Abstract:
A cap with sunglasses has an elongated holder mounted on the underside of the visor. A carrier partially surrounds the holder and is slidable therealong for adjusting the position of sunglasses mounted on the carrier. A latching assembly is captured in the carrier and has projections in the form of tines for being selectively inserted between teeth disposed along the length of the holder. A spring normally urges the latching means to insert the tines between the holder teeth. Movement of the carrier relative to the holder is permitted when the latching assembly is pressed against the restoring spring force to disengage the projections on the latching assembly from between the holder teeth to permit adjustment of the position of the sunglasses.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed to caps with adjustable sunglasses, in particular, to caps having adjustable sunglasses that can be moved freely forward and backward relative to the cap visor in order to fit them suitably to the wearer&#39;s eyes or nose position while the sunglasses are attached to the cap visor.  
         [0002]     In general, caps with various types of visors are worn to prevent direct exposure of the face to strong sun at beaches, or during hiking, fishing or athletic activities. Although such caps block some of sun&#39;s direct rays, they often cannot block glare caused by refraction or reflection of light. Therefore, people must suffer the inconvenience of having to carry sunglasses separate from visored caps for outdoor activities.  
         [0003]     Products have been developed to alleviate such inconvenience and to provide caps with attached sunglasses. Diverse inventions have been made for this purpose including U.S. Pat. No. 1,473,013, E.U. Patent No. 0412737, E.U. Patent No. 0321617, French Patent FR-F-66, German Federal Patent DE2030546, Korean Utility Patent Notice No. 95-219 and Korean Utility Patent Public Notice No. 93-22785.  
         [0004]     A typical approach is illustrated by the invention of Korean Utility Patent Public Notice No. 93-22785 which discloses a cap design where sunglasses are fixed to the bottom surface of a cap visor and rotatable to fold so that the sunglasses can be opened for normal use or stowed by being folded against the bottom surface of the visor.  
         [0005]     These caps come with sunglasses having fixed positions so that the wearer cannot adjust the distance of the glasses from the wearer&#39;s eye position. Therefore, in the case of a wearer who wears eye glasses, the use of sunglasses on such a cap presents an inconvenience and blocks normal vision.  
         [0006]     The invention of Korean Utility Patent Registration No. 20-0199241, Patent Application No. 20-2000-0013573, includes a guide rail which is attached to the middle section of a visor&#39;s bottom surface, towards the front and forms a guide path lengthwise internally while the opening of the guide path is equipped with a pair of holding ledges. A movable adjustment piece moves along the guide path of the guide rail to adjust for distance from the eyes. The sunglasses are attached to the lower end of the movable carrier and are rotatable for being folded against the cap visor.  
         [0007]     This cap with sunglasses that are distance adjustable has the advantage of adjustment of the sunglasses&#39; position to fit the wearer&#39;s needs by moving the sunglasses forward or rearwards with respect to the cap visor along a guide rail. However, this prior art detachable sunglass cap has a structure wherein the guide rail must be attached and detached to and from the bottom surface of the cap visor each time sunglasses need to be attached to the visor, thus requiring the repetitive and inconvenient task of adjusting the guide rail position to ensure that it is positioned in the direct center of the cap visor.  
         [0008]     Furthermore, this prior art cap with detachable glasses has a structure where an end piece must be attached to an end of the guide rail so that the end piece and the movable adjustment piece have the possibility of detaching from the guide rail and getting lost. Also, in this design, an indented area is formed at a side of the holding ledge, whereby the sunglasses may be moved in accordance with each stage of indentation. However no holding piece is provided to fix the sunglasses&#39; position so that even a slight impact can dislocate the sunglasses, changing their position either forward or backward along the guide rail.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     Considering the above problems of existing designs, the object of the present invention is to provide caps with adjustable sunglasses which allow convenient adjustment of sunglass position with respect to the wearer&#39;s eyes and nose while, at the same time, allowing the selected sunglass position to be held firm.  
         [0010]     In order to achieve the stated design objective the present invention has a holder which is fixed in the center of the bottom surface of the cap visor in the front to back direction so that a guide path is formed along the central axis of the holder; rails are formed along both sides of the guide path lengthwise, and upper holding teeth are arrayed in equal intervals between the guide path and rails. A carrier includes a trolley having a rectangular notch formed at the center area of one side of its base. On the bottom surface of the trolley base, inwardly of the rectangular notch, there is formed a lower ledge having lower guide grooves on either of its sides. An upper ledge is formed inwardly from the notch on the top surface of the trolley base and upper guide grooves are formed on both sides of the upper ledge. Guide flanges are formed on top of the trolley base for circumscribing and being guided along the rails of the holder. A hanger has a wall extending downwardly from the trolley base and terminates in an elbow. A latching assembly having a base and two parallel barbed tongues is guided along the upper and lower guide grooves in the carrier to form an integral body. The latching assembly can be attached and detached at the rectangular notch of the trolley base. Resiliently flexible spring arms extend from opposite sides of the base of the latching assembly. A plurality of tines on the outer surface of the upper tongue of the latching assembly are situated at a side of the guide path and rails of the holder  20  when pressure is applied to the area of the base between the spring arms, and the tines are situated between adjacent upper holding teeth of the holder when pressure is released from the spring arms.  
