Patent Publication Number: US-2010107308-A1

Title: Cap with moveable visor

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a cap having a visor for protecting the eyes of a wearer from the sun. In particular, the invention relates to a cap having a visor which is selectively moveable between a first position in which the visor provides sun protection to the eyes and a second position away from the eyes of a wearer. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date:
         (i) part of common general knowledge; or   (ii) known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.       

     Caps with visors, for providing a wearer&#39;s eyes with some protection against the sun, are now in common use. Such caps are frequently used in outdoor sports, such as golf, tennis and baseball. Such caps are also commonly used for other outdoor recreational activities and even simply as fashion accessories. Some such caps consist simply of a visor and headband for securing the visor to the head of a wearer. Other such caps cover the head or crown of a user (eg in baseball cap style). 
     A disadvantage of such caps is that the visor is in a fixed position and cannot be moved relative to the rest of the cap. In order to reposition the visor of such a cap on a wearer&#39;s head, it is generally necessary to remove the cap and replace it with the visor positioned in an alternate desired position, such as adjacent to the back of the wearer&#39;s head (e.g. in the style of a baseball pitcher). 
     In order to address this disadvantage, a limited number of alternate caps have been disclosed having selectively moveable or removable visors. 
     For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,246 discloses a cap with a removable and reversible visor. The cap of U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,246 includes a visor which is attachable to the body of the cap by means of a zipper arrangement. The visor may be attached with either of the flat surfaces of the visor facing upwardly (as desired). The relevant visor is removable but is not moveable, relative to the remainder of the cap, whilst remaining attached to the cap. If it is desired that the visor be moved away from the wearer&#39;s eyes, the visor needs to be removed or the cap repositioned with the visor facing another way. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,772 discloses a sports cap having a rotatable visor. This cap incorporates a track system and a relatively stiff visor able to be rotated circumferentially about the base of the cap by means of this track system. The track system comprises two corresponding semi-rigid elongated members on the body and the visor. The incorporation of these members into the cap results in a relatively complex arrangement which substantially increases the difficulty and cost of manufacturing such a cap. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,935 describes a cap with an adjustable and interchangeable visor attachment. This cap includes a cap body having a visor which is rotatably connected to the body by means of a swivel mechanisms located on each of the opposed sides of the body. The actual connection is formed by the two lateral ends of the visor being connected to a swivel mechanism located on the opposed sides of the cap body. This arrangement allows for the visor to be rotatably moved from its usual position (protecting the wearer&#39;s eyes from the sun) to an elevated position at which the visor typically sits above the forehead of a wearer. This cap also includes a system, having a plurality of dish-shaped recesses, positioned along an arc on a particular plate, which serve as position stops to enable the visor to be positioned in a number of desired positions along the relevant arc. This arrangement is relatively complex which increases the difficulty and expense in manufacturing the relevant cap. 
     Another problem with prior art caps is that they tend not to be suitable for use in water sports, such as surfing, where water often rushes over the head of a participant tending to cause any headwear to be washed off the participant&#39;s head. This problem has previously been identified and some caps, having a visor, have been developed which include chin straps for preventing the cap from being washed off the head of a wearer. However, these caps typically have a fixed visor, which is unsuitable and inconvenient for use whilst surfing. Although, in its usual position, the visor is effective in providing some protection to the eyes against sunlight, it is particularly inconvenient when a surfer is paddling out, against the direction of the waves. As will be appreciated, when a surfer is paddling out, he or she is lying face down on the surfboard and, in order to see where he or she is going, the surfer&#39;s head needs to be bent upwardly. However, when in this position and wearing a visor, the visor substantially restricts the surfer&#39;s vision requiring the surfer to further bend his or her neck, which causes additional strain and discomfort on the surfer&#39;s neck. Also, the inclusion of a fixed visor in caps for surfing has a further disadvantage that, when hit by a wave, the visor can be forced against the nose and face of a wearer which can cause injury or (at least) discomfort. 
     As will be appreciated from the above, there is a need for a cap with a moveable visor which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture. There is a further need for such a cap which is usable in a wide range of activities including water sports, such as surfing. 
     The present invention is directed towards ameliorating at least some of the above described problems associated with prior art caps. In particular, the present invention is directed towards providing a cap which is selectively moveable between a first position, in which the visor is adapted to provide sun protection to the eyes, and a second position, in which the visor is positioned away from the eyes, the cap being relatively easy and cost effective to manufacture. It is further desired that the cap of the subject invention is usable in water sports such as surfing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a cap including:
         a head attachment portion having a front section, a rear section, and two side sections;   a visor pivotally connected to said head attachment portion and being selectively moveable between a first position adjacent said front section and a second position; and   movement limiting means, having a first end attached to said visor and a second end attached to said head attachment portion, adapted to inhibit movement of said visor beyond said second position.       

     The second position of the visor may be located at any desired position whereby, in use, the second position is located rearward of the forehead of a user. In one preferred embodiment, the second position is adjacent the rear section of the head attachment portion. It is further preferred that the visor can, selectively, also be positioned anywhere between the first position and the second position. 
     The first end of the movement limiting means is preferably attached to a base rim of the visor. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the movement limiting means is formed of a flexible material. In this embodiment, the first end of the movement limiting means is affixed to and extends substantially along the base rim of said visor. 
     The second end of the movement limiting means is preferably attached to the head attachment portion intermediate said front and rear sections. It is particularly preferred that the second end of the movement limiting means is attached to the head attachment portion substantially midway between said front and rear sections. According to this embodiment, the visor will then be selectively moveable between the first position, in which the visor is adapted to provide sun protection to the eyes of the wearer, and the second position, in which the visor may provide sun protection to the neck of a wearer. This feature is particularly advantageous in sporting situations where the wearer may be required to face either into the sun or away from the sun for brief or extended periods. 
     According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the visor is adapted to rotate about first and second pivot points on the two side sections of the head attachment portion. In this embodiment, the second end of the movement limiting means, which is attached to the head attachment portion, extends substantially between said first and second pivot points. 
     In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the head attachment portion includes a primary cap skin which extends between said front and rear sections. This cap skin further preferably extends between said two side sections of the head attachment portion. In this embodiment, the second end of the movement limiting means is preferably attached to the primary cap skin. 
     It is further preferred that the movement limiting means includes a secondary cap skin partially overlying the primary cap skin. In this embodiment, the first end of the secondary cap skin is affixed to and preferably extends substantially along the base rim of said visor and the second end of the secondary cap skin is affixed to the primary cap skin and preferably extends substantially between the first and second pivot points. 
     Preferably, the cap will include size adjustment means for accommodating different head sizes. The size adjustment means may be an elastic strip located about at least a portion of the circumferential rim of the cap. Alternatively, the size adjustment means may comprise a clip or Velcro™ arrangement enabling the cap to be loosened or tightened. 
     The cap of this invention preferably also includes a chin strap adapted to inhibit removal of the cap from the wearer&#39;s head. The chin strap preferably extends substantially between each of the two side sections of the head attachment portion. The chin strap is preferably adjustable to accommodate different head sizes. 
     The chin strap may also include holes adapted to enable the ears of a wearer to extend there-through. This feature inhibits forward and rearward movement of the cap relative to the wearer&#39;s head. This feature is particularly advantageous in windy conditions or in water situations, such as surfing, where water (e.g. waves) may rush over the wearer&#39;s head tending to cause the cap to shift forward or backwards over the wearer&#39;s head. For aesthetic reasons, the chin strap may be formed of a material which is substantially transparent or translucent so that the chin strap is less prominent visually. 
     The cap described above, and the various components of the cap, may be formed of any suitable materials. Typically, the head attachment portion of the cap will be formed of a cloth or other suitable textile material. When the head attachment portion includes the primary cap skin described above, this skin may be formed of cloth, nylon, Lycra™, Tyvek™, neoprene, rubber or other suitable textile or plastic materials. The material of the primary cap skin may be a mesh material. The material of the secondary cap skin may be selected from the same (or other) materials. The primary and secondary cap skins may be made of the same materials but they do not need to be. 
     The chin strap may also be formed of any suitable material. Such materials may include cloth, neoprene and/or plastic. Another suitable material for the chin strap is silicone (which can come in transparent or translucent forms). 
     The visor may of course be formed of similar cloth or textile materials or it may be formed of (or it may include) a more rigid material such as a suitable plastic or rubber material. in one preferred form, the visor includes a layer made of EVA foam. 
     The cap according to a preferred embodiment of this invention is intended for use in water sports, such as surfing. Accordingly, it is preferable that the visor is formed of a material which is not so rigid so as to be likely to cause injury or discomfort if the visor happens to be pressed against the nose or face of the wearer. 
     The connection between the secondary cap skin and the primary cap skin may be formed in any suitable way. For instance, the secondary cap skin may be sewn to, or glued to, the primary cap skin. 
     As will be appreciated, the cap of this invention may be embellished with corporate logos and/or other advertising material. The cap of this invention has particular advantages in this regard. For instance, when the cap of this invention incorporates the primary and secondary cap skins described above, either or both of these skins may incorporate such logos and/or advertising material. Furthermore, as the secondary cap skin can selectively be located adjacent the front section and/or the rear section of the cap, logos or other advertising material located on the secondary cap skin can be adapted so as to face either forwardly or rearwardly depending upon the positioning of the secondary cap skin. Of course, front and rear (and even side) portions of the primary cap skin can also contain logos or other advertising matter, which will be visible when not covered by the secondary cap skin. 
     Similarly, as the visor has two flat faces which alternatively face upwards and downwards, depending on whether the visor is facing forwardly or rearwardly, the visor can contain such logos and/or advertising materials on either or both of the faces. 
     The above features provide the cap of this invention with substantial scope and benefits as an advertising or promotional tool. 
     The use of the primary and secondary cap skins also enables a substantial range of aesthetic appearances to be applied to the cap. For instance, the primary and secondary cap skins may be of the same colour or pattern (in which case the two skins will be substantially indistinguishable visually). Alternatively, the primary and secondary skins may be of different or contrasting colours. Another option is for the primary and secondary skins to incorporate different patterns, providing contrasting effects and giving scope to a large range of different appearances. Also, the two flat faces of the visor can have contrasting colours or designs to provide further aesthetic variety. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be further explained and illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a cap, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, having a visor located in the usual forward position on a wearer&#39;s head. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the cap showing in  FIG. 1 , with the visor located in an intermediate position (between the forehead and the back of the wearer&#39;s head). 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the cap shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in which the visor is located adjacent the back of the wearer&#39;s head. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  show a cap  1  according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention. This cap  1  includes a first skin  2  which covers the wearer&#39;s head and which is similar in shape to the type of caps worn by Australian surf lifesavers. The cap  1  also includes a second skin  3  and a visor  5  which extends from the second skin  3 . A first end  4  of second skin  3  is joined to first skin  2  along a seam which extends laterally across the cap  1  from one side of the cap  1  to the opposed side. 
     This seam is typically formed by sewing the first end  4  of the second skin  3  to the first skin  2 . Alternatively, however, the seam could be formed by glue or some other suitable adhesive means. 
     The cap  1  also typically includes a chin strap  6  which extends from opposed side edges  7  of the cap  1 . The chin strap  6  is designed to fit under a wearer&#39;s chin in order to retain the cap on the wearer&#39;s head when engaged in activities such as surfing or in high wind situations. The chin strap  6  may be a single unitary strap or it may comprise two portions which can be joined together in use (e.g. by way of a clip, Velcro™ connection or any other suitable connection). The chin strap  6  also typically includes holes  8  through which the ears of a wearer can fit. This arrangement further secures the cap  1  to the head of a wearer and inhibits the cap  1  from being washed off or blown off the wearer&#39;s head. 
     As more particularly shown in  FIG. 2 , the visor  5  can be rotated between a forward position (as exemplified in  FIG. 1 ) and a rearward position (as exemplified in  FIG. 3 ). If the aim of the wearer is just to temporarily move the visor  5  away from his or her eyes, the visor  5  may be positioned intermediate the forward and rearward positions (as exemplified in  FIG. 2 ). 
     As more clearly shown in  FIG. 3 , the visor  5  may be positioned in a rearward position. This position is particularly suitable when a surfer is paddling a surfboard or where the wearer wishes to provide sun protection to his or her neck. 
     As can be seen from  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , when the visor  5  is moved from its forward position to its rearward position, the visor  5  is inverted (in that a first face  5   a  of the visor  5  changes from facing upwardly to facing downwardly). Similarly, a second face  5   b,  which faces downwardly when the visor  5  is in the forward position, will face upwardly when the visor  5  is located in its rearward position. 
     Also, the surface of the second skin  3  is inverted when the visor  5  is moved from the forward position to the rearward position. As mentioned above, this provides substantial opportunity to provide a range of different aesthetic appearances of the cap. 
     The word ‘comprising’ and forms of the word ‘comprising’ as used in this description do not limit the invention claimed to exclude any variants or additions. 
     Modifications and improvements to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope of this invention.