Adjustable Hat with a Customized Structure
An adjustable headwear is shown, consisting of connecting multiple numbers of individual panels using zipper, Velcro or hook. In another example, it is also adjustable for size at more than one elevation (two or more). The panels are made of different material, natural fabric and/or synthetic textile. Panels are in one or different colors are inter-changeable to provide better fit, higher level of protection and enhanced stability. The hat is used with or without a rim or visor. The adjustment mechanisms are band and clasp, pins and matching holes or Velcro and are located in the bottom portion of the hat and between the bottom portion and the top of the hat. To provide higher degree of protection, the top part is made out of hard material, in another example.
This invention is related to another one (divisional) case with the same exact specification, figures, inventors, assignee, and title, co-pending, filed on the same day, but with different claims, related to 2 different and separate inventions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention generally relates to a head covering gear and more specifically to an adjustable headwear with a protective top portion. The present invention is primarily directed to an adjustable headwear, of the type including a generally head covering portion with or without a brim, visor, shade or bill. Hats of this type are worn by people of all ages at various activities and events. This sort of headwear is used to protect the head and hair from cold, extreme heat, rain, snow, wind and blocking the face and neck area from receiving harmful ultraviolet rays. Hats are also used for advertisement and promotional purposes as well as exhibiting favoritism towards a particular team and/or group, making fashion statements and enhancing performance by blocking the sun out of the eyes during various activities such as driving, outdoor activities, and sports events. Recreational and professional athletes utilize and require various types of headgear depending upon a number of factors such as the type of sport they are involved in, the weather condition in which the headgear is to be worn and so on. In addition, people who are involved with outdoor activities including jogging, walking, boating, construction activities, gardening and landscaping work or parents of school age children who are involved in sports utilize different types of hats for the purposes of holding the hair back from the face, protecting the eyes and the face from the sun, keeping the head warm, or protecting the head from rain or any combination of this sort. Other main considerations for selecting a headwear include comfort, the ability of the hat to remain secure around the user's head without slipping, and safety. An important consideration for the headwear is safety and the ability to provide protection and not create damage to the wearer during a fall, getting hit by other objects or collision with another person or any obstruction. Headwear gears are utilized as very popular promotional and advertising items. In many occasions such as: schools, sports events, ceremonial gatherings and parades are often part of the uniform.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed towards an adjustable headwear that provides enhanced performance, better fit and more aesthetically pleasing features. In one embodiment of the invention, the hat is comprised of panels and a protective top. The hat is constructed by connecting multiple panels together utilizing connecting mechanisms such as; Velcro, zipper, Ziploc or hook. The number of the individual panels used for the construct of this hat can vary (3, 4, 5 . . . ) as well as the material that is being used for each panel. Since the hat is being constructed by connecting individual panels together, each panel can be made out of different material, different color, meshed fabric, or any combination of sort.
Another embodiment of the present invention is to provide protection and act like a helmet by having the top portion made out of hard material similar to the material used in bicycle helmet or other protective headwear. Individual panels are attached to the hard top portion and to one another utilizing the aforementioned connecting mechanisms (hook, Velcro, or zipper mechanism).
An advantage of the present invention is illustrated by a plurality of removable and interchangeable panels that can provide a better fit and a higher degree of protection to the user by having a hard top incorporated in the structure of the headwear. The hat can accommodate a brim, rim, visor, or bill in order to further protect the face and neck from the ultraviolet rays of sun.
Another object of this invention is the ability to exhibit names, brands, logos as well as different shapes, maps, drawings or artwork on the hat. The desired map, drawing or logo can be achieved by using panels to form a collection that exhibits the desired name, logo, drawing or map.
In another embodiment of this invention, two adjustable mechanisms are utilized to accommodate different sizes of the users' heads. The adjustment mechanisms are located at different levels for enhanced stability, better fit and increased comfort. The adjustment mechanisms use Velcro, clasp or pins and matching holes, at the bottom portion of the headwear as well as the top portion segment of the adjustable hat. In a variation of this embodiment, one or more panels, located in the upper portion of the hat is folded as fan pleads and shaped similar to an accordion to accommodate the desired size.
The number or size of the panels can help to adjust the size, according to the size of the head of the user. The hats can be rimless. They can have rim, too. The rim can be temporary, or it can be permanent.
Referring now specifically to the figures, in which identical or similar parts are designated by throughout, preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail. The following descriptions include various aspects and advantages of the present invention. At first referring to
The individual panels are designed in different geometric shapes; each panel is shaped in different shapes and sizes including but not limited to a triangle, square, rectangle or trapezoids that are connected together, from one or more sides. These multiple pieces when connected to one another in a predestined conventional head gear for different purposes including but not limited to outdoor activities, sports events and activities, protection of eyes, face and neck area from cold and damaging rays of sun. Therefore and to meet specific needs of the headgear user each individual panel can be manufactured from a type of material, natural or synthetic, or fabric that is used to meet desired outcome. In one embodiment, individual panels are made out of cotton or meshed fabric in order to provide protection from different elements and deflection of ultraviolet rays while providing necessary advantages to the wearers including proper ventilation and to absorb and transport moisture such as perspiration. In other embodiments, the material used for the panels' may be wool or other warm or heat retaining fabric when the head gear is to be worn in connection with cold weather or conditions. Similarly, the material utilized for the panel maybe plastic or other water resistant or waterproof textile to provide a protective barrier against moisture to the user. Other embodiments utilize Spandex and or elastic textile for the said panels or may utilize panels of different material in one hat. One embodiment may be constituted by combining more than one type of material in one embodiment of the said invention.
Another embodiment of this invention is illustrated in
Referring to
As suggested in
As suggested in
A further enhancement of the present invention is the interchangeability of the individual panels as illustrated by selection of not just different color but various type fabric, textile, Spandex or elastic material for creating a flexible construct of the hat. Connecting multiple panels made out of different material as mentioned together improves essential functionalities assigned to a headwear including size, stability and protection to the wearer.
As mentioned, a plurality or Kit of interchangeable panels allows for higher degree of creativity in displaying logos, artwork, symbols, and slogans, combination of words and letters and phrases. Each panel can have one or more letters, one or more words or a symbol on it. When these panels are connected and assembled, the hat will display the desired logo, brand name or phrase. Similarly, the individual adjustable hat is capable of displaying a collage of artwork and shapes. The panels, when assembled, exhibit various drawings, examples include: for national sporting events maps of regions or logos of different team can be displayed and during international events, the panels of the present invention are utilized to display maps or flags of participating countries, symbols of the corresponding event and during other assemblies, groups and entities can utilize the present invention to display the slogan or symbol of their choice. The headwear has numerous possibilities to enhance the display ability on am item of sort. An additional advantage that the plurality of these interchangeable panels offers is the extended usable life of the item. In the event that the hat is damaged in a particular spot, the preferred remedial action is to change the damaged panel or panels whatever the case might be instead of discarding the headwear entirely.
An additional embodiment of the adjustable hat is illustrated in
The bottom portion or the base of the adjustable hat is adapted to various shapes and geometry including but not limited to oval, circle, triangle, square and hexagon and this flexibility allows for the adjustable hat to adapt various shapes including but not limited to pyramid, semi circle, mask or cartoon characters.
Referring to
The first adjustable mechanism is located at the bottom opening of the headwear and, the second adjustable mechanism is located between the bottom openings and the top of the headwear. Other variation of this embodiment include for more than two adjustable mechanism.
In
Another variation of the adjustable hat invention as suggested by
Any variation of the above teaching is also intended to be covered by the current application.
Claims
1. An article of manufacture for the purpose of covering a head, said article comprising of:
- multiple pieces of material that are connected to one another, from one or more sides, to form a hat;
- a common object which is connected to all of said multiple pieces, on top of said hat; and
- multiple connection devices to connect said multiple pieces together, from one or more sides, and to connect said common object to all of said multiple pieces.
2. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said multiple pieces of material are one or more of the following shapes: circle, triangle, square, or rectangle.
3. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a zipper, hook, or chain.
4. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a Velcro connector.
5. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a Ziplock type connector.
6. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article is made of a synthetic material.
7. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article is made of one or more of the following: cotton, wool, plastic, Spandex, meshed, or elastic material.
8. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article is made of a waterproof material.
9. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article is connected to a rim, visor, blind, shade, or bill.
10. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article is rimless.
11. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said multiple pieces have different colors.
12. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said multiple pieces are made of different materials.
13. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said multiple pieces are interchangeable.
14. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said multiple pieces comprise different letters, symbols, slogans, team logos, phrases, combination of letters, or numbers.
15. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the base of said article is in the shape of an oval, square, triangle, hexagonal, or circle.
16. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article is in the shape of pyramid, semi-sphere, cartoon character, mask, or head.
17. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article comprises holes for ventilation.
18. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article comprises devices for size adjustment.
19. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article comprises variable number of said multiple pieces of material, to adjust, to fit different sizes of head.
20. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article comprises a hard material.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 14, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 15, 2009
Inventors: Wade Little (Falls Church, VA), Rhett Little (Raleigh, NC)
Application Number: 12/102,604
International Classification: A42B 1/22 (20060101); A42B 1/00 (20060101); A41D 27/00 (20060101);