Abstract:
A headband comprising an adornment support portion comprising a plurality of slots and at least one adornment or adornment fastener strap configured to be received in at least one of the adornment support portion slots. An elastic nape section may connect to opposite ends of the adornment support portion at connection seams to dispose the headband in a closed loop configuration. The adornment fastener strap may have fastener components disposed on opposite surfaces of opposite ends of the strap operable to secure the fastener strap in a loop configuration.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/311,041, filed Mar. 21, 2016, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Fashion accessories come in all shapes and sizes. Decorative headbands can provide additional color and design to coordinate with an outfit. In particular, for a patient undergoing chemotherapy or who may be experiencing hair loss for any reason, a headband may provide the wearer with an emotional lift that comes from being able to express their personality and project beauty with an accessory that does not require hair or wig. For wearers without hair, the design of such a headband may need functional features to improve its ability stay on the user&#39;s head. Rather than having a different headband for each fashion look, there is a need in the field for a system that permits a wearer to have a comfortable “base” headband that can be personalized with various adornments and changed or enhanced to represent the wearer&#39;s personality and design choices. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    One aspect of the invention comprises a headband comprising an adornment support portion comprising a plurality of slots and at least one adornment, such as a ribbon, or adornment fastener strap configured to be received in at least one of the adornment support portion slots. The headband may further comprise an elastic nape section connected to opposite ends of the adornment support portion to dispose the headband in a closed loop configuration. The elastic nape section may comprise an elastic member sandwiched between an upper fabric layer and a bottom fabric layer. The adornment support portion may comprise an anti-slip layer disposed on a surface configured to contact a wearer&#39;s head. 
         [0004]    In one embodiment, the adornment support portion comprises a first, relatively wider fabric base portion and a second, relatively narrower fabric top portion, wherein the base and the top are connected to one another by a plurality of spaced seams such that each of the plurality of slots is defined by the first and second fabric portions between adjacent seams. In another embodiment, the adornment support portion comprises at least a base fabric portion, with at least two rows of seamed slots that penetrate the base fabric portion. 
         [0005]    In some embodiments, the adornment fastener strap comprises fastener components, such as microhook/microloop components, disposed on opposite surfaces of opposite ends of the strap operable to secure the fastener strap in a loop configuration. In some embodiments, the adornment support portion is wider in the center than at or near the seams where it connects to the nape elastic portion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1A  depicts a plan view of a first side of an exemplary adornment fastener strap. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1B  depicts a plan view of the opposite side of the exemplary adornment fastener of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0008]      FIG. 1C  depicts a plan view of one embodiment of an exemplary slotted adornment support portion. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1D  depicts a plan view of one embodiment of an exemplary headband nape elastic portion. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  depicts a perspective view of a fully assembled exemplary slotted headband system of  FIGS. 1A-1D  with exemplary adornments. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3A  depicts a plan view of one embodiment of an exemplary slotted loop adornment support portion. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3B  depicts a side view of the exemplary slotted loop headband body of  FIG. 3A . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  depicts a perspective view of the fully assembled exemplary slotted loop headband system of  FIGS. 3A and 3B , with exemplary adornments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    In various embodiments of the invention, depicted in the drawings, exemplary headbands in accordance with aspects of the invention comprise an adornment support section configured to receive adornments secured thereto and, preferably, a nape section connected to the adornment section for securing the adornment section to the wearer&#39;s head. The nape section preferably comprises an elastic member sandwiched between an upper layer and a lower layer of soft fabric, but may comprise any material or combination of materials capable of providing elastic properties. The term “elastic” is thus not limited to any particular materials of construction (e.g. it may comprise, but does not necessarily comprise, rubber or some elastomer component to impart the elastic properties). Suitable components with desirable qualities are well known in the field of clothing manufacture and design. The elastic may have sufficient stretchability to facilitate a one-size-fits-all design, or may have less stretchability to support a more tailored fit to the head size of the wearer, in which case the headbands may be made available in sizes such as small, medium, large, etc., or to meet standard head sizes akin to hat sizings (7, 7¼, 7½, etc.), as is known in the art. 
