U.S. patent application number 10/650995 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-25 for headwear.
This patent application is currently assigned to Yupoong, Inc.. Invention is credited to Cho, Byoung-Woo.
Application Number | 20040231031 10/650995 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33448158 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040231031 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cho, Byoung-Woo |
November 25, 2004 |
Headwear
Abstract
The present invention provides headwear including a crown
portion for being worn on a head of a wearer, a visor portion
projecting from the crown portion, and an elastic apparatus
applying an elastic force to the crown portion such that the crown
portion remains in a predetermined shape. Such headwear can retain
its original shape or form, strongly withstanding distortion or
wrinkles, such that its value as merchandise is preserved.
Inventors: |
Cho, Byoung-Woo;
(Yongin-city, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700
1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
Yupoong, Inc.
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
33448158 |
Appl. No.: |
10/650995 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/175.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 1/0181 20210101;
A42B 1/002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/175.4 |
International
Class: |
A42B 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 19, 2003 |
KR |
10-2003-0031585 |
Claims
1. Headwear comprising: a crown portion for being worn on a head of
a wearer; a visor portion projecting from the crown portion; and an
elastic apparatus applying elastic force to the crown portion such
that the crown portion retains a predetermined shape.
2. The headwear of claim 1, wherein the elastic apparatus applies
the elastic force in an outward direction of the crown portion.
3. The headwear of claim 2, wherein the elastic apparatus comprises
at least one elastic rib or wire.
4. The headwear of claim 1, further comprising a circumferential
portion combined with an interior side of the crown portion such
that a space is formed within the circumferential portion and the
interior side of the crown portion, wherein the elastic apparatus
comprises an elastic member that is at least partially inserted in
the space and elastically support the interior side of the crown
portion.
5. The headwear of claim 4, wherein the circumferential portion
comprises an elastic band.
6. The headwear of claim 1, wherein: the crown portion comprises a
plurality of panels stitched to one another; and the elastic
apparatus comprises at least one elastic member that is combined
with the stitched portion of the panels and elastically supports
the crown portion.
7. The headwear of claim 6, wherein the elastic member is combined
with the stitched portion by sewing.
8. The headwear of claim 6, wherein the elastic member is combined
with the stitched portion by an adhesive.
9. The headwear of claim 1, wherein: the crown portion comprises a
plurality of panels stitched to one another; the headwear further
comprises a cover member combined with the stitched portion of the
panels; and the elastic apparatus comprises at least one elastic
member that is provided between the cover member and an interior
side of the crown portion.
10. A method, comprising: providing an exterior portion and an
interior portion of a unit of headwear; and fitting a plurality of
flexible portions between the exterior portion and the interior
portion to flexibly support the exterior portion.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: inserting the
interior portion to correspond to a circumference of the exterior
portion.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the fitting comprises closely
contacting the flexible portions with an interior side of the
exterior portion.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the fitting comprises fixing
the flexible portions to the interior portion.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the fitting comprises sewing
the flexible portions to the exterior portion.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein the flexible portions are
elastic ribs.
16. The method of claim 10, wherein the flexible portions are
wires.
17. The method of claim 10, further comprising: rotatably inserting
a pin through the flexible portions; and attaching a
separation-preventing member to an end of the pin to prevent
separation of the flexible portions.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: changing an
arrangement of the flexible portions to thereby change a shape of
the headwear.
19. A method, comprising: attaching a plurality of panels together
to form a crown of a unit of headwear; and combining a flexible
portion respectively with each of the panels to thereby flexibly
support the crown.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the flexible portions are
elastic members.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the flexible portions are
elastic ribs, the method further comprising: providing a cover
member respectively at a plurality of points of attachment of the
panels; and inserting the flexible portions respectively into the
cover members.
22. A method, comprising: providing a crown of a unit of headwear;
providing a circumferential portion at an interior circumference of
the crown; fitting an elastic portion between the crown and the
circumferential portion to provide an outward force to the crown;
and providing a visor to project from the crown.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Generally, the present invention relates to headwear such as
a cap and a hat. More particularly, the present invention relates
to headwear that can maintain the shape of its crown portion while
being transported.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In general, headwear such as a cap and a hat includes a
crown portion for being worn on a head of a wearer, and a visor
combined with the crown portion. When such headwear is pressed
down, e.g., by other headwear or clothing over a long period of
storage, it usually suffers from distortion of its shape, or
wrinkles.
[0003] In addition, when such headwear is stacked for a long period
of transportation, it also suffers from easy distortion of the
shape of its crown portion, or wrinkles, and accordingly the grade
of the headwear as merchandise is is easily deteriorated.
