Cooling structure used for cap or like

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a cooling structure for a cap or the like employing a logical and effective water supply method for supplying moisture to a water-absorbing material incorporated in a cap or the like to obtain a cooling effect through evaporation. [Solution] A water pouring port 1a that enables pouring of water from a PET bottle is provided at the crown portion of a cap body 12 of a cap or the like. On the reverse sides of the cap body 12 and a flap portion 13, one surface or parts of both surfaces of water-absorbing materials 14, 15 in sheet form are covered with moisture-permeable waterproof fabrics 16, 17. A gap between the water-absorbing materials 14, 15 and the moisture-permeable waterproof fabrics 16, 17 through which water flows serves as a water passage 18. A drain port enabling detection of water reaching the lower end of the flap portion is also provided.　The water-absorbing materials are disposed so as to clear a head peripheral size adjustment portion and a boundary / connection portion between the cap body and the flap portion. A connection water passage 23 of the water-absorbing materials is connected by a sheath pipe system constituted of the moisture-permeable waterproof fabrics. Thus, a structure enabling simplification of the assembly of the cap is provided.

Description

Cooling structure for hats, etc.

[0001] This invention relates to a cooling structure such as a hat or jacket that cools the head, back of the neck, and surrounding areas by utilizing the heat of vaporization of water.

[0002] Conventionally, cooling structures that utilize the cooling effect of water vaporization have involved wrapping a relatively thick, sheet-shaped water-absorbent material capable of absorbing and storing several times its own weight in water between a moisture-permeable outer and inner fabrics and placing it in a position that contacts the back of the head or the back of the neck, such as a hat or a sweatshirt. The component parts are then immersed in water, lightly wrung out, and worn to provide a cooling sensation. In this case, a water-retaining container, such as a washbasin or plastic bag, is required to allow the water-absorbent material to fully absorb and store water. The material must then be left in the water for about one minute to absorb the water, and then lightly wrung out to remove excess water before being worn. Considering the midsummer use scenarios, such as tennis courts, golf courses, hiking, and jogging, carrying such a water-retaining container and water to fill it is extremely inconvenient. Another possible method is to pour water onto the sheet-shaped cooling structure from above, but this results in unpleasant splashing of water. Furthermore, if you do this in a car while driving to a recreational or sports venue in the middle of summer, it is obvious that water will splash around in the small space inside the car, making it even more uncomfortable.

[0003] Patent Document 1 shows a hat that is used to prevent heatstroke by keeping a plastic bag container for collecting water on hand, immersing the cap body, which has a water-absorbing material attached to the cap body, in the water, and then putting it on the head to cool the head through the cooling effect of evaporation, but after immersing the cap body in water, it is necessary to squeeze out excess water from the wet cap body, which splashes water around, and to dispose of the excess water after use, which is a hassle.

[0004] Patent Document 2 shows a removable pad that is attached to the hat body where it touches the forehead, and that provides a cooling sensation to the forehead through evaporative cooling. Even in this case, the pad must be immersed in water in a container or by pouring water from a water tap, which causes the water to splash around and cause other annoyances.

[0005] Patent No. 6920579, Utility Model Registration No. 3130472, JP 2006-328615

[0006] To provide a cooling structure that utilizes the heat of vaporization without immersing the front surface of a hat or cap body part of a jacket or the like in water or dripping water onto it to wet it, and without always having to prepare a container for storing the water.

[0007] The structure of the hat of the present invention is configured by providing a water inlet at the top of the cap body, through which water can be poured from a plastic bottle or cup, and covering one or both sides of a water-absorbing material on the back side of the cap body, as well as partial surfaces of these, with a breathable waterproof cloth with holes in it as evaporation windows.The poured water flows from top to bottom and evenly on both sides of the water-absorbing material arranged in a planar manner inside the cap body, and gaps are provided between the water-absorbing material and the breathable waterproof cloth as water channels through which water can flow, allowing the water-absorbing material to absorb and store moisture. Furthermore, in hats having a hat body and a flap connected to the hat body to cover the back of the head and the upper back of the neck, or in inner hoods worn under helmets, such as hoods for care work by caregivers and medical professionals, a connecting water channel is provided at the connecting part so that water poured from the water inlet can flow through the gap in the hat body and into the water-absorbing material arranged in a planar manner in the flap, avoiding the circumferential size adjustment part of the hat, etc. Furthermore, the connecting part is configured to have a structure connected using a so-called sheath tube method, in which the water channel width from the hat body made of breathable waterproof fabric is narrow and the water channel width from the flap is wide and an overlapping part is provided, providing a structure that allows the hat body and the flap to be manufactured separately and then joined and assembled in the final process with sewing, resulting in an efficient and neat finish. Furthermore, a drain outlet is provided at the bottom end of the flap part to intensively drain excess water after the water poured from the water pouring port has absorbed enough water into the water absorbing material, and a structure is also provided in which the start of water flow from the drain outlet is detected to know the appropriate amount of water poured from the water pouring port.

[0008] The structure of the hat of the present invention allows water to be poured from a plastic bottle or cup through a water inlet located at the top of the head, and the water can be supplied uniformly to the top, bottom, left and right of the planar water-absorbing material located at the wide, connected parts of the hat body and flap that cover the head, back of the head, and back of the neck, and is expected to provide a quick cooling effect through evaporative cooling.Furthermore, even in hats or hoodies that have a hat body and flaps connected to the hat body that cover the back of the head and the upper part of the back of the neck, by pouring water from a water inlet located at the top of the head, a cooling effect through evaporative cooling can be obtained from the upper hat body to the lower flap with just one pour of water from a single water inlet.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is no longer necessary to immerse the cap body and flap portions in water stored in a washbasin or plastic bag container, as in the past. In recent years, the installation of vending machines selling cold water in plastic bottles has become widespread, making bottled water readily available at all times, even in lounges attached to sports clubhouses such as golf courses and tennis courts, or on street corners. Especially in midsummer, players often carry bottled water with them while playing. Even if the cooling effect of evaporative cooling decreases due to the evaporation of water during a long game while wearing a cap with the structure of the present invention, the player can quickly and quickly add more cold water from the bottled water through the water inlet, quickly restoring and strengthening the cooling effect of the entire surface of both the cap body and flap portions of the cap, allowing the player to resume play. Furthermore, this act of pouring water can be done anytime, anywhere, in front of the accompanying acquaintance player, so players can boast that the hat of the present invention is likely to maintain its cooling effect for a long time and is extremely useful in preventing heatstroke, and it is easy to recommend the purchase of the hat of the present invention to friends, etc. This is an innovative way of raising awareness of heatstroke prevention measures and is expected to have a significant effect on sales promotion of the product.

[0010] In addition, in conventional children's flap hats that have a cooling function based on evaporative cooling, tap water or the like is run onto a sheet of absorbent fiber attached to the back of the flap of the hat to absorb the moisture.However, if a large number of kindergarten children do this, for example, water will splash around the water tap and the children's clothes will get wet. If the structure of the present invention is used in a children's flap hat, a large number of kindergarten children can all, at the same time under the command of a teacher, hold a flap hat of the present invention in one hand and a cup filled with about 100 ml of water in the other, and pour water into the water inlet of the present invention.Furthermore, if the teacher detects excess water dripping from the drain outlet at the bottom end of the flap, the teacher can instruct the children to stop pouring water.As described above, water will not splash around and the children's clothes will not get wet.When the flap hat is then put on, the evaporative cooling effect will have a cooling effect from the head to the neck, which will be very effective in protecting the children from the heat and heatstroke when they are outdoors in the middle of summer.

[0011] 1 is a diagram showing a cross section of the structure of a hat using the present invention; 2 is a diagram showing the back of the structure of a hat using the present invention; 3 is a diagram showing a combination configuration of multiple fabrics and components used in the structure using the present invention; 4 is a diagram showing a configuration in which a water-absorbing material is integrated into components used in the structure using the present invention; 5 is a diagram showing a structure in which a sheath pipe system is used for the connecting water channel used in the structure using the present invention; 6 is a diagram showing a cross section of the connecting water channel portion of a hat using the present invention; 7 is a diagram showing the bottom of a hat used in the present invention; 8 is a diagram showing a graph of the cooling temperature effect of a hat using the structure used in the present invention; 9 is a diagram showing the use state of a hat or jacket, etc. using the structure used in the present invention; 10 is a diagram showing a use form in which the flap portion of a hat using the structure used in the present invention is folded inside the hat body; 11 is a perspective view showing an example of a children's flap hat using the structure used in the present invention; 12 is a diagram showing a drain hole provided at the bottom end of a hat or jacket using the structure used in the present invention;

[0012] A first preferred embodiment of a hat structured according to the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows a cross-section of a hat structure incorporating the present invention. Hat 1 is comprised of a brim 11, a shell 12, and a rear flap 13. Fig. 1 also shows a cross-section of the back of the hat 1, covering the area from the back of the head to the upper nape of the neck. A water inlet 1a for pouring water is provided near the crown of the shell 12 of hat 1. Furthermore, a first water-absorbing material 14 capable of absorbing several times its own weight is disposed in a planar manner covering the back of the hat body 12. Similarly, a second water-absorbing material 15 similar to the first water-absorbing material is disposed in a planar manner in the flap 13, covering the upper back of the neck.

[0013] These first and second water absorbent materials 14, 15 are covered on both sides with breathable waterproof cloths 16, 17, and for example, a planar gap 18 is provided between the breathable waterproof cloth 16 on the outer surface and the surfaces of the first and second water absorbent materials, so that water poured from the water pouring port 1a flows and reaches the first and second water absorbent materials 14, 15, where it can absorb, hydrate, and store the moisture. However, although the above description has been given with the water absorbent materials 14, 15 separated into the first and second, it should be noted here that even if these are provided continuously as an integrated moisture absorbent material 3b1 as shown in Figure 3b, the present invention can provide a viable configuration, although the effect will be different as will be explained below.

[0014] Next, Figure 2 shows the back of a hat structure using the present invention. Hats generally have a space for head circumference size adjustment 21 and an adjustment band 22 at the rear center of the hat body 12 to fit the circumference of a person's head. Also, flap hats for children and kindergarteners also have a size adjustment elastic stretchable part 92 at the rear center of the hat body, as shown in Figure 9. These size adjustment parts 21 cannot accommodate the aforementioned water-absorbent materials 14, 15, which are several tens of times thicker and harder (feeling stiff) than ordinary fabrics, or breathable waterproof fabrics 16, 17, which form channels for smooth water flow. Therefore, in order to allow the water poured from the water pouring opening to be absorbed by the first water absorbent material 14 in the cap body while avoiding the size adjusting portion 21, and then to be absorbed by the second water absorbent material 15 arranged in the flap portion below, it is necessary to obtain a structure as shown in FIG. 2 in which a connecting water channel portion 23 is arranged to allow water to flow into the second water absorbent material 15 in the flap portion 13 while avoiding the size adjusting portion.

[0015] Figure 3a shows the combined structure of multiple fabrics and components that make up the present invention. The multiple fabrics and components shown in Figure 3a are a breathable lining 31 that is placed on the surface of the head for both the cap body and flap portions, starting from the side facing the head when the hat is worn. Next, an inner breathable waterproof fabric 17 with holes for evaporation is placed, and the water-absorbent materials 14, 15 are attached to the outer surface by gluing or sewing. An outer breathable waterproof fabric 16 is then placed over the outer surface of these fabrics, and the inner breathable waterproof fabric 17 and the outer breathable waterproof fabric 16 are joined around their outer peripheries by gluing or sewing. Water poured through the water inlet 1a is absorbed and stored on the water-absorbent surfaces 14, 15 of both the cap body 12 and flap portions 13, forming water channels 18 along their surfaces. In this case, as shown in Figure 3b, the cooling effect due to the latent heat of vaporization obtained in the present invention can also be obtained by forming the first and second water-absorbing materials 14, 15 into a continuous, integrated water-absorbing material 3b1 that covers the cap body and flap portions.

[0016] However, by separating the water absorbent material into moisture absorbents 14 and 15 for the cap body and the flap portion, and by making the connecting water channel portion 23 connecting the cap body portion 12 and the flap portion 13 free of the thick, bulky material that is present in the case of the integrated water absorbent material 3b1, and by making the water channel only of soft, breathable waterproof fabric, it is possible to create a fashionable effect, as shown in Figure 8, in which the flap portion 13 can be folded into the cap body portion 12 and stored in a neat and tidy manner, and can be worn comfortably, as if wearing a regular hat with only the cap body portion. In the figure, 32 is the outer fabric of the cap body portion 12 and the flap portion 13.

[0017] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention, which is even more effective, will be described. In a hat having the structure of the present invention, the hat body 12 and flap 13 are generally manufactured separately and then joined by sewing. To facilitate this joining and assembly process efficiently, the connecting water channel 23 of a hat having the structure of the present invention is configured as follows. As shown in Figure 3c, the width of the connecting water channel 3c2, which is made up of the inner and outer breathable waterproof fabrics 17b, 16b on the flap side, is wider than the width of the connecting water channel 3c1, which is made up of the inner and outer breathable waterproof fabrics 17a, 16a incorporated into the hat body 12. Furthermore, the connecting water channel 3c1 on the hat body side is configured longer, for example, so that the water channels of the hat body 12 and flap 13 overlap one another when they are joined.

[0018] The hat body 12 and flap 13 thus constructed are assembled and manufactured separately, and then when they are joined and sewn together around their horizontal periphery, the sewing is done while avoiding the connecting water channel 23. The connecting water channel 23 is formed by inserting the tubular water channel 3c1 made of breathable waterproof fabric on the hat body side into the similarly tubular water channel 3c2 on the flap 13 side, which has a slightly larger diameter, and connecting them using a sheath tube method to create the aforementioned connecting water channel 23. Since the entire horizontal periphery of the hat body 12 and flap 13 can be connected while avoiding only the connecting water channel, a hat having the structure of the present invention, or for example, a helmet inner jacket, can obtain the connecting water channel 23 as the connecting part through which water flows, while achieving the effect of very efficiently simplifying its assembly.

[0019] Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the connecting water channel portion 23 of a hat using the present invention. This cross-section is cut along the cross-section line 2a shown in Figure 2, showing the structure of the sheath pipe system. The connecting water channel portion 23 is connected by a sheath pipe system with the connecting water channel portion 3c1 on the shell side and the connecting water channel portion 3c2 on the flap side, which has a wider diameter than the connecting water channel portion 3c1 on the outside. The connecting water channel portion 23 is configured so that the water 41 flows from the shell side to the flap side on both sides, avoiding the band portion 22 of the size adjustment portion 21. Figure 5 shows the bottom of a hat used in the present invention. The arrangement of evaporative ventilation windows 51, 52 provided in the inner breathable waterproof fabrics 17a, 17b is shown, which promotes the evaporative cooling effect of water absorbed by the water-absorbing materials 14, 15.

[0020] Figure 6 is a graph showing the cooling temperature effect of a hat with the structure used in the present invention. At around 1:00 PM on a clear summer day, approximately 100 ml of cold water (approximately 12°C) was poured into the water inlet 1a of the hat with the structure of the present invention. After 10 minutes, the hat was worn and spent several hours walking around town, in a park, and watching a sports event. During this time, the surface temperature 61 of the cap top 12 outer shell, the temperature 62 of the inside back of the cap (facing the body), and the temperature 63 of the inside of the flap (near the back of the neck) were measured and displayed on a graph. The graph shows that wearing the hat of the present invention effectively cools and protects the upper and lower back of the head and the upper neck, which are important areas for preventing heatstroke, from high temperatures caused by solar radiation.

[0021] Figure 7 shows how a hat or the like having the structure of the present invention is used. Figure 7(a) shows an example of a cap-type hat, and Figure 7(b) shows an example of its use as a sweatshirt worn under a helmet. Simply pouring cold water from a plastic bottle 71 through a single water inlet 1a located at the top of the hat body 12 causes the cold water to flow from the hat body 12, which covers the wearer's head, through the head circumference size adjustment portion 21 or the rubber band size adjustment portion 7b2, and into the water-absorbing material 14, 15, or 3b1 located inside the flap portion 13 that covers the back of the head and upper neck. The illustration shows how the evaporation of the water-absorbing material inside the water-absorbing material provides a long-lasting cooling effect.

[0022] 9 is a perspective view showing an example of a children's flap hat with a structure used in the present invention. As shown in the figure, flap hats 91 for children and kindergarteners often have a stretchable rubber band 92 at the rear center as a head circumference size adjustment section. Even in this case, the connecting water channel section 23 of the present invention can be configured to avoid the rubber band section 92.

[0023] A third embodiment of the structure of the present invention will now be described. Figure 10(a) is a rear view of the structure of the present invention, and Figure 10(b) is a cross-sectional view of the structure cut along the cross-sectional line 101a. In the structure of a hat or the like used in the present invention, for example, a gap 18 formed between the water-absorbent material 15 and the breathable waterproof fabric 16 at a midpoint up to the lower end of the flap portion 13 is partially closed by gluing or sewing them together to form a water blocking portion 102. In addition, a drainage port 103 is provided at the lower end of the breathable waterproof fabric 16, located below the gap 18.

[0024] As a result, the water poured in through the water inlet 1a flows through the gap 18 while absorbing and storing the water in the water absorbent materials 14 and 15, as shown by the water flow direction 105. At this time, the water blocking portion 102 serves to temporarily direct the flowing water coming from above toward the center of the flap portion, allowing the center of the water absorbent material 15 to be supplied with water evenly throughout, thereby making the surface of the cooling effect of latent vaporization more uniform and lasting longer. After that, the water overflowing from both horizontal ends of the water blocking portion 102 is absorbed into both horizontal end surfaces of the water absorbent material 15, and begins to drain as excess water in the form of droplets 106 from the drain outlet 103 at the bottom of the gap 18, which can be detected visually or by touch.

