Apparel – Head coverings – Face coverings
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-21
2004-06-29
Calvert, John J. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Head coverings
Face coverings
Reexamination Certificate
active
06754909
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
None
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
None
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
None
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to clothing and, more specifically, to a convertible headwear article that in one mode permits a person to breath comfortably without a clammy feeling around the user's mouth as well as to inhibit fogging eyeglasses if the user is wearing eyeglasses and in another mode protects a user's neck from the environment
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The concept of head warmers or headwear and particularly neck gators that extend upward along at least a portion of a user's face are old in the art
U.S. Design Pat. No. 369,442 shows a design for a combination mask and scarf where a series of holes are located in the mouth region.
My U.S. Design Pat. No. 398,136 shows a neck warmer where the nose shield extends downward over the mouth area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,804 shows a protective mask with scarf having a nose opening and a series of small holes for the mouth area.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,474 shows a cold weather mask with a nose opening and a set of small holes for the mouth with the mask shaped to fit about the face.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,800 shows a hat that can be worn as a neck warmer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,690 shows a head covering a with a nose opening and a set of small holes for the mouth with the mask shaped to fit about the face.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,068 shows a cowl to protect the head face and neck of a user with the cowl includes a channel that directs the exhaled air downward to reduce the likelihood of a user's glasses becoming fogged.
While there are a number of different types of headwear available, there are difficulties or drawbacks that limit the comfortable and effective use of the headwear in different modes. For example, most headwear is suitable for those people who do not wear eyeglasses; however, for those people who do wear eyeglasses they are subject to the annoying problem of having the eyeglasses fog up as the user exhales. This is a particularly annoying problem and can be hazardous if the person is operating equipment out-of-doors. The present invention provides headwear that can be comfortably worn by a person who does not wear eyeglasses or by a person who does wear eyeglasses. If the headwear is worn by a person wearing eyeglass the headwear inhibits the fogging of the user's eyeglasses as the user exhales. For those user's who do not wear eyeglasses and do not have the problem of eyeglasses fogging they usually report that the neck gator has a cold and clammy feeling as the moisture condenses in the portion of the neck gator that extends around the user's mouth and nose area. The present invention when in the face mask mode not only inhibits the fogging of a user's eyeglasses but also inhibits the clammy feeling associated with face masks or headwear that trap and retain moisture in the fabric, which is next to the user's face.
Other headwear that might be usable in the neck warmer mode suffers from the fact that the openings in the headwear to allow the headwear to function as a facemask make it uncomfortable to use as a neck warmer. In addition, if moisture is retained from the face mask mode wearing the mask in the neck warmer mode is uncomfortable. The present invention overcomes the problems by not only providing headgear that is effective in the facemask mode but headgear that can be quickly pulled down off the user's face to function in the neck gator mode as an effective neck warmer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A convertible headwear or convertible headgear article having a face mask mode including a nose brim with the nose brim extending away from the users face with the nose brim containing a wind-block material to prevent moisture laden air from being expelled through the fabric of the nose brim with the neck gator having an unimpeded opening around the user's mouth and nostrils to permit a person to exhale a moisture laden breath though the neck gator and away from the user's face to thereby inhibit the fogging of a user's eyeglasses as well as inhibit the clammy feeling that occurs when a face mask becomes moisture laden when used in the face mask mode. When the headgear is used in the neck gator mode the convertible headwear protrusions collapse to provides effective protection to the user's neck by blocking wind access to the user's neck through air breathing openings in the headgear.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2677133 (1954-05-01), Hoffman
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patent: 5214804 (1993-06-01), Carey et al.
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patent: 5628065 (1997-05-01), Austin
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patent: 5704068 (1998-01-01), Martin
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patent: D398136 (1998-09-01), Samelian
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patent: 6023787 (2000-02-01), French et al.
patent: 6272690 (2001-08-01), Carey et al.
patent: 6336459 (2002-01-01), Miyake et al.
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2003 catalog # 5921 of Competition Accessories.com (p. 12).
Confidentiality agreements.
Calvert John J.
Hoey Alissa L.
Jacobson & Johnson
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