Patent Application
20220125143
This invention was not made pursuant to any federally-sponsored research and/or development.
The present invention relates generally to wig caps. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved wig cap with guiding lines imprinted or applied on the fabric that are used for easier, faster, and more precise wig-making and manufacturing. The improved wig cap may also be designed with in different lace closure, lace frontal sizes, and with adjustable for size straps for fast, custom size and style wig making, which make it more efficient. Although the novel wig cap of the present invention may be made from elastic or expanding materials (i.e., stretching wigs), it is primarily intended to improve the custom-fitted wig manufacturing process. In any case, the wig cap is designed to snugly fit on the wearer's head.
The present invention relates to a wig cap. Wigs have been known and worn for a variety of purposes for hundreds, or even thousands, of years. Wig caps function as the base of the wig: when the wig is manufactured, the natural or synthetic hair strands, wefts or locks are weaved into, stitched into, or are otherwise connected to the wig cap. The natural or synthetic hair strands, wefts or locks are frequently connected to the wig cap using glue, or other adhesive, or resin. The wig cap both holds the hair that forms the wig and ensures the wig stays in place on the head of the wearer. Wig caps are either custom-fitted for an individual's head or are of the elastic “one-size-fits-all” variety, which may also include several size groups to accommodate a wider range of wearers, small, medium and large for example.
Many variations of wig caps exist because the technology is very old. However, since the advent of the wig caps, a major problem has been the inefficiency of manufacturing any single wig cap. The wig maker usually has to draw lines on the wig cap to ensure even, evenly spaced, and uniform placement of the hair, or simply approximate the placement. Both methods have their disadvantages because, instead of concentrating on making the wig, the wig-maker has to first finish the base for the wig. Drawing lines on a ready-made wig cap is imprecise and prone to error because the caps are approximately semi-spherical, so the lines must either be drawn on the cap when it is mounted or fitted to a block or head mannequin or spread out on a flat surface.
Neither of these methods produces uniform, evenly-spaced, properly-directed lines. This is also an inefficient use of the wig-maker's time because drawing the lines on the cap takes 30 minutes or longer, depending on the type of the wig. Failing to properly draw and align the direction of the lines also causes the hair flow to be aligned wrong on the finished wig, creating an unnatural or strange look of the final wig product when it is worn. Approximating or “eyeballing” the placement is also imprecise and is prone to the same errors. It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a more efficient wig cap that can serve as a ready-made, adjustable base for any wig.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved wig caps that provide a more complete design and are more efficient because they reduce the time and effort required to complete a wig. The wig cap provides designs with both evenly-spaced (uniformly-spaced) lines and non-uniformly spaced lines.
Wig caps are well known in the art because they have been in use for a very long time. Some wig caps are manufactured by pulling (picking) hair through a top shell while the shell is on a mold. The mold is then removed, covered with a bottom, fabric shell coated with an adhesive, and the top shell is refitted to the mold, on top of the bottom shell. This binds the top and bottom shells and embeds the ends of the hairs in the adhesive, producing the final wig.
Yet other variations include cloth or elastic wig caps or bases, to which the hair is bound, sewn or weaved into. Sometimes, the hair is also bound with an adhesive or resin. Machine-made wigs are less expensive, but for a custom fit and feel wigs are fitted and made by hand.
This invention meets the need for an improved wig cap by providing a new wig cap that can be used for wigs of any size, shape or style. This novel wig cap maximizes the efficiency of the wig manufacturing process, reducing the time it takes to make every single wig. Wig manufacturing is an expensive process, often utilizing real human hair, and the finished product is necessarily more expensive if it takes longer to manufacture. The novel wig cap of the present invention saves labor costs, reducing the overall cost of the final wig product. At the same time, the novel improved wig cap is easy to use, inexpensive to manufacture, and it addresses the issues present in the wig caps known in the art. The novel wig cap achieves that by including pre-printed lines on the fabric of the wig caps ready for manufacturing wigs. Alternatively, the lines may be printed on the assembled or partially-assembled wig cap by using a rubber stamp when the assembled or partially-assembled cap is spread out on a substantially flat surface.
The present invention is illustrated by way of examples, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which reference numerals refer to elements. The features, aspects and advantages of the novel invention will become further understood with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings where
The present invention is best understood by reference to the detailed figures and description set forth herein.
Various embodiments of the invention are discussed below with reference to the Figures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limited embodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that those skilled in the art will, in light of the teachings of the present invention, recognize a multiplicity of alternate and suitable approaches, depending upon the needs of the particular application, to implement the functionality of any given detail described herein, beyond the particular implementation choices in the following embodiments described and shown. That is, there are numerous modifications and variations of the invention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within the scope of the invention. Also, singular words should be read as plural and vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa, where appropriate, and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply that the two are mutually exclusive.
It is to be further understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular methodology, compounds, materials, manufacturing techniques, uses, and applications, described herein, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “an element” is a reference to one or more elements and includes equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art. Similarly, for another example, a reference to “a step” or “a means” is a reference to one or more steps or means and may include sub-steps and subservient means. All conjunctions used are to be understood in the most inclusive sense possible. Thus, the word “or” should be understood as having the definition of a logical “or” rather than that of a logical “exclusive or” unless the context clearly necessitates otherwise. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. Language that may be construed to express approximation should be so understood unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Preferred methods, techniques, devices, and materials are described, although any methods, techniques, devices, or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
From reading the present disclosure, other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications may involve equivalent and other features which are already known in the art, and which may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein.
Although Claims have been formulated in this Application to particular combinations of features, it should be understood that the scope of the disclosure of the present invention also includes any novel feature or any novel combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or implicitly or any generalization thereof, whether or not it relates to the same invention as presently claimed in any Claim and whether or not it mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does the present invention.
Features which are described in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub combination. The Applicants hereby give notice that new Claims may be formulated to such features and/or combinations of such features during the prosecution of the present Application or of any further Application derived therefrom.
As is well known to those skilled in the art many careful considerations and compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimal manufacture of a commercial implementation any system, and in particular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercial implementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the present invention may configured according to the needs of the particular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s), result(s), component(s), approach(s), or step(s) of the teachings related to any described embodiment of the present invention may be suitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improved and/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skills and known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation that addresses the needs of the particular application.
Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiments are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.
It is to be understood that any exact measurements/dimensions or particular construction materials indicated herein are solely provided as examples of suitable configurations and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Depending on the needs of the particular application, those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of the following teachings, a multiplicity of suitable alternative implementation details.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention and some variations thereof provide a wig cap, which may be used with conventional natural hair or synthetic hair. Alternative embodiments may be produced using different techniques and from different materials including, but not limited to, fabric, mesh, lace, or a combination of materials. The preferred embodiments include pre-printed or imprinted lines for guidance where the hair should be sewn into, weaved into, stitched into, or otherwise connected to the wig cap, which allows for quick and easy wig manufacture, repair and maintenance and ensures minimum costs in the production of the wig. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hair is sewn in into the exterior of the wig cap (top surface), not the interior.
The Structure of the Wig Cap. With reference to
With reference to
Each of the component parts of the wig cap 10 except the front portion 20, specifically back portion 30, and side portions 40, have multiple (two or more) imprinted lines 15, oriented transversely across the sagittal plane to facilitate the manufacturing of the final wig. The front portion 20 does not typically have any imprinted lines because it is blank. This is usually done so that the front piece of the wig can be stitched to the front portion 20; thus no imprinted lines 15, or very few lines, are necessary. The imprinted lines 15 are preferably substantially parallel to each other within the portion of the wig cap 10 they are located in (i.e., each imprinted line 15 is substantially parallel to its two nearest adjacent lines). However, the Applicant envisions alternative embodiments, in which adjacent imprinted lines 15 are at an angle to each other, or where the imprinted lines 15 are still substantially parallel to their adjacent lines, but generate an angle over some distance in the fabric as illustrated in
The wig cap 10 may be made from one piece of cloth, fabric, mesh or lace, which is stretchable so as to fit the head when worn. However, the wig cap 10 is preferably made with several sections (i.e., the front portion 20, the back portion 30, and two side portions 40). The sections are preferably sewn or stitched together, but a number of other, semi-permanent or detachable attachments may be used to hold the sections together (same as for the ties). The imprinted lines 15 are preferably pre-printed on that one piece of fabric, mesh or lace, or the several separate sections of the wig cap 10 when the wig cap 10 is made from several sections.
When the wig cap 10 is made from several sections, the ends of imprinted lines 15 in each such section should meet the ends of the imprinted lines 15 in the adjacent section at the seams 25 of the sections so as to create one continuous imprinted line 15 (not the seam 25 between the front portion 20 and the back portion 30 however because the imprinted lines 15 run parallel, not transverse, to that seam). The ends of the imprinted lines 15 should preferably meet to create one continuous imprinted line 15 because the wig makers are usually using wefted hair, so the lines should be aligned for the hair weft connections and the resulting wig to be even. The one continuous imprinted line 15 is preferably a substantially straight line if viewed from the top (or if the wig cap 10 is laid out on a flat surface).
One alternative method to create the imprinted lines 15, versus drawing or otherwise applying the imprinted lines 15 onto the material before or after the wig cap 10 is sewn together, would involve stretching or spreading the wig cap 10 on a substantially flat surface and using a rubber stamp with inked ridges to create the imprinted lines 15. Alternatively, the rubber stamp may have the shape inverse to the wig cap 10 when the wig cap 10 is positioned on a block or head mannequin, so the wig cap 10 would have a substantially convex shape and the rubber stamp would have a substantially concave shape, with inked ridges inside the concave cavity.
For example, such seams 25 would be present between the front portion 20 and the two adjacent side portions 40 (the left and right sides of the wig cap 10). Analogously, the seams 25 would be present between the back portion 30 and the two side portions adjacent to the back portion 30. The imprinted lines 15 would run transversely to the sagittal plane, through the left portion 40, meeting the ends of the imprinted lines 15 in the front and back portions, running through the front and back portions, meeting the ends of the imprinted lines at the seam 25 with the right portion 40, and finishing running though the right portion 40.
Depending on the thickness of the wefts, the lines spacing may be different: thicker wefts should be spaced more widely apart (wider spacing), so that the wefts don't creep up on one another. However, these are custom wigs, so doubling the wefts makes the wig thicker, making the spacing between the imprinted lines 15 smaller.
The imprinted lines 15 may be under a very small angle relative to each other (i.e., any two adjacent imprinted lines 15), but the imprinted lines 15 are preferably substantially parallel to each other because if the angles are significant, the wig maker will eventually run into spacing and alignment issues while manufacturing the wig using the wig cap 10.
The imprinted lines 15 may be printed on the wig cap 10 with any permanent or semi-permanent commercial ink. Semi-permanent ink may be acceptable if the utility of the imprinted lines is only for manufacturing the wig, but permanent ink may be more desirable if the imprinted lines 15 should permanently be part of the wig cap 10 (so as to enable and facilitate repairs to the wig at a later time if necessary). The color of the ink should preferably be a contrasting color to the color of the wig cap 10: for example, for a black or brown wig cap 10, white or yellow ink colors may be used. Conversely, if the wig cap 10 is light-colored, contrasting dark colored inks should preferably be used for the imprinted lines 15.
Preferably, the imprinted lines 15 are printed on the wig cap 10 when the wig cap 10 is fully sewn together from portions of fabric, mesh, or lace (the imprinted lines 15 then run through the front portion 20, the back portion 30, and two side portions 40, crossing the seams 25 as continuous imprinted lines 15). Another method of manufacturing the wig cap 10 would be to print the pattern of substantially parallel imprinted lines 15 on each portion of wig cap 10 and then stitch the portions together, forming the wig cap 10, while aligning the ends of the imprinted lines 15 so that they meet at the seams 25 between the front portion 20 and side portions 40 etc. (the ends are substantially aligned). This method may be more difficult, however, because it would be difficult to properly align the ends of the imprinted lines 15 on separate portions when the imprinted lines 15 are pre-printed on the portions before they are connected together. It may also be necessary to impart a certain curvature to the imprinted lines 15 if the imprinted lines 15 are printed on the individual portions, which are then sewn together, with the ends of the lines being substantially aligned.
The imprinted lines 15 are preferably 1-3 mm thick, and they are preferably spaced 1.5 cm to 1.75 cm apart. However, other variations of the line thickness and spacing may be used within the scope and spirit of this invention.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
The straps 70 are preferably elastic or otherwise adjustable in length, such as by means of a loop and buckle 75, which regulates the length of one of the straps 70 and therefore the overall length of both straps 70.
The Applicant envisions that the wig cap 10 would be manufactured in different sizes that would fit a wide variety of head sizes and types, but the wig cap 10 may also be manufactured from component parts (i.e., front portion 20, back portion 30, and side portions 40), which are connected to each other by sewing or stitching them together after fitting them to a head, or are connected by removable means known in the art.
It should be noted that although this preferred embodiment of the wig cap of the present invention envisions the use of the front portion 20, the back portion 30, and two side portions 40, the design could be accomplished with a top portion 50, curving around the wearer's head so as to fit it, and two side portions 60, each being connected to the top portion.
Those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, that various features of the novel wig cap illustrated by way of example in the foregoing may vary in alternate embodiments. For example, without limitation, the wig caps may have various different shapes to fit different head shapes or come in various different sizes.
Having fully described at least one embodiment of the present invention, other equivalent or alternative methods of providing a novel wig cap according to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention has been described above by way of illustration, and the specific embodiments disclosed are not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed. For example, the particular implementation of the wig cap may vary depending upon the particular type of fabric, mesh or lace used. Implementations of the present invention for use with different types of fabrics, meshes or laces are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention. The invention is thus to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
The above description of the disclosed preferred embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention and the subject matter of the present invention, which is broadly contemplated by the Applicant. The scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments that may be or become obvious to those skilled in the art.
