US20210361013A1

US20210361013A1 - Hair-Protective Hat

Info

Publication number: US20210361013A1
Application number: US17/165,932
Authority: US
Inventors: Tracey Lauren Pickett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-05-20
Filing date: 2021-02-02
Publication date: 2021-11-25

Abstract

Disclosed is a hair-protective hat with a hat body, an adjustable band, and a stabilizing member. A facial barrier may also be included. The hat body consists of a plurality of layers including a protective barrier and an inner layer. The protective barrier has moisture-resistant properties and protects the wearer's hair from being ruined by rain, humidity or other environmental effects. The inner layer is made from a soft material for comfort. A rim portion of the hat body delineates its opening, and the stabilizing member is perimetrically connected to the rim portion to provide structural support for the facial barrier. The adjustable band is positioned around the opening to adjust its size. The protective barrier may further include a water-repellent coating, a fabric layer, and a waterproof lining superimposed onto each other. An interior storage pouch allows the hat body to be packed into a stored configuration.

Description

The current application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) application of the U.S. design application Ser. No. 29/735,393 filed on May 20, 2020 and the non-provisional application Ser. No. 14/461,262 filed on Aug. 15, 2014.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to head coverings. More particularly, the present invention is a head covering that is protective against rain, moisture, smoke, dust, vapor, or and other elements while protecting the wearer's hair from becoming untidy or soiled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A hairstyle, hairdo, or haircut refers to the styling of hair, usually on the human scalp. Sometimes, this could also mean an editing of facial or body hair. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of personal grooming, fashion, and cosmetics, although practical, cultural, and popular considerations also influence some hairstyles. Throughout history, people have worn their hair in a wide variety of styles, largely determined by the fashions of the culture they live in. Hairstyles are markers and signifiers of social class, age, marital status, racial identification, political beliefs, and attitudes about gender, and are often considered to be a form of personal expression.
In the modern era, men's hairstyles are typically short, usually not extending past the eyebrows or ears, while women typically grow their hair longer, down past the ears or shoulders. Having longer, more visible hair, in addition to societal expectations of feminine appearance, leads many women to invest a substantial amount of money, time, and effort into attaining and maintaining an aesthetically pleasing hairstyle. Unfortunately, hairstyles are vulnerable to being easily ruined through physical contact or through absorbing moisture. Rain and humidity are universal threats to the majority of hair types, causing frizzing, swelling, and flattening, among other undesirable effects, and a hairstyle an individual has paid a significant amount of money for or spent a significant amount of time constructing themselves can be easily undone in short order by inclement weather.
Traditionally, white and Asian women have worn rain bonnets and bucket hats to protect their hair. Black women did not adopt these hats because black hair is more susceptible to humidity and moisture in the air, causing swelling and other undesirable effects.
Currently existing solutions on the market have various problems. Umbrellas may block falling precipitation from directly contacting an individual's hair, but their hair is still left exposed to moisture in the surrounding air and stray droplets blown about by wind or splashing off nearby objects. Protective headwear such as shower caps and the like are made of plastic material, which traps heat and can cause a hairstyle to be ruined. It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a hair-protective hat which provides comprehensive protection of the wearer's hairstyle from rain, ambient humidity, smoke, dust, and other environmental hazards. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a hair-protective hat with a sufficient internal volume and shape to accommodate a wide variety of shapes and volumes of hairstyle. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a hair-protective hat with an optional facial barrier for added protection of the user's face against other environmental hazards such as sun exposure or airborne respiratory droplets potentially contaminated with virus particles. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a hair-protective hat that can be easily packed into a stored configuration for convenient storage and portability.
Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Additional advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the detailed description of the invention section. Further benefits and advantages of the embodiments of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description given with reference to the accompanying drawings, which specify and show preferred embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front raised perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention with a detachable face shield as the facial barrier.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating the plurality of layers of the hat body.

FIG. 3 is a rear raised perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front lowered perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention with an integrated visor as the facial barrier.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention omitting the facial barrier.

FIG. 7 is a front raised perspective exploded view illustrating the attachment mechanism of the face shield in the embodiment of FIG. 1 in addition to a storage sleeve for the face shield.

FIG. 8 is a partial rear view of the present invention showing the adjustable band and optional godet.

