Hair wrap with outer waterproof shield

Abstract

A double-layered hair wrap/bathing cap keeps the hair up and away from the face and nape of the neck. A first stretchable layer confines the hair while a second waterproof layer protects the confined hair from getting wet and/or soiled from facial or bathing products.

Claims

1. A double-layered hair wrap/bathing cap for containing the hair of a wearer (up and away from the face and nape of the neck), and protecting the wearer's confined hair from becoming wet and/or oily and/or soiled and/or sticky from splashing water and/or cosmetics and/or products used on the face or body, comprising: a. an inner layer comprising an annular band of a pliable and stretchable cloth material approximately 6 inches in width and a circumferential length of approximately 26 inches, more or less; said annular band having an upper annular edge and a lower annular edge; said upper annular edge being elasticized and defining an upper annular opening which is expandable from a first size adapted to be smaller than the head size of a wearer wherein said upper annular opening may grip the head of a wearer to a second expanded size adapted to be greater than the head size of a wearer wherein said upper annular opening can in use be passed over the head of a wearer and down around the neck of the wearer and subsequently pulled back up to sweep the hair of the wearer up off of the face and neck and confine the hair within the inner layer, with the upper annular opening having been pulled up to a location around the crown of the head and then causing the protruding length of hair, by gravity or additional assistance, to slip into said inner layer; and wherein said lower annular edge defining a lower annular opening of said inner layer of the hair wrap/bathing cap is attached, by stitching or any other method, to b. an outer layer comprising a waterproof fabric, which may be waterproof on one or both sides of the fabric, possessing sufficient body as to remain mostly erect while on the wearer; said outer layer comprising an annular bandwhich may be comprised of one piece or of two pieces, one of said two pieces being referred to as a centerpiece and the other of said two pieces being referred to as the remainder pieceapproximately 6 inches in width and a circumferential length of approximately 28 inches, more or less, and having an upper annular edge and a lower annular edge; said lower annular edge defining a lower annular opening of the outer layer of the hair wrap/bathing cap and being further defined by its attachment to the inner layer whereby a casing is formed to enclose an elastic means for adapting the size of the lower annular opening of the hair wrap/bathing cap from its predetermined first circumferential length to a second circumferential length so as to create a snug fit on the wearers head when the lower annular opening, in use, has been positioned at the hairline just above the forehead; wherein said elastic means may, within said casing, encircle the entire head of the wearer, but preferably wherein said elastic means is attached within the casing at 2 points at a location about 3 inches on either side of the center of the wearer's forehead.

2. The hair wrap/bathing cap of claim 1, wherein: said elastic means at the lower annular opening of the hair wrap/bathing cap may be adjustable by a system incorporating an elastic cord and cord stop; wherein the elastic cord may protrude out of the casing through two apertures in the outer layer of the hair wrap/bathing cap and upon that protrusion bear a cord lock.

3. The hair wrap/bathing cap of claim 1, wherein: any and/or all components of the hair wrap/bathing cap may be adjusted in lengths and widths to accommodate various head sizes.

4. The hair wrap/bathing cap of claim 1, wherein: any and/or all components of the hair wrap/bathing cap may be embellished upon and/or finished with innumerable finishing items and designs available to the art, including, but not limited to decorative stitching, appliqus and notions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 represents one embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap of the present invention fully applied on the head of a user showing a partial front and side view.

[0016] FIG. 2 represents one embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap of the present invention fully applied by a user showing a partial top, rear, and side view.

[0017] FIGS. 3A-3E show one process for applying, onto the head of a wearer, one embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 4 is an exploded schematic view of a second embodiment of that section of the back of a first embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap of the present invention taken along line 4A-4A from FIG. 2 and indicated by the numeral 4.

[0019] FIG. 5 represents one embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap of the present invention fully applied on the head of a user showing a front view.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of components that may be used to produce one embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a vertical section through one embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap of the present invention taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1, 2, 3E and 5 show the hair wrap with outer waterproof shield 30 of the present invention fully applied on the head of a wearer.

