Patent Publication Number: US-2009235423-A1

Title: Beauty Salon Cape

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to beauty salon accessories, and, more particularly, to a cape adapted to be worn by a person in a beauty salon. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Beauty salons typically provide cosmetic treatment services such as hairstyling, makeup application and the like, to clients wishing to avail the cosmetic treatment services. For a person wishing to avail one or more of the cosmetic treatment services, a cape may be provided for protecting apparel from being stained by cosmetic products used for providing the cosmetic treatment services. In beauty salons, such as hair salons and barber shops, a cape may be provided to a person to protect the person from getting wet or having wet hair fall onto apparel worn by the person while having hair, shampooed and cut. 
     The cape includes a garment for covering a torso portion of the person. The garment typically may extend on a front side of the torso portion of the person and may be configured to be relatively short on a back side of the torso portion of the person. The back side of the torso portion of the person may be relatively unprotected from undesirable articles such as cosmetic products, clipped wet hair, water from shampooed hair and the like. Further, the cape is typically secured around a neck-portion of the person for protecting the apparel of the person. The neck-portion of the person may turn sore on account of contact with a coarse garment material of the cape. 
     Moreover, the garment typically is configured with dark color shades, such as black or grey, to preclude the garment from being stained on account of seepage of the cosmetic products used during the cosmetic treatment services. The dark color shades with plain and unattractive garment designs may affect morale of the person wearing the cape. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need for improving style of the cape for boosting morale of the person wearing the cape. Further, there exists a need for protecting an apparel of the person, especially on the back side of the torso portion of the person, from the undesirable articles. There is also a need for eliminating contact of the coarse garment material from the neck-portion of the person for providing comfort to the person. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, the general purpose of the present invention is to provide a cape adapted to be worn by a person in a beauty salon, configured to include all the advantages of the prior art, and to overcome the drawbacks inherent therein. 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cape capable of improving style of the cape for boosting morale of a person wearing the cape. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a cape capable of protecting an apparel of a person from undesirable articles such as cosmetic products, clipped wet hair and water. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cape capable of eliminating contact of a coarse garment material from a neck-portion of a person for providing comfort to the person. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a durable and cost-effective cape. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a cape adapted to be worn by a person in a beauty salon. The cape comprises a garment and a neck liner. The garment is configured to enclose at least a torso portion of the person. The garment comprises an inner surface and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface. The outer surface is configured with a symbolic design. The neck liner is removably attached to the inner surface and is adapted to cover a neck-portion of the person. 
     The symbolic design may symbolize a festive event or an occasion. The cape configured with the symbolic design, may thus improve the style of the cape for boosting morale of the person wearing the cape. Further, the garment may be designed to extend to cover a front-side and a back-side of the torso portion protecting an apparel of the person from undesirable articles such as cosmetic products, clipped wet hair and water. Furthermore, the neck liner covering the neck-portion of the person eliminates contact of the neck-portion with a garment material, for providing comfort to the person. In an embodiment of the present invention, the garment may be composed of a plastic material. Further, the neck liner may be composed of a nylon material or a vinyl material. Furthermore, the plastic material for the garment, and, the nylon material or the vinyl material for the neck liner, may reduce a cost associated with a cape and may further enhance durability of the cape. 
     These together with other aspects of the present invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the present invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and form a part of this present invention. For a better understanding of the present invention, its operating advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of a cape adapted to be worn by a person in a beauty salon, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a perspective view of the cape of  FIG. 1 , worn by a person in the beauty salon, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 3A to 3D  depict exemplary symbolic designs displayed on capes, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the description of several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The exemplary embodiments described here in detail for illustrative purposes are subject to many variations in structure and design. It should be emphasized, however, that the present invention is not limited to a particular cape, as shown and described. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but these are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention. 
     The terms “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another, and the terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. 
     The present invention provides a cape adapted to be worn by a person in a beauty salon. The cape comprises a garment and a neck liner. The garment is configured to enclose at least a torso portion of the person. The garment comprises an inner surface and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface. The outer surface is configured with a symbolic design. The neck liner is adapted to be removably attached to the inner surface for covering a neck-portion of the person. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of a cape  100  adapted to be worn by a person (not shown) in a beauty salon (not shown), in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The cape  100  includes a garment  102  and a neck liner  104 . The garment  102  includes an outer surface  106  and an inner surface  108 . The outer surface  106  is opposite to the inner surface  108 . A symbolic design  110  is configured on the outer surface  106  for display purposes. The neck liner  104  is removably attached to the inner surface  108  and is adapted to cover a neck-portion of the person wearing the cape  100 . 
     The garment  102  is configured to enclose at least a torso portion of the person wearing the cape  100 . A length of the garment  102  may be suitably designed to extend at least to a waistline, on either side of the torso portion of the person. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the garment  102  may be designed to be wrapped around arm-portions of the person for covering an entire upper-body portion (from the neck-portion to the waistline) of the person. Further, it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the cape  100  may include suitable securing mechanism for securing the cape  100  to the person wearing the cape  100 . For instance, the cape  100  may include a Velcro arrangement or an adjustable strap arrangement for securing the cape  100  at the neck-portion of the person. 
     The neck liner  104  may be composed of a suitably chosen material to provide a cushioning effect on the neck-portion of the person for providing comfort to the person. In an embodiment of the present invention, the neck liner  104  may be composed of a vinyl material. In another embodiment of the present invention, the neck liner  104  may be composed of a nylon material. The neck liner  104  may be designed to eliminate contact of a material of the garment  102  with the neck-portion of the person. In one embodiment of the present invention, the garment  102  may be composed of a plastic material. 
     The symbolic design  110  displayed on the outer surface  106  of the garment  102  symbolizes Christmas, i.e. a festive event. The symbolic design  110  includes a text ‘Merry Christmas’ in addition to graphic images of Christmas trees for symbolizing Christmas. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the symbolic design  110  may similarly include words, characters, images, drawings, logos or such combination thereof. Further, it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the symbolic design  110  may similarly be configured to symbolize festive events such as New Year&#39;s Eve, Easter, 4 th  of July, and the like. Thus, the symbolic design  110  may improve a style of the cape  100  and boost morale of the person wearing the cape  100 . A person wearing the cape  100  is depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 2  depicts a perspective view of the cape  100  worn by a person  200 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As explained in conjunction with  FIG. 1 , the cape  100  includes the garment  102  and the neck liner  104  (not shown in  FIG. 2 ). The garment  102  is adapted to enclose an upper-body portion (from a neck-portion to a waistline) of the person  200  for protecting apparel (not shown) of the person  200  from getting wet, from stains due to cosmetic treatment products, from clipped wet hair and the like. The neck liner  104  is adapted to cover the neck-portion (not shown) of the person  200  from eliminating contact of the material of the garment  102  with the neck-portion for providing a cushioning effect, thereby providing comfort to the person  200 . 
     As explained in conjunction with  FIG. 2 , the symbolic design  110  is displayed on the outer surface  106  of the garment  102 . The symbolic design  110  improves a style of the cape  100  and may boost morale of the person  200 . Exemplary symbolic designs displayed on outer surfaces of capes, such as the cape  100 , are depicted in  FIGS. 3A-3D . 
       FIGS. 3A to 3D  depict exemplary symbolic designs displayed on capes, such as the cape  100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3A  depicts a cape  300  including a symbolic design  302  on an outer surface (not shown) of a garment  304  of the cape  300 . The symbolic design  302  includes a graphic image of a United States (US) Flag. Capes, such as the cape  300 , may be provided to customers at a beauty salon (not shown) on 4 th  of July, i.e. US Independence Day, for boosting morale of the customers.  FIG. 3B  depicts a cape  400  including a symbolic design  402  on an outer surface (not shown) of a garment  404  of the cape  400 . The symbolic design  402  includes a graphic image of a bunny rabbit, Easter egg and a gift parcel. The cape  400  may be provided to customers at a beauty salon (not shown) on the festive occasion of Easter. Similarly,  FIG. 3C  and  FIG. 3D  capes  500  and  600  displaying symbolic designs  502  and symbolic design  602  respectively for depicting images representing New Year&#39;s Eve and Halloween. Capes, such as cape  100 ,  300 ,  400 ,  500  and  600  may be provided to customers on festive occasions symbolized by symbolic designs displayed on the respective capes for improving style of the capes and boosting morale of the customers. 
     It will be evident to a person skilled in the art that a symbolic design, such as the symbolic design  110  may be configured to symbolize a seasonal event such as summer vacation, or may be configured to symbolize a holiday such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Further the symbolic design  110  may include cartoon characters, superhero characters, and the like, for boosting morale of kids accompanying parents to the beauty salon. Further, it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the cape  100  may be worn by a person, such as the person  200 , receiving a service at the beauty salon, or may be worn by a person, such as a beautician, barber, hair stylist and the like, providing the service at the beauty salon. 
     Various embodiments of the present invention offer following advantages. Capes, such as cape  100 ,  300 ,  400 ,  500  and  600 , are configured with sufficient dimensions to adequately cover an upper-body portion of the user to protect apparel worn by the user from undesirable articles, such as cosmetic products, clipped wet hair, water from shampooed hair and the like. The neck liner, such as the neck liner  104 , provides comfort to the person wearing the cape by eliminating contact of a material of a garment of the cape with the neck-portion of the person. Moreover, symbolic design, such as the symbolic design  110 , improves a style, i.e. attractiveness of the cape and boosts morale of the person wearing the cape, thereby increasing customer satisfaction. Increased customer satisfaction may provide repeat business from the person thereby boosting sales of the beauty salon. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.