Abstract:
The present invention is an article of headwear that is adjustable so as to accommodate a wide range of head sizes comprised of at least a crown portion that substantially covers scalp of the wearer. Proximate the lowest edge of the crown portion is a headband permanently affixed thereto that is stretchable in all directions. The headband is comprised of a ribbon of stretchable rubber that may be fully or partially enclosed within one or more pieces of the same or different strength stretchable material. In all embodiments of the present invention, the ends of the rubber band and stretchable material may be attached so as to make a complete circumference around the lowest edge of the crown portion of the headgear.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to caps worn on the head. In particular, it relates to adjustable caps that can be worn by users having heads of varying circumferences. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Headgear comes in various forms and sizes and include, but is not limited to, baseball caps, visors, hats with rims, beanies, etc. which are pre-sized to fit certain circumferences of heads or are adjustable so that they can be worn by persons having heads of various circumferences. Adjustable headgear may incorporate a mechanism that may be located at the back edge thereof proximate the nape of the neck of the wearer when it is worn which can adjust the size of the lower circumference of the portion that surrounds the head. For example, a common means of adjusting the size of a baseball type cap may employ a cut out area located proximate the nape of the neck and have a variable length overlapping plastic straps on each side of the cut out area which may be attached to each other according to the desired circumference of the cap. One of the straps may include a plurality of protrusions and the corresponding other strap may include a plurality of corresponding holes. By snapping at least one of the protrusions into at least one of the apertures, the circumference of the cap may be adjusted. Alternatively, the cap may have a buckle at the back thereof which may be loosened or tightened depending on the desired circumference. Yet another alternative is the use of straps having hook and loops thereon located on opposite sides of the cutout area. 
         [0003]    More recently, caps may incorporate headbands or sweatbands that are attached to the inside lower edge of the main portion of the cap. Some of these headbands are complicated to manufacture and are unnecessarily bulky. The headbands also are not stretchable in all directions as one of more layers thereof restrict the expandability. Further, because some headbands are formed solely of material, they deform over time. It is an object of the present invention to provide headgear that overcomes some or all of the construction and bulkiness of the prior art headgear while still reducing the number of headgear necessary for a supplier to carry due to the adjustability of the headgear of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0004]    The present invention is an article of headwear that is adjustable so as to accommodate a wide range of head sizes. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an article of headgear is comprised of at least a crown portion that substantially covers scalp of the wearer. In some embodiments, the headgear also may have a substantially rigid curved visor portion extending from the front of the crown portion so as to shade all or part of the wearer&#39;s face. Proximate the lowest edge of the crown portion is a headband permanently affixed thereto. In an embodiment of the present invention, the headband is comprised of a ribbon of stretchable rubber that may be fully or partially enclosed within one or more pieces of the same or different strength stretchable material. In an embodiment of the present invention, the rubber ribbon may be enclosed within one piece of a first stretchable material that partially encloses the rubber ribbon. In another embodiment of the present invention, the rubber ribbon may be either fully or partially surrounded by a separate second piece of stretchable fabric before it is enclosed within the first stretchable piece so that the rubber ribbon is not exposed at all. In all embodiments, the ribbon that is enclosed within one or more stretchable materials may be sewn to the stretchable material(s) using either stretchable or non-stretchable thread proximate the top and the bottom of the rubber piece. However, any other permanent attachment means may be used so long as it does not interfere with the stretchable properties of the rubber or the stretchable materials. In a preferred embodiment, the enclosed rubber ribbon may be affixed to the crown using non-stretchable thread. Further, if, in an embodiment of the invention, the rubber ribbon is not fully enclosed within the stretchable material(s), the partially enclosed rubber ribbon is attached to the crown portion such that any exposed area of the rubber ribbon faces the inside of the crown portion such that it not visible to the wearer. In all embodiments of the present invention, the ends of the rubber band and stretchable material may be attached so as to make a complete circumference around the lowest edge of the crown portion of the headgear and the end seam thereof may be covered by a label affixed thereover. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    A detailed description of the invention will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like numerals refer to like parts and in which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cap in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the headband of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the headband of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the headband of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0010]    In the following descriptions of the invention, terms such as “top”, “bottom,” first “end” and second “end”, “horizontal”, “longitudinal”, and the like are used herein merely for ease of description and refer to the orientation of the components shown in the figures. Further, the figures herein are not drawn to scale and should be considered to present an illustration of various embodiments of the present invention. Some features of the invention may have been distorted or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention. The same reference numbers in the drawings are used for similar or identical components shown in the various alternative embodiments. 
         [0011]    Generally, the present invention may be briefly described as follows. Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a cap using the features and advantages of the present invention is shown. It should be understood that while a baseball cap is shown, the invention applies to all headgear that has a crown portion covering either all or part of the scalp portion of the head. As such, the invention applies to hats with visors, visors without total scalp covering, baseball caps, etc. 
         [0012]    The baseball cap  10  comprises a crown portion  12  fabricated so that it substantially fits over the crown of a wearer&#39;s head. In a preferred embodiment the crown portion has a lower peripheral edge  14  and a visor  16  extending from the front peripheral edge of the crown portion  12  so as to substantially shade the face and/or the eye area of the person wearing the cap  10  when the cap is properly placed upon the head. A headband  18  extends around the entire peripheral opening  14  of the crown portion  12  and is affixed to the crown portion  12  such that it is fully located within the crown portion  12  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The crown portion  12  may be fabricated from several gores, which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprise gores  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   e , and  20   f  that are made of either synthetic or natural materials, such as polyesters, cotton, woven and non-woven material, felt, cotton with spandex, and other similar stretchable or non-stretchable materials. In addition, the gores may be made entirely or partially out of material that allows airflow to the scalp of the wearer. The number of gores  20  comprising the crown portion is dependent on the size of the final crown  12 , the size of the gore, and the tensile strength of the material being used. In an embodiment, the gores contain one or more air holes  22  to allow the escape of air and moisture through the crown portion  12 . In an embodiment, seam tape or other material is used to cover the interior surfaces of the crown  12  where the gores  20  are affixed to each other to hide the seams created by attaching the gores to each other. In an embodiment of the present invention, a button (not shown) is placed upon the spot where the gores  20  converge at the top of the crown  12 . 
         [0013]    Referring next to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the headband  18  of the present invention is shown. In  FIG. 2 , a partial perspective cut-away view of the headband  18  is shown. In  FIG. 3 , the end view of a preferred embodiment of the headband  18  is shown. Headband  18  is comprised of an elongated inner piece of rubber ribbon  24  having a first end and a second end. The rubber ribbon  24  is comprised 100% of rubber and is of a thickness and width that the rubber ribbon is capable of repeatedly returning to its unstretched position following it being stretched around the head of the wearer. In additional since the rubber ribbon is not porous, it acts as a shield so that sweat may not get through the headband and damage or stain the crown portion of the cap proximate the headband. Rubber is also capable of stretching left to right, up and down, and also diagonally. Since not all heads are the same size, the ability of the rubber ribbon to stretch in every direction is an advantage of the present invention. 
         [0014]    The length of the piece of rubber ribbon  24 , is determined by the maximum size of the inner peripheral edge  14  of cap  10  such that in its fully extended position, it is not larger than the maximum size of the inner peripheral edge. In one embodiment, the rubber ribbon is approximately 3.3 cm by 60 cm. In a preferred embodiment, the rubber ribbon  18  is partially enclosed within a stretchable piece of fabric  26  that is approximately the same length as the rubber ribbon  24 . In a preferred embodiment, the stretchable fabric  26  is absorbent so to provide a quick transfer of sweat from the wearer to the headband. The stretchable fabric is comprised of 100% polyester or other material with a moisture management function that also is capable of stretching in every direction. In one embodiment, the absorbent fabric enclosure is approximately 8.6 cm by 60 cm. The stretchable fabric  26  also may have a smooth surface so as to be comfortable around the head of the wearer of the cap. 
         [0015]    In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the headband also comprises an inner stretchable fabric layer  28  that substantially surrounds the rubber ribbon for added moisture control. In a preferred embodiment, the inner stretchable fabric layer is comprised of 81% nylon and 19% spandex fibers. 
         [0016]    The headband is fabricated by laying the different layers together on top of each other and sewing them together using stretchable thread  30  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 4 . The thread that is used does not to deform the headband nor will the thread tear or burst when the headband is stretched. 
         [0017]    In a preferred embodiment, four rows of stitching are used to attach the folded portion of the stretchable fabric  26  to the rubber ribbon  24 . Alternatively less or more rows of stitching may be used so long as the fabrics are fixedly attached to each other. When the additional inner layer  28  of fabric is utilized, the inner fabric layer  28  completely surrounds one side of the rubber ribbon  24  while the ends of that layer surround the top and bottom of rubber ribbon  28  as shown in  FIG. 3 . As also shown in  FIG. 3 , the outer fabric enclosure  26 , secures the ends of the inner fabric layer  28  as well as the rubber ribbon  24 , such that none of the rubber ribbon can be seen. When only the rubber ribbon  24  and stretchable fabric enclosure  26  are used, the rubber ribbon  24  may be exposed between the two ends of the outer enclosure  26 , as shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 4  is an end view of the alternative embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0018]    The headband  18  is affixed to the peripheral edge of the crown portion of the cap and the peripheral edge of the visor  16  of the cap as shown in  FIG. 1  by sewing. It should be noted that other methods of securing the headband  18  to the crown portion  12  and to the visor  16  are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. Also when the headband is affixed to the peripheral edge  14  of crown  12 , the ends of the headband are secured together and may be hidden by a label (no shown) so as to prevent binding or discomfort caused by the seam. In a preferred embodiment, the seam is located at the base of the head proximate the neck of the wearer. 
         [0019]    Further, when only the rubber ribbon  24  and outer fabric enclosure  26  are utilized, the area  32  in which the rubber ribbon  24  is exposed is placed inside the crown  12  so that it is not visible. In that embodiment, the exposed rubber ribbon  24  is placed so that it faces the interior of crown  12 . 
         [0020]    The headband  18  of the present invention is capable of stretching in all directions and thus can accommodate a wide range of head sizes. 
         [0021]    the peripheral edge of the cap, the ends of the rubber ribbon  24  partially enclosed within the stretchable material  26  are attached to each other so as to make a complete headband within the entire peripheral edge  14  of the cap. The stretchable fabric  26  is attached to the rubber ribbon 
         [0022]    The presently disclosed embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. The embodiments and methods described above are exemplary embodiments and methods of the present invention. Those skilled in the art may now make numerous uses of, and departures from, the above-described embodiments and methods without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. Thus, the construction of the embodiments and the steps of the methods disclosed herein are not limitations of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is to be defined solely by the scope of the following claims.