background of the invention

[002] Our hands are especially vulnerable to contact with unwanted substances and microscopic organisms. This is because our hands are our principle tool for 10 manipulating and interacting with the world.

10031 It is often necessary for our hand to touch surfaces which have been touched by many other people, such as doors in busy workplaces. It is also necessary sometimes for our hands to make contact with surfaces which are notoriously unhygienic, such as door handles in public toilets. This can lead to the transmission of germs, bacteria or viruses, from the hands of one person to the hands of another.

[0041 From our hands, it is easy for germs and other undesirable contamination to reach our face. IV any people frequently touch or scratch their faces, often involuntarily or unconsciously. It is also easy for the contaminants to enter our food, or food we are preparing for other people to eat. This can lead to illness and the spread of infections.

[0051 The importance of hand hygiene became the focus of much attention as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many solutions have been provided to enable the frequent washing of hands, which is known to hinder the spread of viruses. It is also desirable, however, to protect hands from contact with potentially contaminated surface in the first place, to further hinder hand-to-hand transmission of unwelcome microbes.

[6] The most common approach to protecting hands from contamination is the use of gloves. In particular, disposable gloves are important in medical environments to reduce direct hand contact with patients and surfaces, but these must be replaced frequently to avoid contamination transmitted by the gloves themselves. It is not practical, in most other settings, to regularly replace one's gloves, not only because this would require one to carry a supply of disposable gloves everywhere, and means to safely dispose of them after use, but because gloves, and especially single-use medical gloves, are difficult to get on and off. Furthermore, there is a risk of making direct skin contact with the outside of a glove when taking it off, increasing the risk of the transmission and infection.

[7] There is a need for a simple and cost effective alternative to gloves which is easier to get on and off, or otherwise deploy and withdraw, preferably in a way that will reduce cross-contarnination. The present invention seeks to meet some or all of these needs.

Acknowledged prior art

[8] The inventor is aware of the following disclosures which seek to overcome similar problems.

[9] US200708425 discloses a portable grasping device for gripping door handles and the like. It comprises two hingedly connected members pivotable between an open and a closed, gripping configuration. Its grasping surfaces do not have any anti-bacterial properties, increasing the risk of contamination. Furthermore, it does not provide means for easy portability, such as a strap or clip, enabling the user to deploy it quickly and easily.

[10] US5770297 disclose a gripping device comprising a thin strip of flexible 25 material to be strapped to a user's forefinger and thumb, to facilitate gripping. It is particularly for use in removing bottle caps. Although it is easy to deploy and withdraw, given the straps, it does not provide an anti-microbial surface, and does not provide sufficient hand coverage for manipulating items larger than bottle caps, such as door handles.

101 11 US2018074847 discloses a hand protection device for keeping hands clean and protected from heat and cuts. It takes the form of a mat which is strapped, in use, to the palm of a user's hand. It does not provide any hinged interface, but rather is made of a flexible material. Consequently, it is not capable of being closed when not in use, so as to avoid cross-contamination.

10121 The present invention seeks to overcome some of the deficiencies of the prior art.

Statement of invention

10131 A first aspect of the invention provides a hand shielding device comprising a first planar member, a second planar member, and a hand fixing means, wherein: a first edge of the first planar member is hingedly connected to a first edge of the second planar member; and a second edge of the first planar member, is releasably securable to a second edge of the second planar member.

10141 The hand fixing means may comprise a flexible elongate member, secured to the second planar member and forming a closed loop suitable for encircling the fingers of a user's hand. The size of the closed loop may be adjustable.

101.51 The hand fixing means may be formed of antimicrobial silicone.

[0161 Two slots may be formed through the second planar member, proximate opposing respective sides, and the hand fixing member may be a flexible strap, each end of which may be slotted through a respective one of the slots from a first surface of the second planar member to the second, opposite surface, such that a portion of the hand fixing means is disposed on the first surface of the second planar member, between the two slots.

10171 'llhe second edge of the first planar member may be releasably securable to the second edge of the second planar member such that the first surface of the second planar member faces a first surface of the first planar member. The portion of the strap of the hand fixing means that is disposed on the first surface of the second planar member, may be wider than the length of the slots.

[18] The hinged connection may be resiliently biased to an open configuration, 5 in which the first and second planar members are substantially coplanar and adjacent.

