Patent Application
20250072544
The embodiments generally relate to the field of balaclavas and similar cold weather covers.
Balaclavas and similar cold weather covers commonly include fabric such as neoprene fabric to cover at least a user's mouth and nose region. However, such fabric can be water absorbent which is undesirable in cold weather as water can freeze inside the fabric and draw body heat from a user.
Other cold weather covers, such as snowmobile helmets, can have non-fabric facepieces that do not provide a seal around at least a user's mouth and nose region, resulting in the condensation of moisture or water vapor in undesired locations inside the helmet.
This summary is provided to introduce a variety of concepts in a simplified form that is further disclosed in the detailed description of the embodiments. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In general, the disclosed balaclava can include a head cover attachable to an injection molded facepiece that covers at least a user's mouth and nose region. The facepiece can include a sealing portion that is adapted to form a seal at least around the user's mouth and nose region. The facepiece can define one or more vents positioned below the sealing portion of the facepiece, wherein the one or more vents are arranged to direct exhaled air and moisture in a generally downward direction and away from the user's eyes when the balaclava is worn. Thus, the balaclava can prevent exhaled air and moisture from fogging eyewear.
Other illustrative variations within the scope of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. The detailed description and enumerated variations, while disclosing optional variations, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
A more complete understanding of the embodiments, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by references to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and certain features and certain views of the drawings may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
The specific details of the single embodiment or variety of embodiments described herein are to the described product or methods of use. Any specific details of the embodiments are used for demonstration purposes only and no unnecessary limitations or inferences are to be understood from there.
It is noted that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of components and procedures related to the products. Accordingly, the product and components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
In general, the disclosed balaclava can include a head cover attachable to a facepiece that covers at least a user's mouth and nose region. In some embodiments, the facepiece can include a sealing portion that is adapted to form a seal at least partially around the user's mouth and nose region. The facepiece can be pliable to facilitate in the forming of the seal at least partially around the user's mouth and nose region.
In some embodiments, the balaclava can further include first and second fasteners to attach the facepiece to the head cover. In some embodiments, the balaclava can further include a neck cover attached to the head cover to at least partially cover a user's neck. In some embodiments, the balaclava can further include a torso cover attached to the neck cover to at least partially cover a user's torso. In some embodiments, the balaclava can further include a third fastener that is adapted to pull at least two portions of a backside of the head cover together, which pulls the sides of the facepiece apart and toward a user's face to form a tighter seal at least partially around the user's mouth and nose region. In some embodiments, the third fastener can include a cord and a cord clamp, wherein the cord is pulled through the at least two portions of the backside of the head cover, and wherein two ends of the cord are pulled through the cord clamp.
In some embodiments, the facepiece can define one or more vents positioned below the sealing portion of the facepiece, wherein the one or more vents are arranged to direct exhaled air and moisture in a generally downward direction. In some embodiments, the one or more vents are arranged to direct exhaled air and moisture toward the user's torso. In some embodiments, the one or more vents are arranged to direct exhaled air and moisture toward the torso cover. When the balaclava is worn, a user can wipe away any condensed moisture that accumulated at the one or more vents.
In some embodiments, the facepiece can be water-resistant or waterproof. In some embodiments, the facepiece can be hydrophobic to reduce the condensation of any exhaled water vapor or moisture on the facepiece and/or to prevent any condensed moisture from being absorbed by the facepiece. In some embodiments, the facepiece may not be water absorbent to prevent any condensed moisture from being absorbed by the facepiece. In some embodiments, the facepiece can be non-porous. The facepiece can be an injection molded facepiece. The facepiece can be wind-resistant or wind-proof.
The facepiece can be made primarily of any suitable material that facilitates in forming a seal at least partially around a user's mouth and nose region. For example, in some embodiments, the facepiece can be primarily made of a thermoplastic elastomer. In some embodiments, the facepiece can be primarily made of a styrenic block copolymer thermoplastic elastomer. In some embodiments, the facepiece can have a hardness in the range from approximately 25 Shore A to approximately 35 Shore A. In some embodiments, to prevent warmer temperatures within the facepiece, the facepiece can be colored white to reduce the amount of sunlight absorbed by the facepiece during use.
The head cover, the neck cover, and/or the torso cover can comprise any suitable material that facilitates in insulating and protecting at least the user's head, neck, and torso regions from cold weather. For example, the head cover, the neck cover, and/or the torso cover can comprise neoprene, wool, cotton, polyester, nylon, spandex, any combination thereof, or any other suitable material, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the head cover, the neck cover, and the torso cover can comprise fleece, polar fleece, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the facepiece, the head cover, the neck cover, and/or the torso cover can have thicknesses in the range from approximately 1 mm to 5 mm. In some embodiments, the head cover, the neck cover, and the torso cover can include any combination of layered materials. In some embodiments, the head cover, the neck cover, and the torso cover can be attached by sewing parts of them together. The head cover, the neck cover, and the torso cover can be water-resistant or waterproof. The head cover, the neck cover, and/or the torso cover can be wind-resistant or wind-proof. The balaclava can be worn under any other cold weather head covers, such as snowmobile helmets.
The following description of variants is only illustrative of components, elements, acts, products, and methods considered to be within the scope of the invention and are not in any way intended to limit such scope by what is specifically disclosed or not expressly set forth. The components, elements, acts, products, and methods as described herein may be combined and rearranged other than as expressly described herein and are still considered to be within the scope of the invention.
