U.S. patent application number 12/251563 was filed with the patent office on 2010-01-21 for environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member and manufacturing method thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to Yupoong, Inc.. Invention is credited to Byoung-Woo CHO.
Application Number | 20100011485 12/251563 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41528940 |
Filed Date | 2010-01-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100011485 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHO; Byoung-Woo |
January 21, 2010 |
Environmentally-Friendly Visor Stiffening Member and Manufacturing
Method Thereof
Abstract
An environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member and a
manufacturing method thereof may provide a smoothly curved shape
without using an environmentally-bad plastic material and being
easily sewn. The environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member
is sandwiched with at least one fabric piece layer, an adhesive
resin layer disposed under the fabric piece layer, and a pulp or
cellulose board layer disposed under the fabric piece layer via the
adhesive resin layer. With this structure, the visor portion may
have a smoothly curved shape even though it is not made of an
environmentally-bad synthetic resin material, it may not be easily
ruptured even if excessive force is applied thereto, and it may be
easily sewn to provide a beautiful aesthetic appearance.
Inventors: |
CHO; Byoung-Woo;
(Gyeonggi-do, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FELLERS SNIDER BLANKENSHIP;BAILEY & TIPPENS
THE KENNEDY BUILDING, 321 SOUTH BOSTON SUITE 800
TULSA
OK
74103-3318
US
|
Assignee: |
Yupoong, Inc.
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
41528940 |
Appl. No.: |
12/251563 |
Filed: |
October 15, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/195.6 ;
156/212; 2/195.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 1/0183 20210101;
Y10T 156/1028 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/195.6 ;
2/195.1; 156/212 |
International
Class: |
A42B 1/00 20060101
A42B001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 18, 2008 |
KR |
10-2008-0070260 |
Claims
1. A environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member sandwiched
with at least one fabric piece layer, an adhesive resin layer
disposed under the fabric piece layer, and a pulp or cellulose
board layer disposed under the fabric piece layer via the adhesive
resin layer.
2. The environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member of claim 1,
wherein the adhesive resin layer is composed of an
environmentally-friendly water-soluble adhesive and is indirectly
heated via the fabric piece to be softened and hardened to curve
the visor stiffening member.
3. The environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member of claim 2,
wherein the adhesive resin layer includes a rosin ester that has a
softening point of 75 to 120.degree. C. as a main component, and
contains abietic acid of the chemical formula
C.sub.20H.sub.30O.sub.2 at equal to or less than 3.0% as a white
crystal and dehydroabietic acid at below 15%.
4. The environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member of claim 3,
wherein the adhesive resin layer contains oxygen at equal to or
less than 0.3% and impurities of equal to or less than 0.04%.
5. The environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member of claim 1,
wherein the cellulose or pulp board has a thickness of about a
1.50.+-.0.5 mm and a density of 0.72.+-.0.20 g/cm.sup.3.
6. The environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member of claim 5,
wherein the cellulose or pulp board has a peel strength of equal to
or more than 0.3 kN/m, a strain strength of equal to or more than
about 0.5 kN/cm.sup.2 for a submerging test, and a bending strength
of equal to or more than 1.9.
7. A method for manufacturing an environmentally-friendly visor
stiffening member, comprising: supplying a fabric piece having a
hardened adhesive resin layer of a thickness of about 0.05.+-.0.02
mm on at least one surface thereof and a cellulose or pulp board in
a sandwiched sheet; cutting the fabric piece and the cellulose or
pulp board in correspondence with a shape of a visor portion
protruding outward from at least a part of a crown portion of a
headwear to shield sunlight; softening the adhesive resin layer by
indirectly heating the same via the fabric piece or the cellulose
or pulp board with the cellulose or pulp board being smoothly
curved along a curve forming portion by a thermal forming unit
having a recess portion and the curve forming portion; curing and
setting the sandwiched fabric piece or the cellulose or pulp board
via the softened adhesive resin layer in a curved state by a
cooling unit.
8. The method for manufacturing an environmentally-friendly visor
stiffening member of claim 7, further comprising heating the recess
portion and the curve forming portion to a temperature 120 to
180.degree. C. by a heating portion, and maintaining a protrusion
portion and a curve forming portion of the cooling unit at a
temperature of 25.degree. C.
