HAT SIZE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM

FIELD

The disclosure relates to headwear including a size adjustment mechanism.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Headwear may be utilized to shield a wearer from environmental hazards, such as sunlight, debris, rain, etc. Headwear may be manufactured as “fitted” (e.g., where the same headwear is manufactured having different dimensions to accommodate different wearer head sizes) or “one size fits all.” Fitted headwear may incur additional manufacturing costs over one size fits all headwear, as each size/dimension configuration may be manufactured separately, thereby decreasing batch manufacturing efficiency. One size fits all headwear may include adjustment mechanisms in order to accommodate different wearer head sizes. However, typical size adjustment mechanisms may provide a select number of discrete size options, which may not accommodate all head sizes. Size adjustment mechanisms may also cause certain regions of the headwear to overlap, leading to unsightly bulging of excess material. In addition, components of the size adjustment mechanism positioned in the interior of the headwear may come in contact with hair of the wearer making the headwear uncomfortable to wear. Further, such size adjustment mechanisms may be rigid and/or bulky, which may limit stowability of the headwear, as the headwear may not be easily folded or rolled.

The present disclosure provides headwear that includes a hat body and a size adjustment mechanism that is configured to adjust a size of the crown without the use of rigid or bulky components. The size adjustment mechanism is positioned on a flap or lining that is attached to a bottom portion of the hat body in an interior of the headwear. The size adjustment mechanism includes a cord having a first end permanently attached to the interior of the hat body and a second end removeably attached to a second side of the flap of the headwear. An adjustment of the second end of the cord allows the headwear to be sized to fit a variety of head sizes. The second end of the cord is positioned on the headwear in such a way that contact with hair of the wearer by the size adjustment mechanism is reduced or eliminated. Aspects of the headwear, such as portions of the hat body, may be flexible and constructed with a material that can bunch or gather. Therefore, during size adjustment, any excess material of the headwear naturally gathers around the bottom portion of the hat body without gaps or bulging, thereby eliminating the need for managing overlapping segments of the headwear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure may be better understood from reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein below:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a hat in accordance with an example of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the hat of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom/interior view of the hat of FIG. 1 showing adjustable sizing features of the hat.

FIG. 4 shows an interior view of the hat of FIG. 1, wherein the size adjustment mechanism is held closed/fastened.

FIG. 5 shows an interior view of the hat of FIG. 1, wherein the size adjustment mechanism is held opened/unfastened.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a side view of another example hat including a size adjustment mechanism on an interior of the hat.

FIG. 7 schematically shows a side view of another example hat including a size adjustment mechanism on an interior of the hat.

FIG. 8 schematically shows a portion of the interior of the hat of FIG. 1, FIG. 6, or FIG. 7 including the size adjustment mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure provides for a size adjustment mechanism for headwear (e.g., a hat) that is not visible from the outside of the headwear, does not utilize any slits or gaps in the hat body or brim of the headwear, and further lacks rigid or bulky parts, at least in some examples. For example, the size adjustment mechanism may include a cord having a first end that is permanently attached to the headwear and a second end that is removeably attached to the headwear. The cord may be positioned in an interior of the headwear on a flap (referred to also as a sweatband) that is attached to a hat body of the headwear. The second end of the cord may include one or more fasteners to provide hat sizing flexibility. The positioning of the size adjustment mechanism in a hidden flap of the interior of the headwear may give the headwear the appearance of being fitted to the wearer's head and may prevent the fastener from getting caught in the hair of the wearer, thereby making the hat comfortable to wear while allowing size adjustments.

In some examples, the headwear on which the size adjustment mechanism is incorporated may be lightweight and flexible, allowing the headwear to be folded or rolled for storage, while also providing for natural gathering/bunching of the hat body when adjustments are made to the size of the hat via the size adjustment mechanism. The headwear may be made of a soft material that is light in weight (e.g., polyester, nylon, cotton). This provides flexibility to the headwear so that the headwear may bunch, gather, fold or otherwise be deformed without losing its original shape. In some examples, the headwear may also include a brim that extends at least partially around the hat body and is sturdy enough to be maintained away from a wearer's face and/or neck while also being flexible enough to allow the hat to be folded or rolled without damaging or creasing the headwear, thereby allowing for adequate air circulation while still providing sun protection to the wearer's face, neck, ears, etc.

As used herein, the term “headwear” may include any article configured to be worn on a head of a wearer, including caps, visors, earbands, etc. Headwear as defined herein may include headwear with a brim, without a brim, with a crown that covers a top of a wearer's head, or with a partial crown that does not cover a top of a wearer's head. The term “hat body” as used herein may refer to portions of the headwear that encircle and/or cover portions of the wearer's head. Hat body as defined herein may include a full crown that covers a top of a wearer's head or a partial crown that does not cover the top of the wearer's head.

