Performance cap
A cap (15) comprising a crown (16) having an outer surface (21) and an inner surface (22) defining an interior cavity (23) for receiving the head of a wearer (17), a headband (19) attached to the crown and having a bottom edge (24) defining an opening for the head of the wearer, a visor (18) connected to the crown and projecting angularly away from the crown, the crown comprising a synthetic woven material (17) adapted to facilitate the disbursement of moisture across the outer surface. The headband (19) may comprise a foam layer (38) adapted to absorb moisture when the cap is worn by the wearer, a non-woven layer (39) adapted to limit the elasticity of the headband, and a synthetic woven layer (40) adapted to facilitate, the movement of the moisture to and from the foam layer and evaporation of moisture from the cap.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/815,133, filed Jun. 20, 2006. The entire contents of such application is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates generally to caps and, more particularly, to a cap with improved moisture management properties.
BACKGROUND ARTA variety of caps are known in the prior art. For example, caps worn by professional baseball players generally include a crown portion, a visor and a sweatband. The crown on such caps are made from natural wool and the sweatband has an outer cotton layer. While such caps have an authentic appearance and traditional features, they have a number of disadvantages. For example, perspiration or sweat from the wearer can cause such caps to become uncomfortable to wear and can stain the cap. Hence, it would be beneficial to provide a cap which has authentic features and manages moisture for comfort to the wearer.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONWith parenthetical reference to the corresponding parts, portions or surfaces of the disclosed embodiment, merely for the purposes of illustration and not by way of limitation, the present invention provides an improved cap (15) comprising a crown (16) having an outer surface (21) and an inner surface (22) defining an interior cavity (23) for receiving the head of a wearer (17), a headband (19) attached to the crown and having a bottom edge (24) defining an opening for the head of the wearer, a visor (18) connected to the crown and projecting angularly away from the crown, the crown comprising a synthetic woven material (17) adapted to facilitate the disbursement of moisture across the outer surface and having a structure similar to wool.
The present invention also discloses a cap comprising a crown (28) having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior cavity for receiving the head of a wearer, a headband attached to the crown and having a bottom edge defining an opening for the head of the wearer, a visor connected to the crown and projecting angularly away from the crown, the crown comprising a layer (31) of wool and synthetic material adapted to absorb moisture and to facilitate the movement of moisture from the inner surface and the evaporation of moisture from the outer surface of the crown. The cap may further comprise an inner liner layer (30) adapted to facilitate the movement of moisture from the inner surface of the crown to the layer. The layer may be adapted to facilitate the disbursement of moisture across the outer surface and may be a double-faced fabric comprising wool on an inside face and synthetic material on an outside face. The synthetic material may be polyester.
The invention also discloses a cap comprising a crown having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior cavity for receiving the head of a wearer, a headband attached to the crown and having a bottom edge defining an opening for the head of the wearer, a visor connected to the crown and projecting angularly away from the crown, the headband (19) comprising a foam layer (38) adapted to absorb moisture when the cap is worn by the wearer, a non-woven layer (39) adapted to limit the elasticity of the headband, and a synthetic woven layer (40) adapted to facilitate the movement of the moisture to and from the foam layer and evaporation of moisture. The synthetic woven layer may be adapted to facilitate the movement of moisture from the foam layer to the outer surface of the crown.
Accordingly, the general object of the present invention is to provide a cap which manages moisture and is comfortable to the wearer.
Another object is to provide a cap which facilitates the movement of moisture away from the head of the wearer to the outside surface of the cap.
Another object is to provide a cap which facilitates the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the cap.
Another object is to provide a cap which dissipates moisture across the surface of the cap.
Another object is to provide a cap which dries rapidly.
Another object is to provide a cap which has the features of a natural wool cap.
Another object is to provide a cap with a sweatband that manages moisture accumulation.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the foregoing and ongoing written specification, the drawings, and the appended claims.
At the outset, it should be clearly understood that like reference numerals are intended to identify the same structural elements, portions or surfaces, consistently throughout the several drawing figures, as such elements, portions or surfaces may be further described or explained by the entire written specification, of which this detailed description is an integral part. Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read (e.g., cross-hatching, arrangement of parts, proportion, degree, etc.) together with the specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this invention. As used in the following description, the terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, “left”, “right”, “up” and “down”, as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, “rightwardly”, “upwardly”, etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader. Similarly, the terms “inwardly” and “outwardly” generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation, or axis of rotation, as appropriate.
Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to
Cap 15 is shown as broadly including a crown portion 16, a headband 19 and a visor 18. As shown, crown 16 is formed from six adjoining panels or segments, severally indicated at 20a-f. Panels 20a-f are sewn together at seams that extend radially from apex 42 and the inside of each seam is covered by seam tape. As shown, each panel 20a-f includes a sewn eye hole 43a-f. In the preferred embodiment, the front two panels 20a and 20g are supported by a plastic woven filament and polyester buckram, which helps support the front of the cap and retain its shape.
Bill or visor 18 is connected to the bottom of and extends across the front two panels 20a and 20g of the crown and projects angularly down and away from the front of the crown. Visor 18 can be pre-curved and is formed of conventional visor board, with a visor top layer and an under-visor layer 45. In the preferred embodiment, under-visor layer 45 is a filament polyester woven layer that resembles a thin light-weight cotton twill. Under-visor layer 45 is adapted to wick moisture and to spread the moisture across the surface of the visor to allow for greater evaporation. Fabric manufactured by Milliken & Company, of 920 Milliken Road, Spartanburg, S.C. 29303, may be used in the preferred embodiment.
As shown in
An additional inner liner 30 is fused to the inner surface of layer 31. Liner 30 is configured to allow moisture to pass through it.
As shown in
As outer layer 40 pulls the moisture away from the wearer, foam layer 38 traps it until the moisture can be released into the air sometime after the wearer has removed the cap or after it has been released the other way to the outside surface 21 of the crown where it evaporates. The moisture is not felt by the wearer since it is pulled into the open structure of foam layer 38.
Use of specially configured sweatband 19 with crown 16 or 28 provides a cap with comprehensive moisture management properties. Headband 19 pulls moisture from the skin of the wearer and is connected to crown 16 or 28 such that the bottom edge of crown 16 or 28, which is generally aligned with the bottom edge 24 of headband 19, will pull the moisture from the outside surface of sweatband 19 and disperse it across the outside surface 21 of the crown to facilitate evaporation. Thus, as shown in
The present invention contemplates that many changes and modifications may be made. Therefore, while the presently preferred form of the cap as been shown and described, and several embodiments discussed, persons skilled in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined and differentiated by the following claims.
Claims
1. A cap comprising:
- a crown having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior cavity for receiving the head of a wearer;
- a headband attached to said crown and having a bottom edge defining an opening for said head of said wearer;
- a visor connected to said crown and projecting angularly away from said crown;
- said crown adapted to absorb moisture and to facilitate the movement of said moisture from said inner surface and the evaporation of said moisture from said outer surface of said crown;
- said headband comprising a foam layer adapted to absorb moisture when said cap is worn by said wearer, a non-woven layer adapted to limit the elasticity of said headband, and a synthetic woven layer adapted to facilitate the movement of said moisture to and from said foam layer and evaporation of said moisture.
2. The cap set forth in claim 1, wherein said synthetic woven layer is adapted to facilitate the movement of said moisture from said foam layer to said outer surface of said crown.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 20, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 3, 2008
Applicant:
Inventor: Timothy J. Talley (Buffalo, NY)
Application Number: 11/820,549