Patent Application
20230036634
The disclosure relates to assist devices and more particularly pertains to a new assist device for facilitating grasping of an article. The present invention discloses an assist device comprising a sleeve into which a hand can be inserted and to which is engaged a first fastener. A second fastener is configured to be engaged to any number of different articles, positioning the user to engage the first fastener to the second fastener to engage the article to a palmar side of their hand.
The prior art relates to assist devices. Prior art assist device comprising devices in the form of sleeves, gloves, mittens, and the like are intended solely for use in bathing. What is lacking in the prior art is an assist device comprising a sleeve into which a hand can be inserted and to which is engaged a first fastener. A second fastener is configured to be engaged to any number of different articles, positioning the user to engage the first fastener to the second fastener to engage the article to a palmar side of their hand.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a sleeve, which has an opening positioned in a respective opposed side of the sleeve. A first end of the sleeve is configured for insertion of a hand of a user such that a thumb of the hand protrudes through the opening and fingers of the hand protrude through a second end of the sleeve. A first fastener is engaged to the sleeve and overlays a palmar side of the hand of the user. A second fastener is selectively engageable to a respective article, such as a cup, a pouch, or the like. The second fastener is complementary to the first fastener so that the first fastener is positioned to selectively engage the second fastener to removably engage the respective article to the palmar side of the hand of the user.
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
A first fastener 22 is engaged to the sleeve 12 and overlays a palmar side of the hand of the user. The first fastener 22 may be substantially rectangularly shaped, as shown in
A slit 38 is positioned in the sleeve 12 and extends between the first end 18 and the second end 20. The slit 38 is positioned on a dorsal side of the hand when the thumb is inserted through the opening 14. The slit 38 is configured to facilitate positioning of the sleeve 12 on the hand of the user. The sleeve 12 can be positioned on a surface and the thumb inserted through the opening 14. The sleeve 12 then can be wrapped around the hand to bring together a first side 40 and a second side 42 of the slit 38.
A closure 44 is engaged to the sleeve 12 and is positioned to selectively close the slit 38 so that the sleeve 12 is positioned around and engaged to the hand of the user. The closure 44 may comprise a first piece 46 and a second piece 48 of a hook and loop fastening strip 50, as shown in
In one example, the article 26 comprises the cup 28 to which the second fastener 24 is engaged. The second fastener 24 comprises a set of three second elements 34, with each second element 34 being configured as a strip 52 extending from proximate to a top 54 to proximate to a bottom 56 of the cup 28. The second elements 34 are positioned to selectively engage the first element 32 of the hook and loop fastener 36, which is engaged to the sleeve 12.
In another example, the article 26 comprises the pouch 30, which has a first edge 58 that is open. The pouch 30 is configured for insertion of a bar of soap. The pouch 30 is porous and thus is configured for entry of water and exit of suds. A flap 60 is engaged to and extends from the first edge 58 of the pouch 30. A first connector 62 is engaged to a first face 64 of the pouch 30 proximate to the first edge 58. A second connector 66 is engaged to the flap 60. The second connector 66 is complementary to the first connector 62 and thus is positioned to selectively engage the first connector 62 to retain the bar of soap in the pouch 30. The second fastener 24 is engaged to a second face 68 of the pouch 30 and is positioned to engage the first fastener 22 to selectively engage the first fastener 22, which is engaged to the sleeve 12. The first connector 62 and the second connector 66 may comprise a first member 70 and a second member 72 of a hook and loop connection 74, respectively, as shown in
The examples above should not be interpreted as limiting, as the present invention anticipates the second fastener 24 being engaged to a wide range of articles 26 in addition to the cup 28 and the pouch 30, such as, but not limited to, toothbrushes, razors, combs, hairbrushes, phones, and the like.
In use, the second fastener 24 is engaged to the article 26. For example, with the second fastener 24 comprising a second element 34 of a hook and loop fastener 36, the second element 34 can be adhesively engaged to the article 26. The sleeve 12 then is positioned on the hand of the user and secured in place using the first piece 46 and the second piece 48 of the hook and loop fastening strip 50 to close the slit 38. The user is positioned to engage the first element 32 of the hook and loop fastener 36 on the sleeve 12 to the second element 34 of the hook and loop fastener 36 on the article 26 to engage the article 26 to palmar side of their hand.
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, assembly 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.
