The disclosure relates to headwear or other accessories including a breakaway clasp.
Headwear, such as wide-brimmed hats, may include chin straps to secure the hat on a user's head and/or allow the hat to hang on a user's back. While chin straps may be adjustable to change a tightness around the user's chin/neck, some chin straps may be attached to the hat in a permanent or semi-permanent manner (e.g., via stitching, gluing, and/or other coupling mechanisms).
Embodiments are disclosed for headwear comprising a chin strap that is removably coupled to the headwear via a breakaway clasp. The breakaway clasp may be coupled to the headwear in a first location and coupled to the chin strap in a second location. The breakaway clasp may be configured to break and/or otherwise disengage the chin strap from the headwear responsive to an application of a threshold amount of force to the breakaway clasp.
The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.
The disclosure may be better understood from reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein below:
As described above, headwear may include mechanisms for securing to a wearer's head and/or to otherwise prevent the headwear from being removed from the wearer. For example, a chin strap may extend from one location of a crown or brim of a hat, around a wearer's jaw/chin, and back to an opposing location of the crown or brim of the hat. In this way, if wind, rain, or another strong force pushes the hat backward off of the wearer's head, the chin strap may catch on the wearer's chin or neck, preventing the hat from flying off of the wearer entirely. The chin strap may also be tightened under the wearer's chin in order to ensure that the hat remains at a desired position on the wearer's head in the presence of weaker forces.
While the above-described chin strap or other securing mechanism may help prevent headwear from being knocked off of a wearer, there may be situations where the wearer may prefer a quick-release option (e.g., in the presence of very strong forces or when the strap becomes uncomfortable). For example, the quick-release option may provide a safety feature to allow the strap to become unclasped in the presence of excess forces (e.g., if the chin strap is caught on a wearer's neck and exerting uncomfortable forces thereon). The quick-release option may also allow a parent to quickly and easily release the headwear from a child who no longer desires to wear the headwear or who is experiencing discomfort with the headwear. The disclosure provides a breakaway clasp that maintains structural integrity to secure headwear under a first range of forces and/or forces at a first range of angles, and breaks away under a second, higher range of forces and/or forces at a second range of angles. For example, the range of forces at which the clasp maintains structural integrity may be different for different angles at which such forces are applied. While the examples described herein will largely be presented with respect to a chin strap or other headwear securing mechanism for illustrative purposes, it is to be understood that the described features may be utilized for a clasp in any environment. For example, the clasps described herein may be included in a belt, harness, band (e.g., watch band, head band, etc.), and/or other suitable product without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
A chin strap 108 may extend from the brim 102 and/or the crown 104. For example, the chin strap 108 may be integrated with and/or coupled/attached to a bottom surface of the brim 102, an interior surface of the crown 104, an intersection at which the brim and crown meet, and/or any other suitable location. As the brim and/or crown of the hat 100 forms a substantially circular structure, the chin strap may be coupled and/or attached to the hat at two positions along a circumference of the crown and/or brim. For example, a first position or location at which the chin strap is coupled and/or attached to the hat may be directly opposite a second position or location at which the chin strap is coupled and/or attached to the hat (e.g., approximately 180 degrees separating the two locations/positions). As used herein, the terms secured to, coupled to, and/or attached to may encompass any suitable securing mechanism, including but not limited to stitching, gluing, grommets, magnets, and/or any other suitable mechanical or chemical fastening mechanism.
In other examples, the two positions or locations may be on opposite sides of the hat (e.g., such that the positions are on opposite sides of a wearer's head/face while the hat is worn), and not 180 degrees apart. For example, the two positions or locations may be positioned toward a rear of the hat, and separated by less than 180 degrees (e.g., within a range of 30 to 179 degrees) when measured across the rear of the hat. As another example, the two positions or locations may be positioned toward a front of the hat, and separated by less than 180 degrees (e.g., within a range of 30 to 179 degrees) when measured across the front of the hat. As used herein, the terms opposing positions or opposing locations may refer to any of the example positions described above.
The chin strap 108 may include a single strap of material (e.g., a same material as used in another region of the hat, an elastomeric material, a fabric and/or self-fabric, a cord or collection of cording, a string or collection of strings, lacing, and/or another suitable material or composite material) that is interrupted by a clasp 110 and/or two strap portions of material that are joined via the clasp 110. In the two strap portions example, each strap portion may include two terminal ends opposite one another along a longitudinal axis of the strap portion (e.g., along a length/longest dimension of the strap portion). A first terminal end of each strap portion may be coupled and/or attached to a different one of the two opposing locations along the circumference of the brim/crown. A second terminal end of each strap portion may be coupled and/or attached to the clasp 110. For example, the second terminal ends of the strap portions may include a loop of fabric. The clasp 110 may include two loops, one or both of which may be closed and one or both of which may be open. The loop of fabric at each of the second terminal ends of the strap portions may enclose a top or bottom portion of a respective one of the loops of the clasp 110. An example of this construction is shown in
In the single strap example, the strap may include two terminal ends, each of which is coupled and/or attached to the above-described opposing locations along a circumference of the brim and/or crown. In such an example, the clasp may include two closed loops joining two sections of the strap, such that a wearer may not be able to separate the two sections of the strap without applying enough force to break the clasp. In another embodiment of the single strap example, the strap may include two terminal ends, one or both of which is either 1) coupled and/or attached to the above-described opposing locations along the circumference of the brim and/or crown, or 2) coupled and/or attached to a loop of fabric, metal, or other material that is coupled and/or attached to the above-described opposing locations along the circumference of the brim and/or crown. In this way, only one or none of the terminal ends may extend from the hat directly. In one example, a small sewn loop along the sweatband of the hat may attach directly to a chin strap clip.
A headband (illustrated in
In the example illustrated in
Although illustrated as a wide-brimmed hat (e.g., with a brim that extends from/around the full circumference of the crown/hat), it is to be understood that the clasp described herein may be utilized and/or incorporated in any suitable hat or other item, such as a baseball-style cap, a visor (e.g., without a crown), a sun hat (e.g., with a wide brim and/or a partial brim that extends around a portion of the circumference of the crown/hat and may include a neck shield extending from a rear portion of the circumference of the crown/hat), a wristband, a belt, a band for an article of clothing (e.g., an adjustable band around a pant leg/gaiter), etc. Other examples of hats in which the features described herein may be incorporated include, without limitation, a charter hat, a sun fedora, a boonie hat, a capotain, a gat, a hardee hat, a homburg, a panama, a sombrero, a sun visor, a top hat, a legionnaire hat, a trilby, a flap hat, and/or any other suitable head covering.
Although illustrated and described as being used with a chin strap in some of the above examples, it is to be understood that the clasp described herein may be utilized for any purpose relating to joining, connecting, coupling, and/or otherwise coordinating portions of a hat or other article of clothing. For example, the clasp described herein may be included in a sizing mechanism. In such an example, the clasp and/or material to which the clasp is connected may extend at least partially around the circumference of a hat and affix to a loop for sizing the hat.
While view A shows a front view of the clasp 400 where the spaced-apart legs of the top loop 402 during insertion of the clasp into the terminal end of the strap, view B shows a rear view of the clasp 400 after the clasp leg has been inserted into the terminal end and the legs of the top loop 402 are adjacent one another. In some examples, the spaced-apart legs may be ever-present in order to increase ease of insertion/removal of the clasp leg into the terminal end of the strap. In other examples, the adjacent legs illustrated in view B may be achieved via an elastomeric material or region of the clasp in order to provide additional security of the terminal end within the loop of the clasp.
View C shows a side view of the clasp 400 and the inserted terminal ends 406 and 410 of straps 408 and 412, respectively. As shown, the looped terminal ends are formed by attaching the terminal end to a higher/lower point along the strap. In some examples, one or both of the straps may be adjustable by moving the location at which the terminal end(s) attach back to the strap. For example, the chin strap may be tightened by pulling the terminal end of strap 408 upward (when the strap is in the orientation illustrated in view C) and/or toward the crown of the hat/toward a top of the wearer's head. The chin strap may additionally or alternatively be tightened by pulling the terminal end of strap 412 downward (when the strap is in the orientation illustrated in view C) and/or away from the crown of the hat/toward the wearer's feet (or around the wearer's chin toward an opposite side of the hat).
View D shows a breakaway state of the clasp 400. For example, responsive to a threshold amount and/or angle of force placed on the clasp and/or on the straps relative to one another, the clasp may be configured to separate in order to release the chin strap. As illustrated in view D, the bottom loop 404 of the clasp 400 may stay substantially unchanged in the face of such forces. However, the top leg 402a of the top loop 402 may be rotated and pulled away from the bottom leg 402b of the top loop 402 (e.g., at a hinge 414 opposite hook 416) in order to allow the strap 408 to be released from the clasp. The hinge 414 may be configured to be resilient to different amounts and/or angles of force based on an application of the clasp (e.g., a type of hat being worn, a type of wearer of the hat, an activity in which the hat is being worn, a location of the chin strap, a type of article including the clasp [e.g., other than a hat], etc.). For example, the clasp may be composed of different material types and/or have different dimensions that is based on typical forces that are applied to the objects being joined by the clasp. In the illustrated example, the clasp joins two portions of a chin strap, so the clasp may be dimensioned (e.g., include certain relative thickness and/or types of materials in particular regions) to enable the clasp to resiliently bend or twist responsive to a range of forces and force directions associated with normal disconnections of the strap (e.g., to twist the hook to allow the terminal end 406 to be slid off of the hook), and to break responsive to a range of forces and force directions associated with other disconnections of the strap (e.g., movement within a threshold distance of a longitudinal axis of the chin strap when worn). In some examples, the hook 416 may not be present (e.g., the top leg 402 may extend in an inverted c-shape without the illustrated angular change toward the terminal end of the top leg). In additional or alternative examples, the top leg 402 may have an increased or decreased amount of arching in a middle region in order to accommodate different strap types.
As illustrated in
Other differences between the structures include an inward-facing terminal end 604 of the top leg 602a/hook and a shallower depression along the side opposite the terminal end 604 in structure D relative to the other structures. As a result, the thinnest point of a hinge 608 in structure D is higher and further to the side of the clasp than the corresponding points of hinge 608 in structures A-C.
As shown, the hinge 708 may be composed of a thinner material and/or include different material relative to remaining portions of the clasp 700. The top leg 704a may extend to the hook 702 at a first terminating end of the top leg, and to a top hinge portion 710 at a second, opposing terminating end of the top leg. The top hinge portion 710 may be thicker (e.g., have a thicker diameter) than a bottom hinge portion 712, and the bottom hinge portion 712 may be thinner (e.g., have a thinner diameter) than the bottom leg 704b. In some examples, the bottom hinge portion 712 may include different material than the top hinge portion 710. In additional or alternative examples, one or both of the top and bottom hinge portions 710 and 712 may include the same or different material than remaining areas of the clasp 700.
The description of embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Suitable modifications and variations to the embodiments may be performed in light of the above description. The described example headwear are exemplary in nature, and may include additional elements and/or omit elements. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various structures and configurations, and other features, functions, and/or properties disclosed.
As used in this application, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” or “one example” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. The terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements or a particular positional order on their objects. The following claims particularly point out subject matter from the above disclosure that is regarded as novel and non-obvious.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/269,722 entitled “BREAKAWAY CLASP FOR HEADWEAR”, filed Dec. 18, 2015, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62269722 | Dec 2015 | US |