Abstract:
Decorative novelty head wear is provided including a head engaging member adapted to be worn on a user&#39;s head and at least one decorative member mounted to the head engaging member and including a generally flat substrate having a decorative surface. The decorative head wear can include sports team logos, college mascots, slogans, corporate logos, or other decorative indicia. The decorative head wear can be manufactured inexpensively and packaged very easily and shipped economically since the head wear takes up little space and is very light in weight.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to novelty head gear and a method of making same. 
   BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Novelty items are commonly sold at sporting events and often include team logos, college mascots, or corporate sponsorship logos. In addition, novelty head gear, such as hats (for example, the now famous “cheesehead” hat) have been popularized at sporting events. The present invention provides a relatively inexpensive alternative to existing novelty head wear that can be easily manufactured, packaged, distributed, and assembled by a consumer. 
   The present invention provides decorative head wear including a head engaging member which, according to a preferred embodiment, includes a generally U-shaped flexible plastic band, but alternatively may include a pair of eyeglasses, including sunglasses, a hat, or a headband. A decorative member is fastened to the head engaging member and, according to a preferred embodiment, includes a foam substrate having a printed-on decorated surface. The printed-on decorated surface can include a sticker, painted decoration, or printed on decoration, or combinations thereof. According to one embodiment, the decorated surface includes a sports team logo, college mascot, or other indicia representative of a sports theme, or can alternatively include corporate logos or other novelty designs such as flags, animals, and vehicles, such as cars, airplanes, trucks, motorcycles, etc. 
   Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the decorative head wear according to the principles of the present invention being worn by a user; 
       FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the head wear according to the principles of the present invention being worn by a user; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the head wear according to the principles of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a front plan view of the flexible band designed to be used according to the principles of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the flexible band shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of the back of one of the decorative members illustrating the first preferred embodiment of an attachment system; 
       FIG. 7  is a back side view of one of the decorative members illustrating a second attachment system for attaching the decorative members to the head engaging member according to the principles of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a back side view of the one of the decorative members illustrating a third embodiment of an attachment system for attaching the decorative member to the head engaging member according to the principles of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the decorative head wear according to the principles of the present invention with the decorative members mounted to a pair of eyeglasses; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the decorative head wear according to the principles of the present invention with the decorative members mounted to a hat; and 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the decorative head wear according to the principles of the present invention with the decorative members mounted to a head band. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1–5 , a novelty head wear system, according to the principles of the present invention, will now be described. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the decorative head wear  10  includes a head engaging member  12  which engages a user&#39;s head. A pair of decorative members  14  are mounted to the flexible band  12 . The flexible band  12  is generally U-shaped, as illustrated in  FIG. 4  and is preferably made from a flexible material such as plastic, although other materials may be used. Each of the decorative members  14  is formed of a substrate material  15 , such as foam, cardboard, pressboard, or plastic, although other materials may be used. A decorative surface  16  is provided on one side of the substrate with the decorative surface  16  being applied as a sticker which is adhered to the substrate, or alternatively, the decorative surface can include painted or printed decorative features applied directly to the substrate  15 . 
   On the back side of each of the decorative members  14 , an attachment system  20  is provided. The fastening system  20  includes a generally X-shaped material (best shown in  FIG. 6 ), such as foam, fabric, or plastic being bonded or otherwise fastened at points  22  to the substrate  16  such as by ultrasonic welding, adhesive, stitching, staples or other known fastening methods. The attachment system  20  defines a channel illustrated by arrow A through which an end of the flexible band  12  can be inserted. In addition, the attachment system defines a vertical channel as illustrated by the arrow B through which the flexible band  12  can be inserted so as to be placed above a user&#39;s head in an alternative configuration. 
   Alternative attachment systems, such as the use of a hook-and-loop type fastener  24   a ,  24   b  for mounting the decorative member to the flexible band, as shown in  FIG. 8 , with one portion  24   a  of the hook-and-loop fastener being mounted to the back side of the decorative member  14  and a second portion  24   b  of the hook-and-loop fastener being mounted to the flexible band  12 . According to yet another alternative embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the decorative member  14  can be provided with a pair of slits  30  through which the end portion of the flexible band  12  can be weaved, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
   With the design of the present invention, the flexible band  12  is designed to be comfortable on a user, and yet provide a sufficient squeezing force against the user&#39;s head in order to maintain a proper position of the decorative head wear while the flexible band  12  is looped behind the user&#39;s head. The flexible band can have numerous colors, or can be formed of clear plastic so as to be less visible when worn by a user. 
   It is further anticipated that the decorative members formed of a flat substrate having a decorative surface can also be utilized in combination with other known head engaging members, such as eyeglasses  40 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , a baseball cap or other hat  50 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , or a headband  60 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . The use of a hook-and-loop type fastener system  24   a ,  24   b  would facilitate the attachment of the decorative members to either a hat or headband, while the fastening system  20  illustrated in  FIG. 6  or the slits  30  illustrated in  FIG. 7  readily facilitate the mounting of the decorative members  14  to a pair of glasses  40 . 
   The method of making the decorative head wear, according to the principles of the present invention, is relatively simple, and can include stamping, cutting, or otherwise forming the shape of the decorative members from a substrate sheet, such as, but not limited to, foam, cardboard, pressboard, or plastic. A decorative surface is applied to one surface of the substrate, such as by an adhesive sticker or label, painting or printing, or combinations thereof. A decorative surface can include sports team logos, college mascots, slogans, corporate logos, or other decorative symbols. The decorative members are provided with the appropriate attachment system, as described above with reference to  FIGS. 6–8 , or other alternative attachment systems which are known in the art. The decorative member can then be inserted into a package such as a plastic bag or box along with the flexible band, so that the three members can be packaged as a flat system which will facilitate the easy mass shipment of the decorative head wear. The decorative head wear is easy to assemble by inserting the ends of the flexible band  12  through the attachment system  20  in order to facilitate this easy packaging method. 
   The flat substrate  15  making up the decorative members  14  is preferably formed from a memory foam which, even if bent or indented during shipments will resume its generally flat full shape within a short amount of time after being removed from the packaging. The decorative members  14  can also be sold in combination with a headband  60  to which the decorative members  14  can be applied after removal from the packaging. The decorative members  14  may alternatively be sold as separate items which can be mounted to a user&#39;s eyeglasses or sunglasses  40 , or to a user&#39;s hat  50 . Alternatively, the decorative members can also be sold in combination with a hat  50  or provided with a hook-and-loop fastener system on the hat and the decorative members for facilitating easy assembly of the decorative members  14  onto the hat  50 . It should also be understood that the decorative members  40  of the present invention can also be attached to a person&#39;s hair or hat by use of hair pins, safety pins, or other clamps or clips or snaps. 
   The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.