Abstract:
A baseball cap lamp that is suitable for displaying and illuminating a baseball cap when the cap is not being worn includes a lamp shaft having a light socket and a cap stand carried by the lamp shaft at the light socket. An alternative illustrative embodiment of the baseball cap lamp includes a lamp shaft, an LED panel carried by the lamp shaft, a plurality of LEDs provided on the LED panel and a cap stand carried by the lamp shaft at the LED panel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to lamps. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a structure that may be attached to a lamp so as to support, display and illuminate an actual baseball cap and to allow an actual baseball cap to function as a lampshade when said cap is not being worn. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Baseball caps are popular among persons of all age groups. A typical baseball cap includes a dome-shaped cap body which fits on the head of the wearer and a bill which extends forwardly from the cap body. A business logo, slogan or sports team emblem is frequently stitched or printed on the front of the cap body above the bill. Additionally, the color scheme of the cap may reflect that of a business, sports team or other cause or institution. Therefore, baseball caps are a prominent way for persons to display loyalty to a business, sports team or other cause or institution. 
     When not being worn, baseball caps are commonly hung on a hat rack or placed on a flat surface. Some persons may desire to display the baseball cap in a prominent manner when the cap is not being worn. Therefore, a baseball cap lamp which may be free-standing and is suitable for displaying and illuminating a baseball cap when the cap is not being worn is needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is generally directed to a baseball cap lamp which may be free-standing and is suitable for displaying and illuminating a baseball cap when the cap is not being worn. An illustrative embodiment of the baseball cap lamp includes:
         a lamp shaft having a light socket; and   a cap stand carried by said lamp shaft at said light socket.       

     In another aspect, a cap stand interior in the cap stand may communicate with the light socket. 
     In yet another aspect, the cap stand may have a cage-shaped design. 
     In still another aspect, the cap stand may include a plurality of generally elongated, spaced-apart cap stand arms. 
     In another aspect, each of the cap stand arms may be outwardly-curved. 
     In a still further aspect, a generally flat cap supporting surface may be shaped in the cap stand arms. 
     In another aspect, the cap stand arms may join at the cap supporting surface. 
     In yet another aspect, the lamp shaft may extend from a lamp base. 
     An alternative illustrative embodiment of the baseball cap lamp includes:
         a lamp shaft;   an LED panel carried by the lamp shaft;   a plurality of LEDs provided on the LED panel; and   a cap stand carried by the lamp shaft at the LED panel.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will now be made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the baseball cap lamp; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of an illustrative embodiment of the baseball cap lamp; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the baseball cap lamp, with a baseball cap placed on the lamp for display; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternative illustrative embodiment of the baseball cap lamp; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the baseball cap lamp illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the baseball cap lamp illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the baseball cap lamp illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the baseball cap lamp illustrated in  FIG. 4 , with a baseball cap placed on the lamp for display. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance or illustration”. Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the lamp and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of the disclosure which are defined by the claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-3  of the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the baseball cap lamp, hereinafter lamp, is generally indicated by reference numeral  100 . The lamp  100  includes a lamp shaft  102  which may be generally elongated and may have any desired decorative configuration. In some embodiments, the lamp shaft  102  extends from a lamp base  104 . In other embodiments, the lamp shaft  102  may extend directly from a surface (not illustrated) such as a table top, for example and without limitation. The lamp base  104  may have a circular shape, as shown, or any suitable alternative shape. 
     A light socket  110  is provided in a distal or extending end of the lamp shaft  102 . The light socket  110  is configured to receive an incandescent light bulb (not illustrated). A light switch  120  is provided on the lamp base  104 , as illustrated, or alternatively, may be provided on the lamp shaft  102  or elsewhere on the lamp  1 . The light switch  120  is electrically connected to the light socket  110  such as through wiring (not illustrated) which extends through the lamp base  104  and the lamp shaft  102 . In some embodiments, an AC power cord (not illustrated) is electrically connected to the light switch  120  and extends from the lamp base  104 . The AC power cord terminates in a standard AC outlet plug (not illustrated) which is adapted for insertion in a standard 120-volt electrical outlet (not illustrated). In some embodiments, the light switch  120  may be electrically connected to an alternative source of electrical power such as at least one battery (not illustrated), for example and without limitation. The battery or batteries may be contained in a battery compartment (not illustrated) provided in the lamp base  104 . 
