Patent Publication Number: US-9901132-B2

Title: Head covering article

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to implementations of a head covering article. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Head covering articles such as wave caps, “do-rags”, head scarves, bandanas, etc. are worn for a variety of reasons. These head covering articles are typically secured about a wearer&#39;s head by extending a portion of the head covering article down over a portion of the wearer&#39;s forehead and tying a portion of the article in the back of the head. Oftentimes, these head covering articles are worn for an extended period of time (e.g., overnight while the wearer is sleeping). This extended wear time along with the pressure exerted on the forehead from typing the head covering about the head can cause the edge of the head covering article resting on the wearer&#39;s forehead to leave a horizontal impression across the wearer&#39;s forehead. This impression can be visible when the head covering article is removed and can last for an extended period of time. 
     U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2011/0247126 and U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2008/0307561 concern head covering articles and the impression caused by these articles. However, the head covering articles disclosed in these publications do not address the impression that can extend horizontally across a wearer&#39;s head caused by the edge of the head covering article resting on the forehead. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an example implementation of a head covering article according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates another example implementation of a head covering article according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of an example pad according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Implementations of a head covering article are provided. The head covering article includes an edge portion configured to rest on a wearer&#39;s forehead and a pad configured to cover a portion of the wearer&#39;s forehead. In some implementations, the bottom edge of the pad is aligned with a portion of the edge portion of the material to create a padded edge portion. In some implementations, the pad comprises a ledge extending around the perimeter of the pad and a padded section extending from the ledge, wherein the corners of the padded section are rounded and a portion of the ledge is aligned with a portion of the edge portion of the material. In some implementations, the ledge  410  or a portion thereof may include padding material. In some implementation, the ledge  410  may not include padding material. In some implementations, the head covering article can be formed as a “do rag”, a wave cap, a bandana, a head scarf, or any other head covering article. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an example implementation of a head covering article  100  according to the present disclosure. In some implementations, the head covering article  100  comprises material  105  having an edge portion  105   a  intended to be placed against the forehead of a wearer and a pad  110 . 
     In some implementations, the bottom edge of the pad  110   a  may be aligned with a portion of the edge  105   a  to create a padded edge portion  120 . The padded edge portion  120  includes a portion of the edge  105   a  of material  105  and a portion  110   a  of the pad  110 . In this way, a portion of the edge  105   a  making contact with the wearer&#39;s forehead is padded or cushioned. This may reduce or prevent impressions from being formed horizontally across the wearer&#39;s forehead. 
     In some implementation, the pad  110  may be configured to cushion a portion of the edge  105   a  of the material  105 . 
     In some implementations, the pad  110  may include a padding material enclosed in an outer material. In some implementations, the padding material may be foam. In some implementations, the padding material may be open cell foam. In some implementations, the padding material may be cotton or any other soft material. In some implementations, the pad  110  may be manufactured from any other padding material. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a side view  400  of an example pad  400  according to the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 4 , in some implementations, the pad  400  may include a ledge  410  extending around the perimeter of the pad  400 . In some implementations, the ledge  410  may be the result of a sealing process to seal the edges of an outer material to the padding material to create the pad  400 . The pad  400  further includes a padded portion  420  extending from the ledge  410 . In some implementations, the corners of the padded portion  420  are rounded. 
     Returning to  FIG. 1 , with reference to  FIG. 4 , in some implementations, the padded edge portion  120  includes a portion of the edge  105   a  of material  105  and a portion of the ledge  410 . In some implementations, the ledge  410  or a portion thereof may include padding material. In some implementation, the ledge  410  may not include padding material. In some implementations, the padded portion  420  rests on the user&#39;s forehead when the head covering article  100  is placed on the user&#39;s head. The rounded corners  420  may reduce or prevent impressions from being formed horizontally across the wearer&#39;s forehead even when the ledge  410  may not include padding material. 
     In some implementations, the pad may include no ledge. 
     In some implementations, the material  105  may be configured such that a portion of the material covers a portion of the wearer&#39;s head (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 1 ). In some implementations, a portion of the material may be configured to cover all or a substantial portion of the wearer&#39;s hair. In some implementations, the head covering article is configured such that a portion of the material makes contact with all or substantial portion of the wearer&#39;s hair. 
     In some implementations, a portion of the material  105  comprises a pair of elongated portions to tie about the wearer&#39;s head. For example,  FIG. 3  illustrates another example implementation of a head covering article  300  according to the present disclosure comprising a pair of elongated portions  330   a, b  to tie about wearer&#39;s head. 
     In some implementations, the material  105  can be formed as a “do rag” (see, e.g.,  FIGS. 1 and 3 ), a wave cap, a bandana, a head scarf, or any other head covering article. 
     In some implementations, the material  105  is stretchable. In some implementations, the material  106  is manufactured from polyester with elastane. In some implementations, the material  105  is manufactured from nylon, cotton, or any other suitable material or combination of material. 
     In some implementations, the pad  110  may be configured to cover a portion of the wearer&#39;s forehead. In some implementations, the pad  110  may have a straight lower portion  110   a  and a curved upper portion  110   b . In some implementations, the pad  110  may be semi-circular. In some implementations, the pad  110  can be any shape. 
     In some implementation, the pad  110  may be configured to cushion a portion of the edge  105   a  of the material  105 . In some implementations, the pad  110  may be manufactured from foam. In some implementations, the pad  110  may be manufactured from open cell foam. In some implementations, the pad  110  may be manufactured from cotton or any other soft material. In some implementations, the pad  110  may be manufactured from any other padding material. 
     In some implementations, the pad  110  may be about 3 mm in thickness. In some implementations, the pad  110  may be less than or equal to 3 mm in thickness. In some implementations, the pad  110  may be greater than 3 mm thick. 
     In some implementations, the pad  110  may be centered on a portion of the forehead portion of the material  105 . 
     As mentioned above, in some implementations, the bottom edge of the pad  110   a  is aligned with a portion of the edge  105   a  to create a padded edge portion  120 . In some implementations, the bottom edge of the pad  110   a  is aligned with a portion of the edge  105   a  and the pad  110  is secured to the material  105 . In some implementations, a closed pocket is formed on the material  105  with the pad  110  secured within the pocket. In some implementations, the pad  110  or a portion thereof is sewn directly on a portion of the material  105 . 
     In some implementations, a portion of the pad  110  (e.g., the bottom edge of the pad  110   a ) is sewn onto a portion of the edge  105   a  of the material  105 . In some implementations, at least a portion of the pad  110  is attached to a portion of the material  105  such that a portion of the pad  110  overlaps with a portion of the edge  105   a.    
     In some implementations, the pad  110  may be removably secured to the material  105 . In some implementations, the pad  110  may be connected to the material  105  using hook and loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro®) or any other attachment technology. In some implementations, the pad  110  may not be attached to the material  105 . 
     It is noted that U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,181 discloses a bandana having two-ply closed-cell foam padding designed to reduce head injuries caused by direct impact and by rotational forces among soccer players and others who would not otherwise wear head protection. However, the bandana still can form horizontal impressions across a wearer&#39;s forehead because the edge of the bandana resting on the wearer&#39;s forehead is unpadded. Furthermore, the padding in the &#39;181 patent comes across the forehead, well around the sides, and over the top of the head. This configuration of padding would defeat the purpose of some head covering articles such as do-rags which should lay flat of wearer&#39;s hear. 
     Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or “implementation” or words of similar import means that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrase “in some implementations” or a phrase of similar import in various places throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. 
     Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. 
     The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the above description, numerous specific details are provided for a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail. 
     While operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results.