Wig

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wig structure having its base formed with tensing means.

Description of the Prior Art

The wig of this kind is known in the prior art, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60 - 14727 (1985). The wig structure according to this disclosure is made light and functional to adjust the size of a cap net. Specifically, a bagged net for receiving an extensible tape to act as tensing means is sewn to the temple sides of the inside peripheral edge of the cap net. The extensible tape is inserted into the bagged net and has its one end fixed while leaving its other end free, to which is attached a fastener. This fastener is fixed according to the size required of the wig structure by a mating fastener, which in turn is sewn to a nape portion at the middle between the tape-inserted portions of the two temple sides.

There is also proposed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60 - 36562 (1985) another wig which has a neatly-designed fitting line extending from above the ears of the wig wearer to the edge line of the nape. In this proposal, the wig cap body has a generally round edge as a whole, when worn, and cut-away portions. Elastic members having such an elasticity as to follow the arcs of the generally round edge of the cap body worn are attached to the wig cap body such that they extend from the rear ends of holding members disposed at the cuts of the sides of the cap body at the forehead of the wearer through the tops of the cuts to the edge line of the nape. There is also used tensing means or adjusting belts, each of which has its one end attached to the vicinity of the portion of the cap body above the corresponding cut and its other end attached to the back of the cap body through a fixing member.

In either of the wig structures according to the prior art, there is not considered a disadvantage that the wig is caused to creep by the influences of the tensing means when the wearer moves his head with his wig. Specifically, the wig has its nape portion moved with the head so that it will probably rise, curl upward or wrinkle to lose its fit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a wig structure which can retain its stable fit even when the wearer moves his head.

According to a major aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wig structure comprising a generally cap-shaped wig base having tensing means at its two sides, wherein the improvement resides: in that said tensing means are disposed in a stability area on the periphery of the head of a wig wearer; and in that said wig base extends downward from said tensing means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description to be made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a wig structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation showing a wig structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 but shows a wig structure according a third embodiment of the present invention; and
• Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a stability area of the peripheral portion of the head of a wig wearer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before entering into the detailed description of the present invention, cursory review will be made upon the novel concept discovered by the present inventors. Above the line c extending from the vicinity of the frontal margin a of the head of a wig wearer through the temple portions to the back nape point b of the head, as shown in Fig. 4, the scalp e is held in con­tact with the skul d. Thus, the head portion above that line c can be said to provide a stability area f. Below the line c, on the contrary, the head portion can be said to leave an instability area h, in which the distance between the skul d and the scalp e is large especially in a nape portion g so that the scalp e will be pulled with a relatively large displacement by the head moved. Noting this concept, the wig structure of the prior art is made such that the tensing means are positioned just above the ears of the wig wearer, i.e., in the instability area h. Then, the tensing means are moved with the head so that the nape sides tensed will curl upward or wrinkle.

The present invention has been conceived in view of the discovery described above. Since the tensing means are positioned in the stability area f, they are not displaced by the moved head. As a result, the nape sides i are prevented from any displacement to keep the wig structure away from any rise or curling upward so that the wig structure can enjoy a stable fit. Since, moreover, the wig structure has its base extending to below the tensing means, its stability can be better improved.

The present invention will be described in the following in connection with embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Reference numeral 1 appearing in Fig. 1 generally designates a wig base which is formed into such a cap shape as to cover the head of a wig wearer wholly along the hair line or the border of his hair. The wig base 1 is usually formed of a net so as to prevent stuffi­ness. This net is implanted with hair strands in its upper surface. The wig base 1 may be arranged, if necessary, with an artificial skin of a soft synthetic resin at the hair parting line. According to a first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the wig base 1 is bound with a rubber band 3 extending along the peripheral edge thereof so that it may be fixed on the wearer's head. This rubber band 3 is positioned in the stabi­lity area f of Fig. 4 and tensed along the line c between a nape portion 4 of the wig base 1 and each of sideburn portions 5 at the two sides of the head.

