Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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This invention relates to an encircling band, e.g., a
scarf, a neck band, a wrist band, etc., having unique
properties which can be imparted to a person wearing such
encircling band. Such encircling band may be worn by an
5athlete during training to assist in his/her training
program.
Such encircling bands are known in the patent
literature which have structural features to increase their
warmth or to provide moisture-absorbing properties. Thus,
10it has been proposed to provide scarves with linings to
increase their warmth. Scarves with linings are subject to
certain disadvantages which, in many instances, exceed the
advantage of increased warmth. After washing or cleaning,
it is difficult to iron such scarf properly. Hence such
15scarves frequently have objectionable folds or wrinkles.
Furthermore, unequal shrinking of the lining and the outer
cloth is frequently responsible for loss of shape of the
scarf. In-addition to the above objections, the lining
generally imparts an undesirable stiffness to the scarf.
20Canadian Patent No. 370,649 patented December 21, 1937
by E. Buchman attempted to solve the problem of increasing
the warmth of scarves without the use of a lining by
providing a muffler or scarf in the form of a scarf com-
prising: fabric stitched to form a comparatively long and
25narrow envelope of a length and width sufficient to permit
the same to be looped around the neck of a person; a light,
loose, filling of down in the envelope; and stitching
extending through the envelope and dividing the scarf into
'k
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a plurality of sections for inhibiting movement of down
from one part of the scarf to a distant part thereof.
- When training, athletes strive to con~inuously improve
their muscular and respiratory systems. This is accom-
plished by either exercising those systems during long
training sessions which use the systems much more than is
the normal experience of other people, or is accomplished
by exerting those systems during shorter training sessions
to a much higher level than do other people, or is accom-
plished by both methods. When the muscular and respiratory
systems are exerted to high level heat is produced by the
body in correspondingly escalated levels and perspiration
results. Perspiration is the body's mechanism for
releasing the increased level of body heat, and is a
measure of the exertion being produced. Wearing of a
jogging suit or exercising in high temperature conditions
forces the athlete's body to further exert itself.
Various types of headbands or sweatbands have been
devised in the prior art for absorbing perspiration
secreted by the sweat glands onto the forehead of a person.
Such bands are commonly worn to absorb perspiration. Such
contemporary bands typically comprise elastic terry cloth
or the like which is configured snugly to encircle the
wearer's wrist or the upper portion of the user's head.
Flexible cold packs for use in therapeutic
applications, such as to reduce swelling and inflammation
to sprained joints, are likewise well known. Such cold
packs typically comprise a freezable gel disposed within a
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liquid-impenetrable bag which may be cooled to a tempera-
ture below the freezing point of water without becoming
- rigid.
Moreover participants frequently attempt to cool
themselves by applying a water spray to their such that
evaporative cooling will occur. However, this technique is
not particularly effective when the humidity is high.
In the patent literature solution to this problem,
U.S. Patent No. 1,689,539 taught a hat pad comprising a
cloth pad positioned between a band and the inner side of
the hat crown. The cloth pad included a pocket for
retaining a substance, e.g., diatomaceous earth, for
absorbing moisture and oil.
U.S. Patent No. 2,265,530 taught a sweatband having a
water-proof material stitched to a strip of leather with an
absorbent wick material disposed between the waterproof
material and leather. The wick extended away from the band
to absorb moisture.
U.S. Patent No. 3,089,146 patented May 14, 1963 by
W.F. Sterne, entitled "Sweat Band" taught a sweatband
utilizing cellulose sponge granules within facing strips of
a material, e.g., cheesecloth or gauze, for absorbing sweat
secreted on to the skin and for evaporating the absorbed
sweat back into the atmosphere to provide an evaporative
cooling effect.
U.S. Patent 4,742,581 patented May 10, 1988 by D.H.
Rosenthal, entitled "Cooling Band System" provided a
laminate comprised of an air-pervious mesh or foraminous
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first sub-layer of heat-conductive material covered by a
sheet of approximately the same size, which may be a woven
100% cotton fabric connected in interfacial association and
formed into an endless band. The band also included an
outer layer of material, e.g., cotton and an inner mesh or
screen layer of fibreglass or metal. The band could be in
the form of a headband or wristband. The band thus
extracted heat from the body and dissipated it, resulting
in lowering body temperature.
U.S. Patent No. 4,815,144 taught headwear having
freezable liquid or gel in a pouch which was positioned in
a drain channel to collect the condensate.
U.S. Patent No. 4,856,116 patented August 15, 1989 by
L.S. Sullivan entitled "Sweatbands" provided a sweatband
which had a first component which was essentially inexten-
sible and which had an elongated core fabricated from a
porous, predominantly open cell, moisture absorbent, syn-
thetic polymer. A permeable covering overlay the inner
side of the core and was fabricated from a chamois material
which was soft and pliable and was capable of promoting the
transfer-of moisture from the user's skin to the core of
the first component. A second, permeable covering overlay
the outer side of the core, the second covering being made
from a porous fabric which was capable of promoting the
evaporation of moisture from the core into the ambient
surroundings.
U.S. Patent No. 5,119,513 patented June 9, 1992 by
W.D. McKay, entitled "Sports Band" provided a sports band
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which comprised a band of elastic absorbent material,
generally hollow and torroidal in shape, which was
configured to be worn upon a person's head or wrist. It
had a slit formed upon its inner surface such that a flex-
ible cold pack may be received thereby and disposed withinthe band. Such sports band both absorbed perspiration and
cooled the user.