Front and back views of an example hat, in accordance with the present disclosure, are shown in FIGS. 1-2. The hat includes a crown and may optionally include a crown band, a brim, and an optics holder. The interior of the hat with a size adjustment mechanism comprising a cord and its attachment points are shown in FIG. 3. A fastener/fastening mechanism is shown further in FIG. 4, wherein the hat is shown in a fastened state. FIG. 5 shows the interior of the hat in an unfastened state, revealing different components of the fastener. While FIG. 1-5 shows a specific example of a hat configuration including the size adjustment mechanism discussed herein, the size adjustment mechanism may be included in other types of headwear without departing from the scope of this disclosure, as shown by the schematic example hats and size adjustment mechanism of FIGS. 6-8.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of an example hat 100 including a hat body 102. FIG. 2 shows a back view of the hat described in FIG. 1. FIGS. 1 and 2 are collectively described herein. The hat body 102 includes a multi-paneled crown 104 that is configured to extend over a top of a wearer's head. In some embodiments, the crown 104 may include a plurality of panels extending around a circumference or perimeter of the crown. In the illustrated example, the crown may include a front panel 120, two side panels 121 and 124, and two central panels 122 and 123. However, in other examples, the crown may be formed of a unibody construction (e.g., a single piece of material), may include pleats, and/or may include a different number of panels (e.g., six panels, four panels). In some examples, each panel (or the entirety of the crown) may include the same type of fabric or other material. In other embodiments, one or more panels may include a different type of material than the other panels. The fabric material may include cotton, polyester, silk, and/or other suitable materials that makes the crown lightweight and very flexible to bunch or gather, while still retaining its ability to form a crown when the hat is worn by a wearer. The front panel 120 and/or the outer material of front panel 120 may be secured to the surrounding panels 121, 122, 123 and 124 via respective stitching along each side of the panel or by another suitable securing mechanism. In some examples, the front panel 120 may be the same size as the side panels 121, 124 and/or the central panels 122, 123. In other examples, the front panel 121 may be a different size (e.g., larger or smaller) than the side panels 121, 124 and/or the central panels 122, 123. In some examples, some or all panels of the multi-paneled crown 104 may have a similar shape. In other examples, all panels of the crown may have a different shape.

In the illustrated example, a plurality of seams attaches the crown panels together. For example, the front panel 120 is coupled to central panels 122 and 123 via a seam 130. The two central panels 122 and 123 are coupled to each other via a seam 133. The side panel 121 is coupled to the panel 122 via a seam 132. The side panel 124 is coupled to the panel 123 via a seam 134. The seams 132, 133, and 134 extend continuously from the crown band at a first respective location in the back of the hat, over the top, and back to the crown band in the front of the hat. In the front of the headwear, the seams 132, 133, and 134 meet/intersect the seam 130.

As shown, the hat body 102 includes a crown band 108 that forms the bottom portion of the crown 104. The crown band 108 may curve around a circumference of the hat body and may include the same or different type of material as the crown 104. In the illustrated example, the crown band 108 does not extend all the way around the crown 104. The crown band 108 terminates at the front panel 120 of the multi-paneled crown 104. In other examples, however, the crown band 108 may extend all the way around the crown 104 without terminating at the front panel.

The crown band 108 may include one or more pairs of optics holders, configured to secure eyewear or other objects to a front of the headwear. For example, a slit 112a and a slit 112b may be present along the sides of the crown band 108 providing access to one or more pockets. The pockets may be configured to house a portion of an earpiece or other structure of an optical device (e.g., sunglasses, eyeglasses, safety glasses, goggles, etc.), as described in more detail below. In some examples, one or both of the crown band and optics holders may be omitted. In examples where the crown band is omitted, each panel of the crown may extend to a bottom circumferential edge that may be coupled to a brim (explained below) or that may form a terminating edge of the hat.

