GB2336760A

GB2336760A - Hair covering fabric pouch

Info

Publication number: GB2336760A
Application number: GB9809504A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Susan Christine Featherstone
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-05-01
Filing date: 1998-05-01
Publication date: 1999-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 2018-05-01
Also published as: GB2336760B; GB9809504D0

Abstract

A hair covering pouch (Fig 1, 1) formed of a fabric material, having an open-mouth (Fig 1, 2) cap portion, to receive the crown of the head, and characterised by fastening means comprising a band of fabric material (Fig 1, 3) fastened to, and extending around, a substantial portion of the mouth of the cap. Lengthy opposing free end portions 5a and 5b, of the band are, in use, each projected through a respective fastening loop 6 on, or in, the cap, to allow the cap to be pulled against the head of the wearer. The band, loops and pouch may all be formed of towelling or other water-absorbent fabric. The fastening loops may be formed rearwardly of the mouth, as slits 7a and 7b in the cap, or a hair gripper (Fig 5, 8), attached to the cap.

Description

2336760 IMPROVEMENTS TO HEADWEAR

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns improvements in and relating to headwear and especially, but not necessarily exclusively, headwear adapted for use to dry hair.

Background to the Invention

The present invention was developed from frustration with wet haired children. More particularly, these were children who had been swimming or paddling at the beach at their favourite seaside resort and quite naturally refused afterwards to line up in an orderly queue or otherwise wait patiently to have their hair dried by their mother. The children generally dislike having their hair dried in the first place and the normal approach of hair drying with a towel involving vigorous rubbing is not only exhausting, but time-consuming and if the mother is doing the rubbing she can only do so with one child at a time. Furthermore, drying of hair by rubbing is not ideal treatment for hair and it may be inadvisable if the hair is fragile.

One hair drying tactic widely employed by women for more convenient drying of their own hair is to enwrap their hair in a towel by folding the towel into a turban configuration. This general tactic has been developed into a specific item of hair drying apparel described as a hair towel in UK patent application GB 2 248 391 A. The hair towel of this prior art is formed as a sheet with a first section profiled to fit around the head of the person and an elongate second section to be wound to tighten the first section to the head and it is then folded back and attached to the first section. Whereas the procedure for use of the hair towel is relatively straightforward for the wearer it does involve several stages and is, furthermore, not easy to apply when fitting the towel to someone else, as for example a mother fitting the towel over the head of her child.

A further design of prior head towel, described as an enveloping wrap for hair, is disclosed in UK patent application GB 2 296 180 A and is formed as a pouch by two 1 elongate towelling sheet sections of tapering crescent shape that are stitched together along an outwardly curving seam. The open-mouth cap portion of the wrap that receives the crown of the head is provided with an elasticated rim. The wrap also has a pocket that may be closed up onto the hair using a drawstring or fastened shut using a press stud fastening.

This latter prior design is again relatively compex and for drying of long hair and is used twisting the lower portion of the pouch to twist the long hair into the wrap and then fold the lower portion and fasten it to the upper.

Summa[y of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided an enveloping covering for the hair which comprises a pouch formed of a fabric material and having an open-mouth cap portion to receive the crown of the head and characterised by fastening means comprising a band of fabric material fastened extending around a substantial portion of the mouth of the cap and having lengthy opposing free end portions that are, in use, each projected through a respective fastening loop on or in the cap to be pulled further through the loop to thereby pull the cap against the head of the wearer.

Preferably the band is formed of a textile fabric material and it is suitably of the same material as the pouch. Furthermore, the loops are preferably also of textile material.

With the fastening arrangement of the present invention the enveloping covering can be positioned and fastened exceedingly simply, requiring a single simple pulling action of the free end portions of the band to pull the cap down and in against the head of the wearer and hold it in place. No stretching of heavily elasticated rim is required, no twisting is required and there is even no need for tying any bows or knots.

Preferably the loops are formed on or in the cap portion of the covering rearwardly of the mouth and thereby enhancing the effectiveness with which the cap is pulled against the head and hair of the wearer.

