Patent Publication Number: US-2011072554-A1

Title: Sweatband material and headwear piece incorporating the sweatband material

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to sweatbands, as used on headwear and, more particularly, to a sweatband material that is more stretchable in a circumferential direction around a wearer&#39;s head than in a direction transversely thereto. 
     2. Background Art 
     Sweatbands are incorporated into a multitude of different types of headwear. Regardless of its precise configuration, headwear has an inside region that embraces a wearer&#39;s head by extending either fully or partially therearound: A sweatband is applied at this inside region to directly engage the wearer&#39;s head where it is embraced by the headwear. 
     One of the most popular types of headwear, and that which is sold in the highest volume worldwide, is the baseball-style cap. A typical baseball-style cap consists of an inverted, cup-shaped crown bounding an opening into which a wearer&#39;s head is directed. A rim/bill projects angularly away from the crown at a forward region thereof. 
     Because the demand for this type of headwear piece spans all age groups, accommodation over a wide range of head sizes is required. One manner of meeting demand is to offer each individual headwear piece style in all different sizes, whereby there is a “custom fit”. Manufacturing and inventorying such a wide range of sizes is impractical, from both the standpoints of manufacturing and inventory control. At the manufacturing end, the separate sizes must be separately constructed and segregated for separate shipping. Those wishing to offer these custom headwear pieces must keep on hand inventories based upon anticipated demand for each size. Keeping on hand volumes of each size requires a significant amount of storage space. Since the anticipation of demand is not a science, inevitably purveyors will be faced with shortages of certain sizes and excesses of other sizes. 
     The above problems led to the development of size adjustable baseball-style caps. In one basic form, a cutout is provided at the rear of the crown. Connectable strap parts are attached, one each to spaced edges of the cutout. By strategically connecting the strap parts, the effective overall length of the strap is varied, which in turn varies the circumference of the crown. This construction has the drawback that it may produce a wrinkled crown configuration. Additionally, there may be an uncomfortable localized pressure applied to the wearer&#39;s head at the region of the strap. 
     To eliminate the above problems, the industry has developed a large number of different designs that allow the fabric on the crown to stretch to accommodate different head sizes. These caps are commonly referred to in the industry as “free size” caps. The material of the crown may be stretchable at selected locations or fully around the circumference thereof. To accommodate this construction, the sweatbands, that are incorporated into the inside region of the crowns, must be made to stretch substantially in unison with the crown material. 
     Various sweatband constructions have been devised. In one form, the sweatband material is made to be universally stretchable. 
     More commonly, for higher end products in which an unwrinkled and fitted appearance is desired, the sweatband material has been made to expand uniaxially principally in a circumferential direction, with limited transverse/vertical elongation capability. These designs have commonly been made using threads that are knitted and/or woven to produce this capability. 
     Common to these designs is the incorporation of different threads to make up the warp and weft to provide the desired stretching characteristics. For example, it is common to incorporate stretchable spandex thread or stretchable rubber thread in at least the weft threads that extend circumferentially. 
     One drawback with the prior constructions is that they require the use of different thread compositions through which the stretching characteristics of the warp and weft can be made different. This is inconvenient from the standpoint of coordinating the ordering and handling of separate threads during the manufacturing process. 
     Additionally, those threads that are elastic/extendible in a lengthwise direction under tensile forces are generally more expensive than threads, such as those made from polyester, that have little lengthwise extensibility under tensile loading. 
     Still further, threads that are elastic in nature may have compromised elastic properties over time and/or when exposed to certain environmental conditions, such as heat, chemicals, etc. 
     While the headwear industry has devised headwear that effectively makes possible a single construction that will accommodate a range of head sizes, the above-noted problems persist. The industry continues to search out viable alternative constructions that improve on existing designs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one form, the invention is directed to an elongate sweatband material for incorporation into a headwear piece. The elongate sweatband material has a length and includes thread knitted to define interengaged U-shaped loops that: a) have a width that is enlarged to permit elongation of the sweatband material in a lengthwise direction a first amount under a tensile force of a first magnitude applied in a direction parallel to the length of the sweatband material; and b) cooperate to reinforce each other in a direction transversely to the lengthwise direction so that the sweatband material stretches transversely to the lengthwise direction a second amount that is substantially less than the first amount under a tensile force of the first magnitude applied in a direction transversely to the length of the sweatband material. 
