HEAD WEAR AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to head wear and a method of forming same. The head wear is more particularly suited for use by sports people, especially those involved in contact sports such as rugby or sporting activities where it is prudent to use head protection.
In the game of rugby, it is common for some players to wear headgear. Such headgear is often referred to as a scrum cap as traditionally the players using the headgear have been forwards. However, it is not uncommon in the modern game for players in the back line to use the headgear for protection of the head or part of the head.
Head wear for such end use must provide the required level of protection for the user. Equally, use of the head wear must not increase the risk of injury to any other player. Such injury could result from, say, hard or sharp edges or even from the hardness or abrasiveness of the or part of the external surface of the head wear.
Also, comfort for the wearer is important. The head wear must be not only comfortable to wear but must also provide appropriate levels of ventilation and preferably drainage of
SUBSTITUE SHEET Rule 26 moisture build-up within the head wear. Furthermore, hearing of user should not be unduly impaired.
There are thus many factors which need to be balanced when designing a sports head wear especially intended for contact sports. However, head wear intended for such an end use can also be used or form the basis of a use specific head wear or helmet for other end uses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide head wear for sports use especially contact sports, the head wear going some way to achieving the desirable criteria outlined above or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.
According to one broad aspect of the invention there is provided head wear formed from a laminate of at least an inner and an outer foamed material layer.
In a preferred form of the invention a mesh is located between the inner and outer layers .
At least part of strapping intended for strapping the head wear to the head of a user is located between the inner and outer layers . The strap can be adhered or attached to the inner layer.
Preferably, the inner and outer layers include openings for ventilation purposes. Openings are preferably also provided to align in use with at least in part of the ears of a wearer of the head wear.
According to one embodiment of the invention the material of the inner and outer layers is different. The inner layer can be an EVA and the outer layer can be a polyethylene or a mixture of both and a combination of densities.
In another embodiment the inner and outer layers are formed from the same material type. Preferably the outer layer is of denser material than the inner layer.
According to a second broad aspect of the invention there is provided a method of constructing head wear comprising the steps of:-
(a) positioning one or more sections of a foamed material on a former of a mould;
(b) positioning at least one strap therewith;
(c) applying a mesh layer; (d) positioning one or more sections of a foamed material on the mesh layer; and
(e) closing the mould over the assembly and causing the assembly to combine to form an item of head wear.
The combining of the assembly of parts can be effected by use of an adhesive, heat bonding or other suitable method of joining.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following more detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of head wear according to the present invention,
Figure 2 is a similar view but with a front portion of the head wear cut away,
Figure 3 is a further but outer layer side cut away view of the head wear, Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the head wear as worn,
Figure 5 is a plan view of the head wear but not showing the mesh,
Figure 6 is a composite half section front and rear elevation view of the head wear but once again without the mesh shown,
Figures 7 and 8 are part views of the joining arrangement for the chin strap of the head wear, and
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of the head wear.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In one preferred form of the head wear as shown in the accompanying drawings the inner layer 11 of foamed material is a single shaped piece of material which includes ventilation openings 12 and opposed ear openings 13. In a less preferred form of the invention the inner layer 11 could be made up of separate pieces . As shown in Figure 2 the exposed surface of the inner layer 11 could be covered by a moisture absorbing material 11a of a type commonly used in the clothing industry. In the interests of clarity only a section of liner material 11a is shown in Figure 2. This liner material 11a can be glued or otherwise adhered either over the entire inner layer 11 or more preferably to strategic parts such as at the neck, top and brow areas .
Engaged over the inner layer is strapping 14 which, as can be seen more clearly in Figure 3, consists of a front strap portion 15 which extends over a forward portion of the inner layer 11. A top strap 16 extends down toward the rear of the inner layer 11 to meet with a rear strap 17. Most of this strapping will, in a preferred form of the completed hear wear, be encased within the laminate of the inner and outer layers .
Strap 15 to one side of the head wear extends as exposed strap 15a and has a buckle 18 while strap 15 to the other side extends as strap 15b. Extension strap 15b is in a conventional manner positioned under the chin of the player to extend through buckle 18 and then be fastened back upon itself by use of a suitable fastening such as a hook and pile fastening commonly sold under the VELCRO registered trade mark. The strapping 14 is adhered by suitable bonding, adhesive or the like to the inner layer 11. The strapping 14, therefore, adds to the overall structural integrity of the head wear 10.
Applied over the inner layer 11 and strapping 14 is a thin mesh 19 which in a preferred form of the invention is formed from polyester. In the preferred form of the invention the mesh 19 engages over substantially the entire surface area of the inner layer 11. The strapping 14 is, therefore, sandwiched between the mesh 19 and inner layer 11.
Applied over the mesh 19 is the outer layer. This outer layer 20 can be a single piece of material or as shown in the drawings can be a main section 20a and a second section 20b.