[0023] To apply the hair wrap/bathing cap 30, a user may follow the process outlined in FIGS. 3A-3E. As shown in FIG. 3A, a user may pull down on the lower annular opening 22 of the hair wrap/bathing cap 30 passing it over the head and down onto the neck, as shown in FIG. 3B. Once there located, the user may remove any restricted hair from the inside to the outside of the hair wrap/bathing cap 30, as shown in FIG. 3C. Next, as shown in FIG. 3D, the user may pull up on the upper annular opening 23 of the inner layer 20 of the hair wrap/bathing cap 30, causing the hair to fall into the inner layer 20, becoming there confined. By subsequently adjusting the lower annular opening 22 to the exact desired position around the hairline and by gently pulling upward on the upper annular opening 24 of the outer layer 25, the user completes the application of the hair wrap/bathing cap 30, as shown in FIG. 3E.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a partial front and side view of a preferred embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap 30 of the present invention on the head of a wearer wherein the hair wrap/bathing cap 30 comprises an outer layer 25 comprised of a centerpiece 26 that is not elasticized 29 designed to hinder marks and creases typically left in the forehead by elastic and a remainder piece 28 that is elasticized. In a preferred embodiment, the outer layer 25 of the hair wrap/bathing cap 30 is comprised of oilcloth, which has sufficient body to remain mostly erect while on the head of the wearer, but may be produced with other waterproof fabrics or materials possessing such characteristics.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows, from an angled top view, one embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap 30 of the present invention comprising an outer layer 25 and an inner layer 20 as it confines the hair of a user. In the embodiment represented by FIG. 2, elastic is used inside the casing 33 which is created by the seams that attach the inner layer 20 to the outer layer 25, to be described in somewhat more detail below. The elastic is threaded through the casing 33 and as is shown in FIG. 5, the first end and second end of the elastic is attached at two points 32, each point being within the seams that join the centerpiece 26 and remainder piece 28. In another embodiment wherein the outer layer 25 comprises one piece of fabric or other material, the first end and second end of the elastic is tacked at or near the same two points 32. In a preferred embodiment, as is shown in FIG. 4, a system employing elastic cord 34 and a cord lock 35 is used, whereby the elastic cord is rendered adjustable by a cord lock 35 installed on the elastic cord 34 protruding out through two apertures 36 in the casing 33 area of the outer layer 25.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows the components that may be used to construct one embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap of the present invention. The inner layer 20 comprises a band 38 of pliable and stretchable cloth material, preferably stretch terry knit, about 6 inches in width and having two ends 42 and 43 which are sewn together to form an annular band having a circumferential length of approximately 26 inches, or more or less depending upon the size of the wearer's head, and having an upper annular edge 44 and a lower annular edge 39. Elastic 40 is sewn to the upper annular edge 44. In a preferred embodiment, said elastic is sewed-on lace elastic but any means of elasticizing available to the art may be used, including but not limited to fold over elastic, ruffled elastic, elastic thread, elastic inside of a casing, adhesives and elastic, and shirring of the edge and/or a predetermined area greater than the edge.

[0027] The outer layer 25 comprises a centerpiece 26 of approximately 6 inches in width and having two ends 52 and 53 and a remainder piece 28 of the same width as the centerpiece 26 and having two ends 54 and 55. End 53 of the centerpiece 26 and end 54 of the remainder piece 28 are sewn together and end 52 of the centerpiece 26 and end 55 of the remainder piece 28 are sewn together to form an annular band having a circumferential length of approximately 28 inches, or more or less depending upon the size of the wearer's head, and having an upper annular edge 62 and a lower annular edge 63.

[0028] The lower annular edge 39 of the inner layer 20 is attached, preferably by stitching, to the lower annular edge 63 of the outer layer 25 in a manner commonly known to the art such as to create a casing 33 into which elastic 64 having two ends 65 and 66 is inserted and each end tacked at two points 32 by including the ends into the seams that join the centerpiece 26 to the remainder piece 28.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 7, the lower annular edge 39 of the inner layer 20 and the lower annular edge 63 of the outer layer 25, once attached, further define the lower annular opening 22 of one embodiment of the hair wrap/bathing cap 30 of the present invention.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

[0030]

TABLE-US-00001 U.S. Pat. No. 2,211,184 August 1940 Varell U.S. Pat. No. 3,234,563 February 1966 Tabbat U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,681 August 1973 Claunch U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,830 August 1983 Gaitan U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,909 July 1999 Ellsworth et at. U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,784 May 2003 Hill

Non Patent Literature

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