Abstract:
This invention relates to a device for the storage of articles, such as money, credit cards, keys, golf tees, etc. within a hat, such as a baseball hat. The devices includes a wallet, adapted to be removably held within a hat by means of boning members in a pressure fiot within the hat.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/457,692, filed 26 Mar. 2003. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Many people wear baseball and golf type hats. Many people wear these hats when engaging in sporting activities, for example, jogging, baseball, hiking, boating, bowling, and so forth. Even people not involved with sports wear baseball type hats as part of their uniform, for example delivery service workers and factory workers. Also, many people who are just going about their daily activities commonly wear baseball type hats. Thus, millions of people wear baseball and golf type hats and these hats are part of the fabric of our society.  
           [0003]    However, the same people who wear these hats oftentimes need a place to store an article while wearing the hat. In the past, attempts have been made to provide for pockets internal to the hat so that articles could be stored therein. However, these past designs did not provide a structure to support the pocket, nor did these past designs provide for a convenient pocket to hold credit cards, a driver&#39;s license, or an airplane ticket. Also, many of these past designs called for internal sewing or many internal fasteners provided on the hat.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0004]    The invention comprises various embodiments of a storage device for hats. In one embodiment, the storage device comprises an internal wallet for holding unfolded money, tickets, and other items typically too big for the standard wallet, for example various receipts, boarding passes, and lottery cards. The storage device provides for an internal wallet that is positioned and secured in the dome of the hat, which does not contact the wearer&#39;s head. The hat storage device does not require hook and loop or other fasteners, because the hat storage device is pressure fit into the hat utilizing structural boning members. Another embodiment calls for small side pockets which are slid onto the structural boning members of the hat storage device. The side and sliding pockets may be used for securely storing folded currency, credit card(s), driver&#39;s license and/or other identification, shoppers club cards, video rental cards, spare golf tees, ball markers, spare batteries and/or a key(s). When the wearer of the hat is casually dressed without suitable pocketed storage means disposed elsewhere on his or her person, or is in need of additional storage for items that would be too bulky for the traditional wallet or pocket, he or she can store articles in the hat storage device.  
           [0005]    The present invention may be sold in a kit comprising a hat storage device  22  as shown in (FIGS. 1, 2, and  8 ) along with a hat, and/or pockets, and combinations thereof. Or, since the hat storage device can be readily inserted into any hat (it can be done in under 30 seconds), it can be sold alone. The hat storage device can be used in a “fully constructed” or “soft top” baseball or golf type hat, as well as various Beret type hats and others.  
           [0006]    Thus, the present storage hat overcomes the problems associated with the past designs and provides for internal support members (boning) that may span from the one side of the hat, to the top of the dome of the hat, and back down to the other side of the hat, with boning extending from the dome of the hat to the brim of the hat. Also, side mounted pockets may be provided adjacent the wearer&#39;s ear, these pockets sized to receive credit cards and a driver&#39;s license.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of the first embodiment of the hat storage device and a hat.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of the first embodiment of the hat storage device and hat.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of a hat and an alternate embodiment of the hat storage device of this invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 a  shows a front elevational view of an attachable side pocket.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 b  shows a front elevational view of an attachable side pocket.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 shows a bottom plan view of the hat storage device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of the hat storage device with a side pocket.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic view of the hat storage device wherein a side pocket is attached to the cross member boning.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 shows a diagrammatic view of an embodiment similar to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6 except that the side pocket is inverted.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 9 shows a diagrammatic view wherein the side pocket is attached to the wrap-around boning member.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 10 shows a bottom plan view of the hat storage device similar to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5 except that an additional pocket is provided. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]    At the outset it is pointed out that common reference numbers are used throughout the description and drawings to indicate common parts and elements.  
         [0019]    With reference to the various figures, the hat  20  for use with the present invention may be any of various conventional baseball type or golf type hats or other. The hat  20  may, for example, comprise a peak or brim  34  and an adjustment strap  36  so that the circumference of opening  21  in the hat  20  may be adjusted, the opening  21  for receiving the wearer&#39;s head. The hat  20  also comprises an internal folded band  28 , sometimes referred to as a sweatband, and an inside surface  24  and outside surface  26 . (Shown open in FIG. 9.)  
         [0020]    A storage device  22  is provided which may be variously embodied, as will be described presently. The storage device  22  comprises a boning material which may comprise NYLOBONE, manufactured by Aranac Ribbon Mills of Plattsburg N.Y., which is sold in ¼ inch width, which is difficult to break and has an resilient memory, that is after it is deformed it can go back to its pre-deformed state, or the boning may comprise durable resilient plastics, or other materials known in the art. Another type of boning material may comprise boning sold under the brand name RIGILENE, a mark registered Trademark Selectus LTD. of England. This type of material is used for the internal wallet  56  and the various pocket closures and side members, which will be described presently. This type of material is easily moved so that the wallet/pocket can be opened, and this material automatically keeps the pocket/wallet open, and it only takes a tap from the user&#39;s finger to close the wallet/pocket. Of course, the present invention is not so limited, and other materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art could be used for the boning and the wallet/pocket closures.  
         [0021]    As shown in FIG. 1, the storage device  22  is an insert which can be received inside of a hat  20 . The storage device  22  comprises a cross boning member  39  which spans from a first end  40 , to a mid-point  42  (which is approximately adjacent to the top of dome of the hat  20  when installed in the hat  20 ), and back down to a second end  44 . A forward boning member  46  (see FIGS. 1 and 5) extends from the mid-point  42  to a forward securing member  48 . When the hat storage device  22  is installed into a hat  20 , the forward securing member  48  is tucked into the front portion of the folded band  28  and serves to hold the forward portion of hat storage device  22  in place. It may be made of a boning material, but does not have to be. Various other materials, such as a thin metal or stiff plastic material may be employed. Wallet support boning members  50   a  and  50   b  are each joined at one end with the cross boning member  39 , and at the other end with closure boning member  52 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. A wallet pull tab  54  is provided to open the internal wallet  56  by allowing closure boning member  52  to be pulled forward. The internal wallet  56  is defined by the wallet side wall  55 , and the netting  100  which extends between the wallet support boning members  50   a - b . The netting material  100  comprises materials which are made of girdle-like or other materials, fabrics, and other materials known in the art. It is noted that the closure boning member  52  is made of a material, as described above, which once opened stays open, and then it only takes a small push to close again. This eliminates the need for snaps or hook and loop fasteners to close the internal wallet  56 . It is further noted that the internal wallet  56  is held above the wearer&#39;s head, that is, it is found in the dome area  23  of the hat  20 . The internal wallet  56  may be sized so as to receive things such as unfolded cash, airline tickets, passes, items too large for a wallet, etc., and it defines a wallet interior  58 . This is shown in FIG. 2. Shown in FIG. 5 is an embodiment of the hat insert  22  which shows examples of the dimensions of the hat storage device  22 , but in no way does this limit the size of the storage device  22  because it can be variously made of a plurality of differing sizes.  
         [0022]    To install the storage device  22 , reference is made to FIGS. 1, 2, and  8 . The user need only take the device  22  and place the securing member  48 , the first and second ends  40  and  44  of the cross member in the internal folded band  28 . That is the entire task. An installed storage device  22  is shown in FIG. 2. Installation and/or removal can be accomplished in under thirty (30) seconds. It is a particular advantage of the present invention that no hook and loop, rib and channel, snaps, buttons, or other type of fastener is required in order to place and secure the storage device  22  in the hat  20 . This is because the hat storage device  22  employs pressure fitting in order to secure the boning  48  and the first and second ends  40  and  44  of the cross members against the internal folded band  28 . This pressure fit is sufficient to hold the storage device  22  firmly in place, regardless of the load in the internal wallet  56 . This provides for tremendous versatility of the hat device  22 , because the hat devices  22  can be sold with or without hats  20  at retail outlets. A buyer could have an old favorite hat  20 , and install the hat storage device  22  therein without modifying the hat  20  at all. The buyer would not need to sew or glue anything to install the hat storage device  22 . Further, the hat storage device  22  may be sold alone, or as part of a kit, with the kit comprising a hat  20  and a hat storage device  22  and, optionally, a one or more of side pockets  60 ,  80 . Another feature is that the contents of the hat storage device do not contact the wearer&#39;s head.  
         [0023]    Also, articles may be stored between the storage device  22  and the inside surface  24  of the hat  20 , that is, the articles can be trapped therebetween. This can be done for this embodiment, and the remaining embodiments of the present storage device  22 . This is one more way in which the storage device  22  allows for storage of large articles.  
         [0024]    In an alternate embodiment, the structure of the storage device  22  may be similar to the structure shown in FIG. 1, except the cross boning member  39  is absent. This device still performs satisfactorily, and still has an internal wallet  56 , and is quickly installed by merely inserting the securing member  48  inside the internal folded band  28  of the hat  20 . Again, the pressure fit between the securing member  48  and the internal folded band  28  holds the storage device  22  in place, and articles can be stored within internal wallet  56  as well as between the storage device  22  and the inside surface  24  of the hat  20 . This model may be used in the soft top or unconstructed type golf or baseball type hats, where the wearer would like the added flexibility to store extra large checks or lottery playing cards or oversized boarding passes behind storage device  22  and the dome of the hat. Again, storage is available in all embodiments between the storage device  22  and the inside surface  24  of the hat  20 .  
         [0025]    An additional embodiment is shown in FIG. 3, which shows a storage device  20  which further comprises a surrounding boning member  70 . The surrounding boning member  70  is joined with the forward boning member  46  at junction  72 , such that the surrounding boning member  70  and the forward boning member  46  are connected at this point. At the locations where the cross member boning  39  and the surrounding boning member  70  pass by one another, they are not joined together.  
         [0026]    Turning to FIG. 4, shown therein is a sliding side pocket  80 . The sliding side pocket  80  is variously embodied so that it may be attached to the surrounding boning  70  in a plurality of different ways. The sliding pocket  80  is formed from pocket boning  82 , and comprises a pull tab  84  for gaining access to the interior  90  of the sliding pocket  80 . An opening  86  is provided for in the sliding pocket  80 . A first sleeve  92  and second sleeve  94  are formed in the rear of the sliding pocket  80 . The sleeves  92 ,  94  are sized to receive the surrounding boning member  70  therein. This provides for a dual use for the sliding side pocket  80  as will be described presently.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6 shows how the side pocket  80  may be attached to the surrounding boning member  70  by the first sleeve  92  formed in the side pocket  80 . FIG. 8 shows what is shown in FIG. 6 with the difference being that the sliding pocket  80  is installed on the surrounding boning member  70  in an inverted position in FIG. 6. This installation of the sliding pocket  80  allows for quicker access into the sliding pocket  80 , but the configuration shown in FIG. 6 is more secure because the opening  86  of the pocket  80  is nested in the folded band of the hat  20 .  
         [0028]    In a further embodiment, shown in FIG. 7, the hat storage device  22  of FIG. 1 is shown together with a pocket  110  for attachment thereto. Pocket  110  has a vertical sleeve  112 , as well as first and second rear sleeves  92 ,  94 , and it comprises a pull tab  114 . To install this pocket  110 , the cross boning member  39  is slid through the vertical sleeve  112 , which results in the arrangement as shown in FIG. 7. Of course, another pocket  110  could be inserted on the other end of the cross boning member  39 . Furthermore, pocket  110  could be inserted in an inverted position with the pull tab  114  at the bottom, to be installed with the pull tab  114  tucked inside of the hat internal folded band  28 .  
         [0029]    In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 8, a hat storage device  22 , similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3, is shown in combination with a side pocket  80  attached thereto by sliding surrounding bone member  70  through sleeve  94 . It will be appreciated that side pocket  80  could also be attached in an inverted orientation.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 9 shows how the sliding pocket  80  can be loaded with credit cards, money, and other articles and installed on the surrounding boning member  70 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the hat device  22 . In this embodiment, not only is there an internal wallet  56 , but there is also a pouch pocket  120  which includes a pouch pocket closure  122 . The pouch pocket  120  is opened by pulling tab  121 , and in this manner access gained to the pouch pocket interior  124 . As shown in the FIG. 10, the pouch pocket  120  is defined by the internal wallet  56  sidewall  55 , and the pouch pocket side wall  126 .  
         [0032]    Thus, the present storage device  22  is quite useful for storing articles within the hat for safekeeping during times when no other suitable storage means is being worn. For example, while wearing shorts or bathing suit, and or, a T-shirt without pockets, or other apparel without sufficient pockets for storage. Additionally, frequently the owner of a given hat or cap has become quite attached to the particular hat, due to a particularly comfortable fit, style or durability of the material etc. This invention can be used with a preexisting favorite hat, that is it can be sold just as a storage device  22 , and the purchaser can install the storage device  22  in under  30  seconds. This eliminates the need to purchase an otherwise undesirable hat, in order to have a hat with the storage features described above.  
         [0033]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the hat storage device has been described above in connection with particular embodiments and examples, the hat storage device is not necessarily so limited and other embodiments, examples, uses, and modifications and departures from the embodiments, examples, and uses may be made without departing from the hat storage device. All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the hat storage device.