     In one form, the U-shaped loops are reconfigured under a tensile force applied parallel to the length of the sweatband material primarily by repositioning of the thread without any significant elongation of the thread. 
     In one form, the sweatband material is elongated under a tensile force applied parallel to the length of the sweatband material primarily by widening of the U-shaped loops without any significant elongation of the thread defining the U-shaped loops. 
     In one form, the sweatband material is made substantially entirely from thread of a single composition. 
     In one form, the U-shaped loops are made from polyester thread. 
     In one form, the sweatband material is made substantially entirely from polyester thread. 
     In one form, the polyester thread has a composition that is the same throughout substantially the entire sweatband material. 
     In one form, the elongate sweatband material is provided in combination with a headwear piece having an inside region that embraces a wearer&#39;s head with the headwear piece in an operative position. The elongate sweatband material is applied to the headwear piece to reside at the inside region and against a wearer&#39;s head. 
     In one form, the headwear piece has a crown that extends continuously around a wearer&#39;s head and the elongate sweatband material extends continuously around the crown at the inside region. 
     In one form, the headwear piece is a baseball-style cap with a crown and a rim/bill projecting from the crown and the elongate sweatband material is applied at the inside region of the crown. 
     In one form, the elongate sweatband material has a width and spaced widthwise edges and the elongate sweatband material is sewn to the headwear piece along one of the spaced edges. 
     In one form, the headwear piece has a crown and the elongate sweatband material extends through 360° around the crown at the inside region. 
     In one form, a line of stitching is formed at the other of the spaced edges. 
     In one form, the other of the spaced edges is not connected directly to the headwear piece. 
     The invention is further directed to an elongate sweatband material for incorporation into a headwear piece, in which the elongate sweatband material has a length and width and includes a thread of a first composition that is knitted to extend in both lengthwise and widthwise directions to: a) permit elongation of the sweatband material in a lengthwise direction a first amount under a tensile force of a first magnitude applied in a lengthwise direction; and b) limit elongation of the sweatband material in a widthwise direction to an amount that is substantially less than the first amount under a tensile force of the first magnitude applied in a widthwise direction. 
     In one form, the sweatband material is made substantially entirely from the thread of the first composition. 
     In one form, the elongation of the sweatband material in the lengthwise direction under an applied tensile force results primarily from repositioning of the thread without any significant elongation of the thread. 
     In one form, the sweatband material is provided in combination with a headwear piece having an inside region that embraces a wearer&#39;s head with the headwear piece in an operative position. The elongate sweatband material is applied to the headwear piece to reside at the inside region and against a wearer&#39;s head. 
     In one form, the headwear piece has a crown that extends continuously around a wearer&#39;s head and the elongate sweatband material extends continuously around the crown at the inside region. 
     In one form, the headwear piece is a baseball-style cap with a crown and a rim/bill projecting from the crown and the elongate sweatband material is applied at the inside region of the crown. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a headwear piece made according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a headwear piece, as shown in  FIG. 1 , in the form of a visor; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a headwear piece, as shown in  FIG. 1 , in the form of a baseball-style cap; 
         FIG. 4  is a view of the cap in  FIG. 3  from a different perspective; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the cap in  FIGS. 3 and 4  in partially schematic form; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the cap in  FIGS. 3-5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a connection between adjacent gores and a backing tape taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a connection between adjacent gores and a backing tape taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an elevation view of a strip used to form the inventive sweatband; 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of the strip in  FIG. 9  sewn to define a continuous shape; 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged, elevation view of a portion of the inventive sweatband and showing knitted thread thereon with the sweatband in a relaxed state; 
         FIG. 12  is a view corresponding to that in  FIG. 11  with a circumferential tensile force applied to the sweatband; 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of a connection between the sweatband and crown taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a modified form of sweatband, according to the invention, formed as a single, continuous layer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a headwear piece, according to the present invention, is shown at  10 . The headwear piece  10  is shown in schematic form since it is contemplated that the basic components therein might vary considerably from those in the specific embodiments described hereinbelow. The invention encompasses those variations. 
     The headwear piece  10  consists of a crown  12  defined by a plurality of gores  14  that cooperatively produce a receptacle into which a user&#39;s head can be directed to place the headwear piece  10  in an operative position thereon. A sweatband  16  on the crown  12  engages a wearer&#39;s head with the headwear piece in the operative position. In the schematic form, no rim/bill is depicted since the invention can be practiced without such a structure. 
     The crown  12  may have a closed top or may be open; the latter being a construction typical of a headwear piece in the form of a visor  18 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The inventive concept could be practiced with the visor  18  in substantially the same manner as described hereinbelow for the headwear piece  10 , shown in  FIGS. 3-13 . While the crown  12  may extend continuously around a wearer&#39;s head in the operative position therefor, as it does in  FIGS. 3-13 , the visor  18  is shown with a crown  20  that is interrupted at the back portion  22  thereof. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3-13 , one preferred form of headwear piece  10 , according to the invention, is depicted. The headwear piece  10  in these figures is a baseball-style cap. The headwear piece  10  has, in this particular embodiment, six triangularly-shaped gores  14   a , 14   b , 14   c , 14   d ,  14   e , 14   f  that are joined at connecting lines  24 , 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 34  at spaced circumferential locations to cooperatively produce an inverted, cup-shaped receptacle  36  into which a user&#39;s head can be directed with the headwear piece  10  in an operative position. The bottom portion  38  of the crown  12  extends fully around, and embraces, a wearer&#39;s head to maintain the headwear piece  10  securely in the operative position therefor. 
     The present invention is concerned primarily with the construction of the sweatband  16 , and its incorporation into the headwear piece  12 , as described in greater detail hereinbelow. The sweatband  16  resides at an inside region of the crown  12  and, more specifically, against the inside surface  40  of the crown  12  bounding the receptacle  36  at the bottom portion  38  of the crown  12 . The sweatband  16  has a length L and a width W, with the former extending circumferentially and the latter transversely thereto in a vertical direction. A line of stitching  42  secures a bottom edge  44  of the sweatband  16  at a bottom edge  46  of the crown  12 . Through this arrangement, the sweatband  16  can be folded into and out of the receptacle  36  around the stitching line  42 . The sweatband  16  could, however, be secured to the gores  14   a - 14   f  to be at all times maintained against the inside surface  40  bounding the receptacle  36 . 
     In this embodiment, a rim/bill  50  is attached to the crown  12  at a forward portion  52  thereon and projects in a forward direction. 
     According to the invention, the gores  14   a , 14   b , 14   c , 14   d  are made from either universally stretchable material or uniaxially stretchable material that is oriented on the gores  14   a , 14   b , 14   c , 14   d  so that they are each stretchable circumferentially, as indicated by the arrows  56 , 58 , 60 , 62 , thereby to increase the effective diameter D of the receptacle  36  defined by the crown  20 , while not being stretchable in a transverse, generally vertical, direction. 
     A backing/seam tape  66  is applied to the inside surface  40  of the crown  20  to overlie the region of the connecting lines  28 , 34 . The backing tape  66  is attached to the surface  40  through spaced lines of stitching  68 , 70 , shown equidistantly spaced from the connecting lines  28 , 34  at circumferentially spaced locations. The backing tape  66  is made from a non-stretchable material, or at least one that does not stretch appreciably in a circumferential direction. 
     It should be understood that the distinction between “stretchable” and “non-stretchable” relates to a degree of stretching capability. Virtually every material contemplated for use will have a certain ability to stretch under a tensile force. However, it is contemplated that in response to the circumferential forces generated by a user&#39;s pressing his/her head, of at least a predetermined effective diameter, into the receptacle  36 , the exemplary gores  14   c , 14   d  will circumferentially stretch away from the connecting line  28 , and more particularly the lines of stitching  68 , 70 . By attaching the backing tape  66 , the gores  14   c , 14   d  become non-stretchable in a circumferential direction over a width W 1  between the lines of stitching  68 , 70  at the location where the backing tape  66  overlies these gores  14   c , 14   d.    
