The present invention pertains to apparel and, more particularly, head wear, hair wraps, and hair styling tools.
Traditional head and/or hair wraps are problematic because they fail to adequately cover the full circumference of a wearer's hairline, particularly around the wearer's ears and at the base of the neck. This can lead to hair at these locations being damaged or broken. In addition, for some hairstyles, failing to keep hair flat while wrapped can cause frizzing or curling of hair that may be inconsistent with a wearer's desired hair style.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:
The drawings of the instant application are not drawn to scale. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, components, or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the subject invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, the description is done in connection with the illustrative embodiments. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the subject invention as defined by the appended claims.
Head and hair wraps disclosed herein may include a band of material sized and shaped to wrap around a wearer's head in order to, for example, hold hair in place, protect a hairline of the wearer, maintain a hairstyle of the wearer, lift hair away from the wearer's neck, and/or cover and/or protect the scalp so that hair treatments and/or medications may be applied thereto and held in place by the head wrap.
A lower edge of the band may be configured to be proximate to a hair line of a wearer when worn and may include two notches shaped, sized, and positioned within the band to align with the wearer's ears so that, for example, the band may wrap around a wearer's head without covering the wearer's ears (i.e., each of the wearer's ears are positioned in a notch). In some embodiments, a top of the wearer's head is not covered by the band when the head wrap is worn by the wearer.
In some embodiments, the band includes a first and second end that are configured to be attached to one another when the band is wrapped around the wearer's head. Alternatively, the head wrap may not include first and second ends and may, instead comprise a circular band that is, for example, slipped over a wearer's head and then placed in a preferred position (e.g., with a lower edge of the band being proximate to the hairline).
In some embodiments, the band may include a neck extension positioned between the first notch and the second notch and configured to extend downwards from a lower edge of the band and cover a hairline of the wearer positioned at a base of the wearer's head. The neck extension may be curved in shape.
On some occasions, the head wrap may include more than one layer of material or fabric. On these occasions, an inner lay may be configured to absorb moisture and/or wick moisture away from the wearer's head. The outer layer may be configured to, for example, have a decorative appearance. On some occasions, the outer layer may be made from a waterproof and/or water resistant material configured to, for example, prevent moisture from the wearer's head from penetrating the outer layer.
In some embodiments, the head wrap may include a covering that may be permanently or removably affixed to the band. The covering may be configured to cover a portion of the band, hold the band in place, and/or decorate and/or embellish the head wrap.
Disclosed herein is a head and hair wrap (sometimes referred to herein as a “head wrap”) that encircles a wearer's head and keeps his or her hair in place during, for example, physical activity, sleeping, hair styling, hair conditioning, and/or hair drying. The head wraps disclosed herein are configured so that a lower edge of the head wrap may be coincident with a hairline of a wearer when worn so that the fine hairs that occur at the hairline (as well as other hair on the wearer's head) are enclosed within the wrap when worn. The head wrap may be worn so that it wraps around the front, back, and the sides of a wearer's head while leaving a top of the wearer's head uncovered, which may allow for the positioning of hair on top of the wearers head (e.g., above the wrap) and/or ventilation of the head.
The head wraps described herein are configured to keep hair smooth and in place all around the wearer's scalp and hairline (i.e., along the wearer's temporal area, parietal ridge, and the nape of the neck underneath the occipital bone) and, in particular, around the edges of the hairline where small, short, and/or fly away hairs are traditionally particularly difficult to keep in place particularly when these hairs get wet or moist due to, for example, sweat, which tends to revert back to its natural state (e.g., curly or frizzy) or otherwise undo a hairstyle.
The head wraps described herein are configured to wrap around the perimeter of the wearer's head but be open at the top so that hair may be exposed to the open air. This achieves at least two purposes: 1) ventilation of the wearer's head to prevent over-heating, and 2) allows a volume of hair to be positioned outside the head wrap, which allows the hair around the wearer's hairline to held in place without compressing the remainder of the wearer's hear. This allows the wearer to use the head wrap disclosed herein without disrupting or damaging his or her hairstyle (e.g., braids, weaves, etc.). It is also more comfortable than wearing a head wrap that covers a wearer's entire head. In this way, the head wraps described herein may be used for wearers who have relatively long or short hair.
The head wraps described herein may also be used to seal hair to the wearer's hairline when worn, which may be helpful for maintaining hairstyles that require flat edges along the hairline to the wearer's head or scalp (e.g., wet-to-dry hairstyles) and, in some instances, may protect hair, particularly the wearer's hair positioned near the hairline, from knotting, breakage, or other damage. Additionally, or alternatively, the head wraps described herein may be used to facilitate penetration of medication, conditioning, and/or other treatments (e.g., natural hair edge treatments, and/or thinning edge treatments) applied to the scalp and/or protect the hair from being disturbed while the hair and/or scalp is being treated with the medication and/or other treatments as may occur during, for example, sleeping or physical activity. Thus, in some instances, the head wraps disclosed herein may be used to assist wearers who suffer from “tension baldness” or any other type of head or hair issues that may be treated with a hair/scalp circumference treatment by covering the hairline to, for example, keep the medication in place (e.g., prevent it from being rubbed off and/or pushed away via, for example, sweat), protect the delicate hairs positioned at the hairline, and/or protect the hairline from rubbing or other agitation.
Turning now to the figures,
Head wrap 100 may be made from any appropriate material (e.g., cotton, nylon, spandex, LYCRA, etc.) and, in some embodiments may be configured to stretch. In many cases, head wrap 100 is made from a wicking material configured to wick moisture away from the wearer's scalp and hair so that it may keep the wearer's head and/or neck dry and/or allow moisture to evaporate away from the head wrap 100.
Often times, a material used to fabricate head wrap 100 is uniform throughout head wrap 100 but, this need not always be the case. For example, in some instances, all, or a portion (e.g., around first ear notch 120, second ear notch 130, and/or neck extension 140), of an edge of head wrap 100 may be reinforced with a material that stretches in order to, for example, conform to the head of a wearer.
In some embodiments, head wrap 100 may include two or more layers. In these embodiments, an inner layer configured to be proximate to the wearer's hair may be made from an absorbent and/or wicking material (e.g., cotton and/or wicking fabric) and an outer layer may be made from the same as the inner layer or a different material. In some cases, the outer layer may be made from a decorative material. Additionally, or alternatively, the outer layer may be made from a water and/or oil resistant material that may be configured to, for example, contain medication, sweat, and/or other materials within head wrap 100 so that they do not bleed out onto, for example, the outer layer, which may cause an unsightly appearance, and/or another garment or piece of material (e.g., a hat or pillow case). Additionally, or alternatively, in some embodiments, head wrap 100 may include an additional inner layer which may be configured to, for example, increase absorptivity of head wrap 100 (by, for example, absorbing excess sweat, hair treatments, and/or medication), increase a volume of head wrap 100, and/or improve the comfort of wearing head wrap 100.
First side 115 may have a length 115L of, for example, 4-7 inches and a width of, for example, 1-4.5 inches. In some cases, first side 115 may be tapered along its length so that a width ranges from, for example, 1.5-3 inches along its length with the wider portion of first side 115 being proximate to first ear notch 120 and the narrower portion of first side 115 being proximate to first attachment mechanism 110. Second side 125 may be an approximate mirror image of first side 115 wherein a length of second side 125L is approximately 1-4.5 inches. In some cases, second side 125 may be tapered along its length so that a width ranges from, for example, 1.5-3 inches along its length with the wider portion of second side 125 being proximate to second ear notch 130 and the narrower portion of second side 125 being proximate to second attachment mechanism 135.
First side 115 includes a first attachment mechanism 110 configured to cooperate with a second attachment mechanism 135 positioned on second side 125 so that first side 115 may be joined to second side 125 when head wrap 100 is worn by a wearer. First and second attachment mechanisms 110 and 135 may be, for example, opposite sides of a clasp, snap, hook and eye, tie, VELCRO™, and/or similar closure mechanism or fastening device. In some embodiments, first and second attachment mechanisms 110 and 135 may accommodate a range of positions so that a size of the head wrap may be adjustable to, for example, fit around a variety of head shapes and sizes and/or hair styles with a wearer's preferred amount of compression.
Neck extension 140 may have a curved shape with an approximate length 140L of 6-10 inches and a width 140W of 1-3.5 inches at an apex of the curve. Neck extension 140 may be configured to extend down a wearer's neck to, for example, cover hair positioned at the nape of the wearer's neck and secure hair positioned at, or near, a wearer's hairline in the back of his or her head so that, for example, hair positioned at the base of the neck along the hairline may be protected and/or a hair treatment applied to the scalp at, or near, the hairline may be held in place. An example of how neck extension 140 extends down to cover the hairline along the base of wearer's neck is shown in, for example,
First and second ear notches 120 and 130 may be positioned along the lower edge of head wrap 100 and may have a curved shape with an approximate length 120L and 130L of 0.3-3 inches each and a width 120W and 130W of 0.5-3.5 inches at an apex of the curve. First and second ear notches 120 and 130 may be configured to wrap around hair positioned near (e.g., above, behind, and/or in front of) the wearer's respective first and second ears and hold this hair in place while not covering the wearer's respective first and second ears as shown in, for example,
As may be seen in
In some embodiments, covering 300 may be affixed to head wrap 100. For example, covering 300 may be sewn or glued onto an outward facing surface of head wrap 100 at, for example, a center or approximate center of neck extension 140.
Hence, a head wrap configured to wrap around a hairline of a wearer while not covering the wearer's ears is herein disclosed. Additionally, a head wrap system that includes a head wrap and a covering is herein disclosed.
This application is a NON-PROVISIONAL of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/969,886, filed 4 Feb. 2021 entitled “HEAD AND HAIR WRAP,” which is incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62969886 | Feb 2020 | US |