Coated wire cloth fabric

Abstract

A coated wire frame member and method for its use as a reinforcing member in a brim of a hat includes a wire frame and a coating encapsulating the wire frame. The coated wire frame member may be a welded or woven wire mesh or a plurality of wires forming a frame shaped like the brim. The wire frame member may be made from substantially malleable, ductile, nonelastic metals and alloys, such as stainless steel. The coating is at least one thermoplastic resin, such as polyethylene. The coated wire frame member may be used in many applications including in the brim of a hat to enable its repeated reshaping and reformation.

We claim  
     
         1 . A coated wire cloth fabric comprising in combination: 
 a wire cloth; and    a coating over the wire cloth.    
     
     
         2 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the wire cloth comprises a welded wire mesh.  
     
     
         3 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the wire cloth is comprised of a metal or alloy selected from the group consisting of brass, copper, Monel®, nickel, plain steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel and any other substantially malleable, ductile, non-elastic metal or alloy.  
     
     
         4 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the wire cloth has a mesh count of between about 2 openings per linear inch and 6 openings per linear inch.  
     
     
         5 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 4 , wherein the wire cloth has a mesh count of about 4 openings per linear inch.  
     
     
         6 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the wire cloth has a wire size of between about 0.010 inches and about 0.040 inches.  
     
     
         7 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 6 , wherein the wire cloth has a wire size of about 0.025 inches.  
     
     
         8 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the wire cloth comprises a woven wire mesh.  
     
     
         9 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the woven wire mesh comprises a plain square weave with a flat top crimp.  
     
     
         10 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises at least one thermoplastic resin.  
     
     
         11 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting of ethylene propylene diene monomer, polyolefins, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene.  
     
     
         12 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is applied to at least one surface of the wire cloth.  
     
     
         13 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is applied by a lamination process.  
     
     
         14 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is applied by a calendaring process.  
     
     
         15 . The coated wire cloth fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the coated wire cloth fabric is used as a reinforcing member in a brim of a hat.  
     
     
         16 . A hat comprising: 
 a brim comprised of a reinforcing member defining a shape of the brim, wherein the reinforcing member comprises a plurality of wires arranged as a frame member; and    a crown attached to the brim.    
     
     
         17 . The hat of  claim 16 , wherein the reinforcing member further comprises a coating encapsulating the frame member.  
     
     
         18 . The hat of  claim 17 , wherein the coating comprises at least one thermoplastic resin.  
     
     
         19 . The hat of  claim 16 , wherein at least one layer of cover material covers the reinforcing member.  
     
     
         20 . The hat of  claim 17 , wherein the coating further comprises at least one lubricant.  
     
     
         21 . The hat of  claim 17 , wherein the coating further comprises a blowing agent.  
     
     
         22 . The hat of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of wires are arranged in a mesh pattern in a wire cloth.  
     
     
         23 . The hat of  claim 22 , wherein the wire cloth includes a welded wire mesh.  
     
     
         24 . The hat of  claim 22 , wherein the wire cloth includes a woven wire mesh.  
     
     
         25 . The hat of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of wires are arranged in a pattern following contour lines of the brim.  
     
     
         26 . The hat of  claim 25 , wherein the plurality of wires are arranged in a pattern following contour lines of the brim from an outer edge to an inner edge of the brim.  
     
     
         27 . The hat of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of wires are connected by a weld to one of the plurality of wires at the outer edge of the brim.  
     
     
         28 . A garment comprising: 
 a malleable wire frame member; and    a top and bottom layer of cover material between which the malleable wire frame member is disposed.    
     
     
         29 . The garment of  claim 28 , wherein the malleable wire frame member includes a wire cloth.  
     
     
         30 . The garment of  claim 28 , wherein the malleable wire frame member may be coated to encapsulate the malleable wire frame member.  
     
     
         31 . The garment of  claim 28 , wherein the garment is a hat brim.  
     
     
         32 . The garment of  claim 28 , wherein the malleable wire frame member is disposed between the top and bottom layers of cover material which are sewn together.  
     
     
         33 . A method of making a hat brim capable of repeated reshaping and reformation, comprising the steps of: 
 providing at least one wire frame member;    coating the at least one wire frame member with at least one thermoplastic resin;    making the coated wire frame member into a reinforcing member in a shape of the hat brim; and    incorporating the reinforcing member into the brim of the hat.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one wire frame member comprises a wire cloth.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one wire frame member comprises a plurality of wires arranged in a pattern following contour lines of the brim.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the reinforcing member may be covered by at least one cover material.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the reinforcing member may be covered by at least one cover material on either of the top or bottom surfaces of the reinforcing member.