Abstract:
A system for a full-brimmed hat capable of accommodating a headset includes a full-brimmed hat and a headset. The full-brimmed hat allows users to simultaneously wear the headset and obtain full protection from harmful sun rays while also providing shielding from the sunlight. The full-brim is designed with brim joints which are adjusted by fasteners. The brim joints open the holes on the sides of the full-brimmed hat, and the earpieces of the headset are placed in the holes. The frame of the headset rests on top of the full-brimmed hat, which accommodates both a large headset and a small headset.

Description:
The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/684,922 filed on Aug. 20, 2012. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a fully-brimmed hat that may be worn while wearing a headset or headphones. More particularly, its objective is to provide the user full protection from harmful sun rays while allowing the user to wear the headset or headphones as well as improving the visibility of the wearer by shielding the sun from the eyes. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is not practically possible to comfortably wear both a headset and a full-brimmed hat. A Headset offers the user the ability to block out background noise thus dramatically increasing the quality of the listening experience, and a full-brimmed hat provides the user with the greatest protection from harmful and distracting sunlight. It is impractical and nearly impossible to wear a headset over a full-brimmed hat without a great deal of sacrifice to comfort and protection from the sun. Additionally, it is very uncomfortable to wear a headset under the hat as well. People often resort to using in-ear earphones or earbuds in order to be able to wear both earphones and a full-brimmed hat. However, for people in occupations such as pilots and airport ground personnel who often are required to wear a headset or headphones, it is not possible to wear a headset with a full-brimmed hat. Additionally people who recreationally spend a great deal of time outdoors require protection from the sun and quite often wish to listen to music. Because of the issues detailed above, these people are often unable to achieve both protection from the sun and musical entertainment without sacrifice to either. The present invention seeks to address the issues faced by people who are required or desire to comfortably wear a headset while also experiencing the protection of a full-brimmed hat. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a practical means or system for people to wear a headset with large earpiece while also wearing a full-brimmed hat. The present invention accomplishes this by means of holes located on the sides of the brimmed hat through which the frame or earpieces of the headset can be placed. This allows the headset to be worn normally and rest on top of the user&#39;s head and the top of the hat. It is only possible to insert the earpieces of the headset through the opening by means of brim joints that are located on the outer edges of the openings. The brim joints may be opened or closed by the user and may also be adjusted before use or during use in order to accommodate the headset and adjust comfort. Once the earpieces and the frame of the headset have been placed within the openings, the brim joints may be closed by hook and loop fasteners or by some other means of attachment. The headset is now ready to be worn comfortably with the present invention and its full brim is able to provide the user protection from the sun. The present invention certainly does have its use in a recreational setting, and it is also very useful as a safety devise. Since the present invention can be worn by airport ground support personnel, airport control tower personnel, pilots while in flight, individuals at firing range, military personnel, and landscaping crews, the safety aspects of the present invention minimize the fatiguing nature of working out in the sun and increase the visibility factor which is especially notable during sunrise and sunset. Because of these facts, the present invention increases the efficiency of their work while creating a safe work environment. The present invention is available in multiple configurations to accommodate the various shapes and sizes of headset or headphone earpieces and frames that users may wish to wear in conjunction with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a left perspective view of a user wearing the preferred embodiment of the present invention with a headset. 
         FIG. 2  is a right perspective view of a user wearing the preferred embodiment of the present invention with a headset. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the present invention in its preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of the present invention in its preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the present invention in its preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the present invention in its preferred embodiment with the left brim joint is disconnected and the right brim joint is disconnected. 
         FIG. 7  is a left side view of the present invention in its preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a right side view of the present invention in its preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the present invention in its preferred embodiment with open brim joints. 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of the present invention in its preferred embodiment with open brim joints. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the present invention folded in half. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the present invention in its storage mode. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the present invention is a full-brimmed hat that is designed to accommodate a full-sized headset while the hat is being worn. A system for the present invention comprises a full-brimmed hat  1  and a headset  22 . 
     The full-brimmed hat  1  provides the user full protection from harmful sun rays and increases the visibility of the wearer by shielding sunlight from the eyes. The full-brimmed hat  1  is a boonie (or boney) style hat, a jungle hat, or a hat the military would wear. The full-brimmed hat  1  comprises a circular bucket  2 , a rim  4 , and a full-brim  7 . The circular bucket  2  forms the top of the full-brimmed hat  1  and the user&#39;s head fits within a head insertion opening  3 , which can be seen more clearly in  FIG. 4 . The circular bucket  2 , as well as the rim  4  and the full-brim  7 , are made from a light weight and breathable fabric which is also a uniform and flexible material. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the full-brim  7  is circumferentially positioned around the rim  4 , and is also perpendicularly connected to the rim  4 . The full-brim  7  comprises an inner diameter  8 , an outer diameter  9 , a left headset hole  10 , a right headset hole  11 , a left brim joint  12 , a right brim joint  17 , a left hook strip  18 , a right hook strip  19 , a left loop strip  20 , a right loop strip  21  and a right and left brim joint inner edge  12 I. 
     The left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  provide the area for the headset  22  to traverse, and can be seen more clearly in  FIG. 5 . The left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  are diametrically opposed to each other around the full-brim  7 ; the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  traverse through the full-brim  7 ; and, the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  are adjacently positioned around the inner diameter  8 . The shape of the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  is preferably a circular shape, but the shape is not limited to the circular shape and can be any other geometric or organic shapes in order to accommodate uniquely shaped headphones or any other type of headgears. 