         [0015]    In a first embodiment, depicted in  FIGS. 1A-2 , the adornment support portion  101 ,  300  comprises two rows  115 ,  117  of symmetrical seamed slots  114  cut open, akin to buttonholes, preferably in symmetrical alignment, for receiving straps  102 ,  302 ,  312  on which adornments  108 ,  308 ,  318 ,  328  are secured. Slots  113  may also receive ribbons  350  or other decorative adornments not secured to such straps. The size of the slots  113  is generally at least slightly larger than the width of the adornment straps designed to fit within the slots, for ease of insertion of the straps. Nape elastic portion  200 , which may comprise an elastic member  220  sandwiched between upper and lower soft fabric surface layers  222 , connects to the adornment support section at first and second seams (e.g. seam edge  210  of nape elastic section  200  connects to seam edge  110  of the adornment support section  100 , and seam edge  212  connects to seam edge  112 ), such that when so connected, the assembled headband  2000  forms a closed loop, as depicted in  FIG. 2 . To the extent that the adornment support comprises multiple layers of fabric, the slots  113  may penetrate the adornment support from a top layer to a bottom layer. In other embodiments (not shown), however, the slots may penetrate fewer than all of the layers, so that at least one unpenetrated layer is disposed adjacent to the wearer&#39;s head and the adornment straps, when secured to the adornment support, are disposed between the unpenetrated layer(s) and the penetrated layers between the slots in the penetrated layers. 
         [0016]    In a second embodiment, depicted in  FIGS. 3A-4 , the adornment support portion  400  comprises a plurality of slot pockets  414  formed by crosswise seams  403  connecting an upper, relatively narrower fabric outer layer  411  to a lower, relatively wider fabric bottom  401 . Each fabric piece may have serger finished edges  421 ,  423 ,  425 ,  427  to limit fraying. The crosswise seams  403 , which are preferably evenly spaced, create pockets  414  for receiving the adornment straps. The spacing of seams  403  is generally at least slightly larger than the width of the adornment straps designed to fit within the pockets defined by the seams, for ease of insertion of the straps. In some embodiments, the length of fabric outer layer  411  may also be slightly longer than fabric bottom  401  so that each pocket  414  has a slightly greater dimension bounded by the adjacent seams on the top (formed by layer  411 ) than on the bottom (formed by layer  401 ). Nape elastic portion  450  shown in  FIG. 4 , which may comprise elastic sandwiched between upper and lower soft fabric surface layers as illustrated with respect to nape elastic portion  200  in  FIG. 1D , connects to the adornment support section at first and second seams (e.g. seam edge  210  of nape elastic section  200  connects to seam edge  410  of the adornment support section  400 , and seam edge  212  connects to seam edge  412 ), such that when so connected, the headband forms a closed loop, as depicted in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 3A , the arrangement of narrower top portion  411  and wider bottom portion  401  defines portions  415  and  417  between the edge of the bottom portion and the edge of the top portion. It should be understood that in an alternate embodiment (not shown), the top and bottom may be of the same general length and width, and the top layer may have a cutout that conforms to at least the central portion of layer  411  depicted in  FIG. 3A , such that rather than portions  415  and  417  as shown in  FIG. 3A  being part of bottom layer  401 , the equivalent portions may comprise discrete fabric strip portions of the top layer that defines slots between adjacent seams  403  along the longitudinal edges of the adornment support section. Similarly, in yet another embodiment (not shown), portions  415  and  417  may be discrete strips of fabric attached to base  400  that create loops for holding adornment straps between seems  403 . 
         [0017]    In some embodiments, as depicted in  FIG. 2  but which may also be present in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the adornment support section may comprise a soft fabric outer layer (outer relative to the wearer&#39;s scalp or hair when worn) and an anti-slip fabric bottom  330  (in contact with the wearer&#39;s scalp or hair when worn), or both the outer and bottom layers may be soft fabric. Although use of an anti-allergenic, anti-slip fabric for the lower layer is may be particularly useful for patients with sensitive skin and little to no hair, such as chemotherapy patients, the design is not limited to any particular materials of construction. In particular, in some embodiments, such as those intended for users with normal hair, the anti-slip surface may be omitted to minimize cost. Although preferable to use an anti-slip layer of fabric, the anti-slip feature may be provided by a coating on the surface of the headband configured to contact the wearer&#39;s head (or hair). 