[0025] When water is poured into the water inlet to achieve the cooling effect of evaporative cooling in hats, hoodies, and children's flap hats constructed according to the present invention, the drain outlet 103 allows the absorbent material 14, 15 to absorb and store sufficient water, and then excess water leaks out of the drain outlet as droplets 106. This allows the amount of water to be detected visually or by touch, allowing the user to determine and practice the optimal amount of water for a hat, for example, using the cooling structure of the present invention. Furthermore, without the drain outlet 103, it is easy to pour too much water, causing a large amount of water to accumulate at the bottom of the flap, resulting in a heavy feeling of excess water at the back of the neck. Furthermore, the water-tight seals formed by the adhesive and stitching on the front and back of the breathable waterproof fabrics 16, 17 may break, causing the excess water to leak unsightly from various gaps around the front of the hat while wearing it, resulting in discomfort and inconvenience. The structure of the present invention effectively eliminates this problem.

[0026] Due to recent climate change and the extreme heat of summer, there is a strong need to respond to and take measures against heat, heat stress, heat stroke, and other issues that occur during outdoor activities. In recent years, with the widespread installation of vending machines in familiar living areas, cold water bottles are becoming readily available anytime, anywhere. Hats, helmet inner jackets, and other items with the structure of the present invention can provide a long-lasting cooling effect by using cold water and evaporative cooling to the area of ​​the back of the head and back of the neck that controls the motor nerves, anytime, anywhere. Widespread use of the present invention is expected to alleviate people's concerns about heat, heat stress, and heat stroke during midsummer outdoor activities and outdoor work, reduce physical strain, and increase the efficiency of social activities in the summer, thereby contributing to great social and industrial benefits.

[0027] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Hat 12 Hat body 13 Flap 14 First water-absorbing material 15 Second water-absorbing material 16 Breathable waterproof fabric on outer surface 17 Breathable waterproof fabric on inner surface 18 Planar gap 21 Head circumference size adjustment section 23 Connecting water channel section 1a Water inlet 3c1 Connecting water channel section on hat body side 3c2 Connecting water channel section on flap side 51, 52 Evaporation ventilation window 7b2 Hood 102 Water blocking section 103 Drain outlet 105 Water flow direction

Claims

1. A cooling structure for a hat or hood having a hat body portion which covers the top of a person's head and a flap portion which covers from the back of the head to the upper back of the neck, characterized in that a water inlet is provided in the hat body portion, and the hat body portion and the flap portion are provided with a planar water-absorbent material which absorbs and retains water poured in from the water inlet, and a breathable waterproof cloth which is layered so as to cover one or part of both sides of the water-absorbent material, and a water channel is formed by the gap between the water-absorbent material and the breathable waterproof cloth so that the poured water can flow and spread in a planar manner between the hat body portion and the flap portion, and when the hat body portion and the flap portion are joined, the water channel is connected on both the left and right sides of the hat or hood, avoiding the head circumference size expansion and contraction adjustment portion of the hat or hood, and water flows from the hat body portion to the flap portion, and the evaporation heat of the water absorbed and retained by the water-absorbent material cools the top of the head and the back of the head to the upper back of the neck as a whole.

2. The cooling structure for a hat or hood as described in claim 1, characterized in that the absorbent material is separated into a first absorbent material that covers the back of the head with the hat body and a second absorbent material that covers from the lower back of the head to the upper back of the neck with the flap, the joint between the hat body and the flap does not include the first and second absorbent materials, and the water channels of the hat body and the flap are connected.

3. The cooling structure of a hat or jacket as described in claim 2, characterized in that the waterway connecting the hat body and flap is made of the tubular breathable waterproof fabric, the diameter of which is smaller on the hat body side and larger on the flap side, and the tubular shape is assembled in a sheath-like manner with sufficient overlapping dimensions.

4. A cooling structure for a hat or jacket as described in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that water poured from the water inlet reaches the flap portion from the hat body portion, passes through the connecting water channel, and after the water is absorbed and retained in the first and second absorbent materials, a drain outlet is provided at the lower end of the flap portion for draining excess water as a means for notifying that the water has reached the lower end of the flap portion.

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