PROTECTIVE ABSORBENT GARMENT ACCESSORIES AND THEIR METHODS OF USE

Abstract

Protective absorbent garment accessories are disclosed herein and include an elasticized component and at least one absorbing component. In some embodiments, contemplated protective arm garment accessories comprise an elasticized component, at least one absorbing component and at least one twist or bunch component. In other embodiments, contemplated absorbent protective neck or head garment accessories comprise an elasticized component, at least one absorbing component and at least one twist or bunch component. At least one of these components may be made from, comprise or consist entirely of fabric. In some embodiments, contemplated absorbent protective garment accessories may be coupled with another garment, such as a glove, sleeve, cap, hat or stylist's protective cape.

Description

This United States Utility Patent Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.: 61/439188 filed on Feb. 3, 2011 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser.No.: 61/439345 filed on Feb. 3, 2011, which are commonly-owned and incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE SUBJECT MATTER

The field of the subject matter is protective absorbent garment accessories, their design and methods of use.

BACKGROUND

It has long been a problem for anyone who has washed his or her face in the morning or at the end of the day—water runs down their arms, gets into their hair or runs down their necks and onto their shirt or other clothing. Specifically, a woman may wash her face and while applying water or rinsing off the cleanser, water will run down her arms from her hands, which results in wet sleeves and water puddles around the sink or other surfaces. This same problem is experienced in many different industries by service professionals and individuals, including hair care professionals (when they wash a customer's hair), manicure and pedicure professionals, animal grooming professionals (when they shampoo pets), healthcare professionals (when they sterilize their hands or bathe patients), or parents (when they bathe their babies or small children).

There are several conventional items that attempt to address this problem. For example, Joz Incorporated disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,968,572 a fluid barrier arm cuff to be

There are several conventional items that attempt to address this problem. For example, Joz Incorporated disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,968,572 a fluid barrier arm cuff to be used on the arm for washing animals. This arm cuff is a hard plastic bowl-like design that is designed to catch any water running down the arm and funnel it out of the bowl through the use of a spout or drain hole. The problem with this design, other than the fact that the hard cuff is uncomfortable and difficult to put on and remove, is that if the wearer moves his or her arm down or without thinking about the angle of the drain hole, a large amount of water can be deposited on his or her clothing or shoes.

In another attempt to solve the problem, Barbara Doran in US Patent Application No.: 12/456124 discloses a soft, independent cuff designed to hold the sleeve up such that it does not fall down to the wrist and get wet during actions that involve getting a person's hands wet. The problem with this design is that it still does not solve the problem of what happens to water that runs down the person's arms from his or her hands during the bathing or cleansing process. It is also not designed to be worn around the head or neck to absorb water or other liquids.

In yet another attempt to solve the problem, Rana Bauer developed “ON THE CUFF” products (http://www.onthecuff.net/index.php), which are donut shaped sponges designed to be worn around the wrist to deflect water. It should be noted that the product website claims in a product video that the On the Cuff product deflects most of the water. While this product is closer in function to solving the problem, there are still design flaws. For example, the sponges are not designed to be thrown into a washing machine or dried in a dryer in order to keep them clean and free from mildew. Sponges can become stiff and break down with use. Another problem with using sponges is the more they stretch, the less absorbent and less useful they become. The sponges do not provide areas that have increased absorbing characteristics. They are also not very fashionable, as it appears that one is wearing a large, yellow donut around her wrist. Finally, their size makes them only really functional if worn around the wrist. In other words, they are not able to be worn on different parts of the body, because they are only shaped for the wrist area.

Ideally, to solve the problems that still exist in conventional items, a protective arm, neck or head garment accessory should be provided that is a) a soft, absorbent fabric product, b) designed to be worn around the wrist or on the forearm, around the neck or head, c) designed to be washed and dried without becoming stiff or breaking down, and d) be stylish and something that individuals want to wear.

SUMMARY

A contemplated protective absorbent garment accessory comprises an elasticized component and at least one absorbing component. In some embodiments, contemplated protective arm garment accessories comprise an elasticized component, at least one absorbing component and at least one twist or bunch component.

