Modular head garment

Abstract

The head garment may include a nose covering, a head covering, and / or a neck covering. The nose covering may include a nose bridge portion, an upper lip portion, and a through-hole. The head covering may be secured to the nose covering and positioned to cover the user's forehead and the back of the user's head when the head garment is worn by a user. The neck covering may include an upper edge having fastener portions configured to engage with corresponding fastener portions on the lower edge of the nose covering to releasably secure the lower edge of the nose covering to the upper edge of the neck covering and to disengage from the corresponding fastener portions on the lower edge of the nose covering to form a mouth opening between the two edges.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 798,351, filed on Jan. 29, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.

Background Art

[0002] [Technical Field to Which the Invention Belongs] The present invention generally relates to cold - weather clothing, and more particularly to a head garment having a removable face cover. [Prior Art]

[0003] In cold - weather environments, it is often desirable to wear a head garment to keep the head and body warm. One problem with conventional head garments is that they can overheat the user when the user is active and generating body heat. Further, conventional head garments that cover the user's face often impede the user's ability to hear and understand when the user is attempting to speak, as well as when the user is attempting to perform other activities such as eating, drinking, etc.

[0004] Some conventional head garments have a removable mask that can be removed to allow excess heat to escape and to allow the user to communicate effectively. However, such head garments can lose the removable mask portion, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the head garment in cold climates. Further, such head garments are difficult to align and attach each of the fasteners that join the mask to the head garment, especially when the user is wearing other cold-weather gear such as gloves. This problem can be addressed by replacing mechanical fasteners (e.g., snaps and buttons) with magnets. However, the problem still exists that cold air and wind can reach the user's face through the gaps between the fasteners, which also reduces the effectiveness of the head garment in cold climates. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for a head garment that overcomes one or more of the problems found in conventional head garments. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM

[0006] Accordingly, an improved head garment is disclosed. In one embodiment, the head garment includes a nasal covering portion having a bridge portion, an upper lip portion below the bridge portion, and a through hole between the bridge portion and the upper lip portion. The bridge portion is arranged to cover the user's nasal bridge when the head garment is worn by the user. The upper lip portion is arranged to cover the user's upper lip when the head garment is worn by the user. The through hole is arranged to provide a passage between the user's nostrils and the external environment of the head garment when the head garment is worn by the user. The nasal covering portion may be made of a stretchable material including a fabric such as fleece (e.g., neofleece). The nasal covering portion may be fixed in a loop shape such that when the head garment is worn by the user, the nasal covering portion is configured to surround the lower part of the user's head. The nasal covering portion may include an outer periphery and an inner periphery. The inner periphery defines an opening arranged to surround the user's eyes when the head garment is worn by the user. The nasal covering portion includes a forehead portion between the inner periphery and the outer periphery at the upper part of the nasal covering portion. The forehead portion is arranged to cover the user's forehead when the head garment is worn by the user.

[0007] In one embodiment, the head garment further includes goggles configured to cover the opening. The goggles may be attached to the nasal covering portion.

[0008] In one embodiment, the head garment further comprises a head covering attached to the nose covering, and the head covering is arranged to cover the user's forehead and occiput when the head garment is worn by the user. The head covering may comprise a passage arranged at the user's occiput when the head garment is worn by the user, and the passage is manually opened from a closed configuration and configured to allow the user's hair to pass from the inside of the head garment to the external environment of the head garment. The head covering may comprise a calvarial crown. The nose covering may comprise two ends, each end being configured to wrap around the user's temple when the head garment is worn by the user, and the nose covering is permanently fixed to the inner surface of the head covering. Each end may be configured to wrap around the user's occiput when the head garment is worn by the user, and when the head garment is worn by the user, the nose covering is permanently fixed to the inner surface of the head covering behind the user's head.

[0009] In one embodiment, the head garment further comprises a neck covering portion having an upper edge and a first fastener portion within an upper region of the neck covering portion, the nose covering portion further comprises a lower edge and a second fastener portion, and the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion are configured to engage with each other and disengage from each other via manual force. When the head garment is worn by a user, while the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion are engaged, the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion can be disposed on the user's forehead. The nose covering portion and the neck covering portion may be permanently fixed to each other along at least a portion of the lower edge of the nose covering portion and the upper edge of the neck covering portion. When the head garment is worn by a user, the nose covering portion may be permanently fixed to the neck covering portion on one or both of the user's temples or behind the user's head. In one embodiment, when the head garment is worn by a user, when the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion are disengaged from each other, an opening is formed above the user's mouth, and when the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion are engaged with each other, the opening is closed so that the user's mouth is covered by the neck covering portion. Each of the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion may include one or more magnets. Each of the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion may include two or more fastening components, and each fastening component of the first fastener portion is configured to engage with a corresponding fastening component of the second fastener portion. The second fastener portion may include a first fastening component on a first side of the through hole and a second fastening component on a second side of the through hole. Each of the two or more fastening components of the first fastener portion may include a bar magnet, and each of the two or more fastening components of the second fastener portion may include a disc magnet. The neck covering portion may be tubular. The head garment may further include a third fastener portion on the inner surface of the head garment and a fourth fastener portion on the outer surface of the head garment, and the third fastener portion and the fourth fastener portion are configured to engage with each other and disengage from each other via manual force. Each of the third fastener portion and the fourth fastener portion may include two or more fastening components, and each fastening component of the third fastener portion is configured to engage with a corresponding fastening component of the fourth fastener portion.Two or more fastening components of the third fastening part may comprise one of a set of hooks or a set of loops, and two or more fastening components of the fourth fastening part comprise the other of a set of hooks or a set of loops. The third fastening part may be disposed on the inner surface of the nose covering part, and the fourth fastening part is disposed on the outer surface of the neck covering part.

