Patent ID: 7036155

Claim:
A hat assembly including a hat that is selectively disposed in either a collapsed position or an expanded position, said hat assembly comprising: a carrying member formed in a selected shape of an article and having a pair of spaced, substantially planar outer layers each having an outer periphery defining an elongated, flexible fastening member extending substantially along the entire length thereof, said carrying member being structured for storing between said outer layers a hat in a collapsed position, said fastening member being formed to have a closed position and an open position wherein said fastening member when in said closed position joins said outer layers to store said hat in said collapsed position and when in open position enables a stored collapsed hat to be removed therefrom and expanded into an expanded position; and wherein said hat comprises a head engaging portion including a side wall and a crown secured to an outer end of said side wall, said crown being operatively connected to an inner surface of one of said outer layers; and a brim having a substantially annular configuration at least partially defined by a central opening and an outer periphery having a continuous, substantially circular configuration; said side wall having an inner end being of substantially equal dimension as a circumference of said central opening, said inner end being secured continuously to said circumference along mutual lengths thereof; said expanded position of said hat being defined by said crown of said hat being oriented in a planar configuration and wherein said brim assumes a substantially planar configuration oriented substantially coplanar to said crown and wherein that portion of said crown being operatively connected to said inner surface of one of said outer layers is folded so as to be located interior to said side wall; and said collapsed position of said hat being defined by that portion of said crown being operatively connected to said inner surface of one of said outer layers being positioned exterior to said side wall and oriented with said brim and head engaging portion being disposed in folded over relation to one another about and between said outer layers.