In some embodiments, contemplated absorbent protective neck or head garment accessories comprise an elasticized component, at least one absorbing component and at least one twist or bunch component.

At least one of these components may be made from, comprise or consist entirely of fabric. In some embodiments, contemplated absorbent protective garment accessories may be coupled with another garment, such as a glove, sleeve, cap, hat or stylist's protective cape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a contemplated embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a contemplated embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows another contemplated embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows another contemplated embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In an effort to solve the problem and provide a new solution over conventional items and methods, a protective absorbent garment accessory was designed and is described herein. First, contemplated designs are a soft fabric product designed to be worn around the wrist or on the forearm, the neck or head which solves the problem presented by the Joz patent, the Bauer design and the Doran patent publication. Second, contemplated designs are not designed to cuff around a sleeve in order to solely hold the sleeve up. Third, contemplated designs absorb water or other liquids, while remaining stylish and fun to wear. Finally, contemplated designs are designed to be washed and dried without becoming stiff or breaking down. To summarize and specifically address the goals mentioned earlier, contemplated protective and absorbent garment accessories are a) made from a soft, absorbent fabric product, b) designed to be worn around the wrist or on the forearm or head, c) designed to be washed and dried without becoming stiff or breaking down, and d) stylish and something that individuals want to wear.

Contemplated protective absorbent garment accessories also comprise at least one elastic or similar design feature, usually hidden on the inside of the protective absorbent garment accessories that is used to secure the garment in place on the wrist, forearm, head, neck or elbow area. Contemplated protective absorbent garment accessories may also comprise small bundles of fabric or other absorbent spheres or designs that are a part of the main fabric or in combination with the main fabric. In many embodiments, these bundles, spheres or designs are functionally designed to absorb more liquids, but they may also be decorative or a combination of absorbent and decorative.

In some embodiments, contemplated absorbent protective neck or head garment accessories comprise an elasticized component, at least one absorbing component and at least one twist or bunch component.

At least one of these components may be made from, comprise or consist entirely of fabric. In some embodiments, contemplated absorbent protective garment accessories may be coupled with another garment, such as a glove, sleeve, cap, hat or stylist's protective cape, as will be described herein.

Specifically, a contemplated protective absorbent garment accessory comprises an elasticized component and at least one absorbing component. In some embodiments, contemplated protective absorbent garment accessories comprise an elasticized component, at least one absorbing component and at least one defined twist or bunch component. At least one of these components may be made from, comprise or consist entirely of at least one fabric and in some embodiments, more than one type, style, color or texture of fabric. Contemplated embodiments can be worn on the wrist or forearm, around the neck or on the head.

As described, contemplated protective absorbent garment accessories comprise at least one elasticized component. In many embodiments, a contemplated elasticized component may be a suitable piece or strip of elastic that is covered or coupled with at least one piece or strip of absorbing fabric or material. In another embodiment, contemplated elasticized components may be both fabric/material and elastic in the same component, as opposed to a piece of elastic covered with an absorbing fabric or material. In addition, the phrase “an elasticized component” may mean that there is one elasticized component in the contemplated protective absorbent garment accessory or there may be several elasticized components in the contemplated protective absorbent garment accessory. It should be understood that the at least one elasticized component may be around the circumference of the protective absorbent garment accessory, may strategically end at some point without completing the circle of the accessory, or may be divided into pieces in order to strategically elasticize certain parts of a contemplated accessory.

Contemplated embodiments also comprise at least one absorbing component where the at least one absorbing component may comprise a fabric component, a material component, an elastic component or a combination thereof. Contemplated absorbing components are designed to easily absorb fluids/liquids, hold a reasonable amount of liquid/fluid in the absorbing component until the wearer can easily remove the protective garment, and are designed to be easily washed and dried without significant or noticeable deterioration.

Contemplated protective absorbent garment accessories, which are shown in FIGS. 1-4, may comprise any type or combination of fabric, as long as it is capable of absorbing liquids. Choice of fabric may be based, in part, on whether the protective garment is going to be reusable, such as in a home environment, or disposable, such as what might be used in a healthcare or salon environment. Contemplated fabric may comprise any design, pattern, color, sports, organization, sorority, fraternity or university logo, words, message, social expression or combination thereof. For example, a contemplated protective garment may be produced for a wedding or shower gift, such that it includes a specific fabric choice or color, includes embroidery that is specific to the event, or includes decorative embellishments or “bling” that is specific to the event.

Contemplated fabric may also be textured—whether it is a texture that merely enhances the look of the garment, a texture that enhances the ability of the garment to absorb liquids or a combination of both. As mentioned, decorative items may also be coupled with or woven into suitable fabric choices, so that the protective garment has a “bling” component to it.

In some embodiments, contemplated protective absorbent garment accessories comprise at least one elasticized component, at least one absorbing component and at least one defined twist or bunch component. These contemplated defined twist or bunch components can take the shape of any suitable feature, but in some embodiments, they have the appearance of knots or twists in the garment, as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a protective absorbent garment accessory 100 that is designed to be worn around the wrist, forearm or elbow (not shown) by utilizing the opening/hole 140. This contemplated embodiment comprises an elasticized component 110 (which is located under the at least one absorbing component, and is therefore shown as the dotted line), at least one absorbing component 120 and at least one defined twist or bunch component 130. In this embodiment, the at least one defined twist or bunch component can also serve as an absorbing component. This design, and similar designs, is both decorative and functional. The functional aspect is that it effectively increases the surface area of the absorbing component in order to capture and hold more liquids and/or fluids.

FIG. 2 shows a contemplated garment accessory that comprises a twist or bunch component that is designed to look more like a crimp. In this figure, a protective absorbent garment accessory 200 is shown that is designed to be worn around the head (not shown) by utilizing the opening/hole 240. This contemplated embodiment comprises an elasticized component 210 that is covered by (shown as dotted line) the at least one absorbing component 220, at least one absorbing component 220 and at least one defined twist or bunch component 230. Note that in this embodiment, the elasticized component 210 does not complete the circle around the accessory, but instead ends right before the twist or bunch component 230. In this embodiment, the at least one defined twist or bunch component can also serve as an absorbing component. This design, and similar designs, is both decorative and functional. The functional aspect is that it effectively increases the surface area of the absorbing component in order to capture and hold more liquids and/or fluids.

FIG. 3 shows a contemplated garment accessory that comprises two twist or bunch components that are designed to look more like a crimp. It should be understood that the twist or bunch components can be the same or mixed. For example, a contemplated garment accessory can comprise both a twist or bunch component shown in FIG. 2 and a twist or bunch component shown in FIG. 1. In this figure, however, a protective absorbent garment accessory 300 is shown that is designed to be wom around the head (not shown) by utilizing the opening/hole 340. This contemplated embodiment comprises an elasticized component 310 that is covered by (shown as dotted line) the at least one absorbing component 320, at least one absorbing component 320 and at least one defined twist or bunch component 330. Note that in this embodiment, the elasticized component 210 completes the circle around the accessory, and runs under the twist or bunch component 230. In this embodiment, the at least one defined twist or bunch component can also serve as an absorbing component. This design, and similar designs, is both decorative and functional. The functional aspect is that it effectively increases the surface area of the absorbing component in order to capture and hold more liquids and/or fluids.

FIG. 4 shows a contemplated garment accessory that is designed to be worn around the head, wherein the fabric is textured in some areas. In this figure, a protective absorbent garment accessory 400 is shown that is designed to be worn around the head (not shown) by utilizing the opening/hole 440. This contemplated embodiment comprises an elasticized component 410 that runs the circumference of the accessory and is covered by (shown as dotted line) the at least one absorbing component 420, at least one absorbing component 420 and at least one defined twist or bunch component 430. In this embodiment, the at least one defined twist or bunch component can also serve as an absorbing component. Also, in this embodiment, the at least one absorbing component 420 has a textured portion 425 that can provide additional surface area for absorption of liquids (not shown). This design, and similar designs, is both decorative and functional. The functional aspect is that it effectively increases the surface area of the absorbing component in order to capture and hold more liquids and/or fluids.

