Cap With Adjustable Visor

Abstract

Headgear that includes a crown and one or more visors. The visor or visors can be removably attached to virtually any location of the external surface of the crown.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to headgear which includes a crown and a visor.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A popular type of headgear is the cap which typically includes a crown and a visor. The crown sits on and covers the head while the visor projects from the crown. In sunny conditions, the visor can shield the eyes from the sun.

While the majority of caps on the market today have the visor permanently attached to the crown, caps with detachable visors have become known. Various benefits can be achieved with a detachable visor. For instance, the visor and the crown can be provided with hook-and- loop material which allows the visor to be placed at different locations peripherally of the lower edge of the crown. It is also possible to replace one visor with another, or to place a visor on a crown upside-down, in order to change the appearance of the cap. Moreover, a detachable visor enables a crown to be worn without a visor and, conversely, enables a visor to be worn without a crown.

In one form of cap with a detachable visor, part of the external surface of the crown is provided with hook or loop material to permit the attachment of different insignias to the crown. The visor may also be provided with hook or loop material for the same purpose.

Despite the variety of caps with detachable visors, there are those who would like a cap with greater flexibility. For example, there are individuals who constantly strive to place detachable visors in new and unusual positions on a crown.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention resides in headgear. The headgear comprises a crown having an internal surface arranged to face the head of a wearer of the crown. The crown also has an external surface which is substantially coextensive with the crown and is arranged to face away from the head of the wearer. The headgear additionally comprises a visor for attachment to the crown, first coupling means on the external surface of the crown and second coupling means fast with the visor. The first coupling means and the second coupling means are designed for removable attachment of the visor to the external surface of the crown at substantially all locations of the external surface.

The headgear may further comprise additional coupling means on the internal surface of the crown for removable attachment of the visor to the internal surface.

The headgear can also comprise a flange fast with and transverse to the visor. Such flange has opposed major surfaces, and the second coupling means is provided on one of these major surfaces. The other of the major surfaces may be provided with additional coupling means for removable attachment of the visor to the crown.

The headgear can further comprise an additional visor for attachment to the crown and additional coupling means fast with the additional visor for removable attachment of the additional visor to the crown. Here, the two visors may have different colors.

Another aspect of the invention resides in a headgear kit. The kit comprises a crown having an internal surface arranged to face the head of a wearer of said crown. As before, the crown further has an external surface which is substantially coextensive with the crown and is arranged to face away from the head of the wearer. The kit additionally comprises a plurality of visors for attachment to said crown, first coupling means on the external surface of the crown and second coupling means fast with each of the visors. The first coupling means and the second coupling means are designed for removable attachment of each of the visors to the external surface of the crown at substantially all locations of the external surface. The kit also comprises means holding the crown and the visors together as a package.

Additional coupling means can be provided on the internal surface of the crown in the kit for removable attachment of the visors to such internal surface.

At least one of the visors in the kit may be formed with a flange which is fast with and transverse to the respective visor. This flange has opposed major surfaces, and the second coupling means of the respective visor is provided on one of these major surfaces. The other of the major surfaces may be provided with additional coupling means for removable attachment of the respective visor to the crown.

The different visors in the kit can have different colors.

An additional aspect of the invention resides in a method of manipulating headgear.

The headgear in one embodiment of the method includes a visor and a crown having an external surface substantially coextensive with the crown and arranged to face away from the head of a wearer of the crown. This embodiment of the method comprises the steps of attaching the visor to a first location of the external surface of the crown, removing the visor from the first location, and repeating the attaching and removing steps at a plurality of additional locations of the external surface of the crown. Each of the additional locations is different from the other of the additional locations and from the first location.

The crown used in the current embodiment of the method has an internal surface arranged to face the head of a wearer of the crown and the current embodiment of the method further comprises the step of attaching the visor to such internal surface.

The headgear in an additional embodiment of the method includes two visors and a crown having an external surface substantially coextensive with the crown and arranged to face away from the head of a wearer of the crown. This embodiment of the method comprises the steps of attaching a selected visor to a first location of the external surface of the crown, and attaching the other visor to a second location of such external surface different from the first location. The step of attaching the other visor to the second location is performed while the selected visor is attached to the first location.

The crown in the present embodiment of the method once again has an internal surface arranged to face the head of a wearer of the crown and the present embodiment of the method can further comprise the steps of removing the selected visor from the first location of the external surface of the crown and attaching the selected visor to the internal surface of the crown.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be forthcoming from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of headgear according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a crown forming part of the headgear of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the crown of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of a flange mounted on a visor constituting part of the headgear of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows a headgear kit in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view illustrating visors of the kit of FIG. 5 attached to a crown of the kit.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another embodiment of a crown according to the invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a further embodiment of a crown in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 4 but shows another embodiment of a flange.

FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 9 but illustrates an additional embodiment of a flange.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Considering FIG. 1, the numeral 10 identifies headgear in accordance with the invention. The headgear 10 is here a cap of the type frequently referred to as a baseball cap, and the cap 10 includes a crown 12 and a visor 14. The crown 12 and the visor 14 can be removably or releasably attached to one another, that is, the visor 14 can be attached to the crown 12 and subsequently detached therefrom without damaging the crown 12 or the visor 14. When the crown 12 is being worm, the crown 12 rests on and covers the head of a wearer of the cap 10.

Turning to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 1, the crown 12 comprises six generally triangular panels 16 which are joined to one another in a conventional manner, and the panels 16 meet at an apex of the crown 12. As seen in the plan view of FIG. 2, the apex of the crown 12 is at the center of the crown 12. The crown 12 has an external surface 18 which faces away from the head of a wearer of the crown 12, and a button 20 is affixed to the external surface 18 at the apex of the crown 12. The external surface 18 is essentially coextensive with the crown 12, that is, the external surface 18 runs across essentially the full extent of the side of the crown 12 which faces away from the head of a wearer of the crown 12. Stated in another manner, the area of the external surface 18 as seen in the plan view of FIG. 2 is essentially equal to the area of the crown 12 as seen in this plan view.

Considering FIG. 3, the crown 12 further has an internal surface 22 which faces the head of a wearer of the crown 12. Similarly to the external surface 18 of the crown 12, the internal surface 22 is essentially coextensive with the crown 12.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the crown 12 is provided with six apertures 24 which are located in the vicinity of the button 20. The apertures 24 run between the external surface 18 and the internal surface 22 of the crown 12 and function to ventilate the head of a wearer of the crown 12. One of the apertures 24 is disposed in each of the panels 16 of the crown 12, and the apertures 24 are arranged in a circle which surrounds the button 20.

Returning to FIG. 3, the crown 12 has an opening through which the head of a wearer can enter the interior of the crown 12. The crown 12 has an edge 26 which circumscribes the opening and faces downward when the crown 12 is being worn. A band 28 is affixed to the internal surface 22 of the crown 12 adjacent to the edge 26, and the band 28 has an exposed major surface provided with the hook portion 30 of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means. The hook portion 30 covers essentially all of the exposed major surface of the band 28.

The internal surface 22 of the crown 12 has a curvature in circumferential direction of the crown 12. The band 28 is elongated in circumferential direction of the crown 12 and, in such direction, has a curvature conforming to the circumferential curvature of the internal surface 22 of the crown 12.

Turning again to FIG. 1, the visor 14 is formed with a flange 32 which is fast with and transverse to the visor 14. The flange 32 is elongated and has a curvature in longitudinal direction thereof. The flange 32 has a major surface 34 which is complementary to the band 28 inside the crown 12, and the major surface 34 will be referred to as a front major surface since it faces the front of the visor 14. The front major surface 34 is provided with the loop portion 36 of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means, and the loop portion 36 covers essentially all of the front major surface 34. The visor 14 can be removably or releasably attached to the crown 12 by placing the loop portion 36 of the flange 32 against the hook portion 30 of the band 28. When the visor 14 is attached to the crown 12 in this manner, the cap 10 has the appearance of an ordinary cap.

The crown 12 and visor 14 are further designed so as to permit the visor 14 to be removably or releasably attached to the crown 12 at virtually any location of the external surface 18 of the crown 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, essentially all of the external surface 18 of the crown 12 is formed with the hook portion 38 of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means.

Referring to FIG. 4, the flange 32 of the visor 14 has a major surface 40 which is located opposite and faces away from the front major surface 34 of the flange 32. The major surface 40 will be referred to as a rear major surface since it faces away from the front of the visor 14. Essentially all of the rear major surface 40 of the flange 32 is covered by the loop portion 42 of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means. The flange 32 of the visor 14 can be removably or releasably attached to virtually all locations of the external surface 18 of the crown 12 by bringing the loop portion 42 of the rear major surface 40 into contact with the hook portion 38 of the external crown surface 18. It is also possible to attach the visor 14 to virtually any location of the external surface 18 of the crown 12 by placing the loop portion 36 of the front major surface 34 against the hook portion 38 of the external crown surface 18.

The crown 12 may be used with a single visor, or with two or more visors, which can be removably or releasably attached to virtually all locations of the external surface 18 of the crown 12.

FIG. 5 illustrates a kit 44 containing the crown 12, the visor 14 and two additional visors 14a and 14b. A flange 32a is fast with and transverse to the visor 14a while a flange 32b is fast with and transverse to the visor 14b, and the flanges 32a,32b are elongated and curved like the flange 32 of the visor 14. The flange 32a has a front major surface 34a which is essentially entirely covered by the loop portion 36a of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means, and the flange 32a further has a rear major surface 40a which is likewise essentially entirely covered by a loop portion of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means (the loop portion of the rear major flange surface 40a is not visible in the drawings). Similarly, the flange 32b has a front major surface 34b which is essentially entirely covered by the loop portion 36b of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means, and the flange 32b also has a rear major surface 40b which is again essentially entirely covered by a loop portion of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means (the loop portion of the rear major flange surface 40b is not shown in FIG. 5). The loop portions 36a,36b of the front major surfaces 34a,34b of the flanges 32a,32b, and the non-illustrated loop portions of the rear major surfaces 40a,40b of the flanges 32a,32b, are designed such that the flanges 32a,32b can be removably or releasably attached to the band 28 on the internal surface 22 of the crown 12 and to virtually any location of the external surface 18 of the crown 12.

The kit 44 comprises a confining element 46 which holds the crown 12 and the visors 14,14a,14b with their flanges 32,32a,32b together as a package. By way of example, the confining element 46 could be a box or plastic container.

The visors 14,14a,14b may have different colors. For instance, the visor 14 can be blue, the visor 14a white and the visor 14b red.

The visors 14,14a,14b can be provided with one or more symbols such as letters, numbers and illustrations. The visor 14a of the kit 44 is formed with a legend as indicated by LEGEND while the visor 14b is provided with an insignia as denoted by the circled I.

Similarly, one or more symbols such as letters, numbers and illustrations can be removably or releasably attached to the external surface 18 of the crown 12 by providing the symbol or symbols with the loop portion of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means. As indicated in FIG. 5 by the circled I on the crown 12, an insignia is mounted on the external surface 18 of the crown 12 by way of the loop portion of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means.

FIG. 6 shows one manner of using the crown 12 and the visors 14,14a,14b of the kit 44.

The visor 14 is turned upside-down and attached to the external surface 18 of the crown 12 by placing the rear major flange surface 40 of the visor 14 against the external surface 18. The visor 14 is mounted on the crown 12 near the apex of the crown 12 with the flange 32 of the visor 14 running circumferentially of the crown 12.

With the visor 14 positioned on the crown 12, the visor 14a is mounted on the crown 12 by attaching the front major flange surface 34a of the visor 14a to the band 28 on the internal surface 22 of the crown 12. The visor 14a is then disposed on the crown 12 in a manner in which visors are normally worn.

The visor 14b is attached to the external surface 18 of the crown 12 by bringing the front major flange surface 34b of the visor 14b into contact with the external surface 18. The visor 14b is mounted on the crown 12 so that the flange 32b of the visor 14b runs up-and-down along the crown 12 while the visor 14b projects from the crown 12 in a direction transverse to the visor 14a. The visors 14,14a remain attached to the crown 12 during mounting of the visor 14b on the crown 12. The loop portion of the rear major flange surface 40b of the visor 14b is visible in FIG. 6 and denoted by 42b.

The visor 14a may be detached from the crown 12 and replaced by either the visor 14 or the visor 14b. The visor 14a can then be mounted on the external surface 18 of the crown 12 or set aside for future use.

It is further possible to detach both the visor 14a and the visor 14b from the crown 12 and to move the visor 14 to the position previously occupied by the visor 14b. The visor 14 can subsequently be moved to at least one additional position on the external surface 18 of the crown 12 which differs from the positions previously occupied by the visor 14. Moreover, the visor 14 can be placed in the position vacated by the visor 14a by attaching the front major flange surface 34 of the visor 14 to the band 28 on the internal surface 22 of the crown 12.

The external surface 18 of the crown 12 need not be essentially completely covered by the hook portion 38 of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means in order to permit attachment of the visors 14,14a,14b to virtually any location of the external surface 18.

FIG. 7 shows that the external surface 18 of the crown 12 can be provided with a series of discrete strips 48 which extend radially of the crown 12 and the external surface 18. The strips 48 converge in a direction towards the button 20 of the crown 12, and each of the strips 48 has an exposed major surface formed with the hook portion 50 of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means.

Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the external surface 18 of the crown 12 may be provided with a series of spaced concentric rings 52 running circumferentially of the crown 12 and the external surface 18. Each ring 52 has an exposed major surface formed with the hook portion 54 of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means.

While the rear major flange surface 40 of the visor 14 is shown in FIG. 4 to be essentially entirely covered with the loop portion 42 of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means, this is not necessary.

Considering FIG. 9, a strip 56 having a surface area smaller than that of the rear major flange surface 40 of the visor 14 is affixed to the rear major flange surface 40. The strip 56 is elongated and extends longitudinally of the rear major flange surface 40, and the strip 56 has an exposed major surface which is provided with the loop portion 58 of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means. The strip 56 is surrounded by an area of the rear major flange surface 40 which is free of fastening or coupling means.

Referring to FIG. 10, it is further possible to mount a series of spaced strips 60 on the rear major flange 40 of the visor 14. The strips 60 run transversely of the rear major flange surface 40, and each of the strips 60 is formed with the loop portion 62 of hook-and-loop fastening or coupling means. Each strip 60 is bordered by at least one area of the rear major flange surface 40 which is free of fastening or coupling means.

The designs of FIGS. 9 and 10 can be used for the exposed major surface of the band 28 on the internal surface 22 of the crown 12, the front major flange surfaces 34,34a,34b of the visors 14,14a,14b and the rear major flange surfaces 40a,40b of the visors 14a,14.

Headgear in accordance with the invention is versatile. A single visor can be attached to the crown in a conventional fashion, that is, a single visor can be attached to the crown in such a manner that the crown and the visor resemble a conventional cap. Alternatively, one or more visors may be attached to the external surface of the crown at virtually any locations of the external surface. The visor or visors can be positioned right-side-up, upside-down or sideways. It is further possible to attach one or more visors to the external surface of the crown and to attach another visor to the crown in a conventional fashion. The crown and/or the visor or visors may be provided with one or more symbols. The crown can also be worn without any visors.

Various modifications are possible within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Headgear comprising:

a crown that covers the top of a head of a wearer and having an internal surface arranged to face the head said wearer of said crown and an external surface arranged to face away from the head of the wearer, said external surface being substantially coextensive with said crown;

a visor for attachment to said crown;

first coupling means on said external surface of said crown; and

second coupling means fast with said visor, said first coupling means and said second coupling means being designed for removable attachment of said visor to said external surface of said crown at substantially all locations of said external surface.

2. The headgear of claim 1, further comprising additional coupling means on said internal surface for removable attachment of said visor to said internal surface.

3. The headgear of claim 1, further comprising a flange fast with and transverse to said visor, said flange having opposed major surfaces, and said second coupling means being provided on one of said major surfaces, the other of said major surfaces being provided with additional coupling means for removable attachment of said visor to said crown.

4. The headgear of claim 1, further comprising an additional visor for attachment to said crown, and additional coupling means fast with said additional visor for removable attachment of said additional visor to said crown, said visors having different colors.

5. A headgear kit comprising:

a crown that covers the top of a head of a wearer and having an internal surface arranged to face the head said wearer of said crown and an external surface arranged to face away from the head of the wearer, said external surface being substantially coextensive with said crown;

a plurality of visors for attachment to said crown;

first coupling means on said external surface of said crown;

second coupling means fast with each of said visors, said first coupling means and said second coupling means being designed for removable attachment of each of said visors to said external surface of said crown at substantially all locations of said external surface; and

means holding said crown and said visors together as a package.

6. The kit of claim 5, further comprising additional coupling means on said internal surface for removable attachment of said visors to said internal surface.

7. The kit of claim 5, further comprising a flange fast with and transverse to at least one of said visors, said flange having opposed major surfaces, and said second coupling means of said at least one visor being provided on one of said major surfaces, the other of said major surfaces being provided with additional coupling means for removable attachment of said at least one visor to said crown.

8. The kit of claim 5, wherein said visors have different colors.

9. A method of manipulating headgear which includes a visor and a crown that covers the top of a head of a wearer and having an external surface substantially coextensive with said crown and arranged to face away from the head said wearer of said crown, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching said visor to a first location of said external surface of said crown;

removing said visor from said first location; and

repeating the attaching and removing steps at a plurality of additional locations of said external surface of said crown, each of said additional locations being different from the other of said additional locations and from said first location, wherein said visor is attachable to said external surface of said crown at substantially all locations of said external surface.

10. The method of claim 9 for use where said crown has an internal surface arranged to face the head of the wearer of said crown, further comprising the step of attaching said visor to said internal surface.

11. A method of manipulating headgear which includes at least two visors and a crown that covers the top of a head of a wearer and having an external surface substantially coextensive with said crown and arranged to face away from the head of said wearer of said crown, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching one of said visors to a first location of said external surface of said crown; and

attaching the other of said visors to a second location of said external surface of said crown different from said first location, the step of attaching the other of said visors being performed while said one visor is attached to said first location, and wherein each of said visors is attachable to said external surface of said crown at substantially all locations of said external surface.

12. The method of claim 11 for use where said crown has an internal surface arranged to face the head of the wearer of said crown, further comprising the steps of removing said one visor from said first location, and attaching said one visor to said internal surface.