Expandable headband

An expandable headband includes an elongated, pleated-fabric cover having two opposing ends, a front edge and a rear edge. The two opposing ends are interconnected with an elastomeric strap for securing the cover over the head as with a conventional headband. To form a sun visor, a wearer pulls an extendable support rod at the front edge to expand the cover beyond the forehead.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a headband that can be conveniently expanded to form a sun visor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Many people wear a headband as a decoration or to keep hair out of one's face and eyes. However, in order to shield the face and eyes from direct sunlight, a wearer must replace the headband with a hat or a towel. Separately transporting and wearing multiple head coverings is burdensome, inconvenient and irritating.

Accordingly, there is currently a need for a headband that can effectively block sunlight. The present invention addresses this need by providing a pleated headband with integral support rods that allow the headband to expand beyond a wearer's forehead to form a sun visor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an expandable headband comprising an elongated, pleated-fabric cover having two opposing ends, a front edge and a rear edge. The two opposing ends are interconnected with an elastomeric strap for securing the cover over the head as with a conventional headband. To form a sun visor, a wearer pulls an extendable support rod at the front edge of the cover to expand the headband beyond the forehead to form a visor.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a headband that can be quickly and easily expanded to form a sun visor.

It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide an expandable headband that eliminates the burdensome task of transporting and wearing two or more head coverings while outdoors.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention relates to an expandable headband comprising an elongated cover1having two opposing ends, a front edge2and a rear edge3. The cover is formed of a pleated-fabric upper layer25attached to a fabric lower layer26. The upper layer is attached to the lower layer with elastomeric, triple stitching27for enhanced strength. The stitching27pulls the upper layer into the pleated orientation in the absence of tension, while allowing it to assume a substantially planar orientation when pulled into an expanded orientation, as depicted inFIG. 5.

The two opposing ends of the cover are interconnected with an elastomeric strap4for firmly securing the cover over the head as with a conventional headband. The front edge of the cover upper layer includes an elongated channel5extending from one end to the opposing end. Received within the channel is an elongated, flexible but rigid support rod6that conforms to a wearer's head when the headband is collapsed but sturdily supports the headband when expanded to form a visor. The support rod is formed of two sections that are joined with a ferromagnetic ferrule7that is attached to a central portion of the cover upper layer25.

A pair of buttons8attached to the upper layer25each include a central passageway that is aligned with the channel. Each rod section is slidably received within one of the button passageways to allow the rod to deploy and retract concomitant with the upper layer. The rod sections are frictionally received within the passageways so that the pleated upper layer remains at a select position when released. A nodule30at a distal end of each section prevents the rod from being ejected from the button when the cover is being expanded. A magnet11on a central portion of the lower layer26adheres to the ferrule7to maintain the cover in the collapsed configuration when the rods are retracted.

Accordingly, the device is secured over the head with the cover resting atop the crown, similarly to a conventional headband, as depicted inFIG. 1. To form a sun visor, the wearer grasps and pulls the ferrule to extend the rod and expand the cover beyond the forehead, as depicted inFIG. 2.

The above-described device is not limited to the exact details of construction and enumeration of parts provided herein. Furthermore, the size, shape and materials of construction of the various components can be varied without departing from the spirit of the present invention.