     The rim  4  is circumferentially positioned around the head insertion opening  3  of the circular bucket  2 , and the rim  4  is connected around the circular bucket  2 . The rim  4  comprises a first stiffener  5  and a second stiffener  6 . The first stiffener  5  and the second stiffener  6  are positioned within the rim  4  to provide more rigid areas in the full-brimmed hat  1 . The first stiffener  5  is adjacently positioned to the left headset hole  10  and the second stiffener  6  is adjacently positioned to the right headset hole  11 . The first stiffener  5  and the second stiffener  6  allow the full-brimmed hat  1  be more easily situated on the head of the wear and also prevents the fabric from the bunching up while the full-brimmed hat  1  is being placed on the wearers head as well as prevents bunching up while the full brimmed hat  1  is being used with the headset  22 . 
     Referring back to the components of the full-brim  7 , the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17  each comprise a first flap  13 , a second flap  14 , a hook part  15 , and a loop part  16 , which are shown in  FIG. 6 . The left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17  allow the user to respectively open the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11 . The left brim joint  12  is positioned between the left headset hole  10  and the outer diameter  9 . The hook part  15  is adjacently connected to the first flap  13  and the loop part  16  is adjacently connected to the second flap  14 . The first flap  13  is attached to the second flap  14  through the hook part  15  and the loop part  16 . The right brim joint  17  is positioned between the right headset hole  11  and the outer diameter  9 . The hook part  15  is adjacently connected to the first flap  13  and the loop part  16  is adjacently connected to the second flap  14 . The first flap  13  is attached to the second flap  14  through the hook part  15  and the loop part  16 . In the preferred embodiment, the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17  respectively opens adjacent with the center of the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  wherein the right and left brim joint is a slit extending between the brim joint inner edge and the full-brim outer diameter allowing two brim ends along the slit to be separable and attachable via the first and second flaps. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the left hook strip  18 , the right hook strip  19 , the left loop strip  20 , and the right loop strip  21  are radially positioned around the full-brim  7 , as can be seen in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 . The left hook strip  18  is adjacently positioned with the second flap  14  of the left brim joint  12 ; the right hook strip  19  is adjacently positioned with the second flap  14  of the right brim joint  17 ; the left loop strip  20  is adjacently positioned with the first flap  13  of the left brim joint  12 ; and, the right loop strip  21  is adjacently positioned with the first flap  13  of the right brim joint  17 . 
     When ready to wear both the full-brimmed hat  1  and the headset  22 , the user opens the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17 , as can be seen in  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 . The hook part  15  of the left brim joint  12  is attached to the left loop strip  20 ; the hook part  15  of the right brim joint  17  is attached to the right loop strip  21 ; the loop part  16  of the left brim joint  12  is attached to the left hook strip  18 ; and, the loop part  16  of the right brim joint  17  being attached to the right hook strip  19 . By opening the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17 , the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  are now open and ready to receive the headset  22 . Then the user places the full-brimmed hat  1  over the top of his or head and respectively aligns the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  with his or her left and right ears. With the headset  22  being placed over the circular bucket  2 , the user can then close the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17 . More specifically, the hook part  15  of the left brim joint  12  is attached back into the loop part  16  of the left brim joint  12 , and the hook part  15  of the right brim joint  17  is attached back into the loop part  16  of the right brim joint  17 . The user can also adjust the size of the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  to better suit the size of the left earpiece  24  and the right earpiece  25  by altering the positioning of the hook part  15  to the loop part  16  of the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17 . 
     In the system for the present invention, the headset  22  comprises a frame  23 , a left earpiece  24 , and a right earpiece  25 , which can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The left earpiece  24  and the right earpiece  25  are connected by the frame  23 , and the frame  23  is adjacently positioned atop of the circular bucket  2 . The headset  22  may optionally comprise a microphone if the headset functions as a two way communication device. The left earpiece  24  is positioned within the left headset hole  10  and the right earpiece  25  is positioned within the right headset hole  11 . More specifically, the full-brimmed hat  1  is able to contain a full sized headset  22  as the left earpiece  24  and the right earpiece  25  are placed within the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11 . The present invention is intended to be used with the headset  22 , however, other varieties of headgear such as, but not limited to, earmuffs, hearing protectors, and a pair of headphones, may be worn. 
     The present invention may also be stored in a space efficient form, which can be seen in  FIG. 12 . The user folds the present invention in half so that the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17  meet and align with each other, as shown in  FIG. 11 . The user then takes the present invention and folds it in half once more, in the direction so that either the left hook strip  18  interlocks with the left loop strip  20 , or the other direction, so that the right hook strip  19  interlocks with the right loop strip  21 . This position, as seen in  FIG. 12 , allows the user to store the present invention in a space efficient form so that the present invention does not take up unnecessary room and is more easily stowable in a pocket or backpack. The left hook strip  18 , the right hook strip  19 , the left loop strip  20 , and the right loop strip  21  allow the present invention to stay in this folded position. 
     A first alternative embodiment for the present invention may feature a smaller left headset hole  10  and a smaller right headset hole  11  for a smaller headset  22 . Alternatively, the user may simply thread the left earpiece  24  and the right earpiece  25  through the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  respectively without opening the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17 . A second alternative embodiment of the present invention, the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17  respectively opens away from the center of the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11 , where the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17  are positioned either toward the front end of the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11  or the back end of the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11 . A third alternative embodiment of the present invention, the full-brimmed hat  1  comprises either the left headset hole  10  and the left brim joint  12  or the right headset hole  11  and the right brim joint  17  in such way that the third alternative embodiment only accommodates a headset  22  with only one earpiece. A fourth alternative embodiment of the present invention features no brim joints adjacent to the left headset hole  10  and the right headset hole  11 . 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention uses a hook and loop fastening mechanism for both the left brim joint  12  and the right brim joint  17 . However, alternative fastening mechanisms may be used such as, but not limited to, a ball and socket snap fastener, button fasteners, magnetic fasteners or some other simple fastening mechanisms commonly used with fabric. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.