Abstract:
Method for providing a cost effective imitation to brimmed fur hats of the designs known to their users as “Flat Beaver Hat” and “High Beaver Hat” is disclosed. Imitation brimmed hats that may be used as substitute to the real fur hats of these designs being disclosed as well.

Description:
[0001]     This application is a Continuation In Part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/235,200 filed on Sep. 5, 2002 claims the benefit thereof and incorporates the same by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to fur brimmed hat imitation.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Although the source of the custom is obscure, black hats are worn by many orthodox Jews. The hat serves several purposes—displaying allegiance to a particular group of Jews, and fulfilling the requirement adhered to by many ultra-orthodox Jewish sects requiring a double head covering, i.e. requiring that male Jews wear both a skull cap and a further hat there above.  
         [0004]     In some circles it is the custom is to wear a hat made of close-cropped rabbit or beaver fur. In one circle it is used to wear a brimmed hat usually called “flat beaver hat” (it will termed beaver hat in these circles even though it is actually made of rabbit fur, since what really matters is not the material from which it is fabricated, rather its design and appearance). The type of the concerned hat can be taught from the picture presented by  FIG. 1 . In another circle it is used to wear a brimmed hat usually called “high beaver hat”. These two hats are the subject of the present invention (they defer from one another in the contour and ornamental design but are made substantially from similar material and have similar texture).  
         [0005]     Although such hats are expensive, and are easily spoiled by rain or sweat, it was not found yet a method for producing them in reduced costs and/or in enhanced durability. One main reason for this is the very uniform appearance of the hats being worn in these circles. Any noticeable deviation from the well known appearance will immediately disqualify the concerned hat from use in these circles (i.e. no user in these circles will be willing to purchase or wear such hat). Accordingly, the problem to be solved is not only to produce hats that will have a general appearance of fur hats, or a hat that is aimed only to protect it user from sun or cold weather, rather to produce hats that will have no noticeable deviation from the well known appearance of close-cropped rabbit or beaver fur hats used to be worn in the particular circles. In addition it should have at least one significant advantage comparing to the currently used hats in terms of market price, durability, or usage conformability, otherwise everybody will prefer to use an original fur hat.  
         [0006]     It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to obviate at least part of the disadvantages of prior art hats and to provide a hat which can be manufactured at a moderate price, that will have a longer life being more resistant to the elements and to environment conditions, and most importantly that its appearance will be similar or at least very close to that of the concerned prior art hats.  
         [0007]     U.S. Publication No. 2001/0008672 discloses flocked articles having a breathable portion that is water and wind resistant. In paragraph [0050] thereof a wide variety of beneficial uses are counted, including coats, jackets, pants, shirts, footwear, socks, hats, ear coverings, headbands, gloves, scarves and the like. Paragraph [0023] of said publication recites that the flocked articles may have any desirable geometry, such as a flexible sheet, a fabric, a flexible or rigid three-dimensional shape, a tube, and the like. The U.S. 2001/0008672 document does not motivate to prefer producing any of the counted articles over the others, nor does it hint or teach that any of the produced articles may be used as a perfect or close to perfect imitation to an original article.  
         [0008]     On the above background it should be noticed that although imitations of many product types are issued and marketed successfully, and although imitation of furs and of lathers are widely and successfully marketed, no one up to date took the challenge of developing an imitation of close-cropped rabbit or beaver fur hats which will have an appearance similar to or at least unnoticeably differing from the original hat concerned.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention relates to a hat comprising a substrate having a cylinder-like central member (hat crown) elevating from a horizontally oriented surrounding brim the brim ends with upwardly oriented edge, the substrate is covered by an outer layer of short black hair-like fibers attached thereto substantially parallel to one another and in substantially vertical orientation respective to the substrate, the hat contour and ornamental design together with the hair-like fibers provide a substitute being a substantially perfect imitation to close-cropped rabbit&#39;s fur hat of a known design. The term “substantially perfect imitation” means that the average viewer will not be able to recognize a significant differentiation between a real close-cropped beaver or rabbit&#39;s fur hat and between the imitation hat.  
         [0010]     In order to allow for a substantially perfect imitation the fibers are of a length of between 0.5-3.0 mm.  
         [0011]     The fibers are attached to the substrate by means of adhesive material and are selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, viscose fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers and mixtures thereof.  
         [0012]     According to one preferred embodiment the substrate comprises acrylic-reinforced cardboard. According to another embodiment the substrate can be formed of breathable plastic material.  
         [0013]     In order to allow for a substantially perfect imitation the brim extends outwardly of the cylinder-like central member for a distance of 3-15 centimeters.  
         [0014]     The cylinder-like central member may be covered by fibers from its outer side only, since its inner side is invisible to the viewers. The brim however should be covered by fibers from both its sides, since both its upper face and its lower face are visible.  
         [0015]     In order to allow for a substantially perfect imitation the hat is further comprising a fabric strip sewn to both sides of brim circumference end, binding and covering its upwardly oriented edge. The strip being sewn, similarly to the original type hat that is subject to the imitation, by a pair of parallel stitching with a gap of between 2 and 7 millimeters in between.  
         [0016]     In order to allow for a substantially perfect imitation the hat further has decorative ribbon (hatband comprising decorative folds similar to those of a hat to be imitated) applied at the lower end of the cylinder-like-like member. Preferably a lather strip at the lower inner end of the cylinder-like-like central member is also provided. A cloth member hiding the insides of the cylinder-like central member is also preferably provided.  
         [0017]     The present invention further relates to a method for imitating a close-cropped rabbit&#39;s fur hat of a known design according which the hat has a central cylinder-like-like member (hat crown) elevating from a surrounding brim, the brim ends with upwardly oriented edge, the method comprising; (a) providing a substrate in the substantial form and rigidity degree of a hat to be imitated (so as to provide perfect or close to perfect imitation of the form and rigidity of the hat of the known design); (b) providing a portion of said substrate with a layer of adhesive material; (c)_maintaining a fiber releasing device aligned to release stream of hair-like fibers toward the layer of adhesive material; (d) providing high voltage electrostatic field between the adhesive material and the fiber releasing device; (e) covering the adhesive layer by an array of parallel fibers attached to the substrate by the adhesive wherein at least the majority of the fibers are each in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the substrate portion to which it is attached; (f) repeating steps ‘b’ to ‘e’ on another portions of the substrate to be covered if any In order to allow for a substantially perfect imitation the method is further comprising sewing a fabric strip to both sides of brim circumference end and covering its upwardly oriented edge. Similarly to the original hat to be imitated, the strip is sewn by a pair of parallel sews with a gap of between 2 and 7 millimeters in between.  
         [0018]     In order to allow for a substantially perfect imitation the method is further comprising applying a decorative ribbon at the lower end of the cylinder-like member.  
         [0019]     Preferably the method comprises also applying a lather strip at the lower inner end of the cylinder-like central member, and applying a cloth member hiding the insides of the cylinder-like central member.  
         [0020]     It will thus be realized that by the use of low-cost vegetable or synthetic materials the hat of the present invention can be manufactured at a cost substantially below the present-day cost of a fur hat and thus serves to open a wider market for this item. Durability is improved, which is important to those who have had to replace too often a natural fur hat which became un- wearable due to a deteriorated appearance. From another point of view, due to the more attractive price of the imitation brimmed hats, users will afford themselves replacing more often their deteriorating hats.  
         [0021]     The preferred method of applying the flock material is by electrostatic attraction. Techniques for the application of flock fibers to a substrate are known in the prior art. Electrostatic equipment, although usually used for separation or precipitation processes, is also commercially available for coating purposes. An adhesive-coated substrate is charged to a high voltage—typically 60-70 kV DC, and the flock is held in an application device and is charged at the opposite polarity. Operator safety is ensured by a device limiting current flow, a typical value being 0.15 mA when short circuited. Due to the attraction between the oppositely charged substrate/flock the short fibers impact the electrically-conductive adhesive coating and can be applied in a dense array, the fibers impacting and being retained oriented perpendicularly to the coated surface.  
         [0022]     Various electrically-conductive adhesives are known, some being described in recent U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,361,716 6,392,306 6,425,772 6,433,055 and 6,433,057.  
         [0023]     According to other embodiments of the flock applying method of the present invention the adhesive need not be electrically conductive. Instead, any acceptable adhesive material can be used for coating the substrate, while an electrostatic field is provided between the application device and between a conductive surface upon which positioned the substrate to be coated. According to one preferred embodiment the conductive surface is shaped as a hat-dummy whose outer contour matches the inner contour of the hat substrate to be coated. The hat-dummy can be made of metal, sheet metal, or metal foil (e.g. aluminum foil). According to these embodiments the hair-like fibers will be attracted from the application device to the adhesive layer along the electrostatic field lines extending from the application device through the substrate toward the hat dummy from behind. It is appreciated that the hat-dummy may comprise non-conductive portions corresponding to hat portions that need not be covered by the hair-like fibers (e.g. if one prefer to leave uncoated the substrate portions to be covered by the decorative ribbon).  
         [0024]     The invention will now be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments with reference to the following illustrative figures so that it may be more fully understood.  
         [0025]     With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. 
     
    
       [0026]     In the drawings:  
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a picture of a real rabbit fur hat (can be made also from beaver fur) from a known type to be imitated by the hat of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  illustrates a general perspective top view over a hat of the type depicted in  FIG. 1  (known to its English speaking users in the name “flat beaver hat” and to it Hebrew speaking users in the name “KOVA YERUSHALMI”)  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  illustrates a general perspective top view over a second type hat (known to its English speaking users in the name “high beaver hat” and to it Hebrew speaking users in the name “KOVA CHASSIDI”)  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  illustrates a general perspective side view of the brimmed hat of the type illustrated by  FIG. 2   
         [0031]      FIG. 5  illustrates a general perspective side view of the brimmed hat of the type illustrated by  FIG. 3   
         [0032]      FIG. 6  illustrates a detailed perspective view of the hat of  FIGS. 2 and 4 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 7  illustrates an enlarged partial cross sectional view of a hat according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, taken along a side wall of the central cylinder-like member and along a brim extending laterally, from the bottom of said member.  
         [0034]      FIG. 8  illustrates cylinder-like in general cross section view of a substrate of brimmed hat whose upper parts being coated by hair-like fibers emitted from applicator by means of electrostatic field between the applicator and a metal plate upon which the hat is positioned.  
         [0035]      FIG. 9  illustrates in general cross section view of a substrate of brimmed hat whose upper parts being coated by hair-like fibers emitted from applicator by means of electrostatic field between the applicator and a metal hat-dummy upon which the hat is positioned.  
         [0036]      FIG. 10  illustrates in general cross section view of a substrate of brimmed hat whose brim&#39;s bottom being coated by hair-like fibers emitted from applicator by means of electrostatic field between the applicator and a metal ring-shaped plate upon which the hat is positioned up-side-down.  
         [0037]      FIG. 11  is a greatly enlarged detail showing flock material (in the context of the present invention referred to also as “hair-like fibers”) adhesively-attached to a brimmed hat substrate according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0038]      FIG. 1  is a picture of a real brimmed fur hat  1  (can be made e.g. from rabbit or beaver fur) from a known type (known to its English speaking users in the name “Flat Beaver Hat” and to it Hebrew speaking users in the name “KOVA YERUSHALMI”) to be imitated by the hat of the present invention. The brimmed hat  1  comprises a central cylinder-like member  2 , elevating from a horizontally oriented surrounding brim  3  the brim  3  ends with upwardly oriented edge enfolded by a fabric strip  4  sewn from both sides of the brim end rim by a pair of parallel stitching  7  and  8 . The hat further has a hatband  5 . The hatband  5  stresses the fur hairs behind it and thus the fur hair can be seen protruding from above the hatband  5  e.g. in point  6 . The aim of the present invention is to provide the users of the pictured type fur hat with a substitute hat that will be a perfect or close to perfect imitation to the pictured type hat, such that a general viewer would not be able to distinguish whether the user wears a real fur hat or the imitation.  
