Apparel – Head coverings – Convertible
Utility Patent
1999-10-25
2001-01-02
Mohanty, Bibhu (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Head coverings
Convertible
C002S195100, C224S577000, C224S664000
Utility Patent
active
06167569
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to multi-functional hat and pack combinations and, more particularly, to a hat apparatus that can be modified for use also as a fanny pack.
2. Description of Related Art
Hats have been used for many years and are found in many shapes and sizes. Hats are used as sun shades, to repel the weather and often simply for aesthetic purposes. A popular hat is the baseball-style cap. A modern baseball cap typically includes a shell, a visor attached to an edge of the shell to shade the user, and an adjustment strap system along the edge of the shell to allow for changing the size of the hat. The shell is typically made of flexible material. The visor is typically made of a more rigid material and extends away from the shell to provide shade for the user's face.
When hats are worn for any of their many uses, the user often desires to remove the hat from his or her head, but keep the hat available for later use. If the user is participating in an activity at the time, such as hiking or some other sport, storing the hat for later use can pose a problem.
Most hats must simply be carried by hand or in some type of carrier when not in use. Carrying a hat by hand subjects the hat to damage from exposure to dirt or physical damage such as being crushed or otherwise deformed. Using a carrier for a hat is inconvenient for the active user. Storing hats while not in use is a recognized problem, indicated by numerous attempts of others to provide a hat that is conveniently storable and portable.
Attempts to create hats that are able to be reduced to a convenient size have concentrated on rolling the hats into a roll, folding visors in one or a plurality of locations, and also folding both the visor and the shell together. U.S. Pat. No. 1,213,447 issued to R. H. Bacon in 1917 discloses a visor made up of separate sections held together by pliable hinge strips. The visor is foldable to a reduced size, but still must be placed somewhere for storage, and provides no extra functionality when in its reduced size.
U.S. Pat. No. 625,776 issued to C. H. Von Klein in 1899 discloses a hat that has a foldable body and a visor that is hinged at one place to fold over itself. While the hat is reduced in size, the shape of the hat in its reduced size is as difficult to store as the hat in its normal state.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,038 issued to Dennard in 1986 discloses a hat/tote bag combination article. However the article of Dennard does not disclose a structure for securing the article around an individual's waist.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,970 issued to Shifrin in 1992 discloses a combined visored cap type protective helmet and pouch for bicyclist or the like. However, the helmet and pouch of Shifrin fails to disclose enclosing the cap in a pouch configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,427 issued to Fishbaine in 1994 discloses a combination hat and bag article. However, the combination article lacks a support for the bag around an individual's waist.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,713 issued to McCallum in 1994 discloses a convertible hat and bag assembly that can be worn as a hat or as a bag that is worn around an individual's waist. However, the convertible hat and bag assembly of McCallum does not disclose the assembly comprising an elastic waist belt for enabling the belt to expand to an appropriate length for wrapping around an individual's waist. Moreover, the convertible hat and bag assembly of McCallum does not disclose a plurality of belt loops attached a concave portion thereof for selectively supporting a belt therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,629 issued to Gistrap in 1995 discloses a convertible hat with a foldable visor. However, Gistrap fails to disclose any article to be worn by an individual.
Other related art discloses combination hat and pack articles. However, none of the references disclose a combination hat and fanny pack apparatus having an elastic belt for enabling the belt to expand to fit around a person's waist. Furthermore, none of the references disclose a combination hat and fanny pack apparatus having belt loops attached thereto for retaining a belt in a fixed position around a concave portion of the hat when the belt is not being used.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a convertible hat and bag apparatus for use as a hat or fanny pack. The apparatus being defined by a concave portion shaped for placement onto a person's head. A plurality of belt loops are attached to the concave portion for retaining a belt in a fixed position around the concave portion when the belt is not being used to support the apparatus on a person's waist. An elastic belt on the concave portion supports the concave portion around an individual's waist in a fanny pack configuration. The belt has first and second portions releasably attached together by a fastening apparatus.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a combination cap and fanny pack apparatus defined by a concave portion having an elastic belt for enabling the belt to expand to fit around a waist of practically any size.
It is another object of the invention to provide a combination cap and fanny pack apparatus defined by a concave portion having a plurality of attached belt loops for retaining a belt in a fixed position around the concave portion when the belt is not being used for securing the pack to a wearer's waist.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a combination cap and fanny pack apparatus having a zipper fastener on a peripheral edge thereof for selectively fastening together opposing sides thereof to form a fanny pack configuration.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a combination cap and fanny pack apparatus having belt with a fastening apparatus attached thereto, the fastening apparatus including a male portion attached to a first half of the belt and a female portion attached to a second half of the belt for releasably attaching the two halves around a person's waist.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1269594 (1918-06-01), Geraghty
patent: 4165542 (1979-08-01), McLaughlin
patent: 4610038 (1986-09-01), Dennard
patent: 5173970 (1992-12-01), Shifrin
patent: 5214802 (1993-06-01), McCallum
patent: 5303427 (1994-04-01), Fishbaine
patent: 5367713 (1994-11-01), McCallum
patent: 5450629 (1995-09-01), Gilstrap
patent: 5613246 (1997-03-01), Alexander
patent: 5694648 (1997-12-01), Nucifora
patent: 412335 (1910-07-01), None
patent: 447209 (1915-10-01), None
Litman Richard C.
Mohanty Bibhu
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