Patent Publication Number: US-2019174856-A1

Title: Hat or visor with magnetic inserts

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/596,182, filed Dec. 8, 2017 the entire content of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     (NOT APPLICABLE) 
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to headwear and, more particularly, to headwear such as a baseball- or golf-style hat or visor that incorporates magnetic inserts for securing various attachments. 
     In certain circumstances, it may be desirable to secure various items to headwear while keeping the wearer&#39;s hands free. It is difficult, however, to secure such items to caps, hats or visors due the material of the headwear and other factors. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     A baseball- or golf-style hat or visor may be provided with magnets for securing various attachments. In an exemplary embodiment, there may be several magnets embedded in the visor or bill section of the hat. In one construction, holes may be drilled into the visor or bill section of the hat prior to installing the hat fabric over the bill. The holes generally correspond to the size of the magnets. The magnets are inserted into the holes and held in place with an adhesive tape or the like. Subsequently, the bill fabric will be installed by sewing or the like around each magnet to further secure and embed the magnets in the hat. The adhesive tape or other securing mechanism serves to hold the magnets in place until the sewing occurs and also protects against moisture that could cause the magnets to rust. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, a hat includes a crown, a bill secured to the crown, and a plurality of magnets embedded in the bill across a width of the bill. The bill may include a base material covered with a fabric material, wherein the base material is provided with a plurality of holes therein that correspond in number and size to the plurality of magnets. The magnets may be positioned in the holes. The fabric material may cover the base material and the plurality of magnets. Each of the plurality of magnets may be sewn in position through the fabric material. The plurality of magnets may be positioned in the bill adjacent the crown. In some embodiments, the magnets may be ⅝ inch diameter neodymium magnets. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, a hat includes a crown and a bill secured to the crown that defines a border between the crown and the bill. The bill may include a base material covered with a fabric material and including a plurality of holes in the base material across a width thereof adjacent the border. A plurality of magnets may be positioned in the holes and embedded within the fabric material. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment, a method of manufacturing a hat includes the steps of (a) assembling a crown; (b) securing a bill to the crown; and (c) embedding a plurality of magnets in the bill across a width of the bill. The method may also include assembling the bill using a base material and covering the base material with a fabric material, where step (c) may be practiced prior to covering the base material by forming holes in the base material and positioning the magnets in the holes. The step of positioning the magnets in the holes may be practiced by initially securing the magnets in the holes with an adhesive tape. The step of positioning the magnets in the holes may be further practiced by, after securing the magnets in the holes with the adhesive tape, sewing the fabric material around each of the magnets. The step of forming holes in the base material may include forming five holes in the base material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other aspects and advantages will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of an exemplary hat or visor incorporating magnets in the bill; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view through the bill; 
         FIG. 3  shows an alternative configuration with a beanie-style hat; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the hat shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  shows a patch with embedded magnets secured to the hat shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an exemplary baseball- or golf-style hat or visor  10  according to the described embodiments. In the present description, use of the term “hat” is intended to encompass hats and/or visors and the like. The hat  10  generally includes a crown  12  and a bill  14  secured to the crown  12 . In a visor, the “crown”  12  is the portion to which the bill  14  is attached that generally rests against the wearer&#39;s forehead. The seam or connection between the bill  14  and the crown  12  and defines a border  15  between the crown  12  and the bill  14 . 
     A plurality of magnets  16  are embedded in the bill  14  substantially across a width of the bill  14 . That is, in some embodiments, the magnets  16  are spread across a majority of the width of the bill  14 . 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view through the bill  14  and one of the magnets  16  in the bill  14 . The bill  14  includes a base material  18  covered with a fabric material  20 . The base material  18  can be formed of plastic or any other known material for the intended purpose. In some embodiments, the bill  14  may be formed of two pieces including a stiffener such as plastic in the center. The base material  18  is provided with a plurality of holes  22  that correspond in number and size to the plurality of magnets  16 . The magnets  16  are positioned in the holes  22 . The fabric material  20  covers the base material  18  and the plurality of magnets  16  to thereby embed the magnets  16  in the bill  14 . Preferably, each of the plurality of magnets  16  may be sewn in position through the fabric material  20 . 
     As shown, the plurality of holes  22  and magnets  16  are preferably strategically located close to where the bill  14  attaches to the crown  12 , adjacent the border  15 . That is, the holes  22  are formed closer to the border  15  than a distal end of the bill  14 . This construction supports better weight distribution for the weight of the magnets and any attachments. 
     In an exemplary construction, five holes  22  are formed in the base material  18 . The magnets  16  may be ⅝″ inch diameter neodymium magnets. 
     In manufacturing the hat  10 , the crown  12  is assembled, and the bill  14  is secured to the crown  12  by sewing or the like. The bill  14  is generally assembled with the base material  18  covered with the fabric material  20 . The holes  22  are formed in the base material  18  by drilling or the like, prior to covering the base material  18  with the fabric material  20 . The magnets  16  are positioned in the holes  22  and initially secured with an adhesive tape or the like. That is, pieces of tape may be positioned covering the holes from above or below the bill  14  or both to initially secure the magnets  16 . Alternatively or additionally, the magnets  16  and the holes  22  may be correspondingly sized such that the magnets  16  may initially be press fit into the holes  22  and held by friction. Subsequently, the fabric material  20  is sewn over the bill  14 , and the fabric material  20  is sewn around each of the magnets  16 . 
     In an alternative construction, patches  24  may be used to embed the magnets  16  in the bill  14 . In this variation, the holes  22  may be formed before or after installation of the fabric material  20 . The patches  24  may be secured with an adhesive or sewn or the like on both sides of the bill  14  over/under each of the magnets  16  to secure the magnets  16  in place. 
       FIGS. 3-5  show an alternative configuration applied to a beanie-style hat  30 . The hat  30  includes a crown  32  and a brim  34 . A first patch  36  is sewn onto a front portion of the brim  34 , and a second patch  38  is sewn onto a rear portion of the brim  34 . Each of the patches  36 ,  38  includes one or more magnets  40  embedded therein. In some embodiments, the first patch  36  may include five magnets  40 , and the second patch  38  may include only one magnet  40 . 
     The patches  36 ,  38  may be formed in two layers with the magnets  40  positioned between the layers and secured by sewing around a periphery. See, for example, sew line  42  in  FIG. 6  around each of the magnets  40 . With the magnets  40  secured, the patches  36 ,  38  may be secured to the hat brim  34  by sewing or the like. Alternatively, the patches may be formed of a single later of material that is positioned over the magnets  40  and over the brim  34  and sewn in place. 
     With the magnets embedded in the bill  14  of the hat  10 , various attachments may be secured to the hat  10  while keeping the wearer&#39;s hands free. Exemplary attachments include small flashlights, small novelty lights in multiple colors, fishing gear such as flies, hooks and lures or carpentry attachment items like wood screws and nails. Another possible application is for an auto mechanic to attach sockets and hold bolts and nuts while working on a project. Other attachments and uses will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the invention is not meant to be limited to the exemplary attachments. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.