U.S. patent application number 14/047184 was filed with the patent office on 2014-04-17 for wig cap.
The applicant listed for this patent is Radi Dennis. Invention is credited to Radi Dennis.
Application Number | 20140101827 14/047184 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50474016 |
Filed Date | 2014-04-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140101827 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dennis; Radi |
April 17, 2014 |
WIG CAP
Abstract
The cap is a durable flexible head covering foundation article
to be used on the head of a person under an artificial head
covering. The body is dome shaped and contains a smooth inner layer
to protect the natural hair and hairline and to retain/provide
moisture to the natural hair thereby lessening breakage along the
hairline and the hair itself that can be caused by artificial head
coverings. The body also includes a smooth or textured outer layer
with notches above/framing the top of the ears enabling it to
conform to the head of the wearer. The body further includes a
reinforced rim allowing for lasting or durable stretch memory of
the perimeter of the cap. The present invention contains zero to
multiple openings allowing for attachment of the artificial head
covering to the natural hair of the wearer.
Inventors: |
Dennis; Radi; (Washington,
DC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Dennis; Radi |
Washington |
DC |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50474016 |
Appl. No.: |
14/047184 |
Filed: |
October 7, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61710788 |
Oct 8, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/410 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 1/041 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/410 |
International
Class: |
A42B 1/04 20060101
A42B001/04 |
Claims
1. A flexible, durable head covering foundation article with a
smooth inner layer with zero to multiple openings/slits to be used
on the head of a person under an artificial head covering such as a
wig, cap, hat, etc whereby the invention protects the hairline and
hair of the wearer from damage while allowing for secure placement
of the artificial head covering on the head of the wearer the
article being comprised of a material that conforms to the head of
the wearer and containing a tapered reinforced elasticized
bottom/rim edge encircling the perimeter of the head with notches
framing the top of both ears.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Claims the benefit of the provisional application
#61710788
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0004] 1. Technical Field
[0005] This invention relates to a wig cap and more specifically a
wig cap that effectively protects the hairline and the hair from
thinning, baldness, and breakage as a result of wearing wigs and
hats.
[0006] 2. Prior Art
[0007] The problem with wig caps currently on the market is that
they are made of a nylon that does not adequately protect the
hairline from the rim of the wig or the adhesive used on many wigs
to secure the lace of the wig to the head and give a more natural
appearance to the customer. Current nylon wig caps tend to pull out
hair strands when removed from head. Further, nylon wig caps
currently on the market tend to shrink or retreat from the hairline
after a few hours of wear thereby exposing the hairline to the
adhesives of the lace front wig or the rim of the wig causing
unnecessary breakage or balding of the hairline. African-American
women tend to have naturally dry hair that tends to break easily if
not kept moisturized. Therefore, the nylon wig caps currently on
the market are likely to damage African-American hair when worn
under wigs that are worn and changed like accessories in the
current society. Additionally, nylon wig caps do not, retain
moisture to the hair therefore leaving it more susceptible to
breakage especially for African-American customers. Nylon wig caps
on the market also tend to be useless after four or five wears
because they stretch out and lack sufficient stretch memory.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present novel invention provides a solution to the
problems outlined above, and provides a secure fit to the
circumference of the head so as not to expose the hairline to
unnecessary breakage. This new invention does exist on the market
and has never been commercialized. The present invention is
stretchable circumferentially and conforms to the shape of the
head. The present invention can be worn under any artificial head
covering to maintain or increase moisture and prevent damage to the
natural hair of the wearer. The present invention has a
circumference that is equal to the circumference of the head and
contains a thin inside layer and outside layer. The inside layer is
a stretchy smooth silky fabric or material that does not pull or
damage the natural hair strands and retains and/or provides
moisture to the natural hair when worn under an artificial head
covering. It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a
smooth inside protective layer that separates the artificial head
covering from the natural hair of the wearer.
[0009] The present invention contains a reinforced elasticized band
equal to the circumference of the head. The present invention
contains ear notches/notches above both ears that surround or
conforms to the top of both ears and enabling a framing of the face
covering the hairline and providing a stay-in-place secure fit of
the overall cap. The indentations on the right and left side of the
cap enables the cap to fit securely on the head and snugly beneath
the top of the right and left ear without risk of the cap receding
backwards or upwards on the head exposing the hairline and risking
hair damage. The innovative ear notches ensures that the cap will
not retreat from the hairline thereby protecting it from damage or
balding.
[0010] The inventive cap contains zero to four openings
strategically placed in the front or sides or back of the cap to
accommodate the insertion of combs typically attached to commercial
wigs and used to secure the wig to the head.
[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide a new
improved protective head covering foundation with a structure for
securely holding the wig in place and protecting the wearer's
natural hairline and hair.
[0012] The object of this invention is to provide a cap that
protects the hair of the wearer and maintains or provides moisture
to the natural hair of the wearer and is comfortably worn under any
artificial head covering.
[0013] Another object of the invention is to provide a cap that
accommodates and can be adapted to be worn with a variety of
artificial head coverings currently being sold on the market.
[0014] An object of the present invention is to provide a secure
stay-in-place fit through a reinforced elasticized circumferential
edge of cap and crest shaped notches tapered above and hugging each
ear located on either side of the head and above each ear thereby
acting as stabilizing features for the cap when worn under a
variety of artificial head coverings.
[0015] Another object of the invention is to provide a smooth inner
layer so as to protect natural hair and hairline.
[0016] A further object of the present invention is a cap
construction that may be worn by users with varying head sizes.
[0017] The abovementioned objects, features, and advantages will be
more apparent from a full reading and study of the complete
application and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0018] A complete understanding of the present invention may be
obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when taken in
conjunction with the detailed description thereof and in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is an inside view of the combination of inventive
slits/openings, the reinforced bottom edge, the tapered crest
cutout above the ears, the smooth lining inside the cap.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a front perspective of the cap
[0021] FIG. 3 is a back perspective of the cap
[0022] FIG. 4 is a side perspective f the cap
[0023] FIG. 5 is a top perspective of the cap
[0024] FIG. 6 is a bottom inside view of the cap
[0025] FIG. 7 is an in use perspective of the cap
[0026] FIG. 8 is a front perspective of the cap with a two
openings/slits modification on the right and left sides of the
cap.
[0027] FIG. 9 is a front perspective with a single openings/slit
modification in the front of the cap
[0028] FIG. 10 is a front perspective with an example zero
openings/slits modification
[0029] FIG. 11 is a front perspective with an example single
openings/slit modification at the top of the cap.
[0030] FIG. 12 is a front perspective with an example modification
of a netted covering of the openings/slits.
[0031] FIG. 13 is a blown up perspective of the opening/slit
feature of the cap
[0032] FIG. 14 is a blown up perspective of the opening/slit
feature of the cap where the opening has no covering
[0033] FIG. 15 is a blown up perspective of the opening/slit
feature of the cap where the opening is covered with a netted
material
[0034] FIG. 16 is a blown up perspective of the opening/slit
feature of the cap where the opening is covered with a netted
material
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0035] The present invention will be described more fully
incorporating reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a
preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The invention may,
however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be
construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein. This
embodiment is provided so that this application will be thorough
and complete, and will fully convey the true scope of the invention
to those fully skilled in the art. The present invention is not
limited to the examples chosen for purposes of disclosure, and
covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute a
departure from the true spirit and scope of the invention.
[0036] Synthetic wigs, hats, caps are frequently used for cosmetic
appearance enhancement. For purposes of this application such head
coverings will be referred to as artificial head coverings. An
artificial head covering is an article constructed for wearing atop
the user's head. Frequently synthetic wigs are held in place with
combs mounted to the wig cap or by friction between the wig cap and
the wig. The number of combs on a wig cap can range from zero to
four or more. Wigs are also held in place with special adhesives
put on the wig to adhere the wig to the wearer's head. The problem
with wig caps currently on the market is that they are made of a
nylon that does not adequately protect the hairline from the rim of
the wig or the adhesive used on many wigs to secure the lace of the
wig to the head of the wearer. Nor do such wig caps protect the
natural hair of the wearer for they have a tendency to pull or
break hair strands when removed from the head of the wearer.
[0037] The present invention satisfies a need by providing a
durable and flexible protective covering for the user's natural
hair and hairline that has two-way stretch and is stretchable in
two dimensions and easily conforms to the shape of the head of the
wearer. The present invention can be worn under any resent
invention has sufficient stretch to compress the natural hair of
the wearer and eliminating bulk under a synthetic wig giving the
wig a more natural appearance. The present invention is
lightweight, comfortable to wear and durable in construction. The
present invention is specifically configured so as to fit snugly
over the natural hair of the wearer and in alignment with the
natural hairline without receding toward the crown of the head. The
present invention has a reinforced elasticized bottom edge running
along the natural hairline of the wearer and has sufficient memory
so as to not become over stretched after several wears. The wearer
is not subjected to headaches from pressure of the article and can
wear the article all day without being reminded that she is wearing
the article. Further, the present invention is constructed using
special fabrics and features that protect the wearer's natural hair
and hairline without pulling the hair strands of the wearer,
depleting moisture from the hair of the wearer or slipping off the
head of the wearer. The present invention provides for a fully
stabilized and secure fit of the synthetic wig on the head of the
wearer. Synthetic hair can also be attached to the front of the cap
and a synthetic half wig can be worn over the body of the cap so
that the lace front attached synthetic hair is on the forehead
instead of the hairline thereby protecting the hairline from damage
yet giving a more natural looking aesthetic to the synthetic hair.
The protective cap is completely hidden from view.
[0038] The present invention is designed to aid in the protection
of the wearer's natural hair and hairline when wearing artificial
head coverings in addition to enabling a secure fit of the
artificial head covering. The present invention is made of a
material that is stretchable circumferentially about the head of
the wearer. The present invention has a reinforced elasticized edge
that runs along the hairline of the wearer but is not overly
constricting to the users head thereby causing headaches. The
present invention is tapered by way of a crest shaped cutout above
the left and right ears so that the invention remains in place.
Such features provide for an optimum fit of the article thereby
preventing a recession of the article away from hairline toward the
dome of the head. The edge running along the hairline may or may
not have more elasticity than the body or dome of the protective
cap. However, there is reinforced elasticity at the edge of the cap
along the hairline thereby providing stability and protection of
the hairline. The entire inner lining of the cap including the
reinforced elasticized bottom edge is a thin smooth stretchy fabric
similar to polyester, spandex, satin, silk or similar fabrics that
do not pull the strands of the wearer's natural hair but lies or
slides over the wearer's natural hair. The inner layer may also be
plastic so as to allow increased moisture to hair. The outer side
may be made of the same fabric as the inner layer or a more fibrous
rougher textured fabric enabling a more secure fit of the
artificial head covering and preventing, in the case of a synthetic
wig, from slipping off the head of the wearer. Without departing
from the scope of this invention, the means for adjusting the size
thereof, such as cinching or a drawstring or cord lock may be used
and remain within the scope of the present invention. The present
invention can also be constructed in a variety of shapes and sizes
without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a
triangle shape is possible without departing from the scope of the
invention.
[0039] The slits/openings in the front, back, left side, and right
side of the cap are for the purpose of inserting combs that are
usually attached to wigs to go through the cap into the natural
hair of the wearer. The openings are integral for advantageously
preventing the wig from slipping from the head of the wearer. The
opening for the wig combs allows for a secured fit of the hair wig
and prevents slippage of the hair wig from the wearer's head. The
invention can be adjusted to have zero to multiple openings
depending on the artificial head covering. Some wigs may not have
any combs or one comb attached, others may have two combs; others
may have three combs attached, the present invention can be adapted
accordingly and still be within the scope of the invention to those
skilled in the art. Further, the openings/slits in the front, back,
and sides of the article may not be covered by any material (open),
the slits may be covered by netting or another material that would
enable the wig combs to go through the article to the natural hair
of the wearer and secure the synthetic wig to the head of the
wearer. Such modifications, though not illustrated in the included
drawings remain fully within the scope of the present invention.
Therefore, the drawings or illustrations included do not limit the
range of opening elements that may or may not be employed without
departing from the scope of the invention.
[0040] The fabric or material used in the preparation of the cap
can vary widely, and can be selected, for example from nylons,
silk, satin, plastic, polyester, lycra, microfiber, spandex, a
fabric blend, cotton, etc. The inside lining of the present
invention/cap can vary widely from satin to plastic (but not
limited to either) as long as it protects and does not break or
damage the hair strands of the wearer. The fabric used for inside
lining of the present invention/cap protects the hair and hairline.
The inside of the cap that is in direct contact with the wearer's
natural hair and hairline is made of a fabric or material that is
very smooth and not abrasive and does not pull the hair strands of
the wearer when removed. The outside of the present invention/cap
may be made of the same fabric or texture as the inside or the
outside of the present invention/cap may be treated or matted so as
to provide friction between the wig and the present invention
thereby providing a more secure fit of the wig or other artificial
head covering. The fabric and construction allows for 24-hour
protection, comfort and wear.
[0041] The examples of material or fabric given throughout this
application do not limit the wide variety of fabrics or materials
that can be used and still remain within the scope of the
invention.
[0042] The combined features of reinforced elasticity along the
hairline, the smooth fabric inner lining of the article, the
stabilizing features of a crest tapered right and left side and
openings/slits for wig combs keeps the article in place and
prevents the recession of the article away from the hairline
providing protection of the hair and hairline of the wearer thereby
preventing hair loss associated with wig adhesives, wigs, hats, or
moisture depletion.
[0043] Though the invention has been described with respect to a
certain specific embodiment, it will be appreciated that many
modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art
without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended,
therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications
and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
[0044] In particular, with respect to the above description, it is
to be realized that optimum dimensional relationships for the parts
of the present invention may include variations in size, materials,
shape, form, function and manner of operation. The assembly and use
of the present invention are deemed readily apparent and obvious to
one skilled in the art.
* * * * *