U.S. Patent No. 5,146,630 patented September 15, 1992
by R.J. Richard, entitled "Sweat Band" provided a sweatband
formed of three fabrics, each having an elongated rectangu-
lar shape, which was configured to fit about the head of a
wearer. The periphery of the third fabric was partially
secured to the second fabric, thereby forming a pocket
having an opening to permit access into the pocket. A
removable package for holding granular, moisture-absorbing
material which had an elongated rectangular shape which was
configured to fit within the pocket. A securing means was
employed to secure the fabrics to the head of the wearer
such that they were pressed against the forehead of the
wearer by tension generated by the securing means.
U.S. Patent No. 5,161,260 patented November 10, 1992
by J. Reynolds, entitled "Athletic Headwear" provided an
athletic headwear including a body portion, an integral
elastic headband and an integral sweatpad. The sweatpad
was integral with the forward edge of the body portion on
its inner or under surface and could be secured to the
forward edge by stitching and the like.
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Canadian Patent No. 1,203,952 patented May 6, 1986 by
R.G. Parr provided neckwear comprising an elongated flex-
ible support collar having a contour adapted to conform to
the contour of the neck of a wearer of the neckwear. A
flexible insulating medium, e.g., which was perspiration-
absorbed extended along at least one surface of the collar.
A tensioning belt was secured to the neckwear so as to
extend parallel to the collar, the belt being adjustably
tightenable after placement of the neckwear on the wearer
so as to provide a uniform tension on the neck of the
wearer. That neckwrap slowed heat loss from the neck area.
Thus, while the prior art provided means for increas-
ing the warmth of a neckband or scarf and which provided
moisture absorbing and evaporative cooling, no means of a
cooling band which was not dependent upon evaporative
cooling had been provided. Although the prior art has
recognized to a limited extent the problems of absorbing
perspiration and of cooling the participants, the proposed
solutions have to date not been totally effective in pro-
viding a satisfactory remedy. Thus, it would be desirable,
and it is an object of one aspect of this invention, to
provide an encircling band which would provide cooling to
the user which was not dependent upon evaporative cooling,
and which may also serve to absorb perspiration.
By one broad aspect of this invention an encircling
wrap is provided for encircling a body part, the encircling
wrap comprising: a main fabric in which an integral portion
thereof includes a dual layer fabric constituted by two
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layers of fabric; a pocket situated at a selected area of
the portion of the encircling wrap between the two layers
of fabric; a filling of a combination heat-absorbent and
water-absorbent discrete material, which is crystalline
particulate when dry and, which has the property of swell-
ing while maintaining its particulate form when combined
with water, the filling being freely disposed within the
pocket; and means for maintaining the filling permanently
within the pocket, while permitting the filling to adapt to
the form and shape of the body part which it encircles.
By one variant thereof, the encircling wrap is in the
form of an encircling band or scarf.
By another variant thereof, the filling is a water
swellable, particulate aggregate made from particles of
super absorbent polymeric material.
By another variant of this invention, the fabric is a
wool fabric.
By a preferred variant, the fabric is a blend of 65%
polyester/35% cotton.
By other variants, the fabric is a worsted; a tweed;
a closely-woven cotton fabric; a closely-woven silk fabric;
or is a closely-woven synthetic fabric.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an encircling
band of one embodiment of the invention; and
Fig. 2 is a section along the line II-II of Fig. 1.
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As seen in the drawings, the encircling band is in the
form of a scarf 10 which consists of a body of fabric 11
- folded upon itself to form a long, and~a comparatively
narrow, dual fabric scarf, and which suitably lS stitched,
e.g., at stitches 12, or otherwise held together. The two
longitudinally-extending ends are cut at an angle 13 and
are suitably stitched or otherwise held together, e.g., as
illustrated at 14. The material used may be any closely
woven cotton or silk fabric or synthetic fibre, or any
other closely woven cloth material. One embodiment of the
scarf 10 is made from a blend of 65% polyester and 35%
cotton. The cloth can vary from solid colours to patterns,
and may be made in sizes suitable for children or adults to
wear around the neck, or if desired, around the head or
wrist. A pocket 15 is provided to accommodate heat- and
moisture-absorbing crystals, which thus have the ability to
absorb heat and that when placed in water expand up to 500
times in size. The limits of the pocket 15 is defined by
any suitable means, e.g., stitches 17.
The heat- and moisture-absorbing crystals 16 are
placed within the pocket 15 between the two layers 11 of
the scarf cloth. One commercially-available such crystals
are those known by the trade-mark SELSORB 9OTM of Allied
Colloids Limited. SELSORB 9OTM is a water-swellable
particulate aggregate made from particles of super
absorbent polymeric material. The envelope 15 is conflned
to the central regions 18 of the scarf 10 by hidden, fine
close stitches 17. This divides the interior of the scarf
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into a central section indicated at 18, that section being
closed off so that substantially no crystals can travel
- along the length of the scarf section. A-suitable identi-
fication name, or symbol or logo may be provided at the
ends 19 (known as the tail) of the scarf 10, and/or be
across the pocket section 15, only.
In one specific, although not necessarily a preferred
embodiment, the scarf is 30-40 inches in lengths and is 2
inches in width. The central area may be from 13 to 18
inches long. The scarf is made of 65% polyester/35% cotton
broadcloth.
