GB2297023A

GB2297023A - Head covering

Info

Publication number: GB2297023A
Application number: GB9500991A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nick Jackson-Cooney
Original assignee: JACKSON COONEY NICK
Current assignee: JACKSON COONEY NICK
Priority date: 1995-01-19
Filing date: 1995-01-19
Publication date: 1996-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 2015-01-19
Also published as: GB9500991D0; GB2297023B

Abstract

A head covering bears an image of a face. In one embodiment a hooded garment comprises a jacket (5) with a head covering or hood (1), the hood having an image of a person's face printed on it. The arrangement of jacket and hood is such that an on-looker standing behind a person wearing the jacket (5) would ostensibly see the upper body and face of a person turned towards them and looking at them. A method of transferring an image of a head onto a head covering is also disclosed.

Description

HEAD COVERING The invention relates to a head covering, such as a hood.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a head covering comprising an inner surface which is, in use, worn next to a persons head and an outer, exposed surface wherein the outer surface bears an image of a face.

Preferably, the image is arranged so that when a person is wearing the head covering, an onlooker standing behind the wearer and looking towards the wearer would see the image.

Preferably, the image is a substantially life-size image which may include areas of the head as well as the face, so as to include images of the ears, hair etc.

The image may be of a well known personality.

The head covering may include additional items so as to make the image appear more realistic. Such items may include, for instance, simulated ears or hair, attached to the head covering.

Preferably, the head covering is a hood.

The hood may be attached to, or form part of, a larger garment.

The garment may be, for instance, a coat, a jersey, a sweatshirt, tracksuit top, shirt, or other suitable garment arranged to be worn on at least the top half of a persons body.

Preferably, the garment is arranged so that to the onlooker standing behind the wearer and looking towards the wearer, it appears as if he is looking at a person from the front.

The image of the upper body may include an image of clothing.

The garment may be arranged so that a front portion of the garment bears an image representing a rear portion of a person, or persons clothing, and so that a rear portion of the garment bears an image of a front portion of a person or persons clothing.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of transferring an image of a head onto a head covering, the method comprising photographing a subject and transferring the image to the head covering.

The method may include the steps of scanning an image of the subjects head to enter the image into a computer and manipulating the scanned image by computer to map points of the image to corresponding points on the head covering. Manipulating the image may include enlargement or reduction in size of all, or selected parts of the scanned image.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure la and Figure 1b show a hood when viewed from the rear, and the side respectively; Figure 2 shows a rear view of a garment, of which the hood of figures la and 1b forms a part; and Figure 3 shows a front view of the garment of figure 2.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures la, lb, 2 and 3.

Referring initially to Figure la, there is shown a rear view of a head covering comprising a hood 1. As can be seen from the figure, the hood bears an image of a human face, so that when somebody is wearing the hood 1, another person standing behind them and looking at the hood 1 would see the image of a face.

If the person was standing some distance away, then the image would appear to the onlooker as if it was a real person, looking in their direction. If the onlooker is a thief looking for somebody to rob, then the thief upon seeing a "person" looking straight at him, may be inclined to pick an alternative victim.

Figure 1b shows the hood 1, as viewed from the side.

As can be seen from Figure lb, the hood 1 is arranged so as to not only incorporate the features of a front view of a human face, but also to include those features which could be viewed from the side only, such as ears 2, hair 3 etc. In the embodiment shown, the image of ears 2 and hair 3 is simply a two dimensional image formed on the hood 1. However, in cases where more realism is required then simulated add-on ears, and/or simulated hair could be provided and attached to the hood 1.

The aperture 4 shown at the front of the hood 1, represents the interior of the hood 1 which, in use, would receive a wearers head.

Referring now to Figure 2, a garment 5 is shown which incorporates the hood 1 (shown in outline only in Figure 2, refer to Figure la for details). The garment 5 of Figure 2 is shown as viewed from the rear and, in the example shown, the rear view shows the front of a football jersey. In this manner, it can be seen that if a person wears a garment 5 with attached hood 1 then a person standing behind the wearer would, looking at them from the waist upward ostensibly see the upper body and face. of a person turned towards them and looking at them.

Figure 3 shows the garment 5 of Figure 2 when viewed from the front. As can be seen, for novelty value, the front of the garment 5 bears an image which would normally be associated with a rear view of a garment. In this case, the garment 5 when viewed from the front would look as if the wearer was wearing a football shirt, the wrong way around. It will of course be appreciated that the front of the garment 5 could be provided with any alternative appearance.

The face image applied to the hood 1 may be applied by means of a photographic process, by which an image of a real persons head is captured by camera and thereafter transferred onto the material of hood 1. The transfer process may include computer manipulation of the image, by enlargement, reduction, mapping of specific parts of the image onto the hood etc.

Alternatively, the image may not be of a real persons face, but may be based upon an original picture drawn up by an artist, the original subsequently being transferred on a mass-produced basis to the material of hood 1. The main body of the garment 5, may be produced in a conventional manner.

As can be seen from the above, embodiments of the invention provide a hood, and hooded garments, whereby a wearer of the hood/garment when viewed from behind, appears to an onlooker to resemble a person facing towards them, rather than away from them. Such a garment may have the effect of deterring theft or assault.

Various images could be applied to the hood or garment. For instance, when viewed from behind the wearer could appear to be anybody, for instance, a policeman, or alternatively a famous personality such as a footballer or popstar.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A head covering comprising an inner surface which is, in use, worn next to a persons head and an outer, exposed surface wherein the outer surface bears an image of a face.

2. A head covering according to claim 1, wherein the image is arranged so that when a person is wearing the head covering an on-looker standing behind the wearer and looking towards the wearer would see the image.

3. A head covering according to claim 2, wherein the image is a substantially life size image.

4. A head covering according to claim 3, wherein the image includes areas of the head as well as the face, so as to include an image of the ears, hair etc.

5. A head covering according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the image is of a well known personality.

6. A head covering according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the covering additionally includes items to make the image appear more realistic.

7. A head covering according to claim 6, wherein such items comprise simulated ears.

8. A head covering according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the items comprise hair attached to the head covering.

9. A head covering according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the head covering comprises a hood.

10. A head covering according to claim 9, wherein the hood is detached to, or forms part of, a larger garment.

11. A head covering according to claim 10, wherein the garment is a coat, a jersey, a sweatshirt, tracksuit top, shirt or other suitable garment arranged to be worn on at least the top half of a persons body.

12. A head covering according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the garment is arranged so that to the on-looker standing behind the wearer and looking towards the wearer, it appears as if he is looking at a person from the front.

13. A head covering according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the image of the body includes an image of clothing.

14. A head covering according to any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the garment is arranged so that a front portion of the garment bears an image representing a rear portion of a person, or persons clothing, and so that a rear portion of the garment bears an image of a front portion of a person or persons clothing.

15. A head covering according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the covering is produced by a method of transferring an image of a head onto a covering, the method comprising photographing a subject and transferring the image to the head covering.

16. A covering according to claim 15, wherein the method includes the steps of scanning an image of the subjects head to enter the image into a computer and manipulating the scanned image by computer to map points of the image to corresponding points on the head covering.

17. A covering according to claim 16, where manipulating the image may include enlargement or reduction in size of all, or selected parts of the scanned image.

18. A method of transferring an image of a head onto a head covering, the method comprising photographing a subject and transferring the image to the head covering.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the method includes the steps of scanning an image of the subjects head to enter the image into a computer and manipulating the scanned image by computer to map points of the image to corresponding points on the head covering.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein manipulating the image includes enlargement or reduction in size of all, or selected parts of the scanned image.

21. A head covering substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. A method of transferring an image of a head onto a head covering, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.