Securing device

Abstract

A securing device for a body having an appendage, the securing device having an article of clothing adapted to be received on a portion of the body; and a control member borne by the article of clothing operable to capture the appendage to retain the appendage substantially in a predetermined position relative to the body.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a securing device and, more particularly, to a securing device which can be used in conjunction with an article of clothing, such as headwear or the like, for a variety of purposes.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

It is known to use a multiplicity of types of clothing and other articles for a variety of different purposes in addition simply to clothing the body. Thus, for example, shirts, pants, shoes, other outer garments and headwear are frequently designed to meet the needs of a number of different specific activities. These activities may include, for example, sports competition, running, bicycle riding, skiing, and hiking, just to name a few. In most of these activities, the specific design of the clothing is intended to achieve a number of objectives, such as safety, freedom of movement, control of body temperature, minimization of wind resistance, fashion and the like.

With respect to headwear and the like, the plurality of objectives may include warmth, ventilation, minimization of wind resistance, protection from the sun's rays, management of the hair, comfort and style. It is known to use headwear, such as caps, to meet many or all of these objectives. For example, caps and other types of headwear are manufactured with a rear band which can be lengthened or shortened to accommodate variations in head size so that the cap can be worn by a greater number of people. The cap is often manufactured with a relatively large opening above the band to permit gathering or releasing of the material of the cap in the lengthening or shortening of the band. This opening in the rear of the cap has been used for other purposes, such as hair management. Baseball caps are frequently used for this purpose. The hair is pulled back and extended through the opening to form, for example, a ponytail which hangs from the opening in the back of the head and cap. This is intended to keep the hair out of the person's eyes or from interference with normal daily activities as well as during more strenuous activities such as those heretofore noted. In other instances, the motivation is simply general personal appearance, style and fashion. There are other types of headwear which employ the same large opening at the rear thereof for the same or similar purposes.

Where caps and other headwear are used in this manner, management of the hair is less than satisfactory. This is principally because these openings were never manufactured for this usage. The opening is typically too large to act in the manner desired. Consequently, the hair tends to slide forwardly back through the opening since this opening in the headwear does not constrain the hair. As a result, the hair gradually falls from the cap, particularly during strenuous activity and over an extended period of time. Further, the hair can become entangled in the band beneath the opening and the portions thereof which are fastened together to permit the cap to be so adjusted. Similarly, the fasteners employed for this purpose can readily ensnare the hair causing discomfort and interference with removal of the cap. Thus, headwear used in this manner are entirely unsatisfactory.

Therefore, it has been known that it would be desirable to have a device which can be employed to manage work materials such as hair and the like; which can dependably be used to capture loose materials, such as hair, so as to keep it from interfering with various activities; which has particular utility when used in the constraint of the hair during strenuous activities; which can be used to advantage particularly where movement would otherwise cause the hair to flail about in an unmanageable manner during a variety of activities, including normal daily activities as well as activities requiring more substantial exertion such as sports activities; which enhances personal appearance, style and fashion; which can be used by people having otherwise unmanageable hair, whether female or male; and which is entirely successful in achieving its operational objectives.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved securing device having particular utility in management of work materials.

Another object is to provide such a securing device which possesses a unique character particularly when used in conjunction with clothing.

Another object is to provide such a securing device which can be worn by a person for the management of the person's hair.

Another object is to provide such a securing device which can be worn on the head readily to control the hair during normal daily activities.

Another object is to provide such a securing device which has application for use by females as well as males, particularly although not necessarily, during such strenuous activities such as sports competition, running, bicycle riding, skiing, hiking and the like.

Another object is to provide such a securing device which is employed as an integral part of clothing including caps, hats, beanies, sock caps, berets and other forms of headwear.

Another object is to provide such a securing device which performs a constraining function without detracting from personal appearance.

Another object is to provide such a securing device which can be used to improve and maintain a style, fashion and general personal appearance.

Another object is to provide such a securing device which is readily adaptable to a wide variety of headwear and styles thereof.

