Shirt with UV Protection Collar

Abstract

The present invention is a shirt having an ultraviolet (“UV”) protection collar. The UV protection collar of the shirt covers the majority of the back of the neck to protect it from harmful UV radiation and cool the back of the neck. The UV protection collar includes a collar is attached to a collar band, which is attached to the shirt. The collar is tallest at the center to cover the majority of the back of the neck and tapers towards the edges. The shirt and the UV protection collar is constructed of fabric having at least UPF 50+ rating, four-way stretch capabilities, and moisture wicking properties. The UV protection collar is made up of multiple layers of the fabric to enhance its UV protection and cooling properties.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A UV protection collar shirt comprising:
 a shirt; and   a UV protection collar attached to the shirt, wherein the UV protection collar comprises a collar attached to a collar band and the collar is folded over the collar band creating a right folded edge length, a left folded edge length, and a center back folded distance on the folded collar, wherein the center back folded distance is greater than the right folded edge length and the left folded edge length.   
     
     
         2 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the UV protection collar is a made of a material that is made from a material having at least UPF 50 rating and moisture wicking capability. 
     
     
         3 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 2 , wherein the collar includes two overlapping layers of the material and the collar band includes two overlapping layers of the material, wherein the UV protection collar has four overlapping layers of the material when the collar is folded over the collar band. 
     
     
         4 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 3 , wherein the center back folded distance of the UV protection collar is 1.3 to 1.5 times taller than the right folded edge length and the left folded edge length. 
     
     
         5 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 3 , wherein the UV protection collar covers 65 to 100 percent of a back of a human neck. 
     
     
         6 . A UV protection collar shirt comprising:
 a shirt; and   a UV protection collar configured to simultaneously prevent sunburn and cool a neck of a person attached to the shirt, wherein the UV protection collar comprises
 a top collar band attached to an under collar band creating a collar band having a collar band left edge length, a collar band right edge length, and a collar band center back distance, wherein the collar band center back distance is greater than the collar band left edge length and the collar band right edge length, 
 an under collar attached to a top collar creating a collar attached to the collar band, said collar having a collar left edge length, a collar right edge length, and a collar center back distance, wherein the collar center back distance is greater than the collar left edge length and the collar right edge length, and 
 wherein the collar is folded over the collar band creating a left folded edge length, a right folded edge length, and a center back folded distance on the folded collar, wherein the center back folded distance is greater than the left folded edge length and the right folded edge length. 
   
     
     
         7 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 6 , wherein the top collar band, the under collar band, the top collar, and the under collar is made from a material having at least UPF 50 rating and a moisture wicking capability. 
     
     
         8 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 7 , wherein the collar folded over the collar band provides four overlapping layers of the material for the UV protection collar. 
     
     
         9 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 8 , wherein said collar further comprises a right collar stay panel attached to the under collar adjacent the collar right edge length and a left collar stay panel attached to the under collar adjacent the collar left edge length, wherein a right collar stay is inserted between the right collar stay panel and the under collar and a left collar stay is inserted between the left collar stay panel and the under collar to provide stiffness to the collar. 
     
     
         10 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 9 , wherein the center back folded distance of the UV protection collar is 1.3 to 1.5 times taller than the right folded edge length and the left folded edge length. 
     
     
         11 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 9 , wherein the UV protection collar covers more than 60 percent of a back of a human neck. 
     
     
         12 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 9 , wherein the center back folded distance is 3 to 5 inches, the collar left edge length is 2 to 2.5 inches, and the collar right edge length equals the collar left edge length. 
     
     
         13 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 9 , wherein the collar left edge length is 2.5 inches, the collar right edge length is 2.5 inches, and the collar center back distance 3.25 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The UV protection collar shirt of  claim 9 , wherein the collar left edge length is 2.25 inches, the collar right edge length is 2.25 inches, and the collar center back distance 3.25 inches. 
     
     
         15 . A method of simultaneously preventing sunburn and cooling a back of a neck of a person, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a UV protection collar attached to a shirt, the UV protection collar comprises a collar attached to a collar band and the collar is folded over the collar band creating a right folded edge length, a left folded edge length, and a center back folded distance on the folded collar wherein the center back folded distance is greater than the right folded edge length and the left folded edge length, and wherein the UV protection collar is constructed of a material having at least UPF 50 rating and a moisture wicking capability;   wearing the shirt with the attached UV protection collar on the person;   positioning the center back folded distance on the folded collar at the center of the back of the neck of the person to cover a majority of the back of the neck of the person to block UV radiation from the back of the neck of the person; and   placing the UV protection collar against the back of the neck of the person to provide evaporative cooling effects to the back of the neck of the person by absorbing and evaporating perspiration from the back of the neck of the person with the UV protection collar.   
     
     
         16 . The method of simultaneously preventing sunburn and cooling a back of a neck of a person of  claim 15 , wherein the collar band comprises a top collar band attached to an under collar band and having a collar band left edge length, a collar band right edge length, and a collar band center back distance, wherein the collar band center back distance is greater than the collar band left edge length and the collar band right edge length. 
     
     
         17 . The method of simultaneously preventing sunburn and cooling a back of a neck of a person of  claim 16 , wherein the collar comprises an under collar attached to a top collar and having a collar left edge length, a collar right edge length, and a collar center back distance, wherein the collar center back distance is greater than the collar left edge length and the collar right edge length. 
     
     
         18 . The method of simultaneously preventing sunburn and cooling a back of a neck of a person of  claim 17 , wherein the top collar band, the under collar band, the top collar, and the under collar is made from a material having at least UPF 50 rating and a moisture wicking capability. 
     
     
         19 . The method of simultaneously preventing sunburn and cooling a back of a neck of a person of  claim 18 , wherein said collar further comprises a right collar stay panel attached to the under collar adjacent the collar right edge length and a left collar stay panel attached to the under collar adjacent the collar left edge length, wherein a right collar stay is inserted between the right collar stay panel and the under collar and a left collar stay is inserted between the left collar stay panel and the under collar to provide stiffness to the collar. 
     
     
         20 . The method of simultaneously preventing sunburn and cooling a back of a neck of a person of  claim 20 , wherein the center back folded distance is 3 to 5 inches, the collar left edge length is 2 to 2.5 inches, and the collar right edge length equals the collar left edge length.