FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to improvements in manufacturing of caps, covers, and hats, particularly in how the caps, covers, and hats are ventilated to provide cooling to the user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Oftentimes, many hats, covers, and caps are made to fit snugly on the head of the user. The terms hat, cover, and cap are in many instances interchangeably used for an article that covers and/or protects the head of a user. These terms may include baseball caps, beach hats, summer hats, cowboy hats, and so forth. As is known, the head releases a majority of heat from the body. As such, heat builds up between the interior of the hat and the head of the user. In particular, on warm or hot days, the user of a cap or hat must typically contend with a buildup of heat within the cap. Exasperated wearers of the hat may simply remove it, but that will sometimes defeat the purpose of covering the head, from exposure to the sun for example. Different strategies have evolved over the years to provide a cooler hat. For example, a hat may consist of a visor and a strap that extends about the circumference of the head. The concern with that design is that the head is still exposed to the sun, or other elements such as rain or snow. Yet another design is a hat that contains a visor and a mesh that extends from the visor and covers the head of the user, but still permits a partial exposure to the sun, and also permits rain or snow to permeate the mesh, for example. To be sure, these known strategies may facilitate some cooling, but in view of the above, these cap designs have their drawbacks. Accordingly, a ventilated cap containing a novel ventilation system that addresses the aforementioned concerns, would be an improvement in the art.
SUMMARY
To respond to the above-referenced challenges, and in accordance with the present invention, a novel cap integrating a novel ventilation system is provided. As shown in the Figures, a hat contains one or more spacers that are integrated within and along the brim of the hat, whereby a lateral plenum or space is thereby created between the brim and the user's head. Alternatively, the spacer may be directly attached to the interior of the hat, and preferably, to a bottom edge of the hat. As a result, the heat that typically is retained within the cap is vented through the lateral plenum to thereby reduce the heat within the cap.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a first perspective view of an exemplary embodiment containing a cap and a cap ventilation system.
FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of a spacer, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a cap containing a cap ventilation system, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the spacer attached to the brim of the hat, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the spacer as it is attached to the brim of the hat.
FIG. 6 is a second perspective view of an exemplary embodiment containing a cap and a cap ventilation system.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a spacer of FIG. 6, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a third perspective view of an exemplary embodiment containing a cap and a cap ventilation system.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a spacer of FIG. 8, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a fourth perspective view of an exemplary embodiment containing a cap and a cap ventilation system.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a spacer of FIG. 10, in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As shown in the Figures, a cap and cap ventilation system is currently provided, for ventilation of heat and humidity/moisture within the cap when worn. As shown in FIG. 1, a cap or hat 20 is shown containing a first exemplary embodiment of a cap ventilation system 100. It will be appreciated that the term cap 20 may include hats, covers, or any other article that covers the head. As further shown in FIG. 1, the cap 20 includes an interior 15. More preferably, the cap 20 may also include a brim 16 which may also be known as a hat band or a sweat band, and which is circumferentially fixed and oriented about the bottom of the cap 20. As shown in FIGS. 1-5, a cap ventilation system 100 may contain a sponge or cushion 10 attached to a clip 12 thereby forming a spacer 22. As shown in FIG. 1, the cap ventilation system 100 contains at least one spacer 22. In this embodiment, each of a plurality of spacers 22 is shown spaced about and attached to the brim 16, as the clip 12 is fixed over the brim 16.
In a preferred embodiment of the cap ventilation system shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the plurality of spacers 22 are substantially evenly installed or attached about the brim 16. It will be appreciated that in the absence of the brim 16, the spacer 22 may be directly attached to a desired position within the interior 15, such as along the bottom circumferential edge of the cap 20. As shown in FIG. 5, the clip 12 of the spacer 22 may slide over the brim 16 of the hat 20. Accordingly, FIG. 4 shows the spacer 22 installed over the brim 16. The clip 12 may be made of plastic, metal, or some other resilient tough material that may be molded or metal-formed in a known way, such as by injection molding techniques for example. The cushion or sponge 10 may be formed from sponge, neoprene, known foams, and so forth. The clip may be attached to the foam by gluing the clip to the foam, for example.
With reference to FIGS. 3-4, when each spacer 22 is attached to the brim 16 of the cap 20, the effect of at least one spacer 22 creates a plenum or gap 14 between the head of the user and the brim of the cap 20, thereby providing air or fluid flow between the exterior and the interior of the cap 20 as air and/or humidity pass through the gap 14. When four spacers constituting a plurality of spacers are attached to the brim 16 of the cap 20 and are spaced about the circumference of the brim, the area and/or volume of the plenum or gap 14 is substantially increased as shown in FIG. 3, thereby providing a relatively greater cooling and/or venting from the inside to the outside of the cap 20.
In a second exemplary cap ventilation system 200 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, another exemplary spacer 222 may be formed by adhesively applying a sponge or cushion 210. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a sponge or cushion 210 may contain an adhesive backing 212 for adhesive application to the brim 16 or more generally, the cap interior 15. Again, at least one and preferably a plurality of spacers 222 may be spaced about the brim 16 by adhesively attaching them to the brim 16. The adhesive backing 212 may be formed on the cushion 210 in a known way, as formed by Merryweather Foam for example. The cushion or sponge may be formed as described above in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5.
In a third exemplary cap ventilation system 300 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, another exemplary spacer 322 may be formed as schematically shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a sponge or cushion 310 may contain a first Velcro member or Velcro backing 312 adhesively applied to the cushion 310, that is mated to a second Velcro member or Velcro component 313 that is adhesively or otherwise applied to the brim 16, or more generally, to the cap interior 15. Adhesively backed Velcro is commercially available and may be supplied by many known companies such as Original Thinking, for example. The cushion or sponge 310 may be formed as described above.
In yet another fourth exemplary cap ventilation system 400 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, another exemplary spacer 422 may be formed as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a sponge or cushion 410 may be sewn or otherwise fixed adjacent to or within the brim 16, whereby a plenum or gap 14 is still formed between the brim 16 and the user's head 18 wherein the at least one spacer or plurality of spacers 422 is not fixed. As shown, the sponge or cushion 410 is simply stitched within a pocket 424 or adhesively applied or stitched within the brim 16, or more generally the interior 15.
As is evident from the above descriptions of the various exemplary embodiments, the cap ventilation systems of the present invention may be retrofit onto or into an existing cap 20, or, alternatively, a novel cap 20 may contain an exemplary cap ventilation system 400, for example, that is integrated within the cap 20 as it is manufactured.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of providing an air flow between the inside of the cap 20 and the outside of the cap 20 is provided in the following steps:
- 1. provide a cap 20 containing an interior 15 and if desired, a brim 16;
- 2. provide at least one spacer 22 adapted to be attached to the interior 15 or the brim 16 of the cap 20, wherein the at least one spacer 22 creates a gap 14 between the interior 15 or the brim 16 of the cap 20, and the head 18 of a user; and
- 3. attach the at least one spacer 22 to the interior 15 or the brim 16 of the cap 20 to create the gap 14.
It will be appreciated that any of the spacers described herein may be utilized in this method. Additionally, it will be appreciated that a plurality of spacers 22 may be attached to the brim 16 to create a substantially greater gap 14 between the head 18 of the user and the brim 16.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various other modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as described in the specification and defined in the appended claims. For example, other known manufacturing techniques may be used and the structures or methods of forming each constituent of the cap ventilation systems described herein should not be construed as limited to the methods or structures disclosed herein.
Patent Application
20230363484