Further objects and advantages are to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a device for the purpose described which is dependable, economical, durable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

These and other objects and advantages are achieved, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a securing device for a body having an appendage, the securing device including an article of clothing adapted to be received on a portion of the body and a control member borne by the article of clothing operable dependably to capture the appendage so as to retain the appendage substantially in a predetermined position relative to the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, rear perspective view of a person wearing the securing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, side elevation of the head of a person wearing the securing device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the securing device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a somewhat enlarged, fragmentary section taken on line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the securing device of the present invention in generally indicated by the numeral 10 in FIG. 1.

The securing device 10 can generally be referred to as having an article of clothing or headwear 20 and at least one (1) control means or control member 21. It will be understood that, for illustrative convenience, only one (1) such control member is shown and described herein. If desired, however, the headwear 20 can be manufactured or otherwise constructed with two (2) or more control members 20 in other locations on the headwear. Thus, for example, the headwear can be manufactured with two (2) such control members on opposite sides of the headwear for the extension individually of hair therethrough to form pigtails.

The headwear 20 is shown in the drawings, for illustrative convenience, as a sock cap or beanie. It will be apparent that virtually any type of headwear can be employed in the subject invention, although the headwear shown and described herein is particularly well suited to the purpose. The headwear has a wall 29 which, in the illustrative embodiment, is of a size adapted to conform to and fit the head of the person wearing the headwear. The wall is, in the illustrative embodiment, of knitted or woven construction and is expandable to some extent from the size shown in FIG. 3 so as to assist in putting it on and taking it off. As shown in the drawings, when worn, the wall has a generally hemispherical configuration.

The wall 29 of the headwear 20 has a generally circular lower perimeter 30 which houses a circular band 31. In the preferred embodiment, the band is elastic so as to conform to and retain it on the head of the person wearing the headwear and to be expandable therefrom to aid in putting it on and taking it off. The wall extends from the lower perimeter to an apex 32. The wall has a forward portion 33 and an opposite rearward portion 34. The wall has opposite side portions 35. The wall has an interior surface 40 and an exterior surface 41.

The control member 21 has a generally circular ring member 50 defining and bounding an aperture 51. The ring member, in the preferred embodiment, is mounted on the wall 29 of the headwear by being woven into the knitted construction of the wall. The ring member is mounted on the rearward portion 34 of the wall approximately half way between the lower perimeter 30 and the apex 32.

The ring member 50 is substantially circular and has a contracted configuration, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, which it elastically assumes when not otherwise expanded therefrom. The ring member has an expanded configuration toward which the ring member can elastically be moved. The aperture 51 is smallest in diameter when the ring member is in the contracted configuration and is largest in diameter in the expanded configuration. The actual sizes of the ring member in the contracted and expanded configurations and thereby the size range of the aperture defined thereby can be that which is most suitable to the particular operative environment within which the securing device 10 is to be used.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ring member 50 has an outer sleeve 52. The sleeve has a tubular wall 53 which defines a tubular internal passage 54. A plurality of elastic strands or band members 55 extend through the tubular internal passage of the sleeve entirely thereabout thereby elastically retaining the sleeve and thereby the ring member in the contracted configuration while permitting elastic expansion thereof to the expanded configuration. As shown in FIG. 4, when the ring member is in the contracted configuration, the sleeve thereof is bunched, or partially collapsed, forming a plurality of annular rings 56 therein permitting expansion of the sleeve between the contracted configuration and the expanded configuration.

For illustrative convenience, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a person wearing the headwear 20 is generally indicated by the numeral 70 and having a head generally indicated by the numeral 71. For reference purposes, the person's face is indicated at 72 and the back of the person's head at 73. The person has hair 74 growing from the head. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the person has the hair extending through the aperture 51 of the ring member 50 and gathered thereby, as will hereinafter be described, to form a ponytail 75.

OPERATION

The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point.

The person 70 places the securing device 10 and the headwear 20 thereof generally over or on the person's head 71, as hereinafter described. The person elastically expands the ring member to expand the aperture thereof. The person gathers the hair 74 and extends it at least part way through the aperture 51 of the ring member 50. The headwear is then placed on the head and pulled downwardly over the head to the general position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this position the ring member, with the hair extending through the aperture thereof, is positioned in overlaying relation to the remainder of the hair on the back 73 of the person's head. Subsequently, the hair is pulled the remainder of the way through the aperture so that the hair under the headwear is pulled as tight as the person chooses. The ring member is then released and elastically returns to the contracted configuration. The hair externally of the headwear is then arranged to form the desired style, such as the ponytail 75.

During the foregoing process, the ring member 50 of the control member 21 is elastically retained by the elastic band members 55 in contracted relation about the hair 74 extending through the aperture 51. This relationship of the ring member to the hair extending through the aperture is maintained by the elastic band members to capture the hair extending therethrough. The hair can consequently be held by the ring member in any position extending therethrough even if the hair is not pulled tight. This capability permits the hair to be placed under any degree of tension where that the person wishes, or a different hair style other than the ponytail.

The hair 74 of the person 70 is thus dependably held in the selected position during wearing of the headwear 20 until it is desired to remove the headwear. The securing device 10 thus retains the hair in the selected position for as long as the person desires. This is the case during all activities no matter how strenuous those activities may be. The hair is thus managed during the activities so that, for example, the hair dos not fall over the person's face 72, or become entangled in equipment, or otherwise interfere with those activities. Simultaneously, the hair is retained in the selected style enhancing personal appearance, style and fashion.

The device of the present invention is therefor particularly well suited to manage work materials such as hair and the like; can dependably be used to capture loose materials, such as hair, so as to keep the materials from interfering with various activities; has particular utility when used in the constraint of the hair during strenuous activities; can be used to advantage particularly where movement would otherwise cause the hair to flail about in an unmanageable manner during a variety of activities including normal daily activities as well as activities requiring more substantial exertion such as sports activities; enhances personal appearance, and achieves a style and fashion such as may be desired; can be used by people having otherwise unmanageable hair, whether female or male; and is entirely successful in achieving its operational objectives.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention which is not to be limited to the illustrative details disclosed.

Claims

1. A securing device for a body having an appendage, the securing device comprising an article of clothing adapted to be received on a portion of the body; and at least one control means borne by the article of clothing operable to capture said appendage so as to retain the appendage substantially in a predetermined position relative to the body.

2. The securing device of claim 1 wherein said control means is mounted on the article of clothing in a position such that when the article of clothing is received on said portion of the body, and the control means is disposed in juxtaposition to said appendage.

3. The securing device of claim 2 in which said body is a human body and the appendage is hair growing therefrom and wherein the control means has an aperture through which said appendage can be extended to capture the appendage.

4. The securing device of claim 3 wherein said control means has an elastic member bounding said aperture and operable to be expanded to insert the appendage through the aperture and to be released to capture the appendage within said aperture.

5. The securing device of claim 4 wherein the article of clothing is headwear, the appendage is hair borne by the body and the elastic member bounding the aperture is dimensioned to permit said hair to be extended through the aperture to capture said hair.

6. The securing device of claim 5 in which the body has a head bearing the hair, the headwear is dimensioned to be received on the head in covering relation to the hair and wherein said headwear has a predetermined rearward portion and the elastic member bounding the aperture is mounted on said rearward portion of the headwear.

7. The securing device of claim 6 in which said headwear is adapted to be worn in a normal position on the head of the body and wherein the elastic member bounding the aperture is disposed in juxtaposition to said hair when the headwear is worn in the normal position.

8. The securing device of claim 7 wherein the elastic member is a sleeve mounted on the headwear and housing a plurality of elastic elements extending through the sleeve about the aperture and operable to permit the sleeve to assume a contracted condition and to be expansible from the contracted condition to define an aperture of a larger dimension permitting the hair to be passed therethrough to a desired position and to be released to return to said contracted condition capturing the hair in said desired position extending through the aperture.

9. The securing device of claim 8 wherein the headwear is a woven cap mounting said sleeve of the elastic member in a predetermined position thereon bounding the aperture.