US20140115752A1

US20140115752A1 - Sports cap

Info

Publication number: US20140115752A1
Application number: US13/662,386
Authority: US
Inventors: Elaine Ryan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-10-26
Filing date: 2012-10-26
Publication date: 2014-05-01

Abstract

A sport cap includes a hat having an inner peripheral surface that defines a portion of a headband to circumscribe a wearer's head between a forehead region and an occipital bone region and above the wearer's ears. The hat includes a bill. The sport cap further includes a securement strap of an inelastic webbing coupled to the headband at a center of a forward area of the forehead region, and adapted to circumscribe the wearer's head between the forehead region and a lower occipital bone region below the headband and above a nape of the wearer. The securement strap further includes a number of cushions coupled with the inelastic webbing, each cushion being positioned between the securement strap and the wearer's head at least at the forehead region and at side regions near the wearer's ears.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to sports caps, and more particularly to a sports cap that can remains secured to a wearer's head in wind, waves, and other forces.
Most sport caps, such as baseball caps or “trucker” caps, cannot be worn during water-related activities such as surfing, stand-up paddling (SUP), windsurfing, kite surfing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, or the like. These types of activities are representative of activities that subject a wearer of a cap to extreme forces: wind, waves, force of water against the cap during a fall, etc.
One way to make a sport cap more secure is to provide a chin strap. However, a chin strap is very uncomfortable to the wearer, and most wearers find a chin strap difficult and unwieldy, and the chin strap can cut off blood circulation to the head in some circumstances. Further, a chin strap may limit mobility of the wearer's head, which can critically limit the wearer's field of view while undertaking

SUMMARY

This document discloses a sport cap. In one aspect, the sport cap includes a hat formed of one or more panels, each of the one or more panels having a top that terminates at a top point and a bottom having an inner peripheral surface that defines a portion of a headband. The headband is adapted to circumscribe a wearer's head between a forehead region and an occipital bone region and above the wearer's ears. The sport cap further includes a bill coupled to the hat and being adapted to extend outward from the forehead region of the wearer's head, the bill having an up position and a down position relative to the forehead region of the wearer's head. The sport cap further includes a securement strap formed of an inelastic webbing coupled to the headband at a center of a forward area of the forehead region, and adapted to circumscribe the wearer's head between the forehead region and a lower occipital bone region below the headband and above a nape of the wearer. The securement strap further includes a number of cushions coupled with the inelastic webbing, each of the cushions for being positioned between the securement strap and the wearer's head at least at the forehead region and at side regions near the wearer's ears.
In another aspect, a sport cap includes a hat to cover at least a portion of a wearer's head and having a lower peripheral portion. The sport cap further includes a headband connected with the lower peripheral portion of the hat, and adapted to circumscribe a wearer's head between a forehead region and an occipital bone region and above the wearer's ears. The sport cap further includes a securement strap comprising an inelastic webbing coupled to the headband at a center of a forward area of the forehead region. The securement strap is adapted to circumscribe the wearer's head between the forehead region and a lower occipital bone region below the headband and above a nape of the wearer. The securement strap further includes a plurality of cushions coupled with the inelastic webbing, each of the plurality of cushions for being positioned between the securement strap and the wearer's head at least at the forehead region and at side regions near the wearer's ears. The sport cap further includes an adjustment mechanism coupled between a back portion of the hat a back portion of the securement strap, to raise or lower an angle of the hat on a wearer's head.
In yet another aspect, a securing apparatus for a sport cap is provided. The sport cap includes a hat to cover at least a portion of a wearer's head, and a headband connected with a lower peripheral portion of the hat, the headband being adapted to circumscribe a wearer's head between a forehead region and an occipital bone region and above the wearer's ears. The securing apparatus includes a securement strap formed of an inelastic webbing for being coupled to the headband at a center of a forward area of the forehead region, and adapted to circumscribe the wearer's head between the forehead region and a lower occipital bone region below the headband and above a nape of the wearer. The securement strap further includes a number of cushions coupled with the inelastic webbing. Each of the cushions is positioned between the securement strap and the wearer's head at least at the forehead region and at side regions near the wearer's ears. The securing apparatus further includes an adjustment mechanism for being coupled between a back portion of the hat a back portion of the securement strap, the adjustment mechanism to raise or lower an angle of the hat on a wearer's head.
The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a sport cap with a securement strap.

FIG. 2 illustrates a back of a sport cap with a securement strap, and a cap adjustment mechanism.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This document describes a securement strap, and a sport cap employing a securement strap, which are suited for water-related activities such as surfing, stand-up paddling (SUP), windsurfing, kite surfing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, or the like. The securement strap enables a sport cap to be subjected to extreme forces of wind, waves, and water during such activities, without the cap falling off a head of a wearer.
FIG. 1 illustrates a sport cap 100 with a securement strap 102, in accordance with some implementations. The sport cap 100 includes a hat 104 formed of one or more panels 106. Each of the one or more panels 106 has a top 108 that terminates at a top point 109 and a bottom 110 having an inner peripheral surface that defines a portion of a headband 112. The headband 112 is adapted to circumscribe a wearer's head between a forehead region and an occipital bone region of the wearer, and above the wearer's ears.
The hat 104 further includes a bill 114 coupled at least to one or more panels 106 and/or a forward section of the headband 112 of the hat 102. The bill 114 is adapted to extend outward from the forehead region of the wearer's head. In this configuration, the bill 114 has an up position and a down position, relative to the forehead region of the wearer's head. In other implementations, the bill 114 can extend out from the one or more panels 106 so as to extend out of more than half of the circumference of the headband 112 and/or the wearer's head. As such, in specific implementations, the bill 114 can circumscribe and extend out from the hat 104 in all directions, so as to provide shade and protection to a wearer's eyes, ears, and neck regions.
The securement strap 102 is preferably formed of an inelastic material or webbing. Elastic material requires more tightening force to stay on, and is less comfortable as it cuts off blood circulation at the outer portions of the wearer's head. In some implementations, the securement strap 102 is coupled to the headband 112 at a center of a forward area of the forehead region of the headband 112, and adapted to circumscribe the wearer's head between the forehead region and a lower occipital bone region below the headband and above a nape of the wearer.
In some implementations, the securement strap 102 includes one or more cushions 116 or soft regions coupled with the inelastic webbing, such as to be placed above a wearer's ear to prevent chafing, rashes, or the like. The cushions 116 can be placed in other locations on the securement strap 102 as well, including along the entire perimeter of the securement strap 102. Each of the cushions 116 is adapted to be positioned between the securement strap 102 and the wearer's head at least at the forehead region and at side regions near the wearer's ears. One or more of the cushions 116 can be formed of a small-fiber fabric, such as 700-1500 nanometer ultra fine polyester nanofiber. The small-fiber fabric has a high coefficient of friction, and is soft and comfortable to the wearer so that the webbing is comfortable on the wearer's forehead. Accordingly, the securement strap 102 need not to be tightened very much to stay on, making the securement strap 102 and the sport cap 100 even more comfortable to wear.
In preferred exemplary implementations, only about two inches of the securement strap 102 is attached to the headband 112 of the hat 104, right under and at the center of the bill 114. This amount of attachment of the securement strap 102 to the hat 104 enables the bill 114 to be pushed up and down by wind and water independently of the securement strap 102. If the securement strap 102 is attached in a greater length to the front of the hat 104, the sport cap 100 may come off much more easily due to a greater force exerted on the securement strap 102 dependent on forces exerted on the bill 114. Also, the less the securement strap 102 is attached to the hat 104, the more the headband 112 of the hat 104 can conform to the wearer's head.
FIG. 2 is a view of a back of a sport cap 100 with a securement strap 102, and further including a cap adjustment mechanism 200. The cap adjustment mechanism 200 can be operated to raise or lower the pitch or angle of the sport cap 100 on the head of a wearer, to therefore raise or lower an angle of the bill 114 of the sport cap 100. In some implementations, the cap adjustment mechanism 200 includes a rigid loop 202, which is attached to a back portion 206 of the sport cap 100. The rigid loop 202 can be made of any rigid material, such as steel or plastic, or even carbon fiber or other synthetic material. The cap adjustment mechanism 200 further includes a connection strap 204 connected with a back area of the securement strap 102. The connection strap 204 can be formed of one half of a two-part hook-and-loop type fastener. The other half of the two part fastener is an adjustment strap 201, which can be looped through the rigid loop 202 and coupled with the connection strap 204. The adjustment strap 201 of the cap adjustment mechanism 200 can be cinched shorter or longer, and allows the wearer to cinch the back of the sport cap 100 down, raising the bill 114, or up, lowering the bill 114. This enables the wearer to endure extreme forces, i.e.: to duck dive under a wave without the back of the sport cap 100 being pushed up off the back of the wearer's head and pressed down over the wearer's eyes. Further, the cap adjustment mechanism 200 keeps the sport cap 100 back and away from the wearer's eyes.
Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. For example, the securement strap 102 can be provided as a kit or after-market feature for a standard baseball-type or trucker-type cap. The securement strap 102 can be provided with the connection strap 204, as described above, along with various mechanisms to attach both the securement strap 102 and/or connection strap 204 to respective portions of a cap. Yet still other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A sport cap comprising:

a hat formed of one or more panels, each of the one or more panels having a top that terminates at a top point and a bottom having an inner peripheral surface that defines a portion of a headband, the headband being adapted to circumscribe a wearer's head between a forehead region and an occipital bone region and above the wearer's ears;

a bill coupled to the hat and being adapted to extend outward from the forehead region of the wearer's head, the bill having an up position and a down position relative to the forehead region of the wearer's head; and

a securement strap comprising an inelastic webbing coupled to the headband at a center of a forward area of the forehead region, and adapted to circumscribe the wearer's head between the forehead region and a lower occipital bone region below the headband and above a nape of the wearer, the securement strap further comprising a plurality of cushions coupled with the inelastic webbing, each of the plurality of cushions for being positioned between the securement strap and the wearer's head at least at the forehead region and at side regions near the wearer's ears.

2. The sport cap in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an adjustment mechanism coupled between a back portion of the hat a back portion of the securement strap, the adjustment mechanism to raise or lower an angle of the hat on a wearer's head.

3. The sport cap in accordance with claim 3, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes:

a connection strap connected with the back portion of the securement strap;

a rigid loop connected with the back portion of the hat; and

an adjustment strap having a first end connected with the connection strap, the adjustment strap being looped through the rigid loop to have a second end adjustably connect with the connection strap, the adjustment strap raising or lowering the angle of the hat on the wearer's head by respectively decreasing or increasing a length of the adjustment strap.

4. The sport cap in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a length adjustment buckle on the securement strap, to adjust a size of a perimeter length formed by the securement strap.

5. The sport cap in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hat is water-resistant.

6. A sport cap comprising:

a hat to cover at least a portion of a wearer's head and having a lower peripheral portion;

a headband connected with the lower peripheral portion of the hat, the headband being adapted to circumscribe a wearer's head between a forehead region and an occipital bone region and above the wearer's ears;

a securement strap comprising an inelastic webbing coupled to the headband at a center of a forward area of the forehead region, and adapted to circumscribe the wearer's head between the forehead region and a lower occipital bone region below the headband and above a nape of the wearer, the securement strap further comprising a plurality of cushions coupled with the inelastic webbing, each of the plurality of cushions for being positioned between the securement strap and the wearer's head at least at the forehead region and at side regions near the wearer's ears; and

an adjustment mechanism coupled between a back portion of the hat a back portion of the securement strap, the adjustment mechanism to raise or lower an angle of the hat on a wearer's head.

7. The sport cap in accordance with claim 6, wherein the hat is formed of one or more panels, each of the one or more panels having a top that terminates at a top point and a bottom having an inner peripheral surface that defines a portion of the headband.

8. The sport cap in accordance with claim 7, wherein the hat further includes a bill coupled to the hat and being adapted to extend outward from the forehead region of the wearer's head, the bill having an up position and a down position relative to the forehead region of the wearer's head.

9. The sport cap in accordance with claim 6, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes:

a connection strap connected with the back portion of the securement strap;

a rigid loop connected with the back portion of the hat; and

10. A securing apparatus for a sport cap that includes a hat to cover at least a portion of a wearer's head, and a headband connected with a lower peripheral portion of the hat, the headband being adapted to circumscribe a wearer's head between a forehead region and an occipital bone region and above the wearer's ears, the securing apparatus comprising;

a securement strap comprising an inelastic webbing for being coupled to the headband at a center of a forward area of the forehead region, and adapted to circumscribe the wearer's head between the forehead region and a lower occipital bone region below the headband and above a nape of the wearer, the securement strap further comprising a plurality of cushions coupled with the inelastic webbing, each of the plurality of cushions for being positioned between the securement strap and the wearer's head at least at the forehead region and at side regions near the wearer's ears; and

an adjustment mechanism for being coupled between a back portion of the hat a back portion of the securement strap, the adjustment mechanism to raise or lower an angle of the hat on a wearer's head.