CA2792513A1

CA2792513A1 - Hooded sweater alteration

Info

Publication number: CA2792513A1
Application number: CA2792513A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Chris J. Friesen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-10-09
Filing date: 2012-10-09
Publication date: 2014-04-09
Also published as: US20140096305A1; CA2829366A1

Description

HOOD WITH BUILT IN FACE MASK
This invention is an alteration to an existing product; the hood of a sweater.
We have altered the internal fabric of the sweaters hood by cutting it open; we use seams stitches and glue take away excess fabric and elastics to create tension for proper seating. All of this allows the internal fabric to act as a protective face mask, properly seated to the wearers face.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hooded sweaters are commonly used to keep the people that find them trendy and stylish, warm. People wear, hoodies ¨ another known name for hoodied sweaters ¨ for comfort and for many different occasions, as well. Some hoodies pull over the head and body, while others have zippers, similar to a coat or jacket. People wear hooded sweatshirts mostly for extra warmth and style. Sweaters with hoods are patented mainly in the USA. There are many different patents for hooded sweatshirts, but none have a hood alteration with a face mask.
The closest examples of our proposed invention are listed below.
Similar patents found in Canada and the USA:
CANADA
1. (54) English Title: PROTECTIVE GARMENT
(12) Patent Application: 1114 CA 2706401 (54) French Title: VETEMENT DE PROTECTION
USA PATENTS
1. Hooded garment with circular knitted collar Patent number: D512204 Filing date: Aug 8, 2003 Issue date: Dec 6, 2005 Application number: 29/187,786 2. Hooded garment with built-in skull cap, gloves, and lower face covering with ...
Application number: 11/081,941 Publication number: US 2006/0288465 Al Filing date: Jun 27, 2005 Issued patent: US7296302 (Issue date Nov 20, 2007) 3. HEAD COVERINGS AND HOODED GARMENTS WITH INTEGRATED HOOD HOLDING INSERTS
Application number: 12/480,822 Publication number: US 2010/0306898 Al Filing date: Jun 9, 2009 4. Protective garment Patent number: 7228858 Filing date: Mar 9, 2005 Issue date: Jun 12,2007 Application number: 11/076,641 5. Pull down ski mask Patent number: 5713077 Filing date: Jul 15, 1996 Issue date: Feb 3, 1998 6. Head and face protector Patent number: 7418740 Filing date: Nov 16, 2005 Issue date: Sep 2, 2008 Application number: 11/281,045 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Hoods of sweatshirts tend to have two parts, an outer layer of fabric (the term "layer of fabric" is interchangeable with the term "liner") wrapping around the back of the wearers head and an inner layer of fabric pushed inside the external layer.
The adjustments made to the inner liner are the only alteration to the sweater. The inner layer has been cut and modified, so it will fit over the wearers face to act as mask, the fit for the mask will be controlled by elastic drawstrings, to adjust how tight the inner layer of fabric fits against the wearers face.
Useful applications for this altered product will be for outdoor enthusiasts and outdoor workers in colder climates; as well as, other people that think this style of product is trendy or useful. The main perceived use for the face mask will be to act as a balaclava, or a similar type of product, to protect wearers face from the cold and the wind, giving the wearer full face protection from the elements.
The hood and mask combination, will be as fashionable as any other hooded sweatshirt in the market. When the mask is not being worn it will tuck back into the external hood layer of fabric with the rest of the internal liner. This allows the hood and sweatshirt to be worn naturally, as if there was no alteration.
This product will save people from having to carry around toques, balaclavas and other, similar, cold weather accessories. The face mask will always be with the wearer inside the hood of the sweatshirt; the face mask cannot be misplaced, unless the sweatshirt is misplaced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In order for there to be a mask inside the hood of a sweatshirt, the inner liner of the hood has to have a horizontal, semi-circular cut above the centre of where the hood is sewn to the main body of the sweater, Figure IA. The excess semi-circular cut fabric that remains on the body portion of the hood will be sewn into place, Figure I B. The inner liner is now separated from the outer layer of fabric, so the wearers head can fit comfortably inside where the sweater has been cut and in between the inner and outer layer of fabrics. A fabric elastic is sewn on to the bottom of the separated inner liner, for aesthetics and tension purposes, Figure 2.
To keep the inner liner from being too oversized and drooping towards the ground while it is being worn as a mask, a stitched seam will be placed on the inside of the hood, behind the drawstring and around circumference of the hood, Figure 3. The seam will go around and beside the wearers face, and top of head. The seam will be set back in a manner that will insure the wearers head is comfortably set into the back of the hood and the excess fabric restricted from sagging and the mask is tight against the wearers head and face.
Between the two liners of the hood and between the new seam and drawstring circumference, glue/adhesive can be placed to secure the fabric and add extra strength to the structure of the hood, Figure 4.
The next customization is to pull the face mask into position, which has two options for fastening.
OPTION I:
Fabric elastic drawstrings will enter into the hood from outside the external fabric near the shoulder of the wearer, Figure 5. The elastics will be hidden behind the mask and attached to the fabric below where the wearers chin is considered to be, Figure 5A. This feature allows for the wearer to give a simple tug to the elastic drawstrings outside the hood and cause the excess fabric below the wearers chin to be pulled down. This will tighten the mask and align the eyehole(s) and mouth hole(s). The elastics are secured in place by a small plastic clasp outside the hood by the wearers' shoulders, Figure 5B.
OPTION 2:
Securing and aligning the face mask with option 2 is similar to option I, but instead of the fabric elastics going in a straight line from the hole at the shoulders to the area of the mask considered to be below the wearers chin. The fabric elastics will go into the hood at the shoulder and towards the back of the hood and through a ring loosely dangling near the back of the hood, Figure 5C. The fabric elastic will loop through the loosely dangling ring and go back towards the front of the hood, attaching to the face mask, below the area considered to be the chin, Figure 51). This feature allows the wearer to give a simple tug on the fabric elastics by the shoulder causing the face mask to be pulled backward and down, the face mask elastics will be secured by the same small plastic clasp as Figure 5B.
Pulling the mask in at the bottom, by elastic drawstring, will secure the mask to the wearers face for an optimal fit; keeping the mask tight, the eyehole(s) conveniently located and the mouth properly situated with little, to no adjustments and effort. Sizing differences between small, medium, large and extra large has created the need for different measurements of seams, eyehole(s) and other cuts.
Eyehole(s) will be cut out of the inner liner, positioning depends on the size and style of the sweater, but the eyehole(s) will be in the general area of the wearers eyes.
The eyeholes can either be cut as two holes for eyes, Figure 6, or cut as one oblong, circle, Figure 6A. Eyeholes or an eyehole, are cut for the wearer to have adequate vision. Fabric elastic will go around the circumference of the oblong eyehole to create extra strength and restrict the eyehole fabric from falling outwards, Figure 7.
Another method to keeping the fabric of both eyehole(s) options for from falling outwards towards the ground, when not in use, is to place a small magnet in the centre of the face mask and external fabric, slightly below the eyehole(s) option, Figure 7A. These magnets will create a magnetic pull between the inner and external layers of fabric, causing the two pieces of fabric to rest together when the inner liner is not being used as a face mask.
Both of these eyehole(s) can have a thin translucent piece of fabric secured in behind the eyehole(s) allowing the wearer to have vision, but blending the face mask and eyehole(s) together, Figure 8. This feature is dependent on the wearers' preferences and style.
The mouth hole(s), like the eyehole(s), is cut from the inner liner, but a cut is made in the logical and possible position of the mouth. Positioning depends on the size and style of the sweater, but the hole(s) will be in the general area of the wearers' mouth.
There can either be one hole for the mouth, Figure 9, for breathing and talking; or, the mouth hole can be a series of small holes, Figure 9A, in the area of fabric above where the wearers' chin is believed to be and in the centered section where the mouth is believed to be. Lastly, there can be no mouth hole(s), Figure 9B.
Both mouth hole(s) options can have a thin translucent piece of fabric behind the mouth hole(s), Figure 10. This thin translucent piece of fabric will blend the mouth and mask together and add extra protection from the cold air.