Patent Publication Number: US-2020288804-A1

Title: Shower cap with hood and headband

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a non-provisional patent application of and claims the benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/817,797, filed Mar. 13, 2019, and titled “Shower Cap with Hood and Headband,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate to apparel and, in particular, to a shower cap having a features as described herein. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Shower caps are widely used to cover users&#39; hair to keep hair dry and in place during showers or bathing. Some traditional shower caps fail to cover all of a user&#39;s hair, particularly if the user&#39;s hair is long or arranged in a particular style. Additionally, some traditional shower caps are uncomfortable to wear and, in some cases, may leave marks or creases on a user&#39;s skin or bind in the user&#39;s hair. The shower cap embodiments described herein may provide improved hair coverage and usability as compared to some traditional shower cap articles. 
     SUMMARY 
     Certain embodiments described herein generally relate to, include, or take the form of a shower cap, including a waterproof hood and a flexible headband. The waterproof hood defines a cavity and includes an upper shell configured to surround a portion of a head of a user and a hair pocket extending from the upper shell and configured to at least partially surround a gathered portion of hair of the user. The waterproof hood additionally includes a brim extending from a front portion of the upper shell and configured to extend at least partially around a face of the user and direct a flow of water on a surface of the waterproof hood away from the face of the user. The waterproof hood further includes a skirt extending from a lower portion of the upper shell and configured to extend at least partially around a neck of the user. A flexible headband is positioned within the cavity and configured to be positioned between the waterproof hood and the head of the user and secure the shower cap to the head of the user. 
     In some cases, the waterproof hood defines an opening to the cavity, the brim defines a first portion of a perimeter of the opening, and the skirt defines a second portion of the perimeter of the opening. In some cases, the waterproof hood further comprises a drip region that is located above a torso of the user when the shower cap is worn and the brim is further configured to direct the flow of water on the surface of the waterproof hood to the drip region. In some cases, the drip region is a first drip region, the perimeter of the opening defines a first corner and a second corner opposite to the first corner, the first drip region is positioned at the first corner, and the waterproof hood further comprises a second drip region positioned at the second corner. 
     In some cases, the upper shell, the hair pocket, the brim, and the skirt are formed from a single sheet of material. In some cases, the brim and the skirt extend beyond the flexible headband. In some cases, the waterproof hood is coupled to the flexible headband and the flexible headband is formed from a flexible fabric material that is configured to wrap around the head of the user to secure the waterproof hood to the user. In some cases, at least one of the flexible headband or the waterproof hood further comprises a coupling feature that couples the waterproof hood to the flexible headband. 
     In some cases, the cavity is a main cavity at least partially defined by the upper shell and the hair pocket defines a hair cavity that is open to the main cavity and configured to receive the gathered portion of the hair of the user. In some cases, the brim comprises a first portion and a second portion, the waterproof hood comprises a divider positioned between the first portion and the second portion, and the divider is configured to direct the flow of water toward the first portion and the second portion. 
     Other embodiments described reference a shower cap for protecting hair of a user during bathing. The shower cap includes a flexible headband configured to be worn around a head of the user and a waterproof hood coupled to the flexible headband and configured to cover the hair of the user. The waterproof hood defines a main cavity approximately conforming to a shape of the head of the user, an opening to the main cavity, and a hair cavity extending from and open to the main cavity and configured to receive a gathered portion of hair. The waterproof hood includes a brim defining at least a portion of a perimeter of the opening and extending beyond the flexible headband. The flexible headband is configured to secure the waterproof hood to the head of the user and retain a portion of the hair of the user beneath the waterproof hood. 
     In some cases, the waterproof hood further includes an upper shell defining at least a portion of the main cavity and a hair pocket extending from the upper shell and defining the hair cavity. In some cases, the brim extends from the upper shell and defines a first portion of the perimeter of the opening and the shower cap further comprises a skirt extending from the upper shell and defining a second portion of the perimeter of the opening. 
     In some cases, the brim extends between 1 cm and 3 cm beyond the flexible headband. In some cases, the flexible headband has a width between 5 cm and 10 cm. In some cases, the flexible headband comprises a coupling feature  123  that is adapted to couple the waterproof hood to the flexible headband. In some cases, the waterproof hood further comprises a coupling feature  123  for coupling the waterproof hood to the flexible headband. In some cases, the waterproof hood is formed at least partially from a sound-dampening material. 
     In some cases, the perimeter of the opening defines a first corner and a second corner that extend from opposite sides of the waterproof hood and the waterproof hood includes a first drip point at the first corner and a second drip point at the second corner. In some cases, the brim includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion is configured to direct a flow of water on a surface of the waterproof hood toward the first drip point, and the second portion is configured to direct the flow of water on the surface of the waterproof hood toward the second drip point. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Reference will now be made to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying figures. It should be understood that the following descriptions are not intended to limit this disclosure to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, the disclosure provided herein is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments, and as defined by the appended claims. 
         FIG. 1  illustrate a side view of an example shower cap having a hood and a headband; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of the example shower cap of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a rear view of the example shower cap of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrate a side view of an example shower cap having a hood and a headband. 
     
    
    
     The use of the same or similar reference numerals in different figures indicates similar, related, or identical items. 
     Additionally, it should be understood that the proportions and dimensions (either relative or absolute) of the various features and elements (and collections and groupings thereof) and the boundaries, separations, and positional relationships presented therebetween, are provided in the accompanying figures merely to facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments described herein and, accordingly, may not necessarily be presented or illustrated to scale, and are not intended to indicate any preference or requirement for an illustrated embodiment to the exclusion of embodiments described with reference thereto. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the claims. 
     Many people expend significant time, money, and effort to style and maintain their hair. In some cases, hair styling and maintenance requires that hair be protected during bathing and other activities. Protecting hair may include preventing hair from getting wet, preventing compression, crushing, or other interference with hair structure or styling. 
     The shower caps described herein include various features for protecting users&#39; hair and maintaining user comfort during bathing and other activities. In some cases, a shower cap includes a waterproof hood and a flexible headband. The waterproof hood may fit over a user&#39;s head to cover the user&#39;s head and keep the user&#39;s head and hair dry. To facilitate protecting the user&#39;s hair, the waterproof hood may include a hair pocket, a brim, and a skirt extending from an upper shell. The hair pocket may at least partially surround or receive a gathered portion of the user&#39;s hair, such as a ponytail. The brim and the skirt may direct a flow of water on the surface of the waterproof hood away from the user&#39;s face and downward toward the user&#39;s torso. 
     In some cases, the flexible headband is positioned between the waterproof hood and the user&#39;s head. The flexible headband may retain a portion of the user&#39;s hair to keep it covered by the waterproof hood so that it does not get wet. In some cases, the flexible headband is coupled to the waterproof hood and secures the waterproof hood to the user&#39;s head. 
     As used herein, “bathing” may refer to showering, taking a bath, swimming, or otherwise exposing a user&#39;s body to water or other liquids. Use of the shower caps described herein is not limited to bathing, and may be used to protect hair during other activities, including sleeping and other ordinary activities. 
       FIGS. 1-4  illustrate an example shower cap  100  having a hood  110  and a headband  120  worn by a user  150 . As described above, the shower cap  100  may be worn by the user  150  to protect the user&#39;s hair  170  during bathing or other activities. In particular, the shower cap  100  may keep the user&#39;s hair  170  dry while also helping to maintain a user&#39;s hairstyle. The shower cap  100  includes various features to direct water away from the user&#39;s face and protect the user&#39;s hair from water. The shower cap  100  may also include various pockets or cavities that are configured to retain a gathered portion of the user&#39;s hair  170 , which may help maintain the user&#39;s hairstyle and prevent longer hair from getting wet during bathing. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the shower cap  100  includes a hood  110  that is adapted to be worn on a user&#39;s head  160  and to cover or partially surround at least a portion of the user&#39;s hair  170 . The hood  110  (also referred to herein as a waterproof hood) is secured to the head of the user  150  by a headband  120 . The headband  120  may be formed from a flexible and/or elastic fabric material (e.g., an elastic woven fabric) that extends around the user&#39;s head and can stretch to fit a variety of head shapes and sizes. In some implementations, the headband  120  may be formed from a strip of elastic material that is able to stretch in order to accommodate different sized heads or hairstyles. Example elastic materials may include various fabrics or textiles that are adapted to stretch or change in length in response to an applied force. In various embodiments, the headband  120  is adapted to be worn around the user&#39;s head  160  and is positioned between the user&#39;s head and the hood  110 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the hood  110  covers and extends beyond the headband  120 . The headband  120  may be coupled to the hood  110  by a coupling feature  123  or structure that flexibly couples the two components together. The coupling feature  123  may include a thread, string, strap or length of material that attaches the headband  120  to the hood  110 . In some cases, the coupling feature  123  includes a button, snap, or other fastener that allows the headband  120  to be removed from the hood  110 . 
