Adjustable Snap Back Cap with Logo

Abstract

A hat having a dome shaped fabric having an opening for receiving a wearer's head, a flexible sizing band being affixed at an edge of the opening, the sizing band having male connectors and female connectors engaging with one another for setting a circumferential size of the opening, the male connectors projecting radially inward toward the opening, the female connectors having a depth for receiving an entire length of the male connectors, whereby the female connectors are formed by a blind hole and the portion of the sizing band having the male connectors supports a logo or icon facing outward away from a wearer's head and the male connectors face inwardly toward the wearer's head.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/608,108, filed Dec. 20, 2017, entitled Adjustable Snap Back Cap With Logo, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a) Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to caps worn on a user's head. Often there will be a logo or icon displayed on the cap. Such caps often take the form of a soft hat with a rounded top featuring a long bill in the front. In use, a user would throw on a cap, head out to go shopping, camping, fishing, and walking with the cap on the user's head. Typically, caps are adjustable to fit the size of the user's head.

b) Description of the Related Art:

In the prior art, one such adjustment strap for a cap at the back of the cap is referred to in the art of such hats is as a “snapback” strap. The snapback strap has two overlapping pieces of plastic strap that snap together. The two straps are opposed and have overlapping ends. The ends attach to one another with a combination of spaced apart projections on one end and through holes spaced apart on the other end to receive the projections, such that the size of the cap is adjustable. The projections are on the strap closest to the head of the wearer and are on the side of that strap opposite the head and the projections point away from the head. This is so, so the projection does not point toward or project into the head of the wearer. The holes of the snapback strap are through holes and are on the outer strap not closest to the head of the wearer.

The projections go through the holes and therefore it is not possible to place a logo on the outer strap or the logo would either be defaced because of the openings or the logo would prevent the projections from going all the way through the outer strap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an improvement that allows placement of a plastic logo or icon to be attached or to be a part of the snapback adjustable strap end on a cap. Previously this was not possible because of the arrangement of the snapback straps on the cap and because of the openings in the snapback strap ends that interfered with the logo thereon. In the present invention, the openings do not interfere with the logo or icon that is a part of the snapback strap end.

In one embodiment, disclosed is a dome shaped fabric having an opening for receiving a wearer's head, with a sizing band spanning a circumference of the opening, the sizing band being rotatably mounted on the fabric at an edge of the opening, the sizing band having a first longitudinal end with male connectors defined as protrusions having a length, the protrusions being directed towards the wearer's head in a wearing position of the hat, the sizing band having a second longitudinal end with female connectors being holes for engaging respective male connectors and sizing the circumference, the holes having a depth greater than the length of the protrusions.

In another aspect of the hat the logo is disposed on a portion of the first longitudinal end opposite the male connectors.

In yet another embodiment, the hat has a dome shaped fabric having an opening for receiving a wearer's head, a flexible sizing band being affixed at an edge of the opening, the sizing band having male connectors and female connectors engaging with one another for setting a circumferential size of the opening and the female connectors being blind holes having a depth for receiving an entire length of the male connectors.

In an another embodiment, the male connectors project radially from the sizing band inward toward the wearer's head.

In another aspect, the hat has a logo that is attached to the portion of the sizing band having male connectors and the logo is located on the opposite side of the male connectors and the logo faces away from a user's head.

In yet another aspect, the logo is attached to the sizing band having male connectors.

In still another aspect, the sizing band has two ends, the sizing band is attached at one end to the portion of the sizing band having male connectors and is attached at the other end to the portion of the sizing band having female connectors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a cap of the present invention showing the logo attached to the outer snapback strap, with the inner snapback strap in close proximity to the outer snapback strap, but not yet engaged or attached.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the cap shown in FIG. 1, showing the outer snapback strap engaged or attached to the inner snapback strap.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the cap shown in FIG. 1, showing an adjustment of the snapback straps by rotating the snapback straps within the cap in a clockwise direction.

FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the rear view in the foreground and a partial front view in the background of how a cap of the present invention would look with a logo attached to the outer snapback strap.

FIG. 5 is a partial enlarged bottom view taken from a portion of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along line B-B from FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a partial view of prior art snapback straps showing the inner strap, outer strap and arrangement of the male protrusion and female hole.

7A is a sectional view of a portion of the prior art shown in FIG. 7 when the male protrusion is inserted into the female hole and protrudes through the hole opening.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the cap taken along line A-A in FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the outer strap of the present invention and the logo.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a portion of the outer strap and logo portion.

FIG. 11 is a side view of the inner strap.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the inner strap of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A description of the preferred embodiment is set forth herein and in the accompanying figures, drawings and photographs.

Referring to the figures, a hat or cap 10 with a domed shaped fabric 10A is shown. Cap 10 has a first generally round domed portion 11 and a bill portion 12 extending from the domed portion 11. The fabric 10A is generally soft but can be of any hardness. Often the bill portion 12 of cap 10 is at the front 10B of cap 10.

As shown in the figures, domed portion 11 has an opening 13, on the bottom side 14 of cap 10, to receive a wearer's head (not shown). Within the domed portion 11 on the bottom side 14 is a continuous inner band 16 extending substantially around the inner circumference of cap 10 at the bottom side 14. Inner band 16 has an inner wall side 16A and an outer wall side 16B. Likewise, the domed shaped fabric 10A has an inner side 10AI and an outer side 10AO.

A flexible sizing band 20 is positioned in a valley 18 between the inner wall side 10AI of fabric 10A and the outer wall 16B of inner band 16. Sizing band 20 is slideable within valley 18 in either circumferential direction. Sizing band 20 is held in place within valley 18 by loops 25 at circumferential locations within cap 10 at the bottom side 14.

Sizing band 20 is an elongated elastic band having a first strap end 21 and a second strap end 22. Elastic band may be of any desired elastic material. First strap end 21 has a first strap end portion 21A that includes a plurality of male protrusions or projections 31. Second strap end 22 has a second strap end portion 22A that includes a plurality of openings in the form of a blind hole 32.

Projection 31 has a cross-sectional shape of an isosceles trapezoid. Projection 31 has a base portion 31A, a mid-portion 31B and an end or tip portion 31C. In a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the tip portion 31C is greater than the diameter of the mid-portion 31B. The diameter of the base portion 31A is equal or less than the diameter of the mid-portion 31B.

Blind hole 32 has a cross sectional shape of an isosceles trapezoid. Blind hole has a bottom portion 32A, a mid-portion 32B and a surface portion 32C. In a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the surface portion 32C is smaller than the diameter of the mid-portion 32B. The diameter of the bottom portion 32A is equal or less than the diameter of the mid-portion 32B.

Projection 31 has a height or length dimension Hp measured from the base at 31A to the tip portion 31C. The blind hole 32 has a depth dimension Hb measured from the bottom portion 32A to the surface portion 32C. The length dimension Hp is less than the depth dimension Hb in order that the projection 31 can fit entirely within the blind hole 32.

First strap end 21 over laps second strap end 22 such that first strap end portion 21A is adjacent second strap end portion 22A. Further, second strap end portion 22A is adjacent the head of the user or wearer and is between the head of the user and first strap end portion 21A. In this manner first strap end portion 21A is at the exterior or outside portion of the cap 10.

Male protrusion 31 faces inward toward the head of the user from first strap end portion 21A of band 20 and toward the head of a user/wearer wearing cap 10. Opening 32 is a blind hole to receive male protrusion 31. Male protrusion 31 fits within opening 32 with a friction fit or snap fit, such that male protrusion 31 is securely held in place within opening 32, when inserted into opening 32. There are a plurality of male protrusions 31 on first strap end portion 21A and a plurality of openings 32 at second strap end portion 22A that align one to the other depending on the length of first end 21 that overlaps second end 22 when the sizing band 20 is adjusted to fit the circumferential size of the wearer's head.

Cap 10 is adjustable to fit the size of a wearer's head. Sizing band 20 is adjustable to secure cap 10 on a wearer's head. First end 21 of sizing band 20 overlaps second end 22 of sizing band 20. As is known in the art, the ends 21 and 22 of sizing band 20 are pulled to overlap so that sizing band 20 firmly supports cap 10 on the wearer's head, adjusting the circumferential length of sizing band 20 on the wearer's head. When the correct length of the sizing band 20 is determined, the wearer secures the first end 21 of band 20 to the second end 22 by inserting the aligned one or more male protrusions 31 of first strap end 21 into the openings 32 of second strap end 22. In order to finely adjust the location of the first strap end portion 21A, the band 20 can be rotated or adjusted such that the outer first strap end 21 of band 20 is centered on the rear of the wearer's head or centered at the rear of cap 10. This is desirable as a logo 40 or other icon when placed or secured on band 20 preferably is located on the first strap end portion 21A of first strap end 21 and is centered at the rear of cap 10.

As shown in FIG. 8, the interior of cap 10 includes one or more supports 35 extending along the inner side of cap 10 and attached at opposite sides of the opening 13 of cap 10. The cap 10 includes vent holes 35A and the top of cap 10 includes a button 37.

As seen in the figures, a logo 41 or a logo bar 40 having a logo 41 thereon, is attached to outer portion of first strap end portion 21A. Alternatively the logo 41 or the logo bar 40 can also be a part of outer first strap end portion 21A. The logo bar 40 supports one or more logos 41 or icons or other pieces of art or art that is desired to be displayed on the cap 10. Typically, as shown in FIG. 4 such logos 41 are related to a sport or team etc.

The present invention allows a logo 41 to be placed on or alternatively form a part of the adjustable sizing band 20 without limiting the ability to use the male protrusions 31 and openings 32 to adjust the circumference of sizing band 20 around a user's head. The placement of logo 41 on sizing band 20 does not affect the use of male 31 and female fasteners 32, since the logo 41 is located on the opposite side of band 20 where the male protrusions 31 are located on first end 21. In this manner, the logo 41 is not defaced or disfigured and does not include a hole 32.

This was not possible in the prior art sizing bands. As shown in FIG. 7, the overlapping ends 111 and 114 of the sizing band 120 were arranged such that the male protrusions 113 faced away from the wearer's head. This was because if the male protrusions 113 were directed toward the user's head, the pointed ends of the male protrusions 113 would irritate a user's head. Thus, in the prior art, the outer overlapping end 111 had the female openings 112 to receive the male protrusions 113 of the inner overlapping end 114. In these prior art embodiments, the male protrusion 113 in order to be secured within a female opening 112, the male protrusion would fit through opening 112 and extend beyond the opening 112 as shown if FIG. 7A. Further in order to place a logo on the overlapping end 111, the openings 112 would be blocked or covered with the logo 41, filled from the attachment of the logo 41 on the end 111, and thus would not allow a male protrusion 113 to fit into the female openings 112 if a logo were attached to the end having the female openings, all limiting the ability to adjust the circumference of a sizing band. Additionally, the openings 112 would be a part of the logo 41 which is undesirable as it disfigured the logo 41 in some matter.

The present invention allows a logo 41 to be a part of the outer strap 21 at the first strap end portion 21A. The strap 20 is fully adjustable in location at sizing to the user's head without having unsightly openings 112 to appear on the sizing strap or within the logo 41. This is only possible because the projections 31 are a part of the first strap end portion 21A where the projections 31 point inward toward the wearer's head. The openings 32 are located on the inner second strap end portion 22A and are not a part of the logo 41.

As seen in FIGS. 9 to 12, the sizing band 20, which may be elastic or other stretch material, may be attached to first strap end 21 and second strap end 22 by insertion of the strap 20 end into a slotted opening 21E or opening 22E and held in place and attached with an adhesive. Alternatively, the first strap end 21 and second strap end 22 may be a part of the same strap 20. Additionally, the logo 41 may be attached to first strap end portion 21A or may be a part thereof.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A hat comprising:

A dome shaped fabric having an opening for receiving a wearer's head;

a sizing band spanning a circumference of said opening, said sizing band being rotatably mounted on said fabric at an edge of said opening, said sizing band having a first longitudinal end with male connectors defined as protrusions having a length, said protrusions being directed towards the wearer's head in a wearing position of the hat;

said sizing band having a second longitudinal end with female connectors being holes for engaging respective male connectors and sizing said circumference;

said holes having a depth greater than said length of said protrusions.

2. A hat as set for the in claim 1, wherein a logo is disposed on a portion of said first longitudinal end opposite said male connectors.

3. A hat comprising:

a dome shaped fabric having an opening for receiving a wearer's head;

a flexible sizing band being affixed at an edge of said opening, said sizing band having male connectors and female connectors engaging with one another for setting a circumferential size of said opening;

said female connectors being blind holes having a depth for receiving an entire length of said male connectors.

4. The hat as set for the in claim 3, wherein said male connectors project radially inward toward the wearer's head.

5. The hat as set for the in claim 4, wherein a logo is on the portion of said sizing band having male connectors and said logo is located on the opposite side of said male connectors and said logo faces away from a user's head.

6. The hat as set for the in claim 5, wherein said logo is attached to said sizing band having male connectors.

7. The hat as set for the in claim 5, wherein said sizing band has two ends, said sizing band is attached at one end to said portion of said sizing band having male connectors and is attached at the other end to said portion of said sizing band having female connectors.