Baseball cap with elastic hinge

A cap structure suitable for multi-size utilization including a shell forming the crown portion fabricated from biaxially stretchable fabric, a visor portion secured to the forward edge of the shell, and an elongated band forming an ear flap portion hingedly secured to the base of the shell. The ear flap portion is adapted to be folded inwardly and upwardly in a first disposition, and downwardly about the ears of the wearer in an ear-enveloping disposition, with the ear flap portion being fabricated from a material which is stretchable at least along the axial length thereof. Hinge means are provided to secure the ear flap portion to the crown portion, and with the positioning of the stitches coupling the hinge means to the crown portion and to the ear flap portion being arranged so that the ear flap portion overlaps no more than one layer of the hinge means when the ear flap portion is folded inwardly and upwardly into the crown portion between the crown portion and the wearer's head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to an improved cap structure, and 
more particularly to an improved multi-size cap of the baseball cap 
configuration, and with one size being adapted to accommodate wearers with 
a variety of sizes of heads. The multi-size cap structure of the present 
invention is further provided with ear flaps which fold inwardly and 
upwardly of the crown portion of the cap when not in use, and with the 
arrangement providing for minimal overlapping of layers so as to enhance 
the comfort of the cap and avoid a tight-fitting structure with the ear 
flaps folded up, and further avoiding a loose-fitting cap when the ear 
flaps are folded downwardly to envelope the ears of the wearer. The 
structure of the present invention permits multi-size cap structures to be 
fabricated which are comfortable for the wearer, and with a single size of 
cap being adaptable for use by all persons with heads of normal size. 
In the past, attempts have been made to provide multi-size cap structures 
of the baseball cap style, and such caps are in wide-spread use today. 
More recently, attempts have been made to provide caps of the baseball cap 
type or style, wherein ear flaps are provided to provide an added degree 
of comfort to the wearer during unseasonable weather, including cold 
weather with precipitation in the form of either rain or snow. 
Multi-size caps of the baseball cap style are marketed in a variety of 
ways. These caps are marketed through conventional retail outlets, and 
have also found a substantial market as a promotional item. Various types 
of business entities will provide such promotional items to employees 
and/or customers, and in these instances, the outer surface of the crown 
at a point above the visor may carry an emblem, or other indicia 
identifying the business entity. Because of the manner in which these 
products are marketed, it is, of course, desirable to utilize the products 
with minimal size variation requirements, hence the multi-size caps become 
extremely desirable for the customer. 
As is conventional, baseball caps employ a crown portion to which a visor 
is secured to the forward edge of the crown and extends outwardly 
therefrom. An elongated band forming an ear flap portion is hingedly 
secured to the base of the crown and is adapted to be upwardly and 
inwardly folded in one disposition, and is also adapted to be downwardly 
folded about the ears of the wearer in its ear-enveloping disposition. 
Hinge means secure the elongated ear flap portion to the crown portion 
along both of the lateral as well as the rear segments of the crown 
portion. 
In order to provide gores to form the crown portion which are biaxially 
stretchable, a laminated cloth-foam resin structure is normally employed. 
Such laminated foam structures typically have a synthetic resin foam 
interposed or sandwiched between outer cloth or fabric layers. The weave 
of the fabric layers is such that the cloth is biaxially stretchable. Such 
a material is utilized in the multi-size cap structures of the present 
invention, and thereby assist in achieving an accommodation of wearers 
with heads of various sizes. For purposes of achieving substantially 
universal utilization with a single size cap structure, the material 
forming the crown portion is selected so that it is capable of a 20 
percent stretch in each axial direction. Such materials are, of course, 
commercially available. For those instances when more than one size cap 
structure will be employed to accommodate all wearers, a biaxial stretch 
of up to about 10 percent is normally found to be satisfactory. 
As indicated, the forward portion of the cap will normally be provided with 
a visor or bill, with the visor normally being positioned above the eyes 
and forehead of the wearer. Since the visor material is normally 
non-stretchable or non-elastic, means must be provided to achieve 
sufficient stretch or elasticity in the remaining edges of the crown 
portion of the cap. These remaining portions are, as above indicated, the 
lateral side portions and the rear portion. Even considering the 
requirement of the presence of the visor or bill, along with the 
constraint on the number of sizes to be stocked so as to accommodate 
wearers with heads of normal sizes, the cap structure of the present 
invention has been found to accommodate these desirable features and 
provide a means for manufacturing a cap for unseasonable or winter weather 
wherein a single cap structure capable of multi-size accommodation may be 
employed. 
When an individual wears a multi-size cap, particularly one with inwardly 
and upwardly folded ear flaps, caps of conventional design are somewhat 
uncomfortable to wear. Specifically, when the layers are superimposed, one 
upon the other, most of the stress created in the stretch or expansion of 
the cap structure occurs at or along a line which is adjacent the lower 
edge of the crown. Such a condition creates a degree of discomfort to the 
wearer, since the tension created within the fabric is concentrated along 
a line around the user's skull. This discomfort is alleviated with the 
design of the present structure, since the ear flaps are hingedly secured 
with an elastic hinge member to the base of the crown, and the design is 
such that the ear flap portion overlaps no more than one layer of hinge 
when the ear flap portion is in its inwardly folded position. Also, when 
the ear flap is extended downwardly so as to cover the ears of the wearer, 
the elastic hinge member permits relative movement between the crown 
portion and the ear flap portion, thereby achieving an added degree of 
comfort. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an 
improved baseball-type cap device employing ear flaps for winter-time use, 
and wherein the entire structure may be fabricated from stretchable 
fabric, including stretchable laminated foam fabrics. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a baseball-type 
cap structure capable of multi-size use, which can be manufactured 
utilizing conventional materials and fabrics, and which is both functional 
and attractive in its use and appearance. 
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved 
multi-size cap structure of the baseball-cap style, which employs inwardly 
folding ear flaps to accommodate winter-time use, and wherein the 
structure is arranged so as to avoid the presence or occurrence of a large 
number of fabric layers in superposed relationship, thereby enhancing the 
comfort of the cap while being worn. 
Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent to 
those skilled in the art upon a study of the following specification, 
appended claims and accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and 
with particular attention directed to FIG. 1, the multi-size cap structure 
generally designated 10 includes a multi-gore shell 11 formed of 
individual gores such as gores 12, 13, and 14, forming the crown portion. 
A visor or bill portion 15 is secured to the forward edge of the shell and 
extends outwardly therefrom. The visor, as previously indicated, is 
normally somewhat rigid, and hence is not stretchable in the manner in 
which the crown portion is stretchable. An elongated band forming an ear 
flap portion 16 is hingedly secured to the base of the shell as at 17, 
about the lateral and rear portions 18, 19, and 20 respectively of the 
shell 11. The hinge member 21 functions as the inter-coupling member. The 
ear flap portion is adapted to be folded inwardly and upwardly of the 
shell to assume an inwardly folded first disposition. Alternatively, the 
ear flap portion may be folded downwardly about the ears of the wearer in 
an ear-enveloping disposition. The hinge means securing the ear flap 
portion to the crown portion is, of course, sufficiently flexible so as to 
accommodate the folding of the flaps. 
The multi-gore shell 11 is fabricated from biaxially stretchable fabric, 
such as the laminated fabric comprising a sandwich assembly of a synthetic 
resin foam interposed between two layers of stretchable fabric. The entire 
arrangement is, of course, capable of being stretched along both lateral 
and longitudinal axes. Laminated fabric of the type described above and 
having a capability of biaxial stretching up to about 20% of its relaxed 
dimension are, of course, commercially available. 
The elongated band 16 forming the ear flap portion is stretchable along at 
least the longitudinal axis thereof. In certain instances, it is desirable 
to utilize the same material for the ear flap portion as the crown 
portion, it being understood, of course, that stability and comfort may be 
enhanced by utilizing a material which is stretchable at least along the 
longitudinal axis thereof, and to substantially the same extent as the 
crown portion. The ear flap portion is arranged to become elongated upon 
stretching of the crown portion and ear flap portion, in order to 
accommodate the circumferential dimension of the wearer's head. Stretch 
fabrics having a stretch capability of 20% in the longitudinal direction 
are, of course, commercially available. 
The hinge means 21 comprises a panel of fabric which is stretchable along 
the longitudinal axis. With attention being directed to FIG. 2 of the 
drawing, it will be observed that the hinge has an axis as at 25, with 
first and second laterally disposed side portions 26 and 27 on opposite 
sides thereof. As indicated, the hinge means is stretchable at least along 
its longitudinal axis. The hinge means is secured to the crown portion 
along stitch line 28, and is secured to the ear flap portion along stitch 
line 29. In the view shown in FIG. 2, the spacing 30 between the stitch 
line 28 and the crown edge exceeds the spacing between stitch line 28 and 
axis 25 by a certain predetermined dimension. The spacing 31 between the 
stitch line 29 securing the hinge to the ear flap portion and the axis 
exceeds the spacing between line 29 and the upper edge of flap portion 16. 
As is apparent in FIG. 2, the rounded edges of the crown portion and the 
ear flap portion are in substantial abutment as indicated, and define a 
junction line 33 generally coincident with the axis of the hinge means. 
The arithmetic sum of the distance from the axis of the first stitch line, 
and the distance from the axis to the second stitch line is determined, 
and is illustrated by the bracket as at 40. This arithmetic sum is greater 
than the arithmetic difference between the width dimension of the first 
laterally disposed side portion less the distance between the first stitch 
line and the hinge axis. The ear flap portion overlaps no more than one 
layer of the hinge means when the ear flap portion is in its inwardly 
folded disposition. This is because the distance between axis 25 and the 
uppermost plane of nominal thickness in flap portion 16 (i.e., at the 
beginning of its rounded edge) is greater than the width of side portion 
26. The results of this functional description are illustrated in FIG. 4, 
where the hinge member is folded upon itself so as to accommodate inward 
folding of the ear flap portion. 
Attention is now directed to FIG. 5 which illustrates the manner in which 
folds are created in an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
Specifically, the arrangement is such that upon folding the ear flap 
portion inwardly, the fold line which is created avoids the gathering 
together of multiple layers, thereby permitting the smooth inwardly 
directed folding without unduly multiplying or overlapping of portions of 
the structure so as to create a thickened zone or portion. 
As indicated, the structure of the present invention provides the advantage 
of arranging a minimal number of layers in superposed relationship, one 
upon the other, so that tensile stresses are not concentrated along a 
narrow band or line along the skull of the wearer. Furthermore, the wearer 
may utilize inwardly folded ear flaps which are desirable for use by those 
persons who may undergo a change in weather conditions which make it 
desirable for the ear flaps to be lowered. 
It will be appreciated that various modifications of the present invention 
may be undertaken by those skilled in the art without departing from the 
spirit and scope hereof.