         [0011]     A mounting unit has of a projection to allow sunglasses to be attached and detached via a slot in the lenses of the sunglasses. A connector on the mounting unit allows the mounting unit to be attached to and detached from to the elbow of the carrier.  
         [0012]     Therefore, by moving the carrier to an appropriate location while pressing the latching assembly, and then releasing the pressure, the position of the sunglasses attached to the visor can be easily adjusted. Furthermore, when the upper holding teeth of the holder and the tines of the latching assembly are interlocked, the locked condition is maintained in a firm manner. These features facilitate simple and rapid adjustment of the sunglasses&#39; position and prevent any unwanted movement of the sunglasses along the rails of the holder once the sunglasses&#39; position has been fixed, even when a moderate external force is applied, so that an optimum wearing condition can be maintained at all times. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a partially exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention in a first disposition;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1  in a second disposition;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a partially exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1  in a third disposition;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a partially exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1  in a fourth disposition;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a sectional elevation view of a portion of the invention shown in  FIG. 1  in one stage of assembly.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the invention shown in  FIG. 1  in one state.  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the invention shown in  FIG. 1  in another state.  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a partial side elevation view of the invention shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0021]     Referring now to the drawings, a cap  11  has an elongated holder  20  which is affixed to the center of the bottom surface of the cap visor  12  in front to back disposition so that a guide path in the form of a channel  22  is formed lengthwise along the center of the holder  20 . Rails  21  are formed along both sides of the guide path  22  in parallel relationship thereto. Adjacent each rail  21  there are formed a line of equally spaced upper holding teeth  23 .  
         [0022]     A carrier  30  has a trolley  31  with a rectangular notch  33  that is formed in the center of one side of a base  32  of the trolley  31 . On the bottom surface of the trolley base  32 , inwardly of the rectangular notch  33 , there is formed a lower ledge  34 . On both sides of the lower ledge  34  there are formed lower guide grooves  35 . An upper ledge  36  is formed inwardly of the rectangular notch  33  on the top surface of the base  32 . Upper guide grooves  37  are formed on both sides of the upper ledge  36 . Guide flanges  38  are formed atop the trolley  31  in parallel spaced relationship to the base  32  for receiving, therebetween, the rails  21  of the holder  20 . A hanger  41  has a vertical wall  42  extending downwardly from the underside of the trolley base  32  and, at its lowermost edge, turns upwardly in the form of an elbow  43 .  
         [0023]     A U-shaped latching assembly  50  has a base  55  which is dimensioned to be snugly received within the rectangular notch  33  of the trolley base  32 . Inward turning spring arms  56  extend from opposite sides of the latching assembly base  55 . As the base  55  is inserted into the notch  33  the ends of the spring arms  56  engage a shoulder in the base plate  32  as best seen in  FIG. 4 . As insertion of the base  55  continues against an opposing force exerted by the spring arms  56 , parallel upper and lower tongues  51  and  53  are respectively guided along upper guide grooves  37  and lower guide grooves  35  on the trolley portion  31  of the carrier  30 . Each of the tongues  51 ,  53  has a barbed edge  52 ,  54  for being selectively captured on respective upper ledge  36  and lower ledge  34  as the latching assembly  50  is snapped into place on the carrier  30  to form an integral body therewith.  
         [0024]     Tines  57  are formed on the upper surface of tongue  51  so as to be situated in respective spaces between adjacent teeth  23  of the holder  20 , thereby preventing axial movement of the carrier  30  relative to the holder  20 . When pressure is applied to the base  55  of the latching assembly  50  against the force of the spring arms  56 , the latching assembly is moved slightly inwardly causing the tines  23  to move out of alignment with the teeth  23  of the holder  20 , thereby permitting axial movement of the carrier  30  relative to the holder  20 .  
         [0025]     Extending from a front side of a mounting unit  60  is a projection  61  for being fixedly received in a slot  14  formed in sunglasses  13  for attaching the sunglasses to the mounting unit  60 . Extending upwardly from the mounting unit  60  is a connector  62  in the form of a loop, which is adapted to be hung on the elbow  43  of the carrier  30 .  
         [0026]     Thus it will be appreciated that by moving the carrier  30  to an appropriate position while pressing the base  55  of the latching assembly  50  and then releasing the pressure, the position of the sunglasses  13  attached to the cap visor  12  can be easily adjusted. Once pressure is released, the upper holding teeth  23  of the holder  20  and the tines  57  of the latching assembly  50  are interlocked so that the locked condition is maintained in a firm manner. These features facilitate simple and rapid adjustment of the position of the sunglasses  13  and prevent unwanted movement of the sunglasses along the rails  21  of the holder  20  once the position of the sunglasses  13  has been fixed, even when a moderate external force is applied, whereby an optimum wearing condition can be maintained at all times.  
