FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hand wraps for combat sports such as boxing.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Hand wraps are worn in combat sports such as boxing to reduce the risk of injury to the wearer’s hands and wrists. Typically, a hand wrap comprises a length of flexible fabric with a thumb loop disposed at one end, which may be considered a proximal end. In use, the thumb loop is passed over the wearer’s thumb to secure the hand wrap to the wearer’s hand and the hand wrap is wrapped around the wearer’s hand and wrist, generally several times. The wrap may be passed around and between the fingers and thumb. Once most of the length of the hand wrap has been wrapped or wound around the hand, a free, distal end of the hand wrap is secured to another part of the hand wrap, typically around the wearer’s wrist, to prevent the wrap from unravelling in use. The free end may be secured with tape, or a fastening arrangement such as hook and loop material may be provided adjacent the free end of the wrap. For example, the free end of the wrap may be provided with a region of hook material arranged to be secured to a region of loop material spaced apart from the free end.

For storage, hand wraps may be rolled or folded into a storage configuration. Typically, a hand wrap is rolled starting from the proximal end and rolling towards the distal end, so that the proximal end forms a centre of the roll and the distal end is disposed on an outside of the roll. Conveniently, the wrap may then be secured in the rolled or stowed configuration by securing the distal end to an outer side of the rolled wrap, using the same fastening arrangement as used to secure the distal end when the wrap is worn.

However, from the above description it will be understood that it is the proximal end of the hand wrap with the thumb loop that the wearer needs to engage with their hand first when applying the hand wrap. Accordingly, to use the hand wrap it is necessary to fully unroll or unfold the hand wrap from the storage configuration to access the thumb loop. As the length of the fabric hand wrap can be significant, this makes wrapping the hand wrap difficult, with twists in the fabric being a common problem as the hand wrap is wrapped around the wearer’s hand.

Against this background it is desirable to provide an improved hand wrap that is easier to use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the invention provides a hand wrap for combat sports, the hand wrap comprising: a wrap body comprising an elongate length of flexible material having a proximal end and a distal end; a first releasable fastening assembly comprising a first securing element disposed at the distal end and a second releasable securing element disposed adjacent the distal end and spaced apart from the distal end, the first and second securing elements being releasably securable to one another to secure the hand wrap in a first stowed configuration; and a second releasable fastening assembly comprising a third securing element disposed at the proximal end and a fourth releasable securing element disposed adjacent the proximal end and spaced apart from the proximal end, the third and fourth securing elements being releasably securable to one another to secure the hand wrap in a second stowed configuration.

The third releasable securing element disposed at the distal end is arranged to secure the hand wrap when wrapped around the user’s hand.

The hand wrap preferably comprises a thumb loop disposed at the proximal end for securing the hand wrap to a user’s thumb. The first securing element preferably comprises hook or loop material and the second securing element comprises the other of hook or loop material so as to be releasably securable to the first securing element. In preferred embodiments the first securing element comprises hook material and the second securing element comprises loop material.

The second releasable securing element is preferably spaced apart from the first releasable securing element along a length of the hand wrap by a distance such that when the wrap is in the first stowed configuration, the first releasable securing element overlaps the second releasable securing element.

The third securing element preferably comprises hook or loop material and the fourth securing element comprises the other of hook or loop material so as to be releasably securable to the third securing element. In preferred embodiments the third securing element comprises loop material and the fourth securing element comprises hook material. The thumb loop may comprise the third securing element.

In some embodiments a width of the wrap body tapers towards the proximal end.

The hand wrap comprises an inner side which is arranged to face a user’s hand and an opposite outer side, and preferably the third securing element is disposed on the inner side and the fourth securing element is disposed on the outer side.

In the first stowed configuration the wrap body is preferably rolled such that the proximal end of the wrap body is disposed in a centre of the rolled wrap body, and in the second stowed configuration the wrap body is preferably rolled such that the distal end of the wrap body is disposed in a centre of the rolled wrap body.

A distance along a length of the hand wrap between the proximal end of the first securing element and the proximal end of the second securing element is preferably less than or equal to a circumference of the hand wrap in the first stowed configuration and a distance along the length of hand wrap between the proximal end of the first securing element and a distal end of the second securing element is preferably greater than the circumference of the hand wrap in the first stowed configuration so that the first and second securing elements overlap when the hand wrap is in the first stowed configuration.

A distance along a length of the hand wrap between the proximal end of the third securing element and the proximal end of the fourth securing element is preferably less than or equal to a circumference of the hand wrap in the second stowed configuration and a distance along the length of hand wrap between the proximal end of the third securing element and a distal end of the fourth securing element is preferably greater than the circumference of the hand wrap in the second stowed configuration so that the third and fourth securing elements overlap when the hand wrap is in the second stowed configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs are used for like features, and in which:

Figure 1 is an inner side view of a hand wrap according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an outer side view of the hand wrap of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a lateral side view of the hand wrap of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a lateral side view of the hand wrap of Figure 1 in a first stowed configuration;

Figure 5 is a lateral side view of the hand wrap of Figure 1 in a second stowed configuration;

Figure 6 is an outer side view of the hand wrap of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an inner side view of a hand wrap according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 is an outer side view of the hand wrap of Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is a lateral side view of the hand wrap of Figure 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a hand wrap 2 according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an elongate flexible wrap body 4 in the form of an elongate strip of fabric. Preferably, the wrap body 4 comprises a flexible fabric material. The wrap body may comprise a natural fabric material such as a cotton fabric. The wrap body 4 may be 100% cotton. The wrap body may comprise a synthetic fabric, or a fabric comprising a mixture or blend of natural and synthetic materials. The wrap body may comprise a resilient or elastic material. The wrap body 4 extends between a first, proximal end 6 and a second, distal end 8. A distance between the proximal and distal ends 6, 8 defines a length of the wrap body 4. The wrap body 4 comprises first and second elongate side edges 10, 12 which extend between the proximal and distal ends 6, 8. A distance between the side edges 10, 12 defines a width of the wrap body 4. The wrap body 4 comprises a first, inner surface or inner side 14, which is arranged to face the wearer’s hand, and a second, opposite outer surface or outer side 16 which is arranged to face away from the wearer’s hand, when the wrap 2 is worn.

In this specification, the terms proximal and distal are used to refer to directions or positions along the length of the hand wrap 2. The proximal end 6 is the end of the wrap 2 which is first secured to the wearer’s hand in use and the distal end is an opposite end of the wrap 2 which is secured subsequently, after most of the wrap 2 has been wrapped around the hand. The proximal end 6 is arranged to be directly secured to or engaged with a wearer’s hand. To secure the hand wrap 2 to the wearer’s hand, the proximal end 6 is secured to or engaged with the wearer’s hand and the wrap body 4 is wrapped around the wearer’s hand and wrist, usually a number of times. The distal end 8 is arranged to be secured to a distal end portion 18 of the wrap body 4 adjacent the distal end 8. In this way, once most of the wrap body 4 has been wrapped around the wearer’s hand and wrist, the distal end 8 may be secured to the distal end portion 18 of the wrap body 4 to prevent unravelling of the hand wrap 2 and to secure the wrap 2 to a wearer’s hand.

The distal end portion 18 is disposed adjacent the distal end 8. The distal end portion 18 extends from the distal end 8 towards a middle portion 20 of the wrap body 4. The wrap body 4 comprises a proximal end portion 22 disposed adjacent the proximal end 6. The proximal end portion 22 extends from the proximal end 6 towards the middle portion 20 of the wrap body 4. The middle portion 20 is therefore disposed between the proximal end portion 22 and the distal end portion 18. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the side edges 10, 12 are preferably tapered in a part of the proximal end portion 22 adjacent the proximal end 6. The width of the wrap body 4 therefore tapers to a tip towards the proximal end 6. In Figures 1 to 3, most of the length of the wrap body 4 between the proximal and distal end portions 22, 18, i.e. most of the length of the middle portion 20, has been omitted for clarity.