[0010] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] Details of the present invention can be partially gathered by considering the accompanying drawings with respect to both its structure and operation. Here, like reference numerals refer to like parts.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] As used herein, a head garment is disclosed. As used herein, the term "head garment" refers to any clothing that can be worn on the head, face, or neck, or any combination thereof. For example, a head garment may include a head covering that covers at least a portion of the head, a nose covering that covers at least a portion of the nose, or a neck covering that covers at least a portion of the neck, as well as any combination of the head covering, nose covering, and neck covering. For example, a head garment may include only a head covering, only a nose covering, only a neck covering, all three of the head covering, nose covering, and neck covering, only the head covering and nose covering, only the nose covering and neck covering, or only the head covering and neck covering.

[0013] In any embodiment of a head garment comprising any combination of two or all of a head covering, a nose covering, and a neck covering, the head garment comprising one or more parts may be made from a single piece of material or a plurality of pieces of material. Examples of possible materials that may be used to constitute any of these parts include, but are not limited to, fleece, neofleece, fabric, neoprene, polymer, laminate, and / or film (e.g., rubber, elastomer, etc.). Different parts may be constructed using the same material and / or different materials as other parts, and the parts themselves may include a single piece of material or a plurality of the same and / or different pieces of material. In one embodiment, all of the parts of a head garment comprising any combination of a head covering, a nose covering, and / or a neck covering may be configured as modular units and then fixed to each other to form a single integrated unit.

[0014] In one embodiment including a combination of a head covering portion, a nose covering portion, and / or a neck covering portion, each included portion may be modular. In other words, each part in the combination may be separately configured and then fixed together in the combination. Two or more of the parts in the combination may be permanently fixed or releasably fixed. In some cases, two or more parts may be permanently fixed to one area and releasably fixed to another part such that they can be partially separated from each other without being completely separated from each other.

[0015] Throughout this specification, "permanently fixed" refers to any means of permanently fixing two pieces of material together at one or more points, including permanently fixing two or more of the head covering portion, nose covering portion, and neck covering portion together. For illustrative purposes, stitching is shown as the primary means for permanently fixing two pieces of material together. For example, two or more parts can be stitched together using thread. However, other means of permanently fixing two or more things together may be used instead of stitching, including but not limited to heat sealing, etc.

[0016] Throughout this specification, "releasably fixed" refers to any means of fastening two pieces of material to each other at one or more points and then being able to separate them from each other at those points. Examples of such fastening means include, but are not limited to, magnets, hooks and loops (e.g., Velcro (trademark)), zippers, snaps, buttons, buckles, friction, etc. Regardless of which fastening means is used, the fastening means should be strong enough to keep the materials releasably fixed to each other against normal ambient forces (e.g., wind and other weather, normal movement during recreation or other activities, etc.), but weak enough for the user to be able to manually release the materials from each other using their hands (e.g., by pulling on one or both of the materials).

[0017] Some of the drawings in this specification show embodiments of a head garment having a transparent layer to show the internal structure. In reality, it should be understood that the materials used to construct these embodiments of the head garment are generally opaque so that the internal structure cannot be seen from the outside of the head garment and vice versa.

[0018] After reading this description, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art how to implement the present invention in various alternative embodiments and alternative uses. However, while various embodiments of the present invention are described herein, it is understood that these embodiments are presented by way of example only and not by way of limitation. Accordingly, this detailed description of the various embodiments should not be construed as limiting the scope or breadth of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

[0019] Figures 1A through 1C show various views of an exemplary nose covering 110 of a head garment 100 according to a first embodiment. Specifically, Figure 1A shows a front view when the nose covering 110 is in a flat configuration, Figure 1B shows a front view when the nose covering 110 is in a rounded configuration, and Figure 1C shows a side view of the nose covering 110. In this first embodiment, the nose covering 110 comprises a nose band mask.

[0020] The nose covering 110 comprises an upper perimeter that defines a nasal bridge portion 112. The nasal bridge portion 112 is configured to engage the user's nasal bridge when the nose covering 110 is worn. The nose covering 110 also comprises a lower perimeter that defines an upper lip portion 114. The upper lip portion 114 is configured to engage the user's upper lip when the nose covering 112 is worn. The nose covering 110 may also comprise a notch between the upper perimeter and the lower perimeter at the base of the nasal bridge portion 112, and this notch defines a through hole 116 that passes from one surface of the nasal bridge portion 112 to the opposite surface of the nasal bridge portion 112. The through hole 116 provides an opening to the user's nostrils when the nose covering 112 is worn, whereby the user's nostrils can continue to breathe air from the external environment and exhale carbon dioxide into the external environment while the user is wearing the nose covering 112.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1B, in the rounded configuration, the nose covering portion 110 forms at least a partial circle with ends 118A and 118B approaching each other. The ends 118A and 118B may be fixedly attached to each other either permanently or releasably to form the nose covering portion 110 into a complete circle. When releasably attached, the ends 118A and 118B may include corresponding fastening means, whereby a user can fasten the nose covering portion 110 around his or her face and also remove the nose covering portion 110 from around his or her face. Alternatively, the nose covering portion 110 may include a continuous circle without ends 118, or the seam may be located elsewhere. As yet another alternative, the ends 118A and 118B may be attached to another portion (e.g., the head covering portion 120 and / or the neck covering portion 130) described herein without being attached to each other.

[0022] In any case, the nose covering portion 110 may be made of a stretchable material, whereby the nose covering portion 110 can stretch around the face to secure the nose covering portion 110 around the heads and faces of multiple different users having different head diameters and / or different sizes of noses, mouths, and / or other facial features. As shown in the side view of FIG. 1C, the side shape of the nose covering portion 110 conforms to the side shape of a human face from above the nose to the upper lip. Thus, when the nose covering portion 110 is worn by a user, the nasal bridge portion 112 contacts the user's nasal bridge snugly, and the upper lip portion 114 contacts the user's upper lip snugly. As a result, the through hole 116 provides an opening for the user to breathe through his or her nostrils while the nose covering portion 110 is worn.

[0023] FIGS. 2A through 2C show various views of an exemplary nose covering portion 110 of the head garment 100 according to a second embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 2A shows a front view of the nose covering portion 110, FIG. 2B shows a side perspective view of the nose covering portion 110B, and FIG. 2C shows the nose covering portion 110 with the goggles 200. In this second embodiment, the nose covering portion 110 includes a face mask instead of a nose band mask.

[0024] Similar to the first embodiment, the nasal covering portion 110 includes a nasal bridge portion 112, an upper lip portion 114, and a through hole 116 for the user's nose. However, as shown in FIG. 2A, in this second embodiment, the nasal covering portion 110 has a generally elliptical shape from the front, having an outer periphery and an inner periphery that defines an opening 111. The inner periphery that defines the opening 111 is configured to surround the user's eyes when the nasal covering portion 110 is worn. Thus, when the nasal covering portion 110 is worn by the user, it can be seen through the opening 111.

[0025] In contrast to the first embodiment of the nasal covering portion 110, the second embodiment of the nasal covering portion 110 includes a forehead portion 113. The forehead portion 113 is disposed at the upper part of the nasal covering portion 110 and is configured to contact and cover at least a part of the user's forehead when the nasal covering portion 110B is worn by the user.

[0026] In one embodiment, the periphery of the opening 111 may be configured to be used with the goggles 200 as shown in FIG. 2C. The goggles 200 may be separate from or integrated with the nasal covering portion 110. For example, the outer surface around the opening 111 may be attached to or configured to be integrated with the inner surface of the goggles 200 (i.e., the surface of the goggles 200 that faces the user's face when the goggles 200 are worn). In this case, the inner surface around the opening 111 may directly contact the skin of the user's face or may be disposed between the skin of the user's face and the inner periphery of the goggles 200. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2C, the through hole 116 allows the user to continue breathing through his or her nostrils even when the goggles 200 are worn by the user.

[0027] In one embodiment, the nose covering portion 110 is permanently fixed to the goggles 200 (e.g., between the outer and inner perimeters defining the opening 111). Alternatively, the goggles 200 may be releasably fixed to the nose covering portion 110B (e.g., between the outer and inner perimeters defining the opening 111, etc.). As yet another embodiment, the goggles 200 may be configured to cover the opening 111 of the nose covering portion 110 without being fixed to the nose covering portion 110. In this case, the goggles 200 may be slid onto the nose covering portion 110 to cover the opening 111 and slid off the nose covering portion 110 to expose the opening 111.

[0028] In one embodiment, the outer perimeter of the nose covering portion 110 may extend beyond the outer perimeter of the goggles 200 around the entire outer perimeter of the goggles 200. Alternatively, the outer perimeter of the nose covering portion 110B may be in the same plane (e.g., having the same extent) as the outer perimeter of the goggles 200 at the top (e.g., the forehead 113), but may extend beyond the edge of the outer surface of the goggles at the bottom of the goggles. It should be understood that other alternatives are possible.

[0029] Figures 3A and 3B each show a side view of an exemplary head garment 100 in a closed configuration and an open configuration, respectively, according to one embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the head garment 100 includes a nose covering portion 110 integrated with a head covering portion 120 and a neck covering portion 130. For the purposes of this specification, it is assumed that the nose covering portion 110, the head covering portion 120, and the neck covering portion 130 are modular components integrated into a single head garment 100 by sewing. However, it should be understood that other configurations are possible.

[0030] In the illustrated embodiment, the head covering portion 120 covers the user's forehead and extends around the back of the user's head when the head garment 100 is worn by the user. Also, the neck covering portion 130 surrounds and covers at least the front portion of the user's neck when the head garment 100 is worn by the user. The head covering portion 120 is shown to extend downward to and cover a portion of the back and sides of the user's neck, and the neck covering portion 130 is shown to extend only around a portion of the front and sides of the user's neck and is fixed to the head covering portion 120 at the sides of the user's neck when the head garment 100 is worn. However, in an alternative embodiment, the neck covering portion 130 can extend around the entire circumference of the user's neck, from the front to the sides and rear, while the head covering portion 120 covers the user's forehead and the back of the user's head and is fixed to the neck covering portion 130 around the upper portion of the neck when the head garment 100 is worn. Other configurations of the head covering portion 120 and the neck covering portion 130 are possible, and preferably, in a closed configuration, it should be understood that the surfaces of the entire head and neck of the user are covered except within the opening 111 and the through holes 116.

[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, the nose covering portion 110 is fixed to the head covering portion 120. For example, the nose covering portion 110 may be permanently fixed to the head covering portion 120 at least around the upper portion around the opening 111. The outer surface of the nose covering portion 110 may be fixed to the inner surface of the head covering portion 120, or the inner surface of the nose covering portion 110 may be fixed to the outer surface of the head covering portion 120.

[0032] In addition, at least a part of the bottom edge of the nose covering portion 110 may be releasably fixed to at least a part of the upper edge of the neck covering portion 130 via the fastener 140. For example, the bottom edge of the nose covering portion 110 can include one fastener portion 140A, and the upper edge of the neck covering portion 130 can include a corresponding fastener portion 140B. In one embodiment, the fastener portion 140A comprises one or more magnets, and the fastener portion 140B comprises one or more magnets that are magnetically attracted to the one or more magnets of the fastener portion 140A. The magnets of the fastener portion 140A may be accommodated within the piping at the lower edge of the nose covering portion 110, and the magnets of the fastener portion 140B may be accommodated within the piping at the upper edge of the neck covering portion 130. Both pipings may comprise a fabric or other material that is the same as or different from the materials used for the nose covering portion 110 and the neck covering portion 130. The magnets of the fastener portions 140A and 140B can take on any cross-sectional shape (e.g., circular, square, rectangular, triangular, etc.), but preferably have the same shape as each other. For example, each of the fastener portions 140A and 140B can comprise a plurality of cylindrical magnets aligned longitudinally throughout the respective cylindrical piping. By using a plurality of such magnets, each of the fastener portions 140A, 140B can be curved in accordance with the curvature of the respective piping.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 3A, in the closed configuration, the fastener portions 140A and 140B are magnetically engaged with each other to releasably fasten the lower edge of the nose covering portion 110 to the upper edge of the neck covering portion 130. As a result, the head garment covers the entire head and neck of the user except for the opening 111 and the through hole 116. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 3B, in the open configuration, the fastener portions 140A and 140B are disengaged, thereby unfastening the bottom edge of the nose covering portion 110 from the upper edge of the neck covering portion 130, thereby forming a mouth opening 142 in the head garment 100. In one embodiment, the nose covering portion 110 and the neck covering portion 130 are arranged relative to each other and relative to the head covering portion 120 such that when the head garment 100 is worn, the mouth opening 142 is positioned in front of the user's mouth. Thus, when the head garment 100 is worn, the mouth opening 142 exposes the user's mouth to the external environment of the head garment 100. Thus, the user can more easily talk, eat, drink, and / or breathe through their mouth than in the closed configuration. Any strength of magnet can be selected for the fastener 140, but the magnet is such that the magnetic attraction between the fastener portion 140A and the fastener portion 140B is strong enough to keep the fastener portions 140A and 140B sealed against ambient forces (e.g., wind and other weather, the user's movement during recreation or other activities, etc.), but weak enough that the user can easily unseal the fastener portions 140A and 140B using a simple pull by their hand (e.g., on the upper part of the neck portion 130). Conversely, the user can close and seal the mouth opening 142 by simply pulling the lower edge of the nose covering portion 110 and / or the upper edge of the neck covering portion 130 together.

[0034] Figures 4A through 4E show various views of an exemplary head garment 100 according to an embodiment similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. As in that embodiment, head garment 100 comprises a combination of a nose covering 110, a head covering 120, and a neck covering 130. However, in this embodiment, head garment 100 comprises the nose covering 110 shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C, while the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B comprises the nose covering 110 shown in FIGS. 2A through 2C.

[0035] FIG. 4A shows a side view of head garment 100, and FIG. 4B shows a rear view of head garment 100. FIG. 4C shows a front view of nose covering 110 alone, and FIG. 4D shows a side view of nose covering 110 alone. Further, FIG. 4E shows how nose covering 110 can be attached to head covering 120 on the inner surface of head covering 120.

