Headgear having insulated ventilation channels and perspiration and moisture drainage channel
This headgear having insulated ventilation channels and perspiration and moisture drainage channel consists of top insulated ventilation channels 42 with front ventilation openings 44 and rear ventilation openings 60. Insulated side walls 46 with side ventilation openings 48. Rim with embedded perspiration and moisture drainage channel 50. Perspiration and moisture drainage channel 66 perspiration and moisture collection holes 64 and perspiration and moisture drainage holes and rim adjustment strap 54. Air circulates between front and back of top of headgear through insulated ventilation channels to aid in the removal of excess moisture and heat from the top of the wearer's head. Insulated side walls with ventilation holes aid in the removal of excess moisture and heat from the sides of the wearer's head. Perspiration and moisture from the wearer's head is removed through collection holes placed on the rim embedded perspiration and moisture drainage channel and drained through discharge holes placed at the ends of the drainage channel in the rear area of the headgear. Other embodiments are described and shown.
Provisional application No. 61/847,076 filed on Jul. 16, 2013
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCHNone
SEQUENCE LISTINGNone
have developed a headgear that can assist in regulating temperature and managing perspiration and moisture levels generated by hot and humid conditions and or strenuous activities.
BACKGROUNDHeadgear, caps, hats, are widely used in sports, recreational, military, law enforcement and various other types of activities. A vast majority of caps and hats currently being used during the aforementioned activities are made of light or thin fabrics, with the most popular and recognizable example being the baseball cap style hat. The baseball cap is very popular because it offers a large visor to protect the eyes from the sun's glare, is very light and it looks good, but offers limited protection from external heat sources such as direct sun light. In addition the baseball cap's light fabric construction is limited in its ability to regulate heat and moisture during hot and humid summer days, tropical weather conditions, and or strenuous physical activities.
Under high ambient temperature, humidity and or strenuous activities caps and hats become hot and saturated with perspiration and moisture causing the temperature of the wearer's head to rise. The human brain functions best within a certain range of temperatures and when these temperature ranges are lower or higher than adequate the body must compensate by taking resources from other organs. This transfer of energy from other parts of the body to maintain the brain within required temperature levels can affect the overall performance of individuals. This reduction in performance can be critical in situations such as high level sports competition and other strenuous and physically challenging activities.
Different types of light fabric headgear, caps and hats as well as adaptations and or alterations that can be incorporated or attached to better manage heat and moisture levels have been proposed. Although these variations and adaptations address heat and moisture discomforts, they require additional manipulation and components to function, and or are cumbersome to wear and or address one area of the over all heat and moisture discomfort. WO 94/09658 discloses means for ventilating and stabilizing headgear in the form of a flexible strip having, on one side, means of attachment to the headgear, and on its other side, a plurality of resilient or flexible spacers for spacing the headgear from a wearers head. A similar arrangement is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,901. GB 713851 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,157 disclose a continuous sweat band which is held away from the inside of the hat by means of spacers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,214 B1 proposes a headgear ventilation device that attaches to the inside of the headgear by means of pressure sensitive adhesive. Publication No.: US 2012/0278969 A1 discloses a headgear that provides a moisture wicking mechanism, a visor with multiple soft absorbing sections for rapid drainage and evaporation of moisture and a sweatband that secures headgear to wearer's head.
SUMMARYIn accordance with one embodiment a headgear comprises top and sides ventilation and rim embedded perspiration and moisture drainage channel.
ADVANTAGESAccordingly several advantages of one or more aspects are as follows: to provide a headgear that is light in weight and incorporates all its functions within its design. That headgear is easy to put on and take off. That headgear does not require additional after market components to achieve its intended purpose. That headgear adjusts to a wide range of temperature levels. That headgear retains an attractive design while performing its intended functions. These and other advantages of one or more aspects will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.
The following description and accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of none-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put in to practice. In the drawings:
- 42. Insulated ventilation channels.
- 44. Front ventilation openings.
- 46. Insulated side wall.
- 48. Side ventilation openings.
- 50. Rim with embedded perspiration and moisture drainage channel.
- 52. Visor.
- 54. Rim adjustment strap.
- 56. Top structural arch.
- 58. Bottom structural arch.
- 60. Rear ventilation opening.
- 62. Insulated ventilation channel support ribs.
- 64. Perspiration and moisture collection holes.
- 66. Perspiration and moisture drainage channel.
- 68. Perspiration and moisture discharge holes.
- 70. Fabric mesh to cover front ventilation openings.
- 72. Fabric mesh to cover rear ventilation opening.
- 74. Fabric mesh to cover side ventilation openings.
