Apparel – Head coverings – Having crown and horizontally extending visor
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-29
2004-12-14
Moran, Katherine (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Head coverings
Having crown and horizontally extending visor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06829785
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of size adjustment devices for caps and, more particularly, to a grooved strap device for adjusting the size of a cap.
2. Description of the Related Art
Baseball style caps are generally comprised of a crown main body formed by a plurality of panels, a visor portion that is secured to a forward edge of the crown and that extends outwardly therefrom, and a sweatband attached to the inside of the lower periphery of the crown. A size adjustment device may be attached to a back portion of the lower periphery of the crown to adjust the cap to fit a variety of head sizes. The size adjustment device is generally attached by stitching to both ends of the sweat band at the lower periphery of the crown, and may include advertising or other printed material displayed thereon.
Size adjustment devices are generally manufactured by employing separate molds developed specifically to shape materials such as plastic, metal, iron, etc., to create preset size adjustment increments which do not allow infinite adjustability. Hook and loop closures such as Velcro® have also been used, with or without a PVC layer attached thereto, but these often curl up and become deformed with wear and temperature differences, making their use difficult. In addition, such hook and loop devices, lacking preset size adjustments, can also be inconvenient as the wearer may have to manually adjust the cap size several times to get the proper fit to his or her particular head size after the cap has been used by someone else who has adjusted the fit thereof.
Therefore a need exists for a cap size adjustment device that maintains a desirable shape in all temperatures and also allows infinite size adjustment capability, while at the same time being convenient and predictable to adjust.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved cap structure that includes a size adjustment device that is infinitely adjustable.
Another object of the present invention is a size adjustment device that can be adjusted and readjusted predictably.
A further object of the invention is a size adjustment device that maintains its shape over extended periods of time and under varying temperature conditions.
A still further object of the invention is a size adjustment device that readily adopts a curvature matching that of the lower edge portion of the crown for increased wearer comfort.
Yet another object of the invention is a size adjustment device that permits display of logos or other symbols.
In accordance with these and other objects, the present invention is directed to a cap having a size adjustment device attached to a lower back portion of the crown. The size adjustment device is formed by an inner strap and an outer strap, each strap attached to a respective side of the crown main body along a lower edge thereof. Each of the straps is formed of a reinforcing material with hook or loop material attached thereto, respectively. The outer strap is preferably formed of a PVC sheet faced outwardly such that words, symbols or other advertising material may be displayed thereon. This outer facing PVC sheet includes a plurality of vertical grooves that facilitate shape formation and retention of the size adjustment device, and also assist in predictable size adjustment.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.
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patent: 5402538 (1995-04-01), Conrad
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patent: 5724676 (1998-03-01), Amendolia et al.
patent: 6199214 (2001-03-01), Campbell
Dada Corp.
Moran Katherine
Piper Rudnick LLP
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