Headwear

Abstract

Hats with one to a multiplicity of openings through a molded crown are provided with a flounce that can be drawn upwardly to cover the inside surface of the crown and display shapes through the openings.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a headwear apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The most effective headwear provides both style and protection. The headwear needs to provide protection for the hair and the top of the head by the crown, the face by the brim or visor, and the back of the neck by a flounce or veil hanging downwardly from the rear of the headband. The problem with headwear that provide all the protections is that weather conditions can quickly change and the wearer may move back and forth from sun to shade making the protection an uncomfortable burden. The varying needs are illustrated on one hand by the visor/headband combination that provides face protection and unencumbered airflow across the top of the head, but no protection from the sun for the top of the head. On the other hand, headwear with a full crown, a full brim and a flounce hanging downwardly over the back of the neck provide the ultimate sun protection, but may be uncomfortable due to the lack of airflow to the wearer's skin. Headwear is needed that provides a balance of protection and comfort and the ability to adjust that balance to meet changing conditions.

U.S. patent to Bianchetti '846 teaches an internal frame of substantial different construction. Bartel '591 discloses a wire frame (FIGS. 6-9). Tramana '828 discloses a frame and crown strips (15-17). Miller '969 discloses a wire frame (FIG. 1 & 2). Gallin '958 discloses a grommet (ring) frame (#28 in FIG. 2). Soule' '699 discloses a wire ring frame (FIG. 2). U.S. patent to Oehlschlaeger '763 is a design patent with no text detail. It clearly shows a flounce attached to the front of the band of a visor wherein the flounce may be tucked in as shown in FIGS. 1-5 and as a head cover as shown in FIGS. 6-7. Chu '201 discloses a cap with a detachable sunshade flounce (FIGS. 3-4). Kronenberger '689 discloses cap with detachable visors. Potochnik '287 discloses outer cover 30 and detachable veil 21 (FIG. 7.). No support frame was located per the text although some of the drawings are confusing. Linday '370 discloses a visor with attachable crown and ornament. Hall '986 discloses a cap with a flounce attached on the front top of the cap and arranged in variety of ways. Kraft '017 discloses a headband with attachable crown, neck veil etc. Allen '869 discloses a “widow's” veil attached over the bill of the cap. Proctor '523 discloses modular headwear with a headband with visors, crown, flounce etc. attachable. Girbardt '120 discloses a detachable crown. Carlson '251 discloses a detachable crown. Johnson '079 discloses a separate head band detachably attached to the head band of a hat. Garza '740 discloses a reversible hat with a double walled crown.

None of the above devices satisfy the needs described above and/or attain the objects provided herein below.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a headwear device that has a self-supporting crown that allows nearly unobstructed airflow to and from the hair and scalp.

It is a further object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a headwear device that allows the wearer to alternatively change the crown from essentially a full head covering to nearly fully open to the elements.

It is an additional object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a headwear device with a cloth lining that can be either pulled up as lining under a foraminous crown or be pulled downwardly to hang as flounce or veil.

It is a further object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a headwear device that allows patterns on a cloth panel to be visible through openings in the crown when the panel is pulled upwardly as a liner under the crown.

It is a further object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a headwear device that allows many styles of figures such as sports ball patterns, flowers, fish, insects and other figures without limit on a cloth flounce to be aligned with and be visible through openings in the crown when the flounce is pulled upwardly as a liner under the crown.

It is a further object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a headwear device that allows a foraminous cloth panel to allow access to openings in the crown when the panel is pulled over to cover the crown.

It is an additional object an embodiment of the present invention to provide a headwear device that provides a flexible crown that includes a multiplicity of frames that can be stiffened by wire woven through sides of the frames.

An embodiment of the invention is a headwear apparatus that includes a headband that includes a front and a rear section, a foraminous crown attached to the headband, the crown including a multiplicity of frames, each frame including at least one side member around an opening and connecting means to connect the frames together to form the crown, the apparatus further including a sheet panel, preferably a fabric panel, comprising a rear edge, a front edge, an upwardly facing surface, and a length extendable from proximate the rear section of the head band over and conforming to a surface of the crown to reach proximate the front section of the headband, first means to detachably attach the rear edge to the rear section of the headband, second means to detachably attach the front edge to the front section of the headband.

It is preferred that the upwardly facing surface of the panel be adapted to be drawn upwardly to abut an inside surface of the crown. It is further preferred that the panel be shaped to fit over an outside surface of the crown and adapted to abut the outside surface of the crown. It is also preferred that the number of frames be at least ten and less than two hundred. It is further preferred that the number of frames be at least twenty. It is also preferred that the crown be semi-rigid. It is further preferred that the crown be flexible and self supporting. It is also preferred that the connecting means include an integral molding of the frames with a plurality of connecting points on each frame to adjacent frames. It is further preferred that the number of side members be chosen from the group consisting of one side member and four side members. It is also preferred that a pattern be printed on the upwardly facing surface of the panel and is adapted to be visible through the openings of the frames when the panel is drawn upwardly to abut the inside surface of the crown. It is further preferred that the pattern printed on the upwardly facing surface of the panel include a multiplicity of shapes that are adapted to be visible through the openings of the frames when the panel is drawn upwardly to abut the inside surface of the crown. It is also preferred that the first means to detachably attach the rear edge to the rear section of the headband be a permanent attachment. All of these preferred embodiments are intended to be combined with any and all of the balance of the preferred embodiments and the embodiments described below where appropriate.

A second embodiment of the invention is a headwear apparatus that includes headwear apparatus comprising a flexible and self supporting foraminous crown comprising at least ten and less than two hundred frames, each frame comprising side members, wherein the number of side members is chosen from the group consisting of one side member and at least three side members, and connecting means to connect the frames together to form the crown comprising an integral molding of the frames with a plurality of connecting points on each frame to adjacent frames.

A third embodiment of the invention is a headwear apparatus including a headband comprising a front and a rear section, and a flexible, self supporting crown attached to the headband, the crown including at least one opening, and a fabric flounce including an upper edge attached to the rear section of the headband with a length hanging downwardly from the rear of the apparatus, wherein a frontwardly facing surface of the flounce is adapted to be drawn upwardly to abut an inner surface of the crown and be visible through at least one opening. It is preferred that the frontwardly facing surface of the flounce include at least one shape that is adapted to be visible through at least one opening in the crown when the flounce is drawn upwardly to abut the inner surface of the crown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear bottom left side perspective view of a headwear apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 1a is a top plan view of a section of the crown construction of said apparatus.

FIG. 1b is a cut-away perspective view of a section of the crown construction of said apparatus with a pattern of the fabric panel displayed through an opening in a frame of the crown.

FIG. 2 is a front top right perspective view of said apparatus with the crown cut-away.

FIG. 3 is a front top right perspective view of a third embodiment apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3a is a top plan view of a section of the crown construction of said apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a top front right side perspective view of a fourth embodiment apparatus of the present invention with a panel in its abutted position against the inside surface of the crown.

FIG. 4a is a top plan view of a section of the crown construction of said apparatus with the pattern of the flounce showing through the opening.

FIG. 5 is a top front right side perspective view of a fifth embodiment apparatus of the present invention with a panel in its up position against the inside surface of the crown that includes a large central opening in a patterned frame crown construction.

FIG. 5a is a top plan view of a section of the crown construction of said apparatus framing the large central opening.

FIG. 6 is a top front right side perspective view of a sixth embodiment apparatus of the present invention with a brim on front of headband and a crown construction displayed without a cloth panel shown.

FIG. 6a is a top plan view of a section of the crown construction of said apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a right side perspective view of a sixth embodiment apparatus of the present invention with a brim, headband and crown construction similar to that of FIG. 1 and 1a cut away with a foraminous cloth panel shaped to fit over and cover the crown.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Headwear apparatus 10, shown in FIGS. 1, 1a, 1b and 2, is constructed of headband 12, bill 16, sheet panel 18, here shown as a fabric flounce, and crown 24. Headband 12 is adjustably held around the head by end joining VELCRO® clasp 14. Upper edge 19 of flounce 18 is attached to rear section 13 of headband 12 by stitching 21 allowing lower edge 23 to drape downwardly. Alternate detachable attachment of edge 19 to section 13 is shown as VELCRO® patch 25. Front surface 20 of flounce 18 faces frontwardly toward bill 16 and is imprinted with a design in this example a multiplicity of golf ball shapes, which mate with and are visible through openings 34 through crown 24 as flounce is pulled upwardly and surface 20 abuts the inside surface of crown 24. As shown in FIG. 1, rear surface 22 is also imprinted with matching shapes on the cloth. The panel may be plastic film or cloth, and may be a permanently attached flounce or detachably attached on both the rear and front ends. The panel may be imprinted for decoration on either, both or no surfaces. It is preferred that front surface 20 be imprinted as shown imprinted on a transparent film in FIG. 2. The shape pattern may be any design including by not limited to sports balls, such as golf ball shapes 17 shown in FIG. 1, basketballs shown in FIG. 3, baseballs shown in FIG. 4, and the like, flowers, insects, such as the butterfly in FIG. 5, and other distinctive recognizable shapes. To hold flounce 18 in its upward position against the inside surface of crown 24, VELCRO® hook patches 26 and 30 on front surface 20 attach respectively to VELCRO® loop patches 28 and 32 on the left inside surface of crown 24. Likewise, VELCRO® hook patches 26′ and 30′ on front surface 20 attach respectively to VELCRO loop patches 28′ and 32′ on the right inside surface of crown 24 to hold flounce 18 in place. For clarity, flounce 18 is shown in FIG. 1 as transparent to allow viewing the VELCRO® patches on the front surface of flounce 18 and on crown 24. Further, openings 34 and the construction of crown 24 are shown only as a general diagram in FIG. 1. The detail of this crown construction is shown in FIG. 1a where openings 34 are shown bounded by circular frames 36 attached at plurality of positions to adjacent frames by connecting links 38. Crown 24 is and integral molding of a semi-rigid or flexible polymeric plastic, such as low or high density polyethylene, polybutylene, silicone, nylon polymers and the like. The crown construction may include nylon or spring steel reinforcement stitching 15 shown in FIGS. 1a, 6a and other embodiments. Golf ball pattern shape 17 is shown displayed through opening 34 through crown 24 in FIG. 1b. In FIG. 2, crown 24 has been cut-away to show front surface 20 of flounce 18 and the actual positions of patches 26 and 30. Headwear apparatus 40 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a with bill 16′ and headband 12′ printed to match the appearance of crown 42, which is an integral molding with openings 48 being parallelograms with inside angles of about 60 and 120 degrees. Openings 48 are bounded by frames 44 of the same shape attached at the apexes to adjacent frames by connecting sections 46. This structure simulates a basketball net and calls for a plain pattern on the upper surface of a panel that is not shown here. Cap 50 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a with headband 12″ and bill 16″. The appearance of crown 52 is of baseball shapes 56 on plain background 58. The appearance is achieved by the crown construction shown on FIG. 4a with circular frames 60 attached to each other by connecting members 62. The baseball “stitching” pattern 64 is imprinted on the front surface of the panel, which abuts with the patterns aligned with openings 66. Crown 52 is attached through stitches 51 to headband 12″. Cap 68 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 5a with headband 12′″ and bill 16′″. In this embodiment the crown is cut away exposing front surface 20′ of panel 70 showing butterfly pattern shape opening 72 through large hole semi-rigid frame 74 with the construction of the crown including connecting links 76 to the balance of the crown with smaller butterfly shaped frames around smaller openings 78. Large openings, such as opening 72 allow hair to be pulled out through the crown. Attachment of the crown to the head band may be accomplished in a number of ways including dircect stitching, wrap around connection with stitching, hot melt glue, and the like. Headwear device 80 is shown in FIG. 6 with no cloth panel shown. The crown is constructed of four upstanding semi-rigid plastic arms 84 attached at lower ends to headband 12″″ and at upper ends to center circular frame 82 with the construction shown in FIG. 6a of frames 36′ around openings 34′ joined together with connecting arms 38′ all reinforced with spring metal stitching 15. Headwear device 86 is illustrated in FIG. 7 with the cap construction of headband 12, crown 24, and bill 16 being essentially identical to that of the device of FIGS. 1 and 1a. In this embodiment, sheet panel 88 is formed plastic with multiple openings 90, which match and align with openings 34 when panel 88 is overlaid on crown 24. Panel 88 is attached with VELCRO® fastener 92 to rear section 96 of band 12 and with VELCRO® fastener 94 to front section 98 of band 12.

While this invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth and the patent is intended to include modifications and changes which may come within and extend from the following claims.

Claims

1. A headwear apparatus comprising a headband comprising a front and a rear section, a foraminous crown attached to the headband, the crown comprising a multiplicity of frames, each frame comprising at least one side member around an opening and connecting means to connect the frames together to form the crown, the apparatus further comprising a sheet panel comprising a rear edge, a front edge, an upwardly facing surface, and a length extendable from proximate the rear section of the head band over and conforming to a surface of the crown to reach proximate the front section of the headband, first means to detachably attach the rear edge to the rear section of the headband, second means to detachably attach the front edge to the front section of the headband.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the panel is fabric and the upwardly facing surface of the panel is adapted to be drawn upwardly to abut an inside surface of the crown.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the panel is shaped to fit over an outside surface of the crown and adapted to abut the outside surface of the crown.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the number of frames is at least ten and less than two hundred.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the number of frames is at least twenty.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the crown is semi-rigid.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the crown is flexible and self supporting.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connecting means comprises an integral molding of the frames with a plurality of connecting points on each frame to adjacent frames.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the number of side members is chosen from the group consisting of one side member and four side members.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a pattern printed on the upwardly facing surface of the panel is adapted to be visible through the openings of the frames when the panel is drawn upwardly to abut the inside surface of the crown.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the pattern printed on the upwardly facing surface of the panel comprises a multiplicity of shapes that are adapted to be visible through the openings of the frames when the panel is drawn upwardly to abut the inside surface of the crown.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein first means to detachably attach the rear edge to the rear section of the headband is a permanent attachment.

13. A headwear apparatus comprising a flexible and self supporting foraminous crown comprising at least ten and less than two hundred frames, each frame comprising side members, wherein the number of side members is chosen from the group consisting of one side member and at least three side members, and connecting means to connect the frames together to form the crown comprising an integral molding of the frames with a plurality of connecting points on each frame to adjacent frames.

14. A headwear apparatus comprising a headband comprising a front and a rear section, and a flexible, self supporting crown attached to the headband, the crown comprising at least one opening, and a fabric flounce comprising an upper edge attached to the rear section of the headband with a length hanging downwardly from the rear of the apparatus, wherein a frontwardly facing surface of the flounce is adapted to be drawn upwardly to abut an inner surface of the crown and be visible through at least one opening.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein there are a plurality of openings in the crown.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein there are a multiplicity of openings in the crown.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein there are at least ten and less than two hundred openings in the crown.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the frontwardly facing surface of the flounce comprises at least one shape that is adapted to be visible through at least one opening in the crown when the flounce is drawn upwardly to abut the inner surface of the crown.