DETACHABLE AND ADJUSTABLE HOOD

Abstract

A garment hood has lower side portions adapted to extend on respective sides in an manner forward of the neck of the user with complementary structures such as clips enabling the lower side portions to be secured together in front of the neck of the user. The lower side portions additionally have a button formed on the inside surface and a second button formed on the outside surface; with the other lower side portion having a slot forming a button hole to enable the hood to be secured to a garment.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/844,629 filed Jul. 10, 2013.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adjustable hood that can be attached easily to various clothing items in a manner enabling ease of removal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hooded garments such as sweatshirts and rain jackets are known, and often it is desirable for the hood not to be used. It is also desirable to enable the hood to be adjusted for many different users and uses. A hood may be used on a garment to block the sun, shield from the rain, use as a pillow, use for comfort, security, or simply for fashion. However, often for utilitarian reasons or perhaps reasons of fashion, a hood for a garment is often desired to be removed.

Prior removable hoods for various garments have been proposed, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,086,325 disclosing a slid fastener having elements connected to the hood and the garment, or U.S. Pat. No. 7,779,485 describing a hood to be received in specific structures of a collar of a garment. Design patents D179,681 illustrates a hood cooperating with shirt buttons. These devices, however, require special structures for the garment in order to be able to receive the hood.

United States design patent no. D617,080 illustrates a hood attached to a shirt; but is unclear as to the actual connection to the shirt and does not describe any alternative manner of connection of the hood to a shirt.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

A purpose of this invention is to provide a hood that can be used with various types of garments, including standard button shirts, can be worn comfortably, and can be applied and detached easily in alternative configurations without specific features needed on the garment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a hood formed of a garment material is shaped to fit the head of an intended user and has lower side portions adapted to extend on respective sides in an manner forward of the neck of the user. The lower side portions may have complementary structures enabling the lower side portions to be secured together in front of the neck of the user. Importantly, one of the lower side portions has a button; with the other lower side portion having a slot forming a button hole. In this way, the lower side portion may be buttoned into the button hole of a shirt. Preferably, the lower side portion for the button contains two buttons, one formed on the inside surface and a second button formed on the outside surface so the hood can be attached either inside or outside the collar, and a button of the shirt could be affixed within the slot forming a button hole.

A hood of the present invention may be formed of garment material that is water resistant or water proof; and preferably the hood has a fabric channel formed around an opening framing the face of the user as well as a fabric channel around the neck opening. Respective tie strings may be received within these channels. In this way, the tie string extended through a fabric channel to be positioned around the neck opening can be tighten to secure the hood around a user's neck. The other tie string extending through the channel to be positioned to frame the user's face can be used to tighten the hood around the face in a conventional manner.

A hood of the present invention may be used with differing types of garments, from dress shirts to typical sweat suits. The complementary structures on the lower side portions may be respective clips, Velcro materials or snaps to allow the lower side portions to be held together in the front to secure the hood. The button or buttons allow the hood to be attached to a standard shirt, such as a dress shirt or a polo shirt, and when two buttons are utilized, the hood may be attached either on the outside or inside of the collar, depending on the choice of the user. The slot allows the button from a shirt to be attached to the hood.

The hood is thus portable and can be attached to multiple styles of garments or taken off in seconds.

The complimentary structures allow wearers to secure the lower ends of the hood together when the hood is draped on the shoulders so that it does not fall off when it is desired to not have the hood covering the user's head.

Users can wear the hood at the beach, with no shirt on. They can use the hood as a pillow on a bus or train ride without having to have the whole garment, such as a sweatshirt. They can wear the hood with many differing styles of shirts, or other clothing types.

The two buttons on the hood are located one on the inside of the hood, and the other oppositely on the outside of the hood so a button can be placed into the top button hole slot on any number of shirt styles. When the inside button is used, the hood will go around the collar. If the outside button is used, the hood will be inside the collar.

The slot on the front right side of the hood allows the top button from a style of shirt designed for a man to be used to attach to the hood. For a women's style shirt, the slot would be on the left side of the hood.

The hood of the present invention can be put on and taken off in seconds. It can be folded and stuffed into small places, including a pocket.

The tie strings for the hood are preferably different colors so that they can easily be distinguished.