     Similar lengths of backing tape  66   a , 66   b  respectively overlie the connecting lines  26 , 32  and  24 , 30 . They function in the same manner between the gores  14   b , 14   c  and  14   a , 14   b , respectively. 
     The crown  12  is designed to stretch, thereby to increase the effective diameter D of the receptacle  36  in response to the direction of a user&#39;s head, of at least the aforementioned predetermined effective diameter, into the receptacle  36 . As this occurs, the gores  14   a , 14   b , 14   c , 14   d  simultaneously stretch circumferentially to effectively enlarge the diameter D. As this occurs, the gore  14   d  stretches circumferentially away from the connecting line  28  and, more particularly, the line of stitching  70 , while the gore  14   c  stretches circumferentially oppositely away from the connecting line  28  and, more particularly, the line of stitching  68 . The gores  14   b , 14   c  stretch in the same manner away from the connecting line  26  and corresponding lines of stitching  68 ′, 70 ′. Likewise, the gores  14   a , 14   b  stretch away from the connecting line  24  and the lines of stitching  68 ″, 70 ″. 
     While the gores  14   e , 14   f  could be made from a stretchable material, more preferably the material thereof is circumferentially nonstretchable. That is because each of these gores  14   e , 14   f  is connected to the rim/bill  50  that is substantially non-stretchable in a circumferential direction. Accordingly, while on one half of the crown  12  the gore  14   a  is stretchable circumferentially away from the connecting line  34 , and more specifically from the line of stitching  68 , and the gore  14   b  is circumferentially stretchable away from the connecting line  24 , and the line of stitching  70 ″, the gores  14   e , 14   f  remain substantially fixed in circumferential dimension. 
     While not shown, the sweatband  16  may have a segment at  92 , circumferentially corresponding to the dimension of the rim/bill  50  between the ends  96 , 98 , that is non-stretchable in a circumferential direction. In one preferred form, as set forth below, the sweatband  16  has the same construction throughout its length and extends through 360° around the crown  12  and a wearer&#39;s head. 
     As noted above, the gores  14   a - 14   f  may be made to be uniaxially stretchable in a circumferential direction or may alternatively be universally stretchable. The former is preferred. As one example, the gores  14   a - 14   f  may be made from fabric that is single woven with polyurethane or spun yarn as the weft to provide the circumferential stretching capability. Weft yarns, that are covered with polyurethane or spandex, are known and usable for the crown fabric. 
     The backing tape can likewise be made from a non-stretchable fabric. 
     There is no particular limitation as to how the individual gores  14   a - 14   d  are formed or connected. In one exemplary form, the gores  14   a , 14   b , 14   c , 14   d  are connected to each other in the same manner as shown at the connecting line  28  in  FIG. 7 . The gore  14   c  has a main body  104  and an under-folded portion  106 . The gore  14   d  has a main body  108  and an under-folded portion  110 . A line of stitching  112  connects the gores  14   c , 14   d  by uniting abutted edges between the bodies  104 ,  108  and under-folded portions  106 ,  110 . The line of stitching  68  extends through the body  104 , under-folded portion  106  and backing tape  66 , with the line of stitching  70  extending through the body  108 , under-folded portion  110  and backing tape  66 . 
     The gores  14   a , 14   f  and  14   d , 14   e  are joined at their respective connecting lines  34 ,  30  in the same manner, as seen most clearly in  FIG. 8 . At the exemplary connecting line  30 , between the gores  14   d , 14   e , the gore  14   d  has an under-folded portion  114 . The under-folded portion  114  overlies the gore  14   e  under which the backing tape  66   b  is located. The line of stitching  68 ″ extends through and unites a main body  116  of the gore  14   d , the under-folded portion  114 , the gore  14   e  and the backing tape  66   b . The line of stitching  70 ″ extends through the gore  14   e  and backing tape  66   b.    
     Again, it should be noted that this is just one preferred method of connecting the gores  14   a - 14   f . Virtually any type of structure that joins the gores  14   a - 14   f  is contemplated, among which is an adhesive bonding of components. It is conceivable that a tape could be used to maintain the gores  14   a - 14   f  together without otherwise directly stitching the gores  14   a - 14   f , one to the other. 
     In one preferred form, the sweatband  16  is made in the form of a strip  120  with a length L and width W. The ends  122 ,  124  of the strip  120  are folded against each other as shown in  FIG. 10  and connected thereat through one or more lines of stitching  126  to produce an endless ring shape that extends through 360°. 
     Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 14 , a modified form of sweatband  16 ′ can be made as one continuous ring layer  128 . 
     The strip  120  is joined to the crown  12  as shown in  FIG. 13 . The bottom end  130  of the crown is folded upwardly to produce stacked layers L, L 1 . The two layers L, L 1  are joined to the bottom of the sweatband  16  through the aforementioned line of stitching  42 . The line of stitching  42  is formed adjacent to the bottom, widthwise edge  132  of the sweatband  16 . A corresponding line of stitching  134  may be provided adjacent the opposite widthwise edge  136 . The line of stitching  134  may be provided to maintain a knitted thread pattern, as hereinafter described, or may be alternatively additionally extended through the crown  12 , in the event that it is desired that the sweatband  16  be secured against folding outwardly, as previously described. 
     The sweatband  16  is made from thread  138  that is knitted as shown particularly in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . More particularly, the thread is knitted to define interengaged U-shaped loops  140  opening in one vertical direction and loops  140 ′ opening vertically oppositely thereto. The loops  140 ,  140 ′ have a relaxed width LW that is enlarged to a width LW 1  to permit elongation of the sweatband material in a lengthwise direction a first amount under a tensile force of a first magnitude applied in a direction parallel to the length of the sweatband material. The U-shaped loops  140 ,  140 ′ cooperate to reinforce each other in a widthwise direction, transversely to the lengthwise direction, so that the sweatband material stretches transversely to the lengthwise direction a second amount, that is substantially less than the first amount, under a tensile force of the first magnitude applied in a direction transversely to the length of the sweatband material. Under this tensile force, the U-shaped loops  140 ,  140 ′ are reconfigured primarily by repositioning of the thread  138  to produce the widened configuration shown in  FIG. 12 , without requiring any significant elongation of the thread  138 . 
     While the thread  138  could be made from a material that elongates significantly under a tensile force, the inventive construction allows the use of thread  138  that is substantially inextensible under a tensile force to produce a sweatband  16  that is uniaxially extensible in a circumferential direction. As an example, polyester thread is in the category of thread that is not considered to be significantly extensible. It is possible to make the entire sweatband  16  from a single thread composition, such as polyester, to provide the uniaxial stretching capability that has heretofore been made possible by the use of different thread compositions in warp and weft components. 
     The invention contemplates that other threads and other components could be incorporated into the knitted construction shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . However, it is preferred that the primary stretching capability be afforded by the single type of thread that is, in a preferred form, substantially inextensible, as is polyester. 
     In the specific form shown, the loops  140  are shown in multiple rows, with three such rows R 1 , R 2 , R 3  shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . Each row R 1 , R 2 , R 3  consists of thread  138  formed to define alternating loops  140 ,  140 ′ opening in opposite directions. The loops  140  in the row R 2 , adjacent to the row R 1 , are intermeshed by causing the loops  140  in the row R 2  each to wrap around a loop  140  at a coinciding lengthwise location in the row R 1 . This pattern is repeated throughout the entire width of the sweatband  16 . 
     The precise knitting pattern could vary from that shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . What is contemplated is that a thread of a single composition can be knitted to extend in both lengthwise and widthwise directions to: a) permit elongation of the sweatband material in a lengthwise direction a first amount under a tensile force of a first magnitude applied in a lengthwise direction; and b) limit elongation of the sweatband material in a widthwise direction to an amount that is substantially less than the first amount under a tensile force of the first magnitude applied in a widthwise direction. That is, the invention contemplates that there be uniaxial stretching capability by reason of repositioning of the thread without any significant elongation thereof. 
     Of course, the thread  138  could be made from an extensible material and knitted as described herein consistent with the inventive concepts. 
     The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is intended to be illustrative of the broad concepts comprehended by the invention.