Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-01
2003-12-09
Welch, Gary L. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
C002S181000, C002S195100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06658664
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a visor cap with a selectively revealable concealed adjustment band. More particularly the invention relates to a visor cap having an adjustment band which is normally concealed within a non-elastic rearwardly extending sleeve, such that when the cap is expanded in diameter as it is donned by a wearer, the adjustment band is selectively revealed at two side openings.
Although hats are worn for a variety of purposes, in the context of many sports, hats are worn primarily to keep the sun out of the athlete's eyes and to prevent sweat from the head from reaching the eyes and face of the athlete. In this regard, the common baseball hat has been available and in use for countless years.
In recent years, the “visor cap” has come into favor, and has replaced the baseball cap in certain circles. The visor cap encircles the head like a baseball cap, and shades the eyes from the sun with a bill like a baseball cap, but is open on top to both allow the head to dissipate heat and to avoid disheveling the hair of the wearer as severely as a baseball cap would.
When it comes to visors, or hats in general, the phrase “one size fits all” clearly does not apply. Accordingly, nearly all sport hats have some type of adjustment mechanism. The ubiquitous baseball hat provides a plastic snap tab assembly with an open back having plastic tabs attached to the ends of the rim adjacent to the open back. Size adjustment is accomplished by overlapping the plastic tabs, which snap together with different discrete degrees of overlap. However, not only is the snap assembly unsightly and cheap looking, but it does not always provide a comfortable fit since the most comfortable position for certain wearers might exist between available overlap positions. In addition, in the case of the visor cap, such an adjustment mechanism ruins the otherwise seamless appearance of the rear band extending around the back of the head.
Others have attempted to provide solutions with regard to providing adjustability for a baseball cap. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,076 to Armstrong discloses an adjustable cap having a fully removable adjustment strap. Armstrong employs a strap which may be inserted the brim of the hat through an upper opening of the brim on the inside of the hat after it has been extending around the back of the wearer's head, and then is held in place by hook and loop fasteners (VELCRO).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,845 to Gallup discloses an adjustable closed-back cap. Gallup has a short sleeve at the rear of the cap which allows a strap to extend through the sleeve to make a desired adjustment, wherein the strap is attached to the rim exterior at an opposite side of the sleeve using hook and loop fasteners (VELCRO).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,273 to Cho discloses a free-size cap with a size adjusting band. In particular, Cho is an open back baseball cap wherein the strap may be fastened at any position by using a buckle.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
In addition, since baseball caps and visors are often highly visible, worn not only by sports figures on the sports field or the golf course during televised events, but are worn by numerous other people on the street in their day-to-day activities. Accordingly, advertising on baseball caps and visors by presenting logos of various types is considered to be an important undertaking. In many cases providing effective advertising through the cap can by itself justify the manufacturing cost of the cap.
Accordingly, many have sought ways in which to use the cap to provide advertising. The most common way is to provide advertising indicia on the forehead shield of the cap. However, other attempts have been made, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,892 to Pizzacar; U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,855 to Ramirez; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,362 to Walsh—all of which seek to attach onto the overlapping plastic adjustment tabs at the rear of the ubiquitous baseball cap, to use the same as advertising space. Such units may also be suitable for the particular purpose for which they are employed, or for general use, but would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
Accordingly, what is desired is to provide a cap which is adjustable in a convenient, comfortable, and visibly appealing manner, while providing the ability to advertise or otherwise display a logo or indicia in a clever manner such that it is visible yet unobtrusive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to produce a visor cap which is adjustable to fit heads of varying sizes in an inconspicuous and unobtrusive manner. Accordingly, the visor cap has a rearwardly extending adjustable band which is attached and extends between both sides of the forehead shield. When in a relaxed, non-stretched position, the adjustable band is concealed within a closed, rearwardly extending non-elastic sleeve which is not attached to the forehead shield.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a visor cap which allows a logo or other indicia to be selectively displayed. Accordingly, the adjustable band has a pair of display panels nearest to the forehead shield, such that as the adjustable band is expanded when the hat is donned by the user, the display panels and any logo or indicia thereon are partially or fully revealed as the adjustable band expands onto the head of the user and the non-elastic sleeve is urged rearward.
The invention is a visor cap, having a bill, a forehead shield having sides, an adjustable strap attached to and extending between the forehead shield sides, and a non-elastic sleeve. The adjustable strap extends through the non-elastic sleeve and has a relaxed position having a relaxed position length such that when in the relaxed position the non-elastic sleeve abuts the forehead shield sides. The adjustable strap has a pair of display panels adjacent to the forehead shield sides, and an elastic strap extending between the display panels. When the cap is donned by a wearer, the adjustable sleeve stretches to accommodate the head of the wearer, creating temple openings between the non-elastic sleeve and the forehead shield sides, revealing the display panels. When the cap is removed by the wearer, the elastic band returns to the relaxed position and the non-elastic sleeve once again abuts the forehead shield sides—substantially concealing the display panels.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4918758 (1990-04-01), Rendina
patent: 5519892 (1996-05-01), Pizzacar
patent: 5548845 (1996-08-01), Gallup
patent: 5584076 (1996-12-01), Armstrong
patent: 5600855 (1997-02-01), Ramirez
patent: 5996116 (1999-12-01), Tate
patent: 6006362 (1999-12-01), Walsh
patent: 6016572 (2000-01-01), Park
patent: 6049911 (2000-04-01), Bromberg
patent: 6119273 (2000-09-01), Cho
patent: 6446266 (2002-09-01), Park
Goldstein & Lavas P.C.
Welch Gary L.
LandOfFree
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