US3571812A

US3571812A - Cap construction and the method of making same

Info

Publication number: US3571812A
Application number: US804807A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert Norman Speevak; Joseph George Robert Paquin
Original assignee: Johnson and Johnson
Current assignee: Johnson and Johnson
Priority date: 1968-03-07
Filing date: 1969-03-06
Publication date: 1971-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-23

Abstract

The hat or cap disclosed is made of a sleeve of flexible material which is formed into four panels and two opposing panels are then folded inwardly. All of the panels are joined together at one end of the sleeve to form the cap.

Description

United States Patent lnventors Robert Norman Speevak Montreal, Quebec; Joseph George Robert Paquin, Roxboro, Quebec, Canada Appl. No. 804,807

Filed Mar. 6, 1969 Patented Mar. 23, 1971 Assignee Johnson & Johnson Priority Mar. 7, 1968 Canada 014,308

CAP CONSTRUCTION AND THE METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 2/197 Int. Cl A42b 1/22 Field of Search 2/195, 196, 198, 200, 174, 209.1, 197, 192, 201; 229/53; 19/161 {56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,996,367 4/1935 Davis 2/174 2,948,900 8/1960 Ebenstein 2/209.1 1,659,425 2/1928 Blumenthal 2/174 1,785,637 12/1930 Lipper 2/192XR 2,790,591 4/1957 Rosen.... 229/53 2,806,224 9/1957 Kursh 2/174 2,862,251 12/1958 Kalwaites 19/161 FOREIGN PATENTS 458,758 8/1968 Switzerland 2/198 795,001 9/1968 Canada 2/195 Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-George H. Krizmanich AttorneysMichael Q. Tatlow, Harold L. Warner and Robert L. Minier ABSTRACT: The hat or cap disclosed is made of a sleeve of flexible material which is formed into four panels and two opposing panels are then folded inwardly. All of the panels are joined together at one end of the sleeve to form the cap.

PATENTED MR2 3 :97:

INVENTORS Robert Norman SPEEVAK .l. G. Robert PAQUIN H 1l. .-.-h

,4 7' TOPNEYS,

car cousraacriou sun was Maruon or Mxruivc SAME This invention relates to hats.

More particularly, this invention relates to a novel cap constructed for use as a head covering, finding application in various fields of industries.

Caps find use in many different fields of application where it is necessary to cover the hair or the head of a person for various reasons. Such uses include, for example, caps for hospital personnel, service industries such as the food industry, e. g. for waitresses, etc. in the prior art, there are several known types of cap constructions, such as those illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,869,135 and 2,990,552 and Canadian Pat. No. 513,032. Such structures employ either several panels of material sewn together e.g. a central band of material contoured for covering the major portion of the head attached to shaped side portions and a rim; or when made of one-piece material, the caps involve complicated folds requiring several production operations, with the result that the greater number of folds. the less APPLlCANTS DEVELOPMENT With this invention, applicant has developed a cap having a greatly simplified structure, and which permits a single size of the cap to fit most people without the necessity of having to construct a large number of different sizes. The cap structure permits the cap to readily conform to the contour of the head. it is also comfortable to wear and easy to manufacture.

Thus, according to this invention the cap includes a sleeve of flexible material made of a fabric having at least unidirectional elasticity. the elasticity being in the width direction, the cap having top and bottom marginal edges, with first and second opposed pairs of panels and third and fourth opposed infolded panels between the first and second panels, the top marginal edges of the infolded third and fourth panels being joined at least to one of the first and second panels at or near the top marginal edge of the latter panel. and the first and second panels being joined at or near their top margins thereby to form a closed end to the sleeve of the flexible material.

According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the infolded third and fourth panels, and the first and second panels are all joined together along a single line at or near the top margins thereof. It has been found that such a cap provides a more uniform structure and facilitates manufacture thereof.

Preferably, all of the panels have a substantially equal length whereby the equal length provides continuous uniform top and bottom borders. All of the panels may have a substantially uniform width. However, as the shape of the human head is not circular, but rather to some extent an elongated oval, it may be desirable to make one pair of opposed panels e.g. the first and second panels a width greater than the width of the third and fourth panels. According to a further preferred embodiment, the infolded third and fourth panels are actually divided into panel sections of equal width, each panel section extending between the opposed first and second panels a distance of up to about 50 percent of the width of the first and second panels. However, a panel may be divided into panel sections of unequal width. In the preferred embodiment where the infolded third and fourth panels are each divided into equal panel sections, such an arrangement will form a substantially four-ply thickness across the entire top margin, thereby providing added reinforcement to the dome or top of the cap structure. If desired, however, the infolded panel sections could have a width less than about 50 percent of the width of the first and second panels,i.e. from about to 45 percent, to achieve the type of elongated cross section noted previously.

The above preferred embodiment results in a cap structure having a pair of triangular gussets on the inside of the cap at the top thereofi.e. the dome portion, formed by each infolded third and fourth panel, and which is overlaid by the top portions of the first and second panels, with opposed inwardly extending triangularly shaped pockets in the exterior sides at the top, formed by the joint between the joined lirst and second panel sections and the infolded third and fourth panel sections. The pair of triangular gussets will be arranged such that the apex of each gusset faces the apex of the gusset of the other. Where the infolded third and fourth panels are divided into equal panel sections and extend inwardly approximately 50 percent of the sides of the first and second panels. the apexes of the gussets will be almost touching each other.

The material from which the cap of the present invention is made, as noted above, is a flexible material having elasticity in at least one direction, i.e. the width direction of the cap. whereby with the cap structure of the present invention. a single size cap may be provided to fit substantially all head sizes. The material of course. must be nonirritating material. the most preferred material types have been found to be the fabric materials. The materials having the essential characteristics according to this invention can be selected so that they include additional characteristics and qualities required for any given field of use. Thus, for example, when the cap is to be used for hospital worke.g. a surgeons capthe material selected .will have the property of being sterilizable. Typical materials which may be used include nonwoven fabrics, such as those known under the trade marks Keybak; Masslinn; or other fabrics such as nylon, the product marketed under the trademark Lycra, cotton, etc. Also, mixtures of various fabrics may be employed. in -which at least the warp or weft threads forming the fabric possesses unidirectional elasticity. Other materials such as crepe paper may also be used.

If desired, the material from which the cap ofthe present in vention is made can possess elasticity in both the width and length directions.

A most preferred fabric, where the cap is to be used for hospital purposes, has been found to be a nonwovcn textile material such as that disclosed in Canadian Pat. Nos. 653.278; 700,364 and bl2,l6l.

When employing a nonwoven fabric such as that known under the trade mark Keybak. the weight of the fabric may range from to 1500 grains per square yard. Preferably. the weight is somewhere around from 500 to l200 grains per square yard. The Kcybak material is preferably either a viscose rayon or cotton material-alternately blends may be used. it may also be desirable to employ heat-scalable nonwoven fabrics. ln nonwoven fabrics, the elasticity is normally at right angles to the fiber direction and therefore. the material will be used accordingly whereby elasticity in the width direction of the cap is obtained. The degree of elasticity required in the material from which the cap of the present invention is made will vary considerably.

Preferably. the elasticity is such that a single cap size is capable of fitting substantially all head sizes. Using the preferred material. i.e. Keybak material with a grain weight of about 950 per square yard, a cap having a diameter of 22 inches at its bottom margin has been found to be adaptable to most head sizes because of the cap construction having the directional elasticity feature.

Depending on the choice of material. the products of the present invention may either be of the disposable or nondisposable type. Thus. with the nonwoven fabrics. disposable products can be made at an economical level. However with other materials such as nylon and Lycra, the cap may he reusable. In the case of reusable caps, the cap material possessing the directional elasticity should be one wherein the material returns substantially to its original form.

The cap is preferably made of a single sheet of suitable material above defined, which forms a sleeve or belt. The term sleeve is used herein to define a tube having free top and bottom margins but no free lateral margins. and therefore, includes sheet material sewn together along its lateral side edges, or a plurality of panels of material secured together to form a tube. In the case where a plurality of panels are secured together, (to form a sleeve), the unidirectional elasticity may be incorporated into one of the panels rather than all four whereby the cap of this invention will still be capable of fitting substantially all head sizes. In this selection however, the degree of elasticity should be correspondingly larger than if all four panels had elasticity. Also, in other cases, material such as the nonwoven fabrics e.g. Keybak may be manufactured so that the elasticity feature may be arranged about the fabric in predetermined areas whereby there are areas of nonelasticity and areas of unidirectional elasticity.

The sleeve length and diameter (width of the sleeve) may vary considerably. Typical dimensions for a cap are such that it will have a length of about 10 inches and a circumference. at the bottom margin in an unstretched condition, of approximately 22 inches. In most cases, it is preferred to make the length of the cap actually longer than that required, whereby the bottom margin of the cap, when placed on the head can be folded up about its lower edges to form a sweat band.

The cap of the present invention may also be adapted for use by turning the above-described cap structure inside out as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The reversed cap structure results in a cap having a continuous and smooth contour with a good close fitting dome or top portion, and with a top interior structure formed by the joined top margins of the first and second panels overlayed in part by opposed triangular gussets, the apexes of the triangular gussets facing each other and meeting along the line joining the first and second panel; conversely, the exterior structure of the top portion of the cap is composed of the end panel sections of the first and second panels with overlayed triangular gussets (of two-ply thickness) formed by the third and fourth infolded panels with the apexes of the triangular gussets facing each other.

The method by which the panels of the cap are secured together at the top margins can be carried out by any suitable means such as by stitching, stapling, suitable adhesives or heat sealing, depending on the type of material being employed.

Having thus generally described the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment and in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of an article according to this invention, showing the folds of a cap in a partially assembled condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the cap in an assem bled condition;

FIG. 3 is vertical section showing, in pan, the process of reversing the hat;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hat in a completely reversed condition;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the hat of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view showing the hat being worn with the bottom marginal edge up-turned to form a sweat band.

Referring now to the drawing there is illustrated a cap of the present invention. The cap consists of an endless belt or sleeve of nonwoven fabric material having a length of about 10 inches and a uniform circumference of about 22 inches. To form the sleeve, the free side edges of the sheet were stitched as shown by reference number 14. The nonwoven fabric material used is that in Canadian Pat. 700,364, which has unidirectional elasticity. This unidirectional elasticity has been incorporated into the cap structure in the width direction whereby the cap may be expanded to fit various head sizes. The particular material used in this example is known in the trade as Keybak and had a grain weight of approximately 950 grains per square yard.

The hat includes Spair of first and second opposed substantially

identical panels

10 and 12 with third and fourth infolded panels and 22 therebetween. The infolded panels are divided into

panel sections

20a, 20b, 22a and 2211 by crease lines 21 and 23 respectively.

Panels

10, 12, 20 and 22 all have approximately the same width of about 5 Xa'nches.

In the preferred embodiment as shown in the drawing, the

panels

20 and 22 and

panels

10 and 12 are all joined together along their top marginal edges, (FIG. 2) by stitching 24, whereby the top of the cap is completely closed.

As will be seen in FIG. 2, triangular pockets are formed at the top of the cap, as indicated by reference numeral 26. which are defined by the joint between the first and second panels and the infolded panels 20 and 22A.

In use, the cap structure of the present invention is adapted to be reversed or turned inside out to form a contoured close fitting top section. The reversing operation may be carried out by clasping the interior top margins of the cap of FIG. 2 in the manner shown in FIG. 3 and pulling the top margin'between the four panel sections, to result in the structure shown in FIG. 4. As will be seen, the dome on the top of the cap, in reversed condition, is composed of the top sections of the first and

second panels

10a and 12a meeting together-which panel sections extend substantially across the entire width of the dome. Panel sections 10a and l2a are overlayed in part by

triangular gussets

28 and 30, formed by

panels

20 and 22 meeting along the lines of stitching, with the apexes of the triangular gussets facing each other.