Contemplated at least one defined twist or bunch component may be formed from an extended absorbing component or it may be a separate twist or bunch component that is coupled to or incorporated with the absorbing component. For example, as a contemplated protective garment accessory is assembled, the at least one absorbing component and/or elasticized component may be twisted, bunched or knotted in specific areas or with determined intervals between each twist or bunch component before the absorbing component is finally assembled into the protective garment. In other embodiments, before a contemplated protective garment accessory is finalized, a bunch or twist component is coupled with, slid onto or attached to the absorbing component. To this end, the at least one defined bunch or twist component may be comprised of the same material as the at least one absorbing component or may be a different fabric or material from the at least one absorbing component.

In one embodiment, a contemplated garment accessory may be coupled to another garment item, such as a glove, sleeve, hat, cap, or in the case of beauty and salon professionals—beauty aprons, capes or vests. For example, a contemplated absorbent garment accessory may be coupled with a rubber glove, in order to capture water or other liquids, such as cleaning fluids that may run down the glove during the cleaning process. In these embodiments, the absorbent garment accessory is designed to absorb the liquids, not to merely catch, deflect or redirect the liquids. Another contemplated absorbent garment accessory may be coupled to the neck area of a beauty apron, so that water and/or treatment chemicals do not run down the neck of the patron.

In some embodiments, the at least one defined bunch or twist component may actually be a different textured area in the at least one absorbing component. An example of this type of embodiment can be seen in a garment where the knit is flat for most of the garment, but then has a different knit as part of the garment that results in a raised feature at intervals, such as regular intervals.

Thus, specific embodiments of protective absorbent garment accessories, their design and methods of use have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the disclosure herein. Moreover, in interpreting the specification and claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced.

Claims

1. A protective absorbent garment accessory, comprising:

at least one elasticized component,

at least one absorbing component, and

at least one defined twist or bunch component.

2. The protective absorbent garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the at least one elasticized component comprises at least one elastic piece, cord or strip.

3. The protective absorbent garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the at least one absorbing component is made from fabric, material or a combination thereof.

4. The protective absorbent garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the at least one absorbing component comprises at least one texture or texturized area.

5. The protective absorbent garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the at least one absorbing component comprises at least two textures or texturized areas.

6. The protective absorbent garment accessory of claim 1, wherein the at least one defined twist or bunch component comprises at least one knot.

7. The protective absorbent garment accessory of claim 1, comprising at least one additional garment.

8. The protective absorbent garment accessory of claim 7, wherein the at least one additional garment comprises a glove, cap, hat, sleeve, beauty apron, beauty cape or combination thereof.

9. A protective absorbing arm garment accessory, comprising:

at least one elasticized component, and

at least one fabric-based absorbing component, wherein the at least one elasticized component and the at least one absorbing component are individual components.

10. The protective arm garment accessory of claim 9, wherein the garment additionally comprises at least one defined twist or bunch component.

11. The protective arm garment accessory of claim 9, wherein the at least one elasticized component comprises at least one elastic piece, cord or strip.

12. The protective arm garment accessory of claim 9, wherein the at least one absorbing component comprises at least one texture or texturized area.

13. The protective arm garment accessory of claim 9, wherein the at least one absorbing component comprises at least two textures or texturized areas.

14. The protective arm garment accessory of claim 10, wherein the at least one defined twist or bunch component comprises at least one knot.

15. The protective arm garment accessory of claim 9, comprising at least one additional garment.

16. The protective arm garment accessory of claim 15, wherein the at least one additional garment comprises a glove, sleeve or combination thereof.

17. A protective absorbing head or neck garment accessory, comprising:

at least one elasticized component, and

at least one fabric-based absorbing component, wherein the at least one elasticized component and the at least one absorbing component are individual components.

18. The protective arm garment accessory of claim 17, wherein the garment additionally comprises at least one defined twist or bunch component.

19. The protective arm garment accessory of claim 17, wherein the at least one elasticized component comprises at least one elastic piece, cord or strip.

20. The protective arm garment accessory of claim 17, comprising at least one additional garment.