9. The method for manufacturing an environmentally-friendly visor
stiffening member of claim 8, wherein the adhesive resin layer
includes a rosin ester that has a softening point of 75 to
120.degree. C. as a main component, and contains abietic acid of
the chemical formula C.sub.20H.sub.30O.sub.2 as a white crystal at
equal to or less than 3.0% and dehydroabietic acid at below
15%.
10. The method for manufacturing an environmentally-friendly visor
stiffening member of claim 9, comprising supplying a subsidiary
material having a melting point of equal to or more than about
180.degree. C. between the curve forming portion and the recess
portion.
11. The method for manufacturing an environmentally-friendly visor
stiffening member of claim 10, wherein the cellulose or pulp board
has a thickness of about a 1.50.+-.0.5 mm and a density of
0.72.+-.0.20 g/cm.sup.3.
12. The method for manufacturing an environmentally-friendly visor
stiffening member of claim 11, wherein the cellulose or pulp board
has a peel strength of equal to or more than 0.3 kN/m, a strain
strength of equal to or more than about 0.5 kN/cm.sup.2 for a
submerging test, and a bending strength of equal to or more than
1.9.
13. A headwear comprising a crown portion that is placed on the
head and a visor portion protruding outward from at least a part of
the crown portion to shield sunlight, wherein the visor portion
includes a sandwiched environmentally-friendly visor stiffening
member surrounded by an upper fabric piece and a lower fabric piece
thereof and the environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member is
sandwiched with at least one fabric piece layer, an adhesive resin
layer disposed under the fabric piece layer, and a pulp or
cellulose board layer disposed under the fabric piece layer via the
adhesive resin layer.
14. The headwear of claim 13, wherein the adhesive resin layer is
composed of an environmentally-friendly water-soluble adhesive and
is indirectly heated via the fabric piece to be softened and
hardened to curve the visor stiffening member.
15. The headwear of claim 14, wherein the adhesive resin layer
includes a rosin ester that has a softening point of 75 to
120.degree. C. as a main component, and contains abietic acid of
the chemical formula C.sub.20H.sub.30O.sub.2 at equal to or less
than 3.0% as a white crystal and dehydroabietic acid at below
15%.
16. The headwear of claim 15, wherein the adhesive resin layer
contains oxygen at equal to or less than 0.3% and impurities of
equal to or less than 0.04%.
17. The headwear of claim 13, wherein the cellulose or pulp board
has a thickness of about a 1.50.+-.0.5 mm and a density of
0.72.+-.0.20 g/cm.sup.3.
18. The headwear of claim 17, wherein the cellulose or pulp board
has a peel strength of equal to or more than 0.3 kN/m, a strain
strength of equal to or more than about 0.5 kN/cm.sup.2 for a
submerging test, and a bending strength of equal to or more than
1.9.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (a) Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an environmentally-friendly
visor stiffening member and a manufacturing method thereof. More
particularly, the present invention relates to an
environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member and a
manufacturing method thereof that are capable of providing a
smoothly curved shape without using an environmentally-bad plastic
material.
[0003] (b) Description of the Related Art
[0004] Generally, headwear (which may include a baseball cap,
visor, and other caps) includes a crown portion for covering a head
and a visor portion for blocking sunlight and that is protruded
from a part portion or entire portion of a lower circumference of
the crown portion.
[0005] The visor portion is formed by overlapping several fabrics
with each other and sewing the same. However, when it rains, the
visor portion may be deformed or weighted because it absorbs
moisture. Accordingly, it has been recently proposed for the visor
portion to be made of a synthetic resin.
[0006] In order to make the visor portion with the synthetic resin,
a volatile organic compound or petrochemical such as benzene,
toluene, and ethereal oils or organic solvents may be used, which
may generate environmental pollution or may generate a large amount
of air pollutants.
[0007] Such materials may not be recycled or may generate
hypersensitivity due to organic dust, for example headaches, as
well generating environmental pollution.
[0008] In addition, when the visor portion is to be decorated and
sewn for aesthetic appearance, it is difficult to sew and decorate
the visor portion because the synthetic resin material is very hard
and it is melted by thermal friction of a high-speed sewing needle
and thus the melted synthetic resign material pollutes a peripheral
portion of the visor portion.
[0009] Accordingly, aesthetic appearance of the visor portion may
be decreased or productivity thereof may be deteriorated.
[0010] In addition, in a case in which the visor portion is made by
overlapping an environmentally-friendly material such as several
fabrics so as to solve these problems, such
environmentally-friendly material may not provide a smoothly curved
shape. When excess force is applied for the visor to form a curved
shape, a crease may be easily formed on the visor and accordingly
it may generate discontent of a consumer.
[0011] The above information disclosed in this Background section
is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the
invention and therefore it may contain information that does not
form the prior art that is already known in this country to a
person of ordinary skill in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention has been made in an effort to provide
an environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member and a
manufacturing method thereof having advantages of being smoothly
curved without using a synthetic resin that emits a volatile
organic compound.
[0013] In addition, the present invention has been made in an
effort to provide an environmentally-friendly visor stiffening
member and a manufacturing method thereof having advantages of
replacing a synthetic resin visor stiffening member with a
environmentally-friendly natural material, providing good shape
maintenance, and that is not easily deformed due to excess pressure
or moisture.
[0014] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an
environmentally-friendly visor stiffening member sandwiched with at
least one fabric piece layer, an adhesive resin layer disposed
under the fabric piece layer, and a pulp or cellulose board layer
disposed under the fabric piece layer via the adhesive resin
layer.
[0015] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention
provides a method for manufacturing an environmentally-friendly
visor stiffening member, including supplying a fabric piece having
a hardened adhesive resin layer of a thickness of about
0.05.+-.0.02 mm on at least one surface thereof and a cellulose or
pulp board in a sandwiched sheet; cutting the fabric piece and the
cellulose or pulp board in correspondence with a shape of a visor
portion protruding outward from at least a part of a crown portion
of a headwear to shield sunlight; softening the adhesive resin
layer by indirectly heating the same via the fabric piece or the
cellulose or pulp board with the cellulose or pulp board being
smoothly curved along a curve forming portion by a thermal forming
unit having a recess portion and the curve forming portion; and
curing and setting the sandwiched fabric piece or the cellulose or
pulp board via the softened adhesive resin layer in a curved state
by a cooling unit.
[0016] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention
provides a headwear comprising a crown portion that is placed on
the head and a visor portion protruding outward from at least a
part of the crown portion to shield sunlight, wherein the visor
portion includes a sandwiched environmentally-friendly visor
stiffening member surrounded by an upper fabric piece and a lower
fabric piece thereof and the environmentally-friendly visor
stiffening member is sandwiched with at least one fabric piece
layer, an adhesive resin layer disposed under the fabric piece
layer, and a pulp or cellulose board layer disposed under the
fabric piece layer via the adhesive resin layer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of headwear exposing a part of
a visor portion according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0018] FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C are respectively cross-sectional views
taken along a line II-II of FIG. 1.
[0019] FIG. 3A illustrates initial moisture resistance in a case of
cellulose boards or paper boards applied with a rosin according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 3B illustrates a variance of moisture resistance of
after 1 hour in a case of cellulose boards or paper boards applied
with a rosin according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates a must occurrence test in a case of
cellulose boards or paper boards applied with a rosin according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an apparatus for
manufacturing a visor stiffening member according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0023] The present invention will be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown.
[0024] As those skilled in the art would realize, the described
embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without
departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.
[0025] The drawings and description are to be regarded as
illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Like reference numerals
designate like elements throughout the specification.
[0026] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will
hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of headwear exposing a part of
a visor portion according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, and FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C is respectively a cross-sectional
view taken along a line II-II of FIG. 1.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 1, Headwear 100 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention may include a crown portion 101
for covering a head and a visor portion 103 for blocking sunlight
and that is protruded from a part portion or entire portion of a
lower circumference of the crown portion 101.
[0029] The visor portion 103 may be formed by means of sewing an
upper fabric piece 103a and 103a each other.
[0030] Particularly, the visor portion 103 further includes a visor
stiffening member 10 for maintaining a shape of the visor portion
10, which is surrounded by the upper fabric piece 103a and the
lower fabric piece 103b.
[0031] The visor stiffening member 10 may be made of an
environmentally-friendly natural material having good shape
maintenance and durability.
[0032] The environmentally-friendly natural material having good
shape maintenance and durability may include a natural fabric such
as cotton, a flax plant, and hemp, and cellulose or pulp or the
like except from a synthesis resin.
[0033] Accordingly, the upper fabric piece 103a of the visor
portion 103 may be provided with a complexly sewn ornament 103ab
regardless of the visor stiffening member 10 because the visor
stiffening member 10 may be easily sewn.
[0034] In addition, the visor portion 103 may have a smoothly
curved shape even though it is not made of an environmentally-bad
synthetic resin material, it may not be easily ruptured even if
excessive force is applied thereto, and it may be easily sewn to
provide a beautiful aesthetic appearance.
[0035] These characteristics of the visor stiffening member 10 are
provided by a sandwiched structure of the visor stiffening member
10
[0036] The sandwiched structure of the visor stiffening member 10
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is
described in detail with reference to FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 2A, the visor stiffening member 10 is
formed by applying an adhesive resin layer 13 on both sides of a
cellulose board or pulp board 11, sandwiching the cellulose board
or pulp board 11 with a fabric piece 15, indirectly heating and
softening the adhesive resin layer 13 via the fabric piece 15 at a
predetermined temperature of 120-180.degree. C., and setting the
same at room temperature to form a sandwiched sheet.
[0038] In addition, as shown in FIG. 2B, according to another
exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a visor stiffening
member 10' may be composed of a sandwiched sheet in which the
adhesive resin layer 13 is applied on one surface of the cellulose
board or pulp board 11, the fabric piece 15 is joined to one
surface of the cellulose board or pulp board 11 via the adhesive
resin layer 13, and the adhesive resin layer 13 is indirectly
heated and softened via the fabric piece 15 at a predetermined
temperature of 120-180.degree. C. and hardened at room
temperature.
[0039] Further, as shown in FIG. 2C, according to another exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, the visor stiffening member
10'' may be composed of a sandwiched sheet in which the adhesive
resin layer 13 is formed at both sides of the fabric piece 15,
cellulose boards or pulp boards 11 are joined to both sides of the
fabric piece 15, heat is indirectly applied to the adhesive resin
layer 13 via the cellulose boards or pulp boards at a predetermined
temperature of 120-180.degree. C. to soften the adhesive resin
layer 13, and the adhesive resin layer 13 is hardened at room
temperature to join the fabric piece 15 with the cellulose boards
or pulp boards 11.
[0040] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the cellulose boards or pulp boards 11 and the fabric
piece layer 15 may be sandwiched via the adhesive resin layer 13 in
various manners to provide a layered structure, thereby increasing
functionality.
[0041] With such a structure, the cellulose boards or pulp boards
11 may have appropriate elasticity by the hardened adhesive resin
layer 13 and are covered with the fabric piece layer 15 having heat
resistance so that the visor portion may be prevented from being
creased or ruptured when it is curved or formed by predetermined
heat or pressure.
[0042] In addition, the adhesive resin layer 13 may not leak from
the cellulose board or pulp board 11 and the fabric piece layer 15
even when it is melted, and accordingly it may not pollute an
apparatus for manufacturing the same to form a smoothly curved
visor stiffening member 10, 10', and 10''.
Exemplary Embodiment
[0043] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the visor stiffening member 10 may preferably have a
total thickness of 2.2 mm such that it may have a light weight, it
may not provide an awkward feeling, and it may prevent ultraviolet
rays from permeating as described in Table 1.
TABLE-US-00001 Thickness 1.0 mm 2.0 mm 3.0 mm 4.0 mm Ultraviolet
ray permeability .largecircle. X X X
[0044] Firstly, the cellulose board 11 is prepared by blend
polyester and cotton cellulose in a ratio of 40:60 to have a
thickness of about 1.50.+-.0.5 mm.
