# US 11,432,603 B2 · Moisture-wicking article of headwear > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,432,603 B2 - Document ID: US11432603B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/787,205 - Filed: 2020-02-11 - Published: 2020-12-31 - Granted: 2022-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-27 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Erika R. Kelly; Kraig Nelson; Aaron Reimer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11432603B2 ## CPC - A41D 20/00: Wristbands or headbands, e.g. for absorbing sweat - A41D 31/125: {Moisture handling or wicking function through layered materials} - A42B 1/04: Soft caps; Hoods - A42C 5/02: Sweat-bands - A42C 5/04: Ventilating arrangements for head coverings (for helmets A42B3/28) - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES - A42B: HATS; HEAD COVERINGS (headbands A41D20/00; head-scarves A41D23/00) - A42C: MANUFACTURING OR TRIMMING HEAD COVERINGS, e.g. HATS ## Abstract Aspects herein are directed to an article of headwear having a first layer of material formed from a polyester yarn, a second layer of material formed from a polyester yarn, and an absorbent layer positioned between the first layer of material and the second layer of material at a front of the article of headwear. The article of headwear is configured to temporarily store perspiration produced by a wearer's forehead area and transport the perspiration to the sides and back of the article of headwear where it can subsequently evaporate or be harmlessly released. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article of headwear comprising: a first layer of material formed from a first polyester yarn and configured to face a wearer when the article of headwear is in an as-worn configuration; a second layer of material formed from a second polyester yarn; an absorbent layer in face-sharing contact with and positioned between the first layer of material and the second layer of material, the absorbent layer spanning a front portion of the article of headwear, wherein along sides and a back of the article of headwear, the first layer of material and the second layer of material are in face-sharing contact with one another; and a crown, the first layer of material, the second layer of material, and the absorbent layer forming a sweatband permanently secured to an inner-facing surface of a lower portion of the crown by one or more of stitching and bonding, the first layer of material and the second layer of material extending around a majority of a circumference of the lower portion of the crown and terminating at a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is spaced apart from the second end at the back of the article of headwear. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein a front of the sweatband extends a first distance with respect to a lower margin of the sweatband, wherein sides of the sweatband extend a second distance with respect to the lower margin of the sweatband, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein the first layer of material is a continuous and uninterrupted layer extending along a front, sides, and to the first end and the second end of the sweatband, and the second layer of material is a continuous and uninterrupted layer extending along the front, the sides, and to the first end and the second end of the sweatband. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein the absorbent layer is a spacer textile. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The article of headwear of claim 4, wherein the spacer textile includes a first surface positioned adjacent to the first layer of material and a second surface positioned adjacent to the second layer of material so that the first surface and the second surface of the spacer textile are not exposed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein at least one or more of the first layer of material, the absorbent layer, and the second layer of material includes a plurality of perforations. ### Claim 7 An article of headwear comprising: a sweatband permanently secured to an inner-facing surface of a lower portion of the article of headwear by one or more of stitching and bonding, the sweatband extending along a majority of a circumference of the lower portion of the article of headwear, the sweatband terminating in a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is spaced apart from the second end at a back of the article of headwear, the sweatband including: a first layer of material formed from a first polyester yarn and extending along a front and sides of the sweatband; a second layer of material formed from a second polyester yarn and extending along the front and the sides of the sweatband; and an absorbent layer positioned between and in face-sharing contact with the first layer of material and the second layer of material at the front of the sweatband, wherein along the sides of the sweatband, the first layer of material and the second layer of material are in face-sharing contact with one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The article of headwear of claim 7, wherein the absorbent layer includes a first surface in face-sharing contact with the first layer of material and a second surface in face-sharing contact with the second layer of material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The article of headwear of claim 7, wherein the absorbent layer is completely enclosed between the first layer of material and the second layer of material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The article of headwear of claim 7, wherein the article of headwear further comprises a plurality of perforations arranged in a perforation pattern on the lower portion of the article of headwear, the perforation pattern extending along a front portion, sides, and the back of the article of headwear. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The article of headwear of claim 10, wherein the perforation pattern extends a first distance with respect to a lower margin of the article of headwear at the front portion of the article of headwear, wherein the perforation pattern extends a second distance with respect to the lower margin of the article of headwear at the sides and the back of the article of headwear, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The article of headwear of claim 10, wherein the sweatband has a shape that is substantially the same as the perforation pattern. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The article of headwear of claim 7, wherein the sweatband comprises a plurality of perforations along the front and the sides of the sweatband. ### Claim 14 An article of headwear comprising: a crown having a plurality of perforations arranged in a perforation pattern on a lower portion of the crown, the perforation pattern extending along a front portion, sides, and a back of the article of headwear; and a sweatband permanently secured to an inner-facing surface of the lower portion of the crown by one or more of stitching and bonding, the sweatband having a perimeter shape that is substantially the same as the perforation pattern, wherein the sweatband includes a first layer of material and a second layer of material that extend around a majority of a circumference of the lower portion of the crown and terminate at a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is spaced apart from the second end at the back of the article of headwear, wherein the sweatband further includes an absorbent layer in face-sharing contact with and positioned between the first layer of material and the second layer of material at the front of the sweatband, wherein at least the first layer of material includes a plurality of ribs at the front of the sweatband, and wherein the first layer of material includes perforations along the sides and the back of the sweatband. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The article of headwear of claim 14, wherein the absorbent layer does not extend along the sides and the back of the sweatband. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The article of headwear of claim 14, wherein the perforation pattern extends a first distance with respect to a lower margin of the crown at the front portion of the article of headwear, wherein the perforation pattern extends a second distance with respect to the lower margin of the crown at the sides and the back of the article of headwear, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The article of headwear of claim 14, wherein the absorbent layer is completely enclosed between the first layer of material and the second layer of material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The article of headwear of claim 14, wherein the first layer of material and the second layer of material are formed from a respective first polyester yarn and a second polyester yarn. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The article of headwear of claim 18, wherein the absorbent layer is formed from a third polyester yarn.