Patent Publication Number: US-2022218045-A1

Title: Protective bib

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on Month Date, Year, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to protective coverings and more particularly to protective capes especially suited to salon patrons specifically synthetic braids extensions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART 
     There are several types of protective coverings that provide a barrier to protect a user from chemicals, hair clippings and moisture. Clients at salon wear towels or protective capes as protection during shampooing, cutting, braiding, or chemically treating a client&#39;s hair. These capes are made of fabric or plastic. It is draped over the client&#39;s shoulders and secured in the front or back of the client&#39;s neck. 
     Although prior art capes utilized in salons and towels provide some protection however they don&#39;t provide heat resistant protection to the wearer. Upon completion of most braid styles the stylists treat extensions with boiling water. Since the standard in salons is using towels on top of the traditional cape it is still risky that the client get burn injuries if the towel is not effective enough or get disoriented during extension treatment. 
     Several prior attempts to deal with such problems have been utilized as set forth below: 
     United States Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 8,640,265B2 to Duncan discloses a protective hood for protecting a wearer&#39;s head from environmental elements. The protective hood includes a hood body having a cap section positioned to fit over a top of the wearer&#39;s head, side sections positioned to hang adjacent sides of the wearer&#39;s head, and a back section positioned to hang adjacent a back of the wearer&#39;s head. The hood body defines an interior space for receiving the wearer&#39;s head. An outlet is provided for exhausting gas from the interior space of the hood body. The outlet includes a channel defined by first and second portions of the hood body. The channel is in fluid communication with the interior space and includes an open end portion in fluid communication with the environment for exhausting gas from the channel into the environment. 
     United States Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 7,469,424B2 to Good et al. discloses protective garments that can keep the front of the wearer&#39;s clothes clean and dry are provided. The bibs include a substantially overlapping slit formed in the center of a lower section of a front panel. The bibs with the slit are easy to put on and provide substantial coverage of frontal position of a wearer. The bibs can be used during eating, drinking, sitting, playing, crawling, etc. In some examples, the open back can enable the bib to be easily slipped on an already seated person without the need to stand. One or more bibs provide the ability to fasten the apron around each leg separately resulting in mobility and coverage, as well as the ability to use in seating where there is a vertical obstruction between the legs. 
     United States Patent Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 7,836,518B2 to Bloom et al. discloses an apron for use by dentists and the like is provided with a main body portion and a collar portion for securing the apron to the wearer in which the collar portion is adjustably securable at any position within a predetermined range such that it forms a close fit around the wearer wherein the collar and body portions comprise an absorbent side and a substantially waterproof. 
     United States Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,247B2 to Frieswick et al. discloses a protective bib-garment system wherein a bib is detachable from the garment it protects, but can not rotate around the wearer&#39;s neckline. It thereby provides better protection and safety for the user. The bibs are easily attached or removed for separate cleaning when soiled. The danger of the user choking by having the bib rotate and tighten around the neck is generally removed. Better protection of the underlying garment is also achieved by keeping the bib anchored in front of the user. The system includes bib-ready garments in a wide range of styles, substantially any garment that could be worn by a bib user and is modified to accept the bib portion. These garments can be worn without the bibs and undergarments are protected from outside view or contact by the overlapping garment-bib interface attached to the inside surface of the garment. Temporarily or permanently incapacitated persons of any age who need help with feeding or to control drool can benefit from an appropriately sized embodiment of the invention. 
     The present invention, offers an alternative construction for a protective coverings that provide heat resistant protection necessary for use in salons and at home specifically during braid services. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an improved protective covering made of reusable resistant, material that drapes over a user&#39;s shoulders and back. There are two flaps secured in the front of the client&#39;s neck. Thus covered, the user is protected from high temperature liquids; specifically options for this bib include securing on either side of a client&#39;s neck, which increased functionality of the invention. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
       These and further features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood in the light of the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein; 
         FIG. 1  is the front view of the bib with soft side of Velcro visible in the upper right hand corner; 
         FIG. 2  is the back view of the bib with sticky side of Velcro visible in the upper right hand corner; 
         FIG. 3  is the view of the bib with Velcro secured in the same fashion it would be fastened around the neck of the person. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is a bib designed to protect the user from coming in contact with high temperature materials such as boiled water. The cape is constructed of a heat resistant material or any other suitable material with necessary properties. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3  thereof, a bib for protecting the user from coming in contact with high temperature liquids embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention is described. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the present invention wherein the bib is made up of high resistant material with an opening in the center  102  with flaps  101  on both sides. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the bib  100  is pre-cut to a convenient size and shape so that it covers the user&#39;s shoulders and back when worn. 
     The bib  100  will preferably be a rectangular (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) or any other shape with size large enough to provide protection to cover most part or whole user body. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the head opening  102  is adjustable in some manner so that it may be fitted to each user&#39;s neck comfortably. The design of the bib  100  allows room for wording, logo, drawings, etc that can be used as advertising space, identification markings or any other purpose. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the present invention wherein velcro strip is attached along the edge of flap. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, a Velcro strip  103  attached along edge of flap  101  may also be used to tuck or close it around the user&#39;s neck using a snap button or any other kind of fastener or clasp. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention involves attaching an extension to the edge of the two flaps  101 . Such an extension may be a chain, clasp, or any other kind of fastener or closure. The bib  100  can be easily removed from the use. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the protective bib  100  may be provided with a cover made of a soft and flexible material for enhancing the comfort of opening. This cover would be attached in such a fashion that it covers opening. This enhancement can be added to any other embodiments. 
     Based on the above, it would be apparent that the present invention offers significant advantages—including capability of protecting a user from chemicals, hair clipping, moisture and heat related injuries of boiling water which prior art capes currently used in salons are unable to provide. 
     While the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described and illustrated herein, it will be appreciated that they are merely illustrative. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications in form and detail may be made therein without departing from or offending the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Additionally, the invention illustratively disclose herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein—and in a particular embodiment that is specifically contemplated, the invention is intended to be practiced in the absence of any one or more element which are not specifically disclosed herein.