[0036] FIG. 4A shows an embodiment of fastener 140 in a closed configuration. As shown, fastener portion 140A on the bottom edge of nose covering 110 comprises at least one disc magnet (e.g., a circular magnet). As shown in FIG. 4C, fastener portion 140A may comprise two such disc magnets on both sides of bridge portion 112 and through hole 116, near the lower peripheral edge of nose covering 110. As an example, the distance between the center point of the bottom edge of nose covering 110 (i.e., centered with respect to the line bisecting bridge portion 112 and through hole 116) and the center of each disc magnet may be 2.5 inches or 6.35 centimeters, or as another example, 3.5 inches or 8.89 centimeters. Further, for each disc magnet, the minimum distance between the bottom edge of nose covering 110 and the center of the disc magnet may be 0.5 inches or 1.27 centimeters, or as another example, 0.625 inches or 1.5875 centimeters.

[0037] As shown, the fastener portion 130B at the upper edge of the neck covering portion 140 includes bar magnets. Each bar magnet of the fastener portion 140B corresponds to one of the disc magnets of the fastener portion 140A. In other words, each bar magnet of the fastener portion 140B is arranged to contact one of the disc magnets of the fastener portion 140A, thereby magnetically attaching the upper edge of the neck covering portion 130 to the bottom edge of the nose covering portion 110. Accordingly, the distance between the centers of the bar magnets of the fastener portion 140B may be the same as or similar to the distance between the centers of the disc magnets of the fastener portion 140A. As an example, the inner edge of each bar magnet may be arranged 2.5 inches or 6.35 centimeters from the front centerline of the neck covering portion 130.

[0038] The fastener portion 140A is shown as including disc magnets, and the fastener portion 140B is shown as including bar magnets, but these fastener portions may include magnets of the same shape and size (e.g., both portions having disc magnets of the same size, both portions having bar magnets of the same size), or any combination of magnet shapes and sizes (e.g., the fastener portion 140A including bar magnets and the fastener portion 140B including disc magnets, or more generally, the fastener portion 140A including magnets of a first shape and the fastener portion 140B including magnets of a second shape different from the first shape). In any case, when the fastener portion 140A is magnetically attached to the fastener portion 140B, the fastener 140 releasably seals or fixes the neck covering portion 130 to the nose covering portion 110 so as to cover the user's mouth. In this closed configuration, the head garment 100 covers the entire front and back of the user's head and neck, except for the opening 111 (unless covered by the goggles 200) and the through hole 116. Also in this case, the magnets used are selected such that the magnetic attraction force is sufficient to hold the seal through normal activities, but the seal can be easily released if the user applies a tensile force, for example, to the upper part of the neck covering portion 130. Accordingly, the user can easily transition between the closed configuration and the open configuration to, for example, breathe more freely, talk, drink, eat, etc.

[0039] In one embodiment, each of the magnets of the fastener parts 140A and 140B may be encapsulated so as to be hidden from view. For example, the magnets may be disposed inside the hem seam at respective portions. Specifically, the disc magnet of the fastener part 140A may be sewn under a disc-shaped material that is the same as the material used for the nose covering part 110. Further, the bar magnet of the fastener part 140B may be edged within the piping on the upper edge of the neck covering part 130.

[0040] In one embodiment, as shown in the rear view of FIG. 4B, the head covering part 120 may include a passage 410 that is disposed near (e.g., slightly above) or in the vicinity of the base of the user's occipital region when the head garment 100 is worn. The passage 410 can include two lips (e.g., formed from the same or different materials as the head covering part 120). When no force is applied, the lips contact each other and no opening is formed. However, when a force is applied, the lips can be opened to allow the user's hair to pass from the inside of the head garment 100 to the outside of the head garment 100 between the edges of the passage 410. Thus, when the head garment 100 is worn, the user can pull his or her hair (e.g., a ponytail) through the passage 410, such that the hair extends away from the user's head and outside the head garment 100.

[0041] FIGS. 4C and 4D show an example of the nose covering part 110 alone. Also, in the illustrated embodiment, the fastener part 140A includes a plurality of magnets. In this particular embodiment, the fastener part 140A includes two disc magnets spaced apart on both sides of the nose covering part 110. Specifically, a first disc magnet is disposed on one side of the through hole 116, and a second disc magnet is disposed on the opposite side of the through hole 116.

[0042] Figure 4E shows the internal features of the head garment 100 according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, the end 118 of the nose covering 110 is fixed to the head covering 120. Specifically, at least a part of the outer surface of the end 118 (e.g., one or more peripheries) is sewn to contact and engage a part of the inner surface of the head covering 120. Thus, the nose covering 110 is permanently fixed to the head covering 120, but can still extend around heads and faces of different sizes and shapes.

[0043] In the illustrated embodiment, the head covering 120 includes three separate pieces of material: two side pieces 122A and 122B and a back 124 that extends from the user's forehead, over the top of the head, down the back of the head, and down the back of the user's neck. The back 124 is fixed (e.g., sewn) to the two side pieces 122 at both of its long edges to form the head covering 120. In this case, as shown in Figure 4E, the distance from the edge of the back 124 to the short edge of the nose covering 110 fixed thereto may be 1.75 inches or 4.445 centimeters.