- 76. Fabric mesh to cover bottom of insulated ventilation channels.
Presented embodiment of headgear operates as follows. Headgear is held over wearer's head and pushed down until wearer's head fits snugly against ventilated channel support ribs 62 bottom structural arch 58 and rim 50 shown in (
Fabric mesh is placed over front ventilation openings 44 to keep insects from entering ventilation channels 42 as shown in (
While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of several embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example:
-
- Front ventilation openings for insulated ventilation channels can be more or less, larger or smaller and of different shapes to aid in more or less air intake depending on the requirements. In addition openings can be closed with a foam plug to stop air flow and retain the heat within the headgear under cold weather conditions.
- Insulated ventilation channels can be smaller or larger, flatter or rounder, rectangular or square, or of different shapes to best aid the air flow. In addition, ventilation channels can be more or less in number, depending on the size of the air passages and desired applications.
- Insulated side wall can be larger or smaller and have more or less ventilation openings, and ventilation openings can be larger or smaller, in greater or lesser quantities depending on the desired application.
- Rear ventilation opening for insulated ventilation channels can be larger or smaller and of different shapes to aid in more or less air passage depending on the desired application. In addition rear ventilation opening can be one or more, and can be closed with a foam plug to stop air flow and retain the heat within the headgear under cold weather conditions.
- Top and bottom structural arches can be wider or narrower, longer or shorter to aid in the support of the rest of the components within the headgear. In addition top and bottom arches can be made of foam or plastic of different levels of stiffness.
- Perspiration and moisture collection holes can be larger or smaller and of different shapes and in different quantities.
- Perspiration and moisture drainage channel can be wider or narrower, thicker or thinner, higher or lower, oval, round or rectangular in shape and made of different materials of harder or softer composition.
- Perspiration and moisture drainage channel discharge holes can be larger or smaller, in greater quantities and be located in different areas.
- Insulated ventilation channels and support ribs can be of different thicknesses.
- Insulated side wall insulation material can be of different thicknesses.
- Fabric mesh to cover front ventilation openings, side ventilation openings and rear ventilation opening can be of different materials, sizes and shapes.
- Fabric mesh to keep hair from blocking insulated ventilation channels can be of a narrower or wider pattern and can cover the whole inside of headgear or specific areas of headgear. In addition it can be detachable or permanent.
- The headgear manufacturing process can be accomplished in different ways including but not limiting to injection molding, stitched, glued, interlocked or any method that simplifies its construction and improves its performance and durability.
- The fabric covering over the embodiment can be of different materials.
Accordingly the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Claims
1. A headgear suited for extraneous outdoor activities comprising:
- a. a rim 50 with a plurality of front ventilation openings 44 and a visor 52,
- b. said front ventilation openings 44 open to a plurality of insulated ventilation channels 42 and a plurality of insulated ventilation channel support ribs 62 having means for attachment to top structural arch 56 and bottom structural arch 58 having means to form a rear ventilation opening 60,
- c. said top structural arch 56 and said bottom structural arch 58 having means for attachment to rear area of said rim 50,
- d. the rim 50 having means for attachment to rim embedded perspiration and moisture drainage channel 66 perspiration and moisture collection holes 64 and perspiration and moisture discharge holes 68,
- e. insulated side walls 46 and side ventilation openings 48 having means for attachment to rim 50 insulated ventilation channel support ribs 62 top structural arch 56 and bottom structural arch 58,
- f. the rim 50 having a rim adjustment strap 54 having means to expand or contract perspiration and moisture drainage channel 66.
2. A headgear suited for extraneous outdoor activities of claim 1 wherein insulated ventilation channels 42 and insulated ventilation channel support ribs 62 are composed of injection molded polyethylene foam and covered with fabric and fabric mesh.
3. A headgear suited for extraneous outdoor activities of claim 1 wherein rim embedded perspiration and moisture drainage channel 66 perspiration and moisture collection holes 64 and perspiration and moisture discharge holes 68 are composed of injection molded polyethylene foam.
4. A headgear suited for extraneous outdoor activities of claim 1 wherein rim 50 is composed of plastic, fabrics and having the means for attachment to rim embedded perspiration and moisture drainage channel 66.
5. A headgear suited for extraneous outdoor activities of claim 1 wherein top structural arch 56 and bottom structural arch 58 are composed of plastic, fabric and fabric mesh.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 16, 2014
Publication Date: Jan 22, 2015
Inventors: Juan I Diaz (Marriete, GA), Sean P. Diaz-Hagan (Marietta, GA)
Application Number: 14/332,390
International Classification: A42B 1/00 (20060101);