     In some cases, the headband  120  may be used to retain some or all of the user&#39;s hair  170  and/or to secure the hood  110  to the user&#39;s head  160 . The headband  120  may cover the user&#39;s hair and retains the user&#39;s hair against the user&#39;s head. The headband  120  may prevent the user&#39;s hair from extending beyond the hood  110  to keep the user&#39;s hair from getting wet. In some cases, the headband  120  is coupled to the hood  110  so that the headband  120  may secure the hood  110  to the user&#39;s head. In some cases, the headband  120  is formed of flexible and/or elastic fabric material and extends around the user&#39;s head to secure the hood  110  to the user&#39;s head. In various embodiments, the flexible and/or elastic nature of the headband  120  may help to retain the headband  120  and the hood  110  on the user&#39;s head. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the hood  110  is a flexible barrier that may be positioned over at least a portion of the user&#39;s head  160 , neck  162 , and/or torso  164  to cover or surround the user&#39;s hair  170 . In some cases, the hood  110  includes an upper shell  130 , a hair pocket  132 , a brim  134 , and a skirt  136 . These features may cooperate to direct water away from the user&#39;s face and toward the user&#39;s shoulders or lower neck. In general, the hood  110  defines a hood cavity that defines an opening that is configured to receive a user&#39;s head. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the upper shell  130  is designed to surround at least a portion of a user&#39;s head  160 . In some cases, the upper shell  130  and/or another portion of the hood  110  at least partially define one or more cavities or cavity portions (e.g., a main cavity  140 ) that at least partially surround the user&#39;s hair  170 . The upper shell  130  and the main cavity  140  may be shaped to conform to the shapes and contours of a user&#39;s head  160  and/or hair. In some cases, the main cavity  140  may be referred to as a first portion of a hood cavity. 
     In some cases, the shapes and contours of a user&#39;s hair  170  may approximately conform to a shape of the user&#39;s head  160  and/or neck  162 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the shape of the user&#39;s hair  170  on top of the user&#39;s head approximately conforms to the shape of the user&#39;s head  160 , and a main cavity  140  defined by the upper shell  130  approximately conforms to the shape of the user&#39;s head  160 . 
     In some cases, the shapes and contours of a user&#39;s hair may not necessarily conform to the shape of the user&#39;s head  160 , for example, as a result of gathered portions of hair, such as ponytails, buns, braids, pigtails, dreadlocks, and the like, or other hairstyle features such as curls and the like. Accordingly, in some cases, the hood  110  may include one or more hair pockets (e.g., hair pocket  132 ). The hair pocket  132  may also be referred to herein as a second portion of a hood cavity. 
     The hair pocket  132  may be shaped to at least partially surround and/or approximately conform to a shape of one or more gathered portions of hair or other hairstyle features. In some cases, the hair pocket  132  extends from the upper shell  130  and defines a hair cavity  142  that is open to the main cavity  140 . The hair cavity  142  may be configured to receive a gathered portion of hair or other hairstyle feature. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the user&#39;s hair  170  includes a gathered portion of hair (a ponytail  172 ), which does not conform to the shape of the user&#39;s head  160 . The hair pocket  132  is shaped to at least partially surround and/or approximately conform to the ponytail  172 . The hair cavity  142  is shaped to receive the ponytail  172 . 
     In some cases, the hood  110  includes a brim  134  extending from a front portion of the upper shell  130  to facilitate protection of the user&#39;s hair  170  and/or to direct a flow of water on a surface of the hood away from the user&#39;s face  166  when the shower cap  100  is worn. In some cases, the brim  134  is adapted to direct a flow of water on the exterior surface of the waterproof hood away from the user&#39;s face  166  and head  160 . For example, the brim  134  may be shaped and/or positioned to direct water downward toward the user&#39;s torso  164  to keep water from flowing toward the user&#39;s face  166  or hair  170 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the brim  134  may extend beyond a leading edge  121  of the headband  120  to shield the user&#39;s face  166 . In some cases, the brim  134  extends between 0.5 cm and 5 cm beyond the headband  120 . In some cases, the brim  134  extends between 1 cm and 3 cm beyond the headband  120 . The brim may be formed from the same material or the same sheet of material as the hood  110 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 , in some cases, the brim  134  extends at least partially around the user&#39;s face  166 . In some cases, the brim  134  may include a first portion  134   a  and a second portion  134   b  separated by a divider  135 . In some cases, the divider  135  diverts, divides, or otherwise directs the flow of water toward either the first portion  134   a  or the second portion  134   b  of the brim  134  so that the water does not flow onto or in front of the user&#39;s face  166 . 
     Returning to  FIG. 1 , in some cases, the hood  110  includes a skirt  136  extending from a lower portion of the upper shell  130  to facilitate protection of the user&#39;s hair  170  or to direct a flow of water on a surface of the hood when the shower cap  100  is worn. In some cases, the skirt  136  is adapted to cover and exclude water from a portion of the user&#39;s head  160 , hair  170 , neck  162 , and/or torso  164 . The skirt  136  may direct a flow of water on the exterior surface of the waterproof hood downward toward the user&#39;s torso  164 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the skirt  136  may at extend at least partially along, partially around, or partially surround the user&#39;s neck  162 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the hood  110  may define an opening  144  to the main cavity  140  so that the main cavity  140  and other cavities of the hood (e.g., hair cavities  142 ) may receive or fit over at least a portion of the user&#39;s head  160 , hair  170 , neck  162 , and/or torso  164 . In some cases, the brim  134  may extend along or define a portion of a perimeter  146  of the opening  144 . In some cases, the skirt  136  may extend along or define a portion of the perimeter  146  of the opening  144 . In some cases, the perimeter  146  of the opening includes corners  148 a and  148 b where different portions of the perimeter  146  meet. 
     In some cases, the hood  110  may include one or more drip points or drip regions toward which the flow of water is directed by the brim  134 , the skirt  136 , and/or additional portions of the hood  110 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a drip region  180  may be positioned at a corner  148   a  or  148   b  defined by the perimeter  146  of the opening  144 . The brim  134  and/or the skirt  136  may be adapted to direct the flow of water toward the drip region  180  to direct the water downward toward the user&#39;s torso  164  and away from the user&#39;s head  160 . 
     The hood  110  may be formed of any suitable material or combination of materials for protecting the user&#39;s hair  170 . In some cases, the hood  110  is formed of a flexible and/or elastic material or combination of materials for conforming to the shapes and contours of the user&#39;s hair  170 , including but not limited to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polypropylene, polyurethane, polyester, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polychloroprene, neoprene, fabrics (e.g., nylon fabric), laminates, woven polymers or fibers, composites, rubbers, synthetic rubbers, and the like. In some cases, the hood  110  is formed from a single sheet of material. In some cases, the hood  110  may be formed from multiple sections of material that are attached together to define the shape of the hood. 
     In some cases, the hood  110  and/or the headband  120  are waterproof. As used herein “waterproof” may be used to refer to materials that are non-permeable to water or other liquids and/or materials or components that are designed to exclude, prevent, or minimize the ingress of water or other liquids. In some cases, the hood  110  and/or headband  120  are formed of waterproof or water-resistant materials, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polypropylene, polyurethane, polyester, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polychloroprene, neoprene, and the like. In some cases, one or more non-waterproof materials used to form the hood  110  and/or the headband  120  may be treated to be waterproof, for example using a durable water repellent (DWR) such as fluoropolymers, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), and the like. 
