CAP BILL COVER AND ATTACHMENT MOUNT M&A

Abstract

Accordingly, a removable and chambered cap bill cover is disclosed. One embodiment comprises a cap bill cover having at least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the at least one chamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the cap bill cover and a cap bill, and clips to attach the cap bill cover to removably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill. Another embodiment comprises a cap bill cover having at least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the at least one chamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the cap bill cover and a cap bill, and tabs to attach the cap bill cover to removably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/249,217 entitled “CAP BILL COVER AND ATTACHMENT MOUNT M&A,” filed Oct. 6, 2009, which application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

a) Field of the Invention

The present invention has to do with a cap bill cover and in particular a cap bill cover including attachment mount to hold objects wherein the cap bill cover and attachment mount may be connected with the cap with limited modifications.

b) Background Art

Examples of hats or caps that have attachment mounts or bill covers include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,410,761, 5,860,167 and 7,140,047. U.S. Pat No. 5,410,761 shows a cap having a visor with diverse pictorial displays placed on an insert that is located on the top surface of the hat visor. In this arrangement, the insert is protected by a plastic envelope fastened to the visor with a strip of hook and loop material. One drawback of this approach is that by utilizing hook and loop fasteners, a corresponding hook or loop fastener will have to be fixed to a cap visor before the insert can be connected. This can be a particular problem if the insert is configured to hold any not pictorial elements, such as attachments with any mass. Unfortunately, this may require additional hook and loop fasteners, therefore increasing the amount of pre-fixing corresponding fasteners to the cap visor while also increasing the difficulty of quickly attaching and detaching the visor to access any attachments connected to the insert.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,167 shows a hat including a cylindrical sleeve receptacle composed in part of a stretch fabric and sewn to a hat for securely holding an article regardless of the orientation of the hat. One drawback of this approach is that sewing a holding receptacle to a hat involves a relatively permanent connection to the hat. Unfortunately, this results in a specialized use hat that may not be used in its original fashion due to the relatively permanent connections of the receptacles. Furthermore, by having relatively permanent receptacles sewn to the hat, if these receptacles are near the bill of the hat then this may make it more difficult to attach a cover to the bill of the hat as the receptacles are not readily re-adjustable.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,140,047 shows a combination of a hat, an accessory, and a plurality of discrete elements. In this combination, the accessory and plurality of discrete elements are magnetically attracted to each other through a first layer of the hat to connect the accessory to the hat. In this combination, the discrete elements include a plurality of magnetic components attached within the brim of a hat, onto which other metallic components, such as a pencil, a divot-fixing device, a ball-marking device, or a golf tee may be attached. While this approach utilizes magnets that allow detachment and attachment of one or more accessories, unfortunately this approach is not removably attached as it involves reconfiguring a hat to house the magnets. Alternately, if the hat is not reconfigured to house the magnets then an additional step of connecting magnets through the material of the hat is required to connect accessories.

While the aforesaid patents show various designs for caps and hats, none of them shows the unique design of designs disclosed herein. Furthermore, the design proposed herein has greater versatility, in that it permits quick detachment and attachment of a bill cover to allow access attachments connected thereto.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, a removable and chambered cap bill cover is disclosed. One embodiment comprises a cap bill cover having at least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the at least one chamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the cap bill cover and a cap bill, and clips to attach the cap bill cover to removably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill. Another embodiment comprises a cap bill cover having at least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the at least one chamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the cap bill cover and a cap bill, and tabs to attach the cap bill cover to removably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill.

This Summary is provided to introduce concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view that illustrates a first embodiment cap bill cover and attachment mounting locations.

FIGS. 2A-2B are front views that illustrate a second embodiment for a removably connected cover having plastic clips for a cap bill.

FIGS. 3A-3B are front views that illustrate a third embodiment for a removably connected cover having tabs for a cap bill.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments disclosed herein generally describe a removably attachable cap bill cover that may include one or more chambers for storing accessories or other objects, as well as various approaches and methods to attach the cap bill cover to the bill of a cap or hat.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view that illustrates a first embodiment cap bill cover 20 and one or more mounting locations such as integrated clips 22, 24 and 26. As shown in FIG. 1, one embodiment cap bill cover 20 may be a plastic material that is transparent. However, cap bill cover 20 may be made of other suitable material than plastic and may be opaque, colored, multi-colored, textured, etc., or may have permanent or replaceable images imprinted or embossed in the cover 20. In some embodiments, the mounting locations may fold under a perimeter region of a bill for cap or hat. For example, mounting locations may be frictional engagement portions, such as clips or tabs, that may removably fasten cover 20 to a cap bill.

In some embodiments, a cover 20 may be connected to a cap by sliding the cover 20 over a bill of the cap until a frictional engagement portion securely removably attaches the cover to the bill of the cap.

The first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a cover 20 with integrated clips that attach the cover 20 to a cap bill. Integrated clips 22, 24 and 26 may be part of a monolithic structure with cover 20. A second embodiment utilizing separate clips is described with reference to FIG. 2, and a third embodiment with tabs is described with reference to FIG. 3 as described herein below. Other embodiments may utilize suitable frictional engagement portions or other removably attachable connections.

Referring to FIG. 1, integrated clips 22, 24 and 26 may be configured to certain shaped bills, such as a standard golf hat, baseball hat, etc. For example, the orientation of the integrated clips, the clip fastening thickness, the fastening strength of the integrated clip, etc. may be determined prior to manufacture to allow a readily removable cover for a range of caps or bills without adjustment or further modification to the hat or bill. Additionally, the cover 20 may be formed with one or more chambers 28 and 30.

In some embodiments, chambers may have an inner surface that is particularly shaped for specific objects, such as a ball marking tool or a divot repairing tool for a golf hat, a business card holder, a music player, a communication device, as non-limiting examples. In some embodiments the inner surface or shape of the chambers may be configured to generally house a range of accessories. In this way, accessories may be interposed between the inner surface of the chamber 28 as an example, and the upper surface of the bill of a cap or hat.

In some embodiments the cover 20 may have multiple parts and a removably attachable portion of the cover 20 may open one or more of the chambers 28 or 30 at the edge of the removably attachable portion for easier access to the chambers.

FIGS. 2A-2B are front views that illustrate a second embodiment for a removably connected cover having plastic clips for a cap bill. As illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2B, the second embodiment includes a cover 20 and separate removably connectable plastic clips 42, 44 and 46. Reference numerals 80 and 90 show a top plan view and a side view of one example removable plastic clip. In this embodiment the clips are made of plastic, but other suitable materials such as metal, wood, etc. may be used while still allowing the cover to be removably attached to a cap bill. With reference to FIG. 2B, plastic clips 42, 44 and 46 are shown fastenably engaging the cover 20 to the cap bill.

In other embodiments, similar structures and materials as were described with reference to FIG. 1 may be utilized in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2. In this way, a cover 20 may be connected to a cap by sliding the cover 20 over a bill of the cap until the plastic clips 42, 44 and/or 46 frictionally engage the cover to the bill of the cap.

FIGS. 3A-3B are front views that illustrate a third embodiment for a removably connected cover having tabs for a cap bill. As illustrated, the third embodiment includes a cover 20 and one or more tabs 62 that may be connected to a cap such that the cap bill cover 20 is adjacent to and covering the cap bill. For example, in FIG. 3B a band 68 is shown wrapped at least partially around the cap so as to removably attach the cover 20 to the cap bill by engaging the tabs attached to the cap bill cover 20. Furthermore, a label 69 may be affixed to the cap bill cover 20 to provide identifying information, to secure the front of the cover 20 to the cap bill, to provide a holder for one or more accessories, etc. In this way, a cover 20 may be connected to a cap by sliding the cover 20 over a bill of the cap, placing a band 68 around at least a portion of the cap and the one or more tabs 62, and frictionally engaging the cover 20 to the bill of the cap. In one form one form it can be appreciated that the cover 20 can be repositioned in a longitudinally broad manner to disengage the lateral connective portions which one form or tabs to provide access to the inner chambers of the cover or table of paraphernalia contained therein.

While the present invention is illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments are described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications within the scope of the appended claims will readily appear to those sufficed in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicants' general concept.

Claims

1. A chambered removable bill cover comprising:

a cap bill cover having at least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the at least one chamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the cap bill cover and a cap bill; and

clips to attach the cap bill cover to removably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill.

2. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 1, wherein the cap bill cover is made of a transparent material.

3. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 1, wherein the cap bill cover is made of cardboard.

4. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 3, wherein the cap bill cover is made of cardboard and the at least one chamber is made of transparent plastic.

5. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 1, wherein the clips are removable clips that are configured to fasten around the cap bill cover and the cap bill, to affix the cap bill cover to the cap bill.

6. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 1, wherein the clips are integrated with the cap bill cover, and the clips are configured to fasten around the cap bill cover and the cap bill, to affix the cap bill cover to the cap bill.

7. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 1, wherein the cap bill cover further includes an image on the cap bill cover.

8. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 1, wherein the cap bill cover further includes mounting locations that fold under a cap bill.

9. A chambered removable bill cover comprising:

a cap bill cover having at least one chamber for storing accessories, wherein the at least one chamber is shaped to contain a specific object between the cap bill cover and a cap bill; and

tabs to attach the cap bill cover to removably attach the cap bill cover to a cap bill.

10. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 9, wherein the cap bill cover is made of a transparent material.

11. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 9, wherein the cap bill cover is made of cardboard.

12. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 11, wherein the cap bill cover is made of cardboard and the at least one chamber is made of transparent plastic.

13. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 9, wherein the cap bill cover further includes an image on the cap bill cover.

14. The chambered removable bill cover of claim 9, wherein the cap bill cover further includes mounting locations that fold under a cap bill.