GB2398993A

GB2398993A - Hair, face and garment protector

Info

Publication number: GB2398993A
Application number: GB0304855A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Natasha Ofune Rebecca Iwegbu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-03-04
Filing date: 2003-03-04
Publication date: 2004-09-08
Also published as: GB0304855D0

Abstract

A protector made from transparent, non-stretch, air permeable material (2) have an elasticated edge (5) is pulled over at least the face in order to protect a garment from soiling when moving it over the head. The protector is generally elongate in shape, preferably being wider at one end (3a) and narrower at another (3b), is made from a piece of material which, when laid flat, is oviod in shape. Preferably the narrow part covers the lower part of the face. Tabs (6) may be added to the narrow part to aid removal of the protector. The protector may also at least in part cover the hair. In a second aspect, a face protector with an elasticated edge is provided with at least one tab part to aid removal of the protector.

Description

FACE PROTECTOR

This invention relates to protectors for covering a person's face when changing clothes by pulling a garment over the head, in order to prevent facial make-up from soiling the garment and also to protect such make-up from being smudged by the garment. Such protectors may also be designed to protect hairdos from being disturbed by clothing as it is pulled over the head and to prevent garments being soiled by preparations such as oils applied to the hair.

Various forms of protectors for this purpose have previously been proposed but they have certain shortcomings. Generally such protectors as disclosed, for example, in WO 01/80683 and DE 8801364U are formed from a piece of material which is provided with a gathered elasticated edge so that the protector assumes the shape of a conventional hairnet and can be pulled on to the head to cover either the face or the face and at least part of the hair. The protector forming the subject of WO 01/80683 is made of a stretch material and when adapted to cover the head, face and neck of the wearer is stretched taut over the face and hair, which makes it uncomfortable and likely itself to smudge the wearer's make-up and disturb the wearer's hairdo when it is pulled on and off the head. Whilst the protector disclosed in DE 8801364U may be made of a non-stretch material the material is initially circular in shape and is designed to fit either over the face only or over the entire head with its elasticated edge around the neck. If the protector is made large enough to fit over the entire head without smudging make-up or disturbing a hairdo, then it is too large to fit properly over the face only and remain securely in position when the wearer pulls a garment over the head. If the protector is made small enough to fit over the face only, it can only be fitted over the whole head by pulling it taut with the result that it may smudge make-up and disturb the hair. Stretching such a circular shaped protector over the entire face and head would create an uneven distribution of material across the face and head and unwanted I frictional contact with the face. The protector is likely to be more baggy around the lower part of the face compared with the upper part and therefore more likely to be caught on projecting objects such as buttons on clothing.

10The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of protector for the purpose specified.

Particular aims of the invention are to overcome the shortcomings of the known forms of protector referred to above.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a protector for covering a person's face, the protector being formed from a piece of non- stretch, transparent and air permeable material which is provided with a gathered elasticated edge, characterised in that the protector is of elongate or oblong form.

The protector may be designed to cover not only the face but also at least part of a person's hair. Preferably the protector is shaped for fitting over the face and over the top of the head down to the occipital region.

Preferably the protector has a narrower part at one end and a wider part at the other end. In a preferred embodiment the protector is formed from a piece of material which when flat is of ovoid or substantially ovoid shape in outline.

The idea of this aspect of the invention is that the protector is intended to be fitted over a person's face with the narrower end part of the protector covering the lower part of the face. As this part of a human face is usually narrower than the upper part, the protector is consistently loose-fitting over the whole of the face and not excessively baggy at the lower part. If the protector also covers the hair on top of the head down to the occipital region its elongate form ensures that it is constantly loose-fitting over the face and the hair.

Therefore there is sufficient material in the protector to spread loosely over the face and the hair providing a comfortable and ergonomic fit. Also, the part of the protector covering the face can be lifted and lowered whilst leaving the rest of the protector in position on the head, for example between changing different clothing.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a protector for covering a person's face, the protector comprising a cover having an elastic outer edge whereby the cover can be pulled over the face with its elastic edge resiliently embracing the head, characterised in that the cover is provided with at least one projecting element positioned so that the cover can be pulled on and off the head by grasping and pulling the said element.

Preferably the cover is provided with two spaced elements positioned so that when the protector covers a person's face they can lie at opposite sides of the person's chin. In this position the elements can easily be grasped by the hands of a wearer and pulled outwardly and upwardly in a natural movement of the hands to remove the protector. Significantly this movement enables the wearer to avoid bringing the cover into contact with the sides of the face where there is likely to be make-up. Likewise, the protector can be pulled over the head by first placing it over the upper part of the face and then pulling the elements downwardly or first engaging the lower part of the cover beneath the chin and then raising the rest of the cover (whilst keeping it clear of the face) to cover the face. In both actions the elastic edge of the mask is stretched (whilst avoiding any contact with make-up) to enable the mask to be pulled over the face, and when fitting the protector the elastic edge, when released, embraces the head resiliently to hold the protector in place.

The or each element is preferably a tab attached to the cover.

Preferably, as in the first aspect of the invention, the protector is designed to cover not only a person's face but also at least part of the hair.

In a protector which has a combination of both the first and second aspects of the invention, the said element or elements is or are provided at one end of the elongate or oblong protector, specifically the narrower end as the case may be. In this case the element or elements also acts or act to indicate the s intended orientation of the protector when it is fitted to a person's head, that is to say the element or elements are to be positioned adjacent to a person's chin.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a protector according to the invention, FIGURE 2 shows the piece of material from which the protector is made, FIGURES 3 and 4 are, respectively, front and side views showing the protector fitted on a person's head, and FIGURES 5 and 6 are front and side views showing the manner in which the protector is intended to be pulled off the head.

The drawings show a protector which is designed to cover a person's face F and hair H on top of the person's head down to the occipital region R. The protector comprises a cover 2 which is made from a piece of non stretch transparent and air permeable fabric 3 (Figure 2). This fabric may have a mesh structure formed by knitting or weaving using a suitable synthetic or natural yarn. As shown in Figure 2, the piece of material is of elongate, ovoid shape in outline having a wider part 3a at one end and a narrower part 3b at the other end.

The piece of material 3 may be formed into the protector by turning over a marginal portion of its outer edge so that it encloses a length of elastic and then attaching this portion by stitching to the main part of the piece of material.

The length of elastic is then shortened and its ends secured together so that the outer edge of the piece of material is gathered and thereby drawn inwardly to form an opening 4 smaller in size than the enclosure formed by the piece of material. Alternatively at least one length of elastic may be stitched into the fabric with its edge gathered to produce the same effect. The protector is thus formed with an elasticated edge 5.

Two tabs 6 of a suitable fabric are attached by stitching to the narrower part 3b of the piece of fabric 3 at spaced locations which when the protector is worn lie at opposite sides ofthe person's chin C. With the protector in this position on a person's head, the person can easily remove it by grasping the respective tabs 6 with his or her two hands and then pulling the tabs downwardly and outwardly as shown in Figures 5 and 6 so that the lower part of the elasticated edge 5 of the cover is pulled away from and clear of the face F. By an upwards movement of the hands the person can then lift the cover away from the face and pull it upwardly away from the hair H on top of the head.

To fit the protector a person stretches the elasticated edge 5 using the fingers to enlarge the opening 4 and then hooks the part of the edge between the r tabs 6 beneath the chin. Then the cover 2 is raised, keeping it clear of the face, to a position in which it covers the face and extends over the top of the head to the occipital region R. Alternatively the user places the cover initially on top of his or her head with the tabs 6 disposed forwardly at opposite sizes of a S vertical centre line passing through the person's nose. The rear portion of the cover is pulled down to the occipital region R and then grasping the tabs 6 the person pulls the front portion of the cover downwardly over the face F. When the tabs are released having been brought to positions at opposite sides of the chin the elasticated edge S resiliently embraces the head as shown in Figures 3 and4.

The protector is therefore held firmly in place on the head so that when a garment is pulled over the head either on to or from the person's body the protector prevents the garment smudging make-up on the face and disturbing the person's hairdo. The protector also prevents the garment from becoming soiled by make-up or any hair preparation applied to the hair. The protector is consistently loose-fitting over the whole of the face and the hair at the top of the head shown to the occipital region R. The elongate ovoid shape of the protector enables the fabric to be spread evenly and loosely over the face and the top of the head as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The fabric of the protector may be such that it has a smooth outer surface enabling garments to slide easily over it as they are pulled on and off the head.

In a modification the protector may be made of a suitable material such as paper tissue so that it is disposable.

Claims

1. A protector for covering a person's face comprising a piece of non stretch, transparent and air permeable material having an elasticated edge, characterized in that the protector is of elongate or oblong form.

2. A protector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the protector is shaped for fitting over the face and over the top of the head down to the occipital region of the person.

3. A protector as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the protector may cover not only a person's face, but also at least part of the hair.

4. A protector according to any preceding claim or claims wherein the protector has a narrower part at one end and a wider part at the other end.

5. A protector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the narrower part of the protector covers a lower part of the face.

6. A protector as claimed in any preceding claim or claims, wherein part of the protector covering the face can be lifted and lowered whilst leaving the rest of the protector in position on the head.

7. A protector according to any preceding claim or claims, wherein the protector is formed from a piece of material which when flat is of ovoid or substantially ovoid shape in outline.

8. A protector as claimed in any preceding claim or claims having at least one projecting element positioned so that the protector can be pulled on and off the face andlor head by grasping and pulling said element.

9. A protector according to claim 8, wherein the said element or elements are provide at one end of the elongate or oblong protector.

10. A protector for covering a person's face comprising a cover having an elastic outer edge, wherein the cover can be pulled over the face with its elastic edge resiliently embracing the head, characterised in that the cover is provided with at least one projecting element positioned so that the cover can be pulled on and off the head by grasping and pulling the said element.

11. A protector as claimed in claim 10, wherein the or each said element is attached to the cover.

12. A protector as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11 having two spaced elements positioned so that when the protector covers a person's face they can lie at opposite sides of the person's chin.

13. A protector as claimed in claims 10 to 12 wherein the protector is designed to cover not only a person's face, but also at least part of the hair.

14. A protector as substantially described herein with reference to the drawings of figures 1 to 6.