     In some cases, the hood  110  and/or the headband  120  are formed at least partially from a sound-dampening material. For example, the hood  110  may be formed from a sound-dampening waterproof fabric that makes less noise under a stream of water than traditional waterproof materials. This may allow a user of the shower cap  100  to have a more enjoyable experience. Example sound-dampening materials include polyester sheets, nylon fabric, woven polymers, treated fabrics, neoprene, and the like. In some cases, the shower cap  100  is made from a combination of a waterproof material that is covered with a sound-dampening fabric, which may or may not be waterproof. 
     As discussed above, in various embodiments, the headband  120  is adapted to be worn around the user&#39;s head  160 . In some cases, the headband  120  is positioned in the main cavity  140  of the hood  110  between the user&#39;s head  160  and the hood  110 . As noted above, the brim  134  may extend beyond the headband  120  to direct the flow of water away from the user&#39;s face  166 . 
     In some cases, the headband  120  may be used to cover some or all of the user&#39;s hair  170  and/or to secure the hood  110  to the user&#39;s head  160 . In some cases, the headband  120  may be used to retain the user&#39;s hair  170  or otherwise maintain the user&#39;s hair in position (e.g., in a particular hairstyle). For example, in some cases, the headband  120  is configured to retain a portion of the user&#39;s hair  170  beneath the hood  110 . 
     In some cases, a width  122  of the headband  120  is sufficiently large to secure the headband to the user&#39;s head  160  while not causing marks or creases in a user&#39;s skin or hair  170  or otherwise interfere with hair features or styling. For example, in some cases, the width  122  of the headband  120  is greater than  15  cm. In some cases, the width  122  of the headband  120  is between  1  cm and  15  cm. In some cases, the width  122  of the headband  120  is between  5  cm and  10  cm. The headband  120  may be formed of a flexible or elastic material or combination of materials for securing the headband to the user&#39;s head  160  when the headband is worn around the user&#39;s head, including but not limited to woven polymers, cotton fabrics, microfiber, terrycloth, neoprene, nylon fabrics, and the like. 
     In various embodiments, the shower cap  100  is designed to be secured to the user&#39;s head  160 . In some cases, the hood  110  is coupled to the headband  120 , and the headband secures the hood to the user&#39;s head  160 . The terms “coupled” and “secured” as used herein, may be used to refer to two or more elements, structures, objects, components, parts, or the like that are physically attached, affixed, or retained to one another, either directly or indirectly (e.g., by one or more additional components). 
     In various embodiments, the hood  110  and/or the headband  120  may include one or more coupling features  123  to couple the hood to the headband. Example coupling features include a thread, string, strap, or other suitable material for flexibly coupling the hood to the headband.. The coupling features  123  may include any suitable type of fastener or other feature, such as hook-and-loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, adhesives, stitching, and the like. 
     In some cases, the hood  110  may be releasably coupled to the headband  120  such that the hood may be repeatedly coupled to and decoupled from the headband. For example, an attachment component or coupling feature  123  between the hood  110  and the headband  120  may include a snap, button, or other fastener that allows for the removable or releasable coupling between the components. In some cases, multiple hoods  110  may be interchangeable and capable of being coupled to a headband  120 . Similarly, a hood  110  may be capable of being coupled to multiple headbands  120 . 
       FIG. 4  depicts an example shower cap  100 . The items referenced with respect to the shower cap  100  of  FIG. 4  correspond to the similarly labeled items on  FIG. 1 , a description of which is omitted to reduce redundancy.  FIG. 4  depicts the shower cap  100  as a separate article to more clearly illustrate elements and components of the shower cap  100  that are separate and distinct from elements or features of a user wearing the shower cap  100  (as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ). 
     As noted above, many embodiments described herein reference a shower cap. It may be appreciated, however, that this is merely one example; other configurations, implementations, and constructions are contemplated in view of the various principles and methods of operations—and reasonable alternatives thereto—described in reference to the embodiments described above. 
     One may appreciate that, although many embodiments are disclosed above, the operations and steps presented with respect to methods and techniques described herein are meant as exemplary and accordingly are not exhaustive. One may further appreciate that alternate step order or fewer or additional operations may be required or desired for particular embodiments. 
     Although the disclosure above is described in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the various features, aspects and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they are described, but instead can be applied, alone or in various combinations, to one or more of the embodiments of the invention, whether or not such embodiments are described and whether or not such features are presented as being a part of a described embodiment. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments but is instead defined by the claims herein presented.