Headgear with insert for exhibiting a display thereon

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6418562
  • Patent Number
    6,418,562
  • Date Filed
    Friday, September 7, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 16, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
A headgear and method for exhibiting displays, such as company logos, special events, messages, or just general advertisement on the bill of the headgear are provided. The bill, generally made from a stiff material, can be provided with a flexible and pliable insert to permit a display to be embroidered or sewn therethrough, while permitting the bill to maintain its shape.
Description




TECHNICAL FIELD




The present invention relates generally to headgear, for example, caps and visors, and more particularly to headgear having a bill which permits exhibition of displays thereon.




BACKGROUND ART




Headgear, including caps and visors, have been in use for quite some time to display company logos, special events, messages, or just general advertisements. The exhibition of these displays have mostly been on the front of the cap or visor, and in particular, in the crown area of the cap or headband area of visor adjacent the forehead of the wearer, where the fabric is sufficiently soft to permit, for instance, embroidering, sewing or attachment of the display. Displays have also been provided at the back of the cap, for example, on the adjustable headband or the crown area immediately above it, since these areas are also sufficiently soft to permit embroidering, sewing or attachment of the display. To a certain extent, some of the displays have been provided on the bill of the cap or visor. Such displays, however, have mostly been embroidered or sewn on to the soft fabric covering the bill and not to the bill itself. One reason which may have prevented the display from being sewn or embroidered directly through the bill may be because most bills, being made from hard plastic or cardboard, are too stiff to permit sewing or embroidering of displays. Many commercially available caps and visors are designed to include a bill that is sufficiently stiff to permit the bill to maintain its shape when the cap or visor is worn. Such a bill may be adequate for many purposes and may be desirable in many situations. However, a stiff bill typically does not permit a display to be easily attached or embroidered therethrough.




The exhibition of displays on the bill of the headgear may also be an expensive procedure. In particular, as the fabric around the stiff bill has already been stretched tightly over the bill, manufactures cannot use the existing headgear in their warehouses, as is, to embroider the display onto the fabric around the bill. Instead, in one practice, the entire bill or the fabric over the entire bill must be removed, the display embroidered on to a new piece of fabric, and subsequently the bill be re-covered with the newly embroidered fabric. This process can be avoided if the headgear manufacturers is given sufficient notice. With notice, the manufacturers can modify the manufacturing process to accommodate the embroidering of the display onto the piece of fabric prior to covering the bill. Such modification of the hat making process, however, may require the fabric around the bill to be set aside for the embroidering, which again can be time consuming and may add unwanted expenses to the production of the headgear. As is more often than not, the amount of the order may not justify modification of the normal headgear manufacturing process. Accordingly, for those organizations wishing to have their logos, messages, or special events exhibited on the bill, unless the they can foresee a sufficient return on the sales of the headgear with such displays, many will forego the exhibition of the display on the bill of the headgear.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention, in accordance with one embodiment, provides a headgear, for example, a visor or a cap which can exhibit displays, such as company logos, special events, messages, or just general advertisements. The headgear, as provided, can include a band for placement circumferentially about a head of a person. The headgear can also include a bill portion having distal end and a proximal end, which proximal end is attached to the band. The bill, in an embodiment of the invention, includes an insert made from a material that is sufficiently soft and flexible. By providing an insert of soft, flexible material, the bill is provided with an area that is sufficiently pliable to permit a display to be sewn, embroidered, or attached therethrough, while permitting the remainder of the bill to maintain its shape. The headgear may also include a crown portion defining a hat for placement on to the head of a person. The crown portion is preferably provided with a lower substantially circular periphery to which the band may be attached. As the head size may vary from person to person, the headgear of the present invention may include a band which permits adjustment of its circumference, so as to accommodate different size heads.




In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of exhibiting a display on a headgear is provided. The method may included providing a headgear having a headband and a bill portion that is attached at its proximal end to the headband. The bill portion, in one embodiment, includes an insert made from a soft flexible material. Subsequently, a display may be secured through the flexible insert on to the bill portion of the headgear either by embroidering, sewing or attaching, for instance, with a pin. Alternatively, only the bill portion of the headgear having the flexible insert is initially provided, to which the display is embroidered or sewn through the flexible insert. Thereafter, the bill portion is attached at its proximal end to the band. In either of these embodiments, a crown portion defining a hat and having a lower periphery may be provided for attachment to the band along the periphery.




In a further embodiment for exhibiting a display on a headgear, a headgear is provided with a crown portion and a bill portion attached at its proximal end to the crown portion. The bill portion, in one embodiment, includes an insert made from a soft flexible material. Subsequently, a display may be secured through the flexible insert on to the bill portion of the headgear either by embroidering, sewing or attaching with, for instance, a pin. In an alternate embodiment, only the bill portion of the headgear having the flexible insert is initially provided, to which the display is embroidered or sewn through the insert. Thereafter, the bill portion is attached at its proximal end to the crown portion.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1A

illustrates a perspective upper frontal view a headgear in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 1B

illustrates a bill portion of the headgear shown in

FIG. 1A

, which bill portion includes an insert therein.





FIG. 2

illustrates a perspective upper rear view of the headgear in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3A

illustrates an alternate embodiment of a headgear of the present invention.





FIG. 3B

illustrates a bill portion of the headgear shown in

FIG. 3A

, which bill portion includes an insert therein.





FIGS. 4-6

illustrate various embodiments for securely exhibiting a display on to the headgear of the present invention.





FIGS. 7-8

illustrate features which minimize movement of an insert within the bill portion and which minimize the appearance of a transition from an insert to the bill portion.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS




The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a headgear which permits embroidering or sewing of displays, such as company logos, special events, messages, or just general advertisement, thereon. The headgear of the present invention may either be a visor or a cap.




In

FIGS. 1A-B

there is shown a cap


10


having a crown portion


11


and a bill portion


12


attached thereto. The crown portion


11


, in general, may be used for placement on to a head of a person. The bill portion


12


, on the other hand, may be characterized by a substantially stiff material, such as hard plastic or cardboard, with a soft, flexible insert


13


therein. The provision of a soft, flexible insert


13


in the bill portion


12


permits a display


14


to be sewn, embroidered or attached, for example, with a pin, through the flexible insert


13


, while permitting the bill portion


12


to adequately maintain its shape. To position the flexible insert


13


within the bill portion


12


, in one embodiment, an aperture


121


may be provided, for instance, by die-cutting, at a predetermined location on the bill portion


12


with a shape that complements the shape of the insert


13


. In this manner, insert may adequately fit within the aperture


121


. It should be appreciated that the insert


13


and aperture


121


may be located anywhere on the bill portion


12


, and may be designed to have any geometric shape, so long as the two complement one another for adequate fitting.




The flexible insert


13


may be maintained within the aperture


121


by any conventional means. In an embodiment, edges around insert


13


and aperture


121


may be sewn together using conventional threading. Such threading, as shown in

FIG. 7

, may be used to providing stitchings


70


to substantially secure the edges


71


of insert


13


to the edges


72


of aperture


121


. It should be appreciated that during removal or adjustment of hat


10


, the gripping of bill portion


12


can cause the insert


13


to move and misalign within the aperture


121


. To this end, stitchings


70


can act to minimize movement of the insert


13


and a possible subsequent misalignment within the aperture


121


. Stitchings


70


, of course, can include any pattern so long as the insert


13


is secured within aperture


121


. Furthermore, as a misalignment between the insert


13


and the aperture


121


can cause an uneven transition from the insert


13


to the bill portion


12


, the stitchings


70


can minimize any undesirable ridges or bumps on the bill portion


12


caused by the misalignment of the insert


13


, and provide an appearance of a substantially smooth transition from the insert


13


to the bill portion


12


.




As an alternative to the use of stitchings


70


, the edges


71


of insert


13


may be glued or stapled to the edges


72


of aperture


121


, or may be secured by any means known in the art, so as to minimize movement of the insert


13


within aperture


121


. Moreover, to further minimize the appearance of a transition from the flexible insert


13


to the stiff bill portion


12


in finished cap


10


, the insert


13


and the aperture


121


may be provided with complementary non-linear edges


81


and


82


, e.g., undulating or zig-zagging patterns, as shown in FIG.


8


.




The bill portion


12


, as shown in

FIG. 1

, includes a proximal end


15


and a distal end


16


. The proximal end


15


may be designed to have a curvature


17


which complements the curvature about the periphery of the crown portion


11


, so that the bill portion


12


may be closely attached at its proximal end


15


to the crown portion


11


. It should be appreciated that the curvature


17


may vary according to the size of the crown portion


11


, and in particular, the circumference of the crown portion


11


, so long as the curvature


17


is maintained in a manner which permits a complementary fit about the periphery of the crown portion


11


.




The bill portion


12


, in one embodiment, is preferably overlaid with a piece of covering


18


. To provide the covering


18


with a secure fit over the bill portion


12


, the covering


18


may be sewn directly on to the bill portion


12


. Alternatively, the covering


18


may be tightly stretched over the bill portion, and the covering


18


and bill portion


12


sewn to the crown portion


11


. The covering


18


, as a result, may act to maintain the insert


13


within the aperture


121


. If desired, the covering


18


may be of the same material and color from which the crown


11


is made. Otherwise, the covering


18


may be of a different material and color from which the crown


11


is made. In an embodiment, the material from which the covering


18


may be made includes cotton fabric, polyester fabric, plastic, or other commercially available material typically used in the manufacturing of headgear or clothes.




In order to provide the insert


13


with characteristics which permit a display


14


to be sewn, embroidered or attached therethrough, the material from which the flexible insert


13


may be made is provided with a range of density, so long as the flexible insert


13


maintains a shape similar to that of the bill portion


12


. In addition, depending on the thickness of the bill portion


12


, the insert


13


may vary in thickness according to the thickness of the bill portion


12


. Materials from which the inserts


13


may be made includes closed cell foam, such as, neoprene or polyolefin resin substance.




Referring now to

FIG. 2

, the cap


10


may also include a band


20


, secured to the crown portion


11


, and designed for placement circumferentially about a head of a person (not shown). To allow attachment of the band


20


to the crown portion


11


, in the embodiment shown in

FIG. 2

, the crown portion


11


may include a lower periphery


21


against which the band


20


may be secured. The band


20


may include opposing ends


22


designed to engage one another. By providing the band


20


with opposing ends


22


, different size heads may be accommodated when the ends


22


are adjusted relative to one another. Engagement of the opposing ends


22


may be accomplished by any conventional fasteners known in the art. Examples of fasteners include those that have plastic rivets on one end and complementary holes on the other, hooks on one end and loops on the other, and a lead on one end and a clip on the other. It should be noted that although a band


20


is provided, the cap


10


of the present invention does not necessarily require a band in such a manner. Instead, an elastic loop, or a draw string along the lower periphery


21


of the crown


11


may be used to accommodate different head sizes.




In

FIG. 3

, there is shown a visor


30


, an alternate embodiment of the headgear of the present invention, which includes a band


31


and a bill portion


32


attached to the band


31


. Attachment of the bill portion


32


to the band


31


may be accomplished by means known in the art, including sewing of a covering


36


over the bill portion


32


directly to the band


31


. It should be appreciated that the band


31


and bill portion


32


of visor


30


are substantially similar to the band


20


and bill portion


12


of the cap


10


shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. In particular, the band


31


includes opposing ends


35


, which when adjusted relative to one another, vary the circumference of the band


31


to permit accommodation of different head sizes. Engagement of the ends of the band


31


may be accomplished with fasteners similar to those described in connection with the band


20


of cap


10


. In one embodiment, the band


31


may include a covering


36


similar in pattern and color to that provided on the bill portion


32


. In this manner, the bill portion


32


and band


31


may match for aesthetic purposes. Of course the coverings on the band


32


and


32


may have different patterns and colors if so desired.




The bill portion


32


, as shown in

FIG. 3B

, may include a soft, flexible insert


33


having characteristics similar to that of the flexible insert


13


in the cap


10


. Specifically, the flexible insert


33


is preferably sufficiently pliable to allow a display


34


to be sewn, embroidered or attached therethrough, while the remainder of the bill portion


32


, made from a stiff material, acts to adequately maintain the shape of the bill. To this end, the flexible material


13


may be provided with any density and thickness sufficient to accomplish the intended purposes. Materials which can exhibit these characteristics may be made generally from closed cell foam, for example, neoprene or polyolefin resin substance.




The exhibition of a display on the bill of the headgear will now be discussed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Although reference is hereinafter made to the cap


10


, it should be understood that the discussion is similarly applicable to the visor


30


. To exhibit a display


40


, such as that shown in

FIG. 4

, by embroidering, the location of the flexible insert


13


on the bill portion


12


is determined. Subsequently, the bill portion


12


, and a machine (not shown) for embroidering the display


40


are engaged at the insert


13


. The machine is thereafter initiated to permit embroidering needle


41


to penetrate through the insert


13


along with threading


42


. The machine is permitted to continue until the desired display


40


is completed.




To exhibit the display


40


, for example, by sewing, the display


40


, as shown in

FIG. 5

, may initially be placed directly on the area of the flexible insert


13


on the bill portion


12


. Subsequently, engagement between the display


40


, as it is positioned on flexible insert


13


, and a machine (not shown) for securely attaching the display


40


to the bill portion


12


is initiated. The machine is thereafter activated to permit sewing needle


51


to penetrate through the flexible insert


13


along with threading


52


. The machine is permitted to continue until the display


40


is securely attached through the bill portion


12


.




To exhibit display


40


by attachment, in the instance wherein the display


40


is, for example, a pin, as illustrated in

FIG. 6

, pin


61


on display


40


may be pushed directly across the soft flexible insert


13


to extend to an underside of the bill portion


12


. Subsequently, the display


40


may be secured to the insert


13


by positioning, in one embodiment, a clip (not shown) onto pin


61


.




It should be appreciated that the processes provided in connection with

FIGS. 4 and 5

may be modified, so that the securing of the display


40


may be accomplished during the hat manufacturing process. Specifically, the embroidering or sewing of the display


40


through the bill portion


12


may be accomplished prior to the attachment of the bill portion


12


, at its proximal end, to the crown


11


of the cap


10


or band


32


of the visor


30


. In this manner, the present invention also contemplates that a plurality bill portions


12


, each exhibiting a different display


40


, may be provided for a headgear designed with a removable bill portion


12


, such that depending on the mood of the wearer or the occasion encountered, the bill portion


12


with one display


40


may be interchanged with another bill portion


12


having another display


40


, so as to exhibit different displays that are appropriate for the specific occasions. The headgear having a removable bill may include any means known in the art, for example, hook and loop fasteners, for removable attachment of the bill to the headgear.




While the invention has been described in connection with the specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification. Furthermore, this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention, including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as fall within the scope of the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A headgear for exhibiting a display, the headgear comprising:a crown portion for placement on a head of a person; a bill portion made from a shape retaining material and having a covering layer thereon, being attached at its proximal end to the crown portion; an aperture within the bill portion; a flexible insert, complementarily positioned within the aperture, for exhibiting a display thereon; and a mechanism for securing the insert to the bill portion.
  • 2. A headgear as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mechanism further acts to minimize movement of the insert within the aperture.
  • 3. A headgear as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mechanism further acts to maintain alignment of the insert within the aperture, so as to enhance a smooth transition from the insert to the bill portion.
  • 4. A headgear as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mechanism is positioned about the insert and extends to the bill portion.
  • 5. A headgear as set forth in claim 4, wherein the mechanism includes one of stitchings, glue, and staples.
  • 6. A headgear for exhibiting a display, the headgear comprising:a band for placement circumferentially about a head of a person; a bill portion made from a shape retaining material with a covering layer thereon, being attached at its proximal end to the band; an aperture within the bill portion; a flexible insert, complementarily positioned within the aperture, for exhibiting a display thereon; and a mechanism for securing the insert to the bill portion.
  • 7. A headgear as set forth in claim 6, wherein the mechanism further acts to minimize movement of the insert within the aperture.
  • 8. A headgear as set forth in claim 6, wherein the mechanism further acts to maintain alignment of the insert within the aperture, so as to enhance a smooth transition from the insert to the bill portion.
  • 9. A headgear as set forth in claim 6, wherein the mechanism is positioned about the insert and extends to the bill portion.
  • 10. A headgear as set forth in claim 9, wherein the mechanism includes one of stitchings, glue, and staples.
  • 11. A method for manufacturing a headgear for exhibiting a display, the method comprising:providing an insert made from a flexible material sufficiently pliable to permit a display to be exhibited thereon; cutting through a shape retaining material of a bill portion of the headgear so as to generate an aperture having a shape to complementarily receive the insert therein; placing the insert within the aperture; and securing the insert to the bill portion so as to minimize movement of the insert within the aperture.
  • 12. A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of securing includes maintaining an alignment of the insert within the aperture, so as to enhance a smooth transition from the insert to the bill portion.
  • 13. A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of securing includes stitching the insert to the bill portion.
RELATED U.S. APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/904,053, filed Jul. 12, 2001, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

US Referenced Citations (12)
Number Name Date Kind
5111366 Rife et al. May 1992 A
5253368 Blake Oct 1993 A
5410761 Connelly et al. May 1995 A
5452479 Mostert Sep 1995 A
5548847 Spicijaric Aug 1996 A
5901370 Linday May 1999 A
5943702 Kronenberger Aug 1999 A
5983400 Kronenberger Nov 1999 A
6012176 Daley, III Jan 2000 A
6154992 Lee Dec 2000 A
6240568 Lee Jun 2001 B1
6272689 Kronenberger Aug 2001 B1
Continuation in Parts (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/904053 Jul 2001 US
Child 09/948981 US