In one preferred embodiment the loops are formed directly from the cap portion by slits in the cap portion. In an alternative embodiment the loops are formed by an attachment to the cap portion which may comprise a hair gripper or elasticated bands.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying dravAngs, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front or underside view of a first preferred embodiment; 10 Figure 2 is a rear or top view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of a second preferred embodiment; Figure 4 is a perspective view from the front and above of the embodiment of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a perspective view from the front and above of a third preferred embodiment of the invention.

Descriplion of the Preferred Embodiments In the first embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the hair covering is formed as an elongate pouch or bag 1 of towelling or other water- absorbent fabric. This pouch 1 may be cut from a single sheet of towelling or formed from two or more panels 20 stitched together.

The open mouth 2 at the upper end of the pouch 1 is dimensioned to fit over any size of young child's head.

Around the rim of the mouth 2 a band 3 of non elasticated or only very lightly elasticated material is sewn extending around a substantial proportion of the rim. Indeed, in the illustrated embodiment the band 3 is sewn to the rim along approximately two thirds of the length of the rim. In this embodiment the free ends 5 of each band 3 3 extend for a good five inches or more and are relatively broad at their juncture 4 with the rim of the pouch 1. A first free end 5a passes into and through first and second consecutive slits 7a, 7b in the material of the pocket 1. The other free end 5b passes through consecutive slits transverse to the first two slits 7a, 7b. The free ends 5a, 5b, therefore, each pass through a loop 6 formed of the fabric of the pouch 1 at a common location that approximates to the centre of the forehead of the child when worn.

To use the hair covering is an extremely simply procedure of placing the pouch 1 over the crown of the child's head and pulling the respective free ends 5a, 5b of the band 3 which extends beyond the loop zone 6 outwards and downwards. This pulls the pouch down and against the head of the child. Since the band 3 and its free ends 5a, 5b are formed of a textile material similar to the towelling material in the bag 1 there is an inherrent frictional resistance to retractional movement of the free ends 5a, 5b back through the loop zone 6 and, therefore, the simple act of pulling on the free ends 5a, 5b both tightens and secures the hair covering in place.

In a second embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the hair covering is designed to better suit the tastes of a young boy and has the appearance of a cap with dangling ears. The ears of the cap are formed by the free ends 5a, 5b which in this case pass through independent loops 6a, 6b rather than through a centralised loop zone 6.

A third embodiment is illustrated in Figure 5 and comprises another relatively small pouch for a short haired individual and which further differs from the other two embodiments in that the loop that secures the free ends 5a, 5b at the band 3 is not formed of the fabric of the pouch 1 itself but is, instead, a hair gripper 8 that is sewn to the exterior of the pouch 1.

Although the present invention is illustrated in respect of three embodiments for use in childrens headwear and in which the loops for fastening are positioned towards 4 the anterior of the cap, the design may conceivably find use in a configuration where the loops are drawn towards the posterior of the cap. The quick mounting and fastening arrangement of the invention could conceivably be of use to, for example, surgeons or others who have need of a cap that can be donned and fastened swiftly.

Claims

1. An enveloping covering for the hair which comprises a pouch formed of a fabric material and having an open-mouth cap portion to receive the crown of the head and characterised by fastening means comprising a band of fabric material fastened extending around a substantial portion of the mouth of the cap and having lengthy opposing free end portions that are, in use, each protected through a respective fastening loop on or in the cap to be pulled further through the loop to thereby pull the cap against the head of the wearer.

2. An enveloping covering for the hair as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the band is formed of a textile fabric material.

An enveloping covering for the hair as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the fastening loops are also of textile fabric material.

4. An enveloping covering for the hair as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the loops are formed on or in the cap portion of the covering rearwardly of the mouth of the covering.

5. An enveloping covering for the hair as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the fabric material is towelling or other water-absorbent fabric.

6. An enveloping covering for the hair as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the loops are formed directly from the cap portion by slits in the cap portion.

7. An enveloping covering for the hair as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the loops are formed by an attachment to the cap portion which may comprise a hair gripper or elasticated bands.

8. An enveloping covering for the hair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any suitable combination of the accompanying drawings.

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