FIG. 9 is a rear view illustrating the storage pouch interior to the hat body.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of a stored configuration of the present invention wherein the hat body is inverted and packed into the storage pouch.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The present invention is to be described in detail and is provided in a manner that establishes a thorough understanding of the present invention. There may be aspects of the present invention that may be practiced or utilized without the implementation of some features as they are described. It should be understood that some details have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure focus of the invention. References herein to “the preferred embodiment”, “one embodiment”, “some embodiments”, or “alternative embodiments” should be considered to be illustrating aspects of the present invention that may potentially vary in some instances, and should not be considered to be limiting to the scope of the present invention as a whole.
The present invention is a hair-protective hat that protects the wearer's hair from rain, humidity, dust, smoke, and any other intrusive elements while further protecting the wearer's hair from becoming untidy from being worn. In addition, the present invention may provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. A user may wear the present invention during rainy, humid, dusty, or smoky, etc. conditions in order to protect their hair from becoming ruined by environmentally encountered moisture.
The present invention keeps the user's hair dry and style protected no matter the forecast. The hair-protective hat of the present invention insulates the user's hair from rain or ambient humidity while providing an appropriately sized and shaped space therein to accommodate a wide range of hairstyles and lengths without crushing or disheveling the user's hairstyle.
In general, referring to FIGS. 1-7, the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a hat body 1, an adjustable band 2, a stabilizing member 3, and a facial barrier 4. The hat body 1 constitutes the majority of the present invention, being geometrically arranged to form a thin-walled, flexible bag-like container of fabric, with sufficient interior space and geometry to comfortably accommodate a wide range of hairstyles and lengths without disturbing the user's hair when worn. The adjustable band 2 serves to adjust the fit of the present invention on a user's head. The stabilizing member 3 affords a modicum of structural integrity to an opening 12 of the hat body 1. The facial barrier 4 is mounted to the stabilizing member 3 in order to maintain a proper orientation of the facial barrier 4 while in use.
Referring to FIGS. 2-5, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hat body 1 comprises a plurality of layers 11, an opening 12, a rim portion 13, a proximal portion 14, and a distal portion 15. In various embodiments, it may be understood that the hat body 1 may be composed of any number and nature of different material layers and coatings as desired. In some embodiments, the plurality of layers 11 may comprise an outer aesthetic layer, which may be knitted or otherwise constructed with a geometrical pattern that is pleasing to the eye, or may bear embellishments, markings, colorizations and other various features that may lend an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, however, the plurality of layers 11 comprises a protective barrier 110. In some embodiments, the protective barrier 110 is the outermost layer of the plurality of layers 11, though this is not mandatory for all embodiments, and some embodiments may employ one or more additional layers of fabric or other materials exterior to the protective barrier 110. In some embodiments, the plurality of layers 11 may further comprise an inner layer 120, though the inner layer 120 is not specifically required in all embodiments. Preferably, the protective barrier 110 is constructed generally of or comprises a microfiber material as the bulk of its composition in combination with other materials, though the specific nature and construction of the protective barrier 110 may vary as desired and suitable in accordance with the spirit and scope of the present invention. Generally, the protective barrier 110 should be protective, or moisture-resistant, be understood to be capable of preventing moist air, water vapor, steam, rain droplets, and the like, including various other non-water gases, liquids or other substances from ruining a wearer's hair.
Preferably, in embodiments comprising the inner layer 120, the protective barrier 110 is superimposed onto the inner layer 120. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the protective barrier 110 is waterproof. In various embodiments, the protective barrier 110 may not be limited to materials or constructions which are narrowly defined as waterproof, and may alternatively, at minimum, have moisture-resistant properties, wherein the protective barrier 110 resists the passage of moisture through its thickness. The specific means by which the protective barrier 110 is enabled to be waterproof (or water resistant, or moisture-resistant, as appropriate) may vary in different embodiments. In some embodiments, the protective barrier 110 is waterproof through simple material selection. The inner layer 120 should be made of an appropriate material for extended contact with human hair and/or skin, and should be generally soft and yielding to the touch. In the preferred embodiment, the inner layer 120 is constructed of a satin material, though any suitable material may be used for the inner layer 120 in various embodiments.
