Abstract:
The neck protector includes a cushioned pad which is quilted to cushion and insulate the user&#39;s head from direct contact with a salon sink, during washing and shampooing operations. The neck protector also serves to keep the heat of a dryer from the user&#39;s lower neck. The neck protector has a substantially straight front surface, and a substantially curved back surface. Attachment devices extend from opposing ends of the substantially straight front surface, and are of a length suitable for securing the neck protector about the user&#39;s neck. The quilted portion extends from the center of the substantially straight front surface. The neck protector is preferably made to be disposable.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a utility application, having priority from provisional patent application, Ser. No. 60/093,309 filed on Jul. 17, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present application relates generally to salon equipment and more specifically to a neck protector apparatus for use in washing, shampooing or treating a person&#39;s hair. 
     2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     A salon sink is cold, hard and uncomfortable, particularly when a person leans back to rest their head over the sink to have their hair washed or shampooed. The neck protector apparatus provides a cushioned surface between the user&#39;s neck and the sink. 
     Rigid trays are available to direct the liquid from the user&#39;s hair into the salon sink. However, they too are cold, hard and uncomfortable, and must be washed between each use for sanitary reasons. 
     Capes and shields are also known in the art which generally conform about the user&#39;s neck. These devices do not provide a cushioned surface between the user and the edge of the sink. The prior art includes the following: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,580 issuing Nov. 28, 1995 to Brigitte Sobol discloses a shampoo cape of pliable material which has semi-rigid elongate side members. A detachable strap is used to hold the cape in position about the user&#39;s head. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,769,980 issuing to J. Fleischer on Nov. 13, 1956 discloses a heat resistant material, such as plastic or aluminum foil, which is attached to the user&#39;s ears and fits about the user&#39;s neck. A curved, cutaway edge is provided to generally conform to the user&#39;s neck. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,004 issuing to G. Pfile on Aug. 2, 1960 discloses a garment protector of absorbent, washable material. The garment protector has a generally semi-circular front and rear portions. 
     There exists a need for a comfortable, conforming, disposable neck protector, having a cushioned pad positioned to comfortably rest the user&#39;s neck upon the edge of the salon sink, for ease of washing and shampooing the user&#39;s hair. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The neck protector disclosed herein, includes an internal, cushioned pad. The neck protector is hypo-allergenic, with attachment devices to provide a secure fit about the user&#39;s neck. The neck protector is quilted to cushion and insulate the user&#39;s head from direct contact with a salon sink, during washing and shampooing operations. The neck protector also serves to keep the heat of a dryer from the user&#39;s lower neck. The cushioned pad has a substantially straight front surface, and a substantially curved back surface. Suitable attachment devices extend from opposing ends of the substantially straight front surface, and are of a length suitable for securing the neck protector about the user&#39;s neck. The quilted portion originates from the center of the substantially straight front surface, towards the substantially curved back surface. 
    
    
     Further objects, features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of the neck protector prior to use in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the neck protector placed about the user&#39;s neck in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view showing the neck protector positioned between the user and the salon sink in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the neck protector taken along lines  4 — 4  in FIG. 1 in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of the first sheet, showing one tie string releasably secured to the first sheet, prior to use in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a top view of a neck protector apparatus  10 . With reference to FIGS. 2-5, the neck protector apparatus  10  comprises a first sheet  12  and a second sheet  14 , with a padding layer  16  there-between. The assembled first sheet  12 , second sheet  14  and padding layer  16  are secured together by any known securement means  18 , such as sewing, stitching, gluing, sonic welding, heat sealing, laser welding, etc. Due to the low cost of materials and labor, the neck protector apparatus  10  may be economical enough to be disposable, for ease of clean-up and for sanitation purposes. 
     The first sheet  12  is preferably made of a flexible, soft, absorbent covering material. The second sheet  14  is preferably made of a flexible, non-porous material. The soft, absorbent covering material of the first sheet  12  is preferably placed adjacent to the user&#39;s hair. The non-porous material of the second sheet  14  is placed against the sink, to protect the sink against harsh chemicals, dyes, and flaking skin left behind by the user. 
     Alternately, where desired, the non-porous second layer  14  may be placed adjacent to the user&#39;s hair. Both first sheet  12  and second sheet  14  may alternately be made of the soft, absorbent covering material, to suit client or manufacturing preference. Likewise, both the first and second sheets may alternately be made of non-porous material, to suit client or manufacturing preference. As shown in FIG. 4, the padding layer  16  is preferably filled with a polyester, fiber or foam material, having a preferable material thickness of one-eighth of an inch to about one and one-half inch in thickness. 
