Patent ID: 8402564

Claim:
A fitting system ( 300 ) designed to be attached to a crown ( 304 ) of a hat ( 301 ), the fitting system ( 300 ) comprising: a band ( 308 ) operable to be coupled to the hat ( 301 ), wherein the band ( 308 ) includes a resilient member ( 310 ), the resilient member ( 310 ) having a first end ( 222 ), a second end ( 224 ), and an intermediate portion ( 226 ) between the first ( 222 ) and second ( 224 ) ends; a front band portion ( 218 ) that spans across and surrounds at least the forehead of a user's head when the hat ( 301 ) is positioned on the user, a rear band portion ( 220 ), a crown extension ( 323 ) formed integral with the rear band portion ( 220 ) and extending downwardly from the rear band portion ( 220 ) to a crown extension bottom edge ( 323 a ) which is adapted to lie entirely below the occipital protuberance of the user's head when the hat ( 301 ) is positioned on the user; wherein the front band portion ( 218 ) and the rear band portion ( 220 ) are attached to a circumferential bottom edge ( 306 ) of the hat ( 301 ); wherein the crown extension ( 323 ) and the crown extension bottom edge ( 323 a ) extend downwardly below said circumferential bottom edge ( 306 ) of the hat ( 301 ); and a first side band portion ( 324 ) and a second side band portion ( 324 ) which are respectively adapted to lie directly adjacent to the sides of the user's head when the hat ( 301 ) is positioned on the user; wherein the resilient member ( 310 ) is only positioned within the front band portion ( 218 ), the first side band portion ( 324 ), the second side band portion ( 324 ), and the crown extension ( 323 ); wherein the intermediate portion ( 226 ) of the resilient member ( 310 ) extends from the front band portion ( 218 ) to both the first side band portion ( 324 ) and the second side portion ( 324 ); the first side band portion ( 324 ) and second side band portion ( 324 ) are adapted to attach to an interior side of the crown ( 304 ) such that side gaps ( 332 ) are formed between the first side band portion ( 324 ) and the second side band portion ( 324 ) and the circumferential bottom edge ( 306 ) of the hat ( 301 ), respectively; each of the side gaps ( 332 ) are designed to receive the top portion of the user's ear so that the hat ( 301 ) is designed to sit lower on the user's head without impinging upon the user's ears when the hat ( 301 ) is worn; the resilient member ( 310 ) extending from both of the first side band portion ( 324 ) and the second side band portion ( 324 ) downwardly into the crown extension ( 323 ) such that the resilient member ( 310 ) is only attached to the crown extension bottom edge ( 323 a ) and is positioned below the entire occipital protuberance of the user when the hat ( 301 ) is positioned on the user; wherein the first end ( 222 ) and second end ( 224 ) of the resilient member ( 310 ) extend through an exterior side of the crown extension ( 323 ) so that the fitting system ( 300 ) can be selectively tightened or loosened to secure the hat ( 301 ) to the user's head.