[0045] The visor stiffening member 10 may not be heavy because the
cellulose board 11 has a density of 0.72.+-.0.20 g/cm.sup.3, and it
may have a peel strength of equal to or more than 0.3 kN/m and a
strain strength of equal to or more than about 0.5 kN/cm2 for a
submerging test so that it may maintain its inherent shape even
when it is wet for a long time such as through sweat and water as
well as for a short time such as through laundering or rain.
[0046] In addition, it may not be creased by more than a
predetermined force since it has bending strength of equal to or
more than 1.9 and moisture at equal to or less than 5%.
[0047] The cellulose board may be replaced with the pulp board. At
this time, 100% pulp may be used to form a board having a thickness
of 1.50.+-.0.5 mm.
[0048] The visor stiffening member 10 may not be heavy because it
may have a density of 0.72.+-.0.20 g/cm.sup.3 as the cellulose
board 11 and it may have a peel strength of equal to or more than
0.3 kN/m and a strain strength of equal to or more than about 0.5
kN/cm2 for a submerging test so that it may maintain its inherent
shape even when it becomes wet during laundering or by rain.
[0049] In addition, it may also not be creased by equal to or more
than a predetermined force since it has a bending strength of equal
to or more than 1.9 and moisture of equal to or less than 5%.
[0050] It is preferable that the fabric piece 15 may be made of a
natural fiber that has good heat resistance, because it therefore
may not emit a volatile organic compound when it is heated by a
thermal molding unit 120 described hereafter.
[0051] The fabric piece 15 may be 100% cotton and may be other
fibers having similar functionality. Particularly when the fabric
piece 15 is 100% cotton, it is preferable that it has a thickness
of 0.65 mm as described in Table 2 because otherwise it may
indirectly transfer heat to the adhesive resin layer 13 and soften
the same.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Thickness 0.2 mm 0.5 mm 0.65 mm 1.0 mm
Heat-resistance and thermal crumples poor good Heat not
transmission transferred
[0052] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the adhesive resin layer 13 is composed of a water
soluble adhesive that has a rosin ester as a main component. It is
preferable that the rosin ester has adhesion strength of equal to
or more than 1.35 MPa and a transparent yellow color.
[0053] Since the adhesive resin layer 13 is composed of a water
soluble adhesive, it may not generate a volatile organic compound
or toxic air pollutant material and provide a water resistance and
antibiosis as described with reference to FIG. 3A through FIG.
4.
[0054] The rosin ester may have a softening point of 75 to
120.degree. C. when it contains abietic acid of the chemical
formula C.sub.20H.sub.30O.sub.2 as a white crystal at equal to or
less than 3.0% and dehydroabietic acid at below 15%.
[0055] In addition, it is preferable that it contains oxygen at
equal to or less than 0.3% and impurities at equal to or less than
0.04% such that it may not form an air gap on the water soluble
adhesive resin layer 11 and may provide stable adhesion strength
and stability during a thermal molding process described
hereafter.
[0056] In addition, it is preferable that the adhesive resin layer
13 is applied and hardened at a thickness of about 0.05.+-.0.02 mm
on the fabric piece layer 15 or the pulp or cellulose board layer
11.
[0057] Such an adhesive resin layer 13 may provide a desired curved
shape for the visor stiffening member 10 when it is again hardened
at room temperature after it has been softened at a predetermined
temperature of 120-180.degree. C., and it may properly join the
cellulose/pulp board layer 11 with the fabric piece layer 15.
[0058] The visor stiffening member 10 may not be heavy because it
may have a density of 0.72.+-.0.20 g/cm.sup.3, and it may have a
peel strength of equal to or more than 0.3 kN/m and a strain
strength of equal to or more than about 0.5 kN/cm.sup.2 for a
submerging test. In addition, it may also not be creased with equal
to or more than a predetermined force since it has bending strength
of equal to or more than 1.9 and moisture of equal to or less than
5%.
[0059] Water-resistance and antibiosis of the visor stiffening
member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3A through FIG.
4.
