Aspects herein relate to a hood system for a garment.
Hoods on garments are generally used to provide warmth to a wearer's head during cold weather conditions.
Examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
The subject matter of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed or disclosed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different steps or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Moreover, although the terms “step” and/or “block” might be used herein to connote different elements of methods employed, the terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly stated.
At a high level, aspects herein relate to a hood system for a garment comprising at least an outer hood and an inner yoke structure. In exemplary aspects, the outer hood may be configured to be “over-sized” and/or to have extra volume at, for instance, the top portion of the outer hood as compared to more traditional hoods. The outer hood is affixed to a neckline opening of the garment at least along the side aspects of the neckline opening. The outer hood is unaffixed or detached from the neckline opening in the back. The yoke structure is positioned interior to the outer hood generally along a back aspect of the hood. As used throughout this disclosure, the term “yoke structure” may be defined as a shaped pattern piece which forms part of the garment and is useable to provide support for looser parts of the garment (the outer hood in this case). In exemplary aspects, the yoke structure has a “T” shape with the arm of the “T” extending horizontally along the back of the hood and along side portions of the hood, and the stem of the “T” extending vertically downward at the back of the hood when the outer hood is in a head covering position. With continued respect to the yoke structure, terminal ends of the arm of the “T” are affixed to the side portions of the outer hood, and a terminal end of the stem of the “T” is affixed to the neckline opening in the back; other portions of the yoke structure remain free-floating or unattached to the outer hood. To describe it a different way, the terminal end of the stem of the “T” is affixed to the neckline opening at the location where the outer hood is detached from the neckline opening. In exemplary aspects, the yoke structure is formed from an elastically resilient material.
This configuration provides several functional benefits. Because, for example, the top portion of the outer hood may be constructed to have extra volume and because the back of the outer hood is detached or de-coupled from the neckline opening of the garment in back, the top portion of the outer hood can be tensioned anteriorly to, for instance, cover the eyes of the wearer when resting without causing undue strain on the neckline opening and/or causing the garment to shift upward. The yoke structure, due to its attachment to the neckline opening in the back and to its attachment to the outer hood at the side portions, acts as an anchor structure allowing the top portion of the hood to be pivoted forward or tensioned forward without causing significant displacement of other parts of the outer hood. Moreover, because the yoke structure is formed from an elastically resilient material, the yoke structure can conform and expand to cover the back and sides of the wearer's head to provide a snug feel to the hood, even when the outer hood is constructed to have extra volume. Further, the elastic nature of the yoke structure minimizes the strain imparted to the neckline opening at the point of attachment of the yoke structure when the hood is pulled forward to cover the wearer's eyes. The result is a hood system that facilitates the ability of a wearer to rest by pulling the outer hood forward to cover the wearer's eyes while still retaining a snug fit to the hood and without causing undue strain on other portions of the garment.
Accordingly, in one aspect, a hood system for a garment having at least a neckline opening is provided. The hood system comprises an outer hood comprising at least a first side portion and a second side portion, a top portion adjacent to the first and second side portions, the top portion having a front aspect and a back aspect, and a back portion extending from the back aspect of the top portion and extending from the first side portion to the second side portion. The back portion and the first and second side portions define a base for the outer hood, where the base of the outer hood is affixed to the neckline opening of the garment at a first location and is unaffixed from the neckline opening of the garment at a second location. The hood system further comprises a yoke structure positioned adjacent and internal to the outer hood. The yoke structure is affixed to the neckline opening of the garment at the second location, and the yoke structure is further affixed to the first and second side portions of the outer hood.
In another aspect, a garment having a hood system is provided comprising a torso covering portion having at least a neckline opening, and an outer hood affixed to the neckline opening at a first location and unaffixed from the neckline opening at a second location. The garment further comprises a yoke structure positioned adjacent and internal to the outer hood, where the yoke structure is affixed to the neckline opening at the second location. The yoke structure is further affixed to the outer hood at least at two disparate locations.
In yet another aspect, a hood system for a garment comprising at least a neckline opening is provided. The hood system comprises an outer hood, where the outer hood is affixed to the neckline opening of the garment at a first location and is unaffixed from the neckline opening of the garment at a second location. The hood system further comprises a yoke structure positioned adjacent and internal to the outer hood. The yoke structure has a first portion having a first terminal end that is affixed to the neckline opening of the garment at the second location, a second portion having a second terminal end affixed to a first side portion of the outer hood, and a third portion having a third terminal end affixed to a second side portion of the outer hood.
Positional terms as used herein such as “front,” “back,” “side,” “anterior,” “posterior,” “top,” “bottom,” and the like are to be given their common meaning with respect to a hypothetical wearer standing in anatomical position with a hood of a garment in a head covering or upright position. It is assumed that the garment is being worn as intended and as described and shown herein. Terms used herein such as “affixing,” “securing,” “secured,” and the like may mean releasably joining two or more elements together using affixing technologies such as releasable adhesives, slider mechanisms, zippers, buttons, hood-and-loop fasteners, and the like. As well, these terms may mean permanently joining two or more elements together using affixing technologies such as stitching, bonding, welding, and the like. A distinction between releasably joining and permanently joining will be provided when appropriate. The terms “elastic,” or “elastically resilient” as used herein means fabrics or textiles that incorporate elastic yarns such as Spandex® to impart two-way and/or four-way stretch and recovery to the textile. By contrast, the term “non-stretch” or “low-stretch” as used herein may mean fabrics or textiles that do not incorporate elastic yarns. These textiles, however, may still exhibit some degree of mechanical stretch due to the particular knitting or weaving process used to form the fabric or textile. Further, when describing the hood system and/or garment in relation to a wearer, phrases such as “configured to cover a [specified portion] of a wearer,” refer to a hood system and/or garment that is appropriately sized for the particular wearer.
Turning now to
The neckline opening 114 generally defines a circumferential opening when the garment 100 is in the as-worn configuration. As such, the neckline opening 114 may comprise a front aspect 115, a first side aspect 117, a second side aspect 119, and a back aspect 121 (seen in
The garment 100, in exemplary aspects, may be formed from a knitted, woven, or non-woven material that exhibits low stretch, although textiles having stretch are also contemplated herein as suitable materials for forming the garment 100. In some aspects, the garment 100 may be formed from a spacer mesh material that is adapted to provide warmth and/or insulation by trapping heated air in the space between the inner and outer layers of the spacer mesh.
The hood system 110 comprises an outer hood 126 and a yoke structure 128 positioned adjacent and internal to the outer hood 126 such that it is visible through face opening 130 as shown in
In exemplary aspects, the outer hood 126 may have a first side portion 132 and a second side portion 134 configured to cover the sides of a wearer's head when the outer hood 126 is in the head covering position. The outer hood 126 further comprises a top portion 136 having a front aspect 138 (seen in
Continuing, the outer hood 126 still further comprises a back portion 142 extending from the back aspect 140 of the top portion 136 and extending from the first side portion 132 to the second side portion 134. The term “portion” is used to generally describe different regions or locations on the outer hood 126. As such, it is contemplated herein that the portions 132, 134, 136, and 142 may comprise integral extensions of one another formed through a common knitting or weaving event. It is also contemplated herein that one or more of the portions 132, 134, 136, and 142 may comprise separate panels joined together to form the outer hood 126. Any and all aspects, and any variation thereof, are contemplated as being within aspects herein.
Continuing, the front aspect 138 of the top portion 136 and the first and second side portions 132 and 134 help to define the face opening 130 of the outer hood 126. The back portion 142 and the first and second side portions 132 and 134 help to define a base 144 of the outer hood 126. The base 144 generally defines a circumferential opening when the outer hood 126 is in the head covering position. In exemplary aspects, the base 144 of the outer hood 126 may be permanently or releasably affixed to the neckline opening 114 along at least the front aspect 115, the first side aspect 117 and the second side aspect 119 of the neckline opening 114. It is also contemplated herein, that the outer hood 126 may comprise an integral extension of the torso covering portion 112 of the garment 100. In other words, the outer hood 126 and the torso covering portion 112 may be created through a single knitting or weaving event such that there are no seam lines between the outer hood 126 and at least the front aspect 115, the first side aspect 117 and the second side aspect 119 of the neckline opening 114.
Continuing, the base 144 of the outer hood 126 may be unaffixed or detached from the neckline opening 114 at least at a portion of the back aspect 121 of the neckline opening 114 as shown in
This aspect is shown in greater detail in
Turning to
In exemplary aspects, the yoke structure 128 may assume generally a “T” shape with an arm portion 312 and a stem portion 314. The arm portion 312 may extend across the back of the outer hood 126 (e.g., from the first side portion 132, across the back portion 142, to the second side portion 134. The arm portion 312 may comprise a first terminal end 316 and a second terminal end 318 and may be defined by an upper margin 313. As used herein, the term “terminal” may be defined as the outermost portion of a structure. In exemplary aspects, the first terminal end 316 may be releasably or permanently affixed to the inner-facing surface 310 of the first side portion 132, and the second terminal end 318 may be releasably or permanently affixed to the inner-facing surface 310 of the second side portion 134 of the outer hood 126.
Continuing, the stem portion 314 extends from the arm portion 312 of the yoke structure 128 downwardly or inferiorly along the back portion 142 of the outer hood 126. The stem portion 314 may comprise a third terminal end 320 that is permanently or releasably affixed to the back aspect 121 of the neckline opening 114 of the garment 100. In exemplary aspects, the point of attachment of the first, second, and third terminal ends 316, 318, and 320 of the yoke structure 128 to the outer hood 126 and the neckline opening 114 may comprise the only points of attachment of the yoke structure 128 to the garment 100. As such, remaining portions of the yoke structure 128 such as the arm portion 312 extending between the first and second terminal ends 316 and 318, and the stem portion 314, with the exception of the third terminal end 320, may be unaffixed or free-floating with respect to the outer hood 126.
The shape configuration shown for the yoke structure 128 in
Turning now to
With respect to
By having the yoke structure 128 be selectively affixed to the outer hood 126 at only the first and second terminal ends 316 and 318 and affixed to the neckline opening 114 of the torso covering portion 112 of the garment 100 via the third terminal end 320, the yoke structure 128 can achieve several different functions. For instance, this configuration helps to at least partially “de-couple” the yoke structure 128 from the outer hood 126 so that the outer hood 126 may be positioned or moved somewhat independently of the yoke structure 128. For instance, the top portion 136 of the outer hood 126 may be pulled forward to cover a wearer's eyes when the wearer wishes to rest or sleep without causing undue tension on the neckline opening 114 of the garment 100 and while still maintaining a snug fit to the hood system 110 through use of the yoke structure 128.
More particularly,
Due to the selective attachment of the first, second, and third terminal ends 316, 318, and 320 of the yoke structure 128, the yoke structure 128 may act to anchor at least the back portion 142 and the side portions 132, 134 of the outer hood 126 when the top portion 136 of the outer hood 126 is tensioned forward. To describe it a different way, the top portion 136 of the outer hood 126 may be pulled forward without causing significant displacement of other portions of the outer hood 126 due to the anchoring function of the yoke structure 128. And due to the elastic characteristics of the yoke structure 128, the arm portion 312 and the stem portion 314 of the yoke structure 128 may expand to cover more of the posterior or back aspect of the wearer's head when the outer hood 126 is tensioned forward. But because the stem portion 314 is affixed to the neckline opening 114, the yoke structure 128 is prevented from becoming displaced anteriorly. In other words, the attachment of the third terminal end 320 to the neckline opening 114 helps to maintain the arm portion 312 of the yoke structure 128 positioned against the back and crown of the wearer's head instead of being pulled forward onto the front aspect of the wearer's head with the movement of the outer hood 126. Moreover, although the stem portion 314 of the yoke structure 128 may elongate or stretch when the outer hood 126 is in the tensioned state, the elastic nature of the yoke structure 128 minimizes the tension applied to the neckline opening 114 of the garment 100. The result is that the wearer 610 experiences a snug fit even in situations where the outer hood 126 is constructed to have extra volume. Moreover, the minimization of tension imparted to the neckline opening 114 further enhances wearer comfort.
Aspects of the present disclosure have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative aspects will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed in the various figures need be carried out in the specific order described.
This application, having attorney docket number NIKE.293260/170171US02 and entitled “Hood System for a Garment,” claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Prov. App. No. 62/512,306, entitled “Hood System for a Garment,” and filed May 30, 2017. The entirety of the aforementioned application is incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62512306 | May 2017 | US |