The proximal end 6 is provided with a thumb loop 24 for securing the proximal end 6 of the wrap 2 to the wearer’s thumb. The thumb loop 24 comprises a flexible fabric loop which extends from the proximal end 6. In this embodiment, the thumb loop 24 is formed from a strip of fabric which is folded to form the loop 24, and ends of the strip are joined (e.g. stitched) to the wrap body 4 at the proximal end 6. As can be seen most clearly in Figure 3, the thumb loop 24 provides an opening 26 which is sized to receive part of a wearer’s thumb. The thumb loop 24 comprises an inner surface, which contacts the thumb when worn, and an opposite outer surface which faces away from the thumb. The hand wrap 2 may be rolled or wound around itself into a first stowed configuration for transportation and storage, as shown in Figure 4. In this first stowed configuration the hand wrap 2 is rolled with the inner side 14 facing inwards towards a centre of the roll and the outer side 16 facing outwards towards an outer side or circumference of the roll. Furthermore, the proximal end 6 of the wrap body 4 and the thumb loop 24 are disposed in a centre of the rolled hand wrap 2. The distal end 8 of the wrap body 4 is disposed at an outer circumference of the rolled hand wrap 2.

To secure the hand wrap 2 in this first stowed configuration, the hand wrap 2 comprises a first, distal releasable fastening assembly. The first, distal releasable fastening assembly comprises a first securing element 30 and a second securing element 32. The first securing element 30 is disposed at or proximate the distal end 8. The first securing element 30 is disposed on the inner side 14 of the wrap body 4. The second securing element 32 is disposed in the distal end portion 18 spaced apart from the distal end 8. The second securing element 32 is disposed on the outer side 16 of the wrap body 4. The second securing element 32 is releasably securable to the first securing element 30. In preferred embodiments the first and second securing elements 30, 32 comprise hook and look material. Preferably, the first securing element 30 comprises hook material and the second securing element 32 comprises loop material.

To secure the hand wrap 2 in the first stowed configuration, a user rolls or folds the wrap body 4 around the thumb loop 24 so that the thumb loop 24 is disposed in the centre of the roll. The distal end 8 of the wrap body 4 is then secured to maintain the hand wrap 2 in the first stowed configuration. In particular, the first securing element 30 is engaged with or secured to the second securing element 32. In this way, the thumb loop 24 is contained neatly within the rolled hand wrap 2.

In some embodiments the hand wrap 2 includes a brand panel 34 secured to the wrap body 4 at the distal end 8. The brand panel 34 is disposed on an opposite side of the wrap body to the first securing element 30. In this embodiment the brand panel 34 is disposed on the outer side 16 of the wrap body 4. The brand panel 34 preferably includes printing or stitching in the form of a brand logo and/or alphanumeric characters providing a brand name. It will be appreciated that when the hand wrap 2 is in the first stowed configuration the brand panel 34 will be disposed on an external facing side of the hand wrap 2 so that the brand panel 34 is visible to a consumer. This is advantageous when the hand wrap 2 is on display in a retail environment or when the hand wrap 2 is initially delivered to a customer.

At least a part of the second securing element 32 is spaced apart from the first securing element 30 by a distance approximately equal to a circumference of a wearer’s wrist. In this way, the first and second securing elements 30, 32 at least partially overlap when the hand wrap 2 is wrapped around a wearer’s hand and wrist. Furthermore, with the first and second securing elements 30, 32 on opposite sides of the wrap body 4 and, in particular, with the second securing element 32 facing outwards, away from the wrist, and the first releasable securing element 30 facing inwards, towards the wrist, the first and second securing elements 30, 32 may be brought into engagement with each other when the hand wrap 2 is wrapped around a wearer’s hand and wrist. The first securing element 30 is therefore arranged to be secured to the second securing element 32 to releasably secure the distal end 8 of the wrap body 4, and thereby secure the hand wrap 2 around a wearer’s hand and wrist.

A length of the second securing element 32 is therefore such that the first securing element 30 may be brought into engagement and secured to the second securing element 32 both when the hand wrap 2 is in the first stowed configuration and when the hand wrap 2 is wrapped around a wearer’s hand and wrist.

As will be appreciated, in use, a wearer firstly engages the proximal end 6 of the wrap body 4, in this embodiment the thumb loop 24, with their hand. The wearer then wraps the wrap body 4 around their hand and wrist a plurality of times before securing the distal end 8 as described above. Accordingly, with the hand wrap 2 in the first stowed configuration it is necessary for the wearer to firstly fully unroll the hand wrap 2 to access the proximal end 6, and thumb loop 24 in this embodiment, before beginning to wrap the hand wrap 2 around their hand and wrist.

