Shower Cap With Ear Loops

Abstract

A shower cap is provided with ear loops, with the ear loops defining through openings such that when the shower cap is worn, the wearer's ears are accessible to e.g cleaning or to headphones. The ear loops are also useful for hanging up the cap to dry.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The following relates to head coverings and the like, more particularly, the following relates to protective caps for a wearer's hair such as shower caps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shower caps have been provided for many years as a way to protect a wearer's hair from becoming wet in the shower. This is typically useful in situations where styling, curling or other treatments would be damaged or otherwise modified by contact with water, but where the user still would like to wash the rest of their body.

Some caps have been designed cover the wearer's ears during showering in order to prevent water from entering the ear canal. In some cases, this is referred to as “swimmer's ear” in the sense that water may become trapped in the ear canal. For example, GB221506A to Auster discloses a waterproof bathing cap (swim cap) which has fully enclosed ear covers designed to fit around and cover the wearer's ears. This is done in order to inhibit water from contacting the wearer's ears. TWM450246U to Chu is also designed to enclose/cover the ears. Thus, the prior art generally teaches and suggests that it is desirable in the art of bathing/shower caps to cover the wearer's ears and protect them from water entering the ear canal. This is designed to avoid e.g. “swimmer's ear” where water gets trapped in the user's ear canal.

However, this covering of the ears means that the wearer is unable to access their ears with the cap on to e.g. efficiently wash their ears. These designs would therefore not be suitable in situations where the wearer's ear should be accessible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cap, such as a shower cap, which can more securely be attached to the wearer's head.

It is further an object to provide a cap or shower cap which is impervious to fluid and which may also be re-useable.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a shower cap which can be easily dried, washed and/or hung up.

These and other objects are achieved by providing a cap including an impervious layer and a band which can change in size along with ear loops which secure around the wearer's ears and include through openings to allow access to the wearer's ears while the cap is worn.

In one aspect a user wearable cap includes a band which creates a loop, the loop being adjustable in size between unexpanded and expanded positions. A flexible layer is larger in dimension than the loop in the unexpanded position and which is attached to the loop to create a cap with a pocket such that an opening of the pocket is defined by the band. The flexible layer is made of a fluid resistant material. Two side loops are secured to the cap on opposite sides off the loop wherein the two side loops each create a through opening.

In certain aspects the loop is elastic and adjustable by stretching. In other aspects the two side loops are attached to the flexible layer around through openings in the flexible layer. In further aspects the two side loops are made by a portion of adjustable length material attached to the loop. In further aspects the portion of adjustable length material is the same material as that of the loop. In still other aspects the cap has a plurality of folds in the flexible layer adjacent the loop such that when the loop adjusts in size between expanded and unexpanded positions, a size and/or a frequency of folds decreases as the loop expands. In still other aspects the two side loops expand and retract and are made of an elastic material. In yet other aspects the adjustable length material is adjustable by stretching.

In still other aspects a user wearable cap comprises a shower cap having an elastic loop defining a pocket with the elastic loop defining an opening of the pocket. Two side loops are secured to the shower cap on opposite sides thereof, the two side loops each creating a through opening.

In other aspects the two side loops are elastic. In still other aspects the two side loops are formed of a material which is the same as that of the elastic loop. In yet other aspects the elastic loop forms part of the two side loops. In still other aspects the two side loops are formed by through holes in the shower cap adjacent the opening of the pocket. In yet other aspects the pocket is adjustable in size and includes a plurality of folds therein which allow a flexible material which makes up the shower cap to expand. In yet other aspects the flexible material has four way stretch properties. In still other aspects the flexible material is water impermeable. In still other aspects the flexible material is water resistant. In other aspects the flexible material is translucent plastic. In still other aspects the flexible material is transparent plastic.

Other objects of the invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from consideration of the following drawings and accompanying detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved shower cap with ear loops on a user's head.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the improved shower cap of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the improved shower cap of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an improved shower cap with ear loops.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the improved shower cap of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the improved shower cap of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 but showing the shower cap with a different adjustment system.

FIGS. 8A-C show example tack strips that can be provided on the cap shown in FIGS. 1-7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding structure throughout the views. The following examples are presented to further illustrate and explain the present invention and should not be taken as limiting in any regard.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the cap or shower cap 2 is shown. It is understood that “shower cap” does not limit the cap for use in the shower, but refers to a style of head covering. The shower cap herein is useful for situations other than showering, such as in salons for hair coloring or in other situations where containment or protection of hair is useful. The cap 2 is made from a relatively thin and flexible material 4 such as fabrics or plastics. The fabrics may be treated to be impermeable or water resistant. Stretchable fabrics may also be used, such as lycra, spandex and the like which typically have what is referred in the industry as four way stretch properties. Two way stretch fabrics may also be useful in some cases. Combinations of fabrics can be useful as well.

An adjustable band 6 is sewn into this flexible material 4. This band in some preferred embodiments is elastic, but may be adjustable in other ways. The cap has a number of folds 8 which allow for the upper area of the cap to expand as needed, depending on how much hair the wearer 1 has. On either side of the cap 2 are loops 10. These loops are shown as through loops 16 (FIG. 2) which allow the ear to come through the loop and then the loop is provided without coverings so it is a through hole leaving the ears exposed. This is useful for e.g. washing ears as well as allowing the wearer 1 to listen to music via e.g. headphones while waiting during salon or other hair treatments with the cap 2 on. FIG. 2 shows the cap 2 without it being on the wearers 1 head. As can be seen, the band 6 has contracted to the unexpanded position. The loops 10 may also be adjustable such that they contract to an unexpanded position when not worn. This allows the loops 10 to secure snugly around the wearers head. FIG. 3 shows the bottom view of the cap 2 where the unexpanded diameter 14 is shown relative to the overall diameter 12 in the lay flat configuration. As shown, the overall diameter 12 in lay flat configuration is at least 1.5 times the size of diameter 14, more particularly at least 1.75 or even more particularly at least 2 times the size of diameter 14. The folds 8 and those folds closer to the band 6 are now closer together. Typically, the band 6 will be secured to the flexible material 4 in an expanded condition and then additional folds will be created as the band 6 retracts to the unexpanded position. Also shown in FIG. 2 are relatively sticky or rubberized portions 60′60 attached to the inside of the band. These tack strips 60′/60 can be attached in strategic locations to provided added anti-slip properties between the cap and the wearer's head, preferably skin. Preferably, one such strip of rubberized material 60 is provided near the forehead position to engage the wearer's forehead and more securely hold the cap in place. It is contemplated that this rubberized material 60/60′ may be used in specific locations on the inside of the cap, specifically around the band or may be used around longer portions of the inner surface, more particularly around the entire band 6. In one embodiment, the rubberized material or tack trip 60 at the forehead extends a length that is 20% or less of the perimeter of the band, more preferably 10% or less. One acceptable material that could be used would be silicone rubber. Other materials which would provide adequate surface tack to inhibit the cap from sliding would be known to those of skill in the art. Examples of these tack strips are found at FIG. 8A-C, however, other shapes and patterns are contemplated.

The flexible material may be a number of different material types. For example, in some embodiments, four way stretch is desirable and materials such as nylons/lycra/polypropylene fabrics may be used. In other cases, non-woven polyolefin materials are used, such as those materials used in hospital gowns. In other embodiments, impermeable or water resistant materials are useful materials are useful, such as those materials used in rain coats and the like. This can be especially useful for the ability to re-use the shower cap. Furthermore, thin plastic sheeting can be used for disposable shower caps. Often, this would be most useful for inclusion in a kit for hair coloring, for example as part of a box containing hair coloring treatment and a a cap according to the present invention having the disclosed ear loops. In this case, while the user puts the coloring in their hair, they can wear the shower cap and at the same time listen to music via headphones. As mentioned previously, this is also especially useful in salons.

FIGS. 4-6 show an embodiment where the through hole 16 is located in the flexible material 4 on the lower portion 13 thereof. The band 6 includes a section 10 below the ear and a section 11 above the ear. This upper section 11 joins to the main band 6 at joint 18. These sections 10/11 are also preferably elastic such that the through opening 16 is adjustable in size and will secure around the wearer's ears. The unexpanded size 14 of the band 6 in this embodiment is shown in FIG. 6. Both in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 and in FIGS. 4-6, a pocket 20 is created which receives the wearer's 1 head/hair.

FIG. 7 shows a different adjustment system for the ear loops where band 13′ is attached to band 6 or otherwise attached to the cap. Slide 22 can be adjusted to make a tighter fit around the wearer's ears. Band 13′ may be elastic and stretchable or may alternatively not have substantial stretch properties. As can be seen band 13′ creates a through opening for the wearer's ears to pass through.

As can be seen in all embodiments, the cap is provided without a brim or other extension that extends out to shade the wearer's forehead since such a feature would inhibit water from a shower head from reaching the wearer's face.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many other modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.

Claims

1. A user wearable cap comprising:

a band which creates a loop, the loop being adjustable in size between unexpanded and expanded positions;

a flexible layer which is larger in dimension than the loop in the unexpanded position and which is attached to the loop to create a cap with a pocket such that an opening of the pocket is defined by the band, the flexible layer being made of a fluid resistant material;

two side loops secured to the cap on opposite sides off the loop wherein the two side loops each create a through opening.

2. The cap of claim 1 wherein the loop is elastic and adjustable by stretching.

3. The cap of claim 1 wherein the two side loops are attached to the flexible layer around through openings in the flexible layer.

4. The cap of claim 3 wherein the two side loops are made by a portion of adjustable length material attached to the loop.

5. The cap of claim 4 wherein the portion of adjustable length material is the same material as that of the loop.

6. The cap of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of folds in the flexible layer adjacent the loop such that when the loop adjusts in size between expanded and unexpanded positions, a size and/or a frequency of folds decreases as the loop expands.

7. The cap of claim 1 wherein the two side loops expand and retract and are made of an elastic material.

8. The cap of claim 4 wherein the adjustable length material is adjustable by stretching.

9. A user wearable cap comprising:

a shower cap having an elastic loop and defining a pocket with the elastic loop defining an opening of the pocket;

two side loops which are secured to the shower cap on opposite sides thereof, the two side loops each creating a through opening.

10. The cap of claim 9 wherein the two side loops are elastic.

11. The cap of claim 10 wherein the two side loops are formed of a material which is the same as that of the elastic loop.

12. The cap of claim 11 wherein the elastic loop forms part of the two side loops.

13. The cap of claim 9 wherein the two side loops are formed by through holes in the shower cap adjacent the opening of the pocket.

14. The cap of claim 9 wherein the pocket is adjustable in size and includes a plurality of folds therein which allow a flexible material which makes up the shower cap to expand.

15. The cap of claim 14 wherein the flexible material has four way stretch properties.

16. The cap of claim 14 wherein the flexible material is water impermeable.

17. The cap of claim 14 wherein the flexible material is water resistant.

18. The cap of claim 14 wherein the flexible material is translucent plastic.

19. The cap of claim 14 wherein the flexible material is transparent plastic.