In the preferred embodiment, the plurality of layers 11 further comprises a water-repellent coating 111 and a waterproof lining 114. The water-repellent coating 111 is externally superimposed onto the protective barrier 110, while the protective barrier 110 is externally superimposed onto the waterproof lining 114. The water-repellent coating 111 may be enabled through any suitable and applicable material and manufacturing process. In some embodiments, the water-repellent coating 111 may be a durable water repellent (DWR) coating. The DWR coating may be fluoropolymer based, or the DWR coating may be any suitable hydrophobic coating. The waterproof lining 114 may be constructed of any suitable liquid-impermeable fabric or other material, such as, but not limited to, polyurethane laminate (PUL) material. Thus, any liquid making external contact with the hat body 1 of the present invention will first encounter a hydrophobic coating, upon which the liquid will form into beads and roll off the present invention. Any liquid that is not successfully repelled by the water-repellent coating 111 and penetrates the fabric layer 112 is ultimately obstructed from penetrating through the hat body 1 and making contact with the wearer's hair.
The opening 12 of the hat body 1 is delineated by the rim portion 13. When in use, the present invention is placed such that the user's head passes through the opening 12 and the rim portion 13 of the hat body 1 surrounds the top and rear portions of the user's head at approximately a 45-degree angle from horizontal, encompassing the general extent of the user's hair on their head and enclosing their hair internally within the hat body 1. The rim portion 13 corresponds to a frontal-lower boundary of the hat body 1.
Furthermore, the proximal portion 14 of the hat body 1 is positioned adjacent to the rim portion 13. The proximal portion 14 herein refers to a general area of the hat body 1 directly adjacent to the rim portion 13, which would generally correspond to the top of a user's head when the present invention is being worn. The distal portion 15, on the other hand, is positioned adjacent to the proximal position, opposite the rim portion 13 along the proximal portion 14. The distal portion 15 corresponds generally to an anterior portion of the hat body 1 with sufficient size and geometry to accommodate a human head of hair across a wide range, from short hair to long, voluminous hair.
More particularly, a longitudinal direction may be defined for reference herein as corresponding to a forward-backward axis as perceived by a user. The proximal portion 14 of the hat body 1 is longitudinally closer to the center of a user's head, while the distal portion 15 is longitudinally further away, or rearward from the user's head, as human hair grows on the human head in such a configuration.
As previously mentioned, fabric is typically non-rigid and limp. In order to include the aforementioned facial barrier 4 in a manner which enables its proper function while in use, a modicum of structural stability must be introduced. This is implemented through the aforementioned stabilizing member 3. The stabilizing member 3 may be constructed of any desirable material, though the stabilizing member 3 should be rigid enough to support the facial barrier 4 and any other relevant components in their intended positions, yet flexible enough to be able to withstand normal bending and flexing movements along with the rim portion 13 as a user manipulates the present invention in order to wear, use, carry, store, or otherwise handle the present invention.
In the preferred embodiment, as seen in FIG. 1, the stabilizing member 3 is perimetrically connected to the rim portion 13, wherein the rim portion 13 is stiffened by the stabilizing member 3, and wherein the stabilizing member 3 is fixed relative to the rim portion 13. It is generally desirable for the stabilizing member 3 to be non-movably affixed to the rim portion 13 in order to facilitate its structural stability providing ends. Moreover, the facial barrier 4 is mounted to the stabilizing member 3, longitudinally opposite the proximal portion 14 of the hat body 1, wherein the facial barrier 4 is positioned adjacent to an anterior end 16 of the hat body 1, and wherein the distal portion 15 is positioned adjacent to a posterior end 17 of the hat body 1. Alternatively stated, the facial barrier 4 is mounted to the front of the hat body 1, while the distal position of the hat body 1 is generally positioned sat the rear of the present invention while being worn by a user. More particularly, the distal portion 15 of the hat body 1 extends longitudinally away from the facial barrier 4, or rearward.
The specific nature of the facial barrier 4 may vary in different embodiments. In some embodiments, the facial barrier 4 is a visor, being generally short in length, positioned and oriented to extend outward above the user's eyes, providing a measure of shade to the user's face. In some embodiments, the facial barrier 4 is more specifically a face shield, being oriented more vertically in front of the user's face, and extending further downward to cover the entirety or the majority of the vertical span of the user's face. In some embodiments, the facial barrier 4 may have ultraviolet (UV) light protective properties. Generally, in preferred embodiments, the facial barrier 4 is constructed of a light-permeable polymeric material, such as, but not limited to, translucent or transparent polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material. Particularly in embodiments where the facial barrier 4 is a face shield, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the face shield should be constructed of a see-through material. FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment wherein the facial barrier 4 is a visor, which may be similarly translucent or opaque as desired. FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment with no facial barrier 4.
Furthermore, in some embodiments, the facial barrier 4 is permanently affixed to the stabilizing member 3, while in some other embodiments, the facial barrier 4 is removably mounted to the stabilizing member 3 through an accessory mounting mechanism 6. More particularly, referring to FIG. 7, in some embodiments, the accessory mounting mechanism 6 comprises a first pair of attachment members 60 and a second pair of attachment members 61. The first pair of attachment members 60 are connected to the stabilizing member 3, laterally opposite each other on the hat body 1, in a region approximately corresponding to the location of a user's temples while the present invention is being worn. Likewise, the second pair of attachment members 61 is connected to the facial barrier 4, laterally opposite each other on the facial barrier 4 to correspond to the first pair of attachment members 60. The first pair of attachment members 60 and the second pair of attachment members 61 is removably attached to each other, wherein the facial barrier 4 is removably mounted to the rim portion 13 of the hat body 1 through the first pair of attachment members 60 and the second pair of attachment members 61.
The specific nature of the first pair of attachment member and the second pair of attachment members 61 may vary in different embodiments, and may comprise, but are not limited to, button snaps, hook and loop tape, clasps, clamps, or any other suitable fastening means.
Moreover, in some embodiments, the first pair of attachment members 60 is removably and rotatably attached to the second pair of attachment members 61, wherein the facial barrier 4 is pivotally attached to the rim portion 13 through the first pair of attachment members 60 and the second pair of attachment members 61. In various embodiments, the first pair of attachment members 60 may be removably and/or rotatably attached to the second pair of attachment members 61, so that in various embodiments, the facial barrier 4 may either be removably attached to the rim portion 13, rotatably/pivotally attached to the rim portion 13, or both. In some embodiments where the facial barrier 4 is a face shield, the face shield and/or the accessory mounting mechanism 6, or another suitable component of the present invention, may be presented with one or more hooks to which the user may additionally affix a separate facemask to use in conjunction with the present invention.
It is considered highly desirable, if not necessarily universally required in all embodiments of the present invention, that the rim portion 13 be elastically flexible so that the present invention: 1) applies a sufficiently strong compressive force to the sides of the user's head to retain the present invention in place on the user's head, and 2) may comfortably accommodate a wide variety of head and hair shapes and sizes in a “one size fits all” aspect.
To this end, while the rim portion 13, being part of the hat body 1, is constructed from soft, pliable fabric in some embodiments, the adjustable band 2 is engaged with the hat body 1 adjacent to the rim portion 13, such that the adjustable band 2 is configured to adjust, or control, the size of the opening 12. In some embodiments, the adjustable band 2 is configured to selectably adjust the size of the opening 12 based on manual positioning by the user. More particularly, the adjustable band 2 is constructed of an elastic material in the preferred embodiment, and is primarily responsible for determining the circumference of the opening 12 of the hat body 1. In the preferred embodiment, the adjustable band 2 may comprise a length-adjustment mechanism 21 through which a user may manually select the size of the opening 12 to achieve a comfortable fit. It is contemplated that many various specific length-adjustment means may be implemented in various embodiments, as suitable and desired. In some embodiments, the length-adjustment mechanism 21 may comprise one or more buckles, strap adjusters, loops, D-rings, buttons, holes, snaps, clasps, pins, or any other suitable hardware of configurations thereof.
More particularly, it the preferred embodiment the rim portion 13 comprises an internal channel 130. The internal channel 130 internally traverses through the rim portion 13 around the opening 12, through which the adjustable band 2 is positioned, such that the rim portion 13 is a casing, forming a closed track that functions to retain the adjustable band 2 therewithin. In some embodiments, the stabilizing member 3 likewise is positioned through the casing and is internally connected within the casing. In various embodiments, the stabilizing member 3 and the adjustable band 2 may be configured and arranged independently of each other.
Furthermore, some embodiments of the present invention may further comprise a godet 5 integrated into the hat body 1 adjacent to the rim portion 13 and adjacent to the posterior end 17 of the hat body 1, as shown in FIG. 7. The godet 5 is a triangular piece of material constructed of or with an elastic material, such that the godet 5 is configured to laterally expand or collapse in order to increase or decrease the size of the opening 12 of the hat body 1. The godet 5 is not required in all embodiments, but may present a convenient secondary means of fit adjustment of the present invention.
Furthermore, referring to FIGS. 8-9, the preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises a storage pouch 7 internally connected to the hat body 1, wherein the storage pouch 7 is configured to receive the hat body 1 therein. The hat body 1 may essentially be inverted, exposing the storage pouch 7, and the hat body 1 may be packed into the storage pouch 7 for storage.
In addition, the preferred embodiment further comprises an attachment loop 8 that is attached to the storage pouch 7. The attachment loop 8 allows the user to conveniently hang the present invention from a hook or other suitable location for storage.
Some embodiments may further comprise a storage sleeve 9, as seen in FIG. 7. The storage sleeve 9 may be removably attached within the hat body 1 similar to the storage pouch 7, or the storage sleeve 9 may be provided in another location or as a separate accessory. In some embodiments, the storage sleeve 9 may be permanently attached to a desired location on the hat body 1 as desired. The storage sleeve 9 is configured to receive the facial barrier 4, if the facial barrier 4 is detached from the stabilizing member 3. More particularly, in some embodiments the storage sleeve 9 may be provided separately as a visor sleeve, which is sized to receive the removed visor or face shield and may be rolled up for storage when not in use.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A hair-protective hat comprising:

a hat body;

an adjustable band;

a stabilizing member;

a facial barrier;

the hat body comprising a plurality of layers, an opening, a rim portion, a proximal portion, and a distal portion;

the plurality of layers comprising a protective barrier;

the protective barrier having moisture-resistant properties;

the opening being delineated by the rim portion;

the proximal portion being positioned adjacent to the rim portion;

the distal portion being positioned adjacent to the proximal portion, opposite the rim portion along the proximal portion;

the stabilizing member being perimetrically connected to the rim portion, wherein the rim portion is stiffened by the stabilizing member, and wherein the stabilizing member is fixed relative to the rim portion;

the adjustable band being engaged with the hat body adjacent to the rim portion, wherein the adjustable band is configured to adjust the size of the opening; and

the facial barrier being mounted to the stabilizing member, longitudinally opposite the proximal portion of the hat body, wherein the facial barrier is positioned adjacent to an anterior end of the hat body, and wherein the distal portion is positioned adjacent to a posterior end of the hat body.

2. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective barrier comprises a microfiber material.

3. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustable band is constructed of an elastic material.

4. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distal portion of the hat body extends longitudinally away from the facial barrier, and wherein the distal portion is sized to accommodate a human head of hair.

5. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the facial barrier is constructed of a light-permeable polymeric material.

6. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the facial barrier is a visor.

7. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the facial barrier is face shield.

8. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

the plurality of layers further comprising an inner layer; and

the protective barrier being superimposed onto the inner layer.

9. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 8, wherein the inner layer is constructed of a satin material.

10. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

the protective barrier further comprising a water-repellent coating, a fabric layer, and a waterproof lining;

the water-repellent coating being externally superimposed onto the fabric layer; and

the fabric layer being externally superimposed onto the waterproof lining.

11. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 10, wherein the waterproof lining is constructed of polyurethane laminate (PUL) material.

12. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

the rim portion comprising an internal channel;

the internal channel internally traversing through the rim portion around the opening, wherein the rim portion is a casing; and

the adjustable band being positioned through the casing.

13. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 12 comprising:

the rim portion comprising an internal channel;

the stabilizing member being connected within the casing.

14. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

a godet; and

the godet being integrated into the hat body adjacent to the rim portion and adjacent to a posterior end of the hat body, wherein the godet is constructed of an elastic material, and wherein the godet is configured to laterally expand or collapse in order to increase or decrease the size of the opening.

15. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

the facial barrier being removably mounted to the stabilizing member through an accessory mounting mechanism.

16. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 15 comprising:

the accessory mounting mechanism comprising a first pair of attachment members and a second pair of attachment members;

the first pair of attachment members being connected to the stabilizing member, laterally opposite each other on the hat body;

the second pair of attachment members being connected to the facial barrier, laterally opposite each other on the facial barrier; and

the first pair of attachment members and the second pair of attachment members being removably attached to each other, wherein the facial barrier is removably mounted to the rim portion through the first pair of attachment members and the second pair of attachment members.

17. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 16 comprising:

the first pair of attachment members being removably and rotatably attached to the second pair of attachment members, wherein the facial barrier is pivotally attached to the rim portion through the first pair of attachment members and the second pair of attachment members.

18. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

a storage pouch; and

the storage pouch being internally connected to the hat body, wherein the storage pouch is configured to receive the hat body therein.

19. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 18 comprising:

an attachment loop; and

the attachment loop being connected adjacent to the storage pouch.

20. The hair-protective hat as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

a storage sleeve;

the storage sleeve being removably attached within the hat body; and

the storage sleeve being configured to receive the facial barrier, if the facial barrier is detached from the stabilizing member.