U.S. patent application number 10/808848 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-11 for hat storage device.
Invention is credited to Linch, Richard B., Linch, Sharon J..
Application Number | 20040222253 10/808848 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33423399 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040222253 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Linch, Richard B. ; et
al. |
November 11, 2004 |
Hat storage device
Abstract
This invention relates to a device for the storage of articles,
such as money, credit cards, keys, golf tees, etc. within a hat,
such as a baseball hat. The devices includes a wallet, adapted to
be removably held within a hat by means of boning members in a
pressure fiot within the hat.
Inventors: |
Linch, Richard B.; (US)
; Linch, Sharon J.; (US) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RICHARD B. LINCH
794 MAIN STREET
WEST SENECA
NY
14224
US
|
Family ID: |
33423399 |
Appl. No.: |
10/808848 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60457692 |
Mar 26, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
223/85 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 1/241 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
223/085 |
International
Class: |
A41D 027/22 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1- A storage device for holding articles within a hat, said device
comprising a wallet adapted to be removably attached to the inside
of said hat by means of at least one boning member in a pressure
fit.
2- A device according to claim 1 wherein said hat is a baseball
hat.
3- A hat storage device according to claim 1 comprising: a cross
boning member; a forward boning member extending at one end from
said cross boning member, to a securing member at another end, and
a wallet supported by a first wallet support boning member, a
second wallet support boning member, said cross boning member, and
said forward boning member, and wherein said hat storage device is
adapted for removable attachment to the inside of a hat to be held
therein by pressure fit when said securing member and said cross
boning member are inserted into an internal folded band of said
hat.
4- A hat storage device according to claim 3 wherein said wallet is
covered by a material attached to said cross boning member, said
first and second wallet support boning members, said forward boning
member, and a wallet closure boning member, attached at one end
thereof to said first wallet support boning member and at another
end thereof to said second wallet support boning member.
5- A hat storage device according to claim 4 having a pull tab
attached to said wallet closure boning member for opening said
wallet.
6- A hat storage device according to claim 5 wherein said material
is a netting material.
7- A hat storage device according to claim 6 further including a
pouch pocket within said wallet.
8- A hat storage device according to claim 5 further including a
side pouch attached on a side of said hat storage device for
additional storage.
9- A hat storage device according to claim 8 wherein said side
pouch is attached to said hat storage device by inserting said
cross boning member through a sleeve in said side pouch.
10- A hat storage device according to claim 9 wherein said side
pouch includes a pull tab for opening and closing said side
pouch.
11- A hat storage device according to claim 10 wherein said side
pouch is oriented so that said pull tab will be inside of an
internal folded band on said hat when said hat storage device is
attached to said hat.
12- A hat storage device according to claim 1 comprising: a cross
boning member; a forward boning member extending at one end from
said cross boning member, to a surrounding boning member at another
end, and a wallet supported by a first wallet support boning
member, a second wallet support boning member, said cross boning
member, and said forward boning member, and wherein said hat
storage device is adapted for removable attachment to the inside of
a hat to be held therein by pressure fit when said surrounding
boning member and said cross boning member are inserted into an
internal folded band of said hat.
13- A hat storage device comprising: a cross boning member; a
forward boning member extending from the cross boning member at one
end to a securing boning member at another end, and A hat storage
device comprising: a cross boning member; a forward boning member
extending at one end from said cross boning member, to a securing
member at another end, and a wallet supported by a first wallet
support boning member, a second wallet support boning member, said
cross boning member, and said forward boning member, and wherein
said hat storage device is adapted for removable attachment to the
inside of a hat to be held therein by pressure fit when said
securing member and said cross boning member are inserted into an
internal folded band of said hat.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/457,692, filed 26 Mar. 2003.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Many people wear baseball and golf type hats. Many people
wear these hats when engaging in sporting activities, for example,
jogging, baseball, hiking, boating, bowling, and so forth. Even
people not involved with sports wear baseball type hats as part of
their uniform, for example delivery service workers and factory
workers. Also, many people who are just going about their daily
activities commonly wear baseball type hats. Thus, millions of
people wear baseball and golf type hats and these hats are part of
the fabric of our society.
