Patent Publication Number: US-2004049828-A1

Title: Sanitary disposable cape

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001] The present invention relates to hair dressing accessories. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sanitized disposable hair dressing apparatus used to protect a person while receiving professional hair care services.  
       [0002] The typical procedure utilized by a barber or a beautician involves preparing a client for services by placing a protective garment generally made of a fabric material over the upper torso or body area of the customer. This protective garment prevents hair clippings from falling on the upper body area and in the neckline. The protective garment has a collar that is securely attached around the neckline to hold the protective garment in place. After the hair dressing session is complete, the barber or beautician shakes the extraneous hair clippings from the garment. Then, the barber or beautician utilizes this same garment to provide hair care services on their next customer. The garment can still have the prior customer&#39;s scent and body fluids incorporated into the fabric of the cape and in the collar. Thus, the next customer can be exposed to germs and body odors of the prior customer.  
       [0003] Olefin fiber is a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long-chain synthetic polymer composed of at least 85% by weight of ethylene, propylene, or other olefin units. Olefin fiber is a generic description that covers thermoplastic fibers derived from olefins. Polypropylene is extremely versatile as an olefin fiber-forming material. Since its introduction into the textile industry in the 1950s, the list of successful products and markets for polypropylene fiber has increased exponentially. There has been a decline in price and continuing improvements in the quality of polypropylene resins.  
       [0004] The polymer fabric of polypropylene (PP) can be woven or non-woven. The use for non-woven spun-bonded PP is high and continues to grow. Currently, the non-woven PP fabric is used for sanitary products such as hospital gowns, airline pillows, wipes, hygienic products, and diapers.  
       [0005] What is needed is a hair dressing apparatus that is sanitary and can be disposed after each use. The use of sanitary disposable capes would eliminate the need for a separate neck strip. Currently, barbers and beauticians place a neck strip around a customer&#39;s neckline prior to securing the collar of a non-disposable cape in place around a customer&#39;s neckline.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006] This invention provides for a sanitary disposable hair dressing apparatus for use in barber shops and hair dressing salons. The hair dressing apparatus comprises a neck strip being made of a man-made polymer fabric and being defined by a lower edge, an inner section, and an outer section. The apparatus further comprises a cape portion being defined by an upper portion having a centrally located opening and a lower portion having a sealed peripheral edge. The cape portion also is made of a man-made polymer fabric. The central opening of the cape portion is securely attached to the lower edge of the neck strip. A fastener is attached to the neck strip which is a means for securely fastening the neck strip around the customer&#39;s neckline such that the cape portion covers the customer&#39;s front upper torso area and protects the excess hair clippings from falling into the customer&#39;s neckline and onto the customer&#39;s clothing. The man-mad polymer fabric can be woven or non-woven polypropylene. Additionally, the man-made fabric can be a multi-layered man-made polymer tissue. The polymer tissue can be dyed into several colors providing a variety of hair dressing apparatus in various colors. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the cape of the present invention in an opened position.  
     [0008]FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the collar of the cape of the present invention.  
     [0009]FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the cape of the present invention.  
     [0010]FIG. 4 illustrates a frontal view of one embodiment of the cape of the present invention.  
     [0011]FIG. 5 illustrates a back view one embodiment of the cape of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED SPECIFICATION  
     [0012] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a front perspective view of the present invention, a sanitary disposable hair dressing apparatus for providing professional hair care services to a customer. The hair dressing apparatus ( 100 ) further comprises a collar ( 110 ) and a cape portion ( 120 ).  
     [0013] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown an exploded front view of collar ( 110 ). In the illustrated embodiment, collar ( 110 ) is defined by a lower edge ( 125 ), an inner section ( 130 ), and an outer section ( 135 ). In the present invention, collar ( 110 ) can be comprised of a strip of fabric having the dimensions of between 1-2 inches in width and between 25-36 inches in length. As illustrated, collar ( 110 ) is folded along fold line ( 140 ) to create inner section ( 130 ) and outer section ( 135 ) of equal dimensions. The width of inner section ( 130 ) and outer section ( 135 ) is equal to ½ the width of collar ( 110 ). The length of inner section ( 130 ) and outer section ( 135 ) is equal to the length of collar ( 110 ).  
