U.S. patent application number 10/821875 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-13 for elastic headwear.
This patent application is currently assigned to Yupoong, Inc.. Invention is credited to Cho, Byoung-Woo.
Application Number | 20050223474 10/821875 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35059009 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050223474 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cho, Byoung-Woo |
October 13, 2005 |
Elastic headwear
Abstract
Elastic headwear has a crown portion being stretchable in at
least a circumferential direction thereof, and having a plurality
of pieces. At least one piece is made of a stretchable warp knitted
mesh which has at least one non-covered stretch yarn and a
plurality of non-stretch yarns. The non-covered yarn and the
plurality of non-stretch yarns are provided in rows without being
twisted with each other.
Inventors: |
Cho, Byoung-Woo;
(Yongin-city, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700
1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
Yupoong, Inc.
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
35059009 |
Appl. No.: |
10/821875 |
Filed: |
April 12, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/195.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 1/22 20130101; A42C
5/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/195.3 |
International
Class: |
A42B 001/22 |
Claims
1. Elastic headwear comprising: a head-covering portion being
stretchable in at least a circumferential direction thereof and
having a plurality of front pieces, side pieces and rear pieces, at
least one piece among the side pieces and rear pieces being made of
a stretchable warp knitted mesh which comprises at least one
non-covered stretch yarn and a plurality of non-stretch yarns; and
a sweatband being stretchable in at least a circumferential
direction thereof, wherein the non-covered stretch yarn and the
plurality of non-stretch yarns are provided in rows without being
twisted with each other.
2. The elastic headwear as recited in claim 1, wherein the
stretchable warp knitted mesh of the crown portion is aligned such
that the course direction of the mesh is substantially identical
with the circumferential direction.
3. The elastic headwear as recited in claim 1, wherein the
non-covered stretch yarn is preferably selected from a non-covered
spandex yarn and a textured yarn.
4. The elastic headwear as recited in claim 3, wherein the
non-covered spandex yarn is polyurethane yarn.
5. The elastic headwear as recited in claim 1, wherein the
non-stretch yarns are synthetic yarns which are selected from
Nylon, Polyester, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyethylene
(PE), and Polypropylene (PP).
6. The elastic headwear as recited in claim 1, wherein front pieces
of the crown portion are stiffened.
7. The elastic headwear as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
a size adjustment member disposed on rear pieces to further adjust
the size of the crown portion.
8. A head-covering portion of a headwear, comprising: a first
portion corresponding approximately to a front of a user's head; a
second portion; and a third portion between the first and second
portions, at least one of the second portion and the third portion
comprising a stretchable warp knitted mesh.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (a) Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to elastic headwear, and more
particularly to ventilated elastic headwear using a warp knitted
mesh.
[0003] (b) Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventional elastic headwear such as a cap and a hat
includes an elastic crown portion and a stretchable sweatband. This
design is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,540. The elastic crown
portion is made of a solid material which may cause the head to
become overheated in warm weather because it is not well
ventilated.
[0005] Attempts to enhance ventilation have been made, such as U.S.
Pat. No. 6,067,658. This design has a crown composed of double-knit
weft knitted fabrics. The double-knit weft knitted fabrics may
enhance the ventilation of the cap, but they are so soft that it is
difficult for the cap to retain its shape during carriage or
display for sale.
[0006] In addition, mesh-type warp knitted fabric has been used as
a crown portion in order to enhance the ventilation, as well as for
shape retention of the headwear. The mesh-type warp knitted fabric
is processed by stretching it on a tenter frame, heating it to
provide stiffness, and stabilizing it. However, this results in a
lack of elasticity of the cap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the prior art described above, it is an object of
the present invention to provide elastic headwear having a
stretchable warp knitted mesh which has enhanced ventilation as
well as shape-retention.
[0008] To achieve this and other objects, as embodied and broadly
described herein, elastic headwear includes a head-covering portion
being stretchable in at least a circumferential direction thereof,
and a sweatband being stretchable in at least a circumferential
direction thereof. The head-covering portion has a plurality of
pieces, and at least one piece is made of a stretchable warp
knitted mesh which has at least one non-covered stretch yarn and a
plurality of non-stretch yarns. The non-covered stretch yarn and
the plurality of non-stretch yarns are provided in rows without
being twisted with each other. The non-covered stretch yarn is
hereinafter referred to as a stretch yarn which is not covered by
any covering yarn, by contrast with a conventional covered stretch
yarn such as spandex covered yarn.
[0009] The non-covered stretch yarn is preferably selected from a
non-covered spandex yarn and a textured yarn.
[0010] The stretchable warp knitted mesh of the crown portion is
preferably aligned such that the course direction of the mesh is
substantially identical with the circumferential direction.
[0011] Both the foregoing general description and the following
Detailed Description are exemplary and are intended to provide
further explanation of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The accompanying drawings provide further understanding of
the invention, and together with the Detailed Description, explain
the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a cap
according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the cap of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of stretchable warp knitted
mesh;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a photograph showing the stretchable warp knitted
mesh;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a cap
according to the present invention; and
[0018] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the cap of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will
hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a cap 10 has a crown portion 100
for being worn on a head of a wearer, a visor portion 200 coupled
to the crown portion 100 for blocking sunlight, and a stretchable
sweatband 300 provided at the interior circumference of the crown
portion 100. The present invention is not limited to the cap as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which merely shows an example as a kind of
application, and it may be a hat or other various kinds of
headwear.
[0021] The crown portion 100 is made up of a plurality of pieces
such as front pieces 110, 120, side pieces 130, 160, and rear
pieces 140, 150, which form a hemispherical shape of the crown
portion. The front pieces 110, 120 may be stiffened using materials
known in the art to enhance the appearance of the cap 10.
[0022] The other pieces 130-160 are made of stretchable warp
knitted mesh for enhanced ventilation and shape retention. The
stretchable warp knitted mesh may be manufactured with general warp
knitting machines such as Tricot, Raschel, and Milanese knitting
machines. FIG. 3 shows an example of the stretchable warp knitted
mesh. The mesh is composed of three threads M1, M2, M3, and it is
produced using six needles. The threads M1, M2 are non-stretch
threads, and they are made up of a plurality of non-stretch yarns
which are synthetic yarns selected from Nylon, Polyester,
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyethylene (PE), and
Polypropylene (PP). The thread M3 is stretchable, and it is made up
of at least one non-covered stretch yarn Y1 and a plurality of
non-stretch yarns Y2. The non-covered yarn Y1 and the plurality of
non-stretch yarns Y2 are provided in rows without being twisted
with each other, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 3. For
example, the non-covered yarns Y1 are two, while the non-stretch
yarns Y2 are thirty in one thread M3 of FIG. 3.
[0023] The non-covered stretch yarn Y1 may be a spandex yarn which
is not covered by any covering yarn as is in the conventional
spandex covered yarn. The non-covered stretch yarn Y1 may be a
textured yarn. The textured yarns are those which have been
mechanically or chemically treated to impart kinks, curls, or
crimps to the individual filaments to enhance latent contraction
thereof.
[0024] The non-stretch yarns Y2 are synthetic yarns selected from
Nylon, Polyester, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyethylene
(PE), and Polypropylene (PP), similar to the threads M1, M2.
[0025] Because the non-covered stretch yarn Y1 is disposed with the
non-stretch yarns Y2 without twisting, the thread M3 has a grain
which looks as if many lines of the synthetic yarns are disposed in
their lengthwise direction. In contrast, conventional stretchable
thread is produced with a spandex yarn at its core and non-stretch
yarns twisted around the core to cover the spandex yarn, so its
grain looks different than the thread M3.
[0026] The mesh is stretchable in a course direction as well as a
wale direction, since the stretch threads M3 resides in both
directions. The mesh is preferably aligned such that the course
direction thereof is substantially identical with the
circumferential direction of the crown portion 100. In this case,
the thread M3 is disposed to show vertical lines on the crown
portion 100 as shown in FIG. 4, facilitating the crown portion 100
to stand somewhat erect for appearance purposes. The vertical lines
of thread M3 are also aesthetically pleasing since the yarns Y1, Y2
are not twisted, but are displaced together in rows to prominently
show the vertical grain of the thread M3 while the crown portion
100 is provided with stretchability.
[0027] When a wearer wears the cap 10 of FIGS. 1-2, the cap
stretches in the circumferential direction to enhance wearing
comfort due to rapid sweat evaporation and ventilation through the
pieces 130-160 of the crown portion 100.
[0028] Referring now to FIGS. 5-6, a second embodiment of the
present invention will be described. A cap 20 is similar to the cap
10 of FIGS. 1-2, except that the cap 20 has a size adjustment
member 400 in order to further adjust the size thereof. The cap 20
has a crown portion 100 for being worn on a head of a wearer, a
visor portion 200 coupled to the crown portion 100 for blocking
sunlight, and a stretchable sweatband 300 provided at the interior
circumference of the crown portion 100. The size adjustment member
400 may be a pair of plastic straps as shown in FIGS. 5-6. The cap
20 which utilizes this size adjustment member 400 has a
semicircular open area forming a gap at the rear pieces 140, 150 of
the crown portion 100, and the straps are attached at opposite ends
of the open area. The first strap has a plurality of holes, and the
second strap has a plurality of protrusions designed to engage the
holes of the first strap. The cap 20 with the size adjustment
member 400 typically accommodates a larger range of cap sizes than
the cap 10 of the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] Another type of size adjustment member may be a pair of
straps utilizing what is referred to as Velcro hook and loop
fastener means. The overall structure and appearance of a cap which
utilizes this means is similar to the above. A first strap having a
Velcro loop fastener patch is attached to one end of the open area,
and a second strap having a corresponding Velcro hook fastener
patch is attached to the opposite end of the open area.
[0030] Yet another type of size adjustment member may include a
continuously adjustable belt with a buckle assembly.
[0031] The crown portion 100 is made up of a plurality of pieces
such as front pieces 110, 120, side pieces 130, 160, and rear
pieces 140, 150 which form a hemispherical shape of the crown
portion. The front pieces 110, 120 may be stiffened using materials
known in the art to enhance the appearance of the cap 10.
[0032] The other pieces 130-160 are made of stretchable warp
knitted mesh for enhanced ventilation and shape-retaining
properties. The stretchable warp knitted mesh may be manufactured
by general warp knitting machines such as Tricot, Raschel, and
Milanese knitting machines, the same as in the description
referring to FIGS. 3-4. At least one of the threads of which the
mesh is made up is stretchable and is composed of at least one
non-covered stretch yarn and a plurality of non-stretch yarns. The
non-covered stretch yarn and the plurality of non-stretch yarns are
provided in rows without being twisted with each other, as shown in
the enlarged view of FIG. 3.
[0033] When a wearer wears the cap 20 as shown in FIGS. 5-6, the
cap stretches in the circumferential direction to enhance wearing
comfort due to rapid sweat evaporation and ventilation through the
pieces 130-160 of the crown portion 100. The wearer can adjust the
size of the cap 20 by adjusting the size adjusting member 400.
[0034] Although the front pieces of the crown portion are stiffened
in the first and second embodiments, it should be noted that all
pieces or a part of the crown portion can be made of the warp
knitted mesh according to the specific design.
[0035] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made to the present invention
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *