Patent Publication Number: US-6209139-B1

Title: Novelty caps having openable areas

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to novelty caps and more specifically to novelty caps having areas which may be opened or detached to mimic an open, retractable roof stadium. 
     2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     Currently, it appears that novelty caps which have areas that open-up to mimic an open, retractable roof stadium do not exist. Novelty hats with openable areas would probably be of interest to sports fans who buy novelty sports items to show their enthusiasm for a particular sports team. 
     Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for novelty hats with areas that open-up to mimic retractable roof stadiums. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a novelty cap with areas which may be detached or opened. According to the present invention, a novelty cap with an open area includes a cap base, a first pivot cover, a second pivot cover, and a release latch. The first pivot cover is preferably pivotally attached to a front and rear of the cap base. The second pivot cover is pivotally attached to the front and rear of the cap base, adjacent the first pivot cover. The release latch is preferably mounted to one of the pivot covers. Pressing down on the release latch allows both pivot covers to pivot downward and reveal an opening in the top of the novelty cap with an openable area. A pop-up sign may also be attached to an inside front of the cap base. 
     A novelty cap with openable areas includes a cap body, a first detachable flap, and a second detachable flap. Two openings are preferably formed in a top of the cap body. One end of the first detachable flap is attached to a bottom side of a first opening and one end of the second detachable flap is attached to a bottom side of a second opening. The other end of the first detachable flap is releasably attached to a top side of the first opening and the other end of the second detachable flap is releasably attached to a top side of the second opening. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novelty cap with openable areas which may mimic a retractable roof stadium which has been opened. 
     These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of a novelty cap with an openable area with the pivot halves in a closed position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 1 a  is a top view of a novelty cap with an openable area with the pivot halves rotated substantially perpendicular to those disclosed in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 1 b  is a bottom view of a novelty cap with an openable area with the pivot halves in a closed position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an end view of a novelty cap with an openable area with the pivot halves in a closed position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a novelty cap with an openable area with the pivot halves in a closed position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 a  is an enlarged perspective view of the release latch of a novelty cap with an openable area with the latch in a locked position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 b  is an enlarged perspective view of the release latch of a novelty cap with an openable area with latch in an unlocked in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of a novelty cap with an openable area with the pivot halves in a retracted position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of a novelty cap with an openable area with the pivot halves in a retracted position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a front of a novelty cap with an openable area with a pop-up sign contained therein in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a front of a novelty cap with an openable area in a retracted position with a pop-up sign in an upright position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a front view of a novelty cap with an openable area with the pivot halves in a retracted position with a pop-up sign in an upright position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a top view of a novelty cap with openable areas having detachable flaps in a closed position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 a  is a top view of a novelty cap with openable areas having detachable flaps with the detachable flaps rotated substantially perpendicular to disclosed in figure 10 a  in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 is an end view of a novelty cap with openable areas having detachable flaps in a closed position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 12 is a side view of a novelty cap with openable areas having detachable flaps in a closed position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 13 is a top view of a novelty cap with openable areas having detachable flaps in a retracted position in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 14 is an end view of a novelty cap with openable areas having detachable flaps in a retracted position in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a top view of a novelty cap having an openable area  1 . With reference to FIGS. 1 a - 3 , the novelty cap having an openable area  1  includes a cap base  10 , a first pivot cover  12 , a second pivot cover  14 , and a release latch  16 . The cap base  10  includes a peripheral side wall  11  and preferably a visor  13 . The visor  13  extends outward from a bottom edge of the peripheral side wall  11 . A height of the peripheral side wall  11  is preferably curved to allow the first and second pivot covers to pivot over thereof as shown in FIG.  6 . The peripheral side wall  11  has particular height which provides a light opening  18 . The first pivot cover  12  is preferably pivotally attached to a front and rear of the cap base  10  with a pair of rivets  20 . The second pivot cover  14  is preferably pivotally attached to the front and rear of the cap base  10 , adjacent the first pivot cover  12  with a pair of rivets  24 . Other devices or pivoting methods may be used besides the rivets  20  and  24 . 