[0003] However, the same people who wear these hats oftentimes need
a place to store an article while wearing the hat. In the past,
attempts have been made to provide for pockets internal to the hat
so that articles could be stored therein. However, these past
designs did not provide a structure to support the pocket, nor did
these past designs provide for a convenient pocket to hold credit
cards, a driver's license, or an airplane ticket. Also, many of
these past designs called for internal sewing or many internal
fasteners provided on the hat.
SUMMARY
[0004] The invention comprises various embodiments of a storage
device for hats. In one embodiment, the storage device comprises an
internal wallet for holding unfolded money, tickets, and other
items typically too big for the standard wallet, for example
various receipts, boarding passes, and lottery cards. The storage
device provides for an internal wallet that is positioned and
secured in the dome of the hat, which does not contact the wearer's
head. The hat storage device does not require hook and loop or
other fasteners, because the hat storage device is pressure fit
into the hat utilizing structural boning members. Another
embodiment calls for small side pockets which are slid onto the
structural boning members of the hat storage device. The side and
sliding pockets may be used for securely storing folded currency,
credit card(s), driver's license and/or other identification,
shoppers club cards, video rental cards, spare golf tees, ball
markers, spare batteries and/or a key(s). When the wearer of the
hat is casually dressed without suitable pocketed storage means
disposed elsewhere on his or her person, or is in need of
additional storage for items that would be too bulky for the
traditional wallet or pocket, he or she can store articles in the
hat storage device.
[0005] The present invention may be sold in a kit comprising a hat
storage device 22 as shown in (FIGS. 1, 2, and 8) along with a hat,
and/or pockets, and combinations thereof. Or, since the hat storage
device can be readily inserted into any hat (it can be done in
under 30 seconds), it can be sold alone. The hat storage device can
be used in a "fully constructed" or "soft top" baseball or golf
type hat, as well as various Beret type hats and others.
[0006] Thus, the present storage hat overcomes the problems
associated with the past designs and provides for internal support
members (boning) that may span from the one side of the hat, to the
top of the dome of the hat, and back down to the other side of the
hat, with boning extending from the dome of the hat to the brim of
the hat. Also, side mounted pockets may be provided adjacent the
wearer's ear, these pockets sized to receive credit cards and a
driver's license.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of the first embodiment of
the hat storage device and a hat.
[0008] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of the first embodiment of
the hat storage device and hat.
[0009] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of a hat and an alternate
embodiment of the hat storage device of this invention.
[0010] FIG. 4a shows a front elevational view of an attachable side
pocket.
[0011] FIG. 4b shows a front elevational view of an attachable side
pocket.
[0012] FIG. 5 shows a bottom plan view of the hat storage device
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0013] FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of
the hat storage device with a side pocket.
[0014] FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic view of the hat storage device
wherein a side pocket is attached to the cross member boning.
[0015] FIG. 8 shows a diagrammatic view of an embodiment similar to
the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6 except that the side pocket is
inverted.
[0016] FIG. 9 shows a diagrammatic view wherein the side pocket is
attached to the wrap-around boning member.
[0017] FIG. 10 shows a bottom plan view of the hat storage device
similar to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5 except that an
additional pocket is provided.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] At the outset it is pointed out that common reference
numbers are used throughout the description and drawings to
indicate common parts and elements.
[0019] With reference to the various figures, the hat 20 for use
with the present invention may be any of various conventional
baseball type or golf type hats or other. The hat 20 may, for
example, comprise a peak or brim 34 and an adjustment strap 36 so
that the circumference of opening 21 in the hat 20 may be adjusted,
the opening 21 for receiving the wearer's head. The hat 20 also
comprises an internal folded band 28, sometimes referred to as a
sweatband, and an inside surface 24 and outside surface 26. (Shown
open in FIG. 9.)