To allow a wearer to engage the thumb loop 24 with their hand without having to fully unroll the hand wrap 2, the hand wrap 2 includes a second, proximal releasable fastening assembly. This second, proximal releasable fastening assembly is arranged to allow the user to maintain the hand wrap 2 in a second stowed configuration, illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. In the second stowed configuration the hand wrap 2 is rolled with the distal end 8 of the wrap body 4 disposed in the centre of the rolled hand wrap 2. The proximal end 6 of the wrap body 4 and the thumb loop 24 are disposed at an outer circumference of the rolled hand wrap 2. Preferably the hand wrap 2 is rolled into the second stowed configuration with the inner side 14 facing inwards towards the centre of the roll and the outer side 16 facing outwards towards the outer side or circumference of the roll.

The second, proximal releasable fastening assembly comprises a third securing element 40 and a fourth securing element 42.

To secure the hand wrap 2 in the second stowed configuration, a user rolls or folds the wrap body 4 so that the distal end 8 is disposed in the centre of the roll. The proximal end 6 of the wrap body 4 is then secured to maintain the hand wrap 2 in the first stowed configuration by securing the third securing element 40 to the fourth securing element 42.

The third securing element 40 is disposed at or proximate the proximal end 6. In this embodiment the third securing element 40 is disposed on or provided by a part of the thumb loop 24. The fourth securing element 42 is disposed in the proximal end portion 22 spaced apart from the proximal end 6. The fourth securing element 42 is releasably securable to the third securing element 40. In preferred embodiments the third and fourth securing elements 40, 42 comprise hook and look material. In this embodiment, the thumb loop 24 comprises the third securing element 40 in the form of a strip of hook or loop material. Preferably the thumb loop 24 comprises loop material. The loop material is provided on the outer surface of the thumb loop 24. Preferably, the thumb loop 24 is formed from a single fabric strip having the loops forming the loop material on its outer surface. That is, the thumb loop 24 for receiving part of the wearer’s thumb and the third securing element 40 are provided by the same strip of fabric. Preferably a portion of the outer surface of the thumb loop 24 which faces in generally the same direction as the inner side 14 of the wrap body 4, when the hand wrap 2 is unrolled and flat, is provided with loop material.

In this embodiment, the thumb loop 24 is formed from a strip of loop material so that loop material is provided on both the portion of the outer surface of the thumb loop 24 which faces in generally the same direction as the outer side 16 of the wrap body 4 and on a portion of the outer surface of the thumb loop 24 which faces in generally the same direction as the inner side 14 of the wrap body 4.

In this embodiment the fourth securing element 42 is disposed on the outer side 16 of the wrap body 4.

In this embodiment, the fourth securing element 42 is provided by a strip of hook material. The strip of hook material extends longitudinally along the wrap body 4. The strip is disposed midway between the side edges 10, 12 and extends along a midline of the wrap body 4.

In other embodiments, the third securing element 40 may comprise hook material and the fourth securing element 42 may comprise loop material.

The fourth securing element 42 is spaced apart from the third securing element 40 such that a distance between a part of the third securing element 40 and a part of the fourth securing element 42 is approximately equal to an outer circumference of the hand wrap 2 when in the second stowed configuration. In this way, as can be seen in Figure 5, when the hand wrap 2 is rolled into the second stowed configuration, the third securing element 40 is aligned with and overlaps the fourth securing element 42.

Provided that a distance between at least part of the third securing element 40 and at least part of the fourth securing element 42 is equal to or greater than a circumference of the hand wrap 2 when rolled into the second stowed configuration, the third and fourth securing elements 40, 42 will at least partially overlap when the hand wrap 2 is in the second stowed configuration. Preferably, the distance between the third securing element 40 and the fourth securing element 42 is such that the third and fourth securing elements 40, 42 substantially fully overlap when the hand wrap 2 is rolled up in the second stowed configuration, as can be seen in Figure 5.

To roll the wrap 2 into the second stowed configuration, the wrap body 4 is rolled up starting from the distal end 8 and rolling towards the proximal end 6. In this embodiment the wrap 2 is rolled so that the inner side 14 faces inwards towards a centre of the roll (e.g. radially inwards in Figure 5) and the outer side 16 faces outwards away from the centre of the roll (e.g. radially outwards in Figure 5). Accordingly, the distal end 8 is disposed at the centre of the roll. With this arrangement, the proximal end portion 22 and thumb loop 24 are disposed on an outside of the roll. The third and fourth securing elements 40, 42 are engaged to secure the proximal end 6 to the proximal end portion 22 of the rolled wrap 2 and prevent the proximal end 6 from unravelling. The wrap 2 is thus secured in the second stowed configuration.