     With reference to FIG. 1 a , a novelty cap having an openable area  1 ′ includes a cap base  10 ′, a first pivot cover  12 ′, a second pivot cover  14 ′, and a release latch  16 . The pivot halves have been rotated substantially perpendicular to those disclosed in FIG.  1 . The construction of the novelty cap having an openable area  1 ′ is the same as the novelty cap having an openable area  1 . The only difference between the novelty cap  1  and the novelty cap  1 ′ is the orientation of the pivoting halves relative to the wearer&#39;s forehead. The novelty cap having an openable area  1  or  1 ′ should not be limited to orientating the pivoting halves relative to the wearer&#39;s forehead at only two different angles (as shown in FIGS. 1 &amp; 1 a , but should include any angle. 
     With reference to FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b , the release latch  16  is preferably mounted to one of the pivot covers. A catch  22  of the release latch  16  is pushed downward to release thereof from a latch slot  26  formed in the other pivot cover. A front chamfer  28  is preferably formed in a front of the catch  22  and a rear chamfer  30  is preferably formed in a rear of the catch  22 . The chamfers facilitate a smooth release and reattachment of the first and second pivot covers. The release of the first and second pivot covers reveal the light opening  18  in a top of the novelty cap  1 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 7-9, a pop-up sign  46  is attached to a front of the cap base  10 . The pop-up sign  46  includes an angled stem  48  and a sign portion  50 . The angled stem  48  is preferably attached to an inside front of the cap base  10  with rivets  52 , sonic welding, or with any other suitable method. The pop-up sign  46  is shown in its normal position in FIG.  8 . The pop-up sign  46  may be bent downward to fit under the first and second pivot covers as shown in FIG.  7 . FIG. 9 shows a front view of the sign portion  50  in its normal position. The pop-up sign  46  must be fabricated from a material having memory such as delrin plastic, spring steel, or any other material with memory. A material having “memory” is defined as a material which returns to its original position after being bent or deformed. 
     FIGS. 10-14 show a novelty cap with openable areas  2 . The novelty cap with openable areas  2  includes a cap body  32 , a center flap support  33 , a first detachable flap  34 , and a second detachable flap  36 . The center flap support  33  preferably extends from a front of the cap body  32  to a rear thereof. A visor  35  preferably extends outward from the cap body  32 . With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, a first opening  38  and a second opening  40  are formed between the cap body  32  and the center flap support  33 . One end of the first detachable flap  34  is attached to a bottom side of the first opening  38  and one end of the second detachable flap  36  is attached to a bottom side of the second opening  40 . Each detachable flap may be attached to a bottom side of each opening with adhesive, or any other suitable attachment device or method. The other end of the first detachable flap  34  is releasably attached to the center flap support  33  and the other end of the second detachable flap  36  is releasably attached to the center flap support  33 . The detachable flaps may be attached to the center flap support  33  with hook and loop fasteners; snaps; or any other suitable releasable attachment device or method. 
     With reference to FIG. 10 a , a novelty cap having an openable area  2 ′ includes a cap body  32 ′, a center flap support  33 ′, a first detachable flap  34 ′, and a second detachable flap  36 ′. The detachable flaps have been rotated substantially perpendicular to those disclosed in FIG.  10 . The construction of the novelty cap having an openable area  2 ′ is the same as the novelty cap having an openable area  2 . The only difference between the novelty cap  2  and the novelty cap  2 ′ is the orientation of the detachable flaps relative to the wearer&#39;s forehead. The novelty cap having an openable area  2  or  2 ′ should not be limited to orientating the detachable flaps relative to the wearer&#39;s forehead at only two different angles (as shown in FIGS. 10 &amp; 10 a , but should include any angle. 
     Hook and loop fasteners are commonly sold under the registered trademark, “Velcro.” It is preferably to use hook and loop fasteners. A plurality of hook fasteners  42  are preferably attached to the center flap support  33 . A plurality of loop fasteners  44  are preferably attached to the first and second detachable flaps. The plurality of hook fasteners  42  could also be attached to the first and second detachable flaps, and the plurality of loop fasteners  44  attached to the center flap support  33 . When it is desirable to create an opening in the top of the novelty cap with openable areas  2 , one or both of the detachable flaps are pulled back from a top of their respective openings. 
     While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.