Ear Warmer Having A Membrane Forming A Receptacle

Abstract

An ear warmer includes a cover and a membrane coupled to the cover. The membrane is disposable in a deployed configuration and in a retracted configuration. When the membrane is disposed in its deployed configuration, the membrane and the cover form a receptacle that is configured to receive an ear or a portion of an ear of a user when the ear warmer is worn by the user.

1 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method of using an ear warmer, the ear warmer having a frame, a cover coupled to a portion of the frame, and a membrane coupled to the cover, the method comprising:
 placing the ear warmer on a head of a user with the frame extending around a back of the user's head; and   inserting at least a portion of an ear of the user into a receptacle formed by the membrane and the cover, the membrane being movable from a first position on one side of the cover to a second position on another side of the cover.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , the method further comprising:
 moving a portion of the membrane from a first position on one side of the cover to a second position on another side of the cover such that the membrane and the cover form the receptacle therebetween.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the moving occurs prior to the placing the ear warmer on the user's head. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , the membrane being a first membrane, the ear warmer having a second membrane, the method comprising:
 moving a portion of the second membrane of the ear warmer from a first position on one side of the cover to a second position on another side of the cover such that the second membrane and the cover form a receptacle therebetween; and   inserting at least a portion of another ear of the user into the receptacle formed by the second membrane and the cover.   
     
     
         34 . An ear warmer shell for use in an ear warmer, the ear warmer shell comprising:
 a cover having an outer surface and an inner surface, the cover defining an interior region being configured to receive at least a portion of a frame therein;   means for forming a first receptacle that is configured to receive a portion of an ear of a user; and   means for forming a second receptacle that is configured to receive a portion of another ear of a user.   
     
     
         35 . The ear warmer shell of  claim 34 , wherein the means for forming a first receptacle has a deployed configuration and a retracted configuration, the means for forming a first receptacle is disposed adjacent the inner surface in its deployed configuration, and the means for forming a first receptacle is disposed adjacent the outer surface in its retracted configuration. 
     
     
         36 . The ear warmer shell of  claim 34 , wherein the cover has a first ear portion, a second ear portion, and a middle portion extending between the first ear portion and the second ear portion, the means for forming a first receptacle is coupled proximate to a portion of the first ear portion, and the means for forming a second receptacle is coupled proximate to a portion of the second ear portion. 
     
     
         37 . The ear warmer shell of  claim 34 , wherein the cover has an ear portion, the ear portion of the cover has a perimeter, the means for forming a first receptacle is coupled to the ear portion along a portion of the perimeter of the ear portion, the portion of the perimeter being less than the entire perimeter of the ear portion. 
     
     
         38 . The ear warmer of  claim 34 , the means for forming a first receptacle is a first membrane, and the means for forming a second receptacle is a second membrane, the second membrane being separate from the first membrane. 
     
     
         39 . The ear warmer shell of  claim 34 , wherein the cover comprises an inner member and an outer member, the inner member being coupled to the outer member to define the interior region therebetween, a portion of the means for forming a first receptacle being disposed between the inner member of the cover and the outer member of the cover. 
     
     
         40 . An ear warmer, comprising:
 a frame;   a cover having an inner surface and an outer surface, the cover covering a portion of the frame;   a first membrane, the first membrane forming a first receptacle with the cover, the first membrane having a first configuration and a second configuration, a portion of the first membrane being disposed adjacent to the inner surface of the cover in its first configuration, and the portion of the first membrane being disposed adjacent to the outer surface of the cover in its second configuration; and   a second membrane, the second membrane forming a second receptacle with the cover, the second membrane having its own first configuration and its own second configuration, a portion of the second membrane being disposed adjacent the inner surface of the cover when the second membrane is in its first configuration, the portion of the second membrane being disposed adjacent the outer surface of the cover when the second membrane is in its second configuration.   
     
     
         41 . The ear warmer of  claim 40 , wherein the first receptacle is configured to receive at least a portion of an ear of a user when the first membrane is in its first configuration. 
     
     
         42 . The ear warmer of  claim 41 , wherein the second receptacle is configured to receive at least a portion of another ear of the user when the second membrane is in its first configuration. 
     
     
         43 . The ear warmer of  claim 40 , wherein the cover has an inner member, an outer member, and a perimeter, and a portion of the inner member, a portion of the outer member and a portion of the first membrane are coupled together proximate to the perimeter. 
     
     
         44 . The ear warmer of  claim 40 , wherein the cover has an inner member and an outer member, the inner member has an ear portion with a perimeter, and the first membrane has an edge portion, the edge portion of the first membrane being coupled to the ear portion of the inner member proximate the perimeter of the ear portion. 
     
     
         45 . The ear warmer of  claim 40 , wherein the first membrane has a movable portion and a fixed portion, the first configuration of the first membrane being a deployed configuration and the second configuration of the first membrane being a retracted configuration, the movable portion of the first membrane being disposed adjacent the inner surface of the cover when the first membrane is in its deployed configuration, the movable portion of the first membrane is disposed adjacent the outer surface of the cover when the first membrane is in its retracted configuration, the fixed portion of the first membrane being fixedly coupled to the at least one of the cover and the frame. 
     
     
         46 . The ear warmer of  claim 40 , wherein the frame includes a first ear portion, a second ear portion, and a band extending between the first ear portion and the second ear portion, the first ear portion has a first side and a second side, and the cover is configured to cover a portion of the first side of the first ear portion less than an entirety of the first side of the first ear portion. 
     
     
         47 . The ear warmer of  claim 40 , wherein the frame includes a first ear portion, a second ear portion, and a band extending between the first ear portion and the second ear portion, the cover includes a first membrane portion and a second membrane portion, the first ear portion including an inner side and an outer side, the first membrane portion being disposed proximate to the inner side of the first ear portion and the second membrane portion being disposed proximate to the outer side of the second ear portion, and a distal end of the first membrane being proximate to the first membrane portion in its first configuration and proximate to the second membrane portion in its second configuration. 
     
     
         48 . The ear warmer of  claim 47 , wherein the first membrane portion has a perimeter portion, the second membrane portion has its own perimeter portion, the first membrane portion being coupled to the second membrane portion along a portion of their perimeter portions, the first membrane being coupled along a portion of the perimeter of the first membrane portion. 
     
     
         49 . The ear warmer of  claim 47 , wherein the first membrane is configured to be moved independently of the second membrane.