Patent Application
20250221484
The present invention relates generally to headwear. More specifically, the present invention is a protective covering for both storing a hat and enabling a user to wear a hat while preventing the hat from damage caused by weather, dust, and debris.
Hats are widely used by individuals for both functional and aesthetic purposes. They provide protection from the elements, such as the sun and rain, while also serving as a personal style statement. Hats can range from casual baseball caps to high-end fashion pieces or collectible items. Given the versatility and popularity of hats, users often seek ways to preserve their appearance and condition, especially in situations where they are exposed to harsh weather conditions.
Historically, numerous inventions and methods have been devised to protect hats. For example, hat storage cases and boxes are commonly used to safeguard hats from dust, dirt, and damage while in storage or during travel. These cases typically feature rigid or semi-rigid structures that ensure the hat retains its shape and is protected from external forces. However, these solutions are limited to times when the hat is not being worn and fail to address the need for protection during actual use.
Other approaches to protecting hats involve covering the user rather than the hat itself. Rain ponchos, hooded jackets, and umbrellas shield the wearer and their hat from rain, but they do not specifically protect the hat. Furthermore, these solutions often fail to fully enclose the hat, leaving it vulnerable to water damage, dirt, and other environmental factors. This is particularly problematic for hats made of sensitive or expensive materials, such as felt, wool, or leather, which can be irreparably damaged by moisture or stains.
Additionally, certain prior art involves waterproofing sprays and coatings designed to create a barrier on the surface of the hat. While these products can provide a measure of protection, they are not always effective against prolonged exposure to water or extreme weather conditions. Moreover, the application of such sprays may alter the appearance, texture, or integrity of the hat material, making them less appealing for high-quality or collectible hats.
The lack of a solution that combines full protection with simultaneous wearability underscores the need for an improved design. Consumers, particularly those who own high-end or sentimental hats, require a product that offers robust protection from water, dirt, and weather while maintaining the appearance and visibility of the hat.
The present invention addresses this gap by introducing a protective covering for a hat comprising a crown receiving portion and a bill receiving portion. The crown receiving portion forms a domed cavity that snugly fits over the crown of the hat, while the bill receiving portion includes a pocket designed to securely hold the bill. Unlike prior art, this design allows the user to wear the hat normally while ensuring full protection from environmental factors. The inclusion of a clear polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material ensures the hat remains visible, preserving its aesthetic value during use. Additionally, the adjustable drawstring tightening mechanism provides a secure fit, preventing the protective covering from slipping or being dislodged during wear.
To date, no existing invention combines the functionality of protecting a hat from water and weather with the ability to wear the hat simultaneously. The protective covering for a hat described herein represents a novel advancement in the field, offering an elegant and practical solution for hat protection that aligns with both functional and aesthetic needs.
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being “preferred” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
Accordingly, while embodiments are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure, and are made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.
Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which an ordinary artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used herein—as understood by the ordinary artisan based on the contextual use of such term—differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan should prevail.
Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an” each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list.”
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims. The present disclosure contains headers. It should be understood that these headers are used as references and are not to be construed as limiting upon the subjected matter disclosed under the header.
Other technical advantages may become readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after review of the following figures and description. It should be understood at the outset that, although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and described below, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and described below.
Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read together with the specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this invention. As used in the following description, the terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, “left”, “right”, “up”, “down” and the like, as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, “rightwardly”, “upwardly”, “radially”, etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader. Similarly, the terms “inwardly,” “outwardly” and “radially” generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation, or axis of rotation, as appropriate.
The present disclosure includes many aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and features relate to, and are described in the context of a protective covering for a hat 1, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to use only in this context.
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In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bill receiving portion 11, as shown in
Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the crown receiving portion 12, as shown in
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Further regarding
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63626303 | Jan 2024 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 29907854 | Jan 2024 | US |
| Child | 19040576 | US |
