HEADBAND FOR ACTIVE WEAR

Abstract

A headband is secured to the head of a user by a modified wig clip that is removably inserted into an elongate slit on an inner surface of the headband. The modification of the wig clip is the attachment of a generally rectangular sheet of flexible material to a pair of side members of the wig clip. The sheet of flexible material allows removable insertion of the wig clip into the elongate slit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed embodiments relate to a headband for use in keeping the hair off of the forehead and face, especially when engaging in an activity, such as exercise, sports or the like. The headband is distinguished by at least one modified wig or toupe clip that is removably installed on a surface of the headband adjacent to the hair of a wearer for securing the headband in place.

BACKGROUND

When athletes with long hair engage in active sports, it is often necessary and almost always desirable to keep the athlete's hair pulled back away from the face, so as to not obstruct vision. A variety of headband types and materials are known, but it is especially common to use a fabric headband, especially one that incorporates an expandable fiber such as the polyester-polyurethane co-polymer fiber generically referred to as “Spandex” or “Elastane.” Fabrics such as this are often preferred over rigid, injection-molded plastic headbands for several reasons. These include comfort and the ability to wick up perspiration. The rigid plastic headbands necessarily exert pressure against the skull of the wearer, especially in the region of the temporal bones, that is, the side of the skull generally above and behind the ear. The elasticity of the fabric effectively reduces or eliminates this pressure against the skull. However, these advantages of the flexible fabric headband mean that it is not secured in place as well as the rigid headband.

Although these advantages of the fabric headband are most notably appreciated in the sports and active wear situations, the fabric headband also is an attractive accessory in everyday wear, making it a popular choice.

It is therefore an unmet advantage of the prior art to provide a fabric headband that retains the primary advantages of securing the hair away from the face, but in a manner that does not exert uncomfortable pressure against the skull and especially the temporal bones also to but is also more securely fixed in place during use.

SUMMARY

This and other advantages of the present invention are achieved by a wig clip for securing an item of headwear to a user. Such a wig clip has a quadrilateral frame, a comb formed on the quadrilateral frame and a sheet of flexible material attached to the quadrilateral frame. The quadrilateral frame has a first and a second pair of opposing sides. The ends of the second pair of opposing sides are attached to the ends of the first pair of opposing sides to form the quadrilateral shape. The comb is formed along a first side of the first pair of opposing sides, such that the comb extends towards and beyond a second side of the first pair of opposing sides. The quadrilateral frame is formed from a resilient spring material such that the frame flexes between a first or open position, in which the comb is spaced apart from the second side of the first pair of opposing sides, to a second or closed position in which the comb lies against the second side of the first pair of opposing sides. The sheet of flexible material, has a width dimension that is joined to at least the two sides of the second pair of opposing sides of the quadrilateral frame and a length dimension that is longer then the width dimension.

The comb comprises a plurality of tines, comprising a flexible material. In some of these embodiments, the tines comprise the same flexible material as the quadrilateral frame.

In some embodiments, the quadrilateral frame is formed from a spring metal and the sheet of flexible material is a spring metal or a flexible plastic.

In the preferred embodiments, the sheet of flexible material has a length that is about twice the width.

Other aspects of the invention are achieved by an item of headwear comprising a headband adapted to be worn around the head of a user, comprising an elongate slit in the nature of a buttonhole and a wig clip as described above, wherein the sheet of flexible material secures the wig clip in the elongate slit.

In many of these embodiments, the headband is a toroidal band of a stretch fabric and the elongate slit is positioned on a surface facing the wearer.

In some embodiments, the headband has a pair of spaced apart elongate slits in adjacent relationship, positioned on a surface of facing the wearer, with a corresponding wig clip for each elongate slit.

In some embodiments, the headband has at least one additional elongate slit, positioned diametrically across from the elongate slit and on the same surface thereof.

To achieve some aspects of the invention, a method for securing an item of headwear to the hair of a user is accomplished by:

providing a toroidal headband of a stretch fabric, the headband having an elongate slit in the nature of a buttonhole on a surface thereof;

securing a wig clip as described above into the elongate slit by inserting the sheet of flexible material into the elongate slot;

placing the toroidal headband around the head of the user with the wig clip in the open position, such that the comb faces toward the crown of the head of the user; and

engaging the hair of the user into the comb and causing the wig clip to move to the closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the disclosed embodiments will be obtained from a reading of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein identical reference characters refer to identical parts and in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a wig or toupe clip as known in the prior art, with the clip in an “open” position;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the clip of FIG. 1A, with the clip in a “closed” position for capturing hairs of a user;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wig or toupe clip, modified according to the present invention and positioned above an opening in a headband for insertion therein;

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of a toroidal headband, with a modified wig or toupe clip of the present invention inserted in the open position to be placed on the head of a user;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment combination of the modified wig or toupe clip of FIG. 3 with a headband;

FIG. 5A is a plan view of a second embodiment combination of the FIG. 3 modified wig or toupe clip with a headband; and

FIG. 5B is a plan view of a third embodiment combination of the FIG. 3 modified wig or toupe clip with a headband.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1A and 1B show a commercially-available wig or toupe clip 10 as known in the prior art, before the clip is modified for use in the present invention. As seen here, the clip 10 is typically made of a spring material, preferably a spring metal, but it can be a spring plastic. Described generally, the clip 10 has a quadrilateral frame 14 with a plurality of holes 12 in three of the sides on the frame. As depicted, two of the sides 15 are arranged parallel to each other, and are shorter than the remaining two sides 16, 19. Of these latter two sides, side 16 is a front member of the clip 10 and is preferably coated at least partially with a rubbery material. Side 19 operates as a rear member of the clip 10 and has a plurality of parallel tines 17 which, together, operate as a comb 18. Of these sides, the holes 12 would normally be arranged only on sides 15, 19. The spring nature of the material used in the clip allows the sides, especially sides 16, 19 to flex from an open position shown in FIG. 1A to a closed position shown in FIG. 1B. When in the open position, and with the comb positioned adjacent to the scalp of a user, the hair of a user can pass between the tines 17 and under side 16, which is away from the scalp. As the clip 10 is flexed into the closed position, by pressure against the sides 15, the hairs 22 (as seen in FIG. 1B) are releasably captured between the comb 18 and the side 16. When present, the rubbery material increases the friction available to retain the strands of hair. While most embodiments will have sides 15 joined to side 19 at a right angle, in some embodiments, one of the sides 15 will be longer than the other side 16, so that one side 15 joins side 16 at an acute angle and the other side 15 joins side 16 at an obtuse angle. The result of this is that sides 16, 19 are not parallel. This arrangement may be useful in the flexing motion of the clip 10.

A typical clip 10 of this type has a width (from outside of one side 15 to the outside of the other side 15) that is in the range of about 1 to 1.5 inches and a length (from outside of side 19 to the end of tines 17) that is about one-half of the width.

As shown in perspective view in FIG. 2, a modified clip 110 is provided by starting with the known clip body 10 of FIGS. 1A and 1B and affixing a flexible sheet 20 to the quadrilateral frame 14, especially along sides 15 and 19. In doing this, holes 12 may be useful in securing the flexible sheet to the clip body 10. In an embodiment that is expected to be preferred, the flexible sheet 20 will be generally rectangular, with a width to span the width of the clip body 10 to which it is to be attached and a length that is at least about twice the length of the clip. Preferably, the excess length (beyond the length of the clip body 10) of the flexible sheet 20 is approximately equally provided at each end.

In providing the headband 40 for the invention, a fabric headband is preferred. The basic headband 40 can be of several types that are known in the prior art, before the modifications needed to make it a part of the present invention. In one type, the headband 40 is a length of woven cloth, especially one that can be folded on itself lengthwise, with the middle portion of the cloth passing across the front of the hairline on the scalp and the two ends tied to each other at the lower rear portion of the skull, probably along the occipital portion. In such a situation, the headband would usually be worn with the lengthwise fold towards the front of the head. In a second type, the headband is a continuous toroidal band of material, preferably a knitted stretch fabric, such as a Spandex-type material. In many of these embodiments, the band is a tube of the material, with the ends connected to each other to make the band continuous. An example of such a toroidal headband 40 is seen in front sectional view in FIG. 3.

In any of the headbands 40 that are used for this invention, there should be at least one slit 42, in the nature of a buttonhole, formed on a surface 44 of the headband that will be adjacent to the scalp near the frontal portion of the skull. The headband 40 will also have an opposite surface 46 that is away from the scalp. More preferably, there are two or more such slits 42, positioned so that the slits are provided in pairs that are spaced apart from each other so that the slits can be arranged to be atop a portion skull near the temple area when the headband is worn. In any case, the slits 42 should be arranged to run parallel to the lengthwise dimension of the headband 40. Each slit should have a length approximately equal to the width of a modified clip 110.

To complete assembly of the headband of the invention, at least one, but preferably two or more modified clips 110 are selected, as is a headband that has been modified with the slits 42. Using the flexibility of the flexible sheet 20, the modified clips are inserted into selected slits 42, preferably such that sides 16 of the selected modified clips 110 are facing in the same direction with the tines 17 of the comb 18 extending essentially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the headband. This insertion of the modified clip 110 into the slit 42 is shown in FIG. 3.

From this point, and with the clip 110 in the open position, the headband is placed on the head and arranged into the desired position. At this time, the clips 110 can be moved to engage the wearer's hair and manually moved from the open to the closed position, securing the headband. This arrangement is depicted in perspective view in FIG. 4.

The exact number and position of the clips used will be to the wearer's preference and may be adjusted, based upon the type of the activity. As an example, in FIG. 5A and 5B, a headband 40 is shown bottom plan view, exposing bottom surface 44, in two different arrangements 140, 240 with a total of three modified clips 110 in each arrangement. In both arrangements, two clips 110A are placed in a pair of adjacent slits 42 to secure the headband to the hair laterally away from a centerline of the user's scalp. A third modified clip 110B is provided in a slit 42 that is approximately diametrically opposite the first two clips, so that the third clip can be used to secure the headband to the user's hair that overlies the occipital bone at the lower rear portion of the skull.

FIGS. 5A and 5B differ in how the clips 110 are disposed into the slits 42 provided on the headband. To orient the viewer, headband 40 has an outer circumference 47 and an inner circumference 48, with the user's head being inserted into inner circumference, making the outer circumference the front edge of the headband as seen in FIG. 4. In both arrangement 140 and 240, the clips 110A are inserted in the slits 42 so that the tines of comb 18 are rearwardly directed. In arrangement 140, the occipital clip 1106 is placed in the slit 42 so that the tines of the comb 18 are upwardly directed, that is, they are directed towards the crown of the skull of the user. In arrangement 240, the occipital clip 1106 is placed in the slit 42 so that the tines of the comb 18 are downwardly directed, that is, they are directed towards the nape of the neck of the user.

Two advantages of the product arise from the easy of arranging the clips 110 in the headband. As described immediately above, the clips can be arranged and oriented to the user's preference. At least as importantly, the clips may be removed so the headband can be laundered without the clips in place.

As noted in FIG. 4, the exposed surface 46 of the headband 40 is an ideal location for placement of trademarks and logos, either of a manufacturer or of a sports team or commercial sponsor.

Having shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will realize that many variations and modifications may be made to affect the described invention and still be within the scope of the claimed invention. Thus, many of the elements indicated above may be altered or replaced by different elements which will provide the same result and fall within the spirit of the claimed invention. It is the intention, therefore, to limit the invention only as indicated by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An item of headwear comprising: a headband comprising a continuous tube of a stretch fabric, sized to be worn around a head of a user, the stretch fabric having at least one elongate slit in the nature of a buttonhole, positioned on an inner surface of the continuous tube that faces a scalp of the user; anda wig clip, removably inserted in the elongate slit, for securing the headband to the head of the user, the wig clip comprising a generally rectangular frame having a first and a second longer member connected by a pair of shorter side members;wherein a comb portion is formed by the first longer member and a plurality of tines that run generally parallel to the shorter side members and across the second longer member, which is flexibly movable relative to the first longer member between an open and a closed position for securing hair between the tines and the second longer member;wherein the wig clip further comprises a generally rectangular sheet of flexible material, attached along a pair of longer side edges to the shorter side members of the wig clip, the sheet of flexible material adapted for securing the wig clip into the elongate slit in the headband.

2. The item of headwear of claim 1, wherein: the headband has a pair of the elongate slits in spaced-apart adjacent relationship, with a corresponding wig clip for each elongate slit.

3. The item of headwear of claim 2, wherein: the headband has at least one additional elongate slit, positioned diametrically across the headband from the pair of elongate slits.

4. The item of headwear of claim 1, wherein the generally rectangular frame of the wig clip comprises a spring metal.

5. The item of headwear wig clip of claim 1, wherein the sheet of flexible material is a flexible plastic.

6. The item of headwear wig clip of claim 1, wherein the sheet of flexible material is a spring metal.

7. The item of headwear wig clip of claim 1, wherein the longer sides of the sheet of flexible material have a length that is at least about twice a length of the shorter sides.

8. A method of securing an item of headwear to the hair of a user, comprising the steps of: providing an item of headwear according to claim 1;placing the headband around the head of the user with the wig clip in the open position, such that the comb faces toward the crown of the head of the user; andengaging the hair of the user into the comb and causing the wig clip to move to the closed position.