[19] The hand fixing means may be provided with a connector suitable for connection to a carrying device

Brief description of the drawings

[020] The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings: [21] Figure 1 depicts a hand protector device according to an embodiment of the invention; [22] Figure 2 depicts an end view of a hand protector device according to an 15 embodiment of the invention, in a just extruded, before use configuration; [23] Figure 3 depicts a plan view of a hand protector device of Figure 2; [24] Figure 4 depicts an end view of a hand protector device according to the invention, in an in-use open configuration; [25] Figure 5 depicts a hand protector device of the invention worn on the inside of the user's hand, before use; [26] Figure 6 depicts a hand protector device of the invention worn on the outside of the user's hand.

Detailed description

[027] Figure 1 depicts an embodiment of the invention, comprising first 1 and second 2 planar rectangular members, connected along respective long edges by a hinged connection 3. The first planar member 1 will hereafter be referred to as the lid I. The second planar member 2 will hereafter be referred to as the body 2.

[028] Preferably, the lid 1 and body 2 will be manufactured primarily of flexible polypropylene.

[029] The lid 1 and body 2 may alternatively be made from other plastics materials, sponge (such as silicone sponge), metals or alloys.

[30] The lid 1 and body 2 preferably extruded together as a single piece, in which case the hinge 3 may simply be an elongate channel between the lid 1 and body 2, along which the extruded material is thin enough to provide a flexible, hinged connection. Figure 4 depicts the hinge action between the open and closed configurations. Figures 2 and 3 show a plan view and end view of the preferred extrusion.

[31] Alternatively, the hinge 3 may be any conventional hinging structure suitable for a device of this size, as would be clear to a person skilled in the art.

[032] Cooperating clasp elements 4 are disposed on the non-hinged long edges of the lid 1 and body 2 (i.e. opposite the hinged edges). In use, the lid 1 can be pivoted about the hinge 3 over the body 2, to close the hand protector. By means of the clasp 4, the hand protector can be secured in this closed configuration.

[33] Although the clasp 4 depicted is an elongate male and female touch fastener, the skilled person will appreciate that many other securing means would be suitable. The depicted embodiment is particularly advantageous because it provides for easier extrusion. Alternatively, click fastenings of various shapes or cooperating strips of hook and loop materials could be used, for example.

[34] Preferably, the hinge 3 is resiliently biased towards the open configuration. 25 This increases the ease of use, since the hand protector device will automatically open when the clasp 4 is released.

[035] A strap 5 is provided. This could be made of any suitable, flexible fabric. Preferably, it is made of antimicrobial silicone. Part 8 of the strap 5 is disposed on the inner, or gripping, surface of the body 2 (i.e. the surface that faces the lid when in the closed configuration). This is the contact part 8 of the strap 5.

[036] The contact part 8 is preferably disposed substantially centrally along the length of the strap 5. It may have a different appearance to the rest of the strap 5, to indicate that this is the part that comes into contact with potentially contaminated surfaces. For example, the contact part 8 may be coloured red, or another colour different to the rest of the strap 5.

[037] The contact part 8 may be made from a different material to the rest of the strap, the different parts then being secured together in any conventional way. For example, the contact part 8 may be made from antimicrobial silicone while the rest of the strap is made from elasticated fabric.

[38] Slots 9 are provided through the body 2 proximate its first and second short 15 edges. The ends of the strap 5 are slotted through these slots 9 so as to protrude from the outer surface of the body 2. In this way, the contact part 8 of the strap 5 runs along the inner surface of the body 2 between the slots 9 [39] The contact part 8 of the strap 5 may also be wider than the rest of the strap, and in particular wider than the length of the slots 9. In this way, the strap 5 is prevented from sliding through the slots so that the potentially contaminated contact part 8 protrudes or partially protrudes through the slots 9 to the outer side of the body 2.

[40] Other means may be used to prevent the contact part 8 of the strap 5 from sliding through the slots 9. The strap 5 may be clipped or pinned in place, for 25 example. The depicted embodiment is preferable for ease of removing and replacing the strap 5.

[41] A clip 6 holds the ends of strap 5 together on the outer side of the body 2. This forms a loop of the strap 5, into which a user may insert his or her fingers in order to hold the hand protector device when it is in use.

