INFLATABLE HEADWEAR

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application

Number 60/964,815, filed August 16, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

[002] This invention relates to an inflatable device to be worn on the head of a human being as a hat and to a method of making the same. This invention also relates to a device which depicts logos, amusement themes, public messages, trademarks, advertising, sport themes, etc.

2. Background Art

[003] Various patents teach methods of preparing inflatable hats. Such inflatable hats have been used for displaying painted or printed matter, amusement themes, and for using as an inexpensive headgear for toys, and for use in advertising.

[004] US Patent 5,243,707 teaches about an inflatable hat of a gas-impermeable polymeric metallic coated sheet which is in various shapes, forms, colors, designs, wherein the hat is formed by sealing two sections to one another along vertically-inclined side edges and a top edge. The shape of the hat is very novel. This hat completely covers the head. [005] US Patent 5,708,983 describes a novel shaped inflated hat wherein the device has a central cylindrical structure to engage the crown of the head and plastic sheets are sealed in such a manner so as to affix on the crown of the head and give a novel shape to the hat after it is inflated.

[006] US Patent 7,017,196 describes a hat device configured to visually simulate a vehicle tire. The hat device is worn transversely relative to a user's head.

[007] US Patent 4,218,780 describes an inflatable helmet as well as an inflatable caricature attached on the upper portion of the helmet.

[008] However, none of these, or other devices have the combination of features that give the unique shape and construction of the device of this invention.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[009] In one embodiment, this invention is a flat tubular inflated band of flexible sheet/s that can be worn on the crown of the head like a headgear, or like a hat having an open top, and the headgear has a protruding portion, that resembles a horn or a tail depending on its orientation on the wearer.

[0010] In another embodiment, the device of the invention is made up of at least two inflatable sheets sealed together to form a hollow tube wherein two ends of the tube are sealed together to form a tear-drop shaped loop-like structure with a hollow portion in the centre that fits on the crown of the wearer. The posterior portion appears like a tail portion. [0011] In a further embodiment, the said tube is partially divided into several constrictions perpendicular to the length of the tube in the wall of the tube, providing thereby pressure points to fit on the crown of the wearer. In this embodiment, the cellular structure provides varying sizes of circumference with varying degrees of inflation and hence ability to fit on various sizes of heads ranging from children to adults and maintaining the exposed outer surface of the tube in a generally vertical curvilinear configuration. In this embodiment, the constrictions also provide air spaces between the headgear and the head of the wearer allowing air to circulate therein.

[0012] In a further embodiment, the outer surface of the said tube is covered with a third band of sheet which is flat throughout and serves as a display surface on which a desired visual matter can be printed or painted.

[0013] It is also an embodiment of the invention that the said tube is provided with a device that facilitates inflating or deflating and retaining air inside the tube as desired. The device may be a valve according to those commonly used in the art.

[0014] In yet another embodiment, the headgear of the invention, when deflated, is amenable to folding to a small size that is convenient to carry or store when not in use.

[0015] The invention also embodies a method of making the headgear of this invention which comprises sealing the margins of one or more flexible sheets to form a tube, attaching a valve to the same capable of regulating inflation of the tube, providing partitions at short intervals along the length of the tube to facilitate formation of cells when inflated, providing an optional sheet that shall be flat and that shall cover the outer surface of the tube capable of serving as a display for writing, printing or painting of visual matter on the same.

[0016] In yet another embodiment of this invention, this is an amusement headgear/hat suitable for optional display of an advertisement, various colors, a team logo, a campaign slogan, amusement themes, identity marks, trademark and the like.

[0017] In yet another embodiment of this invention the said tail portion may preferably be decorated by one or more of an ornamental attachment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: [0019] FIG 1 is a perspective view of the inflated hat of this invention.

[0020] FIG 2 is a elevation view of an entire panel of a hat of this invention.

[0021] FIG 3 is an overhead cross-section view of the hat showing the optional cellular construction and optional supplemental display layer.

[0022] FIG 4 is side elevation view with a cut-away showing the optional cellular construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The overall structure of the hat is a tubular structure having two ends, the said ends are joined, not in a closed loop, but rather positioned parallel to one another and oriented so that the ends point generally the same direction. This construction results in a tear-drop shaped appearance in the finished article and creates a central opening, also tear-drop shaped, to receive a user's head. This unique shape also creates a protruding tail-like portion where the ends are joined together.

[0024] The preferred embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG 1 is comprised of a first side, or the side that contacts and fits on the crown of head (1), a second side, or display side (2), wherein the margins of the first and second sides are welded together to produce a tubular structure (3) having a first end (4) and a second end (5). The first end (4) and the second end (5) are joined together to create a tear-drop shaped structure (6) having a central opening (7) and a protruding tail-like portion (8), and an inflation device or valve (9). [0025] FIG 2 depicts the display side (2) of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It illustrates the general proportions and elements of the hat or headgear of a preferred embodiment. Also visible in this view is the unique shape of the tail-like portion (8). Further depicted in this preferred embodiment is a concave bottom margin (10) of the tail-like portion (8), which bottom concave margin is the preferred area for attaching the first end (4) to the second end (5) of the structure. FIG 3 also depicts vertical markings (11) that

indicate possible welding positions of optional partitions used to enhance the vertical dimension of the hat.

