GB2425456A

GB2425456A - Stiffener for a cap

Info

Publication number: GB2425456A
Application number: GB0508379A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Richard Jennions
Original assignee: Try & Lilly Ltd
Current assignee: Try & Lilly Ltd
Priority date: 2005-04-26
Filing date: 2005-04-26
Publication date: 2006-11-01
Also published as: GB0508379D0

Abstract

A stiffener 18 for a cap 10 comprises a band 12 of flexible energy absorbing material.

Description

Title: Caps

DESCRiPTION

This invention concerns caps.

Caps are constructed around a stiffener that is made from a flat strip of material formed into a circle. Traditionally stiffeners for caps were made of hessian or buckram.

The advantages of using hessian or buckram were that the material would collapse, when the cap was being worn, to provide a comfortable fit and that the material was breathable, which contributed to comfort generally.

Instead of hessian or buckram, plastics strips, especially perforated plastics strips are now used as an alternative material for stiffeners.

Caps are worn by security personnel, such as the police, and there is a requirement for them to have some resistance to and protection from blows to the head.

It is possible to provide a moulded insert of protective energy absorbing material, such as EPP, but a different moulding has to be made for each size of cap.

An object of the invention is to provide a cap having energy absorbing properties.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a stiffener for a cap comprising a band of flexible energy absorbing material.

The first aspect of the invention further provides a cap incorporating a stiffener comprising band of flexible energy absorbing material.

The invention further provides a method of making a cap including the step of forming a stiffener thereof from a band of flexible energy absorbing material.

The ends of the band of energy absorbing material are preferably joined end to end, such as by means of stitching.

The energy absorbing material is preferably a foamed material, such as of nitrile rubber. The energy absorbing material is preferably of a thickness of at least 5mm and preferably of about 7mm. Conventional stiffeners are only about 2mm thick.

The use of an energy absorbing stiffener as proposed by the invention provides protection for the side of the head. To provide protection for the dome of the head it is further proposed that a generally circular pad of energy absorbing material be inserted in the cap to fit under the top of the cap. Ideally, the pad of energy absorbing material will be sized so as to be retained between a top edge of the stiffener and the cover of the cap.

In practice, the pad of energy absorbing material for the dome of the head may be inserted in an otherwise completed cap.

It is desirable that caps are not easily dislodged from a wearer's head, especially when being worn by security personnel, such as the police.

Accordingly in a second aspect of the invention a cap will have means for assisting retention thereof on a wearer's head, said means comprising an extension to the band of the cap at the rear thereof.

A cap of this aspect of the invention may also be a cap according to the first aspect of the invention.

The extension is preferably provided by a piece of relatively stiff material in the shape of a segment of a circle, the chord thereof being joined to the lower edge of the band. The extension may be made of the same energy absorbing material as the stiffener of the cap band.

The invention will now he further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a cap according to the invention; Figure 2 shows energy absorbing material components of the cap of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of a cap according to a second aspect of the invention; and Figure 4 is a rear view of the cap of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, a cap 10 has a circumferential band 12, a top 14 fastened to the top edge of the band and a peak 16 extending forwards from a lower edge of the band.

The band 12 is based on stiffener 18. The stiffener 18 is a strip of resiliently flexible energy absorbing material, such as of foamed nitrile rubber, and typically of about 7mm thickness, formed into a ring and joined end to end. The stiffener 1 8 provides a base for attaching other components of the cap thereto by stitching or by adhesive and provides a stiff edge to help the cap retain the shape and to restrain the peak against collapsing.

The stiffener, as desired, also provides for protection against blows to the side of a wearer's head.

To provide additional protection a disc 20 of energy absorbing material, of the same type as used for the stiffener, inserted into the cap to sit over the stiffener with the top of cap. By making the disc of greater diameter than that of the formed stiffener, the disc 20 need not be fixed in place but will be held between the stiffener and the top of the cap. Also, by being made of resiliently flexible material, the disc 20 can be added as the final component of the cap.

Turning to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, a cap 30 is of the same construction as the cap 10 of Figures 1 and 2. Additionally, the cap 30 has to the rear thereof a downwards extension 32 of relatively stiff material. The extension 32 is shaped on a segment of a circle and is joined to the bottom edge of band 34 around the rear of the cap.

The extension 32 acts to assist retention of the cap on a wearer's head.

Claims

1. A stiffener for a cap comprising a band of flexible energy absorbing material.

2. A stiffener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ends of the band of energy absorbing material are joined end to end.

3. A stiffener as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ends of the band are joined by means of stitching.

4. A stiffener as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the energy absorbing material is a foamed material.

5. A stiffener as claimed in claim 4, wherein the energy absorbing material is of nitrile rubber.

6. A stiffener as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the energy absorbing material is of a thickness of at least 5mm.

7. A stiffener as claimed in claim 6, wherein the energy absorbing material is of a thickness of about 7mm.

8. A cap incorporating a stiffener comprising a band of flexible energy absorbing material.

9. A cap as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ends of the band of energy absorbing material are joined end to end.

10. A cap as claimed in claim 9, wherein the ends of the band are joined by means of stitching.

11. A cap as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the energy absorbing material is a foamed material.

12. A cap as claimed in claim 11, wherein the energy absorbing material is of nitrile rubber.

13. A cap as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the energy absorbing material is of a thickness of at least 5mm.

14. A cap as claimed in claim 13, wherein the energy absorbing material is of a thickness of about 7mm.

15. A cap as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 14 having a generally circular pad of energy absorbing material inserted in the cap to fit under the top of the cap.

16. A cap as claimed in claim 15, wherein the pad of energy absorbing material is sized so as to be retained between a top edge of the stiffener and the cover of the cap.

17. A method of making a cap including the step of forming a stiffener thereof from a band of flexible energy absorbing material.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the ends of the band of energy absorbing material are joined end to end.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the ends of the band are joined by means of stitching.

20. A method as claimed in claim 17, 18 or 19, wherein the energy absorbing material is a foamed material.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the energy absorbing material is of nitrile rubber.

22. A method as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the energy absorbing material is of a thickness of at least 5mm.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the energy absorbing material is of a thickness of about 7mm.

24. A cap having means for assisting retention thereof on a wearer's head, said means comprising an extension to the band of the cap at the rear thereof.

A cap as claimed in claim 24, wherein the extension is provided by a piece of relatively stiff material in the shape of a segment of a circle, the chord thereof being joined to the lower edge of the band.

26. A cap as claimed claim 24 or 25, wherein the extension is made of energy absorbing material.

27. A cap as claimed in claim 25 or 26 incorporating a stiffener comprising a band of flexible energy absorbing material.

28. A cap as claimed in claim 27, wherein the ends of the band of energy absorbing material are joined end to end.

29. A cap as claimed in claim 28, wherein the ends of the band are joined by means of stitching.

30. A cap as claimed in claim 27, 28 or 29, wherein the energy absorbing material is a foamed material.

31. A cap as claimed in claim 30, wherein the energy absorbing material is of nitrile rubber.

32. A cap as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 31, wherein the energy absorbing material is of a thickness of at least 5mm.

33. A cap as claimed in claim 32, wherein the energy absorbing material is of a thickness of about 7mm.

34. A cap as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 33 having a generally circular pad of energy absorbing material inserted in the cap to fit under the top of the cap.

35. A cap as claimed in claim 34, wherein the pad of energy absorbing material is sized so as to be retained between a top edge of the stiffener and the cover of the cap.

36. A cap as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 35, wherein the extension is made of the same energy absorbing material as the stiffener of the cap band.

37. A stiffener for a cap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.

38. A cap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. A stiffener for a cap comprising a band of flexible energy absorbing material, wherein the stiffener forms a structural member for said cap for supporting components of the cap.

8. A cap incorporating a stiffener comprising a band of flexible energy absorbing material, wherein the stiffener forms a structural member for said cap for supporting components of the cap.

17. A method of making a cap including the step of forming a stiffener thereof from a band of flexible energy absorbing material, wherein the stiffener forms a structural member for said cap for supporting components of the cap.