The outer section 20 includes or forms an opening 13a which fully or at least partially aligns or overlaps with opening 13 in the inner layer 11. The outer layer 20 also includes openings 21 which in part align with or overlap openings 12 in the inner layer 11. As can be seen, for example, in Figure 1 these openings 21 can be somewhat stylised to aid in the aesthetic appeal of the finished head wear.
The openings 12 and 21 provide for ventilation. Openings 13 and 13a provide a large ear opening to ensure that the hearing of the user is not impaired. The fact that the mesh
19 spans the ear opening 13/l3a ensures that the user's ear is protected. In particular the mesh ensures the wearer's ear does not project from the head wear and thereby be open to injury.
The inner and outer layers can be of any suitable foam material . In one preferred form of the invention the material of the inner and outer layers can be the same but with the material of the outer layer 20 being denser than the material of inner layer 11. In another arrangement polyethylene or a mixture of polyethylene and EVA and a combination of densities can be used for the outer layer 20 and EVA for the inner layer. A further material which is suitable for constructing the head wear is Neoprene as commonly used as wetsuit material but in the preferred form of the invention without the abrasion resistant covering normally associated with Neoprene when used in wetsuit applications .
The component parts of the head wear are adhered together by use of a suitable adhesive, heat bonding or other suitable method of joining. According to one method of construction a mould is used whereby the inner foam material 11 is placed on the mould former. The strap 14 is then placed over and adhered to the inner material followed by positioning of the mesh 19. Finally, the outer foam section or sections of the outer layer 20 are placed in position and the mould is closed to complete the laminating of the inner layer, outer layer and mesh.
The head wear according to the present invention is open to modification as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For example, drainage channels could be formed in the inner and/or outer layers to ensure drainage from within the head wear of any build-up of moisture within the head wear.
Another useful modification is shown more particularly at Figures 7 and 8. These drawings illustrate the end 15b slipped or threaded through the buckle 18. A section 22 of the hook or pile (as the case may be) fastener is located to one side of the buckle 18 while the other section 23 of the pile/hook of the fastener is attached to end 15b to the other side of the buckle 18. This section 23, however, includes a further smaller section 24 of pile/hook (as the case may be) material which is positioned in the length of the section 23 but preferably nearer to the end of that section adjacent the section 22 of hook/pile.
In use (see Figure 8) the strap 15b is folded back over the buckle 18 so that the pile/hook section 23 engages with the hook/pile section 22 in a conventional manner. However, with the present arrangement the second section 24 is sandwiched between the two sections and engages with section 22. The main advantage of this arrangement is once again when the head wear is being used in a contact sport such as rugby. It is not unknown for an opposing player to try and dislodge the head wear from the player wearing the head wear by releasing the strap. However, it has been found that with the present arrangement such an action will possibly separate the section 23 from section 22 yet leave section 24 still engaged. This is achieved by having section 24 only attached along one line of attachment 25 as shown in the drawings.
Consequently if the end having section 23 is pulled away from section 22 to try and release the strap the angle of pull (see Figure 8, arrow A) on the smaller section 24 is not in a direction which is able to readily release the smaller section 24 from the section 22 or at least release it with the same pulling force needed to operate sections 22 and 23. Consequently full release of the coupling of the strap does not occur and the head wear cannot therefore be ripped from the head of the wearer.
Yet further modifications are shown in Figure 9. A peak 26 can be moulded in the foam material of the outer layer. This is useful when the head wear is worn by, say, surfers or others involved in non-contact sports. Also as shown in Figure 9, the buckle 18 and chin strap 15b can be over-moulded between the inner and outer layers for better anchorage.
According to the invention the shock attenuation characteristics of the layered foam provide good impact protection to the head of a wearer of the head wear. Equally, with the characteristics of the foam material the outer surface is less likely to cause injury to another player both as a result of the resilient characteristic of the outer layer and the ability to ensure that there are no edges which could on impact cause injury to another player.
In addition to the foam inner layer playing a part in shock attenuation the inner layer is also comfortable to the wearer. The head wear is lightweight, provides good ventilation and does not unduly impair the hearing of the player yet the head wear has a construction of good integrity thereby being sufficiently robust to withstand the rigours of contact sports .
Because of the construction employed there is the ability to fit the head wear individually to users. The head wear can thus be heated up and put on the head of the proposed user. The head wear thus "moulds" to the shape of the user's head and substantially retains this shape when it cools. The head wear will thus fit snugly. While the preferred embodiment has been described in relation to use of the head wear for contact sports, the head wear could equally be used in other situations where head protection is required. Also, the head wear could be further modified in situations where abrasion of the outer layer is a possibility by incorporating an outermost layer of an abrasion resistant material.