These and other objects, and advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the description given below which is made in conjunction with the following drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a hood of the present invention laid flat;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view thereof;

FIG. 3 illustrates a front view thereof;

FIG. 4 illustrates a detailed view of the connecting elements of a hood of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT

A hood 10 formed of a known garment material such as a water resistant or water proof fabric, or a sun-blocking fabric, is shaped to fit the head of an intended user and has lower side portions 12 and 14 adapted to extend on respective sides in an manner forward of the neck of the user. The lower side portions 12 and 14 have complementary structures shown as mating clips 16 and 17 enabling the lower side portions to be secured together in front of the neck of the user. The lower side portion 16 additionally has a button 18 formed on the inside surface and a second button 19 (see FIG. 2) formed oppositely on the outside surface; with the other lower side portion 17 having a slot forming a button hole 20. In this way, the lower side portion with the two buttons 18 and 19 may be buttoned into the button hole of a standard shirt of many differing styles, either inside or outside the collar, and a button of the shirt could be affixed within the slot forming a button hole 20.

The hood 10 has a fabric channel 22 formed around an opening framing the face of the user as well as a fabric channel 24 around the neck opening. Respective tie strings 25 and 26 are be received within these channels. In this way, the tie string 25 extended through a fabric channel 24 to be positioned around the neck opening can be tighten to secure the hood around a user's neck. The tie string 26 extending through the channel 22 to be positioned to frame the user's face can be used to tighten the hood around the face in a conventional manner.

The complementary structures on the lower side portions may be respective clips as shown, or Velcro materials or snaps to allow the lower side portions to be clipped together in the front to secure the hood. The two buttons 18 and 19 allow the hood to be attached to a shirt with buttons, either on the outside or inside of your collar. The button hole 20 allows the button from a shirt to be attached to the hood.

The hood is thus portable and can be attached to multiple styles of garments or taken off in seconds.

The two buttons 18 and 19 are located one on the inside of the hood, and the other on the outside of the lower portion that would be on the left side of the user's face when in use so a button can be placed into the top button hole slot on a button-down or other dress shirt. The buttons are located oppositely one another.

When the inside button is used, the hood will go around the collar. If the outside button is used, the hood will be inside the collar.

Claims

1. A hood formed of a garment material shaped to fit the head of an intended user has lower side portions adapted to extend on respective sides in an manner forward of the neck of the user, one of said lower side portions having a button formed on the inside surface and a second button formed on the outside surface; with the other lower side portion having a slot forming a button hole.

2. A hood as set forth in claim 1, said hood having a fabric channel formed around an opening framing the face of the user as well as a fabric channel around the neck opening; and respective tie strings received within these channels.

3. A hood as set forth in claim 2, said tie strings each being of a respective different color.

4. A hood as set forth in claim 1, said lower side portions additionally having complementary structures enabling the lower side portions to be secured together in front of the neck of the user.

5. A hood as set forth in claim 1, said buttons being formed oppositely one another.

6. A hood formed of a garment material shaped to fit the head of an intended user has lower side portions adapted to extend on respective sides in an manner forward of the neck of the user, said lower side portions having complementary structures enabling the lower side portions to be secured together in front of the neck of the user, and additionally one of said lower side portions having a button formed on the inside surface and a second button formed on the outside surface; with the other lower side portion having a slot forming a button hole, said hood having a fabric channel formed around an opening framing the face of the user as well as a fabric channel around the neck opening; and respective tie strings received within these channels.

7. A hood as set forth in claim 5, said buttons being formed oppositely one another.

8. A hood formed of a garment material shaped to fit the head of an intended user has lower side portions adapted to extend on respective sides in an manner forward of the neck of the user, one of said lower side portions having a button located so as to be able to fit within a button hole of a standard shirt; with the other lower side portion having a slot forming a button hole to receive a button from the standard shirt.

9. A hood as set forth in claim 8, said one of said lower side portions having a button formed on the inside surface and a second button formed on the outside surface.

10. A hood as set forth in claim 9, said buttons being formed oppositely one another.

11. A hood as set forth in claim 9, said hood having a fabric channel formed around an opening framing the face of the user as well as a fabric channel around the neck opening; and respective tie strings received within these channels.

12. A hood as set forth in claim 8, said hood having a fabric channel formed around an opening framing the face of the user as well as a fabric channel around the neck opening; and respective tie strings received within these channels.

13. A hood as set forth in claim 11, said tie strings each being of a respective different color.

14. A hood as set forth in claim 8, said lower side portions additionally having complementary structures enabling the lower side portions to be secured together in front of the neck of the user.