Patent Application
20250127248
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The disclosure relates to wrist brace devices and more particularly pertains to a new wrist brace device for retaining a bowler's wrist at a preferred orientation for releasing a bowling ball. The device includes a brace that has a forearm attachment and a wrist attachment and a hand attachment. The device includes a plurality of belts each attached to the brace which can be wrapped around a bowler's forearm and wrist and hand and subsequently attached to a respective forearm attachment or wrist attachment or hand attachment.
The prior art relates to wrist brace devices including a variety of bowling braces devices which each includes a series of straps that can be wrapped around a bowler's wrist and hand and a support member for inhibiting flexion of the bowler's wrist when releasing a bowling ball. In no instance does the prior art disclose a bowling brace that includes a rigid brace which extends along a dorsal side of a bowler's forearm and wrist and hand and belts for securing the brace to the bowler's forearm, wrist and hand.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a brace which extends along a substantial length of a bowler's forearm when the brace is worn on the bowler's forearm. The brace has a forearm attachment, a wrist attachment and a hand attachment and the brace is comprised of a rigid material to inhibit flexion in the bowler's wrist when the bowler releases a bowling ball. A cushion is bonded to the brace to enhance comfort for the bowler. A plurality of belts is each attached to the brace and each of the belts can be wrapped around a respective one of the bowler's forearm, the bowler's wrist and the bowler's hand. Each of the plurality of belts is releasably matable to a respective one of the forearm attachment, the wrist attachment and the hand attachment to secure the brace to the bowler's forearm.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The brace 12 is comprised of a rigid material, including but not being limited to plastic or metal, to inhibit flexion in the bowler's wrist 24 when the bowler 16 releases a bowling ball 28. The forearm attachment 18 has an outer edge 30 which has a series of intersecting sides 32 each oriented at obtuse angles with respect to each other such that the forearm attachment 18 has an irregular polygonal shape. In this way the forearm attachment 18 covers a substantial area of a dorsal side 34 of the bowler's forearm 14. The series of intersecting sides 32 includes a first outward side 36 and a second outward side 38 each being oriented at an angle with respect to the lengthwise axis 13 of the brace 12. In this way each of the first outward side 36 and the second outward side 38 slopes toward a center of the brace 12 between a back end 40 and a front end 42 of the lengthwise axis 13.
The forearm attachment 18 is positioned adjacent to the back end 40 of the lengthwise axis 13. The forearm attachment 18 has a pair of first belt frames 44 each positioned on a respective one of the first outward side 36 and the second outward side 38 such that each of the pair of first belt frames 44 extends laterally beyond a respective one of a lateral side 46 and a medial side 48 of the bowler's forearm 14. Each of the first belt frames 44 defines a belt opening 50 that is elongated to extend along a substantial length of the respective first outward side 36 or the second outward side 38.
The hand attachment 22 has an outside edge 52 which has a series of intersecting sides 54 such that the hand attachment 22 has an irregular polygonal shape. In this way the hand attachment 22 can cover a substantial area of a dorsal side 56 of the bowler's hand 26. The series of intersecting sides 54 of the hand attachment 22 includes a primary outward side 58 extending between a rear outward side 60 and a front outward side 62. The primary outward side 58 is oriented parallel to the lengthwise axis 13 of the brace 12. The rear outward side 60 slopes away from the center of the brace 12 between the back end 40 and the front end 42 of the lengthwise axis 13.
The front outward side 62 angles forwardly from a front side 64 of the series of intersecting sides 54 of the hand attachment 22 such that the primary outward side 58 is aligned with the perlicue 66 of the bowler's hand 26. The series of intersecting sides 54 of the hand attachment 22 includes a secondary outward side 68 that is oriented at an angle with the lengthwise axis 13 of the brace 12 such that the secondary outward side 68 slopes away from the center of the brace 12 between the back end 40 and the front end 42 of the lengthwise axis 13. In this way the secondary outward side 68 is positioned adjacent to an outer side of the bowler's hand 26.
The hand attachment 22 has a pair of second belt frames 70 that is each positioned on a respective one of the primary outward side 58 and the secondary outward side 68 of the series of intersecting sides 54 of the hand attachment 22. In this way each of the second belt frames 70 can extend along a respective one of the perlicue 66 and the outer side 72 of the bowler's hand 26. Each of the second belt frames 70 defines a belt opening 74 that is elongated to extend along a substantial length of the respective primary outward side 58 or the secondary outward side 68. The second belt frame 70 that is positioned on the primary outward side 58 is positioned closer to the front side 64 of the series of intersecting sides 54 of the hand attachment 22 than the second belt frame 70 that is positioned on the secondary outward side 68. Additionally, the hand attachment 22 is positioned adjacent to the front end 42 of the lengthwise axis 13 of the brace 12.
The brace 12 has a stem portion 76 extending between each of the forearm attachment 18 and the hand attachment 22 and the stem portion 76 has an exterior edge 78 which has a first lateral side 80 and a second lateral side 82. The wrist attachment 20 comprises a pair of third belt frames 84 that is each positioned on a respective one of the first lateral side 80 and the second lateral side 82 of the exterior edge 78. Additionally, each of the third belt frames 84 defines a belt opening 86 that is elongated to extend along a substantial length of the respective first lateral side 80 or the second lateral side 82. The pair of third belt frames 84 is aligned with each other and each of the pair of third belt frames 84 is centrally positioned between the forearm attachment 18 and the hand attachment 22.
The stem portion 76 which extends between the wrist attachment 20 and the hand attachment 22 angles upwardly between the wrist attachment 20 and the hand attachment 22. In this way the stem portion 76 which extends between the wrist attachment 20 and the hand attachment 22 can accommodate the bowler's wrist 24 at a preferred angle for releasing the bowling ball 28. The brace 12 has a ridge 88 extending upwardly from a top surface 90 of the brace 12. The ridge 88 is elongated to extend along a substantial length of the lengthwise axis 13 of the brace 12 such that the ridge 88 inhibits flexion of the brace 12 along the lengthwise axis 13. In this way the ridge 88 enhances stability of the bowler's wrist 24 when the bowler 16 releases the bowling ball 28. The ridge 88 has a first end 92 and a second end 94 and each of the first end 92 and the second end 94 of the ridge 88 is sloped.
A cushion 96 is bonded to the brace 12 such that the cushion 96 is positioned between the brace 12 and the bowler's forearm 14 when the brace 12 is worn. The cushion 96 is comprised of a resiliently compressible material, including but not being limited to rubber or silicone, to enhance comfort for the bowler 16. The cushion 96 has an upper surface 98 that is bonded to a bottom surface 100 of the brace 12. Additionally, the cushion 96 has a perimeter edge 102 which has a series of interesting sides 104 that is each strategically oriented to facilitate the cushion 96 to conform to the shape of the brace 12 viewed along an axis extending through the top surface 90 and the bottom surface 100 of the brace 12. Furthermore, the cushion 96 extends forwardly beyond the hand attachment 22 a distance of approximately 6.0 mm to inhibit the hand attachment 22 from being compressed against the bowler's hand 26 for enhancing comfort for the bowler 16. The cushion 96 may have a thickness of approximately 9.0 mm.
A plurality of belts 106 is provided and each of the plurality belts 106 is attached to the brace 12. Each of the plurality of belts 106 can be wrapped around a respective one of the bowler's forearm 14, the bowler's wrist 24 and the bowler's hand 26. Each of the plurality of belts 106 is releasably matable to a respective one of the forearm attachment 18, the wrist attachment 20 and the hand attachment 22 having each of the plurality of belts 106 forming a closed loop. In this way each of the plurality of belts 106 can secure the brace 12 to the bowler's forearm 14.
Each of the plurality of belts 106 has a primary end 108 and a secondary end 110 and a topmost surface 112 extending between the primary end 108 and the secondary end 110. The plurality of belts 106 includes a forearm belt 114, a wrist belt 116 and a hand belt 118. The forearm belt 114 is looped through the belt opening 50 in a respective one of the first belt frames 44 having the primary end 108 of the forearm belt 114 being mated to the forearm belt 114. The wrist belt 116 is looped through the belt opening 86 in a respective one of the third belt frames 84 having the primary end 108 of the wrist belt 116 being mated to the wrist belt 116. The hand belt 118 is looped through the belt opening 74 in a respective one of the second belt frames 70 having the primary end 108 of the hand belt 118 being mated to the hand belt 118.
A plurality of first couplers 120 is provided and each of the plurality of first couplers 120 is attached to the topmost surface 112 of a respective one of the forearm belt 114, the wrist belt 116 or the hand belt 118. Each of the plurality of first couplers 120 is spaced from the secondary end 110 of the respective forearm belt 114 or wrist belt 116 or hand belt 118. A plurality of second couplers 122 is provided and each of the plurality of second couplers 122 is attached to the topmost surface 112 of a respective one of the forearm belt 114 or the wrist belt 116 or the hand belt 118. Each of the plurality of second couplers 122 is positioned adjacent to the secondary end 110 of the respective forearm belt 114 or wrist belt 116 or hand belt 118.
The second coupler 122 on the forearm belt 114 is matable to the first coupler 120 on the forearm belt 114 when the secondary end 110 of the forearm belt 114 is extended through the belt opening 50 in an opposing one of first belt frames 44 with respect to the first belt frame 44 to which the forearm belt 114 is attached for retaining the forearm belt 114 in the closed loop. The second coupler 122 on the wrist belt 116 is matable to the first coupler 120 on the wrist belt 116 when the secondary end 110 of the wrist belt 116 is extended through the belt opening 50 in an opposing one of first belt frames 44 with respect to the first belt frame 44 to which the wrist belt 116 is attached for retaining the wrist belt 116 in the closed loop. Furthermore, the second coupler 122 on the hand belt 118 is matable to the first coupler 120 on the hand belt 118 when the secondary end 110 of the hand belt 118 is extended through the belt opening 50 in an opposing one of first belt frames 44 with respect to the first belt frame 44 to which the hand belt 118 is attached for retaining the hand belt 118 in the closed loop. Each of the first couplers 120 and the second couplers 122 may comprise complementary portions of a hook and loop fastener or other type of multiple use, releasable coupler.
In use, the brace 12 is positioned on the dorsal side 34 of the bowler's forearm 14 such that the brace 12 extends onto the dorsal side 56 of the user's hand 26. Respective ones of the belts 106 are wrapped around the bowler's forearm 14, wrist 24 and hand 26 and is releasably mated to the respective forearm attachment 18 or wrist attachment 20 or hand attachment 22. In this way the brace 12 is retained on the bowler's forearm 14, wrist 24 and hand 26. The brace 12 retains the bowler's wrist 24 at a preferred angle for releasing the bowling ball 28 during the game of bowling. In this way the brace 12 reduces fatigue for the bowler's wrist 24 as well as improving the form and geometry of the bowler's 16 release thereby enhancing the bowler's 16 performance in the game of bowling.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, device and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