[0020] A storage device 22 is provided which may be variously
embodied, as will be described presently. The storage device 22
comprises a boning material which may comprise NYLOBONE,
manufactured by Aranac Ribbon Mills of Plattsburg N.Y., which is
sold in 1/4 inch width, which is difficult to break and has an
resilient memory, that is after it is deformed it can go back to
its pre-deformed state, or the boning may comprise durable
resilient plastics, or other materials known in the art. Another
type of boning material may comprise boning sold under the brand
name RIGILENE, a mark registered Trademark Selectus LTD. of
England. This type of material is used for the internal wallet 56
and the various pocket closures and side members, which will be
described presently. This type of material is easily moved so that
the wallet/pocket can be opened, and this material automatically
keeps the pocket/wallet open, and it only takes a tap from the
user's finger to close the wallet/pocket. Of course, the present
invention is not so limited, and other materials known to those of
ordinary skill in the art could be used for the boning and the
wallet/pocket closures.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the storage device 22 is an insert which
can be received inside of a hat 20. The storage device 22 comprises
a cross boning member 39 which spans from a first end 40, to a
mid-point 42 (which is approximately adjacent to the top of dome of
the hat 20 when installed in the hat 20), and back down to a second
end 44. A forward boning member 46 (see FIGS. 1 and 5) extends from
the mid-point 42 to a forward securing member 48. When the hat
storage device 22 is installed into a hat 20, the forward securing
member 48 is tucked into the front portion of the folded band 28
and serves to hold the forward portion of hat storage device 22 in
place. It may be made of a boning material, but does not have to
be. Various other materials, such as a thin metal or stiff plastic
material may be employed. Wallet support boning members 50a and 50b
are each joined at one end with the cross boning member 39, and at
the other end with closure boning member 52, as shown in FIGS. 1
and 5. A wallet pull tab 54 is provided to open the internal wallet
56 by allowing closure boning member 52 to be pulled forward. The
internal wallet 56 is defined by the wallet side wall 55, and the
netting 100 which extends between the wallet support boning members
50a-b. The netting material 100 comprises materials which are made
of girdle-like or other materials, fabrics, and other materials
known in the art. It is noted that the closure boning member 52 is
made of a material, as described above, which once opened stays
open, and then it only takes a small push to close again. This
eliminates the need for snaps or hook and loop fasteners to close
the internal wallet 56. It is further noted that the internal
wallet 56 is held above the wearer's head, that is, it is found in
the dome area 23 of the hat 20. The internal wallet 56 may be sized
so as to receive things such as unfolded cash, airline tickets,
passes, items too large for a wallet, etc., and it defines a wallet
interior 58. This is shown in FIG. 2. Shown in FIG. 5 is an
embodiment of the hat insert 22 which shows examples of the
dimensions of the hat storage device 22, but in no way does this
limit the size of the storage device 22 because it can be variously
made of a plurality of differing sizes.
[0022] To install the storage device 22, reference is made to FIGS.
1, 2, and 8. The user need only take the device 22 and place the
securing member 48, the first and second ends 40 and 44 of the
cross member in the internal folded band 28. That is the entire
task. An installed storage device 22 is shown in FIG. 2.
Installation and/or removal can be accomplished in under thirty
(30) seconds. It is a particular advantage of the present invention
that no hook and loop, rib and channel, snaps, buttons, or other
type of fastener is required in order to place and secure the
storage device 22 in the hat 20. This is because the hat storage
device 22 employs pressure fitting in order to secure the boning 48
and the first and second ends 40 and 44 of the cross members
against the internal folded band 28. This pressure fit is
sufficient to hold the storage device 22 firmly in place,
regardless of the load in the internal wallet 56. This provides for
tremendous versatility of the hat device 22, because the hat
devices 22 can be sold with or without hats 20 at retail outlets. A
buyer could have an old favorite hat 20, and install the hat
storage device 22 therein without modifying the hat 20 at all. The
buyer would not need to sew or glue anything to install the hat
storage device 22. Further, the hat storage device 22 may be sold
alone, or as part of a kit, with the kit comprising a hat 20 and a
hat storage device 22 and, optionally, a one or more of side
pockets 60, 80. Another feature is that the contents of the hat
storage device do not contact the wearer's head.
[0023] Also, articles may be stored between the storage device 22
and the inside surface 24 of the hat 20, that is, the articles can
be trapped therebetween. This can be done for this embodiment, and
the remaining embodiments of the present storage device 22. This is
one more way in which the storage device 22 allows for storage of
large articles.
[0024] In an alternate embodiment, the structure of the storage
device 22 may be similar to the structure shown in FIG. 1, except
the cross boning member 39 is absent. This device still performs
satisfactorily, and still has an internal wallet 56, and is quickly
installed by merely inserting the securing member 48 inside the
internal folded band 28 of the hat 20. Again, the pressure fit
between the securing member 48 and the internal folded band 28
holds the storage device 22 in place, and articles can be stored
within internal wallet 56 as well as between the storage device 22
and the inside surface 24 of the hat 20. This model may be used in
the soft top or unconstructed type golf or baseball type hats,
where the wearer would like the added flexibility to store extra
large checks or lottery playing cards or oversized boarding passes
behind storage device 22 and the dome of the hat. Again, storage is
available in all embodiments between the storage device 22 and the
inside surface 24 of the hat 20.
[0025] An additional embodiment is shown in FIG. 3, which shows a
storage device 20 which further comprises a surrounding boning
member 70. The surrounding boning member 70 is joined with the
forward boning member 46 at junction 72, such that the surrounding
boning member 70 and the forward boning member 46 are connected at
this point. At the locations where the cross member boning 39 and
the surrounding boning member 70 pass by one another, they are not
joined together.
[0026] Turning to FIG. 4, shown therein is a sliding side pocket
80. The sliding side pocket 80 is variously embodied so that it may
be attached to the surrounding boning 70 in a plurality of
different ways. The sliding pocket 80 is formed from pocket boning
82, and comprises a pull tab 84 for gaining access to the interior
90 of the sliding pocket 80. An opening 86 is provided for in the
sliding pocket 80. A first sleeve 92 and second sleeve 94 are
formed in the rear of the sliding pocket 80. The sleeves 92, 94 are
sized to receive the surrounding boning member 70 therein. This
provides for a dual use for the sliding side pocket 80 as will be
described presently.
[0027] FIG. 6 shows how the side pocket 80 may be attached to the
surrounding boning member 70 by the first sleeve 92 formed in the
side pocket 80. FIG. 8 shows what is shown in FIG. 6 with the
difference being that the sliding pocket 80 is installed on the
surrounding boning member 70 in an inverted position in FIG. 6.
This installation of the sliding pocket 80 allows for quicker
access into the sliding pocket 80, but the configuration shown in
FIG. 6 is more secure because the opening 86 of the pocket 80 is
nested in the folded band of the hat 20.
[0028] In a further embodiment, shown in FIG. 7, the hat storage
device 22 of FIG. 1 is shown together with a pocket 110 for
attachment thereto. Pocket 110 has a vertical sleeve 112, as well
as first and second rear sleeves 92, 94, and it comprises a pull
tab 114. To install this pocket 110, the cross boning member 39 is
slid through the vertical sleeve 112, which results in the
arrangement as shown in FIG. 7. Of course, another pocket 110 could
be inserted on the other end of the cross boning member 39.
Furthermore, pocket 110 could be inserted in an inverted position
with the pull tab 114 at the bottom, to be installed with the pull
tab 114 tucked inside of the hat internal folded band 28.
[0029] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 8, a hat storage device
22, similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3, is shown in combination
with a side pocket 80 attached thereto by sliding surrounding bone
member 70 through sleeve 94. It will be appreciated that side
pocket 80 could also be attached in an inverted orientation.
[0030] FIG. 9 shows how the sliding pocket 80 can be loaded with
credit cards, money, and other articles and installed on the
surrounding boning member 70.
[0031] FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the hat device 22. In
this embodiment, not only is there an internal wallet 56, but there
is also a pouch pocket 120 which includes a pouch pocket closure
122. The pouch pocket 120 is opened by pulling tab 121, and in this
manner access gained to the pouch pocket interior 124. As shown in
the FIG. 10, the pouch pocket 120 is defined by the internal wallet
56 sidewall 55, and the pouch pocket side wall 126.
[0032] Thus, the present storage device 22 is quite useful for
storing articles within the hat for safekeeping during times when
no other suitable storage means is being worn. For example, while
wearing shorts or bathing suit, and or, a T-shirt without pockets,
or other apparel without sufficient pockets for storage.
Additionally, frequently the owner of a given hat or cap has become
quite attached to the particular hat, due to a particularly
comfortable fit, style or durability of the material etc. This
invention can be used with a preexisting favorite hat, that is it
can be sold just as a storage device 22, and the purchaser can
install the storage device 22 in under 30 seconds. This eliminates
the need to purchase an otherwise undesirable hat, in order to have
a hat with the storage features described above.
[0033] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
while the hat storage device has been described above in connection
with particular embodiments and examples, the hat storage device is
not necessarily so limited and other embodiments, examples, uses,
and modifications and departures from the embodiments, examples,
and uses may be made without departing from the hat storage device.
All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope and
spirit of the hat storage device.
* * * * *