[0060] FIG. 3A illustrates initial moisture resistance in a case of
cellulose boards or paper boards applied with a rosin according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3B
illustrates a variance of moisture resistance after 1 hour in a
case of a cellulose boards or paper boards applied with a rosin
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
4 illustrates a must occurrence test in a case of cellulose boards
or paper boards applied with a rosin according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0061] As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, we know that sample 5
corresponding to the visor stiffening member according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention has good water
resistance compared to not being applied with the rosin ester or
the adhesive resin layer 13 in that a drop of water on the adhesive
resin layer 13 that is sufficiently applied with the rosin ester
maintains a transparent drop shape.
[0062] As shown in FIG. 4, we know that sample 5 corresponding to
the visor stiffening member according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention has good antibiosis compared to not being
applied with the adhesive resin layer 13 or samples 1, 2, 3, and 4
that are applied with other adhesive resin layers in that bacteria
may not grow after the bacteria is nurtured for 5 days under the
same environment.
[0063] A method for manufacturing a visor stiffening member
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is
described with reference to FIG. 5.
[0064] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an apparatus for
manufacturing a visor stiffening member according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0065] As shown in FIG. 5, an apparatus for manufacturing a visor
stiffening member according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention includes a sheet forming unit 110, a thermal
molding unit 120, and a cooling unit 130. The sheet forming unit
110 includes a first roller 111 for supplying the cellulose board
or pulp board 11, a second roller 112 for supplying the fabric
piece 15, and third rollers 113 for pressing and adhering the
supplied cellulose board or pulp board 11 to the supplied fabric
piece 15.
[0066] The adhesive resin layer 13 is applied and hardened on one
surface at which the supplied cellulose board or pulp board 11 and
the supplied fabric piece 15 are opposed to each other.
[0067] Accordingly, when the third rollers 113 or heating rollers
115 press and heat the upper surface of the fabric piece 15, the
supplied cellulose board or pulp board 11 and the supplied fabric
piece 15 are adhered to each other as one piece. And then a
pressure press 116 may cut a pattern 110a of the visor stiffening
member 10.
[0068] The pressure press 116 may include an iron impression die
117 corresponding to the pattern 110a of the visor stiffening
member 10. A working table 118 is disposed under the pressure press
116 so that the pattern 110a of the visor stiffening member 10 may
be separated when the iron impression die 117 vertically
reciprocates on the working table 118.
[0069] Such a pattern 110a may be set as a curved shape by the
thermal molding unit 120.
[0070] The thermal molding unit 120 may include a curve-forming
portion 121 for providing a desired visor stiffening member 10, a
jig 122 for vertically reciprocating the curve-forming portion 121,
a heating portion 123 for heating the same to a predetermined
temperature, a recess portion 124 corresponding to the
curve-forming portion 121, and a heating portion 125 that is
disposed along the recess portion 124.
[0071] Meanwhile, the thermal molding unit 120 may include a fourth
roller 126 for supplying a subsidiary member composed of cotton
such that the pattern 110a is uniformly pressed and heated not to
be deformed and crumbled when the pattern 110a is disposed and
pressed by the curve-forming portion 121.
[0072] A subsidiary member 16 may be supplied or retrieved by a
member supplying portion 127.
[0073] The pattern 110a curved in this manner is cooled and
hardened at room temperature to set a curved shape.
[0074] The cooling unit 130 includes a working table 131 and a
protrusion portion 133 for supporting a curved pattern 110a, and a
covering portion 135 for covering the curved pattern 110a disposed
on the protrusion portion 133.
[0075] The protrusion portion 133 and the covering portion 135 are
composed of a material having good thermal transmission and that is
maintained at room temperature of about 25.degree. C. For this
purpose, it may further include cooling means 132 for cooling the
protrusion portion 133 and the covering portion 135.
[0076] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, a desired smoothly curved shape for the visor portion
may be provided without using a toxic synthetic resin.
[0077] In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, an inherent shape of the visor portion may be
maintained even if it becomes wet while laundering or during rain,
and it may not grow bacteria.
[0078] Further, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the visor portion may have a smoothly curved shape even
though it is not made of an environmentally-bad synthetic resin
material, it may not be easily ruptured even if excessive force is
applied thereto, and it may be easily sewn to provide a beautiful
aesthetic appearance.
[0079] While this invention has been described in connection with
what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments,
it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the
disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover
various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within
the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *