Hat with adjustable shading and related methods
Disclosed is an apparatus and related methods for adjustable shading.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/641,719 filed on Dec. 18, 2009, entitled “Improved Hat with Adjustable Shading and Related Methods”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTN/A
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of Invention
The present application is in the field of apparatuses with adjustable shading.
2. Background of the Invention
For years individuals have sought to avoid excessive exposure to the sun. One remedy for excessive sun exposure is a head covering. Typically, head coverings have been useful for providing relief from overhead sun exposure. However, sun exposure is directional whereby overhead protection, by itself, does not ensure adequate sun avoidance. For example, overhead coverings have frequently been inadequate for shading the side of the head, the neck, the temples, the ears, and/or the shoulders of the wearer. Additionally, sun exposure is variable whereby sun protection or shading preferences may vary from time to time. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved head covering that protects a wearer from directional sun exposure while accommodating variable shading preferences of a wearer.
To address these problems, some have attempted to provide head coverings that may shade different areas of a wearer's head and neck. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 946,770 (issued Jan. 18, 1910), U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,669 (issued Apr. 28, 1959), U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,648 (issued Dec. 9, 1997), and US 2008/0066214 (published Mar. 20, 2008) disclose a cap with a neck flap; U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,782 (issued Jul. 11, 1989) discloses a cap having a visor and combination ear and neck flap that is capable of folding up against the cap, or cinch around the flap perimeter; U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,343—(issued Oct. 4, 1994) discloses a cap with an ear plus neck flap, wherein strings are used to externally cinch the ear flap behind the head of the wearer; U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,732 (issued Apr. 29, 1997) discloses a hat plus hood combination wherein the hood flaps over the neck; U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,241 (Sep. 14, 1999) discloses a hat with a neck flap that folds upward; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,830 (Apr. 25, 2000) discloses a cap with a shawl. Although the cited references provide an improvement over a typical head covering, these solutions also have some drawbacks.
The cited references have not adequately improved head coverings for directional sun exposure and accommodating variable shading preferences of a wearer. For instance, the cited references require full shading or no shading without a means for intermediate shading configurations. As a result, there is still a need for methods and apparatus that improve head coverings with adjustable shading.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, it is an object of the present application to disclose an apparatus with adjustable shading to accommodate directional sun exposure and variable shading preferences of a wearer.
It is a further object of the present application to disclose an apparatus for shading the side of the head, the neck, the temples, the ears, and/or the shoulders of a wearer.
The manner in which these objectives and other desirable characteristics can be obtained is explained in the following description and attached figures in which:
It is to be noted however, that the appended figures illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention, and therefore, are not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments that will be appreciated by those reasonably skilled in the relevant arts. Also, figures are not necessarily made to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PROFFERED EMBODIMENTSThe present application discloses a preferred embodiment of a shading apparatus with adjustable shading. In general, the disclosed shading apparatus may feature: a headband that fits around a wearer's head; a preferably stiff brim that extends forwardly from the front of the head band for shading the wearers eyes and face; and, a havelock that may preferably extend laterally and rearwardly from the vicinity of the headband for shading the temples, ears, and neck of the wearer. The shading provided by the havelock may suitably be adjusted for varying degrees of wearer coverage.
Preferable features of the cap 100 are best seen in
The headband 101 with adjusting means 102 is for securing the cap 100 to the head of a wearer. As best seen in
It should be noted that, although a cord 106 plus cord lock 107 is disclosed as the adjusting means 102, any type of adjusting means may be used. For example, snaps, ties, velcro, and be t, and other adjusting means known to one of skill in the art may be used. It should also be noted that, although a fabric strip 109 has been disclosed, the headband 101 may comprise a loop of any type of material, including but not limited to, plastics, leathers, fabrics, meshes, metals, and the like.
Still referring to
Suitably, the volume and dimensions of the cover 103 may vary according to wearer preferences and hair styles. For example, the cover 103 may feature a cut-out above the adjusting means in back of the cap 100 whereby a wearer's pony-tail may extend through the cut-out and hang down over the top of the havelock 300. For another example, the cover 103 may feature a pocket above the adjusting means in back of the cap 100 whereby a wearer's long hair may be collected in the pocket. The addition of the pocket may be particularly important in military applications wherein long haired soldiers are required to style their hair in a bun configuration at the back of their head.
In addition, it should be noted that, although the cover 103 is depicted as a plurality of fabric pieces sewn together and assembled to the headband 101, the covering does not need to be fabric and instead may be constructed of materials, including but not limited to, plastics, metals, and woods as would be consistent with hats for use with heavy construction.
Preferable features of the brim 200 are best seen in
Preferable features of an unfurled havelock 300 are best seen in
Referring to
Suitably, while the havelock 300 is unfurled, the slack cinching leans 302 does not typically perform any functions. In a preferable unfurled embodiment: the cape 300 may be a fabric, plastic neoprene, or a flaccid material; and the cinching means 302 may be a cord 304 plus cord lock 305 wherein the cord 304 runs through a pocket within the cape 301 and slackily attaches to both lateral portions 306 of the cape. Preferably, the cord 304 is within 10 to 30 inches in length, with 20 inches being preferable for most hat sizes.
Preferable features of a cinched havelock 300 are best seen in
Referring to
In addition to gathering the cape, the configuration of the pocket 303 may suitably define the cinching direction of the cape 301. Suitably, the pocket 303 is configured wherein the cord 304 ends angle from the cord lock 305 towards the lateral portions of the cape 301. Referring to
In the preferable embodiments disclosed above, the shading provided by the shading apparatus 1 may suitably be adjusted for varying degrees of wearer coverage. The adjustability of the shading apparatus 1 coverage is preferably disclosed by comparing the shading apparatus 1 depicted in
Referring to
Referring now to
It is contemplated that the shading apparatus 1 may be adapted for use as both a provider of shade and a personal cooling device. More specifically, the shading apparatus 1 may be saturated with water prior to placement over a wearer's head. A soaked apparatus 1 will transfer water to the wearer and thereby conduct heat away from the wearer's head, neck, and shoulders while providing the shading functions set forth above. The wet apparatus 1 will further cool the wearer as the water evaporates. Such an adaptation may be particularly important in tropical or desert climates. Accordingly, what is disclosed ray be a method of cooling a human comprising the steps of: wetting an apparatus 1 with water; placing the wet apparatus 1 on the human; and, allowing the water to contact the human and evaporate.
It is further contemplated that the shading apparatus 1 may be adapted for use underneath a helmet or wherein the covering 103 is replaced with a helmet.
It should be noted that
Claims
1. A shading apparatus operationally configured to transform into different shading configurations to accommodate a wearer's variable shading preferences comprising:
- a cap assembled to be worn over the wearer's head, said cap defined by a headband encircling the inner perimeter of the cap comprising an adjustable fabric so that the headband may be securely adjusted around the head and wherein the perimeter of the headband is adjusted through the clinching or loosening of a first cord attached to a first cord lock;
- a brim with an extended covering to accommodate the contours of the human forehead and to shade a wearer's front face;
- a havelock capable of variable shading configurations for adjustable shading coverage, said havelock defined by a cape draped around the edges of the cap, and a locking mechanism comprising a second cord pulled through a second cord lock in order to secure the havelock shading configuration,
- and provided that the havelock may transform into different shading configurations suited to the wearer's shading preference by pulling or loosening the second cord, wherein pulling the second cord scrunches the cape along the sides of the cape to expose the wearer's neck and ears to the environment, and loosening the second cord unfurls and expands the surface area of the cape to provide variable shading coverage to cover the wearer's ears and neck from exposure to the environment.
2. The shading apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first cord lock is selected from any of the group of materials consisting of either a toggle cord lock, snap, tie, hook and loop fastener, or belt to securely adjust the headband around the wearer.
3. The shading apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second cord lock is selected from any of the group of materials consisting of either a toggle cord lock, snap, tie, hook and loop fastener or belt to securely adjust the headband around the wearer.
4. The shading apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brim is constructed of any of the group of materials consisting of fabric wrapped cardboard, plastics and metals to provide a rigid shading coverage for the wearer's front face.
5. The shading apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cape draped around the edges of the cap is constructed of any of the group of materials consisting of mesh panels, eyelets and vented openings to provide circulation and ventilation of heat and moisture.
6. The shading apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cape that extends over the sides of the brim is flipped either upwards or downwards to provide variable shading to the sides of the face while still permitting adjustable maximization of the peripheral vision as needed.
7. The shading apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cape is constructed of neoprene material.
8. The shading apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cape is ten to thirty inches in width and three to ten inches in length from the back of the headband to provide variable shading coverage of the wearer's neck and ears from exposure to the environment.
9. The shading apparatus of claim 1 wherein a cut out opening is located at back of the cap and across from the brim so that a wearer's hair may be passed through the cut out.
10. A method of protecting a face and neck from an environment with a shading apparatus capable of transforming into different shading configurations comprising:
- a. wearing a cap assembled to be securely placed over a wearer's head, wherein the cap is defined by a headband encircling the inner perimeter of the cap comprising: an adjustable fabric allowing the headband to be securely adjusted around the wearer's head as the pulling or loosening on a first cord pulled through a first cord lock adjusts the perimeter of the headband; a brim with an extended covering to accommodate the contours of the human forehead in order to provide shade coverage of a wearer's front face and a havelock capable of multiple configurations for adjustable shading coverage, wherein said havelock defined by a cape draped around the edges of the cap and a locking mechanism consisting of a second cord pulled through a second cord lock in order to secure the havelock shading configuration in place;
- b. pulling the second cord to scrunch and pull the cape closer along sides of the cap so that the wearer's ears and neck are exposed to the environment; and
- c. loosening the second cord to unfurl and expand the surface area of the cape in order to provide greater shading coverage of the wearer's ears and neck from exposure to the environment.
11. The method of protecting the face and neck from the environment of claim 9 wherein securing and adjusting the headband around the wearer's head with a first cord lock selected from any of the group of materials consisting of either of toggle cord lock, snap, tie, hook and loop fastener and belt.
12. The method of protecting the face and neck from the environment of claim 9 wherein loosening or scrunching the havelock with a second cord that is selected from any of the group of materials consisting of either of a toggle cord lock, snap, tie, hook and loop fastener, belt or any combination thereof to adjust and secure the shading coverage of the havelock.
13. The method of protecting the face and neck from the environment of claim 9 wherein wearing a shading apparatus with the brim selected from any of the group of materials consisting of fabric wrapped cardboard, plastics and metals to provide a rigid shading coverage for the front face.
14. The method of protecting the face and neck from the environment of claim 9 wherein wearing a shading apparatus with the cape draped around the edges of the cap selected from any of the group of materials consisting of mesh panels, eyelets and vented openings to provide circulation and ventilation of heat and moisture.
15. The method of protecting the face and neck from the environment of claim 13 wherein wearing a shading apparatus where the cape is constructed of plastic neoprene material.
16. The method of protecting the face and neck from the environment of claim 9 wherein flipping the sides of the cape which extends over the sides of the brim upward or downward will provide variable shading to the sides of the face while still permitting adjustable maximization of the peripheral vision as needed.
17. The method of protecting the face and neck from the environment of claim 9 wherein the cape is ten to thirty inches in width and three to ten inches in length from the back of the headband to provide variable shading coverage of the wearer's neck and ears.
18. The method of protecting the face and neck from the environment of claim 9 wherein placing a wearer's hair through a cut out located at back of the cap and across the brim.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 8, 2014
Publication Date: Dec 11, 2014
Inventor: Kenneth W. Oates (San Diego, CA)
Application Number: 14/455,824