[0026] The interior construction of the hat of the preferred embodiment is depicted in FIG 3. In this view, the first side (1) is visible, as is the second side (2). However, also visible in FIG 3 are several optional partitions (12) positioned between the first side (1) and the second side (2) by heat welding to create a vertical columnar cellular substructure within the tubular structure (3) to maintain the vertical height thereof. The placement of the partitions (12) creates constrictions (13) at the points of welding that result in a bulging appearance, hereinafter "ribs", in the head side (1) and the display side (2) when the hat is inflated. The ribs (14) in the head side of the tubular structure further create periodic spaces (15) between the user's head (16) and the head side (1) that alternate with the points or columns of contact created by the ribs (14) such that the hat may be firmly positioned on the user's head while simultaneously allowing ventilation through the spaces (15). [0027] In FIG 3, the exterior ribs (14) of the display side (2) of the hat are also visible; however, in practice the appearance of the exterior ribs is diminished due to the larger circumference of the outer perimeter of the hat. In addition, also visible in this view is an optional supplemental panel (17), which supplemental panel overlays the second side (2) to provide an enhanced surface upon which to display visual matter. The supplemental panel (17) stretches taut over the exterior ribs of the hat ensuring the integrity of the visual matter that is applied to the hat of the present invention The optional supplemental panel (17) further obscures the exterior ribs.

[0028] The cut-away view of FIG 4 depicts the optional partitions (12) positioned such that they do not entirely seal the interior of the structure. The partitions (12) are proportioned to allow spaces (18) above and/or below the partitions to allow air to pass through to inflate the entire tubular structure .

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0029] It is an object of this invention to provide inflatable amusement head gear that can be worn as a hat that has a novel shape, can be used to display a logo, a trademark, an advertisement, a slogan, a public message and the like, and further the device is foldable to a small size when deflated to make them convenient to carry and store when not in use. [0030] This invention has achieved the above objective in the form of a flat inflatable tube of a thin sheet that is open at the top, that can be worn on the crown of head as a band, the said tube having a columnar cellular structure on the inner surface touching the crown and providing pressure points that provide an excellent fit to the crown, the outer surface is smooth and without cells and has desired matter written / painted or printed on it and the ends of the tube are joined to each other on one side to form a tail and the said tube is provided with an air valve for inflation and deflation.

[0031] The said inflatable tube may be constructed from flexible sheet selected from generally gas impermeable types. The said inflatable sheet may be selected from the class comprising polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamides, polyolefϊns, polyacrylates, their blends and mixtures, laminated paper, rubberized paper, and metalized sheet material. The mixtures or blends of these polymers also can be used. The polymeric sheet in the preferred embodiment is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheet. [0032] The sheets can be of thickness varying from 0.5 mil to 5 mil (0.0127 mm to 0.127 mm), preferably from 1 to 4 mil (0.0254 mm to 0.1016 mm), and most preferably from 2 to 3 mil (0.0508 mm to 0.0762 mm). The overall preassembled length of the device can be in the range of 40.64 to 182.88 cm, more preferably 71.12 to 127 cm, and most preferably 106 cm. The vertical height of the device may be up to 60.96 cm, preferably from 12.7 to 30.48 cm, and more preferably 15.24 to 20.32 cm, and most preferably 19.69 cm. The gases that can be

used to implement this invention are nitrogen, various inert gases but the most preferred gas is air.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of this invention two PVC sheets are cut in the desired size and shape. One of the sheets is already welded with a plastic valve, preferably at one of the ends. Alternatively, the tube may also be made from a single longitudinal sheet by folding the same lengthwise and sealing the complimentary margins to each other. The interior walls of these sheets are intermittently connected by the partitions which are perpendicular to the length of the sheet. In preferred embodiments, the partitions are made of the same or similar sheet material as the tube material. Each partition is shaped to the desired cross-section shape of the inflated tube. Preferably, the shape of the partition is a narrow strip, slightly shorter than the finished dimension of the sealed tube, the long edges of which are welded to the walls of the tube and the short edges being unattached to allow the inflating gas to flow freely throughout the structure. In this manner, the inflated shape of the tube is maintained in a columnar configuration to accentuate the vertical aspect of the exposed face of the tube, and to a discreet cellular structure that imparts a ribbed shape to the interior surface of the inflated tube. The partitions may be of any other material serving the same purpose.

[0034] The sheets are coupled in such a way that the air valve is at the rear end of the hat. These two sheets are sealed along their longitudinal wall, which are intercepted at a regular interval by the vertically oriented partitions to give the sheets the strength and help in fitting on the crown of the head. An optional supplemental sheet may be welded along the exterior surface of the length of the tube to further enhance the display surface. This supplemental sheet is not welded to the partitions and therefore does not take on the ribbed appearance of the inflated tube. Rather, the supplemental sheet is supported by the ribs of the exterior surface, yet maintains a generally smooth surface appearance.

[0035] The two ends of the tube-like structure are sealed together at the end to give a tear-drop loop-like shape. The hollow portion of the loop is used to receive the crown of the head. With degrees of inflation, the circumference of the hollow portion of the loop increases or decreases and thus can be adapted to the desired circumference of the head which it is desired to receive. The supplemental sheet is used to write, paint or print an advertisement, a team logo, a campaign slogan, amusement themes, identity marks, trademarks and the like. [0036] The tail- like portion may optionally be decorated by one or more of an ornamental attachment/s comprising ribbons, balloons, frills and the like.

[0037] The invention of this disclosure thus provides a very novel inflatable hat that is foldable when deflated, adaptable to various head sizes, ventilated, and is optimized for visual displays.

[0038] Variations of the described embodiments permit, without limitation, the use of other materials, such as rubber-coated paper; location of the valve at the anterior end, and other techniques or variations brought to mind by one skilled in the art.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The industrial applicability of the present invention is in the market of product or brand promotion. The headwear disclosed herein can function as an eye-catching tool for indicating one's support for an organization, a sporting team, or a product and as a means of self expression. The benefits of the headwear is that it is easily portable, highly adjustable, and comfortable while maximizing display space.