GB2318500A

GB2318500A - Headband

Info

Publication number: GB2318500A
Application number: GB9801034A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vaughan Adrian Lovelock
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-02-18
Filing date: 1995-02-14
Publication date: 1998-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2015-02-14
Also published as: GB9801034D0; GB2318500B

Abstract

A headband 48 comprises a textile base 50 with a frictional material 52 affixed to its outer surface, and a silicone rubber material 53 affixed to its inner surface. The silicone rubber layer 53 helps to grip the wearer's head, preventing slippage; and the frictional material 52 assists the wearer to control a football or the like. The textile layer 50 is typically absorbent (e.g. towelling) to act as a sweatband. The frictional material can be wider at the forehead part 58, and may feature ribs, grooves, dimples or nodules.

Description

A HEADBAND The invention relates to a headband.

This is a divisional application from GB9502882.5.

Many sports involve striking a ball, with the body, eg the feet and the head. In certain sports, for instance rugger and soccer, players sometimes like to apply spin to the ball as the spin can create advantageous effects, eg bending a football around a defensive wall. For that purpose, it is known to fix a piece of material to a football boot, the material having greater frictional properties than the material of the boot. One such boot is marketed by the company Adidas under the trade mark Predator and comprises a conventional football boot having a strip or strips of rubber material formed as part of the upper of the boot. That arrangement suffers the disadvantage that the rubber material is an integral part of the boot. Therefore, once the frictional material on the boot wears out, an entirely new pair of boots must be purchased in order to retain the benefits of the frictional material.

In WO 83/03339 a soccer boot overskin is disclosed. The overskin comprises an elastomeric material which stretches over a soccer boot and is held on the boot, eg, by means of a strap which extends around the side of the boot. One drawback which the overskin disclosed in WO 83/03339 suffers is that it is not very well secured to the boot and, in use, could be torn free from the boot.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved headband.

According to the invention, there is provided a headband comprising a band of covering material at least a portion of which has a frictional property different from the head of the wearer to provide a striking surface for a ball or other sporting article and including a high friction backing material of silicone-base rubber to reduce slippage between the covering and the head of the wearer.

Preferably, the frictional property of the covering is greater than that of the head of the user.

The headband is preferably made from a pliable material such as a textile. In that way the headband can easily be pulled on over the head and subsequently removed.

The headband may comprise a base material with a frictional material fixed thereto, the frictional material providing the frictional property different from that of the head of the user.

The base material is preferably stretchable and in the most preferred embodiment the base material is made from the material sold under the registered trade mark LYCRA.

The frictional material may be sewn to the flexible base and/or glued. The frictional material may be a plastics material or a rubber material. The surface of the frictional material is preferably profiled and in the most preferred embodiment the profiled surface includes one or more of the following list: dimples, ribs, grooves and nodules.

In a preferred embodiment the width of the band increases at the frictional portion so as to provide a greater area of frictional material covering the forehead.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 6 is a perspective view of a headband in accordance with the invention, and Fig 7 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of headband in accordance with the invention, and Fig 8 is a cross-sectional view of part of a removable covering.

Figs 6 and 7 show headbands in accordance with the invention.

Fig 6 shows a headband 48 comprising a pliable base 50 made eg from a stretchable material, preferably that sold under the trade mark LYCRA, and a frictional material 52 affixed to the base 50. The frictional material 52 can be fixed to the base 50 by adhesive and/or by stitching.

In an alternative embodiment, the base 50 can be made from an absorbent material, eg towelling, to absorb perspiration. A silicone base rubber backing 53 is provided on the back of the base 50 to reduce slippage between the head and the headband 48.

In Fig 7, a headband 54 comprises a pliable base 56 substantially similar to the base 56 described in relation to the headband of Fig 6. Frictional material 58 is affixed to the base 50 by adhesive and/or by stitching and is broader than the frictional material 52 of Fig 6 to provide a greater area of coverage. The frictional material 58 has a pattern of ribs 60 extending diagonally across its surface. A silicone base rubber backing 53 is again provided on the base 50 to reduce slippage between the head and the headband 54.

Each of the headbands shown in Fig 6 and 7 provides, in use, a surface which allows greater control when heading a football than would the head of the player alone.

Fig 8 shows, in cross-section, the headband of Fig 6.

The frictional material 14 is affixed to the base 12 by adhesive and/or by stitching, as is the backing 13. The frictional material 14 has nodules 32 regularly spaced across its surface.

Claims

1. A headband comprising a band of covering material at least a portion of which has a frictional property different from the head of the wearer to provide a striking surface for a ball or other sporting article and including a high friction backing material of silicone-base rubber to reduce slippage between the covering and the head of the wearer.

2. A headband according to claim 1 in which the frictional property of the covering is greater than that of the head of the wearer.

3. A headband according to claim 1 or 2 in which the covering is arranged, in use, to leave part of the head exposed whereby the covered head presents areas of different frictional characteristics.

4. A headband according to claim 1. 2 or 3 in which the covering is stretchable.

5. A headband according to any preceding claim in which the headband comprises a base material with a frictional material fixed thereto, the frictional material provlding the frictional property different from that of the head.

6. A headband according to claim 5 m which the base material is made from the material sold under the reglstered trade mark LYCRA.

7. A headband according to claim 5 or 6 in which the frictional material is a plastics or rubber material.

8. A headband according to claim 5, 6 or 7 in which the surface of the frictional material is profiled.

9. A headband according to claim 8 in which the profiled surface includes one or more of dimples, ribs, grooves and nodules.

10. A headband according to any preceding claim in which the wldth of the headband increases at the frictional portion so as to provide a greater area of frictional material covering the forehead.

11. A. headband constructed and arranged substantially as described herein and with reference to the accompanying drawings.