GB2509929A - Hair Retention Bonnet - Google Patents

Abstract

A hair retention bonnet 31 comprising a unitary piece of knitted fabric, the bonnet having elasticated edges 33 and at least one cinch point 32 and being adapted to conform closely to a wearers head, wherein the knitted fabric comprises both non-textured and textured yarns. The bonnet may have two cinch points. The textured yarn is preferably a false twist yarn. Both the textured yarn and non textured yarn may be a synthetic yarn such as polyester. The bonnet may further comprise wicking yarns, microfiber yarns, and an indicator stripe. Also claimed is a plurality of connected bonnets that may be separated. Also described is a beard cover, a neck shield, an arm cover and a hair retention cap.

Description

Hair Retention Bonnet The present invention relates to hair retention bonnets. In particular, the present invention relates to hair retention bonnets used for hygienic purposes in catering and retail establishments, factories and the like, and other establishments in which hygiene is of importance such as hospitals and other health service establishments.

In workplaces such as catering establishments and factories where foodstuffs are manufactured and/or packaged or pharmaceutical, cosmetic or electronic manufacturing establishments, it is often a requirement that workers keep their hair covered at all times for reasons of hygiene.

It has been found that, regardless of hair length, a person sheds on average between 100 and 150 hairs each day, with hair shedding occurring constantly throughout the day. A large number of hairs are therefore shed during the time a person is at work that, if not contained, can contaminate the workplace and/or the products being produced. In addition to the negative reaction experienced by a consumer finding such a contaminant in food, medicine or another product, hair carries Staphylococcus aureus and contamination with hair therefore brings an additional risk of bacterial infection, eg food poisoning. Thus, it is important that hair is kept covered at all times in the relevant workplaces, and furthermore that the hair covering is able to hold the hair in place and to capture and retain hairs which are shed in the course of the day.

While it has conventionally been considered that long hair poses a greater contamination risk than short hair, it has now been found that in many cases short hair carries a greater risk of contamination. The propensity of short hairs to stand up on the head makes them more likely to protrude through any headcovering worn, and consequently to fall and contaminate the work area. In contrast, long hairs are more easily folded down against the head and held in place. In addition, short hairs are less noticeable than long hairs and there is therefore a greater risk that contamination with short hairs will go undetected. It is thus crucial that a hair retention garment acts to prevent or inhibit the protrusion of short hairs through the garment and the subsequent loss of protruding hairs into the work area.

Workers in environments where hygiene is of importance are commonly supplied with hair retention garments in the form of hairnets, hats, balaclavas, beard covers, arm covers and/or neckerchiefs. Such garments are generally made from woven, nonwoven or knitted fabrics, all of which have some holes inherent in their construction (eg due to needle holes or the random alignment of spun fibres).

When a garment is worn, mechanical forces generated by the movement of hair against the surface of the garment, caused either by the normal movement of the wearer or as a result of the wearer touching or scratching their hair, push hairs through the garment. This creates a risk of contamination, as these hairs may fall and contaminate the workplace.

In order to maintain high hygiene levels, garments worn for this purpose are generally disposed of and replaced on a regular basis. It is therefore important that such garments can be produced at low cost and in large numbers. It is further preferable that the garments can be cleaned and reused a number of times before disposal, and that they can be recycled after use. As a workplace will generally stock large amounts of the garments for use by the workforce, it is also preferable that one size provides a suitable fit for all users, eliminating the need to store multiple sizes.

In addition, it is important that headwear fits the user well as ill-fitting headwear is likely to be more uncomfortable, reducing compliance by workers with regulations covering the use of headwear. Ill-fitting headwear may also be less effective in retaining the hair.

A range of types of headwear are frequently used in the workplace. These include hairnets, which are conventionally made from a nylon, polyester or polypropylene mesh. Hairnets are typically woven on conventional net looms, or knitted. A common method of manufacture of hairnets is to produce a continuous band of fabric, with individual hairnets being made by crimping the fabric at two points (cinch points) corresponding to the front and back of the hairnet, and cutting the hairnet so formed from the continuous band of fabric. Hairnets are lightweight and cool to wear, but due to the open mesh structure they are generally poor at retaining hair, which protrudes through the fabric, allowing it to escape and risking contamination.

Hats and caps are also worn as hair retention garments, and are commonly produced in a so-called cut!make/trim process. Typically, this involves cutting a blank from a suitable fabric, forming the blank into the desired shape, fastening it in that shape (eg by stitching or adhesive) and then trimming to give the final product. Hats produced by this method tend to be stiff and of a fixed shape, and do not conform to the user's head. This results in a hat which can be uncomfortable to wear, and which does not effectively cover and retain the user's hair.

There have now been devised improved hair retention articles which overcome or substantially mitigate the above-mentioned and/or other problems associated with

the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a hair retention bonnet comprising a unitary piece of knitted fabric, the bonnet having elasticated edges and at least one cinch point and being adapted to conform closely to a wearer's head, wherein the knitted fabric comprises both non-textured and textured yarns.

The hair retention bonnet according to the invention is advantageous because it has enhanced hair retention properties in comparison to conventional headwear.

It has been surprisingly found that the incorporation of a textured yarn into the fabric from which the bonnet is constructed helps to grip and retain protruding hairs, preventing them from escaping from the bonnet. It is believed that this is due both to the structure of the knitted fabric, and to the bulky, non-slip nature of textured yarn when it is relaxed.

The use of a knitted fabric is further advantageous as knitted fabrics, due to their structure, generally have a higher degree of elasticity than woven or other nonwoven fabrics. This enables the bonnet to stretch to an appropriate size and shape to snugly fit the user's head. This has two key effects: enabling a single size of bonnet to be worn by all users, and effectively gripping and containing the user's hair regardless of head size or hairstyle.

By "bonnet", in the context of the invention, is meant a garment which may be worn on or about the head, and may alternatively be referred to as a hat or cap.

The knitted fabric from which the bonnet is produced may be made using any conventional method known to those skilled in the art. For example, the knitted fabric may be produced using a flat bed knitting machine, such as a Raschel knitting machine, or using a circular knitting machine.

Methods for producing bonnets from appropriate fabric are known in the art, and any suitable method may be used to produce bonnets according to the present invention. For example, bonnets according to the invention may be produced with two cinch points or with one cinch point. Where there are two cinch points, these may be situated at the front and back of the user's head, or at the sides of the user's head.

Bonnets according to the invention may be produced by knitting a continuous length of knitted fabric which is then separated into individual bonnets by binding the knitted fabric together at intervals (commonly referred to as cinch points) and cutting the fabric in the bound regions. Binding of the knitted fabric may, for instance, be accomplished by knotting of the fabric, by fusing the material of the fabric through the application of heat and/or pressure, or by the application to the fabric of metal staples or other forms of clips that crimp the fabric together. By way of example, pairs of metal staples may be applied to form each bound region, with a small separation between the staples of each, the fabric subsequently being cut between the staples to form individual bonnets. Clearly, the separation of the pairs of staples (or other means of binding the fabric) is chosen to correspond to the desired size of the finished bonnet.

Where the fabric is severed, the discrete bonnets so formed may be packaged, either individually or in bulk, for supply to customers. Alternatively, the fabric may not be severed, and instead the bonnets may be supplied in connected form, eg wound into a roll or folded in concertina fashion. In such a case, individual bonnets are separated from the bulk supply by the end user, eg by tearing off.

Suitable points or lines of weakness, such as perforations, may be introduced to facilitate this.

The ratio of non-textured to textured yarn will affect the characteristics of the finished bonnet, and the ratio can therefore be selected dependent on those desired characteristics. A greater proportion of textured yarn in the fabric will enhance the hair retention properties of the fabric, as well as increasing the degree to which the fabric can stretch. In contrast, the non-textured yarn provides the bonnet with structure, stabilising the fabric. In addition, cost implications may make it desirable to have a larger proportion of non-textured yarn in the fabric.

The weight ratio of non-textured and textured yarns may thus be any suitable ratio.

For example, the weight ratio of non-textured to textured yarn may be from about 5:95 to about 95:5, from about 10:90 to about 90:10, from about 20:80 to about 80:20, from about 30:70 to about 70:30, or from about 40:60 to about 60:40.

These ranges encompass all ratios between them, for example the weight ratio of non-textured to textured yarn in the fabric may be about 5:95, about 10:90, about 15:85, about 20:80, about 25:75, about 30:70, about 35: 65, about 40:60, about 45:55, about 50:50, about 55:45, about 60:40, about 65:35, about 70:30, about 75:25, about 80:20, about 85:15, about 90:10 or about 95:5.

Types of textured yarn and methods for producing textured yarn are known in the art, and any suitable textured yarn may be used in the present invention. For example, the textured yarn may be false twist, air jet, knife edge crimping, stuffer box, gear crimping or knit-deknit. Preferably, the textured yarn used in the present invention is a false twist yarn. It has been found that the bulky nature of a false twist yarn helps to limit gaps in the fabric through which hair can protrude, as well as gripping and preventing hair from slipping through gaps.

The textured yarn may be produced from natural or synthetic materials.

Preferably, the textured yarn is a synthetic yarn, such as nylon, polyester, viscose, acrylic or polypropylene. More preferably, the textured yarn is polyester. Natural fibres such as cotton may also be used.

The non-textured yarn may be produced from natural or synthetic materials.

Preferably, the non-textured yarn is a synthetic yarn, such as nylon, polyester, viscose, acrylic or polypropylene. More preferably, the non-textured yarn is polyester. Natural fibres such as cotton may also be used.

It has been found that the use of certain synthetic yarns, such as polyester, in the manufacture of a bonnet according to the invention is particularly advantageous as these yarns cling to hair. In use, the synthetic yarn attracts loose hairs which protrude through the fabric, thus preventing them from falling and contaminating the work area.

Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that materials such as polyester are attracted to hair due to static electricity. Hair is primarily made of the protein keratin. When brought into contact with other materials, keratin has a tendency to give up electrons, creating a positive charge. In contrast, polyester has a tendency to attract electrons from other materials, resulting in a negative charge. Thus, when polyester is brought into contact with human hair, electrons are transferred from the hair to the polyester. The resulting positive and negative charges on the hair and polyester respectively then cause the two materials to cling together. Hairs that protrude through the fabric of a hair retention bonnet made from such fabric are therefore retained in the structure of the bonnet, reducing or eliminating the number of hairs which are lost.

The textured and non-textured yarns may be of any suitable weight for use in the bonnet of the invention. It is advantageous for the bonnet to be relatively lightweight, as this will be more comfortable for the user and will reduce shipping and laundering costs. However, it has also been found that thicker fabrics are generally more effective at preventing hair from protruding. It has been found that particularly good results are obtained by using non-textured yarn size 20/12 together with textured yarn size 30/72s, by using non-textured wicking yarn size 50/36 together with textured yarn size 30/72.

The hair retention bonnet of the invention has elasticated edges. This helps to retain the bonnet on the wearer's head and to create a snug fit, as well as strengthening the bonnet. A close fitting bonnet is advantageous because it both effectively holds hair in place, and prevents hairs from being lost from the lower edge of the bonnet. Elastication of the edge of the bonnet may be achieved by any suitable method, for example by incorporating elastic threads into the knitted fabric during production of the fabric, or by weaving elastic threads into the finished fabric or into the finished bonnet.

Other elements may be included in the bonnet according to the invention, in order to impart desired characteristics. For example, wicking yarns such as channelled staycool or CoolMaxTM yarns may be incorporated into the knitted fabric. Such yarns wick moisture away, increasing breathability of the fabric and helping to keep the wearer cool, thereby providing more comfortable headwear.

The bonnet may further comprise microfiber yarns. Microfiber yarns contain a greater number of filaments than conventional yarn, resulting in a higher degree of friction with the hair. The increased friction helps to restrict the movement of protruding hairs, and so helps to prevent them being lost and contaminating the Where a coloured fabric is required, the yarn may be dyed prior to knitting, the fabric may be dyed before the bonnet is constructed, or the finished bonnet may be dyed. Preferably, the fabric is dyed before the bonnet is constructed. The fabric may be jet dyed in a continuous strip, without being held prior to the bonnet being constructed. It has been found that jet dying of the relaxed fabric allows the textured fibres in the yarn to bulk, improving the ability of the fabric to prevent the protrusion of hairs.

Bonnets according to the invention may be used in any environment in which it is generally desirable to wear a head covering. In particular, bonnets according to the invention may be used in environments in which it is important to maintain a high level of hygiene. For example, hairnets according to the invention may be used in catering establishments and factories where foodstuffs are manufactured and/or packaged, or pharmaceutical or cosmetic manufacturing establishments, or medical establishments. The bonnets may also be used in industrial situations in which avoidance of contamination by hair is critical, eg in paint spraying processes.

Bonnets according to the invention may be reused a number of times. Between uses, they may be cleaned by any suitable method known in the art, for example in the manner described in GB1221027.4. Where the bonnet is reused a number of times, an indicator may be incorporated into the bonnet to indicate when replacement is required. For example, the bonnet may comprise a coloured portion, which may be in the form of a strip along an edge, or down the centre. In a workplace, bonnets having different coloured strips may be rotated after a set number of wears or period of time, enabling the easy identification of bonnets which require cleaning or disposal. Additional indicator strips may also be incorporated into the bonnet in order to differentiate users, eg different job grades or job types, or to differentiate different grades of bonnet.

The bonnet according to the invention may be used alone, or it may be used in combination with other hats or hairnets. For example, a hairnet may be worn underneath the bonnet, or the bonnet may be worn underneath a larger hat. It has been found that, when the bonnet is used in combination with a knitted hairnet such as that described in GB1 206641.1, the hair retention properties of the bonnet are further improved. In such an arrangement, the inner, hairnet layer expands and contracts to hold the hair flat against the user's head, and the outer, bonnet layer effectively grips and retains any hairs which protrude through the fabric of the inner, hairnet layer. The hairnet and bonnet may be worn as two separate items, or may be attached together and provided as a single piece of headwear.

The bonnet according to the invention may further comprise a flap located at the rear of the bonnet which, in use, covers the wearer's neck. The bottom edge of the flap may be elasticated, forming a pouch to accommodate long hair.

The bonnet according to the invention may further comprise a flap which, in use, is located over or may be drawn over the lower part of the face, in order to cover facial hair.

It will be appreciated that other hair retention articles may also be produced, which comprise both textured and non-textured yarns, and which have the same advantages as the first aspect of the invention.

Hence, according to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a beard cover comprising a unitary piece of knitted fabric, wherein the knitted fabric comprises both non-textured and textured yarns.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a neck shield comprising a unitary piece of knitted fabric, wherein the knitted fabric comprises both non-textured and textured yarns.

Furthermore, knitted fabric comprising both a textured and non-textured yarn may be used in the production of headwear in a cut/make/trim process. Due to the use of a knitted fabric and a textured yarn, such headwear has greater hair retention properties than conventional cut/make/trim headwear. The additional use of the previously described dyeing process, wherein the relaxed fabric is dyed prior to construction of the hat, has been found to allow the textured fibres in the yarn to bulk and so to further improve the ability of the finished article to prevent the protrusion of hairs.

Therefore, according to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a hair retention cap, produced using a cut/make/trim process, wherein the hat comprises a knitted fabric comprising both non-textured and textured yarns.

Typically, the cut/make/trim process involves cutting a blank from a suitable fabric, forming the blank into the desired shape, fastening it in that shape (eg by stitching or adhesive) and then trimming to give the final product.

Articles according to the second, third and fourth aspects of the invention may comprise any of the features described above in relation to the first aspect of the invention.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagram of a knitting pattern, showing the structure of a knitted fabric used in the manufacture of a bonnet according to the invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of a continuous length of knitted fabric, manufactured according to Figure 1, used in the production of a bonnet according to the invention; Figure 3 shows the manner in which a bonnet produced from the fabric of Figure 2 is worn; Figure 4 shows a view similar to Figure 3, wherein the hairnet includes a rear flap to accommodate long hair.

Referring first to Figure 1, a knitting pattern showing the structure of a knitted fabric used in the manufacture of bonnets according to the invention is depicted.

As is conventional, the knitting diagram comprises rows of black dots 12, each of which represents a needle about which a stitch may be formed. The lines that extend substantially vertically up the diagram represent the different threads used in the construction. Four different types of yarn are used in this pattern: a flat yarn, a textured yarn, a pillaring yarn and elastic. The four yarns are threaded separately on four guide bars: the flat yarn on bar 1, the textured yarn on bar 2, the pillaring yarn on bar 3, and the elastic on bar 4.

It will be understood that this pattern is schematic, and the number of needles shown is greatly reduced. In reality, the number of needles in the central region "A" of the fabric, on which the flat yarn and the textured yarn are knitted, may be 200, or 300, or 400, or any value within this range.

The pillaring yarn (from bar 3) and the elastic (from bar 4) are knitted into the edges of the fabric. The bulk of the fabric is comprised of the flat yarn from bar 1 and the textured yarn from bar 2.

A bonnet is produced from knitted fabric 21, made according to Figure 1, shown in Figure 2. The knitted fabric 21 has elasticated edges 22, and may be produced in a continuous length. The continuous length of fabric is then separated into individual bonnets by gathering and binding the fabric together at intervals with pairs of metal staples 32 (shown in Figure 3), and then cutting the fabric in the space between the staples 32 of each pair to form individual bonnets.

The manner in which such a bonnet 31 is worn is shown schematically in Figure 3.

As can be seen, the bonnet is worn with the regions bound by the staples 32 at the front and back, and the elasticated edges 33 hold the bonnet in place on the wearer's head.

Another form of bonnet 41 is shown schematically in Figure 4. In this bonnet, the fabric is produced with a elasticated edges 43, and the bonnet is worn with the staples 42 located at the sides of the head. A flap of fabric 44 hangs down at the rear of the bonnet, covering long hair. The lower edge of the flap 44 may also be elasticated, forming a pouch to accommodate long hair. If not elasticated, the flap 44 will lie flat against the wearer's neck, under clothing, helping to prevent shed hair from escaping.

ComQarison of Bonnet with Conventional Headwear The effectiveness of bonnets according to the invention in retaining hair was compared with conventional types of headwear used in industry.

It was found that hair retention bonnets produced according to the invention allow significantly fewer hairs to protrude through than conventional nonwoven, mesh and knitted headwear. In addition, it was found that a combination of the bonnet with a knitted hairnet such as that described in 0B1206641.1 further reduced the number of hairs which were able to protrude through the bonnet.

Due to the density of the fabric analysed, it was found that very few hairs were able to protrude through articles made of woven fabric. However, it has been found that due to the construction of a woven fabric and the rigid nature of headwear made from such material, hair is not retained by the fabric. Hence, hair which protrudes through headwear made of a woven fabric is far more likely to be lost (and so pose a risk of contamination) than hair which protrudes through headwear made of a knitted fabric as described in relation to the present invention.

Claims (25)

1. Claims 1. A hair retention bonnet comprising a unitary piece of knitted fabric, the bonnet having elasticated edges and at least one cinch point and being adapted to conform closely to a wearer's head, wherein the knitted fabric comprises both non-textured and textured yarns.
2. 2. A bonnet according to Claim 1, which has two cinch points.
3. 3. A bonnet according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the weight ratio of non-textured to textured yarn is from about 5:95 to about 95:5.
4. 4. A bonnet according to Claim 3, wherein the weight ratio of non-textured to textured yarn is from about 20:80 to about 80:20.
5. 5. A bonnet according to Claim 4, wherein the weight ratio of non-textured to textured yarn is from about 30:70 to about 70:30.
6. 6. A bonnet according to any preceding claim, wherein the textured yarn is a false twist yarn.
7. 7. A bonnet according to any preceding claim, wherein the textured yarn is a synthetic yarn.
8. 8. A bonnet according to Claim 7, wherein the synthetic yarn is polyester.
9. 9. A bonnet according to any preceding claim, wherein the non-textured yarn is a synthetic yarn.
10. 10. A bonnet according to Claim 9, wherein the non-textured yarn is polyester.
11. 11. A bonnet according to any preceding claim, which further comprises wicking yarns.
12. 12. A bonnet according to any preceding claim, which further comprises microfiber yarns.
13. 13. A bonnet according to any preceding claim, which comprises a coloured indicator stripe.
14. 14. A bonnet according to any preceding claim, which further comprises a rear portion which, in use, covers the wearer's neck.
15. 15. A plurality of connected bonnets, each bonnet comprising a unitary piece of knitted fabric, the bonnet having elasticated edges and at least one cinch point and being adapted to conform closely to a wearer's head, wherein the knitted fabric comprises both non-textured and textured yarns, and the bonnets being connected together at junctions adjacent the at least one cinch point, such that a bonnet may be separated by severing the junction between two bonnets.
16. 16. A hair retention article selected from a beard cover, a neck shield and a hair retention cap, that comprises a unitary piece of knitted fabric, wherein the knitted fabric comprises both non-textured and textured yarns.
17. 17. An article according to Claim 16, wherein the weight ratio of non-textured to textured yarn is from about 5:95 to about 95:5.
18. 18. An article according to Claim 16 or Claim 17, wherein the textured yarn is a false twist yarn.
19. 19. An article according to any of Claims 16 to 18, wherein the textured yarn is polyester.
20. 20. An article according to any one of Claims 16 to 19, wherein the non-textured yarn is polyester.
21. 21. An article according to any one of Claims 16 to 20, which is a beard cover.
22. 22. An article according to any one of Claims 16 to 20, which is a neck shield.
23. 23. An article according to any one of Claims 16 to 20, which is a hair retention cap.
24. 24. An article according to Claim 23, which is produced using a cut/make/trim process.
25. 25. A bonnet substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.