Abstract:
An attachable ornamental assembly ( 100 ) is disclosed, that is adapted for releasably connecting to a conventional baseball cap ( 90 ). The ornamental assembly ( 100 ) has a base ( 102 ) with a generally concave lower surface ( 104 ). The lower surface includes a central recess ( 106 ) that houses a connector ( 120 ), for example a rare earth magnet. The connector engages the cap button ( 94 ), in one embodiment pulling the button into the recess. The ornamental assembly also includes an ornamental member ( 130 ) that connects to the base, for example with a post ( 224 ) by a friction fit or the like. The ornamental member ( 130 ) may be removable, whereby a number of different ornamental members may be selectively attached to the base ( 102 ) and cap ( 90 ) at different times.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/702,698, filed Jul. 28, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, and priority from the filing date of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     The disclosed apparatus relates to hat mountable devices, and in particular to devices mountable on baseball caps. Baseball caps are ubiquitous at sporting events and gatherings of all kinds. The caps are frequently decorated or embellished for amusement purposes, and to display an individuals personal interests, hobbies and/or sense of humor. Sometimes baseball caps are decorated with permanently attached insignia, for example by sewing on patches, stitching decorations, using adhesives and the like.  
         [0003]     Refer to  FIG. 1 , which shows a conventional baseball cap  90  with an attachable ornament assembly  100  made in accordance with the present invention. The conventional baseball cap  90  is a soft cap with a long, stiffened and curved visor or brim  92 . The back of the cap often has a mechanism for quick adjustment, although fitted caps are also common. The baseball cap  90  is typically sewn in sections, and is topped with a fabric-covered metal button  94 , which is typically formed from a ferromagnetic material. Although the baseball cap  90  is historically associated with baseball players, it is now arguably the most popular style of hat in the United States and many Western nations, and Japan. Baseball caps are made of may types of material and in a number of different styles. For example, major league baseball players wear classic-style caps made of wool with their team&#39;s logo embroidered into the wool.  
         [0004]     Sometimes, the military uses baseball caps as part of the uniform, especially the United States Navy. In such applications, the baseball cap generally has a command logo on the front to denote command affiliation, and/or the baseball caps may be of a particular color to indicate a particular user&#39;s job.  
         [0005]     It is sometimes desirable to removably mount a displayable object to a cap. Examples of hat mountable devices are found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,167, US. Pat. Pub. No. 2003/0051317 and in US Pat. Pub. No. 2004/0006900. In some of the prior art devices the mountable device engages the button  94  on top of the baseball cap  90 .  
         [0006]     A common problem with prior art cap mounting systems that engage the button projection in a baseball cap is that they have a tendency to inadvertently de-attach or to pull the button of the cap sideways, causing the display element to tilt or tip over, and may also thereby become uncomfortable to wear.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     An attachable ornamental assembly is disclosed that is particular suited to attachment to a conventional baseball cap having a top button. The ornamental assembly includes a base with a concave lower surface defining a central recess. A magnet or other connector is disposed in the central recess, and is adapted to engage the button on the baseball cap. It will be appreciated that in many conventional baseball caps the central button includes a ferrous metal member. An ornamental member is attachable to the base member.  
         [0008]     In an embodiment of the invention, more than one ornamental member is attachable to the base, such that a user can selectively change from one ornamental member to another, for example to accommodate different circumstances.  
         [0009]     In an embodiment of the invention, the connector is a rare earth magnet that is adapted to pull the button of the baseball cap into the central recess of the base.  
         [0010]     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hat mountable display according to the present invention, shown atop a conventional baseball cap;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the hat mountable display shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an alternate embodiment of the hat mountable display shown in  FIG. 1 , showing an alternate ornament; and  
         [0015]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show alternative cap connectors for use with the hat mountable display shown in  FIG. 1 , that are not magnetic. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]     As mentioned above,  FIG. 1  shows a baseball cap  90  with an attachable ornamental assembly  100  shown above the baseball cap  90 , positioned to be placed on the cap  90  to engage the button  94 . The attachable ornamental assembly  100  is a relatively small, and lightweight structure. For example in a current embodiment the ornamental assembly  100  does not exceed about three inches in total height, width or length.  
         [0017]     Refer now also to  FIG. 2 , which shows an exploded view of the attachable ornamental assembly  100 . In this embodiment the ornamental assembly includes a base  102 , that is generally disc-shaped, and has a generally concave lower surface  104 . It will be appreciated that the concave shape generally conforms to the shape of the baseball cap  90 . A recess  106  is formed in the lower surface, generally centered therein. A connector  120 , for example a magnet is fixedly disposed in the central recess  106 . The upper surface  108  of the base  102  includes an upwardly projecting first engagement element  110 , for example a post or a cylindrical member with an axial aperture (post shown). The first engagement element  110  is located generally above the connector  120 .  
         [0018]     An ornamental member  130 , comprising an ornamental portion  132  and a downwardly-extending second engagement element  134  is attachable to the base  102 . For example, the second engagement element  134  may conveniently comprise a cylindrical structure with an axial aperture that is sized to snugly receive the first engagement element  100  on the base  102 . The ornamental member  130  may therefore be retained on the base  102  by frictional forces between the first and second engagement members  110 ,  134 . Alternatively, an adhesive may be used to joint the first and second engagement members  110 ,  134 . In another alternative, the first and second engagement members  110 ,  134  may be threaded, such that they may threadably engage. It is also contemplated the first and second engagement members  110 ,  134  may include a keying element (not shown) such that the ornamental member  130  may be limited to a particular orientation with respect to the base  102 . These, and other attachment mechanisms may be utilized, as will be apparent to persons of skill in the art. It is also contemplated that the base  102  and the ornamental member  130  may be formed as a unitary structure.  
         [0019]     In a currently preferred embodiment, the connector  120  is a rare earth magnet, for example, a neodymium-based permanent magnet. It is known that neodymium is used in very powerful permanent magnets, e.g., Nd 2 Fe 14 B. These magnets are cheaper, lighter, and stronger than samarium-cobalt magnets. Of course, if the connector  120  is a magnet the intended use of the ornamental assembly  100  will be to traditional baseball caps  90 , i.e. baseball caps  90  having a button  94  including a ferrous element that is attracted to the magnetic connector  120 .  
         [0020]     In one embodiment, the base  102  and ornamental member  130  are formed from polyethylene using a blow molded process to producer a very lightweight, and manufacturable product. Alternatively, the base  102  and ornamental member  130  may be formed from a die cut foam or other similarly lightweight material. The ornamental member  130  may be formed in a variety of shapes and colors, for example to accommodate a particular marketing motif or the like. The marketing motif may be to sports teams, schools, or other organizations, including utilizing a particular, logo, mascot, sports equipment, tourist attraction, or other general novelty item. It is contemplated that the ornamental member  130  may be formed in the shape of a particular sports athlete&#39;s or other celebrity&#39;s head, for example as a promotional giveaway to commemorate a particular athlete and/or a milestone or other accomplishment by a particular individual. Of course, the ornamental member  130  may be painted or otherwise decorated to enhance its appearance, and/or to display team colors or the like.  
         [0021]     It will be appreciated that the base  102  is relatively large in lateral extend, relative to the button  94  on the baseball cap  90 , providing a relatively stable platform for the ornamental member  130 . In a particular embodiment the base  102  is generally disc-shaped with a diameter greater than about one and one-half inches. It will be appreciated that the base  102  may include indicia, for example text or design that is related to the ornamental member  130 , or that indicates sponsorship, for example marketing-type indicia.  
         [0022]     It is believed to be particularly advantageous in some embodiments to form the central recess  106  in the base  102  to have sufficient depth and diameter to accommodate the button  94 , in addition to the connector  120 , particularly when the connector is a magnet. The button  94  is thereby mechanically coupled to the base  102  in the lateral directions by virtue of generally abutting the boundaries of the base  102  defined by the recess  106 .  
         [0023]     A second embodiment of an attachable ornamental assembly  200  is shown in  FIG. 3 . This second embodiment shows a different ornamental member  230  attached to the base  102  described above. It will be appreciated, therefore, that the base  102  may be provided with a plurality of ornamental members  230 , allowing the user to select a particular ornamental member  130 ,  230  to fit a particular occasion. For example, it is contemplated to provide a single base with different ornamental members, one for each of the local professional sports franchises, or to provide ornamental members caricaturing the heads of a number of different team members for a particular sports team. Variations on this theme will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan, upon studying the disclosure herein.  
         [0024]     Although the currently preferred embodiment utilizes a connector  120  comprising a magnet, it is also contemplated that other means for engaging the baseball cap button  94  may be utilized.  FIGS. 4A and 4B  show two representative alternative connectors  220 ,  320 , that may be used rather than the magnetic connector  120 , and may be particularly suitable, for use with baseball caps that do not have a metal member in the button  94 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 4A  shows a connector  220  incorporated integrally into a base  202  and having a generally concave recess  206  with a narrowed opening or aperture  222  at the bottom, that is sized to attach to the button  94  of the baseball cap  90  by a friction fit. The diameter of the aperture  222  is slightly smaller than the diameter of the button  94 , and the connector  220  has sufficient elasticity to allow the button  94  to be forced through the aperture  222 , to be releasably locked thereto. The connector  220  may include a post portion  224  that is sized to engage the ornamental member  130  second engagement member  134  ( FIG. 2 ).  
         [0026]      FIG. 4B  shows a connector  320  comprising a clip having a generally U-shaped or C-shaped lower portion  322  that is sized to clip or slide beneath the button  94 , and an upper portion  323  that includes an upwardly-extending post portion  324  that is sized to engage and attach to the recess  106  in the base  102 , for example by a friction fit, or with appropriate threading (not shown). Other connection mechanisms will be apparent to persons of skill in the art.  
         [0027]     While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.