Triangular gussets

28 and 30 are actually two-ply in thickness by virtue of the

panel sections

20 and 22 being folded upon each other in the triangular arrangement.

The interior of the cap structure of FIG. 4 is shown in FIG. 5 and again, panel sections, and it will be seen that the bottom portions of

panels

10 and 12 form substantially completely the top interior portion with underlying

triangular gussets

28 and 30 which are those described with regard to FIG. 4.

In FIG. 6, there is illustrated a cap according to this invention being wom. As will be seen, the structure ofthe cap of the present invention permits a substantially completely con toured dome portion. In this case, the lower edges of all four panels have been up-turned to form a sweat band 32 along the lower portion of the cap.

The cap shown in the drawings may be constructed according to conventional techniques, for example by dividing a sleeve or tube of the material into four panels with two of the opposed panels being infolded between the other pair of opposed panels. The degree to which the infolded panels extend inwardly may vary. Dividing the sleeve into panel sections may be accomplished by, for example, pressing the fabric to form the panel section. or by any other suitable means, while infolding one pair of panels between the other pair may be carried out by a gusseting operation.

Once the sleeve has been divided into panels, the cap may then be sewn in across one free end in a single continuous line, by, for example, stitching as shown in the drawings, or by other suitable mean as previously mentioned.

It will be understood that various modifications can be made to the cap of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, although the cap structure has been described with reference to panels, it will be understood that the panels do not have to be panels as such since the body portion of the cap, which encompasses the head, assumes a circular shape and therefore only the top part of the cap may incorporate a definite panel shape.

We claim:

1. A cap having a tubular length of fabric folded to form a pair of opposed first and second panels with top and bottom margins, third and fourth opposed panels inwardly folded between said first and second panels, said inwardly folded panels being folded into substantially equal panel sections, said third and fourth panels having top and bottom margins and being secured to at least one of said first or second panels at the top margins thereof, said first and second panels being secured together at their top margins, and the panels are made ofa nonwoven fabric, said fabric having at least unidirectional elasticity and having a fabric weight in the range of about ISO to 1,500 grains per square yard, the nonwoven fabric being arranged so that the elasticity is at least in the circumferential direction of the cap.

2. A method of forming a cap comprising the steps of forming a fabric having elasticity in at least one direction into a tubular length having a top margin and a bottom margin, folding the fabric into four panels of approximately equal width, formfolded panels to the remaining panels at the top margin olsnid panels and inverting the cap by pulling the secured top margin through the lower margin to reverse the outer and inner surfaces of the cap, and folding the lower margin upwardly to ing inwardly directed folds at approximately the center of 5 formasweatbandeach of two opposed panels, securing the inwardly directed

Claims

1. A cap having a tubular length of fabric folded to form a pair of opposed first and second panels with top and bottom margins, third and fourth opposed panels inwardly folded between said first and second panels, said inwardly folded panels being folded into substantially equal panel sections, said third and fourth panels having top and bottom margins and being secured to at least one of said first or second panels at the top margins thereof, said first and second panels being secured together at their top margins, and the panels are made of a nonwoven fabric, said fabric having at least unidirectional elasticity and having a fabric weight in the range of about 150 to 1,500 grains per square yard, the nonwoven fabric being arranged so that the elasticity is at least in the circumferential direction of the cap.

2. A method of forming a cap comprising the steps of forming a fabric having elasticity in at least one direction into a tubular length having a top margin and a bottom margin, folding the fabric into four panels of approximately equal width, forming inwardly directed folds at approximately the center of each of two opposed panels, securing the inwardly directed folded panels to the remaining panels at the top margin of said panels and inverting the cap by pulling the secured top margin through the lower margin to reverse the outer and inner surfaces of the cap, and folding the lower margin upwardly to form a sweat band.