1. Technical Field
This invention is directed to hats. More specifically, this direction is directed to hats or caps. Most particularly, this direction is directed to a cap which includes a protective insert. Specifically, the cap has the appearance of a traditional ball cap and the insert includes a rigid shell and an impact absorbent liner which only cover and protect the user's forehead and the sides of their head, and where each of the shell and liner have bottom edges that are generally aligned with a bottom edge of the cap and are therefore substantially invisible to onlookers.
2. Background Information
One of the issues that tee-ball, baseball and softball users may experience is that a struck ball, such as one hit in a line drive, or a bat that is accidentally released may strike a user in the head, causing an impact injury such as a concussion, a fracture or catastrophic impacts that may cause intracranial bleeding leading to death. This is particularly problematic when it comes to ball games played by younger, less experienced and less skilled users who may not be able to direct a struck ball in a particular direction with any certainty. This type of injury may also occur if a ball or bat strikes a spectator by accident.
While many users, such as batters wear protective helmets, a large percentage of users do not or will not wear such protective gear. Additionally, it is highly unlikely that any spectator will be wearing some type of protective helmet when they show up to watch a game. Traditionally both users and spectators prefer to wear a traditional baseball cap.
There have been a number of attempts made in the past to provide protection on the outside of a ball cap, but the fact is if the protective components cover the “team” logo or if the hat looks bulky and somehow not traditional, children, in particular, will not wear such a cap.
There have also been numerous attempts at providing protective components in interiors of hats but many of the resultant products have been bulky and unsightly and therefore less desirable for people to wear.
Examples of previously known devices include that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,268,911 (Cox). Cox discloses a conventional hat having a dome-shaped protective shell made of hard plastic received therein. The shell is configured complementary to the inner surface of the hat and fits snugly within the space defined by the hat's inner surface. A generally X-shaped harness assembly made of a flexible plastic is disposed within a space defined by the shell. The harness is secured to a bottom region of the shell by cooperating buttons and holes disposed on the shell and harness. When the harness is engaged in the shell, a crown region of the harness rests on the top of the user's head and the crown-region is disposed a distance downwardly away from the protective shell. An annular sweatband is secured to the ends of the harness and is disposed aligned with an annular bottom region of the shell and inside the bottom edge of the hat. Resilient pads are glued at intervals to the inner surface of the shell. In particular, the pads are provided at the crown region of the shell and at spaced temple positions around the circumference of the shell. The spacing between the pads allows for ventilation of the hat. The harness engages the user's head and the protective pads and the shell are thereby disposed a short distance from the user's head. The user's head is not in contact with the pads.
Heine et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,919) discloses a headband for mounting of optical instruments. The headband includes a first region which passes around the circumference of the head and a second region which extends from the first region and passes over the user's head. Cushioning pads are detachably engaged around portions of the first and second regions and contact the user's head. There is no disclosure in the patent that the headband provides any type of protection for the head, just that the headband is useful for mounting instruments thereon.
Graham (U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,451) discloses a resilient adjustable liner for a hat, particularly a soft, yarn hat. The liner is fabricated from a resilient and flexible plastic that is U-shaped when viewed from the top. The liner includes a central region that is configured to be disposed adjacent the back of a user's head and two side regions that are configured to extend downwardly over the user's cheeks. A slot in the band is positionable over the user's forehead. The liner is of uniform thickness along its entire length. Plastic fasteners engage the liner to the hat. Apertures are provided in the liner in a location which will fall adjacent the user's ears. The hat is pulled over the liner and covers the entire liner.
Benston et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,504) discloses a disposable liner for a hat or cap which is an elongate, trapezoidally-shaped member that is adhered to a portion of the inner surface of the hat or cap. The liner includes a central region for positioning adjacent the user's forehead and two tapering side regions extending outwardly from the central region. The side regions are configured so as to extend across the region of the user's head across the upper regions of their temples. The liner is designed as a sweatband and includes a liquid absorbing material disposed between an interior and exterior wall. The liquid absorbing material is disposed in discrete pockets which are separated from each other by regions which are free of liquid absorbing material.
Leach (U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,180) discloses a golfing helmet that includes an outer hat or cap that is conventional. An impact absorbing Styrofoam liner is placed in the interior of the cap. The hemispherical liner includes elongate openings for ventilation. The liner is glued into the cap. Similarly, Anderson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,591) discloses a plastic insert for a golf cap. The insert is generally hemispherical except for a semi-circular cut-out in the back of the insert which allows for adjustment of the cap. The insert is provided with apertures for ventilation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,064 (Hamaguchi) discloses a protective cap that includes a first padding assembly comprising a circular band that is configured to encircle a user's head and be seated inside the bottom edge of a hat. The first padding assembly also includes two semi-circular bands which are connected to the circular band and are configured to pass from front-to-back and from side-to-side across the crown of the user's head. The first padding assembly is detachably secured to the inside of the hat by way of hook and loop fasteners. The protective cap further includes a second padding assembly which is received within a space defined by the first padding assembly. The second padding assembly includes an outer fabric layer and an inner resilient foam layer. The second padding assembly is configured to contact the user's head.
Moore, III et al (U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,889) discloses a protective helmet made from a resilient shell that has a plurality of radial slits therein which enable the shell's width to be adjusted. The shell is fabricated from a hard material and a liner fabricated from an energy absorbing material is disposed inside the shell. The shell is a hemispherical dome and includes regions which extend downwardly to cover a user's temples.
Blair (U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,512) discloses a protective sports hat insert which includes a solid outer shell, an inner high-density foam liner, and may include a washable cloth layer. The outer shell is domed and hemispherical in shape and the inner liner is complementary in shape to the outer shell. The inner liner may be fabricated in a variety of configurations that may be “folded into” the space defined by the outer shell. Preferably, inner liner is spaced from outer shell to provide some additional shock absorption when the hat receives an impact blow. The inner liner tapers at its bottom edge.
Motroni (US 2012/0131731) discloses an insert for a ball cap. The insert is configured to extend along the front wall of the cap and thereby protect the forehead of the user. The insert is made from plastic and may be placed adjacent the front wall or be glued or otherwise secured in place.
While all of the above protective devices work adequately for the purposes for which they were intended, there remains a need in the art for an improved protective cap which has the outward appearance of a traditional cap but which aids in protecting the most vulnerable areas of the user's head.
A protective insert for a ball cap and a cap incorporating the same. The insert includes a rigid shell and a complementary impact-absorbent liner that covers and protects only the forehead and portions of the sides of the user's head. Bottom edges of the shell, liner and cap are generally aligned along the same horizontal plane. Alternatively, the shell and liner terminate a distance inwardly from the bottom edge of the cap. An adjustable band is secured to the ends of the shell and the band and shell encircle the circumference of the user's head. One or more engagement members may secure the insert to the cap. The material of the liner is thicker in a front central region and thinner toward the side regions of the insert. The liner material extends beyond the top edge of the shell so that the shell does not directly contact the user's head.
In one aspect, the invention may provide a protective insert for a cap to be worn on a user's head, said insert comprising an outer shell adapted to be received within a space defined by an inner surface of an outer wall of the cap; said shell being adapted to cover only the user's forehead and sides of their head; and an inner liner complementary in shape to the outer shell; wherein the liner is positioned adjacent an inner surface of the shell and is adapted to be disposed adjacent the user's head.
In another aspect, the invention may provide a cap assembly for protecting a user's head; said assembly comprising a cap including a substantially hemispherical outer wall having an inner surface and a bottom edge; a space defined by the inner surface of the outer wall; and a protective insert receivable within the space; wherein said insert comprises an outer shell adapted to cover only the user's forehead and sides of their head; an inner liner complementary in shape to an interior surface of the outer shell; wherein the liner is adapted to be disposed adjacent the user's forehead and the sides of the user's head; wherein each of the shell and liner has a bottom edge and wherein the bottom edges of the liner and the shell do not extend beyond the bottom edge of the cap.
A sample embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which Applicant contemplates applying the principles, is set forth in the following description, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to
Cap 11 comprises a substantially dome-shaped wall 16 which has an exterior surface 16a and an inner surface 16b (
Referring to
Shell 24 may be approximately 0.1″ thick and pad 26 varies in thickness from about 0.1″ thick to about 0.32″ thick, with the thickness being measured between the respective interior and exterior surfaces of shell 24 and pad 26. Pad 26 may be a molded foam pad of complex geometry and has verifying thickness in that frontal region 50 is thicker than terminal regions 54. Pad 26 tapers between frontal region 50 and terminal regions 54 so that there is a smooth transition to band 34. The tapering pad thickness also helps ensure that the overall circumference of cap 11 is kept as small as possible.
Outer shell 24 includes a frontal region 28 sized and positioned to cover and protect the user's forehead 14a. Outer shell 24 further includes at least one but preferably a pair of temporal regions 30 (
Each temporal region 30 may be generally V-shaped and when pad 26 is engaged with shell 24, at least a portion of each V-shaped temporal region 30 will extend for a distance downwardly below bottom edge 16c of cap 11. (It will be understood that the projections that comprise temporal region 30 may be shaped differently. For instance, they may be generally semi-circular in shape.) A terminal region 32 extends rearwardly from each temporal region 30 and is configured to cover and protect a portion of the sides of the user's head immediately above the ear 14b (
A band 34 extends between the opposed terminal regions 32 of shell 24 and is threaded through apertures 36 defined in each terminal region 32. Band 34 is adjustable to fit the user's head and thereby retain shell 24 and pad 26 adjacent thereto. Band 34 is semi-circular in shape and is configured to form a horizontally oriented semi-circular arch. Band 34 in conjunction with outer shell 24 fits circumferentially around the user's head 14 in a horizontal orientation.
In accordance with an aspect of cap assembly 10, at least one engagement member is provided on one or both of outer shell 24 and wall 16 to secure the insert 12 to cap 11. The engagement member includes but is not limited to one or more pin members 38, a detent 60 or hook and loop fasteners (not shown). The engagement member(s) extend outwardly and forwardly from frontal region 28 of shell 24 and toward inner surface 16b of outer wall 16 of cap 11. Alternatively, the engagement member(s) may be provided on cap 11 and extend inwardly toward shell 24.
A first engagement member is provided in the form of one or more pin members 38 provided on exterior surface 24a of shell and which extend toward and engage inner surface 16b of wall 16 adjacent frontal region 28. Pin members 38 interlockingly engage cap 11 and shell 24 together. Pin members 38 may be disposed in one or more rows or columns in an area of shell 24 that will directly overlay the user's forehead. Pin members 38 may be spaced at intervals a distance apart from each other and they may be of uniform diameter along their lengths. Pin members 38 frictionally engage the inner surface of outer wall 16 and thus aid in preventing cap 11 from lifting upwardly off insert 12 when the wind blows.
In accordance with yet another aspect of cap assembly 10, a first strap 40 and a second strap 42 are provided on insert 12. First strap 40 extends between opposed flanges 44 provided on terminal regions 32 of shell 24. First strap 40 is threaded through an aperture 46 (
As best seen in
Thus, first strap 40 extends from proximate the user's left ear 14b to proximate the user's right ear 14b. The second strap 42 extends from proximate the top of the user's forehead to proximate the crown of the user's head. At least two of these three bands/straps 34, 40, and 42 may be adjustable so that the user can change the overall dimensions of insert 12 to most closely and snugly fit their head. Each of band/straps 34, 40 and 42 may be fabricated from a flexible fabric material, such as a cotton fabric, which makes them relatively easy to adjust. This helps ensure that the protective outer shell 24 and pad 26 are located in the optimum positions on the user's head to protect them from impact. Apart from apertures 36, 46, 48 outer shell 24 is substantially continuous and uninterrupted along its length and width.
Protective pad 26 is complementary in shape to the rigid outer shell 24. Only the three bands/straps 34, 40 and 42 on the outer shell 24 are free of any of the padding material. Thus as shown in
As best seen in
The upper edge 26c of pad 26 is configured to have a pair of opposed depressions 56 (
Cap assembly 10 is substantially free of any protective components disposed on the exterior surface 16a of wall 16. In other words, the exterior surface of cap assembly 10 has the appearance of a traditional baseball cap that is free of any protective elements. Only small parts of temporal regions 30, 52 are visible as these regions extend downwardly below bottom edge 16c of cap 11 to protect the vulnerable temples of the user.
Cap assembly 10 is specifically designed for different head sizes using accurate human head CAD models in increments of two head sizes. This sizing is due at least partially to the fairly rigid and unforgiving outer shell 24 which is very specific to head size in order to keep the overall thickness of insert 12 thin enough so that cap 11 selected for the assembly 10 is only required to be a slightly larger hat size than normally would be worn by the user. The overall cap size for a user will tend to be around two or three larger hat sizes than would be the case if a regular baseball cap was to be worn. The user adjusts one or more of the bands/straps 34, 40 and 42 to ensure a snug fit for the insert 12 on the user's head 14.
The insert 12 provides significant protection from balls moving toward a user's forehead and/or sides of their head 14. This is due to the fact that most users, particularly ball players, are positioned to directly face the ball with either their foreheads or the sides of their head back to slightly rear of their ears. Furthermore, most users will instinctively turn their head to avoid a direct face hit and thereby bring their temples into a position where they could be struck by a flying ball. A ball hit in baseball is different than in football where the head is the projectile and cushioning in the football helmet has some distance to decelerate the brain. Cap assembly 10 is provided to protect against a ball hit where the impact from a ball hit must dissipate over a wider area where there is some compression of the underlying protective padding 26.
Referring now to
Insert 112 is comprised of first and second components. The first component is an outer shell 124 that is received in a space defined by an interior surface of the ball cap 11. The second component is a liner or protective liner 126 that is received in a space defined by an inner surface of the outer shell 124, as will be described below. Liner 126 is configured to be complementary to outer shell 124. Liner 126 may be adhesively engaged to the inner surface of shell 124 or shell 124 may be placed in a mold and the foam liner 126 is then injection-molded around shell 124. Both shell 124 and liner 126 are generally U-shaped when viewed from above and include a central or frontal region which covers substantially all of the exterior surface of the user's forehead 14a, particularly of the users upper forehead. Additionally, both shell 124 and liner 126 include side regions which are designed to cover upper portions of the side regions of the user′ head including portions of the temples and areas above the ears.
Referring to
Referring to
Outer shell 124 has a top edge 124c and a bottom edge 124d. A first portion of the top edge 124c extends along a top end of the front regional 128, a second portion of the top edge 124c extends along a top end of a first one of the temporal or side regions 30, and a third portion of the top edge 124c extends along a top edge of a second one of the temporal or side regions 30. Frontal region 128 of outer shell 124 is of a height “H” (
A band 134 extends between the free ends of the two terminal regions 132 of shell 124. Band 134 is threaded through apertures 136 defined in each terminal region 132. Band 134 and outer shell 124 together form a closed loop that is adapted to circumscribe or encircle the circumference of the user's head.
Referring to
Band 134 may be fabricated from an elastic or resilient material and may be selectively adjustable in length so as to enable insert 112 to snugly fit the user's head. Band 134 may be semicircular in shape and is configured to form a horizontally oriented semicircular arch. Band 134 in conjunction with outer shell 124 fits circumferentially around the user's head 14 in a horizontal orientation. Band 134 may include any suitable type of closure mechanism thereon, such as hook and loop fasteners or, alternatively, band 134 may be threaded through apertures 136 and be simply stitched back upon itself.
It should be noted that there are no other bands or straps on insert 112. Particularly, there are no straps such as the straps 40 and 42 of cap assembly 12 which pass over the top of the user's head. The anatomical curvature of the user's upper forehead area 14a is sufficient to keep the outer shell 124 of insert 112 on the forehead when the length of the band 134 is correctly adjusted.
Insert 12 is illustrated as including some suitable type of an engagement member provided on one or both of the outer shell 24 and interior surface of the cap 11 in order to secure insert 12 to cap 11. In that instance, the engagement member is disclosed as being one or more pin members 38, a detent 60 or hook and loop fasteners (not shown). Similar engagement members may be provided on insert 112 but no such engagement members are illustrated in
Liner 126 is substantially complementary in shape to the rigid outer shell 124 of insert 112. Liner 126 is comprised of an impact absorbing padding material and only band 134 is free of any of padding material. As shown in
As indicated previously, liner 126 may be comprised of an impact-absorbing material and this material is substantially continuous along the entire inner surface 124b of outer shell 124. Thus, there are substantially no regions on inner surface 124b that are free of the impact-absorbing material. It will be understood that instead of liner 126 being continuous, there may be breaks or holes at intervals in the liner 126. Liner 126 may be a molded foam pad of complex geometry and may be thicker in frontal region 150 (
In insert 112, liner 126 may extend slightly beyond top edge 124c of shell 124 so that a lip of foam padding extends above top edge 124c. The foam lip may extend around substantially the entire top edge 124c of shell 124 so there are no unprotected edges thereon that may injure or cut the user if impacted by a bat or ball. Liner 126 may be trimmed along its bottom edge 126d so that bottom edges 124d of shell 124 and bottom edge 126d of liner are substantially horizontally aligned with each other. As best seen in
It will be understood that instead of the bottom edge 16c of the cap being aligned with bottom edges 124d, 126d of insert 112, the bottom edges 124d, 126d may project for a short distance downwardly below bottom edge 16c. Even in this instance, when the cap assembly 10 is worn, as illustrated in
Cap assembly 110, like cap assembly 10, is substantially free of any protective components disposed on the exterior surface 16a of wall 16. In other words, the exterior surface of cap assembly 10 has the appearance of a traditional baseball cap that is free of any protective elements. Only small sections of outer shell 124 and protective liner 126 may be visible—if they extend partially below bottom edge 16c of cap 11.
Cap assembly 110, like cap assembly 10, may be specifically designed for different head sizes using accurate human head CAD models in increments of two head sizes. This sizing is due, at least partially, to the fairly rigid and unforgiving material of the outer shell 124 which is fabricated to be very specific to a particular head size. This is done in order to keep the overall thickness of insert 112 thin enough so that cap 11 selected to be part of assembly 110 is only required to be a slightly larger hat size than normally would be worn by the user. The overall cap size for a user will tend to be around two or three larger hat sizes than would be the case if a regular baseball cap was to be worn. The user may adjust band 134 to ensure a snug fit for the insert 112 on the user's head 14.
Cap assembly 110 is used in substantially the same manner as cap assembly 10 and may provide protection against ball hits on the front and/or sides of the user′ head 14, as has been previously described.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration of the preferred embodiment of the invention are an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.
This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/513,002 filed Dec. 24, 2014, which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/942,179, filed Jul. 15, 2013, the entire specifications of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 29513002 | Dec 2014 | US |
Child | 14710672 | US | |
Parent | 13942179 | Jul 2013 | US |
Child | 29513002 | US |