The hat 100 includes a brim 106 that extends from the crown band 108 and front panel 120 and traverses around the entirety of the crown 104. The brim 106 may be coupled to the crown along a bottom circumferential edge of the crown band and a bottom circumferential edge of the front panel, or along a bottom circumferential edge of the crown (when the crown band is omitted). In some examples, stitching 110 of the brim 106 may run in concentric circles. In other examples, the stitching 110 of the brim may include a variety of other shapes. The stitching shown in the present disclosure is non-limiting, and other stitching patterns, including a lack of stitching, are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The brim 106 may include an outer circumferential edge 116. The fabric around the outer edge 116 of the brim 106 may be folded, such that some parts of the fabric go into the interior and/or exterior of the brim. In some examples, a folded-edge hem sewn with a running stitch may create the outer edge 116 of the brim 106. The brim 106 may be less rigid than conventional hat brims. In the examples illustrated herein, the brim 106 may flex and/or bend based on a shape of the crown and may flex and/or bend as the headwear is bent, folded, rolled, etc. For example, a waviness along the circumference of the brim 106 may be present, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which may change as the circumference of the crown is adjusted via the size adjustment mechanism described in more detail below. In this way, the brim may flex to accommodate size changes of the headwear and/or in response to the headwear being folded or rolled, without permanently deforming the brim. The brim 106 may include a material that is relatively sturdier than the material of the crown 104, e.g., foam that helps maintain the shape of the brim, while the brim still retains its flexibility. In some embodiments, the material of the brim 106 may be lined with fabric. In other examples, however, the material of the brim 106 may only be composed of fabric without including a sturdy material. In those examples, the brim may be sprayed with a fabric stiffener or starch in order to provide a shape.

The hat 100 may optionally include an adjustable chin strap (not shown) to secure the hat on a user's head and/or allow the hat to hang on a user's back. The chin strap may include a single string and adjustment mechanism that may be adjusted to change a tightness of the string around the user's chin/neck. In some embodiments, the chin strap may include two interlocking pieces with an adjustable fastening mechanism (e.g., via buckle, zipper, snap fastener, hook, buttons, etc.) The chin strap may be attached to the interior of the hat in a permanent or semi-permanent manner (e.g., via stitching, gluing, and/or other coupling mechanisms). In yet other examples, the chin strap may be omitted completely from the hat.

As described previously, the slit 112a and the slit 112b present along the sides of the crown band 108 are configured to provide access to a respective pocket formed on a respective side of the crown. For example, slit 112a may provide access to a first pocket (not visible) on a right side of the headwear and slit 112b may provide access to a second pocket (not visible) on a left side of the headwear. Each pocket may be configured to house a portion of an earpiece or other structure of an optical device (e.g., sunglasses, eyeglasses, safety glasses, goggles, etc.). A pocket may be formed of two or more materials coupled together in a manner that enables elements to be inserted therein. For example, earpieces/legs of the frames of the optics may be inserted into the pockets. Accordingly, a pocket, as used herein, may encompass a channel formed between two or more materials (e.g., two or more materials layered on top of one another and joined along two opposing edges to form an opening therebetween with at least two entrances to the channel), a partially-enclosed pocket (e.g., two or more materials layered on top of one another and joined along at least three edges to form an opening therebetween with only one entrance to the pocket, the pocket being segregated from other material and/or closed at both or either end), and/or any suitable variation thereof.

Each slit may be angled from the bottom of the crown band to the top of the crown band at a suitable angle, such as 55°, 45°, 65°, or another suitable angle. For example, slit 112a may extend upward from the bottom of the crown band to the top of the crown band while angling backward (e.g., toward a rear side of the headwear) at an angle of 55° or other suitable angle. Each slit may include reinforcing material along the outer side of the slit, such as a panel of material that is thicker, more rigid or sturdier, etc., than the material comprising the crown band.

Material may be inserted into the slits and/or around the opening/edges of the slits to further prevent and/or promote movement of the optics out of/into the pockets. For example, material having a relatively more adhesive quality (e.g., rubber, texturized material for gripping, silicone, rough fabric, etc.) may be utilized within a pocket and/or along an interior of the edges of openings of the slits to help retain inserted optics within the pocket. Material having a relatively less adhesive or slicker quality (e.g., metal, leather, smooth plastic/fabric, etc.) may be provided along edges of the slits and/or an outer region of the slits in order to promote insertion of optics into the slits/pocket and/or guide the optics into the slits/pocket.

It is to be understood that any number or combination of slits and pockets may be used to secure optics or other objects to the hat. In some examples, the optics holders may utilize various venting slit sizes/segmentations and possible liners to make the eyewear “lock” in more securely. For example, a horizontal stitching may be provided across the slit to create a more secure holding mechanism for the optics when housed in a given pocket. The segmentation of the slits may also provide differently sized openings for differently sized optics. Furthermore, the segmentation of the slits may enable earpieces or other frame elements to be inserted relatively high on the crown of the hat (e.g., in an uppermost opening, above a horizontal stitch) or relatively low on the crown of the hat (e.g., in a lowermost opening, below a horizontal stitch and the uppermost opening). For example, sunglasses with larger frames/lenses may be inserted into an uppermost opening of the slit in order to allow the bottom of the sunglasses lenses/frames to rest on the brim of the hat. Additionally or alternatively, slits may be positioned in any suitable location or configuration on the headwear. For example, the slits may be positioned higher or lower on the crown, spaced further apart from/closer to one another, shifted along a circumference of the crown, and/or otherwise repositioned relative to the illustrated example without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

The brim 106 may include a longitudinal stitching on each of the left and right side of the hat (shown in FIG. 5). The left side of the hat has a longitudinal stitching 306 on the brim. The right side of the hat has a longitudinal stitching 406 on the brim. Each of the stitching 306 and 406 connects the outer edge 116 of the brim 106 with the crown band 108. The longitudinal stitching 306 and 406 may divide the brim 106 into two pieces. This provides more flexibility to the brim of the hat, such that the hat can be easily folded for carrying purposes.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom/interior view 300 of the example hat 100. As shown in FIG. 3, the front panel 120, the side panels 121 and 124, and the central panels 122 and 123 are joined at an underside of the crown 104 of the hat. Each of the seam 130, 132, 133, and 134 that hold together the plurality of crown panels may be lined with a seam liner at the underside of the crown. The seam liner on each of the seam may have the same or different widths.

As shown in the interior views of the hat in FIG. 3, the underside of the entirety of the crown band comprises a flap 602 made of fabric or another material. The flap 602 may also be referred to as a sweatband and/or as a lining of the crown band. The flap 602 may have a width F. In the illustrated example, the width F of the flap 602 is the same as the width of the crown band. A first circumferential edge 632 of the flap 602 may be attached to the crown where the crown meets the brim. A second circumferential edge 634 of the flap 602 may be a free edge that is not attached to the crown or brim, at least along some of the crown. For example, the second circumferential edge 634 of the flap 602 may not be attached to the crown or brim at least along a region having a size adjustment mechanism (explained below). This creates two opposing sides of the flap 602, a first side 602a that faces the head of the wearer and a second side (not shown in FIG. 3) that faces the crown, when the hat is worn by a wearer.

The interior of the hat, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises a size adjustment mechanism 604. In the illustrated example, the size adjustment mechanism 604 is located on the flap 602 of the crown band towards the back of the headwear. In other examples, the size adjustment mechanism 604 may be positioned anywhere on a circumference of the flap or lining of the crown band, for example, towards the front or left side or right side of the headwear. The size adjustment mechanism 604 is configured to adjust an effective circumference of the crown. Additionally, the size adjustment mechanism 604, according to the present disclosure, is void of any rigid parts. Rather, the size adjustment mechanism 604 includes only flexible/bendable materials that may be bent or folded without permanently deforming the size adjustment mechanism. However, in some examples, one or more rigid parts may be included, such as snap closures, eye and hook closures, etc. In these examples, the rigid parts may be relatively small and may not impede overall bending or folding of the hat.

A bottom circumferential edge of the crown (e.g., where the crown terminates, whether into the brim or at the terminal edge of the hat) is continuous along a region of the crown that overlaps the size adjustment mechanism. The region of the crown that overlaps the size adjustment mechanism may not have any gaps, slits, or holes therein, other than vent holes or slits accommodate optics, as explained above. For example, referring back to FIG. 2, the crown band 108 may extend continuously without any gaps, slits, or holes across a rear of the hat and the size adjustment mechanism may be positioned on an inner side of the crown band at the rear of the hat. In this way, when the size adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the effective circumference of the crown, the crown may bunch or gather naturally without relying on a change in overlap of crown panels, a change in a size of a gap, etc., which may simplify crown construction, thereby lowering manufacturing costs and reducing or eliminating rigid parts.

Moreover, the flap and one or more materials comprising the crown at least along the bottom circumferential edge of the crown are not elastic, at least in some examples. By avoiding elastic materials, the durability of the hat may be increased. However, in some examples, at least some of the flap and/or crown may be comprised of elastic or semi-elastic materials.

As shown, the size adjustment mechanism 604 comprises a cord 606 having a first end and a second end. The cord 606 may be elastic in some examples, or may be comprised of a non-elastic material. The first end of the cord 606 is permanently attached to the hat on a second side of the flap 602 (opposite the first side 602a visible in FIG. 3) and/or on an interior of the crown band. The first end of the cord may be fixedly secured to the hat via stitching, gluing or other suitable means. The cord 606 may traverse a first slot 612 in the flap 602, such that after the first slot 612, the cord 606 is visible on the first side 602a of the flap 602. The cord 606 may extend along the first side 602a of the flap 602 until a second slot 610, where the cord 606 may traverse the second slot 610 to be positioned under the flap 602, between the flap 602 and the crown band. The second end of the cord 606 is removeably attached to the second side of the flap 602 (not visible in FIG. 3). More details on the second side of the flap will be presented below with respect to FIG. 4. The cord 606 may only extend along a portion of the crown, such as 10-25% of the circumference of the bottom circumferential edge of the crown, and may not extend around an entirety of the crown. By including a cord that only extends along a portion of the crown, the materials used to construct the hat may be reduced, which may minimize the weight of the hat and reduce manufacturing costs.

The cord 606 may be held in close proximity to the first side 602a of the flap 602 via a loop 608 that is positioned on the first side 602a of the flap 602. The loop 608 may be secured to the flap 602 via stitching, gluing or other suitable means. The loop 608 may be configured to be aligned with the seam 133 that separates the crown panels 122 and 123. The loop 608 is configured to hold the cord 606 in place. In the illustrated example only one loop is shown; other embodiments may have more than one loop to hold the cord 606 in place.

FIG. 4 includes an interior view 400 of the example hat 100 with both sides of the flap 602 shown. The cord 606 may have a width J and a suitable length. The width J of the cord 606 may be half the width F of the flap 602, or other suitable dimension. As shown, the second end of the cord 606 extends from the first side 602a to the second side 602b of the flap through the second slot 610 in the flap 602. The second side 602b of the flap 602 comprises a fastener 802 that allows a removable attachment of the second end of the cord 606. In the illustrated example, the fastener 802 includes a hook and loop mechanism that includes a first piece positioned on the second side 602b of the flap 602 and a second piece positioned along the second end of the cord 606. The first and second pieces of fastener 802 are shown in FIG. 5 and described in more detail below. In other embodiments, the fastening mechanism may comprise a snap(s), button(s), hook and eyelets, etc., instead of or in addition to the hook and loop fastener. An adjustment of the fastener allows hat sizing flexibility around the crown band of the hat which will be discussed in more detail with respect to FIG. 5. Both the cord 606 and the fastener 802 are configured to bend or flex at any portion of the cord and fastener, without permanently deforming the cord or the fastener, at least in the illustrated example.

In FIG. 4, the size adjustment mechanism is shown to be held closed or fastened with the second end of the cord 606 being attached to the first piece of the fastener 802. In the illustrated example, approximately one-third of the total length of the cord 606 is attached to the first piece of the fastener 802, such that the bottom portion of the crown may have its largest possible diameter. The size adjustment mechanism, according to the present disclosure, is configured in a way such that the first end of the cord 606 is permanently anchored to the hat (e.g., at the inner side of the crown) at a location towards the back of the headwear. The cord 606 then traverses the flap 602 through the first slot 612, extends along the first side 602a of the flap 602 for a certain distance (depending on how much overlap is present between the cord 606 and the first piece of the fastener 802), and traverses the flap 602 again through the second slot 610, before the second end of the cord 606 removably attaches to the first piece of the fastener 802 on the second side 602b (e.g., inside) of the flap 602. The cord 606 extends through the second slot 610 in order to travel from the first side 602a to the second side 602b of the flap 602. Having the first end of the cord 606 permanently attached to the headwear allows the cord to be secured at one place, such that the second end of the cord 606 can be positioned with varying overlap with the first piece of the fastener 802 for adjusting the size of the headwear. When the second end of the cord is positioned so that the cord has a greater amount of overlap with the first piece of the fastener, the first end of the cord is moved closer to the loop, the second slot, and the first piece of the fastener. Because the first end is permanently attached to the hat (e.g., to the crown), the crown is thereby moved toward the loop, the second slot, and the first piece of the fastener, thereby decreasing the circumference of the crown. When the second end of the cord is positioned so that the cord has a smaller amount of overlap with the first piece of the fastener, the first end of the cord is moved further from the loop, the second slot, etc., and the circumference of the crown may be increased. The removable attachment of the second end of the cord on the inside of the flap 602 helps prevent elements of the fastener 802 from getting caught in the hair of the wearer, thereby making the hat comfortable to wear while allowing size adjustments. Further, by having the cord traverse the flap so that the attachment points of the cord (the terminating ends of the cord) are located on the inner side of the flap (e.g., non-visible side) while the middle of the cord is located on the outer side of the flap (e.g., the visible side), the crown may be held relatively smooth with the bunching of the crown being move evenly distributed when the hat is adjusted to a smaller size, which may be more comfortable to the wearer and provide a sleeker look on the exterior of the hat. Additionally, allowing some of the size adjustment mechanism to be visible on the interior of the hat may assist a wearer in knowing that the size adjustment mechanism is present on the hat. Therefore, the overall configuration of the size adjustment mechanism, in accordance with the present disclosure, provides several added benefits.

FIG. 5 shows an interior view 500 of the hat 100 with the size adjustment mechanism in an open position or unfastened state, wherein the second end of the cord is not attached to the first piece of the fastener 802.

As shown, the fastener 802 (e.g., a hook and loop fastener) may comprise two pieces. A first piece 1010 of the fastener 802 may be positioned on the second side 602b of the flap 602 and a second piece 1020 of the fastener 802 may be positioned on the second end of the cord 606 that faces the second side 602b of the flap 602. The first and the second pieces of the hook and loop fastener engage with one another to form a closure. The second piece 1020 of the fastener 802 may have the same width as the first piece 1010 and as the width J of the cord 606. A length of the second piece 1020 may be half a length of the first piece 1010 of the fastener 802, or other suitable dimension.

When the hat is being worn, the two pieces of the fastener engage with one another to hold the hat in a fastened state. As shown previously in FIG. 4, the crown may have the largest diameter when the first piece 1010 and the second piece 1020 of the fastener 802 overlap by a first amount or less (e.g., the terminating end of the cord 606 is coupled to the first piece 1010 at a position along a first half of the length of the first piece). The first piece 1010 of the fastener 802 and the second end of the cord 606 may overlap a proportion of one another that changes as the hat is resized via the sizing mechanism. For example, when the hat is tightened into a smaller size, the fastener 802 may be adjusted such that the first piece 1010 and the second piece 1020 of the fastener 802 overlap by an amount that is larger than the first amount (e.g., the terminating end of the cord 606 may be coupled to the first piece 1010 at a position along the second half of the length of the first piece). This reduces the overall diameter of the crown. Since the second circumferential edge 634 of the flap 602 is unattached to the crown, during size adjustment, the flap 602 can be flipped out so that the wearer can access the fastener 802, following which the flap 602 can be returned to its original flat position. As the size of the hat is adjusted, the region of the crown and the flap 602 along the length of the cord 606 may get folded or deformed leading to overlapping segments. However, due to the flexibility of the hat material, the folded or overlapping segments naturally gather around the crown band region without interfering with the aesthetics of the hat. Therefore, the size adjustment mechanism of the present disclosure adjusts an effective circumference of the crown without including any cord locks or drawstring adjusters as used by other hats, which may allow the hat to be lighter in weight and have increased flexibility relative to other hats.

The features described herein may be provided in various combinations of headwear examples to provide a flexible, robust, and functional hat that performs well in any environment and stands up to heavy use. Although a wide-brimmed hat is illustrated and described, it is to be understood that any one or more of the features described herein may be included in other styles of hats, including, without limitation, a ball cap, a sun fedora, a boonie hat, a capotain, a gat, a hardee hat, a homburg, a panama, a sombrero, a top hat, and/or other suitable head covering.

While a five panel crown having a crown band and coupled to a brim that extends around an entirety of the crown has been shown and described herein, other hat configurations including the size adjustment mechanism described herein are possible. For example, the crown may include more or fewer panels and/or may not include a crown band. Further, the hat may not include a brim that extends around an entire circumference of the crown. Rather, the hat may be a ball cap-style hat with only a front brim, or the hat may have another suitable brim configuration. In any of these alternate configurations, the size adjustment mechanism may still be positioned on a flap or lining attached to a bottom portion of the hat body (e.g., crown) in an interior of the headwear. The size adjustment mechanism may include a cord having a first end and a second end as described herein, the first end being permanently attached to the hat body, a middle extending along a first side of the flap, and the second end being removeably attached to a second opposing side of the flap of the hat body. The second end of the cord may extend to the second side of the flap via a slot in the flap. An adjustment of the second end of the cord may allow the crown to be sized to fit a variety of head sizes. Once a desired size of the hat body is reached, the crown may be held in place at the desired size with a fastener positioned on the second side of the flap of the hat body. These alternate hat configurations may still be made up of material that is lightweight and flexible with an ability to bunch or gather.

FIGS. 6 and 7 schematically show additional example hats having a size adjustment mechanism as disclosed herein. FIG. 6 schematically shows an exterior of a side view of a hat 1200 including a hat body in the form of a full crown 1202 coupled to a brim 1204. The crown 1202 may have a suitable shape and configuration (e.g., multi-panel, unibody construction, panels of different material, etc.) and may be configured to cover a top of a head of a wearer. The brim 1204, when included, may traverse around some or all of the crown and may have a suitable width. As shown, hat 1200 is a baseball cap with a brim that is only positioned at the front of the hat, but other brim and/or crown configurations are possible without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The hat 1200 may include an inner band or flap, referred to as a sweatband 1206, that is not visible on the exterior of the hat 1200 (and thus is shown in FIG. 6 in dotted lines). Positioned on the sweatband 1206 and an inner side of the crown 1202 is a size adjustment mechanism 1208. The size adjustment mechanism 1208 is not visible on the exterior of the hat 1200, and thus is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 6. The size adjustment mechanism 1208 is a non-limiting example of the size adjustment mechanism shown and described above with respect to FIGS. 3-5.

FIG. 7 schematically shows an exterior of a side view of a hat 1210 including a hat body in the form of a partial crown 1212 coupled to a brim 1214. The crown 1212 may have a suitable shape and configuration (e.g., multi-panel, unibody construction, panels of different material, etc.) and is not configured to cover a top portion of a head of a wearer. The brim 1214, when included, may traverse around some or all of the crown and may have a suitable width. As shown, hat 1210 is a capless visor with a brim that is only positioned at the front of the hat, but other brim and/or crown configurations are possible without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The hat 1210 may include a sweatband 1206, that is not visible on the exterior of the hat 1210, similar to hat 1200. Positioned on the sweatband 1206 and an inner side of the crown 1212 is the size adjustment mechanism 1208. The size adjustment mechanism 1208 is not visible on the exterior of the hat 1210, and thus is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 7. The size adjustment mechanism 1208 is a non-limiting example of the size adjustment mechanism shown and described above with respect to FIGS. 3-5.

FIG. 8 is a magnified view 1300 of the sweatband 1206 and including the size adjustment mechanism 1208 (and thus provides an interior view of a portion of the hat 1200 or hat 1210). The sweatband 1206 has a first, outer side that is visible to a wearer and a second, inner side that is not visible to the wearer unless the wearer flips the sweatband outward to reveal the inner side. FIG. 8 shows the first, outer side of the sweatband 1206, although components of the size adjustment mechanism positioned on the inner side of the sweatband and/or the hat body/crown are shown in FIG. 8 (in dotted lines) to allow for visualization of the components of the size adjustment mechanism.

The size adjustment mechanism 1208 includes a strap 1302 having a first terminating end 1304 and a second terminating end 1306. The strap 1302 is a non-limiting example of the cord 606 of FIGS. 3-5. The first terminating end 1304 may be permanently attached (e.g., via stitching or adhesive) to an interior of the crown 1202 and the second terminating end 1306 may be a free end that may be removably coupled to a complementary fastener 1318 positioned on the second, inner side of the sweatband 1206. The sweatband 1206 includes a first slot 1308 and a second slot 1310, with each slot including an opening in the sweatband 1206. The strap 1302 traverses each of the first slot 1308 and the second slot 1310. As such, a middle portion of the strap 1302 (shown in solid lines in FIG. 8) extends along the outer side of the sweatband 1206. A positioning strap 1312 is coupled to the sweatband 1206 at a top end and a bottom end of the positioning strap, and the strap 1302 passes under the positioning strap 1312. In this way, the strap 1302 may be maintained in proximity to the sweatband 1206, even though the strap 1302 is not coupled to sweatband 1206 at any point other than the removable coupling provided via the complementary fastener 1318.

In some examples, the strap 1302 may include an elastic segment 1314 at a first end of the strap 1302 (e.g., at the first terminating end 1304). The elastic segment 1314 may be comprised of a different material than the main body of the strap 1302. For example, the elastic segment 1314 may be comprised of a polyester and rubber blend and the main body of the strap 1302 may be comprised of nylon, polypropylene, canvas, or other suitable material. In this way, the elastic segment 1314 may be configured to stretch during resizing of the hat via the size adjustment mechanism, which may prevent wear or degradation of the attachment between the first terminating end of the strap 1302 and the crown 1202 or crown 1212.

The second end of the strap 1302 (e.g., at and proximate to the second terminating end 1306) may include a fastening segment 1316. The fastening segment 1316 may be configured to interact with the complementary fastener 1318 on the sweatband 1206 in order to hold the strap 1302 in a desired position. The fastening segment 1316 may include hook material or loop material, and the complementary fastener 1318 may include loop material (when the fastening segment 1316 is hook material) or hook material (when the fastening segment 1316 is loop material), thereby creating a hook and loop fastener. However, other fastening mechanisms are possible, such as hook and eyelet, buttons, snaps, etc. The fastening segment 1316 may extend a suitable length along strap 1302 (e.g., 0.5-2 inches) and the complementary fastener 1318 may have a length that is longer than the length of the fastening segment 1316 (e.g., 1-4 inches).

By adjusting the amount of overlap between the fastening segment 1316 and the complementary fastener 1318, a wearer of the hat 1200 or hat 1210 may decrease or increase the circumference of the crown 1202 or crown 1212 along a bottom edge of the crown 1202 or crown 1212. When the amount of overlap is increased, the circumference may be decreased and when the amount of overlap is decreased, the circumference may be increased up to the maximum circumference of the crown. When the circumference is decreased, the crown 1202 or crown 1212 may bunch/gather along the size adjustment mechanism 1208, and this bunching/gathering may be facilitated by the lightweight, flexible material of the crown 1202 or crown 1212. When included along the rear of the hat, the brim 1204 or brim 1214 may flex or form waves to accommodate the decreased circumference of the crown.

The disclosure also provides support for a headwear, comprising: a hat body including a flap positioned along an interior of the hat body, and a size adjustment mechanism positioned along the flap, the size adjustment mechanism including a cord extending along a first side of the flap and having a first end fixedly attached to the interior of the hat body and a second end removably attachable to a second side of the flap. In a first example of the headwear, a bottom circumferential edge of the hat body is continuous along a region of the hat body overlapping the size adjustment mechanism and the region of the hat body has no gaps, slits, or holes. In a second example of the headwear, optionally including the first example, the flap and one or more materials comprising the hat body at least along the bottom circumferential edge of the hat body are not elastic. In a third example of the headwear, optionally including one or both of the first and second examples, the headwear further comprises: a brim coupled along at least a portion of the bottom circumferential edge of the hat body. In a fourth example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first through third examples, the hat body and the brim are configured to bend or flex at any portion of the hat body and the brim without permanently deforming the hat body or the brim. In a fifth example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first through fourth examples, the cord includes an elastic segment at the first end of the cord. In a sixth example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first through fifth examples, the cord further comprises a non-elastic material. In a seventh example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first through sixth examples, the size adjustment mechanism further comprises a fastener, a first piece of the fastener positioned on the second side of the flap and a second piece of the fastener positioned on the second end of the cord, the second piece of the fastener configured to engage the first piece of the fastener to hold the size adjustment mechanism in a desired position. In an eighth example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first through seventh examples, the cord extends from the interior of the hat body to the first side of the flap through a first slot in the flap and from the first side of the flap to the second side of the flap through a second slot in the flap. In a ninth example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first through eighth examples, the cord only extends along a portion of the flap, and wherein the hat body comprises a partial crown. In a tenth example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first through ninth examples, the size adjustment mechanism lacks any cord locks or drawstring adjusters.

The disclosure also provides support for a headwear, comprising: a hat body including a flap positioned along an interior of the hat body, a brim coupled to the crown and extending along at least a portion of a bottom circumference of the hat body, and a size adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an effective circumference of the hat body, where the size adjustment mechanism is void of any rigid parts and includes a cord extending along a first side of the flap and having a first end fixedly attached to the interior of the hat body and a second end removably attachable to a second side of the flap. In a first example of the headwear, the size adjustment mechanism further comprises a fastener, where the cord and the fastener are configured to bend or flex at any portion of the cord and the fastener without permanently deforming the cord or the fastener. In a second example of the headwear, optionally including the first example, the second end of the cord is removably attachable to the second side of the flap via the fastener, where a portion of the cord extends along the first side of the flap. In a third example of the headwear, optionally including one or both of the first and second examples, the fastener comprises a first piece positioned on the second side of the flap and a second piece positioned on the second end of the cord, the second piece of the fastener configured to engage the first piece of the fastener. In a fourth example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first through third examples, the flap includes a slot, and the cord is configured to extend from the first side of the flap to the second side of the flap through the slot. In a fifth example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first through fourth examples, the bottom circumference of the hat body is continuous along a region of the hat body overlapping the size adjustment mechanism and where the region of the hat body has no gaps, slits, or holes. In a sixth example of the headwear, optionally including one or more or each of the first through fifth examples, the flap and one or more materials comprising the hat body at least along the bottom circumference of the crown are not elastic.

The disclosure also provides support for a headwear, comprising: a hat body including a flap positioned along an interior of the hat body and having a first slot and a second slot, and a size adjustment mechanism positioned along the flap, the size adjustment mechanism including a cord having a first end fixedly attached to the interior of the hat body and a second end removably attachable to an inner side of the flap, the cord configured to extend from the first end, through the first slot, along an outer side of the flap, and to the inner side of the flap via the second slot. In a first example of the headwear, the size adjustment mechanism further includes a fastener including a first piece positioned on the inner side of the flap and a second piece positioned on the second end of the cord, the second piece of the fastener configured to engage the first piece of the fastener.

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 headwear features 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 headwear 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.

HAT SIZE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM

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