         [0027]     Thus, according to the invention, a cap with adjustable sunglasses, includes a holder  20  which is fixed onto a visor  12  of a cap  11 , a carrier  30  which is slidably mounted on the holder  20  for relative movement therealong, a latching assembly  50  which is mounted on carrier  30  to selectively enable its movement along the carrier  30 , a mounting unit  60  which is detachably connectable to the carrier  30 , and a pair of sunglasses  13  which are mounted on the carrier  30  via the mounting unit  60 .  
         [0028]     The holder  20  is fixed lengthwise, front to back, to the center of the bottom surface of a visor  12  of a cap  11  so that a centered guide path  22  is formed along its length. Rails  21  are formed on both sides of the guide path  22  along its length.  
         [0029]     Multiple upper holding teeth  23  are arrayed in equal intervals between the guide path  22  and rails  21  so that tines  57  of latching assembly  50 . On a frontal end of the holder  20  there is a tapered portion  24  for facilitating mounting of the carrier  30  on the holder  20 . A terminator element  25  is provided at the opposite, rear end of holder  20 .  
         [0030]     A rectangular notch  33  is formed at the center of one side of the base  32  of trolley  31  of carrier  30 . A lower ledge  34  is formed on the bottom surface of the trolley base  32  inwardly of the rectangular notch  33 , and lower guide grooves  35  are formed on both sides of lower ledge  34 .  
         [0031]     An upper ledge  36  is formed on the top surface of trolley base  32  inwardly of the rectangular notch  33 , and upper guide grooves  37  are formed on both sides of the upper ledge  36 . Guide flanges  38  are mounted on and spaced from the base  32  of the trolley  31  for forming a channel in which the holder  20  is received for enabling the carrier to be guided along the rails on both sides of the holder  20 .  
         [0032]     The carrier  30  has a trolley  31  from which there downwardly extends a hanger  41 . Hanger  41  of carrier  30  has a downwardly extending wall  42  leading from under the base  32  of trolley  31 , and elbow  43  which is formed in a bent shape at the bottom of wall  42  to which the connector  62  of mounting unit  60  may be attached and detached.  
         [0033]     The latching assembly  50  has a base  55 , two parallel extending tongues  51  and  53 , and spring arms  56 . Barbs at the ends of the tongues  51 ,  53  are captured in the upper and lower ledges  36 ,  34  of the carrier  30 . Spring arms  56  extend from both sides of base  55 .  
         [0034]     Assembly of the apparatus of the invention proceeds as follows. First, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , under the condition where carrier  30  and latching assembly  50  are separated, latching assembly  50  is inserted into carrier  30  with pressure to the disposition shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 . Under this condition, where resilient flexible spring arms  56  of the latching assembly  50  are tensioned, i.e., urged outwardly, the upper barbed edge  52  of latching assembly  50  is captured by upper ledge  36  of carrier  30  and the lower barbed edge  54  of the latching assembly  50  is captured by lower ledge  34  of carrier  30 .  
         [0035]     When the carrier  30  is assembled with the latching assembly  50 , it is then possible to press connector projection  61  into the lens slot  14  of sunglasses  13 , and mount the connector  61  of mounting unit  60  onto the elbow  43  of carrier  30  to flexibly assemble them together.  
         [0036]     Under this condition the carrier  30  is slid onto holder  20  while the latching assembly  50  is pressed, with the two guide flanges  38  of carrier  30  covering the two rails  21  of the holder  20 .  
         [0037]     When assembled properly as explained above, the present invention allows for adjustment of the distance between the wearer&#39;s face and the sunglasses  13  by pressuring and releasing the latching assembly  50  appropriately, whereafter any adjusted positions can be firmly maintained.  
         [0038]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , when the latching assembly  50  is pressed towards inside of carrier  30 , the tines  57  of the latching assembly  50  are located to one side of guide path  22  and rails  21  of the holder  20  so that the tines  57  of latching assembly  50  are free from the upper holding teeth  23  of holder  20  to allow free movement of carrier  30  along the rails  21  of the holder  20 .  
         [0039]     If the pressure is released from the latching assembly  50 , the spring arms  56  are restored to their normal positions, as shown in  FIG. 6 , so that the tines  57  of the latching assembly  50  are located in between upper holding teeth  23  of the holder  20 , thus causing the tines  57  and the upper holding teeth  23  to be mutually locked, preventing movement of carrier  30  along the rails  21  of the holder  20 .  
         [0040]     The present invention allows for the latching assembly  50 , when depressed as shown in Drawing  7 , to permit sunglasses to be moved along the arrowed directions of  FIG. 8  in a free manner. Upon release of the external pressure on the latching assembly  50 , the carrier  30  is fixed at its location on the holder  20 , thus firmly holding the sunglasses  13  in place.  
         [0041]     Therefore, the position of the sunglasses  13  can be adjusted conveniently and rapidly, and the adjusted condition is maintained firmly through the simple steps of moving the carrier  30  to an appropriate location while pressing the latching assembly  50  and then releasing the pressure when the sunglasses have been positioned at a desirable location.  
         [0042]     It is to be appreciated that the foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention to which alterations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.