Apparatus and method for making an ear warmer having interior seams

• US 6,502,247 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 180S IP Holdings LLC, 180S USA LLC
• Original Assignee: Gray Matter Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Le Gette, Brian Edward, Werner, Justin Saul
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsey, Rodney M.
• Application Number:
  US09/978,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20020020003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 220/9, 128/857, 128/864, 128/866, 181/129, 181/137
• US Class Current: 2/209
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/14 external, e.g. earcaps or earmuffs
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/00 Non-optical adjuncts; Attachment thereof G02C7/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 2/11 Headband

Abstract

An ear warmer comprises a set of membranes and a frame. The set of membranes collectively defines an outer perimeter. The set of membranes is attached along the outer perimeter to define an attachment portion. The attachment portion is entirely disposed within an interior of the set of membranes. The frame is disposed within the interior of the set of membranes.

Claims

1. An ear warmer, comprising:

a plurality of membrane portions collectively defining an outer perimeter, said plurality of membrane portions being attached along said outer perimeter to define an attachment having a side along said outer perimeter, said side of said attachment along said outer perimeter being entirely disposed within an interior of said plurality of membrane portions; and

a frame disposed within said interior of said plurality of membrane portions.

2. The ear warmer of claim 1, wherein said plurality of membrane portions includes:

an outer membrane portion; and

an ear membrane portion being integrally formed with said outer membrane portion along a first portion of said ear membrane portion, a second portion of said ear membrane portion being attached to said outer membrane portion along a first portion of said outer perimeter and within a first portion of said interior.

3. The ear warmer of claim 1, wherein said plurality of membrane portions includes:

an outer membrane portion;

an ear membrane portion being integrally formed with said outer membrane portion along a first portion of said ear membrane portion, a second portion of said ear membrane portion being attached to said outer membrane portion along a first portion of said outer perimeter and within a first portion of said interior; and

a middle membrane portion being integrally formed with said outer membrane portion along a first portion of said middle membrane portion, a second portion of said middle membrane portion being attached to said outer membrane portion along a second portion of said outer perimeter and within a second portion of said interior.

4. The ear warmer of claim 1, wherein said plurality of membrane portions are attached along an entirety of said outer perimeter.

5. The ear warmer of claim 1, wherein said frame is disposed entirely within said interior of said plurality of membrane portions.

6. The ear warmer of claim 1, wherein said plurality of membrane portions includes an outer membrane portion and an ear membrane portion, said outer membrane portion including a portion corresponding to said ear membrane portion, said corresponding portion being larger than said ear membrane portion.

7. The ear warmer of claim 1, wherein said plurality of membrane portions includes an outer membrane portion and an ear membrane portion, said outer membrane portion including a portion corresponding to said ear membrane portion, said corresponding portion being larger than said ear membrane portion, said corresponding portion and said ear membrane portion having corresponding perimeters.

8. An ear warmer, comprising:

an ear warmer shell including a plurality of membranes each having an edge portion that is disposed adjacent to an edge portion of a remaining membrane from said plurality of membranes, said plurality of membranes each being attached along the adjacently-disposed edge portions to define an attachment having an outer side, said outer side of said attachment being entirely disposed within an interior of said plurality of membranes; and

a frame disposed within said interior of said plurality of membranes.

9. The ear warmer of claim 8, wherein said plurality of membranes includes:

an outer membrane;

a first ear membrane attached to said outer membrane along a first portion of said outer membrane and defining a first interior portion of said ear warmer shell, said first ear membrane being attached within said first interior portion;

a second ear membrane attached to said outer membrane along a second portion of said outer membrane and defining a second interior portion of said ear warmer shell, said second ear membrane being attached within said second interior portion; and

a middle membrane attached to said outer membrane along a third portion of said outer membrane and defining a third interior portion of said ear warmer shell, said middle membrane being attached within said third interior portion.

10. The ear warmer of claim 8, wherein said plurality of membranes are attached along an entirety of said edge portions.

11. The ear warmer of claim 8, wherein said frame is disposed entirely within said interior of said plurality of membranes.

12. The ear warmer of claim 9, wherein said outer membrane, said first ear membrane, said second ear membrane, and said middle membrane are integrally formed.

13. The ear warmer of claim 8, wherein said plurality of membranes includes an outer membrane and an ear membrane, said outer membrane including a portion corresponding to said ear membrane, said corresponding portion being larger than said ear membrane.

14. The ear warmer of claim 8, wherein said plurality of membranes includes an outer membrane and an ear membrane, said outer membrane including a portion corresponding to said ear membrane, said corresponding portion being larger than said ear membrane, said corresponding portion and said ear membrane having corresponding perimeters.

15. An ear warmer, comprising:

a one-piece membrane having a first ear portion, a second ear portion, a middle portion, and an outer portion, said first ear portion, said second ear portion, said middle portion, and said outer portion being adapted to collectively define therebetween an interior of said membrane, said outer portion having a first portion corresponding to said first ear portion and a second portion corresponding to said second ear portion; and

a frame disposed within said interior of said membrane.

16. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion, said second ear portion, and said middle portion are integrally formed with said outer portion.

17. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion is integrally formed with a side of said outer portion proximate to an end of said outer portion.

18. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion is integrally formed with a first side of said outer portion proximate to a first end of said outer portion, and said second ear portion is integrally formed with a second side of said outer portion proximate to a second end of said outer portion.

19. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion, said second ear portion, and said middle portion are integrally formed with said outer portion at a plurality of discontinuous locations.

20. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion, said second ear portion, and said middle portion are attached along an entirety of a perimeter of said outer portion.

21. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion and said middle portion are integrally formed with opposite sides of said outer portion.

22. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion has the same configuration as said first corresponding portion of said outer portion.

23. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion has the same configuration as said first corresponding portion of said outer portion, and said second ear portion has the same configuration as said second corresponding portion of said outer portion.

24. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first car portion, said second ear portion, said middle portion, and said outer portion collectively define an outer perimeter and are attached along said outer perimeter to define an attachment having a side along said outer perimeter, said side of said attachment along said outer perimeter being entirely disposed within said interior of said membrane.

25. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion is coupled to said outer portion, said second ear portion is coupled to said outer portion, said first ear portion being separate from said second ear portion.

26. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion, said second ear portion, and said middle portion are separate from each other.

32. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion has a perimeter and being attached to said outer portion along part of said first ear portion perimeter, and said second ear portion has a perimeter and being attached to said outer portion along part of said second ear portion perimeter.

33. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said middle portion has a perimeter, said middle portion being attached to said outer portion along part of said middle portion perimeter, said middle portion being attached to said outer portion between said first ear portion and said second ear portion.

34. The ear warmer of claim 15, wherein said first ear portion is attached to said outer portion proximate to said first corresponding portion.

35. The ear warmer of claim 32, wherein said first ear portion is attached to said outer portion proximate to said first corresponding portion, said second ear portion is attached to said outer portion proximate to said second corresponding portion.

36. The car warmer of claim 15, wherein said middle portion has a perimeter, said middle portion being attached to said outer portion along part of said middle portion.

27. A method of forming an ear warmer using a membrane having a first ear portion, a second ear portion, a middle portion, and an outer portion, the method comprising the steps of:

disposing the membrane to form an interior between the first ear portion, the second ear portion, the middle portion, and the outer portion; and

disposing a frame within the interior of the membrane.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said disposing the membrane includes:

folding the first ear portion onto a first corresponding portion of the outer portion;

folding the second ear portion onto a second corresponding portion of the outer portion; and

folding the middle portion onto the outer portion.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said disposing the membrane includes:

folding the first ear portion onto a first corresponding portion of the outer portion;

folding the second ear portion onto a second corresponding portion of the outer portion;

folding the middle portion onto the outer portion; and

attaching the middle portion to a portion of a remaining perimeter of the outer portion.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein said disposing the membrane includes:

folding the first ear portion onto a first corresponding portion of the outer portion;

folding the second ear portion onto a second corresponding portion of the outer portion;

folding the middle portion onto the outer portion;

attaching the middle portion to a portion of a remaining perimeter of the outer portion;

attaching the first ear portion to a portion of a remaining perimeter of the first corresponding portion; and

attaching the second car portion to a portion of a remaining perimeter of the second corresponding portion.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein said disposing a frame within the interior includes:

disposing a frame member between the first ear portion and the first corresponding portion of the outer portion; and

disposing a frame member between the second ear portion and the second corresponding portion of the outer portion.

37. An ear warmer, comprising:

an ear warmer shell including;

an outer membrane;

an ear membrane, said ear membrane being attached to said outer membrane, said ear membrane and said outer membrane collectively defining an outer perimeter, said ear membrane and said outer membrane defining therebetween an interior of said ear warmer shell; and

a pocket membrane, said pocket membrane disposed within said interior of said ear warmer shell, said pocket membrane being attached along a portion of said outer perimeter; and

a frame disposed within said interior of said ear warmer shell.

38. The ear warmer of claim 37, wherein said pocket membrane is attached between said ear membrane and said outer membrane along a portion of said outer perimeter.

39. The ear warmer of claim 37, wherein said pocket membrane and said outer membrane define a pocket therebetween.

40. The ear warmer of claim 37, wherein said pocket membrane and said outer membrane define a pocket therebetween, said frame being inserted into said pocket.

41. A method of forming an ear warmer shell using a membrane having an ear membrane portion and an outer membrane portion, the ear membrane portion having an outer perimeter, the outer membrane portion having an outer perimeter, the outer membrane portion including a portion corresponding to the ear membrane portion, the corresponding portion being larger than the ear membrane portion, the method comprising the steps of:

disposing the ear membrane portion proximate to the corresponding portion of the outer membrane portion;

moving a first portion of the outer membrane portion and a second portion of the outer membrane portion together inwardly; and

attaching the ear membrane portion and the outer membrane portion.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said moving a first portion includes:

moving the outer perimeter of the corresponding portion inwardly so that the outer perimeter of the corresponding portion of the outer membrane and the outer perimeter of the ear membrane portion are substantially aligned.