DITF
(Source: DITF)
When we watch a goalkeeper elegantly deflect the ball over the crossbar, there are great forces that act on the fingertips and the danger of injury is very present. The DITF and their project partner T1TAN GmbH, Herbolzheim/Germany, are developing effective finger overstretch protection for goalkeeping gloves.
The glove developed at the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF), Denkendorf/Germany, is designed to prevent 90% of injuries caused by overstretching. To achieve this, a mechanical concept was developed that absorbs the force in the fingertips and optimally transfers it to the forearm via the wrist cuff, without deforming the glove.
The central functional elements of the overstretch protection are load-absorbing textile structures with specific force-elongation mechanics. These structures are sewn on from the finger end joint of the outer hand to the finger end joint of the inner hand and are thus firmly anchored in the glove. The glove and its individual functional elements have been designed and arranged to create a geometrically high form fit that optimally guides the flow of forces.
To test the effect, a "glove test rig" was set up at the DITF. It consists of a ball cannon and a specially developed hand dummy for the goalkeeper's glove. The ball cannon shoots at speeds of 20-120 km/h and from different ball ejection angles. A pressure cell is installed behind the glove to determine the "residual impact force" on the hand. This is so low in the newly developed goalkeeper glove that the goalkeeper is effectively protected from overstretching his fingers.
The research project will be completed in September 2021.
