CONVERTIBLE HEADWEAR PIECE

Abstract

A baseball-style cap having a crown with a front region and a bill at the front region of the crown. The bill has a top and bottom surface. the bill is joined to the crown through a hinge arrangement to be moved selectively between: a) a first position wherein the bill projects forwardly from the front region of the crown; and b) a second position wherein the top surface of the bill is against or adjacent the front region of the crown.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to headwear and, more particularly, to a headwear piece that can be reconfigured between at least two different styles.

2. Background Art

The baseball-style cap has become one of the most popular headwear pieces worldwide. The crown and associated bill cooperatively protect a wearer's head, with the latter shielding primarily the wearer's face from sun, rain, etc.

While the bill of the cap has significant utility for both athletes and non-athletes, there are times when a user may wish to have only the protection afforded by the crown without the bill that may block desired sun exposure and obstruct vision over a certain field.

Those wishing to eliminate the obtrusive nature of the bill may do so by turning the cap backwards. This creates a look that may be unappealing to the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one form, the invention is directed to a baseball-style cap having a crown with a front region and a bill at the front region of the crown. The bill has a top and bottom surface. The bill is joined to the crown through a hinge arrangement to be moved selectively between: a) a first position wherein the bill projects forwardly from the front region of the crown; and b) a second position wherein the top surface of the bill is against or adjacent the front region of the crown.

In one form, the hinge arrangement is an over-center hinge arrangement that causes the bill to be biased into each of the first and second positions.

In one form, the crown front region has a curvature and the bill has weakening structure that causes the bill to bend in a predetermined manner so as to conform to the curvature of the crown front region.

In one form, the weakening structure consists of at least one fold line.

In one form, there are holding components on the bill and crown that cooperate to releasably maintain the bill in the second position.

In one form, an elastic material connects between the bill and the crown.

In one form, the bill has spaced sides and the elastic material connects between the bill and one of the spaced sides.

In one form, the elastic material makes up separate elastic material pieces, one each at the spaced sides.

In one form, the elastic material urges the bill towards the second position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a headwear piece according to the present invention in the form of a baseball-style cap and including a crown with a forwardly projecting bill and with the cap having a first configuration;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the cap in FIG. 1 with the bill repositioned relative to the crown to place the cap in a second configuration that is different than that in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view as in FIG. 2 from a side perspective and with the cap in the same configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIGS. 1-3, a baseball-style cap, according to the present invention, is shown at 10. The cap 10 consists of a crown 12 with a forwardly projecting bill 14 with top and bottom surfaces TS, BS, respectively. The overall shape of the cap 10 is the same as a conventional baseball-style cap. The invention contemplates other configurations with a bill, such as those that have an interrupted crown such as, but not limited to, visors. These variations will each be treated in the description and claims herein as a “baseball-style cap”.

The bill 14 is connected to the crown 12 in a manner whereby it can be conveniently moved from a first position, as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the bill 14 is conventionally oriented relative to the crown 12 and the cap has a first configuration, into a second position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein the top surface of the bill 14 is folded to be maintained against or closely adjacent to the crown front region to cause the cap 10 to have a different, second configuration. With bill 14 in the second position, the top surface TS faces rearwardly.

A central hinge component 16 joins the rear edge 18 of the bill 14 to the crown front region. The hinge component may have a defined pivot axis and/or be in the form of a “live” hinge. The spaced, lateral sides of the bill 14, at the rear thereof, are joined to the adjacent lower edge region of the crown 12 through a stretchable/elastic material at 20, 22. The material may be highly stretchable with good memory. Two discrete pieces of the material 20, 22 are shown, with one at each side of the bill 14.

With this arrangement, and the cap 10 configured as in FIG. 1, the wearer can simply press upwardly on the lower surface 24 of the bill 14, whereby the bill 14 pivots at its rear edge 18 so as to at least nominally conform to the curved front region at 26 of the crown 12. Cooperating holding components 30, 32 can be provided respectively on the bill 14 and front region of the crown 12 to releasably maintain the bill 14 in the configuration of FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein the top surface TS of the bill 14 resides at or against the front region 26 of the crown 12, essentially appearing as an overlying and extra conforming layer at the front region of the crown 12.

Fold lines 36 or other weakening structure might be strategically incorporated into the bill 14 to make it more readily bend in a predetermined manner to nominally conform to the curvature of the crown 12 with the cap 10 configured as in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The holding components 30, 32 may be in the nature of magnets that could be embedded in the bill 14 and/or crown 12 or externally applied thereon. Alternatively, hook-and-loop type fastener components might be utilized. Snaps, buttons, etc. are contemplated as well. What is desirable is the ability to quickly and conveniently convert the cap back and forth between the configuration in FIG. 1 and that in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In the configuration of FIGS. 2 and 3, adornment might be placed on the underside surface 24 of the bill 14 to enhance the appearance of the cap 10 in that particular configuration.

The “hinge” between the bill 14 and the crown 12 preferably has an over-center construction, whereby the bill 14 will be biased into each of its first and second positions that produce the different configurations shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2 and 3 as it is moved towards each. The material 20, 22, when stretched, may produce the necessary over-center forces to maintain the bill 14 in the second position. The material 20, 22 may also be stretched with residual forces urging the bill 14 likewise into the first position. Other over-center structure might be incorporated and could be devised by those skilled in the art, with the inventive concepts in hand. While desired, the over-center design is not required since the second bill position might be maintained by the holding components 30, 32 or other like functioning structure.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is intended to be illustrative of the broad concepts comprehended by the invention.

Claims

1. A baseball-style cap comprising:

a crown having a front region; and

a bill at the front region of the crown,

the ball having a top and bottom surface,

the bill joined to the crown through a hinge arrangement to be moved selectively between: a) a first position wherein the bill projects forwardly from the front region of the crown; and b) a second position wherein the top surface of the bill is against or adjacent the front region of the crown.

2. The baseball-style cap according to claim 1 wherein the hinge arrangement is an over-center hinge arrangement that causes the bill to be biased into each of the first and second positions.

3. The baseball-style cap according to claim 1 wherein the crown front region has a curvature and the bill has weakening structure that causes the bill to bend in a predetermined manner so as to conform to the curvature of the crown front region.

4. The baseball-style cap according to claim 3 wherein the weakening structure comprises at least one fold line.

5. The baseball-style cap according to claim 1 wherein there are holding components on the bill and crown that cooperate to releasably maintain the bill in the second position.

6. The baseball-style cap according to claim 1 wherein an elastic material connects between the bill and the crown.

7. The baseball-style cap according to claim 6 wherein the bill has spaced sides and the elastic material connects between the bill and one of the spaced sides.

8. The baseball-style cap according to claim 7 wherein the elastic material comprises separate elastic material pieces one each at the spaced sides.

9. The baseball-style cap according to claim 1 wherein the elastic material urges the bill towards the second position.