[42] It will be clear to the skilled person that other means of forming a loop may 5 be used, such as other kinds of fastenings at the ends of the strap 5 (e.g. touch fasteners).

[43] The strap 5 material may be elasticated so that the loop is stretchable. Alternatively or additionally, the clip 6 (or other loop forming means) may be adjustable so as to securely receive hands of different sizes.

[044] A connector 7 may be provided at an end of the strap 5, so that the hand protector device can be secured to a carrying means such as a lanyard when not in use. In this way, the user does not have to have the hand protector device secured to his or her hand when not in use, but can easily access it when it is needed. Any conventional connector can be used, depending on the particular carrying means selected.

[45] It may be preferable to connect the hand protector by means of connector 7 to an extendable lanyard, so that it can be used without being disconnected from the lanyard. This may increase convenience to the user, and reduce the risk of the hand protector being lost. Many conventional extendable lanyards are known, commonly provided with a length of material biased in a wound configuration within a housing attached to the lanyard.

[46] In use, the user slots his or her hand into the loop formed by the strap 5, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The user then releases the clasp 4 so that the hand protector device unfolds into the open configuration. The user can then manipulate a handle or similar by bending his or her fingers around the object, as usual, thereby folding the hand protector device around the object so that the hand protector follows the shape of the hand. The contact part of the strap 8 provides a frictional engagement with the manipulated object and the user can manipulate it in the usual way. The hand protector device can then be closed until it is required again, securing the potentially contaminated inner surfaces from the possibility of inadvertent contact with other objects or the user.

[47] It will be apparent that the hand protector can be worn on the back of the 5 hand, such as shown in Figure 6, as well as on the front of the hand, as shown in ilgure 5.

[48] The hand protector device can also be used to push objects. The hand protector can be held on the inside of the hand (Figure 5) or on the outside of the hand (Figure 6) depending on the intended use.

[049] The invention is suitable for use with conventional lever door handles, vertical pull handles, revolving doors, shopping trolleys and baskets, support rails and push plates on public transport. Depending on the intended use, it is possible to strap the hand protector device to the back of the hand instead of the inside of the hand, as shown in Figure 6.

[050] Tt will be apparent that the hand protector device described above is easier to put on and take off than a glove, and is reusable rather than disposable. Like a glove, it is worn rather than held, increasing convenience. Because it folds in on itself when not in use, it does not need a cover or pouch. It does not scratch or scuff the objects it manipulates. When used with an antimicrobial silicone strap 5, it has additional antibacterial properties which are particularly advantageous for hygiene.

[051] Although the invention has been described by means of a preferred embodiment, the scope of the invention is not limited by the embodiment. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A hand shielding device comprising a first planar member, a second planar member, and a hand fixing means, wherein: a first edge of the first planar member is hingedly connected to a first edge of the second planar member; and a second edge of the first planar member, is releasably securable to a second edge of the second planar member.
2. A hand shielding device according to claim 1, wherein the hand fixing means comprises a flexible elongate member, secured to the second planar member and forming a closed loop suitable for encircling the fingers of a user's 10 hand.
3. A hand shielding device according to claim 2 wherein the size of the closed loop is adjustable.
4. A hand shielding device according to any preceding claim, wherein the hand fixing means is formed of antimicrobial silicone.
5. A hand shielding device according to any preceding claim, wherein: two slots are formed through the second planar member, proximate opposing respective sides; the hand fixing member is a flexible strap, each end of which is slotted through a respective one of the slots from a first surface of the second planar member to the second, opposite surface, such that a portion of the hand fixing means is disposed on the first surface of the second planar member, between the two slots.
6. A hand shielding device according to claim 5 wherein the second edge of the first planar member is releasably securable to the second edge of the second planar member such that the first surface of the second planar member faces a first 25 surface of the first planar member.
7. A hand shielding device according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the portion of the strap of the hand fixing means that is disposed on the first surface of the second planar member, is wider than the length of the slots.
8. A hand shielding device according to any preceding claim wherein the 5 hinged connection is resiliently biased to an open configuration, in which the first and second planar members define a non-zero angle about the hinged connection.
9. A hand shielding device according to any preceding claim wherein the hand fixing means is provided with a connector suitable for connection to a carrying device.