         [0039]      FIG. 2  illustrates a general perspective top view over a brimmed hat  9  of the type depicted by  FIG. 1   
         [0040]      FIG. 3  illustrates a general perspective top view over a second type brimmed hat  9  (known to its English speaking users in the name “high beaver hat” and to it Hebrew speaking users in the name “KOVA CHASSIDI”). This type of hat differs from that of  FIG. 2  in the contour and the ratios between the dimensions of its parts, and also in the decorative design of its hatband, which as can be seen has a surplus  11  lying on the brim.  
         [0041]      FIG. 4  illustrates a general perspective side view of the brimmed hat  10  of the type illustrated by  FIG. 2   
         [0042]      FIG. 5  illustrates a general perspective side view of the brimmed hat  10  of the type illustrated by  FIG. 3   
         [0043]      FIG. 6  illustrates a detailed perspective view of the brimmed hat of  FIGS. 2 and 4 . The same description applies to the brimmed hat of  FIGS. 3 and 5 , mutatis mutandis. The hat  10  comprises a substrate having a cylinder-like central member  12  elevating from a horizontally oriented surrounding brim  13  the brim  13  ends with upwardly oriented edge  24 , the substrate is covered by an outer layer of short black hair-like fibers, only representing portions of it  32  and  33  are shown in detail in this Fig. attached thereto with the hair like fibers substantially parallel to one another and in substantially vertical orientation respective to the substrate, the hat contour and ornamental design together with the hair like fibers provide a substitute being a substantially perfect imitation for close-cropped rabbit or beaver&#39;s fur hat of the known design depicted by  FIG. 1 .  
         [0044]     Preferably in order to provide a satisfying imitation the hair like fibers are of a length of between 0.5-3.0 mm, more preferably between 2.0 and 3.0 mm. Since the standard lengths of fibers supplied by flock manufacturers are typically in the range between 0.5 and 2 millimeters, a special order should be conducted for obtaining fibers of e.g. 2.5 or 3.0 mm. The fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, viscose fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers and mixtures thereof. Since the hat to be imitated is of a black color, the color of the fibers should be selected accordingly. The fibers are attached to the substrate by means of adhesive material.  
         [0045]     The substrate of the imitation hat should be made with a rigidity degree similar to that of the hat type to be imitated. It should also be made breathable to insure user comfort at any weather. According to various preferred embodiments of the present invention the substrate comprises acrylic-reinforced cardboard.  
         [0046]     The brim  13  extending outwardly of the cylinder-like central member  12  for a distance of between 3-15 centimeters, according to the size and design of the hat to be imitated.  
         [0047]     Typically the cylinder-like central member  12  will be covered by fibers from its outer side only. The brim  13  will be covered by fibers from both its sides, since both its sides being exposed to the viewer.  
         [0048]     Like the hat to be imitated, the hat of the present invention comprises a fabric strip  14  sewn to the brim circumference end and covering its upwardly oriented edge  24 . The strip being sewn by a pair of parallel stitching  17  and  18  with a gap of between  2  and  7  millimeters in between, depending on the gap of the hat to be imitated.  
         [0049]     The hat is further comprising a decorative ribbon (hatband)  15  applied at the lower end of the cylinder-like member  12 . The substrate area between the decorative ribbon  15  and the cylinder-like member  12  need not necessarily be covered by fibers since it is anyway being hidden by the ribbon  15 . The ribbon  15  has folds  25  similar to those of the hat to be imitated. The hat further has a string  27  and button  26 , according to the design of the original hat.  
         [0050]      FIG. 7  illustrates an enlarged partial cross sectional view of a hat  10  according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, taken along a side wall of the central cylinder-like member  12  and along a brim  13  extending laterally, from the bottom of said member  12 . As can be observed, the brim  13  being covered from both its sides by vertically oriented hair-like fibers  33 , and so is the top  44  of the cylinder-like member  12 . The sidewall of the cylinder-like member  12  is covered by hair-like fibers  32  that are perpendicular with respect to the substrate to which they are attached, however they lay horizontally since the substrate contour is vertical in the sidewall. In the comer regions  43  and  49  the fibers orientation follows the contour, and thus the fibers are in a diagonal orientation respectively. At the lower end of the cylinder-like member  12 , the cylinder is encompassed by a decorative ribbon (hatband)  15 , and by a string  27 . The brim  13  ends with a vertical rim having an upwardly oriented edge  24 , enfolded by a fabric strip  14  sewn from both rim sides. The inner lower end of the cylinder-like member  12  is covered by a lather strip  45  whose cross section is marked  46 . The lather band is sewn (or attached by any other acceptable connecting way) at its lower end  49  to the lower end of the cylinder-like member  12 , leaving a gap between the top end of the lather strip and the cylinder-like member useful for accommodating the lower end of a lining cloth  47  which covers the exposed insides of the cylinder-like member, similarly to the lining arrangement in the hat to be imitated.  
         [0051]      FIG. 8  illustrates in general cross section view a substrate of brimmed hat  10  whose upper parts being coated by hair-like fibers emitted from applicator  50  by means of electrostatic field between the applicator  50  and a metal plate  52  upon which the substrate of the hat  10  is positioned. As can be appreciated the application device is held diagonally so as to direct the fiber stream of the flock material diagonally to follow the substrate contour at the corner  43 . The electrostatic field is created by high voltage supplied to the applicator and to the plate  52  through cables  60  and  70  respectively.  
         [0052]      FIG. 9  illustrates in general cross section view a substrate of brimmed hat  10  whose upper parts being coated by hair-like fibers emitted from applicator  50  by means of electrostatic field between the applicator and a metal hat-dummy  53  whose outer surfaces match in contour the insides of the substrate being positioned upon. The electrostatic field is created by high voltage supplied to the applicator and to the hat-dummy  53  through cables  60  and  70  respectively.  
         [0053]      FIG. 10  illustrates in general cross section view a substrate of brimmed hat  10  whose brim&#39;s bottom  23  being coated by hair-like fibers emitted from applicator  50  by means of electrostatic field between the applicator  50  and a metal ring-shaped plate  54  supported by framing  55 , upon which the substrate of the brimmed hat  10  is positioned up-side-down. As can be appreciated the application device  50  is held in a downward orientation so as to direct the fiber stream perpendicularly to the substrate bottom  23  of the brim. The electrostatic field is created by high voltage supplied to the applicator and to the ring-shaped plate  54  through cables  60  and  70  respectively.  
         [0054]      FIG. 11  illustrates the hat substrate  120 , a conductive adhesive coating  140  applied to the outer surfaces of the substrate, and an outer layer of black flocking material  160  attached thereto.  
         [0055]     The substrate  120  is made of a material rigid enough to maintain the required shape of the hat. However there is no need for the substrate to be electrically conductive, because the electrostatic circuit is closed by means of the conductive adhesive  140  which retains the flock  160  (and according to other embodiments by means of a conductive plate or hat-dummy provided behind the substrate, as explained above).  
         [0056]     Advantageously the substrate  120  comprises acrylic-reinforced cardboard. The substrate  120  is coated with an electrically-conductive adhesive  140  which remains soft after application on the substrate for the few minutes necessary to complete the flocking operation. Curing of the adhesive  140  is effected by the method appropriate to the selected adhesive—solvent evaporation, heat activation, chemical reaction or exposure to moisture or to UV radiation. After setting, the adhesive  140  remains sufficiently flexible to avoid fracture under normal use of the hat  10 .  
         [0057]     Preferred flocking materials  160  are either a vegetable fiber, such as cotton, or a synthetic such as viscose fibers, polyamide fibers, polyester fibers and mixtures thereof.  
         [0058]     The majority of the fibers are substantially in parallel array, with an end of the fiber adhering to the adhesive  140  applied to the substrate  120 .  
         [0059]     According to some embodiments of the present invention the hair-like fibers may be provided in somewhat greater length then required, then become trimmed to a uniform length by means of a shaver.  
         [0060]     It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.