Patent Publication Number: US-6655558-B2

Title: Ornamental bending device for a baseball cap type visor

Description:
This application claims priority from Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/308,064 filed Jul. 26, 2001. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of devices for bending and shaping a baseball cap visor or bill, and more particularly, to a device to permanently hold and maintain the baseball cap type visor in a desired shape as it is worn. The visor-bending device, when applied to a visor, also ornamentally decorates the visor. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Various ways to bend and shape the visor of a ball cap have been used for some time. Such a visor&#39;s distinguishing characteristic typically includes a fabric covered canopy made of cardboard or plastic designed to shade the eyes of the wearer. The visor is affixed to a portion of the rim of the ball cap. Other similar visors are affixed to hat gear that have no dome for the head of a user, but rather are affixed to a rim that fits around the user&#39;s head over the eyes, the crown of the user&#39;s head being exposed. Preferably, the visor of a hat serves the functional purpose of shading and protecting portions of a person&#39;s face from the sun, wind, rain and other elements. 
     The visor is usually made of a material to give it stiffness. The visor is often manually bent to a desired curvature according to the tastes of the user. Some users use different sizes of rubber bands to bind the visor in a certain shape for later wear, once the rubber bands are removed. Another method of shaping the visor is to insert the visor into a visor-bending device. The wearer then slips the visor out of the bending device and puts on the cap. The curvature, however, over time gets out of shape as the hat is either worn or otherwise tossed around. Maintaining the exact curvature the user would like is a constant effort. 
     Unfortunately, there are no known visor-bending devices that can maintain a certain curvature of a visor while being worn as well as stored, and ornamentally decorate the visor. The present invention provides a device for a precise bending and shaping of a baseball cap type visor to a desired curvature or other shape that can then be maintained as the visor is worn while also presenting a pleasing and esthetic enhancement to the visor. 
     Many devices for baseball cap type visor shaping exist in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,652 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,146 both issued to Levin relate to a cap visor shaping, transport, storage, washing and/or display device including a lateral member with two end members extending up to retain a cap visor with the lateral or central member being arched upwardly in the center with the end members forming a shoulder to receive both sides of a cap visor. An elastic strap extends over the top of the visor to bend the visor to a desired curvature. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,367 issued to McCallister teaches a similar device for bending a cap visor. The device includes first and second interconnected block members each having an S-shaped portion upwardly extending from the outer edge thereof that forms a groove on the upper surface for receiving a side edge of a cap visor. A threaded shaft extends from one of the block members and alternately continues with a threaded bore on the other block member so that rotation of the screw in the shaft moves the blocks closer or farther apart. A user can bend a cap visor to a desired curvature by securing the visor within the block grooves and moving the blocks a select distance until the desired curvature is achieved. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,575 issued to Scharrenberg relates to another apparatus and method of reforming cap visors. The device includes a visor shaped upper member having a pair of adjustable retention plate strips that snap to each other for bending and retaining a cap visor. The pair of elongated retention plate devices are attached to the upper visor member that is laid on top of the visor. The visor member then bends the cap visor as the two retention plate strips are attached together at the desired juncture the user demands. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,063 issued to Fricano relates to a combination cap hanger and cap visor press that includes spring loaded gripping members with a curved form to receive a cap visor. The curvature of the gripping members and the force of the spring combine to press the cap visor into a desired shape. The device has a hanging member portion that is formed in the gripping member to allow the cap to be hung by the visor. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,508 issued to Powers is basically a retention clip conveniently located within a vehicle to insert the cap visor and support the cap out of the way while not being worn. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,589 issued to Biehl relates to a cap press including a cylindrical base portion for stretching the body of the cap and a visor clamp with a pair of jaws operably connected to press the cap visor into a predetermined shape. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,719 issued to Otteson et al relates to a cap shaping and drying device having a mesh support frame for the crown and a wire framed projection member for supporting and shaping the visor and is particularly useful for allowing the crown and cap to keep the shape the user intends after washing and drying time. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,428 issued to Robak is essentially another cap visor shaping device that consists of a rectangular arched body with a molded hollow sleeve on each end and a molded hanger type hook in the center portion of the body. On one end is a cylindrical sleeve for inserting the visor of a cap and on the other end, is another cylindrical sleeve to insert the visor of another cap for shaping, and lastly the device has a hanger feature between the two cylinders to hang the hat on a clothes hanger rod. 
