Wrist guard

Claim 1

A wrist guard for protecting a wearer's wrist, said wrist guard comprising: a first rigid plate member; first fastening means for fastening said first plate members to a back of said wearer's hand; a second rigid plate member; second fastening means for fastening said second plate member to a back of said wearer's forearm in close proximity to said wearer's wrist; hinge means for connecting said first plate member and said second plate member to pivot relative to each other about an axis generally parallel to a bending axis of said wrist, said hinge means accommodating substantially unrestricted downward pivotal movement and a substantially restricted upward pivotal movement to a point of maximum upward bending; said plate members and hinge means integrally formed of impact resistant plastic having a first surface opposing said wrist and second surface opposite said first surface; a plurality of transverse grooves in said second surface to define a plurality of transverse reduced thickness portions with said material bendable at said portions and with said grooves disposed between opposing surfaces of said plastic, said grooves positioned to be disposed against a wearer's wrist when said first and second plate members are secured to said hand and forearm; said grooves sized for said opposing surface to at least partially abut when said hinge means is at said point of maximum upward bending.