[0004] Furthermore, when the crown portion of headwear is made of
soft materials such as a knitted fabric, its shape is difficult to
maintain even during display or exhibition, so a customer's
interest may be easily diminished.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Therefore, the motivation for the present invention is to
provide headwear having a non-limiting advantage of strongly
withstanding distortion and/or wrinkles of the crown portion.
[0006] Exemplary headwear according to an embodiment of the present
invention includes a crown portion for being worn on a head of a
wearer, a visor portion projecting from the crown portion, and an
elastic apparatus applying elastic force to the crown portion such
that the crown portion retains a predetermined shape.
[0007] In a further embodiment, the elastic apparatus applies the
elastic force in an outward direction of the crown portion, wherein
the elastic apparatus preferably includes at least one elastic rib
or wire.
[0008] In another further embodiment, the headwear further includes
a circumferential portion combined with an interior side of the
crown portion such that a space is formed within the
circumferential portion and the interior side of the crown portion.
Preferably, the circumferential portion includes an elastic
band.
[0009] In yet another further embodiment, the crown portion
includes a plurality of panels stitched to one another, and the
elastic apparatus includes at least one elastic member that is
combined with the stitched portion of the panels and elastically
supports the crown portion. Preferably, the elastic member is
combined with the stitched portion by sewing or by an adhesive.
[0010] In yet another further embodiment, the crown portion
includes a plurality of panels stitched to one another, the
headwear further including a cover member combined with the
stitched portion of the panels, and the elastic apparatus includes
at least one elastic member that is provided between the cover
member and an interior side of the crown portion.
[0011] Headwear of such an embodiment can retain its form or shape
since an elastic apparatus elastically supports an interior side of
a crown portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of
the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain
the principles of the invention:
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates headwear according to preferred
embodiments of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates an elastic apparatus for headwear
according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates an elastic apparatus for headwear
according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along a line A-A of FIG.
3;
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates headwear according to a third or fourth
embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along a line B-B of FIG. 5
according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and
[0019] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along a line B-B of FIG. 5
according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will
hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a drawing for illustrating common features of
headwear according to several embodiments of the present invention,
wherein the headwear is shown upside down.
[0022] According to embodiments of the present invention, headwear
includes a crown portion 1 for being worn on a head of a wearer,
and a visor portion 3 projecting from the crown portion 1 such that
the visor portion 3 can block sunlight.
[0023] The crown portion 1 is provided, at its interior
circumference, with a circumferential portion 5 that directly
contacts the head of the wearer. A space is formed within the
circumferential portion 5 and the interior side of the crown
portion 1, and an elastic apparatus 8 is fit in the space and
applies elastic force to the crown portion 1 in an outward
direction thereof. The circumferential portion 5 may be made of
typical materials known in the art, and in particular, it
preferably includes an elastic band.
[0024] The elastic apparatus 8 elastically supports the interior
side of the crown portion 1 such that the crown portion 1 is free
from distortion and wrinkles.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the present
invention, the elastic apparatus 8 includes a plurality of elastic
ribs 7 such that the elasticity of the ribs 7 may form an elastic
force applied to the crown portion 1 in the outward direction.
However, the scope of the present invention should not be
understood to be limited thereto. For example, the elastic ribs 7
may be replaced with wires (not shown), which is obvious to a
person of ordinary skill in the art.
[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates an elastic apparatus for headwear
according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] According the first embodiment, the elastic ribs 7 in the
elastic apparatus 8 are strip shaped and arranged at arbitrary
intervals. However, it is notable that the shape of the elastic
apparatus 8 and/or the elastic ribs 7 is not limited thereto, since
it may be varied in variety under the condition that the interior
side of crown portion 1 is elastically supported such that wrinkles
of the crown portion 1 are prevented.
[0028] The elastic ribs 7 are preferably made of a synthetic resin
having good elasticity. However, they may also be made of any other
material having sufficient elasticity to support the interior side
of the crown portion 1.
[0029] Ends of the elastic ribs 7 are fit in the space formed
within the circumferential portion 5 and the crown portion 1, and
thereby the elastic ribs 7 closely contact the interior side of the
crown portion 1 by the elasticity thereof such that the crown
portion 1 retains its shape.
[0030] The spirit of the present invention may be applied to any
headwear that is provided with a crown portion 1, and therefore,
the term "headwear" should be understood to mean any article that
may normally be worn on a head, including a cap and a hat.
[0031] According to the first embodiment, the elastic ribs 7 are
described as fitting in the space within the circumferential
portion 5 and the crown portion 1. However, the scope of the
present invention should not be understood to be limited thereto.
The elastic ribs 7 may also be fixed to the circumferential portion
5, or they may be combined with the crown portion 1, e.g., by
sewing. It is notable that the elastic ribs 7 may be combined with
the crown portion 1 in any other fashion that enables the elastic
ribs 7 to elastically support the interior side of the crown
portion 1.
[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates an elastic apparatus of headwear
according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
4 is a cross-sectional view along a line A-A of FIG. 3. In the
drawings, an element that has the same function as a corresponding
element of the first embodiment is designated by the same reference
number as used in the first embodiment, for illustrational purpose
and for better comprehension.
[0033] According to the second embodiment, an elastic apparatus 7
is assembled with a plurality of elastic ribs 7.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the elastic apparatus 8 of the
second embodiment is formed by combining a plurality of elastic
ribs 7 with a rotatable pin 9. In more detail, the rotatable pin 9
is rotatably inserted through the plurality of elastic ribs 7, and
a separation-preventing member 11 for preventing separation of the
elastic ribs 7 is attached to an end of the rotatable pin 9.
[0035] According to the second embodiment, arrangement of the
elastic ribs 7 is freely changed such that the overall shape of the
elastic apparatus 8 may be altered in a variety of fashions.
Therefore, the position and/or arrangement of the elastic apparatus
8 in the crown portion 1 may be formed in a variety of
fashions.
[0036] Usage and operation of the headwear according to the second
embodiment is similar to and obvious from those according to the
first embodiment. The second embodiment shows that the present
invention can be embodied in various manners.
[0037] The elastic apparatus 8 of the second embodiment may have
various shapes as described above, and accordingly, it may be
applied to headwear having crown portions of various shapes.
[0038] Other features of headwear of the second embodiment may be
obviously understood from the explanation of the headwear of the
first embodiment, which accordingly should be considered to have
been explained in connection with the second embodiment as
well.
[0039] In the above explanation of the headwear according to the
second embodiment of the present invention, it is explained that
the elastic ribs 7 are combined by the rotatable pin 9 and the
separation-preventing member 11. However, the scope of the present
invention should not be understood as being limited thereto, since
the elastic ribs 7 can be fixed by a device such as another kind of
pin or adhered together by applying heat.
[0040] FIG. 5 illustrates headwear according to a third or fourth
embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a
cross-sectional view along a line B-B of FIG. 5 according to a
fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[0041] According to headwear of the third embodiment of the present
invention, a plurality of panels la are stitched to one another to
form the crown portion 1, and an elastic member 13 is combined with
each stitched portion 1b, replacing the previously described
elastic ribs 7.
[0042] The elastic member 13 may be combined with the stitched
portion 1b by an adhesive applied to one or both sides of the
elastic member 13. However, it is notable that it may also be
combined with the stitched portion 1b by sewing, etc.
[0043] The elastic member 13 is preferably made of a synthetic
resin having good elasticity. However, it may also be made of any
other material having sufficient elasticity to support the interior
side of the crown portion 1.
[0044] The third embodiment shows a further exemplary headwear that
is resistant to distortion and/or wrinkles of the crown portion 1
by elastically supporting the interior side of the crown portion 1.
In particular, it is notable that, according to the third
embodiment of the present invention, distortion and/or wrinkles of
the crown portion 1 are successfully prevented without adopting the
circumferential portion to hold the elastic apparatus 8.
[0045] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along a line B-B of FIG. 5
according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 7, according to the fourth embodiment, a
cover member 15 is provided to the crown portion 1 in the same
arrangement as explained in connection with the elastic member 13
of the third embodiment, and an elastic rib 7 is inserted in the
interior of the cover member 15. According to this structure, the
cover 15 may be made of soft materials such as fabric or cloth,
since the elastic rib 7 inside the cover member 15 elastically
supports the crown portion 1 to maintain its shape.
[0047] General features of the fourth embodiment are obviously
understood from the explanation of the third embodiment of the
present invention, which accordingly should be considered to have
been explained in connection with this fourth embodiment as
well.
[0048] This fourth embodiment also shows a further example of
headwear that is resistant to distortion and/or wrinkles of the
crown portion 1 by elastically supporting the interior side of the
crown portion 1.
[0049] As described above, according to headwear of a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, an elastic device such as the
elastic rib or the elastic member elastically supports the interior
side of the crown portion of headwear. Therefore, such headwear
strongly withstands distortion and/or wrinkles of the crown portion
that may appear from being stacked for long term storage or
transportation, which in turn maintains the value of the headwear
as merchandise.
[0050] In addition, a customer's interest is increased for such
headwear since it may be displayed retaining its shape regardless
of the material used for the crown portion.
[0051] In addition, a manufacturing process is simplified when the
elastic ribs are fit in a space formed inside the crown
portion.
[0052] Furthermore, such headwear prevents pressing down of the
hair of a wearer and thereby keeps his/her hair style neat, since
an elastic device supports the crown portion and thereby forms a
gap between the crown portion and a head of the wearer.
[0053] While this invention has been described in connection with
what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is
intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements
included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *