Title:

Headwear item, and more particularly a cap, a visor and others

United States Patent Application 20040083532

Kind Code:

A1

Abstract:

The invention concerns a headwear item, formed of a headdress (1) open or closed, fitted with 2 visor (2) and elastic means (3) co-operating with said headdress (1). According to the invention, said headdress exhibits at least one cut-out (4) at least over a portion of its periphery, and said elastic means (3) co-operate with said headdress (1) at least at said cut-out (4) and remain visible at said cut-out (4).

Inventors:

Laloy, Luc (Mouvaux, FR)
Chaffron, Giovanni (Seignosse, FR)

Application Number:

10/656864

Publication Date:

05/06/2004

Filing Date:

09/05/2003

Export Citation:

Click for automatic bibliography generation

Assignee:

LALOY LUC
CHAFFRON GIOVANNI

Primary Class:

2/170

International Classes:

A41D1/00; A42B1/04; A42B1/22; (IPC1-7): A41D1/00

View Patent Images:

Download PDF 20040083532

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Primary Examiner:

QUINN, RICHALE LEE

Attorney, Agent or Firm:

Egbert, McDaniel & Swartz, PLLC (Houston, TX, US)

Claims:

We claim:

1. A headwear item, formed of a headdress (1) open or closed, fitted with a visor (2) and elastic means (3) co-operating with said headdress (1), characterized in that said headdress (1) exhibits at least one cut-out (4) at least over a portion of its periphery, and in that said elastic means (3) are provided over the whole periphery of said headdress, co-operate with said headdress (1) at least at said cut-out (4) and remain visible at said cut-out (4).

2. An item according to claim 1, wherein said out-out (4) may be provided along a selvedge line (5) substantially parallel to the lower rim (6) of said headdress (1) and over a height h with respect to said lower rim (6).

3. An item according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said elastic means (3) are in the form of an elastic band whereof the width I corresponds at least to the height h of said cut-out (4).

4. An item according to claim 3, wherein the upper rim (7) of said elastic band is sewed to said headdress (1) at said selvedge line (5).

5. An item according to claim 4, wherein the lower rim of said elastic band is sewed moreover at said lower rim (6) of said headdress (1) at least at the front of said headdress (1).

6. An item according to claim 1, wherein said cut-out is provided for instance as a semicrescent, extending from the lower rim of said headdress to the summit (12) thereof.

7. An item according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said headdress (1) is composed of an inextensible textile.

8. An item according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said headdress (1) is closed and composed of pieces of fabric (10) manufactured into semi-spheres.

9. An item according to any of the claims 1 to 6, wherein said headdress is in the form of a band (11).

10. An item according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said visor (2) is composed of a thin shape, of rigid material, covered with a fabric.

Description:

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

[0003] Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0004] This invention relates to a headwear item, and more particularly a cap, a visor and others, notably intended for sportswear or leisurewear or within an advertising framework.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The previous art contains various types of headwear items covered by this field. In particular, some of these items are fitted with means to adjust them to the head size of the person wearing them. Such items are called ‘one-size’ items since they may be manufactured from a single pattern, while remaining adaptable to suit different morphologies.

[0006] For example, an assembly is known wherein a cap is fitted, at the rear, with two flexible bands. One such band, called the male band, is fitted with spikes which are spaced regularly, the other band, call the female band, comprises eyes, which may co-operate with the spikes. This enables to adjust the cap, while selecting the best suitable spike-eye combination.

[0007] However, such an assembly only accommodates a finite number of different positions, which may not be suitable for certain people: either because said assembly proves too tight or too loose.

[0008] In another embodiment, a band of material goes through a buckle in order to tighten the cap more or less around the wearer's head.

[0009] Such assembly proves more adaptable, but, as besides in the previous case, it requires a large number of manufacturing steps. Moreover, it does not enable to solve another problem raised with such type of item, especially in sportswear: the absorption of perspiration.

[0010] Finally, when using it for advertising purposes, it is essential that such an item should be customizable and easy of manufacture, within a short time, possibly in small quantities, but at low cost.

[0011] It is also known a cap which is fitted with an absorbing elastic inner band at its base, sewed over its whole periphery, along the inner wall of the cap. Manufacturing such cap therefore requires an extensible material and does not meet the advertising requirement.

[0012] The purpose of this invention in to provide a headwear item which remedies the shortcomings mentioned above.

[0013] In particular, we shall endeavour to provide a headwear item easy of manufacture, of one-size type at least for a given population, i.e. which may suit heads of different diameters as well as meet advertising requirements notably.

[0014] Another purpose of this invention is to provide an item exhibiting low cost of manufacture.

[0015] Other aims and advantages of the Invention will appear in the following description, given only for exemplification purposes and without being limited thereto.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The invention relates to a headwear item, composed of a hat, open or closed, fitted with a visor and with elastic means co-operating with said hat, characterized in that said headdress exhibits at least one cut-out at least over a portion of the periphery of said hat, and in that said elastic means are provided over the whole periphery of said headdress, co-operate, with said headdress at said cutout and remain visible at said cut-out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The invention will be understood better when reading the description, with the appended drawings, wherein:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a left-hand profiled view of a headwear item, such as a cap, according to the invention, in a first embodiment thereof.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view, from beneath, of the item of FIG. 1, in a first embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a left-hand profiled view of a headwear item, such as a cap, according to the invention.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a sectional view, along the line IV of FIG. 1, showing how said elastic means co-operate with said headdress, at said cut-out.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a left-hand profiled view of a headwear item, such as a cap, according to the invention, in a second embodiment thereof.

[0023] FIG. 6 is a perspective view, from beneath, of the item of FIG. 5, in a second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] This invention relates to a headwear item, for example a cap, as illustrated on FIGS. 1 and 2, or a visor, as illustrated on FIG. 3.

[0025] The difference between both these types of item lies in the headdress 1, which may be open or closed. If said headdress is open, as in the case of a visor, said headdress merely hugs the wearer's head, and may be used as a support for a visor 2 and, for example, for a perspiration-absorbing band, if the headdress is closed, as in the case of a cap, said headdress may also protect the wearer's head from the sun.

[0026] Besides, a headwear item according to the invention is fitted with elastic means 3 cooperating with said headdress 1.

[0027] According to the invention, said headdress exhibits at least one cut-out 4 at least over a portion of its periphery and said elastic means 3 co-operate with said headdress 1 at least at said cutout 4.

[0028] Thus, the item is suitable for different morphologies, at least for a given population. A population, considered as homogeneous, i.e. for which a single size can be provided, may be that of children, or that of women, or still that of men for instance.

[0029] Said cut-out 4 may be provided along a selvedge line 5 substantially parallel to said lower rim 6 of said headdress 1 and over a height h with respect to said lower rim.

[0030] As illustrated on FIG. 2, said elastic means 3 are arranged over the whole periphery of said headdress.

[0031] Moreover, the elastic means 3 are able to mask the cut-out 4. In other words, the cut-out 4 is filled with said elastic means 3 situated therein, and said means are visible from the outside of the item.

[0032] Said elastic means may thus serve as an advertising medium.

[0033] Thus, advantageously, said elastic means 3 are in the form of an elastic band whereof the width 1 corresponds at least to the height h of said cut-out 4.

[0034] According to the invention, the upper rim 7 of said elastic band is sewed to said headdress 1 at said selvedge line 5.

[0035] The main seams are represented on FIGS. 1 to 3 as dotted lines. Thus, as illustrated on FIG. 2, at said cut-out 4, the seam 8, between said headdress 1 and said elastic band 3, follows the selvedge line 5. Then, at the visor, at the front of the headwear according to the invention, the seam between said elastic band and said headdress 1 follows the lower rim of said headdress. In such a case, it is the lower rim 9 of said elastic band which is sewed at the lower rim 6 of said headdress 1.

[0036] As illustrated on FIG. 4, the lower rim of said headdress 1, at said cut-out 4, is folded inwardly, to form said selvedge line 5. Said elastic band is sewed to said fold, which forms therefore a hem.

[0037] According to another embodiment as illustrated on FIGS. 5 and 6, said headdress 1 may exhibit notably two cut-outs 4′. Each of said cut-outs may for example extend, as a semi-crescent, from the lower rim of said headdress to the summit 12 thereof.

[0038] Two elastic bands are then sewed at each of both cut-outs. According to the invention, a third elastic band is provided over the whole periphery of said headdress. It is sewed at its lower rim to the lower rim of said headdress, with the exception of both previous bands, each covering cut-outs 4′ in order to preserve the resilience of said bands.

[0039] According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, said headdress 1 may be composed of an inextensible textile. It will be notably cotton-based material or synthetic fibers.

[0040] Said headdress may also be composed of an extensible textile.

[0041] Besides, said elastic band will be composed of an elastic textile, as may be used in headwear or in the wider field of clothing.

[0042] According to a particular characteristic of the invention, said headdress I is closed and composed of pieces of fabric 10, manufactured into semi-spheres. According to another characteristic of the invention, said headdress 1 is in the form of a band 11, as illustrated on FIG. 3.

[0043] According to the invention, said visor 2 may be composed of a thin shape, of rigid material, covered with a fabric. One may chose for instance plastic or cardboard and give the visor 2 a flat or round shape.

[0044] Naturally, other embodiments, understandable to the man of the art, could also have been contemplated within departing from the framework of the invention.

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