[0044] Figures 5A through 5D show various views of an exemplary head garment 100 according to another embodiment. Specifically, Figure 5A shows a side view, Figure 5B shows a rear view, Figure 5C shows an exploded side view, and Figure 5D shows an exploded rear view. In this embodiment, the head garment 100 includes at least a nose covering 110 and a head covering 120. However, in this embodiment, the head covering 120 includes a cranial crown. The cranial crown may include two side pieces 122A and 122B, a back 124, and a headband 126. The long edges of the back 124 are permanently fixed to the respective side pieces 122, and the short edge of the back 124 is permanently fixed to the opposing portion of the headband 126. Additionally, the other edges of the side pieces 122 may be permanently fixed to the headband 126. Thus, the head covering is configured to cover a continuous portion of the user's head when worn, including the entire upper portion of the user's head and the lower portion around at least a part of the user's forehead, temples, and the back of the head.

[0045] In one embodiment, the nose covering portion 110 is fixedly or releasably attached to the cranial crown of the head covering portion 120. For example, in the same or a similar manner as described above, the end portion 118 of the nose covering portion 110 may be arranged such that the outer surface of the end portion 118 contacts the inner surface of the head covering portion 120, and fixed to the head covering portion 120 by stitching the surface around at least a part of the periphery of the end portion 118. In an embodiment where the end portion 118 wraps around the user's occipital region during wear, it should be understood that the fixing means may be implemented at the rear portion of the head covering portion 120 (for example, the position that becomes the user's occipital region when the head garment 100 is worn). In any case, stitching can be performed near the short edge of the end portion 118 to maximize the ability of the nose covering portion 110 to stretch and adapt to heads of different sizes and shapes.

[0046] In practice, the head garment 100 shown in FIGS. 5A to 5D can be worn by arranging the head covering portion 120 on the user's occipital region and then pulling the nose covering portion 110 over the user's face. The nose covering portion 110 should be pulled so as to place the nasal bridge portion 112 over the user's nasal bridge. The front portion of the head covering portion 120 can also be pulled so as to place it over the user's forehead.

[0047] FIGS. 6A to 6E show various views of an exemplary head garment 100 according to another embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 6A shows a front view, FIG. 6B shows an exploded front view, FIG. 6C shows a rear view, FIG. 6D shows a side view of the nose covering portion 110 alone, and FIG. 6E shows a rear view of the nose covering portion 110 alone. In this embodiment, the head garment 100 includes at least a nose covering portion 110 and a neck covering portion 130.

[0048] The nose covering portion 110 and the neck covering portion 130 may be configured with a fastener 140 so as to be releasably fixed to each other. For example, as described elsewhere in this specification, the fastener 140 includes a fastener portion 140A near the lower edge of the nose covering portion 110 (e.g., including two disc magnets) and a fastener portion 140B near the upper edge of the neck covering portion (e.g., including two bar magnets), and may be configured to magnetically engage with the fastener portion 140A. The nose covering portion 110 and the neck covering portion 130 may be releasably fixed along their front edges, but in one embodiment, they are permanently fixed along at least a portion of their rear edges and / or side edges. Thus, the head garment 100 can transition between an open configuration with a mouth opening and a closed configuration without a mouth opening as shown in a different embodiment of FIG. 3B, but the head garment 100 remains a single integral unit. In an alternative embodiment, the nose covering portion 110 and the neck covering portion 130 may be two separable components that completely separate from each other when the fastener portions 140A and 140B are disengaged from each other.

[0049] The neck covering portion 130 may be formed as a tube by substantially wrapping a substantially rectangular piece of material into a substantially cylindrical shape and then joining or otherwise fixing (e.g., via stitching) the opposing edges of the rectangle to each other. For example, as shown in FIG. 6C, the seam 132 may be disposed along the center line downward along the back of the neck covering portion 120 when worn by a user.

[0050] The nasal covering portion 110 can be formed from a front panel 610 and a rear panel 620. The front panel 610 may be similar to the nasal covering portion 110 shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C, and the ends are fixed to the rear panel 620. The front panel 610 may be made of the same or different material (e.g., neofleece) as the material from which the rear panel 620 is made. The nasal covering portion 110 may be permanently fixed to the neck covering portion 130 near the upper back of each portion at the relative positions shown in FIG. 6C. For example, the seam may start 5.5 inches from the center of the front portion of the nasal covering portion 110 extending around each side of the nasal covering portion 110 along the longitudinal line. However, in one embodiment, the nasal covering portion 110 is not fully stitched to the neck covering portion 130, so some movement between the two is possible, including movement at the front portions of both parts. This allows the head garment 100 to transition between an open configuration (e.g., having a mouth opening 142) and a closed configuration (e.g., not having a mouth opening 142).

[0051] In practice, the head garment 100 shown in FIGS. 6A through 6C may be worn by pulling the tubes of the neck covering portion 130 and the nasal covering portion 110 over the user's head. The nasal covering portion 110 should be pulled so that the bridge portion 112 is placed over the user's nasal bridge and the rear panel 620 is placed around the user's occipital region, over or near the upper neck region or base of the head. While worn in the closed configuration, the user may pull on the front portion of either the nasal covering portion 110 and / or the neck covering portion 130 to disengage their releasably fixed edges, thereby providing the mouth opening 142. While worn in the open configuration, the user may pull the front portion of either the nasal covering portion 110 and / or the neck covering portion 130 toward the corresponding edge of the other portion until the fasteners 140A and 140B engage each other to fix the edges to each other, thereby closing the mouth opening 142.

[0052] Figures 7A through 7E show various views of an exemplary head garment 100 according to one embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 7A shows a front view of the head garment 100 in a tubular configuration, FIG. 7B shows a front view of the head garment 100 in a flat configuration, FIG. 7C shows a back view of the head garment 100 in a flat configuration, FIG. 7D shows a side view of the nose covering 110 alone, and FIG. 7E shows an exploded view of the head garment 100 in a tubular configuration. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A through 6E. As in that embodiment, the head garment 100 includes a nose covering 110 and a neck covering 130, and a fastener 140 that enables the head garment 100 to transition between an open configuration having a mouth opening 142 and a closed configuration not having a mouth opening 142. Further, the nose covering 110 may be fixed to the neck covering 130 in the same manner as described above with respect to other embodiments. However, in this embodiment, the neck covering 130 includes a bandana that can transition between a tubular configuration and a flat configuration, whereby it can be wrapped around and removed from around the user's neck. Thereby, the user can put on and take off the head garment 100 without having to pull the head garment 100 over the user's head.

[0053] In one embodiment, the neck covering portion 130 comprises a bandana having a rounded bottom edge. The head garment 100 can comprise a fastener 134 having a first fastener portion 134A and a second fastener portion 134B, which are configured to engage with each other and to be disengaged from each other by manual force. The fastener 134 can comprise any fastening means described herein or well-known in the art. However, in the illustrated embodiment, the fastener 134 comprises hooks and loops (e.g., Velcro (trademark)). For example, as shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the fastener portion 134A may comprise two sets of loops on the rear side of the head garment 100 (e.g., the rear surface of the nose covering portion 110), and the fastener portion 134B may comprise two sets of hooks on the front side of the head garment 100 (e.g., the front surface of the neck covering portion 130) that engage with the two sets of loops of the fastener portion 134A. It should be understood that the hooks and loops can be switched between the fastener portions 134A and 134B and can consist of one set or three or more sets of hooks and loops or other fastening means. However, in order to prevent the fastener portions 134A and 134B from rotating relative to each other, it is generally advantageous for each of the fastener portions 134A and 134B to have at least two sets of selected fastening means. As an example, each of the two sets of fastening means within the fastener portions 134A and 134B can be separated from each other by 1.5 centimeters in the vertical direction. Each set of upper fastening means may be rounded along the hem of the head garment 100.

[0054] In practice, the head garment 100 shown in FIGS. 7A to 7E can be worn by wrapping the head garment 100 around the user's face and engaging the fastener portion 134A with the fastener portion 134B at the back of the user's head. Thereby, the head garment 100 is fixed around the user's head and neck in the tubular configuration shown in FIG. 7A. To remove the head garment 100, the user only needs to pull the upper flap of the head garment 100 to disengage the fastener portion 134A from the fastener portion 134B. Thereby, the head garment 100 is wound back to the flat configuration shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C.

[0055] The nasal covering portion 110 may be permanently fixed to the neck covering portion 130 by folding back and edge-sewing over the upper edge and / or side edge of the head garment 100 at the corner where the nasal covering portion 110 and the neck covering portion 130 contact. It should be understood that the hem should not extend across the entire area where the nasal covering portion 110 and the neck covering portion 130 contact. This is to prevent interference with the opening and closing of the mouth opening 142 using the fastener 140. In one embodiment, the hem is sewn around the edge of the neck covering portion 130 to reinforce and support it. As shown in FIG. 7B, the hem may be 3 / 8 inch wide and a 2-needle 3-millimeter cover stitch. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 7D, the rear bottom edge of the nasal covering portion 110 (e.g., the bottom edge of the end 118) may be edge-sewn to add strength and support. The hem may include a 4-thread overlock finish 3 inches in length on each end 118.

[0056] The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the description and drawings presented herein represent the presently preferred embodiments of the present invention and, therefore, represent the broad subject matter contemplated by the present invention. Further, it is understood that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments that may become apparent to those skilled in the art and, therefore, the scope of the present invention is not limited.

Claims

Claim 1. A head garment, comprising: a nose covering portion having a bridge of the nose portion, an upper lip portion below the bridge of the nose portion, and a through hole between the bridge of the nose portion and the upper lip portion; the nose covering portion includes an upper peripheral portion defining the bridge of the nose portion and a lower peripheral portion defining the upper lip portion, and at a base portion of the bridge of the nose portion, the upper peripheral portion and the lower peripheral portion are provided with a linear notch therebetween, and the notch defines the through hole passing from one surface of the bridge of the nose portion to the opposite surface of the bridge of the nose portion; the bridge of the nose portion is arranged to closely contact and cover the user's bridge of the nose when the head garment is worn by the user; the upper lip portion is arranged to closely contact and cover the user's upper lip when the head garment is worn by the user; the through hole is arranged to provide a passage between the user's nostrils and the external environment of the head garment when the head garment is worn by the user; the nose covering portion including the bridge of the nose portion and the upper lip portion is made of an elastic material; the nose covering portion is fixed in a loop shape, so that when the head garment is worn by the user, the nose covering portion is configured to surround the bottom of the user's head; the elastic material is a fabric (excluding a fabric composed of multiple layers); further comprising a neck covering portion including an upper edge and a first fastener portion in an upper region of the neck covering portion; the nose covering portion further includes a lower edge and a second fastener portion; the nose covering portion covers from the upper part of the user's nose to the upper lip and does not cover the lower lip; the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion are configured to engage with each other and disengage from each other via manual force, a head garment. Claim 2. The head garment according to claim 1, wherein when the head garment is worn by the user and the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion are engaged, the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion are arranged on the user's forehead. Claim 3. The head garment according to claim 2, wherein the nose covering portion and the neck covering portion are permanently fixed to each other along at least a part of the lower edge of the nose covering portion and the upper edge of the neck covering portion. Claim 4. The head garment according to claim 3, wherein when the head garment is worn by the user, the nose covering portion is permanently fixed to the neck covering portion on one or both of the user's temples or behind the user's head.

5. A head garment, comprising a nose covering portion having a bridge of the nose portion, an upper lip portion below the bridge of the nose portion, and a through hole between the bridge of the nose portion and the upper lip portion, the nose covering portion includes an upper peripheral portion defining the bridge of the nose portion and a lower peripheral portion defining the upper lip portion, and at a base portion of the bridge of the nose portion, the upper peripheral portion and the lower peripheral portion are provided with a linear notch therebetween, and the notch defines the through hole passing from one surface of the bridge of the nose portion to the opposite surface of the bridge of the nose portion, the bridge of the nose portion is arranged to fit snugly against and cover the user's bridge of the nose when the head garment is worn by the user, the upper lip portion is arranged to fit snugly against and cover the user's upper lip when the head garment is worn by the user, the through hole is arranged to provide a passage between the user's nostrils and the external environment of the head garment when the head garment is worn by the user, the nose covering portion including the bridge of the nose portion and the upper lip portion is made of an elastic material, the nose covering portion is fixed in a loop shape, so that when the head garment is worn by the user, the nose covering portion is configured to surround the bottom of the user's head, further comprising the neck covering portion including an upper edge and a first fastener portion in an upper region of the neck covering portion, the nose covering portion further comprises a lower edge and a second fastener portion, the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion are configured to engage with each other and disengage from each other via manual force, when the head garment is worn by the user, while the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion are engaged, the first fastener portion and the second fastener portion are arranged on the user's forehead, the nose covering portion and the neck covering portion are permanently fixed to each other along at least a part of the lower edge of the nose covering portion and the upper edge of the neck covering portion, when the head garment is worn by the user, the nose covering portion is permanently fixed to the neck covering portion on one or both of the user's temples or behind the user's head. When the head garment is worn by the user, when the first fastener part and the second fastener part are disengaged from each other, an opening is formed above the user's mouth, when the first fastener part and the second fastener part are engaged with each other, the opening is closed and the user's mouth is covered by the neck covering part, A head garment in which the nasal covering part maintains a state of covering the user's nasal bridge when the first fastener part and the second fastener part are disengaged from each other and when the first fastener part and the second fastener part are engaged with each other.

6. The head garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the first fastener part and the second fastener part includes one or more magnets.

7. The head garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the first fastener part and the second fastener part includes two or more fastening components, and each fastening component of the first fastener part is configured to engage with a corresponding fastening component of the second fastener part.

8. The head garment according to claim 7, wherein the second fastener part includes a first fastening component on a first side of the through hole and a second fastening component on a second side of the through hole.

9. Each of the two or more fastening components of the first fastener part includes a bar magnet, and each of the two or more fastening components of the second fastener part includes a disc magnet, The head garment according to claim 5 or claim 8, wherein the diameter of the disc magnet is smaller than the length of the bar magnet.

10. The head garment according to claim 1, wherein the neck covering part has a tubular shape.

11. The head garment includes a third fastener part on the inner surface of the head garment and a fourth fastener part on the outer surface of the head garment, and the third fastener part and the fourth fastener part are configured to engage with each other and be disengaged from each other via manual force. The head garment according to claim 1.

12. The head garment according to claim 11, wherein each of the third fastener part and the fourth fastener part includes two or more fastening components, and each fastening component of the third fastener part is configured to engage with a corresponding fastening component of the fourth fastener part.

13. The two or more fastening components of the third fastener part include one of a set of hooks or a set of loops, and the two or more fastening components of the fourth fastener part include the other of a set of hooks or a set of loops. The head garment according to claim 12.

14. The third fastener part is disposed on the inner surface of the nose covering part, and the fourth fastener part is disposed on the outer surface of the neck covering part. The head garment according to claim 11.

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