Advantageously, in this configuration, the thumb loop 24 is disposed on the outside of the roll and can be readily accessed by a wearer. In the present invention, the wearer can simply insert their thumb into the thumb loop 24 with the wrap 2 in the second stowed configuration, or after only unravelling a short length of the wrap 2 at the proximal end 6 (e.g. the proximal end portion 22). In this way, the wearer can wrap the hand wrap 2 around their hand and wrist whilst unrolling the hand wrap 2 from the roll as required. This avoids the inconvenience of handling the length of a fully unrolled wrap body 4, which may be inconvenient and/or result in tangles. To wear the hand wrap 2 therefore, the thumb loop 24 is passed over the wearer’s thumb and the wrap body 4 is wrapped around the wearer’s hand and wrist with the outer side 16 facing outwards away from the hand. The wrap 2 may be unrolled from the second stowed configuration as it is applied to the wearer’s hand. Once the wrap body 4 has been wrapped around the hand and wrist, the distal end 8 is secured in place by securing the first securing element 30 to the second securing element 32.

In other embodiments, the third securing element may be disposed on the outer side of the wrap body (facing away from the wearer’s hand when the wrap is worn) and the fourth releasable securing element may be disposed on the inner side of the wrap body (facing towards the wearer’s hand when worn). In such embodiments, the wrap is intended to be rolled into the second stowed configuration with the inner side facing outwardly, away from a centre of the rolled wrap, and the outer side facing inwards, towards the centre of the roll.

In the second stowed configuration, therefore, the third securing element will face inwardly, towards the centre of the roll, and the fourth securing element will face outwardly, towards the outside of the roll. Accordingly, the third and fourth securing elements will overlap and will be releasably securable to one another to secure the wrap in the second stowed configuration, as in the embodiment described above.

Alternatively, a third securing element may be provided on both inner and outer sides of the wrap body, and a fourth releasable securing element may be provided on both inner and outer side of the wrap body. With this arrangement, the wrap may be rolled into the second stowed configuration in either direction.

In some embodiments, the third securing element may not be provided by the thumb loop. The third releasable securing element may be provided by a tab or piece of hook or loop material which extends from the proximal end.

In some embodiments, the third securing element may be provided by a region of hook or loop material disposed adjacent the proximal end 6 in the proximal end portion 22. This is illustrated in the embodiment shown in Figures 7 to 9. In this embodiment the third securing element 40’ is disposed in the tapered region of the proximal end portion 22. All other features of this embodiment are identical to those of the first embodiment and will not be described further in relation to this embodiment. As previously described the third and fourth securing elements 40’, 42 are spaced apart from each other and are disposed on opposite sides of the wrap body 4, such that when the hand wrap 2 in rolled into the second stowed configuration, the third and fourth securing elements 40’, 42 may be engaged to retain the hand wrap 2 in the rolled configuration.

Although in the above embodiments the first, second, third and fourth securing elements 30, 32, 40, 42 were described as comprising hook and loop material, in other embodiments the first, second, third and fourth securing elements may include any suitable fastener that permits the first securing element to be releasably secured to the second securing element, and permits the third securing element to be releasably secured to the fourth securing element. The first, second, third and fourth securing elements may comprise pop studs or other mechanical fasteners, or adhesive elements.

The present invention therefore provides an improved hand wrap that may be rolled and maintained in one of two rolled or stowed configurations. The first stowed configuration is suitable for retail environments and initial transportation of the hand wrap. In this first stowed configuration the thumb loop is contained in the centre of the rolled hand wrap so that this does not get caught or tangled on other merchandise, and branding applied to the distal end of the wrap body may be clearly displayed. The second stowed configuration is preferably during use of the hand wrap as it allows the wearer to engage the thumb loop with their hand without unrolling the full length of the wrap body, and allows the wearer to unroll the wrap body as they wrap the wrap body around their hand, thereby avoiding possible twisting or tangling of the hand wrap.