Abstract:
A convertible headwear is provided that converts from a single piece of headwear to a separate visor and a separate skullcap. The invention also provides a removable sweat band within the visor. The headwear and its components are attached by fasteners which may be zippers, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, or other common fastening means. The headwear can be a cap or any style of hat.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention is in the field of headwear and caps, more specifically to a baseball type cap and a sun visor. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Baseball caps and sun visors are used and worn in a variety of circumstances by individuals, where some of the usage may be interchangeable. The present invention seeks to fill the need for providing the ability for a user to convert a cap to a visor, and vice versa. The invention will save the person from carrying both visor and cap. 
         [0003]    What commonly happens when a person is wearing a visor or cap and working in the sun or playing a sport, the person often takes off the cap or visor and cleans off their forehead of sweat which may drip down into their face. The present invention addresses this problem. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention addresses the foregoing concerns by providing a convertible hat or cap. The cap converts to a visor and a skullcap. The invention also provides a removable sweat band within the visor. The cap and its components are attached by fasteners which may be zippers, snaps, buttons, eye hooks, or other common fastening means. The preferred fastener is a zipper. 
         [0005]    A zipper or other fastener is placed in the cap in such a place not to disturb the head of the person. The end of zipper is preferably placed at the top of the visor or in the center of the cap. When the invention is used as a cap, a user would disengage the fastener, such as by moving the zipper to open up the seam between the zipper teeth. When the fastener is completely disengaged, the cap is converted into a visor and a skullcap. When converted, the visor is free of any obstruction that may be felt by the head of person wearing said visor. When cap is converted to visor, the skullcap piece taken off can also function as religious headwear. 
         [0006]    To reattach the skullcap and the visor and re-form the cap, the user would reattach the fastener. Where a zipper is used, the user would place zipper end back in and zip in a conventional manner. The fastener allows the cap to function as a conventional cap until it is converted to a visor. 
         [0007]    The fastener of the cap can be applied to many different caps and hats of all types. There are various types of fasteners that can be used in the invention such as hooks, Velcro®, buttons, and snaps. A zipper is a preferred fastener because the type and angle of the zipper placement is believed to be the simplest and most efficient way to convert the cap to the visor and to reverse the conversion. 
         [0008]    The users&#39; comfort is affected by the placement and type of fastener and proper proportions and placement are important to the invention. The fastener is located between one and four inches from the cap bill or bottom edge of the cap. A preferred distance for the fastener is three and one quarter inches at the front of the cap and two and one quarter inches at the rear of the cap. The placement of the fastener, such as a zipper, provides a comfortable visor or hat with the zipper not in contact with the head of user, regardless of the size of cap. The location of the fastener allows for the invention to work with a variety of headwear, not just baseball caps. 
         [0009]    A removable sweat band is placed in the visor portion, attached by removable fastening means, allowing the sweat band to be removed or changed for cleaning or comfort. The sweat band is interchangeable, allowing the user to change the sweat band for a dry or clean one. Preferably, the sweat band is attached to the visor portion by easily removable means such as a hook and eye fastener known by the Velcro® trademark. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view showing the inside of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a view of the skullcap portion of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 6   a  to  6   b  are cross-section side views of the invention, showing different types of fasteners. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 7   a  to  7   c  are side views of different hat styles embodying the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  shows cap  20  with skullcap portion  1  and visor portion  4  separated by seam  3 . Fastener  2 , not visible in  FIG. 1 , is not intended to be visible from the front view of the invention and seam  3  represents a separation between skullcap portion  1  and visor portion  4 . Cap  20  is intended to have the overall appearance of a generally conventional cap or headwear, including bill  5 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of cap  20 , with seam  3  showing a division between skullcap portion  1  and visor portion  4 . In the preferred embodiment, fastener  2  comprises a zipper assembly with interlocking teeth that travel along seam  3 . As is known in the art, a zipper slider  8  may separate or join two pieces of material with interlocking teeth, such as skullcap portion  1  and visor portion  4 , allowing skullcap portion  1  to be removed from visor portion  4 . When separated, skullcap portion  1  and visor portion  4  may each be used as headwear. As desired, fastener  2  may be used to re-join skullcap portion  1  and visor portion  4  to re-form cap  20 . 
         [0019]    Skullcap portion  1  is roughly bowl shaped with edge  11 . The shape of skullcap portion  1  is preferably a common shape, such as may be used for religious wear. Edge  11  may be part of seam  3 , or may abut seam  3 , depending on the nature of fastener  2 . Fastener  2  may be attached to edge  11  or proximate to edge  11 . 
         [0020]    Visor portion  4  has a lower edge  41  which would coincide with the lower edge or opening of cap  20 , and an upper edge  42  which would be adjacent to edge  11  of skullcap portion  1 . Depending on the nature of fastener  2 , fastener  2  may be attached to upper edge  42  or proximate to upper edge  42 . 
         [0021]    Skullcap portion  1  and visor portion  4  are preferably made out of fabric. Visor portion  4  may comprise elastic material to allow cap  20  the ability to expand to fit various head sizes. In an alternate embodiment, visor portion  4  may include adjustable straps or connectors as is known in the art for the purposes of allowing adjustment in size. 
         [0022]    In the preferred embodiment, fastener  2  is a zipper, and seam  3  that is placed between 2.5 and 3.5 inches from the center of bill  5  in the front of cap  20 , with 3.25 inches being desirable. Seam  3  is angled downward with respect to a lower edge of visor portion  4 , and is placed between 1.5 and 2.5 inches from the lower edge of visor portion  4  at the rear of cap  20 , opposite from the center of bill  5  in the front of cap  20 . 
         [0023]    A zipper with paired interlocking teeth may be a preferred fastener  2 , for its ease of use in the function of removing or attaching skullcap portion  1  and visor portion  4 . One part of the interlocking teeth would preferably be attached to edge  11  and the other part of the interlocking teeth would preferably be attached to edge  42 . The slider of the zipper would engage or disengage the interlocking teeth as is known in the art. 
         [0024]    Other fasteners which may be used include hook and loop fastener such as sold under the Velcro® trademark, clips, hooks, buttons, snaps or other attachment means as are known in the art.  FIGS. 6   a  to  6   b  show cut-away views of caps utilizing alternate fasteners, which would be preferably attached to the interior of skullcap portion  1 , near edge  11  and to the interior of visor portion  4 , near upper edge  42 . For hook and loop fasteners, buttons and snaps, and other similar fasteners, an overlap would be provided between edge  11  and upper edge  42 , to allow for the placement and interaction of such fasteners, as is known in the art. For use of such paired fasteners, one of the pair would be preferably affixed to the skull cap portion  1  while the other of the pair would be affixed to the visor portion. For example, where snap fasteners are used, at least one of the “male” snap fasteners would be affixed to skullcap portion  1 , and a corresponding “female” snap fastener would be affixed to the visor portion  4  such that the male and female snap fasteners would be able to engage to attach skullcap portion  1  to visor portion  4 . 
         [0025]    Sweatband  10  may be located within visor portion  4 . Sweatband  10  is preferably comprised of absorbent material. Sweatband  10  is preferably removable from visor portion  4 , allowing a user to clean and/or replace sweatband  10 . Sweatband  10  may fit within the entire circumference of the interior of visor portion  4 , or may only cover a segment of the interior of visor portion  4 . A preferred way of attaching sweatband  10  to visor portion  4  is a hook and loop fastener, but snaps or other well known fasteners may be used. Allowing for sweatband  10  to be removed and cleaned aids in keeping cap  20  clean, as well as providing additional user comfort. 
         [0026]    While the invention is preferably implemented in a cap, it can be adapted to any type of headwear, such as a brimmed hat or a fishing hat, as shown in  FIGS. 7   a  to  7   c . Further, the invention may be implemented in a cap with a fixed visor portion, with an elastic visor portion, or an adjustable visor portion, all of which are well known in the art. 
         [0027]    A convention cap or headwear can be modified to incorporate the invention by cutting or severing the cap or headwear into the two portions, skullcap  1  and visor  4 . A fastener  2  may be added or attached on the seam  3  formed by the cutting or severing of the cap or headwear. 
         [0028]    A loop  30  may be provided on the skullcap portion  1 , to allow a user to easily store or support the removed skullcap portion when not in use, such as on a hook or belt. 
         [0029]    While certain novel features of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.