     Thus, many different devices exist in prior art for bending and shaping the baseball cap type visor, although none address the significant advantage of permanently maintaining the shape of a baseball cap type visor while at the same time having an additional significant advantage of being suitable to be worn attached to the visor to present a pleasing and aesthetic look to the eye. The present disclosure provides a device for a precise bending and shaping of a baseball type cap visor to a desired curvature or other shapes which can then be maintained as the visor is worn or not while also presenting a pleasing and esthetic enhancement to the baseball cap type visor. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses this need in the art by providing a slender arc of a conformable material which may be shaped by the user and then retain its shape. The arc of conformable material, such as for example metal, further includes end pieces on either end of the arc which adapted to clip securely onto the side edges of a common baseball cap type visor. The ends are further adapted, if desired, to receive an ornamentation, such as for example the emblem of the user&#39;s favorite team, and the like. The arc may be adapted to reside underneath the visor, so that only the ornamentation is visible to the casual observer, or the arc may fit over the visor or bill of the cap, so that ornamentation may be placed anywhere along the side-to-side aspect of the bill. 
     It is therefor an object of this invention to provide a device when applied to a baseball cap type visor that is lightweight, inexpensive and unobtrusive, suitable to be worn with the visor head gear. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a device when applied to a baseball cap type visor which will afford the user a way to make old, worn out, flimsy visors feel new and stiff again while being worn. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a device when applied to a baseball cap type visor that feels good and tight to the user&#39;s head when worn. 
     It is also an object of this invention to provide a device when applied to a baseball cap type visor makes the visor bendable to almost any bend the user desires, not just an arch, as it is worn. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide a device when applied to a baseball cap type visor that will afford the user a way to precisely and permanently maintain the exact bend of a baseball type cap visor the user desires when worn or not. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a device when applied to a baseball cap type visor which does not have to be attached every time the user stores the baseball cap type visor or detached every time the user decides to wear the visor head gear. 
     It is still further an object of this invention to provide a device when applied to a baseball cap type visor that when worn on the baseball cap type visor has a pleasing, aesthetic, ornamental look to the eye. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide a device for a baseball cap type visor that may have interchangeable ornamental fastening members that can be replaced with other ornamentally designed members the user desires. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide a device for a baseball cap type visor that may have interchangeable ornamental fastening members that can be replaced with other ornamental designed members used for advertising. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention showing an ornamental baseball cap type visor-bending device. 
     FIG. 2 is a detail view of a typical ornament which finds application with the visor-bending device, in this case a sphere. 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the device with an ornament attached. 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of an ornamental baseball cap type visor-bending device of FIG. 3 showing the preferred insertion of the baseball cap type visor edges into the device. 
     FIG. 5 is an isometric view of another preferred embodiment of the device as seen from the underside of a baseball cap visor and further including an eyelet fastening mechanism to receive ornamentation. 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric view of yet another preferred embodiment of the device positioned on top of the visor. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 through 4 depict a presently preferred embodiment of an ornamental visor-bending device  10  of the present invention. The device  10  comprises an ornamental, laterally arched strand  16  with end members  12  and  14  formed out of each end of the ornamental laterally arched strand  16 . The end members are preferably mirror images of one another and together they provide an ornamental fastening mechanism to attach the device to a visor of a ball cap, as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     The ornamental laterally arched strand member  16  and opposing end members  12  and  14  of the visor-bending device  10  are preferably bent and cut units made out of an extruded metal material, most preferably from thin, tempered steel wire stock or other such treated and blended metal alloys that lend themselves to a stiff but resilient property as well as molding, bending and cutting ease. Many other materials could lend themselves to such resiliency properties of molding, bending and cutting ease and thus the preference of tempered steel should not limit the scope of the invention. For example, the device may be made of flexible metal, spring steel, flexible alloy, spring alloy, flexible polymer, polyolefins, polyamides, polyethylene, polypropylene, and copolymers and terpolymers thereof, or rubbery polymer. While the manufacture of the ornamental visor-bending device  10  by a multi-step process of using an extruded material of a particular stock, that is subsequently bent and cut is preferred, it can also be appreciated that the visor-bending device  10  can also be thermoformed or stamped or a combination thereof, such as is the case with a corrugated carbide fiber plastic or other similar plastic or nylon raw materials and such materials are well within the scope of the present invention. 
     The ornamental fastening mechanism end members  12  and  14  show a particular embodiment of the visor-bending device  10  that preferably comprises a substantially spiral-shaped fastening loop  21  of FIG. 3, defining a gap with a void  22  between the rung of the spiral and the end of the laterally arched strand, thus rendering a tension grip fastening structure comprising an open top clip  24  that allows the insertion of the edge of a baseball cap type visor  42 . According to this particular preferred embodiment of the invention, the clip  24  allows the insertion of a baseball cap type visor edge  42  and thus the clip  24  is preferably slightly narrower than the thickness of a baseball cap type visor edge  42 . This structure yields a gap with a void  22  between the rung of the spiral and the end of the laterally arched strand, the edge  42  of the visor filling the void  22 . Thus, the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  are expandable at the clip  24  so that the ornamental fastening mechanism end members  12  and  14  can be fitted and frictionally grip a baseball cap type visor edge  42  tightly enough that the baseball cap type visor edge  42  is not accidentally pulled out of void  22  in a substantially radial direction during normal use. 
     The width and thickness of the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  are sufficient to hold the baseball cap type visor edge  42  against a reasonable tugging force as might be experienced during installation of the baseball cap type visor edge  42 , yet flexible enough to permit the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  to be attached to and released from the baseball cap type visor edge  42  as needed. The size and flexibility of ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  may be such that “one size fits all” baseball cap type visor edges  42 , or visor-bending device  10  can be made with ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  of different size gaps of void  22  and clips  24 , depending upon the thickness and width of the baseball cap type visor, as desired. 
     Considering the many different variables of styles and types of fastening mechanisms available, the ornamental fastening mechanism end members  12  and  14  in FIGS. 1,  3 - 4  are conveniently shown as ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms, and are only one preferred embodiment of many different styles and types capable of gripping the baseball cap type visor edge. The ornamental coil or spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  of FIG. 1 provide for attachment of many different style ornaments  20 , as shown in FIG. 2, here shown as a small sphere or ball. Considering the scope of the invention, many designs are capable of attaching to the ornamental fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  and will become part of the function of the ornamental fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  such as dice, footballs, figurines and a multitude of other designs too numerous to list. In FIG. 2 however, is shown a typical ornamentation of the present invention, depicting an ornamental sphere or ball  20  to represent a vast number of other ornamentations (not shown) for the visor-bending device  10 . The ornamentation  20  of FIG. 2 has a small hole  26  fabricated in the surface of the sphere  20 , yet other ornamental designs may also have a hole to facilitate the insertion of the male ends  18  of the ornamental fastening mechanism end members  12  and  14 , as is FIG.  3 . The hole  26  of FIG. 2 serves as a typical type of fastening mechanism to attach one style ornament  20  of FIG. 2 to the male ends  18  of the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  respectively, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The hole  26  of FIG. 3 substantially serves as a receptacle to insert the male ends  18  of ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  and is designed slightly larger in diameter to receive and grip the male ends  18  of the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14 . After insertion of the male end  18  of the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  of FIG. 3, the hole  26  desirably frictionally grips the tip end of the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  tightly enough that the male ends  18  of the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  do not accidentally pull out. Other fastening mechanisms besides the hole  26  of FIG. 2 could also be used, such as threaded holes to receive complementary threaded male ends of the ornamental fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  of FIG.  1 . 
     As previously described, the ornamental laterally arched strand member  16  in FIG. 1 is preferably an extrusion-type strand, preferably bent and cut from stock in various lengths and widths and arched in various degrees of shape. One may choose to obtain a raw stock metal or plastic material that is already extruded in the correct dimensions which can then be bent and cut. Once bent and cut, the ornamental laterally arched strand member  16  of FIG. 1 is preferably similar in size and appearance to a thin wire and preferably has a cross-sectional width of approximately 0.07 inches and a length of approximately 9 to 11 inches depending on the width of the visor intended. The actual size of the laterally arched strand member  16  of the visor-bending device  10  of the present invention is bent and cut to fit the width and arch of different size baseball cap type visors  42  of FIG.  4 . 
     The ornamental laterally arched strand member  16  with molded ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanism end members  12  and  14  of FIGS. 1,  3 - 4  receives the opposite edges on each side of the baseball cap type visor  42  that are inserted into the clip  24  of the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14 , filling the gap of void  22 , as shown in FIG. 4. A preferred embodiment of the visor-bending device  10  of FIG. 4 arches substantially under the baseball cap type visor  42 , the laterally arched strand member  16  pushing the central portion of the baseball cap type visor  42  in an arch shape while grasping and pulling the edges of the baseball cap type visor  42  in the opposite direction after insertion in the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14 . By grasping the baseball cap type visor edge  42  on the left or right side, with one hand, the user can first grasp one of the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  or  14  with the other hand, making sure that the clip  24  of one of the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  or  14  in FIG. 3 aligns with the edge of the visor  42 , and then push the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanism  12  or  14  laterally onto the baseball cap type visor edge  42  into the clip  24  filling the gap of void  22  in FIG.  4 . Once one edge is inserted into one of the ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  or  14 , the user may grasp the other ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  or  14  with the free hand and slide it onto the baseball cap type visor&#39;s opposite edge  42  by the same process as the first fastening mechanism  12  or  14 . 
     Although the ornamental baseball cap type visor-bending device  10  is shown in FIGS. 1,  3 - 4  as having ornamental spiral-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  the ornamental fastening mechanism end members  12  and  14  of the laterally arched strand  16  may have other design fastening mechanisms not shown, yet having similar function as the present disclosure, and should not limit in scope the disclosed significant advantages of the invention. For example, the ornamental fastening mechanism end members just as easily could have a C-shape style fastening mechanism end member (not shown) similar to a nose ring, with the ornamentation  26  of FIG. 2 attached to one open end of the C-shape fastening mechanism end member, with the ornamental laterally arched member  16  as one continual strand of the other end of the C-shape fastening mechanism end member, then conversely, the same C-shape fastening mechanism end member located on the opposite end of the ornamental laterally arched strand. 
     FIG. 5 depicts another visor-bending device  10  illustrating a preferred embodiment having end members  12  and  14  with differently designed but similarly effective snap-on type ornamental fastening mechanism end member structures that will be described later in more detail, but are well within the scope of the present invention, and are specifically intended to be a part of the visor-bending device, the design of the fastening mechanism not limiting the scope of the invention. Furthermore, while the visor-bending device  10  is described herein in relation to a preferred embodiment having shaped or bent ornamental fastening mechanism end members  12  and  14  out of the ends  18  of a laterally arched strand member  16  as in FIG. 1, ornamental fastening mechanism end members may also be releasable, the ornamental fastening mechanism end members attachable to the ornamental laterally arched member, and as such, are not one continuous bent-to-form unit of the ornamental laterally arched strand member, but rather affixed onto the ends of the laterally arched strand member, attached in a myriad of ways that would still render the ornamental visor-bending device as effective and pleasing to the eye, and can also be used within the scope of the present invention. 