     A cap stand  106  is provided on the lamp shaft  102  generally adjacent to the light socket  110 . In some embodiments, the cap stand  106  has a cage-shaped design and includes multiple, spaced-apart, outwardly-curved cap stand arms  106   a  which extend from the lamp shaft  102 . The cap stand arms  106   a  join at a flattened cap supporting surface  108  and define a cap stand interior  106   b  which communicates with the light socket  110 . The cap stand arms  106   a  of the cap stand  106  may be any suitable heat-resistant material such as metal, plexiglass or heat-resistant plastic, for example and without limitation. The cap stand  106  may have any alternative design or construction and shape which is suitable for supporting a baseball cap  130  ( FIG. 3 ) in an upright position in use of the lamp  100 , which will be hereinafter described. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in typical use of the lamp  100 , the lamp base  104  is placed on a flat supporting surface (not illustrated) such as a table top, for example and without limitation. A light bulb (not illustrated) is inserted in the light socket  110  and may extend into the cap stand interior  106   b  of the cap stand  106 . A baseball cap  130  is placed over the cap stand  106 . The outwardly-extended configuration of the cap stand arms  106   a  of the cap stand  106  maintains the baseball cap  130  in an outwardly-extended configuration. The light bulb (not illustrated) inserted in the light socket  110  may be illuminated by depression of the light switch  120 . This, in turn, facilitates illumination and display of the baseball cap  130  as the baseball cap  130  remains on the cap stand  106 . 
     Referring next to  FIGS. 4-8  of the drawings, an alternative illustrative embodiment of the baseball cap lamp  200  includes an elongated, flexible lamp shaft  202  which in some embodiments extends from a lamp base  204 . In other embodiments, the lamp shaft  202  may extend from directly from a surface (not illustrated) such as a table top, for example and without limitation. The lamp shaft  202  may be a segmented-type shaft known by those skilled in the art. An LED panel  210  is provided on the distal or extending end of the lamp shaft  202  and is electrically connected to a light switch  220  which may be provided on the lamp base  204 , the lamp shaft  202  or elsewhere on the lamp  200 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , multiple LEDs  212  are provided on the LED panel  210  in a selected pattern. In some embodiments, an AC power cord (not illustrated) is electrically connected to the light switch  220  and extends from the lamp base  204 . The AC power cord terminates in a standard AC outlet plug (not illustrated) which is adapted for insertion in a standard 120-volt electrical outlet (not illustrated). In some embodiments, the light switch  220  may be electrically connected to an alternative source of electrical power such as at least one battery (not illustrated), for example and without limitation. The battery or batteries may be contained in a battery compartment (not illustrated) provided in the lamp base  204 . 
     A cap stand  206  is provided on the extending or distal end of the lamp shaft  202 . In some embodiments, the cap stand  206  has a cage-shaped design and includes an annular cap stand base  206   c . Multiple, semicircular, spaced-apart cap stand arms  206   a  span the cap stand base  206   c . The cap stand base  206   c  and the cap stand arms  206   a  define a cap stand interior  206   b . The outer surfaces of the cap stand arms  206   a  define a cap supporting surface  208 . The cap stand arms  206   a  of the cap stand  206  may be any suitable heat-resistant material such as metal, plexiglass or heat-resistant plastic, for example and without limitation. The cap stand  206  may have any alternative design or construction and shape which is suitable for supporting a baseball cap  130  ( FIG. 8 ) in an upright position in use of the lamp  200 , which will be hereinafter described. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , in typical use of the lamp  200 , the lamp base  204  is placed on a flat supporting surface (not illustrated) such as a table top, for example and without limitation. A baseball cap  130  is placed over the cap stand  206 . The cap stand arms  206   a  of the cap stand  206  maintain the baseball cap  130  in an extended configuration. The LEDs  212  ( FIG. 7 ) on the LED panel  210  may be illuminated by depression of the light switch  220 . This, in turn, facilitates illumination and display of the baseball cap  130  as the baseball cap  130  remains on the cap stand  206 . The flexible lamp shaft  202  may be bended to place the cap stand  206  in any suitable position.