The present invention relates to a thumb guard tool. More specifically, the present invention provides a thumb guard tool that assists users in applying force to a seat belt buttons or a car seat buttons to release the desired latch. Moreover, the thumb guard tool will enable a user to apply enough force to a desired surface without risking damage or injury to their own fingers and thumb.
Seatbelts and car seats provide protection to individuals and children while they are sitting in an automobile. Such protective devices include a securing mechanism that limits the individual's chances from suffering a major injury if the automobile were to be in an accident. More often than not in order for an individual to be released from a seat belt or car seat, the button needs to be engaged in order to release the latch. Since seatbelts and car seats provide such an important function to the individuals that they are protecting, to release the latch and free the individual from such protective devices can require a significant amount of force.
For individuals that suffer from a disability or a degenerative disease it may be difficult to apply the necessary amount of force to the desired latch to release themselves or another from a seat, belt or car seat. For example. If an Individual is suffering from arthritis in their hands, they may lose the ability to use their fingers in a situation where their fingers must apply a high amount of force against another object. Such an individual may have frail and weak fingers that cannot withstand the appropriate amount of force needed to achieve the objective. Moreover, an individual suffering from such a disease may not be able to contort their fingers in such a way that the can even direct an appropriate force to a specific area on another object.
Some individuals, mostly women, enjoy maintaining longer fingernails for aesthetic reasons. For those individuals who do maintain longer fingernails it can be difficult to apply a force against an object with their fingers. Specifically, the fingernails can be obstacles in which limit the individual's ability to position their fingers in a desirable configuration. In instances where individuals with longer fingernails do apply a substantial force against an object, their fingernails could end up being damaged or broken. When an individual's fingernail is broken it can be uncomfortable for the individual since there is a high number of nerve endings connected to the base of their fingernails. Similarly, individuals with longer fingernails may experience the same restrictions in their ability to apply force against an object with their fingers as somebody who is suffering from a disability or degenerative disease.
When an individual that has an inability to use their fingers to apply a force to an object, they can be left in a precarious position. For example, if an adult is in an automobile with a small child, the small child may be placed within a car seat and the adult secured to their seat via a seat belt. If the adult lacks the ability to apply force to an object, with their fingers, then the small child, or possibly both the adult and the small child, maybe trapped in the automobile until they receive assistance from a third party. Any unfortunate instances where it is necessary to escape from an automobile quickly and swiftly, may leave a party that is unable to unlatch a seat belt or car seat in a dangerous position. Specifically, having to rely on a third party to arrive and provide the proper assistance to unlatch the seat belt or car seat may take too much time for the individual strapped to the seat belt to escape in a necessary amount of time.
Beyond the inability to unlatch a protective device within an automobile, individuals who cannot apply force to an object with their fingers may be hampered in other aspects as well. For example, if an Individual lives in an apartment complex that requires the use of an elevator, the elevator may require the individual to apply force to the elevator buttons to both gain access to the elevator and select the desired floor in which they need the elevator to arrive. Therefore, an individual can be in a wide variety of situations that require them to use their fingers and apply a significant force against an object to achieve a necessary function. Without the ability to apply the necessary force, an individual will be unable to perform mundane, yet necessary tasks to go throughout their day.
Due to the spread of highly infectious diseases, individuals may desire not to place their fingers on publicly used appliances or equipment. To protect oneself against contracting such contagious diseases, it is important to limit the contact, one has with publicly used appliances or equipment. However, there are instances where the individual must use a public appliance or equipment to utilise or access necessities. These individuals can limit, their exposure two such contagious diseases by using tools in which limit their physical contact with such appliances or equipment.
Therefore, there is a defined need amongst the known prior art references for a thumb guard tool that will allow users to apply a necessary force upon an object or a surface, either privately or publicly used, without having to use their own fingers.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of thumb guards now present in the known art, the present invention provides a new thumb guard that may be held in a user's hand or placed over a user's thumb that includes a pair of apertures for receiving a key ring or similar connector and possesses photoluminescent properties.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a thumb guard that allows a user to apply a needed force to an object without risking injury or damage to their thumb or fingers. The thumb guard has multiple embodiments that allows a user to operate the device. Whether the thumb guard is placed in the user's hand or placed upon the user's thumb, the thumb guard will enable a user to engage with a desired object or surface. Specifically, the thumb guard will allow the user to apply the appropriate amount of force to the seat buckle or button to release the strap. This alternative method to disengage a seat belt or any other push button locking device without using one's real fingers will limit the chances the user will sustain any damage to their fingers from having to apply the necessary force thereon. Moreover, the alternative method allows an Individual who lacks the necessary dexterity to also release the latch effectively on their seatbelt. Additionally, for individuals that have longer fingernails they will not have to risk breaking the nail from exposing the nail to such high force when using their fingers or thumb to engage the object or surface.
Another aspect of the present invention is to allow a user to protect against any disease transmittable through physical contact with a publicly used surface or object. When taking public transportation, individuals will regularly have to use the safety belts and seat buckles that are used by the previous passenger. Additionally, when the individual is pressing buttons that operate doors or elevators, they typically must directly place their finger upon the surface. These publicly used items and surfaces may contain a high number of bacteria due to the regular use from people. When directly contacting these surfaces, the bacteria may transfer to an individual and result in the individual contracting an illness. Providing a user with an alternative means to engage the public surface will limit the chances that the bacteria transfers to the individual and ultimately results in an illness.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is to allow users to use the device even in dark or dimly lit areas. When in a car at night, it may be difficult to locale the exact seat belt or car seat button that needs to be disengaged to release an individual. The photoluminescent properties of the object, will provide an illumination that will help a user operate the present invention even when they lack the necessary light to view the desired objects and areas.
Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.
Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of a thumb assistance device. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be limiting in any respect.
In one embodiment, the solid elongated body 15 and the working end 16 are composed of a rigid material. The rigid property of the thumb device 11 permits the user to apply the appropriate amount of force to press against an object or surface. In one embodiment, the solid elongated body 15 is composed of a photoluminescent material. The photoluminescent material allows the thumb device 11 to illuminate in the dark. The photoluminescent material provides the user with convenience to locate and use the thumb device 11 in dark areas.
A user will insert their thumb into the thumb device 31 through the open lower end 33. The thumb device 31 encases the user's thumb. The user's thumb will be placed within the interior volume 32. The flexible perimeter wall 36 provides the user with the ability to maneuver their thumb in the desired direction while the thumb device 31 is in use. In one embodiment, the thumb device 31 is composed of a photoluminescent material. The photoluminescent material allows the thumb device 31 to illuminate in the dark. The photoluminescent material provides the user with convenience to locate and use the thumb device 31 in dark areas.
It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, 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 ail equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention 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 invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/078,116 filed on Sep. 14, 2020. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63078116 | Sep 2020 | US |