Turning to Fig. 2 showing a second embodiment, a buckle 2 is attached to the rubber band 3 to adjust the peripheral length and accordingly the tension or stiffness of the wig base 1. The buckle 2 is anchored to a mating band 2A which in turn is sewn to a soft, elastic support 6. This elastic support 6 is disposed to extend over at least one portion where the wig base 1 contacts with the scalp and/or hair. In the second embodiment of Fig. 2, the mating band 2A and the buckle 2 are located at each of the elastic supports 6 exten­ding over the sideburn portions 5. The soft, elastic support 6 can be prepared by coloring a material having a softness and an elasticity such as foamed urethane preferably in the same color as that of the hair or scalp. Specifically, urethane is foamed with an arbitrary size directly in a predetermined position of the wig base 1 made of a net, or an urethane sheet is formed by blowing foamed urethane to a substrate cloth of a predetermined netting and is applied or sewn to the wig base 1. In the latter case, there can be used the foamed urethane sheet, as known under the trade name of "Hostop", which is applied to the back of a carpet, for example, to prevent its creeping. This sheet is advantageous in breathability because the foamed urethane blown leaves scattered pores in the netted substrate. In either event, the soft, elastic support 6 to be selected may preferably be a material which is soft and elastic enough for contacting with the scalp or hair to establish a high friction so that it may prevent better the wig from creeping. In order to improve the air and vapor permeabilities, that material may more preferably be formed with gaps or pores, as specified above.

On the other hand, the soft, elastic support 6 thus prepared may preferably be so arranged inside of the wig base 1 that it can easily be brought into position on the head, when the wig is to be worn, i.e., along the peripheral edge of the wig base 1, as usual. In the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, for example, the soft, elastic supports 6 are formed by stitching the corresponding urethane sheets with threads 7 to both the nape portion 4 located at the back of the head and the sideburn portions 5 located at the righthand and lefthand temples. Moreover, the soft, elastic support 6 disposed at the nape portion 4 is formed to extend with a larger width than the prior art from above the nape point b, as defined in Fig. 4. The aforementioned rubber band 3 of the first embodi­ment has, as shown in Fig. 1, its one end sewn to each side end of the soft, elastic support 6 of the nape portion 4 and its other end sewn to each of the soft, elastic supports 6 of the sideburn portions 5. On the other hand, the other end of the rubber band 3 of the second embodiment shown in Fig. 2 is fastened by the mating band 2A which is sewn to each of the soft, elastic supports 6 of the sideburn portions 5. Thus, the two rubber bands 3 interconnect the soft, elastic supports 6 of the nape portion 4 and the sideburn portions 5 under tension either directly or indirectly through the mating bands 2A. Each rubber band 3 is bagged by a net 8 which is folded along its lower edge extending with an inclination from the lower portion of the elastic support 6 at the nape portion 4 to the middle of the elastic support 6 at the corresponding sideburn portion 5. There is also bagged in the net 8 a thin rubber string 9 which is guided along the lower edge of the net 8 and held under tension between the nape portion 4 and the corresponding sideburn portion 5. In this sideburn portion 5, there is disposed a temple holding reinforcement 10 which is made of a metal foil extending with an inclination.

In the first and second embodiments thus far de­scribed, the tensing members or rubber bands 3 are disposed in the stability area f which is located around the head of the wig wearer above the line c joining the frontal margin a of the hair and the nape point b. Even if the head is moved, the portion of the worn wig in the stability area f will be carried by the moved head so that the wig can be prevented as a whole from curling upward. Moreover, the rubber bands 3 are so fixed that the nape sides i are kept immovable. Thus, the wig will not rise, curl upward and wrinkle so that it can provide a stable fit.

Still moreover, the rubber band 3 is bagged in the net 8, which in turn is so sewn between the nape portion 4 and the sideburn portions 5 as to extend as far as below the rubber band 3 so that the nape sides i can be held to a satisfactory extent. Furthermore, the thin rubber string 9 is guided in the lower edge of that net 8 to give a suitable tension to the net 8 so that the fit of the wig can be better improved.

On the other hand, the rubber band 3 is held under tension between the soft, elastic supports 6 at the nape portion 4 and the sideburn portions 5. As a result, these portions 4 and 5 are held in a higher stability. Moreover, the buckles 2 are disposed at the sideburn portions 5 so that the nape portion 4 can be made thin to provide an excellent fit.

On the other hand, the wig base 1 is lined with the soft, elastic supports 6, the softness of which enables the wig base 1 to come into contact with the scalp without any damage. The softness and elasticity of the supports 6 in turn establishes a high friction with the scalp or hair of the wig wearer himself when the wig is caused to creep from his head by an external force, so that any easy creeping of the wig from his head can be suppressed.

Incidentally, the present invention should not be limited to the first and second embodiments thus far described but can be modified in various manners within the scope thereof. For example, the tensing member is exemplified by the rubber band but may be a suitable member having a rubbery elasticity. As in a third embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the buckle 2 may be disposed at each side of the nape portion 4. On the other hand, the net 8 may not employ the rubber string 9, if it is made of a material having relatively weak contraction and expansion properties. The whole struc­ture of the wig base itself can naturally be applied to a variety of types.

Thus, it is possible according to the present invention to provide a wig which can retain a stable fit even if its wearer moves his head.