     With reference to FIG. 2, the first sheet  12  may include indicia  50 , such as color, patterns, logo, texturing, lettering, numbering or designs to suit manufacturing preference. Likewise, the second sheet  12  may also include indicia  50 , such as color, patterns, logo, texturing, lettering, numbering or designs. Preferably, the indicia  50  on the first sheet  12  is different from the indicia on the second sheet  14 , to identify the porous sheet  12  side from the non-porous sheet  14  side, for ease of positioning the porous first sheet  12  adjacent to the user&#39;s hair. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the neck protector  10  has a substantially straight front surface  20 , and a substantially curved back surface  22 . The shape of the first and second sheets is preferably a substantially semi-circular shape. When the first sheet  12 , the padding layer  16  and the second sheet  14  are secured together by a suitable securement means  18 , creating preferably three raised quilted portions  24 . 
     Preferably, the three raised quilted portions  24  preferably extend from the proximity of the center  26  of the substantially straight front surface towards the substantially curved back surface  22 . Less than three or more than three quilted portions  24  may be formed in the neck protector  10 . Each of the raised quilted portions  24  preferably increase in width from the front surface  20  to the substantially curved back surface  22 . The raised quilted portions  24  further serve to relieve pressure from the parts of the neck receiving the most stress. The raised quilted portions  24  serve to cushion the user&#39;s head when placed between the user&#39;s head and the edge  32  of the salon sink  30 . The raised quilted portions  24  also serve to insulate the user from the heat of a hair dryer, when used during a hair drying operation, as shown in FIG.  2 . The securement means  18  preferably also extends about the outer periphery of the neck protector  10 , which adds strength and partial rigidity to the neck protector apparatus  10 . 
     An attachment device  40  is secured to the neck protector  10  to releasably secure the neck protector  10  about the user&#39;s neck. The attachment device  40  extends from opposing ends  34  and  36  of the neck protector  10 , and is of a length sufficient for releasably securing the neck protector  10  to the user&#39;s neck. The attachment device  40  may be fabricated of any suitable flexible material, and preferably has a width greater than its thickness, for comfort when installed about the user&#39;s neck. The attachment device  40  may be a tie string. 
     The attachment ends  42  of the attachment device  40  may be releasably secured together by tying, snapping, buttoning, hooking, tape, adhesive, hook and loop fasteners, or other suitable releasable securement means  44 . The attachment device  40  may extend entirely across the straight front surface  20  of the neck protector  10 , to suit design or suit manufacturing preference. 
     Alternately, the attachment device  40  may comprise a first attachment portion  46  and a second attachment portion  48 , with the first attachment portion  46  secured to the first end  34 , and the second attachment portion  48  secured to the second end  36  of the neck protector  10 . 
     With reference to FIG. 5, the first attachment portion  46  extending from the first end  34 , may be releasably secured to either the first sheet  12  or the second sheet  14 , for ease of packaging, transport and storage, prior to use. Likewise, the second attachment portion  48  extending from the second end  36  may be releasably secured to either the first sheet  12  or the second sheet  14 , for ease of packaging, transport and storage prior to use; this eliminates the possibility of tangling multiple attachment portions  46  and  48 , when multiple neck protectors  10  are packaged together. Of course, the first and second attachment portions  46  and  48  need not be releasably secured to either of the first and second sheets for the novel neck protector  10  to work for its intended purpose. 
     In use, the first and second attachment portions of the neck protector apparatus  10  are releasably secured about the user&#39;s neck to provide a snug fit between the substantially straight front surface  20  and the user&#39;s neck. The substantially straight front surface  20  of the neck protector apparatus  10  flexibly conforms to the user&#39;s neck, and the substantially curved back surface  22  is placed between the user&#39;s head and the salon sink  30 . The quilted portions  24  are placed between the user&#39;s head and the edge  32  of the salon sink  30 , providing a comfortable resting place for the user&#39;s head. Preferably, the first sheet  12  is of an absorbent material, which is placed adjacent to the user&#39;s hair, while the second non-absorbent sheet is placed adjacent to the edge of the sink. Preferably, indicia on the first sheet  12  aids the user in positioning the neck protector apparatus  10 . Hair conditioning and coloring may also be performed using the neck protector  10  disclosed herein. 
     Upon completion of the hair treatment, the neck protector  10  may be unsecured from the user&#39;s neck, and discarded, eliminating the need to sterilize, wash or sanitize the neck protector  10  in preparation for next use. Preferably, the first sheet  12 , the second sheet  14  and the padded layer  16  are selected to be biodegradable, for ease of disposal without special handling or treatment. 
     The neck protector  10  may be individually packaged, or multiple neck protectors may be packaged together to suit user or manufacturing preference. Several neck protectors  10  may be sequentially used during the hair treatment session. As previously noted, the neck protector assembly  10  is intended for use in a hair salon or barbershop. However, the neck protector apparatus  10  may also be used in a home environment or in a nursing home, or other places where hair is washed, treated or conditioned, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, or from the following claims. 
     While the neck protector apparatus  10  has been described in a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that one of average skill in this art may make numerous adaptations and modifications, and such adaptations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the following claims: