Brim shade and hinge

A brim shade has a shade element, a clip, and a hinge that joins the shade element and the clip to make the brim shade. The shade element and the hinge combine to create a shade that does not allow the light to get past the brim shade. The brim shade can be adjusted through 360 degree rotation and along the side of a hat to provide protection to the wearer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

In sunny locales, many people wear hats to keep the sun out of their eyes and off their faces. Many times the hats are ball caps or other caps that have a visor or brim. While the visor or brim of the hat may assist when the sun is high in the sky or in the direction the person is looking, that may not always be the case. Indeed, the sun may be off to one side or lower in the sky. Such a position may make it difficult to block the sun from entering the person's eyes. Sunglasses may also be sufficient to block the sun or reflections from the sun. The brim of the hat can not be changed to accommodate such a situation. And while a baseball cap can be re-arranged to some extent, it may not always be possible to block those rays. Use of a towel or a second hat is less than ideal as they can easily shift or fall off.

Thus, a movable shade that can block the sun's rays from entering the eyes of a person wearing a hat is needed. The shade also needs to be able to be moved out of the way when it is not needed. Such a device is illustrated and described below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a brim shade that includes a shade element, a clip configured to be removably attached to a brim of a hat, a hinge having a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation, the first and second axes being parallel to one another, the hinge having a first portion operatively connected to the shade element and a second portion operatively connected to the clip, wherein the shade element is rotatable between a first and second position through an angle, the angle being at least 350 degrees.

In some embodiments, the opening has a longitudinal axis therethrough and the clip has an outside surface, there being a first distance between the longitudinal axis and the outside surface of the clip and a second distance between the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

In some other embodiments, the the hinge includes a coiled spring pin.

According to another embodiment, there is a hinge that includes a first cylindrical member, the first cylindrical member having a first opening extending through the first cylindrical member along a first longitudinal axis, a second cylindrical member connected to the first cylindrical member, the second cylindrical member having a second opening extending through the first cylindrical member along a second longitudinal axis, the first and second longitudinal axes being parallel to one another, a first cut-out in the first cylindrical member to receive at least a portion of a clip therein, and at least one cut-out in the second cylindrical member to receive at least a portion of a shade element therein.

In some other embodiments, the at least one cut-out comprises two cut-outs and the cut-out in the first cylindrical member is disposed between the two cut-outs in the second cylindrical member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the figures, one embodiment of a brim shade100according to the present invention is preferably comprised of three components. The brim shade has a shade element102, a clip104, and a hinge106that joins the shade element102and the clip104to make the brim shade100. It may also be made of any type of material deemed appropriate for providing shade or protection such as cloth, plastic or metal. The materials may be tinted, translucent or opaque and come in an unlimited number of colors. The shade element102has a large flat portion110that transitions into a cylindrical portion112at one edge114to join with the hinge106. The edge114at the hinge106has a width W1that is the same as the width W2of the hinge106. The large flat portion110of shade element102may have any shape, but is illustrated to provide a larger area110awhere the user's eyes would be and a smaller area110bwhere the shade element102would be position near the user's ear or side of the face. The large flat portion110may be of any shape and size and still fall within the scope of the present invention. See alsoFIG. 15for another shape as a non-limiting example. The particular thickness t1of the shade element102is not critical except that it should not be flimsy or break easily. The width W1is preferably the same as the width W2of the hinge106so to prevent any gaps in the protection of the person using the brim shade100as described in more detail below.

The shade element102has two cylindrical portions112at either end of edge114as best illustrated inFIGS. 1-3. These cylindrical portions112are at either end of the edge114, but could be disposed anywhere along the edge114as long as the clip104and the hinge106were to be configured to accept the new configuration and prevent light (or water, etc.) from passing through gaps in the brim shade100. The cylindrical portions112have a central opening116to receive a pin118therein to allow the shade element102to rotate relative to the hinge106and the clip104, as discussed below. Preferably, the pin118is a coiled spring pin to allow for the relative positions of the brim shade100elements to be at any angle, as illustrated in some of the figures (See, e.g.,FIGS. 6-14) and discussed in detail below. However, the pin118could be any type of pin, including a slotted pin.

The clip104of the brim shade100has two extensions140,142extending from a base144at a proximal portion146to a distal end148. The two extensions140,142form an opening150along the clip104to receive a portion of the brim152of the hat. SeeFIG. 5. As illustrated inFIG. 4, the opening has a width W3that decreases in size between the proximal portion146to the distal end148. This allows for a tighter attachment to the brim152. Additionally, as is visible inFIG. 4, the thickness t2of the two extensions140,142increases between the proximal portion146to the distal end148. This is a result of the outside surfaces154,156being parallel to one another while the opening150decreases in width due to projections157. However, two extensions140,142could also be of constant thickness, meaning that the outside surfaces154,156would not parallel to one another. At the proximal end146of the two extensions140,142is a squared-shape portion158of the opening150. This squared-shape portion158could also have other shapes, e.g., oval, round, etc. and still fall within the scope of the present invention. The squared-shape portion158of the opening150is configured to receive the edge of the brim152of the hat. SeeFIG. 5. This allows for the two extensions140,142to engage the brim152of the hat without the thicker edge of the brim preventing the two extensions140,142from securely engaging the brim152.

As best seen inFIGS. 1 & 3, the two extensions140,142have truncated corners160,162at the distal end148. These truncations160,162are illustrated to be 45 degree corners, but could be any appropriate angle. Additionally, only one of the corners of each of the extensions140,142may be truncated and still fall within the scope of the present invention. The truncated corners160,162allow the brim shade100to be adjusted along the brim152of the hat in more positions than if the corners160,162were not truncated. The truncated corners160,162allow the brim shade100to be pushed farther back on the brim152of a baseball cap than if they were not truncated. Thus, specific angles could be used for specific hats. Additionally, as illustrated inFIG. 15(egg shaped), the extensions (as well as the other elements of the brim shade) could have other configurations.

The base144of the clip104is a cylindrical portion with a pin opening164to receive another coiled spring pin118. The base144of the clip104has a width that is the same as that of the two extensions140,142. However, as would be clear to one of skill in the art, they do not have to be same width, as long as there were no gaps caused between the hinge106and the shade element102. Thus the two extensions140,142or the base144could be wider. Additionally, the clip104could also be disposed along the length of the shade element102in a position different from that illustrated in the figures, with appropriate changes made to the construction of the shade element102and the hinge106.

The clip104is preferably made from a material that is somewhat flexible to allow for the brim152of the hat to be inserted between the two extensions140,142(thereby causing them to flex outward and away from one another and then back to engage the brim152to hold the brim shade100on the hat).

The hinge106is generally two cylindrical portions170,172joined together with their longitudinal axes A1, A2parallel to one another. Also along the longitudinal axes of each of the cylindrical portions170,172are pin openings174,176to receive a coiled spring pin118in each. To attach the other portions of the brim shade100to the hinge106, there are cut out portions178,180, respectively to receive the corresponding cylindrical portions from the shade element102and the clip104. As the cylindrical portions112are at either end of the edge114in the shade element102, the cut out portions178are at the ends of the cylindrical portion170. With the clip104having only one cylindrical portion at the base144, the cut out portion180is towards the middle of the cylindrical portion172of the hinge106.

As noted above, the brim shade100can be used on either side of a hat, as well as being stored under the brim152of the hat or on top of the brim152of the hat. The construction of the brim shade100, and the hinge106in particular, allows for the rotation of the shade element102and, in part, the hinge106, relative to the clip104. The rotation of the shade element102between and underneath position and an on-top position will be explained with reference toFIGS. 6 and 7. These two figures show the brim shade100in a first position inFIG. 6—under the brim, which is not shown for clarity purposes, and then in second position inFIG. 7—on-top of the brim. Thus, the shade element102can rotate through an angle α of 360 degrees (and possibly farther) so that it would be parallel to the outside surfaces154,156of the clip106. The rotation through the 360 degree angle is due to the construction of the hinge106. As best illustrated inFIG. 7, the opening150has a longitudinal axis A3extending therethrough. This axis is parallel to the axis A4that is parallel to the outside surfaces154,156of the clip106. There is a distance D1between the axis A3and the axis A4that aligns with the outside surfaces154,156of the clip106. Each of the two cylindrical portions170,172have an axis of rotation about the openings174and176. As is clear fromFIG. 7, the opening176is on the longitudinal axis A3. The other axis of rotation is through the second opening174and the distance between these two openings (and axis of rotations) is illustrated as being D2. If D2is larger than D1, then the shade element102can rotate at least 360 degrees around the axis of rotation about opening176.

FIGS. 8-14show various positions of the three elements of the brim shade100(shade element102, a clip104, and a hinge106) as the shade element102is rotated around from the first position to the second position—360 degree angle relative to the clip104. Careful consideration of these figures show that the clip106and the shade element102can both rotate about their axis of rotations independently of the other.

FIG. 15illustrates another embodiment of a brim shade200according to the present invention. This embodiment200illustrates the different variations in shape of the three elements (shade element202, a clip204, and a hinge206) that still fill all of space between the three elements and prevent light from entering between the three elements.