     Additionally, the strand member may also take on other ornamental characteristics, such as having a Florentine finish or having more curves and bends to produce different designs but at the same time not reduce the significantly specific functions the ornamental visor-bending device is intended to do. As mentioned above, many different sizes and shape variables are well within the scope of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 depicts another preferred embodiment of an ornamental baseball cap type visor-bending device  10  with ornamental eyelet fastening mechanisms  34  formed on each end of the ornamental laterally arched strand  16 , the first approximately one inch of the ends  38  of the ornamental laterally arched strand  16  first bent into eyelet shaped fastening mechanisms  34  to releasably attach an ornamental plate  30  by means of a snap-on stud fastening mechanism  32  located and affixed to the backside  44  of the ornamental plate  30 . After first forming the eyelet shaped fastening mechanisms  34  on the ends  38  of the laterally arched strand  16 , the laterally arched strand  16  is further bent at a location  40 , in the immediate proximity to the first bend that formed the eyelet  34 , forming a void  46  to form U-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14 . The ornamental U-shaped fastening mechanisms  12  and  14  are fashioned to accept and grip the baseball cap type edge  42  inside the void  46  as shown in FIG.  5 . Finally, the combination dashed line and arrow in FIG. 5 shows the direction and location for the placement of the male snap-on type fastening mechanism  32  affixed on the backside  44  of the ornament  30  which is inserted and attached to the eyelet shaped fastening mechanism  34 . 
     In FIG. 5, the ornamental laterally arched strand member  16  and U-shaped ornamental fastening mechanism end members  12  and  14  and eyelet fastening mechanism  34  are preferably a bent tempered wire, all of one continuous strand. The ornamental plate  30  is preferably made of a material that can be stamped, cut, engraved, painted or molded and can render any number of ornamental objects and can have a reflective surface as well, or a surface for advertisement. The ornamental plate  30  is preferably slightly larger in length and width than the eyelet shaped fastening mechanisms  34  but could be the same size or substantially larger. 
     Other ornamentation that allows for the visor-bending devices to be used as ornamental pieces includes the laterally arched strand member which may have an ornamental affixed design on the laterally arched strand surface, either painted, cut, molded or affixed to. Additionally, the ornamental plate  30  could be an elongated, stretchable fabric running substantially along the top surface of the baseball cap type visor. Furthermore, the laterally arched strand member may also render itself to different shapes other than an arch, for example the strand member may define the shape of an upside-down “V” or squared “C” shape, the laterally arched strand member being more than able to be bent into a user&#39;s desired configuration and hold the visor in that shape without losing resiliency. Of course, too much bending and tampering with the shape will eventually weaken the material of the laterally arched strand enough to render it less effective, but it is assumed the user will be aware of such abuse. 
     FIG. 6 depicts the ornamental laterally arched strand  16  with ornamental spiral-ring shaped end members  12  and  14 , each looking like one ring of the many rings of a spiral binding of a note-book bent in an inward direction inside the arch of the laterally arched strand  16  to form clips  48  to receive the edges of the visor  42  so that the laterally arched strand  16  is visible on top of the baseball cap type visor. FIG. 6 is a preferred embodiment showing an ornamental baseball cap type visor-bending device  10  of the present invention with ornamental spiral-like fastening mechanism end members  12  and  14  gripping the edges of a visor, shaped out of the ends of the ornamental laterally arched strand  16  that is positioned on top of the visor, and including a typical ornament  50 , in this case a figurine shaped like a lizard that affixes to the ornamental laterally arched strand  16  via a groove or channel  54  with small prongs  52  molded into the ornament  50  to grip the ornamental laterally arched strand  16 , the combination dashed line and arrow showing the direction and place of attachment of the ornamental figurine  50  by flipping the ornament over onto the laterally arched strand  16  and snapping it in a desired position. The groove or channel  54  is preferably large enough in diameter to snap onto and fit snugly against the circumference of the ornamental laterally arched strand  16  and be secured enough that the user may use a finger to pry the ornament off if need be. 
     The ornamental visor-bending device  10  and ornaments  20  and  30  of FIGS. 1 through 6 with ornamental laterally arched strand members  16  and ornamental end members  12  and  14  can be packaged for resale as a single unit, or, the visor-bending device members  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  20  and  30  individually. They can then be shipped as components to pre-assemble in a factory or sent to the retail outlets as a finished product. 
     Other alterations and modifications of the invention will likewise become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure, and it is intended that the scope of the invention disclosed herein be limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventors are legally entitled.