     [0014] Collar ( 110 ) further comprises a fastener for tightly securing the hairdressing apparatus in place around a customer&#39;s neckline. The fastener is a means for securely fastening the collar around the customer&#39;s neckline wherein the cape portion ( 120 ) covers the customer&#39;s front upper torso area (not shown here) and protects the excess hair clippings from falling into the customer&#39;s neckline and onto the customer&#39;s clothing. As illustrated in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the fastener can be comprised of a tape member ( 200 ) and an adhesive catch ( 210 ). Tape member ( 200 ) attaches to the far end of one side of the inner section ( 130 ) of collar ( 100 ). On the opposite side of collar ( 110 ) adhesive catch ( 210 ) is directly attached onto outer section ( 135 ). Adhesive catch ( 210 ) is placed onto outer section ( 135 ) at a distance that allows tape member ( 200 ) to attach to adhesive catch ( 210 ) so that collar ( 100 ) is held securely in place around the customer&#39;s neckline. However, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, the fastener ( 145 ) can be Velcro or another such compatible fastener.  
     [0015] In alternative embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 2, collar ( 110 ) further comprises a support member ( 147 ) situated within collar ( 110 ) between inner section ( 130 ) and outer section ( 135 ). Support member ( 147 ) provides extra firmness while collar ( 110 ) is held firmly in place around a customer&#39;s neckline. Support member ( 147 ) can be made of thin paper or other such compatible material.  
     [0016] In the illustrated embodiment in FIG. 1, cape portion ( 120 ) further includes an upper portion ( 150 ) having a centrally located opening ( 152 ) and a lower portion ( 155 ) with its peripheral edges ( 165 ) sealed by bonding means. In even more specific embodiments of the present invention, the peripheral edges ( 165 ) can be rectangular as shown in FIG. 1. The bonding means can be by sewing, adhesive bonding glue, or another such compatible bonding or fusion means. The dimension of the cape portion ( 120 ) is normally large to support adults. However, the dimensions of the cape portion ( 120 ) can be adjusted to support children. To support the ranges of sizes between adults and children, the length of the cape portion can range between 30 to 50 inches in length and 25 to 41 inches in width of the cape portion. Additionally, the cape portion ( 120 ) can be made from a continuous piece of material or from several pieces of fabric bonded together. The pieces of fabric of cape portion ( 120 ) can be bonded together by sewing, adhesive bonding, or other such compatible means.  
     [0017] Additionally, some embodiments of the present invention, the collar ( 110 ) and cape portion ( 120 ) are made of a man-made polymer material. In one embodiment of the present invention, the man-made polymer fabric can preferably be made from polypropylene (PP). Additionally, in even more specific embodiments, the polypropylene can be either woven into a synthetic fabric or spun-bonded into a non-woven synthetic fabric.  
     [0018] In other embodiments of the present invention, the man-made polymer material can be a multi-layered polymer tissue such as commercially available poly-tissue. In one embodiment of the present invention, the polymer tissue is composed of three layers. A first thin water absorbent layer and an opposite thin water absorbent layer. The third layer is made of a water impermeable material sandwiched between and bonded to the first and the opposite second layer. In more specific embodiments of the present invention, the first and second layer can be made of thin tissue paper. The third layer can be made of a thin flexible polymer plastic. In more specific embodiments of the present invention, the thin flexible polymer plastic can be polyethylene. Additionally, the third layer can be dyed to a plurality of colors providing a variety of different types of capes ( 100 ) in various colors.  
     [0019] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, upper portion  150  is made of a thin water impermeable material such as a thin plastic material, for example cellophane. Lower portion ( 155 ) and collar ( 110 ) are still made of the man-made polymer material as described above. The upper portion ( 150 ) and lower portion ( 155 ) of this embodiment piece can be bonded together by sewing, adhesive bonding, or other such compatible means.  
     [0020] In use, referring to FIG. 4, the hair dressing apparatus ( 100 ) is placed in front of the customer over their upper torso area. Collar ( 110 ) is then placed around the customer&#39;s neckline. Next, as shown, in FIG. 5 in an exploded back view of the hair dressing apparatus, the left side of the upper portion ( 150 ) of cape portion ( 120 ) is overlapped under the right side of the upper portion ( 150 ) of cape portion ( 120 ). Collar ( 110 ) is adjusted around the customer&#39;s neckline to form a snug fit. Tape member ( 200 ) is attached to adhesive catch ( 210 ) to secure collar ( 110 ) in place around the customer&#39;s neckline. After each use of the present invention, the disposable sanitary cape is thrown into the garbage. Therefore, the spread of germs from one customer to the next is eliminated.