         [0018]    In another embodiment, not shown, the adornment support may comprise a single hard shell structure, a hard shell with a soft and/or anti-slip fabric bottom, or a combination of hard and soft materials. The anti-slip layer, where present, may comprise a full bottom layer coextensive with the top layer, or one or more anti-slip fabric portions affixed to the top layer or affixed to a non-slip bottom layer. The headband may have one or more layers (not shown) intermediate to the top and bottom layers, such as but not limited to a fill. In some embodiments, particularly targeted to wearers with a normal head of hair, the adornment support may be held in the hair by any means known in the art (not shown) for securing an accessory in a wearer&#39;s hair, and may lack the nape portion as shown in some of the other embodiments. 
         [0019]    In one embodiment, the adornment strap  102  comprises a fabric strip with one component (e.g. the male, microhook portion)  104 ,  404  of a microhook/microloop fastener (e.g. Velcro® brand) on a first (e.g. front) surface  102 F at one end, and a mating component  106 ,  406  (e.g., the female, microloop portion) on the opposite (e.g. back) surface  102 B at the opposite end. The strap is sized to permit the strap to be threaded through the slots or slot pockets in the support section, and then secured into a loop configuration with the male and female Velcro® fasteners mated together, as depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . Thus, the strap has a width between its longitudinal edges that is at least slightly smaller than the width of the pocket into which it is configured to be disposed, for ease of insertion and removal. The design is not limited to any particular brand of microhook/microloop fastener, nor only to microhook/microloop fasteners, and therefore any type of fastener known in the art for securing one end of the loop to another may be provided, such as snaps, buttons, pins, magnets, and the like (not shown). Similarly, although adornment fastener  102  is shown as a rectangular strip of fabric, other materials and geometric configurations may be used for the adornment fasteners. The adornment  108  may be secured to strap  102  by any method known in the art, including but not limited to stitching, gluing, stapling, etc. In some embodiments, the strap may comprise a stiff finished fabric, a non-fabric (such as plastic) strip, and may have pre-defined creases A and B to permit them to be folded in predetermined places. Thus, in embodiments in which the adornment fastener strap comprises a relatively stiff material of construction, it also has a plurality of regions of relatively lesser stiffness at which the strap is sufficiently bendable to facilitate disposing the strap in the loop configuration. In particular, in embodiment in which the adornment fastener strap comprises plastic, the regions of relatively lesser stiffness may comprise crease lines. 
         [0020]    Although shown in use with adornments, a headband having at least a portion of which as shown herein comprising symmetrical slots or slot pockets is also claimed. As shown, the headband portion has a first width W 1  between its longitudinal edges at the center of the headband which tapers to a second thickness W 2  closer to seams  110  and  112 . Although this is a preferred configuration, the design is not limited to any particular geometry. Similarly, although elastic nape portion  200  shown in  FIG. 1D  is depicted in a configuration in which the width at the outer edges (adjacent the seams with the adornment support) is wider than in the center, the geometry of this portion is not limited to any particular geometry, either, and may, for example, have a constant width from end to end. 
         [0021]    The adornments may comprise any aesthetic component desirable to a user, including but not limited to flowers  408 , bejeweled sections (not shown), buttons (not shown), and dangling ornaments  329 . One or more ribbons  350 ,  500  may instead or also be provided for fastening through the slots. The headband may be sold with adornments and/or adornments may be sold separately. The adornments may include seasonal or holiday themes (e.g. Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, Valentine&#39;s Day, spring, fall,  4   th  of July, etc.), may be color-coordinated, may have ethnic or cultural significance, or may have significance associated with a particular social, medical, or political cause, all without limitation. Although depicted with an exemplary number of slots, the number of slots may vary according to various designs and head sizes. 
         [0022]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention.