Apparel – Head coverings
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-24
2001-06-05
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Head coverings
C002S209130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240566
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with improved hat designs, particularly an improved baseball-type hat which is configured to allow a wearer to have virtually any type of hairstyle. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such hats which are characterized by relatively large rear openings allowing long hairstyles such as pony tails or the like to be readily pulled through the rear openings. In this fashion, the hats give maximum flexibility of use for a wearer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Until recent years, baseball-type hats were worn primarily by young men. However, in more recent times women have begun to wear such hats in increasing numbers. As is well known, typical baseball hats include a fabric crown which covers substantially all the wearer's head. In order to provide a universal fit hat, it is common to provide an adjustable sweatband and a relatively small, arcuate adjustment opening above the rearmost portion of the sweatband. The sweatband has an interlocking projection and opening structure allowing the hat size to be adjusted. Alternatively, the hat may be pre-sized or adjustably sized through a number of ways commonly known in the art including through straps having hook and loop type fasteners, belt buckle-type straps, and friction plate straps.
Many people have taken advantage of the small adjustment opening provided with baseball-type hats, by pulling their longer hair through the adjustment opening.
While this is acceptable for certain types of hairstyles such as low pony tails, there is insufficient open area in typical hats to accommodate very long hairstyles, high pony tails or “updos.” In these situations, the users had to either forgo wearing a hat altogether, or risk damage to the hairstyle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the problems outlined above and provides an improved open-back hat which is especially designed to provide a significantly larger rear open area allowing wearing of the hat by men and women with elaborate hairstyles. Broadly speaking, the hats of the invention include a sweatband configured to encircle the head of a wearer, with the sweatband having a forward arcuate portion extending forwardly from the approximate ear region of the wearer and around the wearer's forehead, and a rearward arcuate portion extending from about the ear portion and around the back of the wearer's head. A crown is operatively coupled with the sweatband and extends upwardly from the forward portion thereof to cover the wearer's forehead and the sides of the wearer's head to approximately the ear region. The crown presents a rear margin extending from the top of the wearer's head downwardly to the sweatband so as to define an open area between the crown rear margin and the sweatband.
In preferred forms, the sweatband is adjustable to accommodate different head sizes, and the crown is designed with a reinforcing band at the rear margin thereof. Preferably, from about 30-70% of the plan surface area defined by the sweatband is open. This provides a rear opening of sufficient size to accommodate virtually all popular hairstyles.
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patent: 5321854 (1994-06-01), Kronenberger
patent: 5509145 (1996-04-01), Stevenson et al.
patent: 5799334 (1998-09-01), Griffith et al.
patent: 5875488 (1999-03-01), Milani
Hale Gloria M.
Hovey Williams Timmons & Collins
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