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The following description of variants is only illustrative of components, elements, acts, products, and methods considered to be within the scope of the invention and are not in any way intended to limit such scope by what is specifically disclosed or not expressly set forth. The components, elements, acts, products, and methods as described herein may be combined and rearranged other than as expressly described herein and are still considered to be within the scope of the invention.
According to variation 1, a balaclava can include a head cover adapted to at least partially cover a user's head; an injection molded facepiece attached to the head cover; wherein the injection molded facepiece is adapted to cover a user's mouth and nose region; wherein the injection molded facepiece has a sealing portion that is adapted to form a seal at least partially around the user's mouth and nose region; and wherein the injection molded facepiece defines one or more vents positioned below the sealing portion.
Variation 2 can include the balaclava as in variation 1, wherein the injection molded facepiece includes a tubular portion extending downward below the sealing portion, and wherein the tubular portion defines the one or more vents.
Variation 3 can include the balaclava as in variation 1, further comprising a tubular neck cover attached to the head cover, the tubular neck cover adapted to at least partially cover the user's neck.
Variation 4 can include the balaclava as in variation 3, further comprising a torso cover attached to the neck cover, the torso cover adapted to at least partially cover the user's torso, wherein the injection molded facepiece includes a tubular portion that extends toward the torso cover, and wherein the tubular portion defines the one or more vents.
Variation 5 can include the balaclava as in variation 1, wherein the sealing portion includes a lip that extends over a cavity defined by the facepiece.
Variation 6 can include the balaclava as in variation 1, wherein the head cover is wind-resistant or windproof, and wherein the head cover is water-resistant or waterproof.
Variation 7 can include the balaclava as in variation 1, wherein the head cover comprises neoprene, and wherein the facepiece is primarily made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
According to variation 8, a balaclava can include a head cover adapted to at least partially cover a user's head; an injection molded facepiece attached to the head cover; wherein the injection molded facepiece is adapted to cover a user's mouth and nose region; wherein the injection molded facepiece has a sealing portion that is adapted to form a seal around the user's mouth and nose region; and wherein the injection molded facepiece defines one or more vents positioned below the sealing portion.
Variation 9 can include the balaclava as in variation 8, wherein the injection molded facepiece includes a tubular portion extending downward below the sealing portion, and wherein the tubular portion defines the one or more vents.
Variation 10 can include the balaclava as in variation 8, further comprising a tubular neck cover attached to the head cover, the tubular neck cover adapted to at least partially cover the user's neck.
Variation 11 can include the balaclava as in variation 10, further comprising a torso cover attached to the neck cover, the torso cover adapted to at least partially cover the user's torso, wherein the injection molded facepiece includes a tubular portion that extends toward the torso cover, and wherein the tubular portion defines the one or more vents.
Variation 12 can include the balaclava as in variation 8, wherein the sealing portion includes a lip that extends over a cavity defined by the facepiece.
Variation 13 can include the balaclava as in variation 8, wherein the head cover is wind-resistant or windproof, and wherein the head cover is water-resistant or waterproof.
Variation 14 can include the balaclava as in variation 8, wherein the head cover comprises neoprene, and wherein the facepiece is primarily made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
According to variation 15, a balaclava can include a head cover adapted to at least partially cover a user's head; an injection molded facepiece attached to the head cover; wherein the injection molded facepiece is adapted to at least partially cover a user's mouth and nose region; wherein the injection molded facepiece has a sealing portion that is adapted to form a seal at least partially around the user's mouth and nose region; and wherein the injection molded facepiece defines one or more vents positioned below the sealing portion.
Variation 16 can include the balaclava as in variation 15, wherein the injection molded facepiece includes a tubular portion extending downward below the sealing portion, and wherein the tubular portion defines the one or more vents.
Variation 17 can include the balaclava as in variation 15, further comprising a tubular neck cover attached to the head cover, the tubular neck cover adapted to at least partially cover the user's neck.
Variation 18 can include the balaclava as in variation 17, further comprising a torso cover attached to the neck cover, the torso cover adapted to at least partially cover the user's torso, wherein the injection molded facepiece includes a tubular portion that extends toward the torso cover, and wherein the tubular portion defines the one or more vents.
Variation 19 can include the balaclava as in variation 15, wherein the sealing portion includes a lip that extends over a cavity defined by the facepiece.
Variation 20 can include the balaclava as in variation 15, wherein the head cover is wind-resistant or windproof, and wherein the head cover is water-resistant or waterproof.
Variation 21 can include the balaclava as in variation 15, wherein the head cover comprises neoprene, and wherein the facepiece is primarily made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
Many different embodiments have been disclosed herein, in connection with the above description and the drawings. It will be understood that it would be unduly repetitious and obfuscating to describe and illustrate every combination and subcombination of these embodiments. Accordingly, all embodiments can be combined in any way and/or combination, and the present specification, including the drawings, shall be construed to constitute a complete written description of all combinations and subcombinations of the embodiments described herein, and of the manner and process of making and using them, and shall support claims to any such combination or subcombination.
An equivalent substitution of two or more elements can be made for anyone of the elements in the claims below or that a single element can be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements can be described above as acting in certain combinations, and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination can be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present embodiment is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. A variety of modifications and variations are possible considering the above teachings without departing from the following claims.
