Patent Publication Number: US-11638454-B2

Title: Head mask with cushioned collar

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/478,630, filed Apr. 4, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a head mask. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A head mask, as used herein, is a head covering that is worn over a person&#39;s head. Head masks may be used, for example, to conceal a wearer&#39;s identity or to allow a wearer to dress-up for an event, such as for a sports event, a masquerade party, a carnival, or Halloween. A typical head mask has an opening at the bottom through which a wearer may insert his or her head into an interior cavity of the head mask and is shaped and decorated on its exterior such that it has a desired appearance (e.g., an animal head or a famous character). Sometimes, a head mask is used by itself. At other times, the head mask may be used as part of a partial or full body costume. 
     Often, a head mask extends from the top of the head downward to the vicinity of the wearer&#39;s neck and shoulders. In this case, the lower edge of the bottom opening comes into contact repeatedly with the wearer in the vicinity of the shoulders or neck as the wearer&#39;s head moves, thereby potentially causing discomfort to the wearer, such as possible skin irritation and other aches and pains. The discomfort may increase as the head mask is worn for an extended duration, possibly for several hours at a time. These effects may be pronounced where the head mask opening does not provide much clearance for a wearer&#39;s neck. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a head mask that is more comfortable for a wearer, especially when worn over an extended period of time. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a head mask includes a shell that has one or more openings configured to enable a wearer to see outside of the head mask when the head mask is worn by the wearer, an interior cavity within the shell, and an aperture through which a wearer&#39;s head is insertable into the interior cavity. The head mask further includes a collar that is formed at the bottom of the head mask, wherein the shell has a first thickness, and wherein the collar has a second thickness that is larger than the first thickness. The head mask may further include a fabric layer covering at least a portion of an exterior of the head mask, including the collar. In one embodiment, the head mask may also have one or more additional layers between the shell and the fabric layer. 
     In one embodiment, the shell of the head mask includes a bendable foam, and the collar includes multiple overlapped layers of bendable foam formed by folding of the bendable foam at the bottom of the head mask inwardly at least once, and attaching the inwardly folded layer to the shell to be held in place. In this embodiment, the fabric layer on the exterior of the head mask may also be folded inwardly over the inwardly folded bendable foam. Where the collar includes the same bendable foam as the shell, the bendable foam may be formed integrally with the bendable foam of the shell. In an alternative embodiment, the bendable foam for the collar may include a second piece of bendable foam that is attached to the rest of the shell. In these embodiments, the increased thickness of the collar portion of the head mask may be attributable to the additional thickness added by the at least one additional layer of bendable foam provides the wearer with a desirable cushioning. Moreover, the additional fabric layer from the folding of the fabric layer over the bendable foam may also provide additional cushioning. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the collar includes a second bendable foam, which may be the same as or different from the first bendable foam, and the second bendable foam that has the second thickness that is larger than the first thickness. Thus, it may not be necessary in this embodiment to fold the bendable foam inwardly as the second bendable foam already has the second thickness. The second bendable foam may be formed integrally with the shell or includes a second piece of bendable foam that is attached to the bendable foam of the shell. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment where a fabric layer covers the collar, the second thickness of the collar is attributable, at least in part, to the fabric layer that has an increased thickness around the collar. 
     In embodiments, the thickness and height of the collar may each be in the range of 1 to 2 inches. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a head mask according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a cutaway view of the head mask taken vertically along line  2 - 2  of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of the head mask of  FIG.  1    as viewed from the bottom of the head mask; 
         FIG.  4    is a side view of the head mask of  FIG.  1    when worn; 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a head mask according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of a head mask according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIG.  1    thereof, a head mask  10  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. While the exterior of head mask  10  may be shaped and decorated in many different ways, head mask  10  is shown in the illustrated embodiment as an animal head with the exterior surface shaped and decorated as a an animal head. However, it should be understood that the appearance of head mask  10  in  FIG.  1    is only illustrative. Thus, a head mask  10  in accordance with the present invention may be shaped and/or decorated in any manner on its exterior. 
     Referring back to  FIG.  1   , head mask  10  is depicted as including left and right eye openings  20 ,  21 , a nose  23  that protrudes outward from underneath left and right eye openings  20 ,  21 , and left and right ears  24 ,  25  that protrude from the top of head mask  20 . Left and right eye openings  20 ,  21  are covered in a one-way mesh material  22  that enable a wearer to see out from head mask  10  but preferably do not permit other individuals to see the wearer. Mesh material  22  also enables air to flow inside head mask  10  for breathability. An example of such a one-way mesh material  22  includes a black mesh fabric eye cover available from www.etsy.com. A collar  27  is provided at the bottom of head mask  10 . As illustrated, collar  27  extends around the bottom of head mask  10  and surrounds an aperture  28  (opening) (shown in  FIG.  2   ), or at least a part thereof, through which a wearer inserts his or her head to don head mask  10 . Aperture  28  may have one of various shapes, such as a circular shape having a diameter in a range of between 7 to 10.5 inches or an oval diameter having a small and large diameter in the same range. Alternatively, aperture  28  may be of any desirable size and shape provided that the head of the wearer can be inserted therethrough into the head mask. Eye openings  20 ,  21  may be, as a non-limiting example, in the range of 3 to 5 inches in diameter. 
       FIG.  2    is a cutaway view of head mask  10  taken vertically along line  2 - 2  of  FIG.  1    and illustrates an interior of head mask  10  in an exemplary embodiment. As shown in  FIG.  2   , a shell  30  is formed from one or more pieces of a bendable foam that provides a soft padding or from some other soft, resilient material. (Where more than one piece of the bendable foam is used, the pieces may be connected together adjacent to one another, such as with stitching). The bendable foam shell  30  may be formed from plush material bonded or laminated to foam sheets. In addition to the bendable foam, shell  30  may also include a soft liner (not shown) attached to the bendable foam on an interior surface  30  facing the wearer. In embodiments, shell  30  may be in the range of approximately 1/16 to ¼ inches thick. Also, in embodiments, shell  30  may extend throughout the interior of head mask  10  or in portions thereof but not in the area of eye openings  20 ,  21 . The space within head mask  10  that includes shell  30  may be referred to as the interior cavity. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , the interior shape of shell  30  may be reinforced with additional stitching along interfaces of the pieces of soft padding so as to form seams or ribs  29  inside head mask  10 . Apart from eye openings  20 ,  21 , the exterior of head mask  10  is generally covered with one or more decorative materials, that may include a soft fabric layer  31 , which may also be plush and/or furry, and one or more other layers between shell  30  and fabric layer  31 . An additional layer of soft material, such as a hypoallergenic lining (not shown), may be included as an interior liner to cover the inside of shell  30 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  2  and  3   , in embodiments of the present invention, collar  27  is cushioned. Cushioning may be provided, for example, by folding a bottom piece of shell  30  and fabric layer  31  inwardly at least once such that a bottom portion of shell  30  is at least folded over onto itself to provide a double layer of bendable foam and lining such that at least a portion of each of the layers of bendable foam overlap one another. The two layers of shell and lining materials may be secured together in the folded position, such as by attaching the inwardly folded portion of shell  30  to the shell itself along line  32  or to a larger area of shell  30 , to form collar  27 . Any secure method of attachment may be used, such as with a more permanent attachment such as stitching or hot melt gluing, or with a releasable attachment such as with a zipper or buttons. The portion of shell  30  that is folded inwardly may be integrally formed with a portion of shell  30  located above collar  27  or may be formed from a separate portion of material that is attached to the bottom of shell  30 . Similarly, the portion of fabric layer  31  that wraps around the collar  27  may be formed integrally with a portion of fabric layer  31  located above collar  27  or may be constructed from a separate piece of lining that is attached to form collar  27 . In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the cushioning of collar  27  may be formed by increasing the thickness of the bendable foam or one or more other layers used to form the collar. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , in embodiments, collar  27  may have a height A in a range of between 1 to 2 inches and may have a thickness B in a range of between 1 to 2 inches. The height and thickness of collar  27  may be selected, at least in part, on the weight of head mask  10 . A taller and/or thicker collar may be provided for added comfort and safety when head mask  10  has an increased weight. In an exemplary embodiment, collar  27  has a uniform thickness. However, collar  27  may alternatively have a non-uniform thickness, such as when collar  27  is pre-formed with an increased thickness and does not need to be folded. In the latter case, collar  27  may have a tapered thickness, for example. 
       FIG.  4    shows head mask  10  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention placed over the head over a wearer  40 . Wearer  40  places his or her head through aperture  28  and into the interior cavity within shell  30 . As will be understood from this figure, by providing a cushioned collar, when the wearer  40  moves his or her head, the cushioning will reduce the impact of collar  27  hitting the wearer&#39;s shoulders and/or neck, thereby providing a more comfortable head mask. Depending on the size of the head mask  10 , it may or may not rotate relative to the wearer&#39;s shoulders when the wearer moves his or her head. 
       FIGS.  5  and  6    show two other examples of animal-shaped head masks in accordance with other embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG.  5    illustrates a head mask  50  according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention where head mask  50  depicts the head of a bear. In this embodiment, the materials used for head mask  50  may, for example, be similar to the materials used for head mask  10  but with different ornamentation and colors. In this second embodiment, head mask  50  may include respective eye openings, ears, nose and a collar  57  that may be constructed similarly to collar  27  with similar dimensions. 
       FIG.  6    is a perspective view of a head mask  60  according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention where head mask  60  depicts the head of a shark. As shown, head mask  60  includes eyes  62  that are decorative in nature, the shark&#39;s mouth  64 , and collar  67 . In the embodiment of  FIG.  6   , rather than having an opening for a wearer&#39;s eyes where the shark&#39;s eyes are anatomically, a single opening  66  is provided at the top of the shark&#39;s mouth and may be covered with a one-way mesh material. For example, opening  66  may be triangular in shape (e.g., approximately an isosceles triangle) that extends in a range of between 9 to 10 inches in height and in a range of between 6.5 to 7.5 inches in width. Collar  67  may be constructed similarly to collar  27  with similar dimensions. 
     In alternative embodiments to those described above, a head mask in accordance with the present invention may be shaped and/or decorated on its exterior, for example, as the head of a cartoon character, a celebrity, a team mascot, a scary character, or as some other exterior design. 
     Now that embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereon can become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. The spirit and scope of the present invention is to be construed broadly.